Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

Upon hearing that Shichibei was indeed in charge of the annual tribute rice, he immediately changed his job to prepare and record the quantity and quality of the grain to be shipped in Gifu and Tsushima.

It's not surprising. Japanese rice merchants meticulously recorded various rice production data and rice quality during the Edo period, treating it as important business data. Some even specifically noted which glutinous rice grown near Lake Biwa was suitable for making mochi. Since the mochi used for New Year's offerings in Japan is called "kagami mochi," the rice from that area began to be called "kagami rice."

As for rice from Echigo Province, its excellent taste due to the large temperature difference between day and night gradually gained popularity among residents of the Kanto region, especially Edo. This led to merchants sometimes passing off Kanto rice as Echigo rice, resulting in Kanto farmers abandoning rice cultivation in favor of other grain crops to ensure marketability.

During the Edo period, when people ate sweet potatoes, the old Edo residents insisted on eating sweet potatoes produced in Kawagoe Castle, as those were considered the most authentic.

The area around Kawagoe is now an important rice-producing region, and its earliest name was simply "Kawahi". It was fertile land formed by river siltation, but because the people of Edo period preferred to eat Echigo rice, they eventually abandoned rice cultivation.

Shichibei also recorded this data, not out of any craftsmanship, but simply to react promptly to the market. It's just that in later generations, this thing became something to brag about.

Not to mention.

Before closing the warehouses, Shichibei had to inspect the newly built warehouses in Gifu and Tsushima. With capital in hand, Shichibei was starting to consider expanding into the rice industry. He didn't want to be just a middleman; he wanted to seriously manage the upstream and downstream of the rice business.

The next time Nobunaga needs to allocate a large amount of military rations, Shichibei will no longer need to borrow from the Sakai-cho coalition; he can simply allocate the rations directly from his own warehouse.

Of course, for Hideyoshi's campaigns in Kanto and Kyushu, which involved long-distance military expeditions and the transport of hundreds of thousands or even millions of koku of military rations, he still had to work with other wealthy merchants.

Just as they were about to get down to business after checking the accounts with Inase Yoshinari, Ai walked in from the back of the shop and suddenly revealed that she was pregnant.

Good heavens, she's already showing her pregnancy, why didn't she tell me? Ai rolled her eyes at Shichibei. There's a war in the Kinai region, a massive battle involving hundreds of thousands of people. How could small merchants like them dare to go to the Kinai region alone? Besides, it's only been about four months since the pregnancy became noticeable. They were just about to inform her when they heard that Nobunaga had retreated from the battlefield.

Why bother notifying them? Shichibei just came running back on his own, all excited and eager.

That makes so much sense, I can't even refute it.

In short, having a baby is a good thing, especially since Ai is already an adult and her body has fully developed. It's not like she's about to give birth before her pelvis is fully developed. A natural birth at this age is infinitely better than at thirteen or fourteen, significantly reducing the risk.

That's great news, really great news.

On the other hand, Aji, who married Kinoshita Hideaki, has also had time, but there's still no news. The Kinoshita family... sigh, what's going on? I just don't understand.

If you're talking about bad genes from the father, the two don't even share the same father. And if you're talking about bad genes from the mother, Ah-Zhong had several children; not counting those who died young, two sons and two daughters survived to adulthood.

That's completely outrageous.

He sent someone to Sunomata Castle to inquire, and Shichibei happily began collecting the annual tribute rice from Nobi. While keeping accounts, he also asked Inase Yoshinari, "What will you name the child when she's born? We can't name a boy 'Tauro' and a girl 'A-Nai,' can we?"

When this topic came up, Inase Yoshinari, who was working on his abacus, paused. He hadn't decided yet; he really hadn't. Actually, calling him Take would be the most convenient. Both men and women could be called Take, so it would be like using his nickname.

But now that he's a samurai with a name, he can't be named so casually. And to make matters worse, his name, Yoshinari, was given to him by Shichibei. Shichibei's full name is Kawamura Nagayoshi, which is why he's called Inase Yoshinari.

And so be it. Nobunaga has ordered that all the annual tribute rice within the direct territories of Owari and Mino provinces be sold to Shichibei first. In fact, Owari and Mino have many retainers who manage territories, such as Sakuma Nobumori, Niwa Nagahide, and Ikeda Tsuneoki, each of whom is a daimyo with tens of thousands of kan (a unit of currency).

Even powerful families like the three lords of Nishimino had their own channels and didn't follow Nobunaga. In the end, of the annual tribute rice that Nobunaga wanted to sell, after deducting the portion that had to be kept, only a little over 130,000 koku were delivered to Shichibei.

Sakuma Nobumori, who was on good terms with Shichibei, also sold several thousand koku of rice from his own territory to Shichibei. In addition, several tens of thousands of koku of rice were brought to Tsushima by local tycoons and landowners for sale.

These were small-town samurai like Ota Gyuichi, with only two or three hundred koku of land. Even small savings added up to a considerable sum.

Thus, the total amount of rice collected by Shichibei exceeded 210,000 koku. This doesn't quite match Noo's figure of one million koku, so they still need to work harder and strive to secure a final amount exceeding 500,000 koku.

We think it's too little, but the people of Sakai and Anotsu don't. Apart from the 40,000 koku of rice we have to repay to them, and the 40,000 koku of rice that we've agreed to sell to them, the rest of the annual tribute rice is worth fighting for.

Shichibei figured Nobunaga would eventually attack Asakura Yoshikage or Kitabatake Tomofusa, both of whom were incredibly fierce, and resolutely refused Nobunaga's request for them to come to Kyoto to offer their congratulations. Nobunaga felt that if he didn't kill them both, he would be wasting the money and effort he had spent supporting a shogun.

Therefore, at least 50,000 shi should be reserved as a precaution.

Thus, the actual amount of annual tribute rice that could be sold was only 80,000 shi. As soon as Shichibei announced the figure, the several officers sent by the Huihezhong discussed it and worked on the abacus with Shichibei, coming up with a respectable number.

Transaction.

Ships thronged Tsushima Castle, with a constant stream of returning ships arriving from above. The wealthy Tsuda magnate of Sakai Town even sent a letter to Shichibei, stating that if Shichibei wished to procure military provisions, the current procedures would apply. They would distribute provisions upon receiving documents bearing Shichibei's signature.

There are no restrictions on whether the shipments are sent to the Kinai region or Tsushima.

There was another matter that Tsuda, the boss, told Shichibei, asking him to keep it a secret. That was that the Miyoshi Triumvirate were deploying weapons, cannons, and ammunition in Sakaimachi, clearly indicating their intention to launch a counterattack.

Because Awaji Navy's Ataka Nobuyasu supported them, Shichibei did not send ships into the Naruto and Awaji Channels. Their Sakai-machi ships were not afraid, as they had paid the Ataka Navy's mark fee and were flying the Ataka Navy's flag.

Ow...

See? That's the advantage of doing business. Because of the collaboration, and the close collaboration at that, Mr. Tsuda was afraid that Shichibei would lose money and go bankrupt. So he didn't hesitate to inform Shichibei of this confidential information.

Although he knew Shichibei would definitely tell Nobunaga, he still spoke up. Since the matter of the Miyoshi Triumvirate mobilizing weapons would inevitably be exposed sooner or later, it was more important to remind Shichibei first.

"Someone, someone, someone come here!" Shichibei suddenly remembered something.

Historically, the Miyoshi Triumvirate, unwilling to accept defeat and with their main force intact, launched an attack on Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who resided in Kyoto, during the New Year. However, their attack failed due to the valiant efforts of the lords and foot soldiers, and the miraculous arrival of Nobunaga.

If they succeed in capturing or even killing Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Nobunaga's march to Kyoto to enthrone him will immediately become a laughingstock throughout Japan. He will be ridiculed by all the feudal lords, and even various factions within Japan will doubt Nobunaga's strength, severely damaging his prestige.

Judging from Tsuda's letter, the Miyoshi Triumvirate do indeed have ambitions to rise again. After all, they retreated to Awa without even fighting, and although they lost influence in the Kinai region, they did not lose influence in Awa, Sanuki, Awaji, or part of Iyo.

In particular, Shinohara Nagafusa's 20,000 troops didn't even bother to defend Koshimizu Castle; they simply turned back and fled. For the Miyoshi Triumvirate's side, raising 40,000 troops wouldn't be difficult.

If 40,000 people were deployed in the same direction, they would truly be unstoppable, killing anyone who stood in their way.

Two men ran in from outside when they heard Shichibei shout. Shichibei immediately wrote a letter and ordered them to deliver it by fast horse to the branch shop below Kannonji Castle.

I only have one question: how many Oshu horses have been purchased in Omi?

Now that the investigation is complete, it may be of great use during the New Year. If preparations are made properly, it might be possible for Oda Nobunaga and his Makai troops to reach Kyoto in just one day and one night.

If he really proves useful, Shichibei's great achievement could completely dispel Nobunaga's previous displeasure. It might even turn the tide and increase Nobunaga's favor towards Shichibei.

Two men ran out, and immediately one of them led out a horse, which galloped towards Qingxu. Now that the post stations and stables in Wei, Nong, and Jiang prefectures have all been repaired, the horses can be changed but the riders remain the same, and the letter may only take 24 hours to travel back and forth.

154. Iwakari assassinates the Imperial Merchant

The number of horses in stock at branch stores, post stations, and stables across the country was reported very quickly. Due to Nobunaga's orders, the horses of Oshu traded northward were consolidated, and Shichibei controlled more than 5,000 horses.

This is slightly earlier than historically, when Nobunaga issued the "Rakushi Rakuza Edict" at Azuchi Castle, he completely mandated that the horse trade in the entire Omi region must take place at Azuchi Castle. This was to ensure that Nobunaga could quickly gather horses, control packhorse resources, and enhance the mobility of his army.

Since Azuchi Castle was not yet built and Kannonji Castle had been demolished, Nobunaga decreed that horse trade was only permitted in towns and cities directly controlled by Nobunaga, such as Otsu and Kusatsu. In fact, sales were only allowed to Kawamuraya, as the old horse merchants had all been crushed by the Iron Fist for resisting the imperial army.

As a de facto important military resource, Nobunaga attached great importance to it, and when granting red seals to various towns and cities, he specifically specified the trade in horses, firearms, and other items.

Furthermore, adjusting the commodity trade authority of various towns and cities, and granting or depriving them of monopoly rights, is also one of the privileges of the ruler or governor.

Once power is in hand, one can simply issue orders.

If Nobunaga didn't get all the horses and cannons into the hands of the Oda clan, then his campaign in Kyoto would have been for nothing. Nobunaga wanted both fame and real benefits, and he wanted them both.

Just as they were counting, a waiter came in to report that the big boss of Ito-ya, Ito, had arrived. This was the head of the Tsushima clan, the chairman, the chief; Shichibei was only fit to carry his shoes back then.

He quickly ordered someone to invite him, and Shichibei put on his shoes and stood at the door of the back room to greet Ito Sojuro. After only one glance, Shichibei noticed that Ito's appearance was not good, and he was not as energetic as before.

Oh dear, you've run into trouble.

They quickly welcomed him into the house and served him tea, while Shichibei hurriedly shielded those around him. No one visits a temple without a reason; since Boss Ito had come, there must be something important.

"Okikata, Okikata, please save Ito-ya!" Seeing that there was no one else around, Ito Sojuro immediately kowtowed to Shichibei.

By the way, when Nobunaga assigned this year's annual rice tribute to Shichibei, Shichibei officially became a pro-Niro ally of Owari and Mino provinces. This applies to commercial towns within Owari and Mino provinces, including Tsushima, Atsuta, Gifu, and Kano. From now on, any matters involving the collection of yagare (rice tael) or tsubasa (alternate tael), commercial disputes, land transactions within towns, or the inheritance and termination of monopolies…

From then on, all matters related to commerce within the territories of both countries were entrusted to Shichibei alone. Thereafter, Nobunaga solely relied on Shichibei for the administration of all towns and cities.

Of course, Shichibei also began to provide Nobunaga with services such as cash flow, short-term military loans, long-term annual rice tribute, and even the dispatch of military equipment.

Nobunaga only cared about the money; he didn't ask about anything else.

"What do you mean by that?" Shichibei quickly asked Ito Sojuro to stand up. They were both from the Tsushima clan, so if there was any difficulty, they could just ask.

Even if it were just a loan of three or five thousand kan, Shichibei would lend it to him immediately because of Ito Sojuro's connections. No collateral was needed; it was all because he knew Ito Sojuro and knew that this man had some skills in the shipping industry, that he could get back on his feet, and pay off his debts.

"Ito-ya has suffered a great calamity this time..." To everyone's surprise, Ito Sojuro actually started crying, completely lacking his usual demeanor.

"This...this..." If you have something to say, just say it. Don't cry. What good will crying do?

If you're talking about playing the victim, you don't need to. Shichibei is happy to lend you money, so stop crying. There's so much going on every day, nobody has time to watch a grown man cry.

"The fleet heading to Sakaizu was attacked by the Miyoshi gang, and the entire fleet was wiped out." Sojuro Ito finally revealed what had happened.

"what!"

Shichibei was genuinely surprised, because Tsuda had mentioned this matter before. At the time, Shichibei thought that the Miyoshi Triumvirate were trying to revive and were mobilizing military equipment. Now, he realized that they were not only mobilizing military equipment, but also raising military funds.

What's the best way to raise military funds? Robbery, of course!

Therefore, the navy of Paju openly robbed ships along the Awaji and Naruto waterways. If you had a ship's mark, you could just pay them a couple of cents and that would be the end of it. After all, Ataka Nobuyasu still had to operate in this area, so he had to give the Ataka navy some face.

No ship markings? Hmph, then we'll just wait to split the ship and cargo 30/70. Anyway, the Miyoshi Triumvirate still have some influence in Sakaimachi, and they have plenty of channels and routes to sell stolen goods, so they're not worried about not being able to sell them.

As for whether you're from the Tsushima, Atsuta, or Anotsu factions? Well, sorry, we'll seize you and your ship. Those who don't resist will be sold into slavery, waiting for their masters to redeem them. Those who resist will be hacked to pieces and thrown into the water; plenty of fish, shrimp, and crabs will come and feast on them.

Furthermore, doing such a thing also requires establishing authority through killing, and unfortunately, the person killed happened to be encountered by Ito Sojuro. Ito-ya's fleet encountered the Miyoshi Clan of Hashu while transporting ceramics to Sakai.

To establish authority, one had to kill. The boatmen and sailors of the Itō-ya company, including the headman Tedai, were all killed by the Miyoshi Triumvirate, numbering over a hundred. This was worse than a shipwreck; in a storm, one could at least find a small fishing village to dock in, and at least not die.

If war breaks out, and it's the enemy, not only will the ship and cargo be lost, but more importantly, the crew will be killed.

Nowadays, it's all part of the old feudal guild system, and training a qualified shop assistant is not easy. Many shop assistants have served the merchants for generations. They are not only hardworking but also extremely loyal. The deaths of over a hundred people have completely severed the backbone of the Ito-ya business.

Another point is that since the big boss of Ito is based in Tsushima, he has to compensate the cargo owners for the goods entrusted to him. The ships and people are gone, and now even the money has to be lost. Ito-ya is bankrupt and beyond saving.

That's why Ito Sojuro cried. The money he borrowed was no longer of much use, and he could accept the repayment. It was the loss of key personnel at Ito-ya that made him cry so bitterly.

"This...this..." Shichibei never expected to encounter such a thing so soon after becoming the new emperor.

"I hope that you will report this to the Emperor and avenge the people of Tsushima." Ito Sojuro kowtowed to Shichibei again.

This time, not only were hundreds of Itoya's employees killed, but also other merchants from Tsushima who were on the ship, and even unrelated traveling merchants. Originally, they were going to Sakai to do business together, but now, they have all been killed by the swords of the Miyoshi Triumvirate.

"Rest assured, I will do my utmost to report this matter to His Highness!" That's right, if you've taken on this personal mission, and you can't even stand up for your merchants, then you might as well not do it at all.

"Let's set off immediately!" After helping Ito Sojuro up, Shichibei called for the horses to be led outside.

You can speed from Tsushima to Gifu via the Ise Road and arrive in a day. Since you can change horses at each stop, there's no need to hesitate.

Upon hearing that Shichibei hadn't hesitated at all and was about to head to Gifu to ascend the castle and knock on the palace, Ito Sojuro followed suit, mounting his horse and galloping away. Two other Ito-ya employees who had escaped also caught up with them. If Nobunaga were to inquire, only those directly involved could tell him the story.

By the time we arrived in Gifu, it was already dark.

Ito Sojuro originally thought that Shichibei would wait overnight and then go up to the castle to report to Nobunaga the next morning. To his utter surprise, Shichibei rushed directly to the gate of Nobunaga's residence in Titaya below the castle. Hisamatsu Toshikatsu, who was guarding the gate, was stunned. How could he break into Nobunaga's residence at night?

Fortunately, Nobunaga didn't usually live in the castle tower atop Gifu Castle; he usually lived with his family in Titani below the castle. Shichibei yelled a couple of times at the gate, and someone inside came out to ask. Who was so inconsiderate as to make such a racket outside the castle so late at night?

Hisamatsu Toshikatsu, who had been holding onto Shichibei, released his grip. The matter had been escalated, and his work was now finished. Shichibei, seeing the page who had come to inquire, immediately said he had important matters to report to Nobunaga. He pleaded for Nobunaga's permission to come in.

The page frowned. At this hour, Nobunaga was probably already preparing to sleep with one of his concubines; how could he possibly be receiving his retainers? But seeing Shichibei's anxious expression, and knowing that Shichibei was still one of his favorite retainers, he only said that he would go inside and inquire, without guaranteeing that it would work.