"You also use this method to imitate a batch of Sanba Daigai that you have hidden privately?"
The old driver said stupidly:
"The warehouse of metal materials is empty! What do you want labor to use to make it?"
The old driver's words really shocked Liu Shiba into speechlessness.
Three months of army reorganization and upgrading of weapons and ammunition almost exhausted the various mineral materials accumulated by the Takeda family for generations.
The newly occupied Noda Castle is actually just a showpiece. Apart from the solid walls, there is essentially nothing...
It’s hard for a clever woman to make a meal without rice, so you really can’t blame the experienced driver!
"Report..."
At this time, a report from a personal guard came from outside the small courtyard.
"Lord!"
Qin Liu walked quickly to the door of the small courtyard, whispered a few words to the guard who was delivering the order, and then walked back and shouted.
"It's early in the morning and it's still dark. What's going on?"
Liu Shiba was in a bad mood and a little impatient.
"There is news from the Ashigaru guarding the city, and the bodyguards are here to ask for instructions!"
Qin Liu answered with cupped fists.
"Oh? What news?"
Liu Shiba asked.
"General Katsunaga Mori, who went out to fight in the five cities yesterday, sent a team of cavalry to escort back a batch of supplies. The amount was astonishing..."
Qin Liu described it in Liu Shiba's ear in a low voice.
"What?"
Liu Shiba shouted in surprise, startling the people around him and all of them looked over.
Qin Liu looked around and explained directly:
"After sending troops to five cities, they found no one there, but after careful inspection, Maori Katsunaga and the leading generals found some clues.
After escaping to the deserted city, it could be seen that the evacuation was in a hurry. After careful searching, a huge amount of supplies were found within the five cities.
These materials include various types of metal ingots, gunpowder and lead bullets, as well as gold coins hidden in various houses, and a lot of them were also found.
There is even a huge underground granary found in Gaoyuan City, which is currently enough to provide food for the expeditionary army."
When Liu Shiba heard this, he couldn't help but smile and said:
"Sure enough, when you feel sleepy, there will be pillows delivered to you! Tell me what is delivered from outside the city?"
"It's all kinds of metal materials and minerals, cloth, some grain, and the gold coins found. I sent 70% of all the gains as agreed."
Qin Liu thought about it and answered cautiously.
Liu Shiba waved his hand, turned to the stunned old driver and smiled:
"Old driver! Now, do you have nothing to say? It's all yours, including the gold coins."
The old driver pursed his lips, looked uncomfortable, and muttered:
“What do labor and capital do with gold coins?”
Liu Shiba chuckled, but his expression suddenly changed, and he said with a ferocious smile:
"I will give all the rewards to the auxiliary soldiers in the city, and ask them to work overtime for me to make weapons and build the 38th big building!"
The old driver nodded and said helplessly:
"I'll try!"
……………………
The surprise came so suddenly, but it’s not over yet!
The old driver accepted the sudden batch of materials and money with full of complaints and angrily.
Liu Shibaze said to Li Ergou and his wife, Qin Liu, Yagyu Sonomo, Kosaka Masanobu, and Mrs. Huan:
"This is why we called everyone here. Weapons beyond our judgment have appeared in the surrounding daimyo forces. We should still have time to deal with them now!"
Li Ergou said blankly:
"Then I'll wait?"
Liu Shiba looked at Li Ergou and sneered:
"Old driver, I believe there is still some inventory, such as the more advanced 38-meter cover, which can supply at least one of the five legions.
Ergou, Aunt Cuihua, and Solanta, you have to work harder. In addition to assisting the old driver and urging the auxiliary soldiers to work overtime and catch up on work——
We also need to conduct intensive military training for these seven to eight thousand auxiliary soldiers, at least teach them to be proficient in loading, aiming, and shooting!"
Speaking of this, Liu Shiba narrowed his eyes and added with a ferocious face:
"As for the rest time for the auxiliary soldiers, six hours is too much, so I will reduce it to three hours.
Leave this matter to Kosaka Masanobu and convey it to the auxiliary soldiers."
Yagyu Sonomo and Kosaka Masanobu looked at each other and responded helplessly:
"Lord! Isn't three hours too..."
Liu Shiba waved his hand and said forcefully:
“After a person has worked hard and is tired, he will quickly fall into a deep sleep.
In this state, half an hour is actually enough to restore physical and mental strength, and three hours is already much more!"
"Nani?"
Kosaka Masanobu really feels that his brain is a little insufficient. Is three hours too much?
Lord, I wish it could be reduced to half an hour? Is that still the bottom line for human survival?
Liu Shiba saw that Kosaka Masanobu looked like a pig, and looked helplessly at Qin Liu and asked:
"How many gold coins are there? How many gold coins did Maori Shengyun bring back?"
Qin Liu whispered:
“Only one cart of sand!”
Liu Shiba's eyes bulged and he bared his teeth and said:
"I want to ask about the amount, quota, and portion size? Can you tell me how much is in a car?"
Qin Liu looked at Liu Shiba strangely and said speechlessly:
"Two horses pulled the cart, and the axle was sunk deep, about a foot..."
Liu Shiba was stunned, because he had never seen a cart of sand. How much was it? He was asking about the weight. What are you telling me about two horses?
Seeing this, Kosaka Masanobu hurriedly came to Qin Liu's rescue and interrupted:
"Lord! If a cart of gold sand is pulled by two horses, it will cost about fifty thousand gold."
"Fifty thousand catties? That much?"
Liu Shiba touched his chin, as if he didn't believe it.
"Why!"
Mrs. Huan, who had not yet left, sighed and explained helplessly:
"This fifty thousand gold refers to fifty thousand taels of gold. When converted to the measurement you are familiar with, it is approximately equal to one thousand kilograms.
And one tael of gold is equivalent to five taels of silver, or fifty guan of capital money is equivalent to thirteen guan of Ming Dynasty Yongle money!"
Liu Shiba understood now and calculated:
"According to this calculation, five thousand gold is equivalent to 250,000 taels of silver and 2.5 million guan of copper coins.
Huh? There are even Yongle coins, Ming Dynasty banknotes can also be used here?"
Mrs. Huan responded:
“It’s definitely usable, and it’s more valuable than the big money in Kyoto.”
This time it’s easy, 2.5 million copper coins...
Then, Liu Shiba looked at Kosaka Masanobu and asked:
"When the peasants and soldiers are working at home, how much surplus can they get from harvesting grain in a month or a year, in addition to paying taxes to the lord?"
Kosaka Masanobu shook his head stupidly and said:
"Lord! Excuse me for being stupid?"
"Nani? Look at it!"
Liu Shiba stretched out two fingers and rubbed them again, and said angrily:
"Do you understand now?"
Kosaka Masanobu hesitated for a while and said doubtfully:
"My lord asked, how much money do ordinary citizens earn per year?"
"Sigh! I really understand, tell me! How much is it?"
Liu Shiba turned his anger into a smile and patted Takasaka Masanobu on the shoulder.
Kosaka Masanobu grinned, hesitated and then lowered his head and responded:
"not much!"
Then, Kosaka Masanobu added:
"My Lord! Is it okay for me to first tell you the difference between ordinary farmers and samurai, or standing Ashigaru flags?"
"Hey! Speak quickly, I'm so long-winded."
Liu Shiba waved his hand and said helplessly.
Kosaka Masanobu tidied himself up and said respectfully:
"Lord! The standard food for ordinary peasant soldiers or auxiliary soldiers is a bowl of millet, two pieces of boiled radish... that's it."
