Owari Yumeki Golden Day

"With such conditions, I can only say goodbye." Shichibei got up and left. Nobunaga would never agree to such conditions.

Instead of wasting time here, it would be better to go back and help Nobunaga to scrape the land, let him send out 20,000 men and violently attack Ogaki Castle. Once Ogaki Castle is broken, the damn Mino Three will die.

"Hey!" No, why are you so bad at negotiating?

Seeing that Shichibei didn't even bargain, Ando Uemon became anxious and said, "How can you do diplomacy like this? If you go back like this, Nobunaga will kill you with a sword, believe it or not."

"Please be patient, please be patient." A man suddenly jumped out from behind the screen in the room and stopped Shichibei.

How could someone still eavesdrop? This is out of the question. Such a confidential matter, with a third ear, you want to die, but I don't. Andou Uemon, however, called out "brother-in-law" and helped the man stop Shichibei.

70. Takenaka negotiated terms with me

Brother-in-law?

Huh? Shichibei's arm was grabbed by Ando Uemon's brother-in-law. You know what? This guy's arm was quite strong. Shichibei could sense that he really wanted to stop him.

"My name is Takenaka Hanbei Shigeharu, not someone else." The brother-in-law introduced himself, and it turned out to be him.

"Since he is the son-in-law of Iga no Kami (mother-in-law in Japanese), why don't you be honest with me?" Shichibei sat down again, but he still had to keep an attitude that there was no room for conversation.

"I am a rough man and the matter is secret." Takenaka Hanbei also sat down in front of Shichibei.

His words were quite modest, saying he was a fool and not very good at speaking, and that they were discussing a serious matter of surrender and reversal. If he accidentally let something slip or disrupted the negotiations, it would be bad. Besides, the fewer people who knew about this kind of thing, the better. His refusal to show up was also to reassure Shichibei and the other two.

"Hmm..." Qibingwei waved his hand, turning the page on this chapter.

"If your Excellency has any request, please feel free to tell us." Takenaka Hanbei quickly changed the subject.

Shichibei, on the other hand, remained silent, staring directly at Takenaka Hanbei. No one thought this was offensive at the moment; they just had to observe him.

When he'd just pulled on Shichibei, he'd already sensed that this man had some skill. Now, taking a closer look, Takenaka Hanbei, though not a tall man, had impressive arm muscles. This showed he'd practiced spearmanship and swordsmanship diligently, making him a tough guy, definitely stronger than a rookie like Shichibei.

Looking at his face again, he certainly doesn't look like the pale-faced, weak little scholar in later games, and has nothing to do with the pretty boys in the aesthetic tastes of Japanese girls in later generations.

His skin was dark but shiny, showing no signs of illness. His eyes were bright, and he dared to look into Shichibei's eyes, not worrying at all that Shichibei would see anything from him.

To put it more bluntly, this man was quite confident, with a calm and composed air. Of course, this might also have something to do with his upbringing. After all, he was one of the wealthy locals of Seino, a samurai with a 10,000-koku salary on Mount Bodhi, and commanded over 200 retainers and soldiers. Anyone who could lead a 200-man army was undoubtedly a skilled individual.

"At the very least, the military service must be set at 5,000!" Shichibei knew this was Nobunaga's bottom line.

If we don't allow Xino to send out 5,000 men, how can we deplete the strength of Xino? Nobunaga can give money, and semi-independence is also acceptable, but sending out troops must be sufficient, otherwise it will be meaningless.

“…” This time it was Takenaka Hanbei and Ando Uemon’s turn to remain silent.

Military service was a crucial issue, no matter where in Japan. Take, for example, the lifelong battles of Ota Sukemasa and Hojo Ujiyasu. As the head of the Iwatsuki Ota clan, he commanded immense influence and power within Musashi. Consequently, after Ota Ujimasa defected to the Hojo clan, he ordered his family to provide 2,000 cavalrymen, 1,000 of whom were "mounted cavalry."

This was certainly due to the abundance of pastures and horses in Kanto, but it was also due to the Hojo clan's desire to exploit the Iwatsuki Ota clan. Providing a thousand mounted infantrymen was incredibly stressful.

"Other than that, everything can be negotiated." Shichibei certainly wanted to make the deal, it wasn't easy coming here after all the hardships.

As long as the military service could be negotiated, Nobunaga would have willingly agreed to all the other conditions. With the entirety of Mino under his belt, Nobunaga was still quite magnanimous. Didn't you see that even Sato Tadanori suddenly became wealthy, taking 4,400 kan in cash plus 300 kan in pensions and retiring to live in seclusion?

"The main family must be listed as direct councilors." Takenaka Hanbei opened his mouth again, but said something that was a bit irrelevant.

The direct sanshu here is different from the direct sanshu that Shichibei had previously denied the right to meet Nobunaga on New Year's Day. This is because the direct sanshu here means that Nobunaga cannot set up any deputies or any other levels between the Seinoshu and Nobunaga himself.

They swore loyalty only to Nobunaga and accepted his rule. Note, it's important to note, Nobunaga himself. This pledge of loyalty was limited to Nobunaga's generation. Even if Nobunaga had a legitimate son who would eventually inherit the Oda clan, they could choose not to pledge allegiance.

It did not allow the Oda family's generals to be placed above them to command their forces, and it also greatly narrowed the scope of their loyalty to Nobunaga alone.

Maybe some people still don't understand after hearing this, such as Takagi Sadahisa who was confused next to him. What the hell is going on?

It was very simple. They were not allowed to appoint samurai generals, so when they went to war, their soldiers could only be led by themselves, or by Nobunaga himself. Nobunaga led them, that was natural and there was nothing to say.

But it is highly likely that Nobunaga would not bring their soldiers with him, and would let them lead their own troops. Then the actual commanders of the Seino soldiers would be themselves.

Everyone knows that Japan's wars were a disaster. It was common for soldiers to just work without putting in any effort. Aside from a small number of samurai who were rewarded with the knowledge and action bonus, the rest of the soldiers were just there to make a living. Being able to wave a flag and shout "666" behind the samurai was considered a sign of respect for the samurai masters.

After all, Japan was unique in the Warring States period, when its population grew as wars continued.

In this way, even if 5,000 men were conscripted for military service, the probability of their casualties would be greatly reduced. They would not be deliberately drafted out or forced into sieges that would result in heavy casualties.

Even if they were specifically ordered to deliver it, they could have escaped. Our army was not doing well in the battle, and was scattered by the enemy. Lord Nobunaga, don't worry, I will regroup and fight again immediately.

What? Was Nobunaga really going to kill someone just for this? If he killed someone just because of a temporary victory or defeat, then there would be no one left alive in the Oda clan. Who hasn't lost a battle before?

Shichibei couldn't help but look at Takenaka Hanbei with new eyes. This man was very good at grasping the key points. After learning that Nobunaga's bottom line was probably full military service, he immediately sought the most favorable conditions for his side under this premise.

"Pa pa pa pa..." Shichibei couldn't help but clap his hands.

Ando Uemon and Takagi Sadahisa were still confused, but Kinoshita Hidenaga was better off and was in deep thought. He seemed to have figured it out and was almost there.

"What do you think, Lord Kawamura?" Takenaka Hanbei smiled proudly, looked up and asked Shichibei.

"In that case, five thousand five hundred people!" Shichibei slightly adjusted the conditions, increasing by ten percent.

"Sure!" Takenaka Hanbei responded immediately.

"Will Iga no Kami still serve as the chief writer of the Seino clan?" One thing was agreed upon and the next agenda was smoothly moved on.

After reaching a consensus, the conversation can indeed be more relaxed. After all, the atmosphere has eased and there is a possibility of working together in the future.

"That's natural."

If it wasn't for the opportunity to digest and integrate the Seino clan, why would Ando Mamoru jump out to become this "repeated thief" and take the lead in the repetition?

"Where are the hostages?" Shichibei could understand Ando Mamoru's thoughts and didn't dwell on it.

"Oh." Takenaka Hanbei immediately patted his brother-in-law's arm, indicating to Shichibei that this was the hostage.

He's definitely Andō Morinari's biological son. If you don't believe me, ask Takagi Sadahisa. In these volatile times, you can't do without some collateral. Andō Morinari is quite sensible, willing to sacrifice his own son.

Then Shichibei turned to look at Takagi Sadahisa, who nodded seriously. This was indeed Ando Morinari's youngest son, for sure. I even held him in my arms when he peed when he was little.

I wonder if Nobunaga would adopt Ando Uemon, change his surname to Tsuda, or even to Oda, and give him an adopted daughter.

"One is not enough." Shichibei remembered that Ando Mamoru had several children, and the death of a son would definitely not be a major blow.

The Ando family was a large clan in Nishimino. Shichibei had inquired before arriving, and it seemed Ando Mamoru had eight brothers. Eight brothers, each with four sons and four daughters, with a 30% mortality rate, would give the next generation fifty cousins, including brothers-in-law. And what if those brothers-in-law also had brothers? They were so powerful that they could dominate any village.

"Five." Takenaka Hanbei immediately stretched out his palm and spread out all five fingers.

"I want a close relative of the Lang party, as well as the son of an important official."

"That's how it should be."

"Yeah." Shichibei nodded. Ando Mamoru wanted to be the chief writer of Seino, so let him do it. He was so bold.

If he dared to rebel, Nobunaga would kill his brother's son, his nephew, and the sons of his elder family members. Weigh the cost of rebellion before deciding whether to rebel.

The two main plots had been agreed upon, and the rest were just minor details. The remuneration and husband money for all the land west of the Hangase River that Nobunaga had previously promised would definitely be paid.

Andō no Kami's requests for conditions like not serving as a magistrate, not being required to perform general labor service, and not paying tribute were all acceptable. However, Shichibei specifically pointed out one point: if Nobunaga's main castle, residence, or retreat needed to be renovated, the Seino clan would have to contribute. This was their obligation as Nobunaga's direct vassal, and they couldn't afford to give even a cent.

Regarding this, Takenaka Hanbei thought about it for a moment and agreed. Nobunaga's residence couldn't change every day, and some daimyo spent their entire lives in the same castle.

Such as Hojo Ujiyasu's Odawara Castle, Uesugi Kenshin's Kasugayama Castle, and Takeda Shingen's Tsutsujizaki-kan. According to Takenaka Hanbei's thinking, this kind of thing would probably only happen once or twice before Nobunaga died, so it wouldn't be a big burden. So he agreed, and he agreed very easily.

Haha, just wait.

Nobunaga would not only relocate to Inabayama, but also rebuild his castle and expand his military power throughout Gifu. He would later move to Omi, initially considering establishing his main castle in Nagahama before eventually choosing Azuchi. Once he had conquered Kinai, he would also embark on a major construction project in Kyoto.

Humph, just by running errands for Nobunaga, you families will spit out everything that Nobunaga fed into your mouths, and there is a high probability that you will spit out the principal with interest.

Without leaving any written instructions, let’s all go home and report.

71. He is a fool and not decent (make some spicy soup crown)

Shichibei, Takagi Sadahisa and Kinoshita Hidenaga sat in front of Nobunaga and told him everything they had in their secret conversation with Ando Uemon and Takenaka Hanbei.

Nobunaga sat there quietly listening, waving his folding fan from time to time. The weather had turned cold, and I didn't know why he was waving the fan.

After Shichibei finished his main explanation, Takagi Sadahisa added some more information. Nobunaga glanced at Kinoshita Hidenaga again and asked if Hidenaga was Hiyoshi's younger brother. "Of course he is," Hidenaga quickly replied.

Anything to add? No, no, I'm afraid Xiuchang will have to lie flat on the floor.

Okay, Nobunaga understood the outcome of Shichibei's negotiations. Overall, it met his requirements. After all, 5,500 soldiers were above Nobunaga's bottom line, and hostages were also required. He even wanted to repair the main castle for Nobunaga. Given that the Nishi Mino Trio still had some resistance, these conditions were acceptable.

After sending the three people out to rest, Nobunaga sat down alone.

There was no tea room in Komakiyama Castle, and there was no record of Nobunaga practicing tea ceremony at that time. Otherwise, finding a small and secluded tea room and squatting inside would be quite suitable for thinking.

The future Date Masamune had a small room like this in Sendai Castle, reportedly no more than five square meters. He even ate breakfast squatting in it, silently, alone.

With no one around, Nobunaga felt at ease. He sat cross-legged, leaning forward, closing the folding fan in his hand, and pointing and drawing at the simple sketches of Mino and Owari.

He had only just persuaded Andō Morimasa to surrender; the fate of the Inaba and Ujiie families depended on Andō Morimasa's eloquence. It was too early to celebrate. Nobunaga had done little to open the champagne at halftime, which was a wise move.

After a moment of private contemplation, Nobunaga ordered Niwa Nagahide and Sakuma Nobumori to come. The autumn harvest was over, and as previously mentioned, Owari's annual tribute had to be used to pay bills and fill the gaps in the economy. He also had to cough up two thousand kan to marry Princess Tokuhime off to Mikawa in grand style.

This year, Nobunaga did not have the money to mobilize a large army to the north to fight for supremacy in Mino, so he could only hope to lure the people of Seino over and completely eliminate the minions on the east and west sides of Inabayama Castle.

Not long after, Niwa Nagahide and Sakuma Nobumori arrived. The three old men together were just a trifle better than each other. They couldn't defeat Zhuge Liang, but they could probably defeat the "modern Zhuge Liang".

Without mentioning what the three old men had planned, Shichibei returned to the castle and was just about to have a cup of tea when he saw Kinoshita Hidenaga and his sister Aci sitting under the eaves, affectionately chatting with each other.

Bah, if it weren’t for my sister and brother-in-law, I would have cursed them, saying that love makes people rot and stink.

It was So Kotaro, the lackey, who had the foresight to immediately bring over a cup of tea and offer the host some tea. You're such a thoughtful fellow! It's worth our friendship, having been together since we were little, picking up horse manure together.

Normally, Shichibei should have returned to Tsushima, but Sakai Masanari, the annual tribute from Kaito Commandery, has gone to collect it, so Shichibei can rest for a few days at Komakiyama Castle. Besides, Nobunaga might need further advice, so we can't leave.

Then ask how business is going at the store. Is there anything important going on? Where's the account book? Let me see it.

As the two chatted, Shichibei flipped through the account books. "We've sold both crops of alfalfa and barnyard grass this year. The next crop after autumn is for our own use. After Nobunaga conquers Mino, the Kawamura family's stable will undoubtedly expand to Mino. We might not be able to sell alfalfa to outsiders anymore, so we'll have to keep it all for our own horses."

"Excuse me?" A timid female voice came into the ears of the two.

"Yes, yes, yes." So Kotaro responded immediately. When a customer knocked on the door, he had to answer it out of habit.

Putting down the account book, Shichibei turned around and saw a little girl, no more than twelve or thirteen years old, followed by a maid who was not much older than her. They were a master and a servant, and they were a little timid.

After all, the stables have a certain smell. Even though horses are very clean animals and the staff take good care of them, you can't have someone standing by the horses 24/7 to pick up their manure. After a while, there's always going to be a smell. Besides, not many people bathe every day these days.

He was with the big animals every day, and he didn't even take a bath or change clothes every day. The smell surprised the little girl who had never experienced it before, but she didn't say anything.

"Are you looking to buy horse grass?" He couldn't possibly be asking for directions, so Shichibei clapped his hands and stepped forward to greet him.

"Hmm? Yes. Yes, yes, my father asked me to buy fifty bundles of horse grass." Only then did he see that the little girl had a small purse tied around her wrist.

A bunch of grass cost thirty coins, and fifty bunches would cost fifteen hundred coins. How could someone with thin arms and legs lift fifteen hundred coins?

"Well..." So Kotaro wanted to reply to the little girl.

Kawamura doesn't sell horse fodder after autumn, so it's too late to buy now. Or who is your father? If he's a high-ranking official, we can still make concessions. If he's just an ordinary samurai, we have no choice but to refuse.

On the other side, at the corner of the street, at Katoya, Nobutaka Kato's family also sells horse grass. They no longer have horses, so they sell horse grass all year round.

"Fifty bundles, huh? Kotaro, go order fifty bundles." Shichibei knew what Kotaro wanted to say, but since the two little girls came to his house, he just took care of them and ordered fifty bundles.

"The place is simple, so I won't invite you two to sit down." Shichibei smiled at the two little girls.

Just a simple smile, he's not some weird uncle. How could an ordinary person possibly have any feelings for a girl in elementary school? If he had any feelings, it would have to be a high school girl, a college girl, 18 years old, young and beautiful, with a well-developed body, and a tall figure.

But the little girl from the Wu family in front of him was pretty good-looking. She looked fair and tender, quite fresh. Plus, she was a little shy. If it were a man these days, he would probably be tempted and ready to propose marriage.

It is said that Maeda Toshiie was so stunned by Osomatsu's beauty that he ran to her house in the hope of becoming her perfect match.

In other words, Shichibei is not the soul of this era. He has no interest in skinny little girls and prefers big, soft, and sweet older sisters.

Eh!

Maybe we can have a chat with Ieyasu. Ieyasu likes girls who have given birth, preferably those who are plump. If there is a chance, we can talk to him about our experience.

Princess Tokuhime will definitely be sent to the Matsudaira clan next New Year, so we should go there. Ieyasu is just a wealthy man now, not the one who can decide life and death.

Shichibei, who secretly missed the sweet and soft big sister in his later life, did not notice the stares of the two little girls standing in the hallway.

"Excuse me, is the boss of Kawamuraya, Shichibei-sama, also in the store?" The little girl dressed as a maid couldn't help but speak.

"I am." The interrupted Qibingwei looked around behind him. Is there anyone who looks more like a boss than me?

Two of the servants were brushing the horses, another was adding more supplies, and another had just returned from fetching water. Shichibei was flipping through the account books. That wasn't what a boss was, what kind of boss was that?

"Ah!" The little girl who belonged to the master cried out softly and quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

"What's wrong?" Shichibei asked, and So Kotaro behind him had already harnessed two carts and pulled out fifty bundles of grass.

Seeing the grass laid out, Shichibei rushed over to help. He also had to count the bundles again: fifty bundles means fifty bundles. We run a business with integrity at Kawamura-ya.

A quick count revealed fifty bundles, no problem. The two little girls certainly couldn't carry fifty bundles home, so So Kotaro harnessed the cart and helped them pull them back.

"One thousand five hundred mon, thank you." Shichibei counted the grass and So Kotaro took the money.