The Tokugawa shogunate had a total of 276 clans, and they were not all equally powerful. The Kaga clan, such as the Maeda clan, had Kaga and Noto two countries and had an output of more than one million koku, while the Matsumae clan had only one
Wan Shi. Both are daimyo, but the gap between them is hundreds of times. Even the business houses with the poorest management are unwilling to go to those remote and weak feudal lords.
Coastal city vassals are better. The convenience of sea transportation makes transportation costs extremely low. The residents in the vassal are relatively wealthy and somewhat profitable. Those vassals that are deep inland, without precious minerals and barren land, not only have no profit at all,
In this era, there are so many bandits and robbers and tough mountain villages that are half-robbery and half-farming that they will eat up the entire caravan. Every year, countless caravans disappear into the deep mountains and forests.
The Ako Domain located in the ancient Harima Province is such a domain. It is located inland, and its output is only 20,000 stone high. It is also surrounded by the domain that is about 10,000 stone high. It is more like a small town than a domain.
Only the Akashi clan, controlled by the Matsudaira family, was a descendant of the Tokugawa shogunate. It was slightly richer, and was only about 60,000 koku high. It is no exaggeration to say that it was in a poor place.
However, due to its remoteness and barrenness, there are very few commercial competitors, and the fabrics and salt produced in Harima Country are extremely famous commodities, so if everything goes well, there will still be considerable profits.
Of course, those big trading companies look down on these small amounts of money that require great risks to obtain, but small and medium-sized merchants have to take risks to carry out commercial activities in order to cope with the increasingly bad market conditions. The premise is that they need to hire ronin with superb martial arts to escort them.
Shimadaya is such a medium-sized business house. It mainly sells some daily gadgets. The most profitable ones are Dutch goods that gradually flow into Japan with overseas trade, such as candles, matches, and some well-made daily necessities.
Items. Today is the last day of departure, but the recruitment situation of Ronin is quite unsatisfactory.
Due to the existence of Ichiyo Sorayama, the shogunate raided Edo. In the past, a large number of unemployed ronin who were waiting for employment fled, so much so that Shimada House, which needed to hire ten people, could barely raise half of them, no matter how much it raised the price.
People apply.
"Boss Shimada, didn't you say you're leaving today? I see the goods are all packed up. When will we leave?" asked a middle-aged ronin with a weathered face. He had cooperated with Shimada House several times and the two parties were considered acquaintances.
This time, he led three other partners to take over the escort mission, and one of them was Goro Nagamoto, who came to apply. Of course, the martial arts of these people were slightly inferior to those of the swordsmen who had been practicing in the gym for a long time, but
Thanks to his rich experience and hard work, he has a pretty good reputation among many Edo ronin.
"Sang, please be patient. Alas, I heard that the trade route to the Ako Domain is quite uneven. There are frequent mobs and bandits. I plan to wait for another day, even if I recruit another martial arts expert.
The ronin is also good." Kannosuke Shimada, the owner of Shimadaya, said with a sad face.
"It's useless," Nagamoto Goro interjected: "Edo was so disturbed by that adult that most of the friends who originally planned to come with me also went out to escape. Besides, the whole of Japan is not peaceful. If it weren't for real financial constraints,
I don’t want to take the risk to escort the caravan.”
"Why not set off by sea? It is much easier to arrive at Osaka from Edo, and then go to Harima by land from Osaka." asked the middle-aged ronin from Shannan in the same village.
"Alas!" Boss Shimada sighed again, "A few days ago, the shogunate banned all ships from leaving the port and searched them every day, even the houseboats on the river. So as soon as the ban was lifted, all the ships were transporting those big ships.
With the goods being hoarded by merchants, how can small merchants like us be qualified to board the ship?"
While several people were looking sad, a person walked slowly from a distance. He wore a big bamboo hat and a hat that covered the lower half of his face, making it difficult for people to see his face. The brand-new clothes were smooth and smooth, as if they had just been put on.
Even the socks and clogs under his feet were not stained. If it weren't for the fact that there were no family crests representing the Wu family on his clothes, no one would have regarded him as a ronin.
The tall ronin said nothing. He pointed at the recruitment order standing in front of Shimadaya's rented warehouse, and then pointed at himself. The meaning was quite obvious.
"What do you call this good man?" Boss Shimada asked. Ronin said nothing and pointed at his throat and shook his head. Boss Shimada was disappointed for a moment. No wonder he turned out to be a mute. If it were in the past, this kind of inability to tell the specific origin would be a problem.
He will never hire a guy who refuses to show his true colors. Who knows if he is a spy arranged by nearby bandits in the city!
But for two whole days, only this one came to apply, and he was extremely short of manpower, so he had to bite the bullet and said: "A good man should know the rules of employment. We only recruit those with strong martial arts skills..." Before he finished speaking, he only felt a slight faintness in front of his eyes.
There was a flash of light, and everything returned to its original state. In the midst of doubt, the ronin opposite raised his chin and motioned him to look at his feet.
Boss Shimada moved his left thumb and discovered that the original strong rope on the clogs had been neatly cut in half, but not even a single hair on his feet was damaged, which made him surprised and happy.
Although he is not proficient in swordsmanship, he has been doing business in Japan for decades and is well-informed. Ronin of this level is basically monopolized by those big merchants. They earn a fixed and generous salary and do relatively easy and safe escort work. How can they be seen?
A small businessman like him.
Unless...unless those samurai who had committed crimes and were forced to leave the feudal vassal had no means of food and clothing before they joined the caravans who would not have looked at them seriously in the past. He had been lucky enough to hire such people in the past. Although these samurai had arrogant temperaments, they were not very
He thinks highly of himself, but his martial arts skills are really strong. Generally, three ronin are not as reliable as such a samurai, and most of them have good moral character. They will never kill their employer to seize money. With such a strong martial arts person joining, it is barely possible.
On the road.
Boss Shimada dragged his shoes and came closer to Ronin, and said politely: "Ronin-san, although I don't know your origin, I believe that with your martial arts, you will not do anything that is disgraceful. I will give you... one, no.
, two small coins are the reward for this time, all food and accommodation will go to the caravan, you are only responsible for protecting it along the way with a few others, and will set off for Ako Domain in a short while."
The reward given to the other ronin was a small gold medal each, but this person's martial arts skills were obvious to all. Even the ronin's movements of drawing out the sword, breaking the rope, and sheathing it were not seen clearly by Goro Nagamoto, who was the most skilled in martial arts.
So although they were dissatisfied, no one raised any questions in person, but they still thought angrily: I hope it's not the swordsmanship in the museum. If you see the bandits and your legs become weak, let's see how you can gain a foothold in the caravan...
Seeing Kazuyo Sorayama nodding in agreement, Boss Shimada complained to several people and hurried into the warehouse to direct the caravan guys to load the goods.
"In Shannan, Shimomoto Village, although you are highly skilled in martial arts, I have escorted Shimadaya on this trade route many times. There are three other companions and Nagamoto Goro-san, who are all highly skilled in martial arts, so everyone recommends me for the time being.
As the leader, what do you think?" The ronin opposite nodded indifferently, took off the long tachi from his waist and sat aside.
Shannan of this village secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although the man in front of him was lonely, he didn't seem to be a troublesome person, so that was good.
Everyone began to pack their bags. In fact, it was just a small package with them. Only Nagamoto Goro secretly looked at the mute Ronin with a little doubt: Why did this man look familiar, and the knife in his hand was longer than the average one.
The sword that I cut seems to have been seen somewhere before? No, it doesn't look like it, I have definitely seen it before, and it left a deep impression on me... Where exactly is it?
After everyone packed up, Boss Shimada began to greet everyone to leave. The mute ronin slowly straightened up, carefully inserted the sword back into his waist and tied the rope. His movements were natural and elegant, as if they were in compliance with some kind of natural law, which was pleasing to the eye.
Nagamoto Goro, who had been staring at the mute Ronin, felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His whole body was frozen in place, his face turned purple, and he was almost suffocating. His teeth made a clicking sound like a typewriter, but he could not speak a single word.
Not out.
I remembered it! This action... I finally remembered it!
A few days ago, I was drinking with my friends at the restaurant. Hamoto, whose head was split in half, asked the adult in front of me to take off his hat. What he did at that time was exactly the same action, an action that could never be imitated! He, he
, he is...Sword Master Sorayama Ichiyo!
What is this adult planning to do? Do you want to reveal his identity now... Absolutely not! Nagamoto Goro saw Sorayama Kazuha slightly lifting his bamboo hat and looked at him with an indifferent look that he would never forget in this life or even the next life.
Once the identity of this adult is revealed, it is not certain whether he can keep his body intact before he speaks. Nagamoto Goro shook his head desperately, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear, prayer, and pity, until
When Sorayama Yiye nodded slightly, he grew a mouthful and barely returned to normal, but the moisture in his crotch reminded him that this was not a dream...