Japan's Sengoku Period: The Sanada Clan's Ambition

Chapter 108 Cha Cha, Don't Do This
Japan does not produce saltpeter or lead blocks; it relies on imports for both.

In the early days, due to the rise of firearms, the demand for saltpeter and lead increased sharply, and the Kyushu region began to purchase large quantities of lead and saltpeter.

The largest exporter of these two items was the Ming Dynasty, and the main seller at the time was Wang Zhi, the "Five Peaks Ship Owner".

Later, some regions in Japan developed methods for producing saltpeter, but the output was not high, and the technology was classified as a secret, making large-scale production impossible.

Therefore, the only way to purchase saltpeter and lead blocks is by buying them.

"So, saltpeter and lead blocks were the most expensive expenses?"

Inside the Konishi-ya-shiki, Sanada Nobuyuki asked with a hint of helplessness.

Konishi Yukinaga nodded. "Not bad."

"If Lord Sanada wants to buy 300 arquebuses, purchasing 2000 catties of lead blocks and 500 catties of saltpeter in the initial stage will be sufficient," Konishi Yukinaga suggested.

2000 jin of lead blocks can be melted down to cast about 30,000 lead bullets, which is enough for a period of time.

Nobuyuki Sanada had lost his earlier arrogance and quickly calculated the price in his mind.

Lead blocks cost 400 wen per jin, so 2000 jin would be 800 guan.

Saltpeter costs 500 wen per jin, so 500 jin is 250 guan.

With 300 arquebuses added, wouldn't the total price be close to 4000 kan?
Oh no, we don't have enough money.

Nobuyuki Sanada was sweating profusely.

Konishi Yukinaga also noticed Sanada Nobuyuki's unusual behavior, so he tentatively asked in a low voice, "Lord Sanada, is it perhaps that you don't have enough money?"

"It's no trouble at all. My Konishi family can lend you some money!" Seeing that Sanada Nobuyuki remained silent, Konishi Yukinaga immediately and generously offered to lend him the money.

Nobuyuki Sanada immediately refused.

Sanada Nobuyuki also knew something about the interest rates on loans to businessmen. The starting annual interest rate was 30%, and usury was something he absolutely had to avoid.

"Lord Konishi, is it possible to lower the price of saltpeter and lead ingots further?"

Konishi Yukinaga was silent for a moment, then slapped his thigh and said, "Considering this is our first meeting, I'll take the liberty of sending you 10 more arquebuses."

"As expected of a merchant, he makes it seem like I've gotten a huge bargain with a musket that only cost two or three strings of cash to produce." Sanada Nobuyuki couldn't help but think to himself.

"I wonder if payment can be made in gold?"

Konishi Yukinaga smiled broadly and said, "That would be best, of course."

"What about the other goods?" Sanada Nobuyuki continued to ask. In addition to the pile of gold ingots, the gifts from Hashiba Hideyoshi included a considerable amount of cloth and other items.

Konishi Yukinaga frowned slightly. "That depends on what it is."

"Silk and cloth."

Konishi Yukinaga immediately went from worried to happy, saying, "Of course it's possible."

These days, besides gold and silver, silk and cloth are definitely hard currency, and they never have to worry about selling anywhere.

Konishi Yukinaga couldn't help but wonder, are all the daimyo of Shinano this rich now?
Forget about gold, we can trade silk and cloth directly. It seems it's time to talk to my father and tell him to stop focusing on Kanto and Oshu and make time to visit Shinano.

When can the goods be delivered?

Once the price is agreed upon, the next issue is how to deliver the goods.

"Three months later, someone from the Huihe Zhonghui will deliver the arquebus to Lord Sanada in Shinano."

"Of course, if Lord Sanada finds it too slow, there is a batch of goods available in Sakai Port right now, but they are in the hands of the Nanban people, so the price will be much higher," Konishi Yukinaga continued.

Nobuyuki Sanada quickly shook his head.

As long as a firearm works, that's enough.

Are foot soldiers worthy of such fine firearms?

"No need, then I will await good news in Shinano."

"A deposit of 50 kan." Konishi Yukinaga spread his hands, indicating to Sanada Nobuyuki not to leave yet.

Friends are friends, business is business, but a deposit is still required.

Sanada Nobuyuki understood, and simply handed a gold ingot from his pocket to Konishi Yukinaga.

Konishi Yukinaga accepted the gold ingot, a fleeting look of surprise in his eyes.

He casually weighed them in his hand, then opened a box to the side and took out two silver ingots.

“These gold ingots are worth more than 50 kan; let’s convert the excess into silver ingots.” Konishi Yukinaga said with a smile to Sanada Nobuyuki.

The attendant who was in charge of recording quickly made two copies of the list, one of which was given to Nobuyuki Sanada and had the Huihezu's exclusive mark on it.

"This is the packing list. We will use this to make the final decision. The goods can only be delivered after the check is completed and verified."

Nobuyuki Sanada accepted it and nodded, "Thank you!"

After Sanada Nobuyuki and Katagiri Katsumoto left, Konishi Yukinaga took out the gold ingot, stared at it for a while, and then put it back in.

"Lord Katagiri, we were able to purchase the arquebus so smoothly thanks to your introduction."

After leaving Konishi-ya-shiki, Sanada Nobuyuki looked at Katagiri Katsumoto with gratitude.

Katagiri Katsumoto waved his hand, "I didn't really help much."

"Alas, if my status at home were higher, perhaps I could have negotiated a better price for Lord Sanada."

"I'm truly ashamed," Katagiri Katsumoto said, shaking his head dejectedly.

Sanada Nobuyuki stuffed the two silver coins that Konishi Yukinaga had just given him into Katagiri Katsumoto's hand, saying, "Consider this as a gift for Lord Katagiri to have a drink. I will be returning to Shinano soon, and I will definitely have another drink with Lord Katagiri when I have the chance in the future."

Katagiri Katsumoto stared blankly at the silver ingot in his hand.

Yesterday he treated me to drinks and women, and today he's giving me money. Sanada-sama, you're being way too kind!

He is truly an honest and kind person.

After parting ways with Katagiri Katsumoto, Sanada Nobuyuki found Yamagami Teruhisa and the others at Sakai Port.

When they went to Konishi-yashiki, Sanada Nobuyuki, worried that the others would have nothing to do, told them to go and wander around first.

Sakai Port is the most bustling and vibrant commercial port in all of Japan, where you can buy almost anything you want.

Local and international, we have it all.

"My lord, I am preparing to buy some gifts to give to my wife. I wonder what you think would be appropriate?" Yamagami Teruhisa asked Sanada Nobuyuki while looking at the goods along the way on the commercial street.

Sanada Nobuyuki thought for a moment, then said, "I wonder how old Mrs. Ji is?"

"Which one are you referring to, my lord?"

Nobuyuki Sanada:.
have been offended.

"How many wives does Daoji have?"

“I have a wife, the daughter of the Sano family.”

“There are also three concubines,” Teruhisa Yamagami said slowly.

Sanada Nobuyuki stopped and pointed to a shelf belonging to a Nanban merchant. "If it's someone older, these cosmetics are the most suitable gift."

"If you're younger, the mirrors over there are nice too."

Upon hearing this, Teruhisa Yamagami immediately ran over to ask the price.

He had 6000 koku of credits under Sanada Nobuyuki, so buying these things was a piece of cake for him.

At that moment, Nobuyuki Sanada turned to look at Kotaro Suzuki, who was standing to the side, and asked, "Kotaro, why aren't you choosing?"

"I am not yet married." Suzuki Kotaro lowered his head shyly.

Sanada Nobuyuki then quickly said, "It's alright. If you take a fancy to any woman, just tell me, and I'll find you a match."

"Really?" Kotaro Suzuki said with a look of surprise.

"Of course!" With that, Sanada Nobuyuki quickened his pace and walked to the side, intending to buy some things for Sachi and Yamate-dono as well. Oh, and he couldn't forget about his father and sister, Matsu.

Wait, there seems to be someone else?

Why can't I remember for a moment?
At that moment, inside Yashiro Castle in Shinano Province, Sanada Nobushige sneezed.

"Who's talking about me?"

Nobuyuki Sanada has decided to depart for Shinano the day after tomorrow.

Now that the permit has been obtained and Hideyoshi Hashiba has promised the Sanada family that they can do whatever they want with Shinano, the most urgent task is to hurry back and reorganize the people of Shinano.

The process of localizing Shinano territory is about to begin.

They rested at Sakai Port for a day and bought all the gifts. The next morning, Nobuyuki Sanada, along with Teruhisa Yamagami and the others, returned to Kyoto, arriving after dark.

Since it was impossible for Teruhisa Yamagami and the others to stay at Hideyoshi Hashiba's residence with Nobuyuki Sanada, they split up after entering Kyoto.

Nobuyuki Sanada returned alone with the gifts, which he had prepared for Nene.

There was no need to send gifts to Hideyoshi Hashiba; the Sanada family had already sent them in the name of Masayuki Sanada, although Hideyoshi Hashiba might not have appreciated what they had given.

Therefore, it is necessary to try to please the leader's wife.

Sometimes, a casual remark made by a leader's wife while she's with the leader can bring unexpected benefits.

As Sanada Nobuyuki walked back, just as he was about to cross the bridge, a solitary figure on the bridge caught his eye.

Hearing the noise behind her, Chacha turned around with a melancholy look on her face, and her eyes met those of Sanada Nobuyuki.

Cha Cha's face first showed surprise, but then her eyes lit up with delight.

"Lord Sanada, have you come to see me?" Chacha covered her chest with both hands and looked at Sanada Nobuyuki with an expectant expression.

You probably wouldn't believe me if I said I was just passing by, right?

Nobuyuki Sanada walked over awkwardly and whispered, "What are you doing here so late, Miss Chacha?"

"Today, Lady Maria brought the Kyogoku clan to Kyoto and is staying in Lady Tatsuko's courtyard."

Lady Maria was the older sister of Nagamasa Asai. She married Takakichi Kyogoku and was the mother of Tatsuko Kyogoku, Takatsugu Kyogoku, and Takachi Kyogoku.

"My aunt's family is reunited in happiness, but where is my home?" Chacha's forlorn gaze was like a sharp sword, causing Sanada Nobuyuki to lose his composure.

As Cha Cha looked in that direction, there was nothing in the distance except for a pure white moon.

"What is Miss Chacha looking at?"

"Look at the moon."

"The moon I saw in Xiaogucheng when I was a child was just as round as it is today."

"Does Lord Sanada know Odani Castle?"

"It's in Omi, not far from Lake Biwa, a place with beautiful scenery."

"However, Xiaogu City has now been destroyed."

"If I have the chance, I really want to go back and visit again."

Under the moonlight on the wooden bridge, one person is talking and another is listening.

Two reflections fell into the water, and the moon in the water fell right between the two, creating a scene as beautiful as a painting.

I don't know how much time passed, but Chacha seemed a little cold, or perhaps she really missed home. Suddenly, she tiptoed and leaned against Sanada Nobuyuki's shoulder.

Sanada Nobuyuki was a little flustered and quickly looked around. Luckily, no one was around.

If Hideyoshi Hashiba finds out about this, will I even see the sun rise tomorrow?

Who knows, tomorrow's headline in Kyoto might be that the body of Sanada Hyogo-no-kami, the young lord of the Sanada family in Shinano, was found in a well somewhere, and that the cause of death was that he accidentally fell into the water due to excessive drinking.
"Lord Sanada, please don't move. I just want to lean on you for a bit."

"It's been a long time since Chacha has had such broad arms to lean on." Noticing Sanada Nobuyuki's unease, Chacha hugged him tightly around the waist, as if worried about losing her safe haven again.

Nobuyuki Sanada didn't say anything, just stayed still as Chacha nestled in his arms.

"Am I very similar to Lord Asai Bizen-no-kami?" At this point, Sanada Nobuyuki could only continue the conversation by going along with Chacha's words.

Judging from the situation, if I don't help the young girl alleviate her homesickness today, I won't be able to get away.

"Yes."

"That day outside Kiyosu Castle, Chacha had this feeling the moment she first saw Lord Sanada."

"Lord Sanada's demeanor and physique are exactly the same as Chacha's memory of her father." Chacha raised her head and stared at Sanada Nobuyuki in a daze.

Nobuyuki Sanada said he understood, "People with good looks are always popular wherever they go."

"Can Lord Sanada sing?"

"How about some folk songs from the Shinano countryside?"

"Mmm!" Chacha buried her head in Sanada Nobuyuki's chest like a swallow returning to its nest.

Sanada Nobuyuki thought for a moment, then softly hummed, "The mountains of Shinano, the embrace of a mother."

The song playing in her ears touched Chacha's heart, and scenes of Asai Nagamasa coaxing her to sleep in Odani Castle flashed through Chacha's mind.

Looking up at Nobuyuki Sanada's tall figure, he felt as if he had merged with Nagamasa Asai from his memories.

Cha Cha was stunned and blurted out two words.

"Father."

Sanada Nobuyuki fled back to Hashiba Hideyoshi's residence. Before entering, he quickly straightened his clothes and then casually walked in with the gifts.

At that moment, Yoshimasa Koide came out from inside. "Lord Sanada is back?"

"Ah."

"This is a gift I prepared for Lady Ningning. The inner courtyard is full of women, so it is inconvenient for me to go there. Please ask my son, Shigeji, to pass it on for me." Sanada Nobuyuki handed the box in his hand to Koide Yoshimasa.

Koide Yoshimasa nodded and bowed to accept it.

Back in his room, Nobuyuki Sanada lay on the tatami mat, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

A faint fragrance seemed to emanate from the clothes, causing Sanada Nobuyuki to lose himself in thought.

Nobuyuki Sanada is not the only one suffering from insomnia.

In Kyogoku Ryuko's courtyard, across the river, Chacha lay between her two younger sisters, also tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

She didn't know why she was so dependent on a samurai she had only met a few times, but Chacha knew that she felt exceptionally safe in Sanada Nobuyuki's arms just now.

Both parents are deceased, and close relatives have passed away.

His hometown was destroyed, and he was forced to live as a dependent.

Although the people around them treated the three Chacha sisters with great respect, the way they looked at them always revealed a kind of feeling that made Chacha very uncomfortable.

It seems that only Sanada Nobuyuki, who doesn't care much about her past and isn't a retainer of the Hashiba family, could make her lower her guard and open up.

But when Chacha thought about how she had just called Sanada Nobuyuki "father," she buried her head in the blanket in embarrassment.

In the stillness of the night, Cha Cha slowly closed her eyes.

In her dream, she returned to Xiaogucheng, where her father and mother were still alive, and she fell asleep holding Chacha in her arms at night.

But when he opened his eyes, the person holding his mother and her had changed to Nobuyuki Sanada.
Cha Cha suddenly woke up from her dream, not understanding why she would have such a dream.

She had heard that the images in dreams often reveal a person's hidden true thoughts.

Is that really the case?
Sanada-sama
Chacha, drenched in sweat, climbed up from the tatami mat, moving very gently, afraid of waking her sleeping younger sister.

I walked quietly to the wall and opened the window.

Cha Cha's thoughts drifted off into the distance again.
(End of this chapter)