Owari Yumeki Golden Day

"If you say a few good words to the Daizen Daifu next year, I will eat as many horses as you want." Shichibei didn't have any requests; the main thing was to make friends.

"Okay, okay." Shichibei always said this, and Yonekura Nobutsugu just nodded in agreement.

After all this, Yonekura Nobutsugu didn't want to stand by the horse anymore and followed Shichibei inside the inn. On one hand, he needed Shichibei's help in introducing him to Nobunaga; he had to deliver Takeda Shingen's letter of greetings to him. On the other hand, he also wanted to inquire about the Battle of Inabayama. The information that the Toyama clan and the Kiso River had relayed to Kai was only second-hand.

As the commander of Nobunaga's biography, Shichibei must have been at the scene and knew the news firsthand.

You asked the right person. I was present at the Battle of Mino and I was the commander at the foot of Inabayama.

Guess what? Even Long Xing was captured by one of my men. For this feat, Shichibei was rewarded with a thousand kan of money.

"So it was you who caught him!" Nobutsugu Yonekura never expected that Shichibei, who had only a few pounds of flesh on his arms, could lead his men to capture Saito Ryuoki alive.

"No, no, no, it's my home." Nobutsugu Yonekura must have been imagining it. Shichibei brought dozens of people to hunt down Long Xing.

After explaining the robbery and counter-robbery incidents that So Kotaro and his companions had encountered, Yonekura Nobutsugu suddenly realized what a stroke of luck they had. And what about Ryuxing? The news from Kiso didn't mention what happened after Ryuxing was captured.

"To be granted the title of Qing, one must pay 15,000 strings of cash and be ranked among the first family members."

"It's my duty." Nobutsugu Yonekura was not very good at doing business and handicrafts, but when it came to fighting and post-war resettlement, he knew everything.

Were the Kiso clan naturally subordinate to Takeda? They were conquered by Takeda and then married into the Takeda family, becoming his retainers. The same was true of the Oyamada and Anayama clans.

The biggest difference between them and Longxing is that they were not completely defeated and were able to remain in their old territory. However, Longxing was completely defeated and his city was captured, which allowed him to surrender and be transferred to Qingxu.

"Kiyosu has been sent to take up his post," Shichibei responded casually.

If Yonekura Nobutsugu had arrived a few days earlier, he might have had a chance to see Ryusei in the street. Ryusei had previously stopped at Komakiyama Castle to summon the three generations of Saito clan's hereditary retainers. After summoning almost everyone, he set out for Kiyosu.

But it is highly likely that he will not stay in Kiyosu Castle for long. Nobunaga promised to use Kiyosu Castle to accommodate the Saito Samurai Group, but he did not say that Ryuxing could stay in the castle forever.

No matter whether you have something to do or not, come to Xiaomushan City to serve me.

As for what specific service you're serving? I don't know yet. Anyway, as Nobunaga's retainer, you have to serve me. After all, I granted you land, so it's only right that you give me a slap on the back and a beating on the leg.

Boldly annexing the Saito Samurai Group is one thing, but keeping Longxing under his nose is another.

"So, in less than three to five days, Saito Minomaru will return to Komakiyama?" Yonekura Nobutsugu thought thoughtfully.

"That's for sure." Shichibei, who was secretly sighing in his heart, didn't notice the subtle emotion in Yonekura Nobutsugu's tone.

"I understand. Then please introduce me to him." After getting the confirmation, Nobuyuki Yonekura stopped asking questions.

"It's a small matter. You can just go up to the city with me tomorrow." Shichibei took the responsibility.

Now our Shichibei are also direct commissars. We can directly enter the city and queue up outside Nobunaga's palace to report. If Nobunaga is fine, he will summon him immediately. We no longer need to register at the city gate and wait for notification like before.

With Shichibei's words, Yonekura Nobutsugu naturally nodded. They all lived in Shichibei's house at the foot of Komakiyama Castle, where they could hear him if they called him in the morning.

That night, Shichibei invited Yonekura Nobutsugu to dinner. Yonekura Nobutsugu patted his waist and said he had just promised his colleagues that he would go to the castle tavern for a drink. Shichibei's invitation would have to be accepted tomorrow.

In that case, there's not much more to say. After Shichibei left, Yonekura Nobutsugu immediately wrote a letter and handed it to a Takeda samurai, instructing him to rush back to Kai overnight to report the situation here.

90. People are different from horses.

Yonekura Nobutsugu also presented Nobunaga with a chestnut warhorse on behalf of Takeda Shingen. Nobunaga happily accepted it and immediately asked about his adopted daughter, Toyama-hime, how she was doing in Kai.

I'm several months pregnant and will give birth soon.

Talking about this political marriage was somewhat joyous. If nothing unexpected happened, the child born would be the future Takeda Nobukatsu. He was the last heir of the Takeda clan, who committed suicide at the age of eighteen on Tianmu Mountain, leaving almost no record.

Furthermore, Madam Yuanshan suffered severe postpartum hemorrhage and subsequently passed away. With today's advanced medical technology, even women of noble birth, and those from top aristocratic families, were not uncommon for dangers and even death during childbirth.

Shichibei, who was sitting at the back, just lowered his head and said, "You can just think about this kind of thing in your mind. Our job now is to introduce Nobutsugu Yonekura."

By the way, it seems like everyone wants to have a baby...

Nobunaga, seated at the top, asked Shichibei if there was anything he needed to entertain Nobutsugu Yonekura. If so, he could tell him. He would have things like wine and venison delivered directly to Kawamura's residence, ensuring that Nobutsugu Yonekura and his fellow samurai guests were well-served.

It's not that Nobunaga couldn't afford to offend Takeda Shingen, but Nobunaga's mind had already begun to turn to Kinai to stir up trouble. He was not willing to waste his energy in the ravines of Koshin.

Not only are the mountain monkeys difficult to defeat, but there's also no real benefit in defeating them. If it weren't for the gold produced in Kai and the fine horses produced in Shinano, this place would be truly barren and desolate.

Warfare is all about cost-effectiveness. This was particularly evident during the Japanese Warring States period, when many battles that would have cost them money were actively avoided.

As for profitable battles? Look at Uesugi Kenshin. How many times did he fight in Kanto? Thirteen times, I think. At first, it was a time of vibrant life. Later, he was hated by everyone, and Kanto was a place of red faces. It suddenly became his death.

After chatting with Yonekura Nobutsugu for a while, Nobunaga asked Sakuma Nobumori to host a banquet for Yonekura Nobutsugu. Nobunaga had a lot of things to do and needed to focus on the most important things.

Sakuma Nobumori took his orders and invited Yonekura Nobutsugu to retreat from the castle for a feast. He even asked Shichibei to accompany him, which was a shame; Shichibei had to entertain the other Takeda samurai and the visitors from Kai. Nobunaga was going to give them wine and venison, and Shichibei had to take these gifts back to Kawamura-ya.

They split up at the foot of the castle, and Sugaya Nagayashi took Shichibei with him to receive food and drinks. He also congratulated Shichibei, saying that he was now a prestigious samurai with a thousand kan.

Well, whether they are called samurai or not, they are all serving Nobunaga.

When Nanabei returned to Kawamura's house and distributed wine and meat to the people from Takeda, a maid came running in from outside. Seeing how excited Nanabei was, she pulled Nanabei and asked him to find a doctor.

I'm healthy, why should I see a doctor? Besides, who are you? I don't even know you. You barge into someone's shop in broad daylight, calling them "doctor" all the time. Who are you?

The maid's cries quickly caught everyone's attention, but I'm not sure if they understood. Seeing a grown man being pulled by a woman, seemingly confused, the onlookers generally didn't step in to try and stop the situation, but instead just sat there to watch. Who knew it was a mistress, a child born out of wedlock, or someone with multiple relationships?

If this is the case, everyone will be in high spirits and will watch the woman pulling the man without trying to stop her. Some people will even cheer on the woman when she slaps the man.

When both sides are tired of howling, or sitting on the ground and crying, and there's nothing more to watch, someone will come out to mediate and talk things over. Don't make family matters public; solve problems privately.

When everyone saw Shichibei being pulled by a woman, they just watched the show and didn't ask anything.

After looking for a while, a waiter recognized her and said that she was a maid from the Kinoshita family. She was from Kinoshita Hideyoshi's family and had been to Kawamura House with Aji before.

"Huh?" Shichibei grabbed the maid and demanded to know whose family she belonged to. The maid was now incapable of anything but tears, sobbing and unable to form a complete sentence.

If Shichibei hadn't been polite, he wouldn't have given her two big slaps, telling her that crying was also a time thing.

After asking, he couldn't get anything out of it. Shichibei apologized to the Takeda people and told his servant to fetch a doctor. Shichibei then went to the Kinoshita household. He had to check on them. His sister, Aji, had married into the Kinoshita family, so he had to take care of her.

The door to the Kinoshita household was open. No men were home, as all the men had gone with Hideyoshi to garrison Sunomata Castle. Only a few women were left. As soon as Shichibei entered the house, he heard a shrill, terrifying scream.

Shichibei, who was not a brave man to begin with, leaned against the door frame and looked inside, and finally saw Aci and several other women in the family.

Ningning is giving birth!

Yes, yes, yes. Just now in the city, Nobunaga and Yonekura Nobutsugu were discussing the marriage between Takeda Katsuyori and Lady Toyama. When they talked about having children, Shichibei wondered who was going to have the baby. And now, it turned out to be Nene.

None of the women in the Kinoshita family had ever given birth, and there was no one else in the family who could make decisions. At least Aci had some sense enough to send someone out to fetch help. Unfortunately, the person he sent out was useless and couldn't even explain why.

"What's going on!" Shichibei strode in and immediately interrupted the group of crying women.

"It's so difficult... so difficult... it seems like a difficult delivery." After being shouted at by Shichibei, Aci turned around and saw that it was his brother. He was okay and was able to speak a complete sentence.

"Go prepare scissors, hot water, clean linen and bedding." Shichibei stared into Aci's eyes and instructed.

Ah Ci repeated it, then stood up and went to do it. At this moment, the doctor that the waiter had called also arrived. In fact, the doctor was not an obstetrician and gynecologist. He came over to take a look at Ningning's condition and told her to seek help from someone else.

"Master? I'd like to know Master." Shichibei slammed a two-ounce and five-cent gold coin into the doctor's hand. The doctor's hand trembled. "I'll be watching. Send my apprentice to get a midwife."

Will you really answer? I guarantee you will!

The doctor directed the women to work together to send Ningning to the inner room, and asked everyone to wash their hands and feet. The women who could not help went to fetch firewood and boil water.

Shichibei wasn't idle either, having his servants go and invite Toshiie's wife, Matsu. He also invited Ningning's mother, Asahi, and all the other familiar women. Ningning needed to see familiar faces to calm down.

I'm already nervous, and if all the people coming in and out are strangers, I might get even more nervous.

Asong and Chaori both lived outside the city. When they heard Ningning was about to give birth, they both rushed over like a rocket. Following them came two women the doctor had found who knew how to deliver babies. They were called midwives for now; the final outcome depended on the situation.

Ningning's physical condition should be quite good. Historically, daughters of the Wu family lived into their seventies and eighties. And now, at twenty, she's already in her prime childbearing years. Her body is fully developed, her pelvis is fully developed, and the chances of a successful natural birth are greatly increased.

Then why didn't she have children in her life?

Could it be that she had damaged her body because of this unattended home birth? Hideyoshi and the other men were all at Sunomata's, but there were still two maids at home.

Oh, yes, the two maids are obviously useless. They can't even explain themselves when something happens. I have to talk to Hideyoshi later and ask him to send them away and replace them with two smart ones.

The screams in the room became louder. Could it be a difficult birth?

If the birth was difficult, it would align with the historical story of Hideyoshi and Nene not having a legitimate son. Nene had a difficult birth, ultimately lost the child, and lost her own fertility. The more Shichibei thought about it, the more likely it seemed. This might actually be the historical truth.

Hearing the screams in the house, Shichibei felt the hairs on his back stand up. How could this happen? Shichibei immediately thought of sending someone to Sunomata to call Hideyoshi back. He was the man of the Kinoshita family and he had to make the final decision when something happened.

After all, Shichibei was just a relative, and now that there was no one in charge, that was fine. More importantly, if Hideyoshi ever blamed Shichibei for Ningning's infertility, then Shichibei would have worked for nothing.

Given the elderly Hideyoshi's dementia, this is by no means impossible.

He hurried out the door, telling the servants to get the horses ready. Maeda Toshiie also came running over. He and Hideyoshi were personal friends, and Ningning and Osomatsu were also very close. Hearing that his wife had come to help deliver someone else's baby, he naturally wanted to come over to see her after his shift.

That's perfect, brother. You should go to Sunamata and see if you can get Hideyoshi back.

Maeda Toshiie was stunned at first, then asked Shichibei, "Hideyoshi was the governor of Sunomata Castle. Although Mino was now pacified and Sunomata was the rear guard, what would happen if the governor left the castle without any official business and Nobunaga found out?"

Isn't that the same as abandoning the city and leaving?

Frightened by his words, Shichibei swallowed hard. While that was true, Nobunaga wouldn't kill Hideyoshi for something like this.

As soon as his eyes met Toshiie, Toshiie pointed at himself and Shichibei reacted immediately.

Toshiie was nearly killed by Nobunaga back then. Nobunaga was a man of public and private. Sometimes the line was blurry, sometimes it was clear. Do you dare to bet, or do I?

Forget it, Shichibei could only say, "You stay here and look after this place. I'll find a doctor or something." Toshiie agreed. He could do it, and his wife, Song, was there to help.

It was already dark, at least seven hours before Ningning was born. She had already stopped crying because she didn't have enough energy to scream anymore.

How to fix it?

The message from inside was that the fetus might be in an abnormal position and the baby couldn't be delivered naturally. If it continues like this, I'm afraid...

"Hiss..." What you fear will come true. Shichibei was no longer thinking about what would happen thirty years later, but was worried about human lives.

"What should I do? What should I do..." Toshiie was still a young man and did not have the bearing and composure that Maeda Dainagon would have thirty years later.

Like Shichibei, they are just ordinary people who are always wandering around.

"The fetus is in an abnormal position, just pull it out." The guy standing next to Shichibei muttered softly.

"What!" Shichibei and Maeda Toshiie said in unison.

What does Kawamuraya do? It's a horse-breeding business. It also sells horses and occasionally takes on military orders. But there's one aspect of its business that many people overlook.

Kawamura-ya also raises horses!

Horse breeding requires helping mares deliver their foals, and while most of the time, mares can deliver their foals without much effort, there are times when someone needs to reach out and pull the foal out.

This kind of thing isn't uncommon for large animals like cattle and horses. Shichibei had done this before, because if you pull it, it won't work if you're not strong enough. You have to do it in one go, without hesitation. If it gets stuck, it's a double-death experience.

"No, no, no, that's a horse, this is a human." Shichibei waved his hands quickly. There is a huge difference between a human and a horse.

If a horse can be pulled hard, can this person also be pulled hard?

“…” The guy didn’t dare to continue, but that’s the case right now.

If the fetus is in an abnormal position and cannot be delivered, it is possible that two lives will be lost.

"..." Maeda Toshiie also remained silent and looked at Shichibei. After all, they were both outsiders. Having a good relationship with Hideyoshi was one thing, but making decisions for him was another.

As for asking Ningning's opinion, Ningning was probably unconscious at the moment and didn't even scream.

Then ask her mother.

The two of them quickly invited Asahi out. Seeing that her daughter couldn't give birth, her mother must be worried. Shichibei then told them the solution the waiter had just suggested, which was not a solution. At least if they pulled the child out, at least Ningning could be out of danger.

Needless to say, Asahi's eyes widened. But Shichibei's words seemed to make sense, so the three of them immediately went to ask the doctor and midwife. They said they could try, but they couldn't guarantee anything.

Ah Ci, who had also delivered a pony, was still somewhat calm at this moment. After all, she had remembered to call for help earlier.

I've never delivered a human baby, but that horse has delivered several. After saying that, Ah Ci smeared oil all over his hands, looked at his nails carefully, and without saying anything, he reached in.

After touching her face for a while, he exerted force and with a "pop", he really "pulled" a child out of her.

Ningning, who was already half-conscious, let out a violent scream, and the child also burst into tears.

Become!

It's incredible, incredible. But think about the European barber next door who also moonlights as a doctor, curing all sorts of ailments with bloodletting. Thinking carefully about it, now that Ah Ci has delivered a horse, delivering a human being doesn't seem so hard to accept.

There was no postpartum hemorrhage, the umbilical cord was cut, the baby's body was cleaned, and Ningning's lower body was wiped. Everything finally had a satisfactory result.

Seeing Osong coming out, Maeda Toshiie was still asking, "Is it a boy or a girl?" Osong had no time to pay attention to Maeda Toshiie. Finally, Aci, who came out to wash his hands, asked.

girl.

91. It seems that there is a secret in the rice warehouse

Someone was quickly sent to inform Hideyoshi that mother and daughter were safe.

After all, this is Hideyoshi's first child. Although Hideyoshi has a very serious preference for boys over girls, he is his own child after all, and it is not easy for him to have a child at such an old age.