At the gate of Inabayama Castle in Mino Province, sixteen people led by Takenaka Hanbei were being interrogated.

"Dare to ask Lord Takenaka, why do you urgently need to enter the city?" Saito Hidamoru Mamoru who was guarding the castle asked the Takenaka Hanbei strangely.

"Oh, it's Saito-sama, that's right, my brother is seriously ill, so I didn't bring some doctors over to see him." Hanbei Takenaka replied humbly.

"This? These are all physicians? So much? One, two... Sixteen in total? Saito Hida Mamoru looked at the sixteen people behind the Takenaka half-guards in surprise.

"Oh, these five are subordinates, these three are famous physicians in Simenon, these three are apprentices, and the last five are just handymen." Takenaka Hanbei returned with a calm face.

"Oh, I see. Then in this case, Lord Takenaka should hurry in, I have already heard that Brother Ling is seriously ill, and it is really not light. Release! Saito Hida Mamoru waved his hand and ordered Ashigaru, who was defending the castle, to make way for a passage.

"Thank you very much Lord Saito, who is in a hurry to save my brother. When my brother recovers, I will definitely reward Saito-sama heavily. The Takenaka half-guard motioned for his men to enter first, and he and Saito Hida had a few more occasions.

"Haha, it's easy to say, it's easy to say, the same hall is a minister, and you should take care of each other, go, don't let Brother Ling's illness be delayed." Saito Hidamori snorted and said with great concern.

"Thank you, then I'll take my leave." After saying that, the Takenaka half-guard entered the city, thinking about how to kill Saito Hida Mamoru first, but the two of them actually didn't agree with each other, and they both regarded each other as traitors.

Arrived at the samurai mansion not far from the castle tower, Takenaka Shigeju, who saw his brother coming, and he didn't pretend to be sick, so he hurried to the courtyard to greet him.

"Subordinate Takenaka Heavy Moment, see the lord." Seeing his younger brother, the half-guard of Takenaka nodded and motioned for everyone to quietly enter the inner room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a major operation tonight, which is to seize Inabayama Castle!" The half-guard of Takenaka sat down on the main seat and uttered shocking words.

"What! The lord wants to seize Inabayama Castle? Just a few people? One of the samurai asked in surprise, except for Shigeki Takenaka, who knew about it in advance, and everyone else was in the dark. During the day, they just did what they were told, and when they learned of such a terrible thing, some people obviously began to retreat.

"Yes, don't worry, as long as we plan properly, a few of us are enough." Takenaka Hanbei said confidently that after his repeated deductions, this matter has a great chance of success.

"Now that the lord has decided, what do you say about your subordinates!" Takenaka Shigeju immediately set an example, and his eyes were also scanning the people around him, and once someone should not be, he would be killed immediately.

"Uh~~ My subordinates are willing to die for the Lord!"

"My subordinates are willing too!"

"Subordinates too." Others, you and I have expressed their positions one by one.

"Good! Then please give your lives to you, and don't worry, Lord Ando has already led the army to ambush outside the city. Our main goal is to open the gates, lure the Ando army into the city, and suppress the defenders in the city. As soon as Takenaka Hanbei finished speaking, everyone obviously breathed a deep sigh of relief, fortunately, there was still hope for life.

"Entering the city during the day today, I took a closer look, there are not many ashigaru at the city gate, the guard will be Saito Hida Mamoru, tonight I will sneak into the city gate, kill Saito Hida Mamoru, steal the city gate, and let the Ando army enter the city." The half-guard of Takenaka paused, looked at the subordinates with a gloomy face, and said again in an unkind tone: "Now everyone is resting here, no one is allowed to go out, wait for the night to act!" If anyone has a different heart, don't blame him for turning his face and being ruthless! ”

"Yes! Don't worry! We will die faithfully for the Lord's family! The crowd did not dare to have any objections, and quickly bowed their heads and obeyed.

"Good! Kusaku! Go and put the weapons that have been smuggled in and distribute them to everyone at night. The half-guard of Takenaka asked his younger brother Takenaka to go down and prepare, while he stayed inside, closed his eyes and recuperated, waiting for the night to come.

When night comes, the castle of Inabayama is silent, except for the occasional ashigaru who keeps vigil passing by.

A rustling sound sounded, and the half-guards of Takenaka led their subordinates to quietly touch the vicinity of the city gate, as if waiting for something.

After a while, I saw a group of ashigaru turning around at the city gate, led by a high-ranking samurai who was Saito Hida Mamoru who he saw during the day.

"It's now! Kill! "Takenaka Hanbei took the lead and rushed towards Saito Hida Mamoru, he studied under Tsukahara Buden, and his swordsmanship was also quite good.

"Huh?" Saito Hida Mamoru was obviously stunned, and then laughed: "Hanbei, the lord knew that you had evil intentions and deliberately led you into the game, and now you have been surrounded!" Don't hurry up and obediently accept the surrender, and wait for the punishment of the lord! ”

"What!" This time, it was Takenaka's turn to be in disbelief, looking at the ashigaru who were swarming around, and surrounded himself and others.

When the sound of the sword falling to the ground came from the crowd of the half-guards in the bamboo guard, he knew that the matter had come to this point, and the defeat was decided, so he threw out the knife very resignedly, and asked expressionlessly: "It's very strange in the next place, who is the master who saw through the plan below?" If it is said that it is the lord, then there are 10,000 people who don't believe it. ”

"Bastard! The wisdom of the lord can be understood by a mortal like you? Take them down! Hand it over to the Lord! Saito Hidamori angrily commanded his men to capture Takenaka.

"My lord! The traitor Takenaka half-guard brought! Saito Hida Mamoru escorted everyone to the outside of the castle tower.

"Hmmm! Bring him up! Ryu Saito, who was on the throne, said indignantly, and quietly tucked a letter into his cuff.

This letter was obtained two days ago from his favored retainer, Saito Hidamori, a common sect, and is said to have been inadvertently intercepted by his men. The content of the letter was very vigorous, and it turned out that Oda Nobunaga proposed a condition to Takenaka Hanbei to solicit him, claiming that as long as he helped capture Inabayama Castle and captured Saito Ryuko, he would be crowned with half of Mino Country!

"My lord." The half-guard of Takenaka came in and stood still very elegantly, not at all like a captive person.

"Shut up! You still have the face to call me lord! You traitor, I trusted you so much before! Saito Ryuxing angrily pointed at the Takenaka half-guard, so angry that his fingers trembled slightly.

"My lord! Please listen to the minister's explanation, the minister did this just to admonish the lord and get rid of the ministers around the lord. "Takenaka Hanbei did not flinch at all, his original intention was to admonish soldiers, and his loyalty was still visible from the sun and the moon.

"Nonsense! Nonsense! It's all a lie! Saito Ryuxing jumped to his feet angrily, shook his hand, and threw the letter to the Takenaka Hanbei: "Look at this! What else do you have to explain! ”