Chapter 1596 The powerful good old man of the Wu family
Facing Yoshigan's question, Maeda Toshiie was a little surprised and bowed.
"Thunder, rain, and dew are all God's grace. I am a stubborn stone in the Sibo family. Wherever the saint needs me to place him, I will step in."
Yiyin smiled and shook his head.
"What a stubborn stone, you are obviously a treasure given to me by God. Without your help, Li Jia, I don't know how much suffering I would have suffered.
You and I both know that Oda Nobunaga is not an easy guy to deal with. She wholeheartedly wants to kick you out of Mino Country and eliminate your threat to the Nobi Plains.
And I also think that you have worked so hard and accomplished so much over the years, and it is indeed too unfair for you to always be nesting in the ravines of Junshang County.
But you have been operating there for many years, and if you are asked to move it rashly, I don’t know if it will cause any trouble to you?
After all, once you go to Ono County in Echizen Province, the Hokurikudo material supplies originally imported from Echizen Province to Echijo County and the local nitrate production installed in Hida Province will be interrupted.
I don’t know how much impact the change of seal will have on you, and I’m a little undecided. I want to hear your opinion first, so I called you to Luoyi to discuss it.”
Maeda Toshiie smiled slightly.
From Yoshigan's words, Maeda Toshiie could tell that he hoped that he would accept the change of title, which would dispel Oda Nobunaga's fear and help complete the ongoing negotiations between the two companies.
But Maeda Toshiie was still very moved. Yoshie did not act arbitrarily, but dragged the negotiations aside and ignored them. He must listen to his own ideas before making a decision.
This kind of attention is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold.
As Yoshigan said, Maeda Toshiie knew Oda Nobunaga very well, and in fact, this change of title was already within her expectation.
Owari Shiba of Gunjo County led the army southward and threatened Gifu Castle. This kind of desperate military action could only be done once by Maeda Toshiie.
Although Oda Nobunaga has a surly temperament and is often overconfident, she never suffers a loss only once and will never fall in the same place twice.
The Owari Shiba Territory of Gunjo County has already proved that although the 20,000 stone territory has a small number of people, it is enough to threaten the security of Gifu City.
Therefore, Oda Nobunaga will definitely not continue to keep this hidden danger, and before Maeda Toshiie came, he was mentally prepared to be changed.
It was just a change of title. As a man who made great contributions to the Shiba family in the Battle of Shiba-Oda, Maeda Toshiie knew that Yoshihiro would not treat him poorly.
Yiyin is famous for his generosity, and I am a direct descendant who has followed him for many years and will never leave him in any hardships and dangers. This change of title will definitely bring many benefits, and I can also take the opportunity to raise more conditions.
Changing the title to Ono County, Echizen Province, was one of the most satisfying options for Maeda Toshiie.
But she would not show a satisfied smile at this moment. She would have to show off her worries and try to force herself out of trouble, in order to strive for more benefits.
Maeda Toshiie pretended to think about it and said resolutely.
"There are always difficulties, but for the great cause of the saint, any difficulties can be overcome. I will resolutely obey your order and am willing to change the title of Ono County in Echizen Province."
Yiyin smiled bitterly.
"Who said you should wrong yourself? Aren't I discussing this with you?
If you have any difficulties, just ask. If you can handle it, I will handle it for you. If you can't handle it, I will find a way to handle it for you.
This battle was won by my Shiba family, and she, Oda Nobunaga, could not help but make arbitrary conditions and wronged my Toshi family."
Maeda Toshiie felt happy but also a little guilty.
The saint treated me sincerely, and after going to Luo, he gave her physical comfort and tender discussions. But as for herself, for some benefit, she actually acted out a love drama in front of the saint. She is really a bad woman.
But at this moment, I felt guilty, and Maeda Toshiie would not let go of the benefits he deserved.
If she doesn't take it herself, the advantage is that she gets an advantage from the bitches outside. The journey of being a god is long, and even for the sake of her future children, there are some things she must strive for.
The words of unity are for the saints. Even if the divine descendants are not direct concubines, they still have a big house and a small house. The Maeda family is not willing to be inferior to others, so they must accumulate strength and strive for status.
Maeda Toshiie pondered for a while and said.
"Sage, Daye County is actually a good place.
Although the five countries of Echizen, Kaga, Echichu, Hida, and Mino are adjacent to each other, their connection with each other is very weak because the mountainous plateau composed of the Ryoshiro Mountains and the Hida Mountains isolates them from each other.
The cost of crossing these mountainous plateaus is too high, the mountain roads are dangerous and difficult to travel, and the countries look at each other without seeing each other, and there is little communication.
But Ono County is an exception. The county is divided into north and south, each with its own advantages.
Katsuyama in the north is the origin of the Kuzuryu River. The Kuzuryu River crosses the Fukui Plain to the Mikuni Minato Sea, and there is no shortage of channels for communication with the outside world.
Minami Tomita is the largest basin in the large mountainous area of the Ryōshiro Mountains and the Hida Mountains, and its land is so rich that even the Hida Plateau cannot compare with it.
If the Owari Shiba leader can capture the entire Ono County, the stone height should be as much as fifty or sixty thousand stone. Compared with the barrenness of the Gunjo County, it is indeed a good place to change the seal."
Yoshigami nodded and said nothing. Maeda Toshiie praised Ohno-gun, and there must be a difficult turn after that.
Sure enough, Maeda Toshiie continued.
"However, the Ono Basin is closed and surrounded by mountains. The best entrance and exit, the Kuzuryu River waterway, is through the Fukui Plain. Once it is blocked, it will be uncomfortable to be locked in the mountains.
I implore the saint to help me win the right of way to the Kuzuryu River, so that the Owari Shiba Territory, which was renamed to Ono County, can continue to benefit from the cheap supplies of the Hokurikudo trade route.
This is very helpful for me to stabilize the Hime Samurai Order led by Owari Shiba and successfully change its title."
Yiyin touched his chin and said.
"Now the entire northern mountainous area of Mino is under my control, and Ono County of Echizen Province and half of the Fukui Plain are also in my hands.
Oda Nobunaga can't do whatever he wants, and Shibata Katsuie is not qualified to negotiate terms with me.
Don't worry, I will draw a bottom line for Akechi Mitsuhide and fight for you.
After you change the seal, the Owari Shiba Territory must retain the waterway rights of the Kuzuryu River, and water transportation must be unimpeded.
In addition, the Three Kingdoms are under your control, and a new major port has been added to the Hokuriku Road trade route. The related logistics share will be shared with the Three Kingdoms.
Toshiie, the Three Kingdoms are sandwiched between Echizen Country and Kaga Country. The cheap supplies landed here are enough to reach both countries, so you will be in charge of the distribution."
Maeda Toshiie was overjoyed. The saint was indeed generous, and he fed Maeda Toshiie until he burped.
The three major ports on the Houriku Expressway trade route, Tsuruga Port, Nanao Port, and Naoetsu, are the most important bulk cargo centers and logistics hubs on the trade route.
The status of Tsuruga Port and Naoetsu was determined from the beginning.
On the Hokuriku Road at that time, Kaga Echizen's war was in full swing, the Noto Etsuchu samurai family was in constant civil strife, and the caravan was unable to travel by land.
That's why Yiyin thought of using the ancient Bohai trade circle's legacy to transport materials by sea, bypassing land disputes, and opening the Hokurikudo sea route.
Later, when Echichu entered the battlefield, Yoshigan took the initiative for the Noto Hatakeyama family and used the benefits of Nanao Port joining the core port of the Hokuriku Road trade route to bribe all the powerful samurai in Noto.
Since then, the status of the three major ports has been established and their operations have been stable until now.
In fact, there are many well-located ports in Hokuriku, such as Niigata Port. They covet the status of bulk cargo center and logistics hub among the three major ports, but they are unable to take advantage of these benefits.
Because the status of the three major ports is determined not only by geographical location, economic value, but also political considerations. The relevant interest groups are already well-established and how can they allow outsiders to get a piece of the pie.
Owari Shiba had his title changed twice, and was suppressed by Oda Nobunaga. He moved from Owari Province to Mino Province, and this time to Echizen Province.
Its name is Owari Shiba-rye. In fact, except for the 1,500-koku ancestral land of the Shiba clan in Kei Village, Owari Shiba-rye has long been misnamed. It should be called Mino Shiba-rye, or Echizen Shiba-rye.
Oda Nobunaga was so afraid of Maeda Toshiie, who was led by Owari Shiba, and repeatedly made troubles. Of course, Yoshihiro must support his direct favorite general and not let his own people suffer.
Originally, Owari Shiba was in Gunjo County and could only enjoy some of the profit share of the Hokurikudo trade route from Etsuchina. It was transferred from the Nanao Port in Noto Province to get some leftovers from the Etsuchina bulk cargo.
But this time, Uei Bank directly transferred Mikuni Minato in Echizen Province to Maeda Toshiie, and upgraded the Mikuni Minato port into a logistics hub and bulk cargo center, with a status equal to that of the three major ports.
Takada Harano, the person in charge of the Hokuriku Road Trading Road, must follow the will of Yiyin and allocate part of the logistics share from the three major ports, and let Maeda Toshiie, who is in charge of Mikuni Minato, take over.
No matter how reluctant the relevant interest groups were, they did not dare to disobey Yoshihiro's will and could only allow Maeda Toshiie to squeeze in and get a share of the pie.
Maeda Toshiie has now become the boss of a banker from his subordinate's subordinate. The benefits of this are huge.
The market size of the Hokuriku Expressway trade route has reached close to five million, and the logistics throughput of the three major ports is so fat that even Maeda Toshiie can stretch out his hand and it will be covered with grease.
More importantly, this benefit cannot be taken away by Shibata Katsuie, the leader of the Echizen Kingdom.
The Hokuriku Road trading route is about logistics and finance, not the land economy of the traditional samurai family.
The business system operates quickly, and money comes in at a rapid pace. Compared with harvesting food once a year from the fields, the turnover rate at the port is high, and mountains of gold and silver come rolling in.
The share of trade routes was determined by the Hokkaido interest group headed by Takada Haruno. No matter how jealous Shibata Katsuie was, she would not be able to take away this benefit.
Even if the Oda family takes back Mikuni Minato, it is impossible to obtain the status of a major port as a bulk cargo center and logistics hub.
If Shibata Katsuie wants to share profits, he can only do so by building a good relationship with Maeda Toshiie.
Maeda Toshiie was an old subordinate of Shibata Katsuie when she was serving in the Oda family. She had a good relationship with the old Owari samurai who were entrusted to Echizen Province by Oda Nobunaga.
The two parties have old friendships and new benefits. It is not a pleasant experience to join forces to make money together.
Oda Nobunaga wholeheartedly wanted to kick Maeda Toshiie out of the Oda family's circle of friends and prevent her from becoming a hidden danger within the Oda family.
But this time, Oda Nobunaga may have miscalculated again.
Maeda Toshiie knew very well how much political advantage the uniqueness of Owari Shiba's collar could bring to him.
Even though she was a noble, she had to stay within the territory of the Oda family and maintain a good relationship with the Oda retainers to become an important minister with unique influence in the Shiba family.
Yoshigan himself did not expect that because he felt sorry for Maeda Toshiie and supported her, he casually gave the Three Kingdoms hub port to what tricks Maeda Toshiie, a good old man of the Wu family, could do.
But at this time, Yoshihiro not only did not realize that it was a huge benefit, but was also worried that Maeda Toshiie would suffer too much, so he asked again.
"I remember you said that your method of making saltpeter in the mountains is located in the mountains on the border between Hida Kingdom and Yue-China, right?
This time you change the title to Ono County. It’s too far away from there. Will this income be cut off? Will Owari Shiba’s income be greatly affected? Do you need me to help you find some supplements elsewhere?”
Maeda Toshiie was stunned. He had received such a huge benefit from the Three Kingdoms. The little income from making saltpetre with local methods was nothing. Who cares.
But she immediately realized that the saint did not realize how great the benefits of the Three Kingdoms Alliance were.
If you take advantage of this and still behave, continue to ask for it, and wait for the saint to react, your favorability towards you will inevitably decrease.
Maeda Toshiie thought for a while and felt that the benefits of the Three Kingdoms were too great. He could not be too greedy, so he had to speak openly and clearly to let the sage know his thoughts and plans.
So, she said.
"Sage, in fact, the situation in the mountains is not as clear-cut as you think.
The mountainous areas of the five countries of Echizen, Kaga, Echichu, Hida, and Mino were mixed together, and it was difficult for the local daimyo to control the mountain people.
The mountains are difficult and materials are scarce, and it is impossible to feed people just by farming. They fish, hunt, pick fruits, and even dig tree roots and grind bark. As long as there is food, the mountain people will go wherever there is.
Although it is not as erratic as nomads, the traces of the mountain people are also difficult to trace. The local villagers just divide the forest areas in the mountains and increase taxes, so they cannot control it too much.
After all, the mountain people are so poor that they have nothing. Excessive pressure will only lead to death. People who are hungry and crazy, no matter whether you are a farmer or a famous person, you will die anyway if you are stabbed.
The most valuable hard currency in the mountains is daily necessities such as food, salt, iron and cloth. Mountain people are willing to associate with anyone who has hard currency.
I have the support of the Sibo family's welfare system, and my oppression of the mountain people in the territory is far less ruthless than that of the surrounding Wu families, so my reputation has always been very good.
Coupled with the fact that Owari Shiba has cheap supplies from the Hokurikudo trade route, my purchase channels are much cheaper than those of other samurai families, and the mountain people are also willing to interact with me more.
Therefore, as long as the mountain people are willing to help me, even if the place where the local saltpeter is made is far away from my territory, it will not be out of my control.
Because saltpeter cannot be eaten or worn, it is of little significance to the mountain people. Even if they take it out of the mountains to sell it, they will be priced at worthless prices by profiteers due to lack of shipping channels.
Instead of offending me for that saltpeter, why not protect this industry for me and get some benefits from me."
After understanding Maeda Toshiie's explanation, Yoshigage couldn't help laughing.
Because he thought of Sanada Nobushige, this monkey's prosperity was also due to the material support given to her by the Kanto Palace.
If it were not for the exclusive supply channel of money, grain, salt, iron and cloth, even if Sanada Nobushige had the blood advantage of the Shino clan, it would be difficult for him to become a powerful vassal in the Koshin Mountains in just a few years.
In the final analysis, it is all caused by poverty.
The island country is barren and the islanders are miserable, but there are people under them. The people in the mountains are poorer and more miserable than the people outside the mountains.
When people are so poor that they have nothing, they have nothing to lose. Once they are given hope and a way out, frightening power will burst out.
Maeda Toshiie and Sanada Nobushige relied on the strong economic strength of the Shiba family to effectively guide this powerful force and achieve their own success.
Yiyin smiled.
"Since you are sure that you can handle those mountain people and retain the benefits of making saltpeter using local methods, I won't worry about it for you."
