In the blink of an eye, one year has passed, and the time has come to the twenty-third year of Astronomy, which is January 1554 in the Western calendar. The afterglow of winter has not yet dissipated. The new towns of Kasugayama Castle Town and Naoetsu already have a strong New Year atmosphere. Different from
In the past, this year, both the pedestrians walking in the town and the nearby farmers carrying their own agricultural products for sale all had a hint of joy on their faces.
Life is getting better and better. This is a sentence that everyone can think of. It is no secret that the land of 3,500 towns in Joetsu produces more than 280,000 koku of grain. Various magical properties of new grain varieties are spread.
It is so miraculous that even though there is not even a single grain of grain circulating on the market, many shops have begun to operate businesses related to the new grain.
For example, flour and potatoes can be used to make fragrant soup cakes, which can be made into noodles and served with fragrant kombu crucian carp soup, sprinkled with some chili oil, and only cost five cents a bowl. Many well-off townspeople soon fell in love with this kind of food.
Especially in this winter, I am short of food. Every evening after I finish my work, I go to the shop and order a bowl of potato noodles. The hot soup has red chili oil floating on it. I drink it and feel warm all over my body. Not to mention that I feel warm.
How refreshing.
Since Naoetsu Port fully used Yongle money for taxation half a year ago, bulk goods coming and going in the port have brought a large amount of Yongle money, and nearby townspeople have gradually come into contact with this currency that was rarely used in the past. In addition to using it for taxation,
You can also use it when you go to Biwaya to buy various daily necessities. There is also the newly opened Echigoya, which sells all kinds of clothes made of linen, silk, and wool, as well as cloth shoes that fit your feet, and high-end leather ones that keep you warm in winter.
Boots, leather hat.
If you have some spare money on hand, you can still deposit it in the money room. After depositing the regular money for half a year, you can get 10 more cents. If you deposit the regular money for one year, you can get 25 cents more. For three years, you can get 100 cents more.
You will get an extra 200 coins per term.
This does not mean much to ordinary people. The townspeople and farmers who have just lived a good life do not have that much spare money to save, but the rich businessmen do not see it that way. No matter how poor the place is, there are landlords and wealthy people. Echigo is like this.
There are some merchants with average strength occupying the site.
These dealers also have a semi-yakuza character, colluding with the monks of the local Japanese temples to buy high, sell low, and even bully the market. This had happened to the Kira family earlier in Omi. If Hieizan hadn't been worried about the elite Kira family, they were too powerful.
, he doesn’t do things according to the routine and is not easy to provoke, so he has caused trouble in Sakamoto Port ten times or eight times.
The merchants of Echigo were also the unrepentant type. They openly and secretly resisted the implementation of the Kira family's decrees, refused to establish a new town, and even made some shady remarks. Later, they were punished by the Kira family's followers, and some of them speculated on grains and took advantage of the big ones who were hoarding them.
The merchants were eventually bankrupted and even their fields and houses were confiscated. Only then did these merchants become completely honest.
Zeniya launched the deposit business, which is said to have started in Kyoto. Many businessmen also inquired about the business of deposits and withdrawals in other places. In the prefecture, as long as you have a money order and pay a 1% handling fee, you can withdraw cash. Echigo also
You can do this, but the handling fee for withdrawing cash from other places is as high as 10%.
Even so, there are still many businessmen willing to do this, because they no longer have to hire a bunch of ronin to escort large amounts of copper coins back and forth. The cost of hiring ronin is not low, and there are often some unscrupulous ronin who will join forces with bandits to hack their employers.
For goods, the price of hiring a reputable ronin is too high.
Therefore, the cost savings alone may exceed 10% or 20% of unnecessary expenses, and it can also reduce risks during transportation. Moreover, Echigo Biwaya also accepts bulk clearance from merchants, which can also reduce
There are dangers in the process of transporting goods. After all, there is a Sado navy on the sea road from Naoetsu to Dewa Sakata Port. They often rob merchants. The land road is even more difficult to pass through because of the mountains and ridges. Just a wealthy land servant digging three feet into the ground can bankrupt the merchants.
suicide.
In the blink of an eye, the first lunar month arrived, and the Kasugayama Castle of Echigo became joyful. There was a festive atmosphere with lights and colorful decorations everywhere. People from all walks of life in Echigo came to congratulate them, including Honjo Mino, Nagao Kagenobu, Nakajo Fujishi, and Sai.
Fuji Asanobu and others led the Long Tail Guardian Deputies to board the city in person.
The Echigo guardians led by Chisaka Keichika, Tairako Fumasa, Usami Sadamitsu, Nagao Masakai and his Ueda clan who had been staying in Kasugayama Castle, and the Yanghoku clan who had just suffered a major blow also came to the city to offer gifts, saying it was a gift.
In fact, the meaning is to offer local specialties, everyone eats and drinks to strengthen the relationship, and the superintendent will give some remarks or something.
The Zhengdan celebrations in distant countries in the countryside are held relatively late, usually after January 15th. The first half of the month is reserved for family reunions of the samurai, and the second half of the month is dedicated to deepening relationships and visiting relatives and friends.
Including Saito Asanobu, Yoshie Keizi, and Yasuda Keimoto who were far away in Shinano also came to Kasugayama Castle, and those who passed through were Takanashi Masayori, Murakami Yoshikiyo, Suda Mitsuchika, Shimazu Tadanao, Inoue Kiyomasa, etc.
The people of Northern Shinano also presented congratulatory gifts. Ogasawara Nagatoki, who had been hiding in Northern Shinano waiting for an opportunity to regain his old territory, even sent a group of people to present a congratulatory gift.
In the noisy large room, a large group of warriors gathered together to reminisce about the past. At this time, a strong man strode forward and without saying a word, he bowed down and said: "I have met my lord, Wu Wei Palace, Princess Hu Ji!"
This person is Kakizaki Kageie, who is known as the number one person in the seven counties of Echigo. He once met Kira Yoshi during last year's Shodan celebration. At just over 1.7 meters tall, he is considered to be a first-class burly man. Judging from his appearance,
He looks like he is in his mid-thirties, but is actually in his early forties. His most distinctive feature is his mustache, beard, and tiger eyes. His speech is not as rough as his appearance, and he can be regarded as a warrior who is proficient in culture.
"I have met my lord, Wuweidian, and Princess Tiger Princess!" Yoshie Kagezi and Yasuda Kageyuan leaned down one after another, and the retainers behind them also followed suit and saluted.
Nagao Kagetora, who was sitting on a four-wheeled cart, praised a few retainers for their hard work and merit, and then said: "Everyone is exempt from courtesy!"
Kakizaki Keike stood up and said with concern: "My lord's identity is no longer a big deal, right? As long as you can recover, it will be the greatest blessing to me Echigo!" Most of the samurai in the hall showed approval.
Kakizaki Keike's attitude represents the aspirations of most people in Echigo. Nagao Kagetora has been fighting in the north and south for nearly ten years, and has become quite famous in Echigo and even in nearby countries, especially after he was forced to retreat in the battle of Kawanakajima two years ago.
The menacing Takeda family brought hope to the Shinano people who suffered from the invasion.
Takanashi Masarai then echoed: "As the guardian of Echigo, my lord is lying on the bed for a long time, which really worries us. It seems that my lord looks very good today, and I think he will recover in the future!"
"My lord's health is very important to us!" Yoshikiyo Murakami, who was not good at words, immediately expressed his stance.
They, the people of Northern Shinano, are no longer the powerful samurai group that has dominated Shinano for hundreds of years. Ever since Sanada Yukitaka's strategy of disintegration and disintegration took effect, this group of powerful samurai groups has split into two factions. They are unwilling to lose their interests and take various measures.
One group resolutely resisted the strategy, such as Takanashi Masayori, Murakami Yoshikiyo and others, while the other group became members of the Takeda family's Shinano sect, such as a group of Shinano people including Yukitaka Sanada.
Before the first battle of Kawanakajima, this group of resistance samurai had been beaten to their wits' end. Even though they had defeated Takeda Harunobu's attacks several times, they could not change the absolute gap in strength between the two sides.
Shinano led the party's traitors to help, and they had no choice but to turn to the Nagao family in neighboring countries and received his protection after presenting an oath.
"I know my body well. It may recover or it may not. None of this will have a greater impact on Echigo." Nagao Kagetora shook his head, stretched out his hands and patted the two young people sitting cross-legged on his left and right.
On his shoulder, he said slowly: "Because there are two of them, the new leader of Echigo will be the two of them."
"Lord! What are you..." Takanashi Masayori and others were shocked. They looked around in panic at the Echigo samurai family and asked for support, but they were all silent. The elders of the Hashidai family, including Honjō Sano and Nagao Kagenobu, showed no sign.
No response.
"Why? As the leader of the Echigo samurai family and the destined lord of the country, why did you give up! What is the reason for you to say such depressing words!" Murakami Yoshikiyo stood up and shouted emotionally: "
I, Yoshikiyo, still remember the advice my lord gave me that day. As long as I have faith in righteousness, no matter how difficult the road is, I can still lead to victory! I, Yoshikiyo, bear in mind my kindness to my lord, so please cheer up too!
Become a warrior who cannot be defeated by illness!"
Nagao Kagetora was also a little excited and took a few deep breaths. Nagata Tokumoto, who was sitting on his knees beside him, quickly walked over and whispered a few words, shaking his head. Finally, the Echigo Dragon took a long breath and sighed: "Habayashi-den and everyone's
I appreciate your good intentions! This is our family's doctor, Mr. Shirokumon Kai, and he told us that even if we fully recover, we will need long-term care to cure the sequelae. During this period, we should think less, worry less and do more recuperation. However, the more we get, the more we recover.
The Empress cannot be left without a master, and the war in Northern Shinano is even more difficult. Without the leadership of a national master, how can we stabilize Echigo and rescue Shinano?"
"..." Faced with such a difficult situation, the samurai could only remain silent. Takanashi Masarai opened his mouth but could not say anything. Murakami Yoshikiyo looked disappointed and lost. The people of Shinano generally had lower confidence.
Disappointment and confusion can be seen in their eyes.
"You are all warriors who are good at conquering and fighting. Now I have welcomed the famous warrior family Wu Weiden in Echigo. In the past few months, he went out to fight the rebellion in Echigo on behalf of my family to put down the rebellion. He is the best choice in terms of ability and skill.
It should be the best choice for him to act as the ruler of the country."
Nagao Kagetora chose to push Kira Yoshitoki out at this time. Being an outsider as the head of the country is somewhat like stealing the country. It will inevitably make the people of Echigo think of Nagao Kagetora and then feel conflicted. However, Nagao Kagetora is the king of the country.
The master is completely unqualified. At least in the hearts of the warriors, the princess of the Wu family should not be exposed to the public, and it is even more unacceptable to be the leader of the country.
It’s just that in today’s situation, we can only have this choice. Choosing other members of the Longtail tribe will not convince the public, and Honjo Shino and others will not be willing to give up the leader of the country for the sake of King’s lineage. In the end, after choosing over and over again, they can only reluctantly accept this.
Under the temporary system, Nagao Torahime serves as the nominal head of the country, but does not apply to the shogunate for the position of guardian. At the same time, Yoshitoki Kira, a famous shogunate general and the sister-in-law of the Nagao family, acts as the head of the country. Only in this way can all overreaching be blocked.
The mouths of later Chinese people.
"I'm exhausted, so I'll leave the rest to Yoshitoki!" Nagao Kagetora nodded, and let Biwajima Yashichiro push the four-wheeled car away. (To be continued.)
