Hashiba Hideyoshi said solemnly.

"Both saltpeter and lead are products of the Southern Barbarians, and Xiaoxi and her daughter are both Southern Barbarian believers, so they do have some connections.

I don’t want to come into contact with the Nanman Cult in Sakai Port, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble. That’s why I made some transit transactions through Mr. Konishi.”

Oda Nobunaga nodded. Hideyoshi was very cautious in doing things, but she still thought of the Nanman Sect too simply.

By using President Konishi as an intermediary, you can avoid contact with the Nanman Sect? That President Konishi is probably a bait thrown by the Nanman Sect.

Oda Nobunaga quit halfway through the Settsu strategy, which greatly disappointed the Nanman Cult.

At that time, if the Oda army could reach Sakai Port and the wall on the Ishiyama side, they might be hit by iron cannons and create several craters.

If there is a misjudgment between the Oda family and the Ichigo clan, and someone bleeds and dies, it will be very difficult to make things right, and it will benefit some people who are sowing discord and laying hidden agendas.

But Oda Nobunaga was not close to the Sakai Port and Ishiyama areas, and the Settsu strategy was politically resolved because of Ashikaga Yoshiaki's cleverness.

The Miyoshi family withdrew before the war started, and the Oda family successfully entered Sakai Port without firing a single shot.

The Southern Barbarians lost their wives and troops, killed a group of missionaries in Kyoto, and taught the Oda family how to develop iron artillery tactics, but they could only watch as Oda Nobunaga took the bait and patted his buttocks and left.

This time, the Nanman Cult seems to have thrown out a new bait.

Oda Nobunaga didn't care about being at odds with Ishiyama Honganji. In fact, she had conflicts with the Ichiko clan in many aspects, and sooner or later she had to teach these restless bald girls a lesson.

But now is not the time. The Oda family has too many things to solve, and it is not the Ichikai clan's turn for the time being.

Ishiyama Honganji Temple needs to be solved, but it must be done according to Oda Nobunaga's rhythm. She is not willing to be used as a weapon. Even if she is used by others, it is only when she needs to be used.

Hideyoshi could find a middleman, and Oda Nobunaga could pretend not to know the subtle ideas of the Nanman Cult and solve the problem of saltpeter and lead first.

Oda Nobunaga nodded with satisfaction.

"Hideyoshi did a great job.

You were responsible for the battle of Shangluo, and you also did a great job on this trip to Sakai Port. I will reward you heavily and give you a thousand shi of knowledge.

Mi Wuniang, help her find a good piece of land in Nanjinjiang as my reward."

Niwa Nagahide smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, the main hall."

Hashiba Hideyoshi respectfully thanked Oda Nobunaga and bowed to Niwa Nagahide to thank him. But in his heart, he was actually a little bitter.

The power of the Oda family expanded extremely quickly. In just a few years, it had grown to the size of two million stone daimyo.

Hideyoshi originally only had 1,000 koku from Owari Kinoshita Village, but Oda Nobunaga seemed generous and gave Hideyoshi another 1,000 koku, doubling the amount of knowledge and practice. But can this help her realize her ambition?

In the eyes of ordinary samurai, doubling the knowledge and doing a great favor of two thousand koku is enough to allow one to work for the Oda family for the rest of his life.

But Hideyoshi Hashiba, who had a wild fire hidden in his heart, felt that he was getting further and further away from the goal he wanted to achieve.

At this rate, by the time she works her way up to the position of Ten Thousand Stones Daimyo, will the Oda family have already unified the world?

Although she felt lonely in her heart, her face was indeed full of smiles and she looked like she was crying with gratitude.

Oda Nobunaga waved his hand and said.

"It's nothing, just go down first."

Hideyoshi Hashiba bowed and said.

"Actually, I have a merciless request."

"explain."

"As a garrison in Kyoto, I have to keep an eye on the shogunate for the main palace in the middle of the capital, so it is inconvenient to stay in Sakai Port for business.

Please allow me to allow my sister, Hide-Naga Hashiba, to be stationed in Sakai Port instead of me, to contact Tsuda Muneki and raise more military supplies for the family."

Oda Nobunaga raised his eyebrows and said.

"Ask Hengxing about this matter.

I have decided to hand over the management of Sakai Port to Hengxing, and the garrison there will be under her control from now on."

As soon as Hashiba Hideyoshi opened her mouth, Oda Nobunaga understood her purpose, which was to keep Tsuda Soji's line for her to take responsibility for.

During the Settsu Strategy, the Oda family obtained the management rights of Sakai Port and shared the commercial interests of Sakai Port with the Shiba family. This was originally a conspiracy of Ashikaga Yoshiaki to instigate conflicts between the two families.

But no one is a fool. Although Shiba Yoshigan is no longer in Japan, the Shiba family's strategy of keeping a low profile and biding its time has been set. Akechi Mitsuhide, who is responsible for foreign negotiations, will only be more cunning than Shiba Yoshigan.

There was no movement from the Shiba family in Sakai Port, and the troops stationed by the Oda family only occupied the checkpoint that the Miyoshi family had previously been in charge of. Everything was as usual.

Although Ashikaga Yoshiaki of Kyoto was a little disappointed, the restraint of both parties in Sakai and Port allowed the merchants to quickly stabilize their emotions and continue doing business.

Except for the unlucky businessmen like Tsuda Muneji who relied on Miyoshi's family for their meals, everyone else danced and ran.

The Shiba family continued to develop the Houriku Road trade route, and the Oda family occupied the customs office to collect taxes. Both parties counted the money until their hands cramped, and the wells did not interfere with the rivers.

But Hideyoshi Hashiba visited Sakai Port and brought Tsuda Soki over, and he had a few more ideas.

Logically speaking, she persuaded Tsuda Souji to join the Oda family, and the next steps should be left to the person in charge of the Oda family stationed at the Sakai Port Customs Office, who was also called Ikeda Tsuneaki as Oda Nobunaga said.

But Hideyoshi Hashiba was not willing to retire after taking some credit. She needed to extract more business benefits for the Oda family and herself through Tsuda Soukei.

Hearing what Oda Nobunaga said, Hashiba Hideyoshi bowed deeply to Ikeda Tsuneaki beside him.

It seems to be saying that we are all old acquaintances, direct descendants of the wild children who grew up together with Oda Nobunaga, please give me a chance.

Ikeda Hengxing was calm and said with a smile.

“I am not interested in business, I only focus on paying commercial taxes at the customs office.

Just leave Tsuda Muneki to Hideucha Hashiba, and if she encounters any trouble at Sakai Port, ask her to come to me at the Sakai Port Customs Office."

Oda Nobunaga arranged for Ikeda Tsuneaki to go to Settsu Country, which had another important purpose. The Sakai Port was only a temporary residence for Ikeda Tsuneki. She was a traditional samurai and had little interest in business operations.

Although Hideyoshi has a low status, she is still the little girl who followed Oda Nobunaga all over the country. Ikeda Tsuneki will not embarrass her, but is willing to help her.

Hashiba Hideyoshi was overjoyed.

"Thank you very much, Lord Ikeda."

Ikeda Hengxing smiled but said nothing.

The power of the Oda family is getting bigger and bigger, and all kinds of dirty people are getting in.

The Kamio Hari samurai family, the East and West Mino samurai family, the Kita Ise samurai family, and the Minami Omi samurai family all looked very ugly.

As Oda Nobunaga's sister and a direct descendant of the Wild Children, Ikeda Tsuneaki naturally had to be friendly to Hashiba Hideyoshi, unite his own people, and suppress those ambitious latecomers.

Before the satisfied Hideyoshi Hashiba could even have a moment of fun, Oda Nobunaga was already impatient and drove them away.

"Okay, now you're satisfied, get out of here! I still have something to talk to Hengxing and Mi Wuniang!"

Hashiba Hideyoshi bowed respectfully and left, walking out of the main hall. She couldn't help but look back. She didn't know when she would become the core retainer of the Oda family and participate in the most important decisions.

Shaking his head, Hashiba Hideyoshi stopped thinking and had to go back quickly to discuss the next step with Takenaka Shigeharu who was also here.

———

After Hashiba Hideyoshi left, Oda Nobunaga couldn't help laughing.

"This monkey is really thinking more and more."

Although Niwa Nagahide is an old boss who has a good relationship with Hashiba Hideyoshi, he is a little worried at this time and said.

"Main Hall, will there be any trouble if Tsuda Soji is put in charge of Hideyoshi?"

Oda Nobunaga glanced at her and said.

"Of course something will happen.

In the past two years, the Tokaido trade route has been silted up and the Hokurikudo trade route has flourished. Most of the goods from Sakai Port to Kanto are transported via the Hokuriku Road trade route. Most of the distribution of materials in the market is influenced by the Shiba family.

There are only so many spot goods arriving at Sakai Port every year, and they have been clearly separated for a long time. If Hideyoshi wants to get a handful of them, he will easily be beaten out with a stick."

Niwa Nagahide frowned.

"Then you still promise to let her..."

Oda Nobunaga laughed and interrupted.

"This is all the trouble she brought upon herself.

If you do it well, it will be an unexpected surprise, and I will naturally reward you heavily. If you do it wrong, haha, I will call her back and give her a few whips to make her be more honest in the future.

Besides, this is Hengxing giving her a chance, not me asking her to embarrass herself."

Ikeda Hengxing smiled bitterly.

"I don't understand the ins and outs of business. As long as businessmen pay taxes, I don't care about anything else.

Could it be that I caused Hideyoshi's misfortune this time?"

Oda Nobunaga said coldly.

"It's because her heart is too big.

Despite her delicate face, she is the one who is most unwilling to be lonely in the Oda family. It’s a pity that her starting point is too low and her climb is too tiring.

If Lin Xiuzhen, Sakuma Nobumori and others were half as motivated as she is, the Oda family would have swept across the sea long ago, and I wouldn't have to settle with that ungrateful general."
To be continued...