Owari Yumeki Golden Day

"You have such a big nanny?" I've already said that Nobunaga is a small town youth from the village, and he understands everything.

"We have rented the rice house of Mr. Ito, the boss, and have also arranged a tawara ship to send it to Sakaimachi." Shichibei doesn't need a rice warehouse, as the rice will be directly taken upstairs for sale.

The big rice shop owners needed large rice warehouses for sales and storage. They had this need, but Shichibei didn't.

In fact, in the Edo period, the entire industry surrounding the shogunate's annual tribute rice, including underwriting the annual tribute rice, operating and selling rice shops, mortgaging rice tickets for loans, working as a loan agent, and providing rent, was basically all done by "one person."

Or it may not be appropriate to say this, it should be said that these industries are concentrated in one big monopoly tycoon, but who is qualified to become this big monopoly tycoon depends on the relationship between this person and the generals or the elders and the chief elders.

For example, when Yoshimune 8th succeeded Omiya from Komiya, merchants from Kii dominated the rice trade in Edo. Conversely, lesser-known merchants, such as Mitsui in Kyoto and Konoike in Osaka, enjoyed relatively stable operations for two hundred years.

Later, Mitsui in Kyoto successfully jumped ship and continued in the same business, but under a new guise, raising three million taels of gold to issue Daijokan notes for the Meiji government. This later became the Mitsui Bank, and ultimately the Mitsui Zaibatsu.

Japan certainly hasn't yet produced such a large and powerful capital group, but it is slowly beginning to show signs of this trend. After all, each region has seen the emergence of powerful figures who are determined to unify the region.

In order to cope with the continuous wars, the daimyo unanimously entrusted these economic affairs to trusted "abacus samurai" or "goshangsi".

By the time of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, there were already imperial merchants who could raise hundreds of thousands of kan in cash and 200,000 to 300,000 koku of rice overnight to support an expedition of more than 100,000 troops.

"How many more days will it take to sell out all the goods in Sakaimachi?" Nobunaga asked leisurely.

"At most ten days." The tawarako ship was fully loaded and went to Sakai, where it unloaded the goods to the big boss Tsuda of Tennoji-ya. After settling the bill with him, the ship returned to Owari. The whole process took about seven to nine days.

Give him ten days, giving him a day or two to avoid mistakes.

"So, you will have 10,000 kan in ten days." Nobunaga looked at Shichibei.

"Yes." It's all public knowledge, the price of rice is clear.

The only small difference was that Shichibei bought Nobunaga's annual tribute rice for 500 sen per koku, while it was sold at 620 sen in Sakaimachi. However, after taking into account the shipping costs, porters' wages, and the wages and wages of the servants, the profit per koku was only a few dozen sen.

The reason why they thought it was profitable to take charge of the annual tribute rice was, firstly, to strengthen the relationship with the feudal lords, and secondly, the lords would deposit the money in the counters of the imperial merchants.

Thousands upon thousands of dollars in cash are just sitting there in your bank account. You can use it to lend money at high interest rates, invest, merge, hoard goods, or speculate, and you will immediately have capital.

Moreover, when the lord purchases military supplies from the merchant counter, there are also some considerations and benefits in terms of price. Although it won't be too much, it is more stable.

"Except for the money for street maintenance, there is no need to send anything else to Gifu for the time being." Nobunaga smiled, closed the folding fan in his hand, and gently tapped Shichibei's forehead.

"Ha!" Ten thousand strings of cash, it's ten thousand strings of cash.

This money is enough to allow Takeda Shingen to bring 25,000 people to help you kill Rokkaku Yoshitaka and his son in Minami Omi, of course, on the premise that you provide food.

"Do a good job, how can I treat you unfairly?" Nobunaga showed a very charming look, which immediately shook the mind of Shichibei who was dazzled.

If I were a woman, I would definitely be willing to do this tonight.

"Your Highness, I will never forget your kindness." Shichibei bowed his head hurriedly, burying his entire head in the floor.

"Get up and go to work." Nobunaga didn't leave any food for us today, so he sent Shichibei back to carry the heavy bag.

Shichibei left with gratitude, and two more people came in. They were both people Shichibei didn't know, but they were famous in later generations. One was called Hosokawa Fujitaka, and the other was called Akechi Mitsuhide.

The two were dressed quite simply, or rather, outdated, like those of the Muromachi shogunate. If they were seen on the street by Shichibei, he would simply think they were two poor ronin.

I'm not trying to discredit them, it's just that Hosokawa Fujitaka has the habit of writing a diary.

Although his diary was not published and the full text was not preserved, much of its content was passed down as a fragment after his family achieved success and became a daimyo with a rank of 500,000 koku.

For example, when Hosokawa Fujitaka was poor, he would go to the temple in the middle of the night to steal the oil for the temple lamps. Another example is when there was no food to eat during the war, he would steal the wheat from the villagers' homes.

When a famous prince told stories about these petty thefts, people no longer called him a thief, but only said that he was indomitable.

That's good, better than recording that he became Ashikaga Yoshiteru's vassal and served Ashikaga Yoshiteru. The above stories are a bit interesting, but being a vassal is just disgusting.

The two came to Owari to pay a visit to Oda Nobunaga, naturally because Nobunaga now owed Ashikaga Yoshiaki a favor. Ashikaga Yoshiaki felt that he had become a respectable person in front of Nobunaga, so he asked Nobunaga.

Can you support me?

To be honest, after realizing that Asakura Yoshikage did not have the courage to march to Luoyang and raise an army to defend the emperor, Ashikaga Yoshiaki was actually most looking forward to Uesugi Kenshin. After all, Uesugi Kenshin did lead thousands of people to Kyoto and did raise the banner of the shogunate.

If Uesugi Kenshin was willing to raise an army, Ashikaga Yoshiaki could persuade the Shiina and Jimbo clans of Echizen, the Hatakeyama clan of Noto, and the Ikko clan of Kaga to make way. These factions, both large and small, would have given the shogunate a favor, and once Kenshin's army of 20,000 to 30,000 men arrived, Yoshiaki believed he could mobilize the entire Kinai region to respond.

But Kenshin Uesugi simply couldn't come. The previous year, Usui Castle had been severely defeated, leaving him with a devastated army. That would have been fine, but then Ueno Minowa Castle was captured by Takeda Shingen, and Nagano Yoshimori committed suicide. This, in turn, left the lord of Ueno Umabashi Castle, Hojo Takahiro, who was left alone, to defect to the Hojo clan.

Echigo's route to Kanto was immediately cut off. Seeing that it was impossible to get support from the Uesugi family, the Satake family, which also wanted to expand in Kanto, also abandoned its alliance with Kenshin.

It can be said that in just two years, from 1529 to 1521, the situation of the Uesugi family in Kanto collapsed.

With the situation collapsing like this, Uesugi Kenshin had no time to save Ashikaga Yoshiaki, let alone guard against Takeda Shingen's attack on Echigo and Hojo Ujiyasu's advance into Okuueno.

Even the most likely candidate, Uesugi Kenshin, couldn't come. Who could Ashikaga Yoshiaki rely on now? Looking around, there was only Oda Nobunaga left.

The Mori family was also in internal chaos at this time. The deer swore to Yue'er that even if he had to endure all kinds of hardships, he would revive the Amago family. Yamanaka Kojin captured Tsukiyama Tomita Castle, gathered tens of thousands of troops, and obtained support and backing from the Yamana family, fighting back and forth with Yoshikawa Motoharu's army.

In this way, Nobunaga had room to maneuver.

Or you can wait for the right price. After all, Nobunaga is the only one who has the ability and willingness to lead an army to Kyoto.

Last time, Wada Koremasa came, but failed to persuade Nobunaga. This time, Ashikaga Yoshiaki was serious, sending Hosokawa Fujitaka and Akechi Mitsuhide, two eloquent men. He hoped to convince Nobunaga once and for all, and have him return to Kyoto by the end of the year.

After briefly understanding the two's arguments, Nobunaga just smiled. He knew what he was thinking and didn't want to make a decision so quickly. So he asked the two to wait in Owari for a while while he thought it over.

How many days will it take to think it over? That's hard to say.

Shichibei, who walked out of the gate of Sakuma Yashiki, had no idea that the world affairs of raising an army to attack Kyoto were being discussed inside. He just clapped his hands happily on his horse.

With 10,000 kan in working capital, Shichibei could do many more things. For example, he set up a two-way exchange shop and began to operate a three-way exchange business between gold, silver, and copper coins in Owari and Mino.

There are no specialized shops for this business in Nobi. They are all run by Dokura, which mainly operates pawnshops, or by places like Tsushima Taisha Shrine and Tsushima Kaiheshu, which also run currency exchanges.

The profits were considerable, but it had not yet reached its peak. Trade with East and West Japan, Ezo, Ryukyu, and even the Nanman would gather, and produce from all directions would converge. Silver from the West and gold from the East would need to be exchanged. That would be the time to truly make money.

The eighth shogun, Yoshimune, once cracked down on the two silver exchange houses. Whenever Iwami silver from the west and Sado silver from Sado arrived in Edo, they would lower the exchange rate for silver to gold. The shogunate, in urgent need of funds, usually had no choice but to accept their exchange rate.

The shogunate was full of people who had been fed by their own offerings, and it was extremely difficult to punish them. As a result, when Yoshimune of Omiya came to power, he was served by a group of merchants from Kii. Yoshimune was not fed, so he naturally killed them all.

We could also open our own rice shop, but the payout cycle is a bit long. Furthermore, Owari hasn't developed a thriving rural free trade market; it's still at the level of a three-day market. If Nobunaga ever announced the establishment of a Rakuichi Rakuza and the dismantling of the checkpoints, and outsiders came to Nobi's granary to buy rice, this business would be much easier to do.

But rice shops had to engage in shipping. Without convenient water transportation, there would be no distribution channels for bulk commodities like rice. Mr. Ito, the big boss of Tsushima, was in the shipping industry. He was also Nobunaga's royal merchant, a hereditary type who was not easy to exclude.

Anyway, no matter what you do, having money makes you feel warm.

Humming a little tune, he returned to Kawamuraya. Seeing pairs of packhorses heading to Gifu, Shichibei's anxiety faded. "If I had the money, I'd buy another three or five hundred horses from Takeda Shingen. With the Nobi and Tokugawa countries connected, the flow of people and supplies would be even faster." And with Tokugawa Ieyasu about to invade Totomi, the entire area from Gifu to Hirima would be filled with Kawamuraya post stations.

No, we also need to build a road from Kiyosu to Tsushima, which shows that Nobunaga still wants to integrate the eight counties of northern Ise. Then the post station from Gifu to Anozukuo will also be under Shichibei.

Buying five hundred horses is not enough, we need one thousand, the more the better.

As soon as he sat down, Nobunaga's younger brother came running and asked Shichibei to send a fast horse to Tsushima immediately and deliver ten sea breams to the city tomorrow, as Nobunaga wanted to entertain his distinguished guests.

The distinguished guests were naturally Hosokawa Fujitaka and Akechi Mitsuhide. These two were now poorer than ronin, but that didn't stop them from being special envoys of Ashikaga Yoshiaki. Since they had to give Ashikaga Yoshiaki face, they had to treat him with some dignity.

For something more upscale, it's said they'd serve crane soup or pheasant, but those aren't available right now, so sea bream is both possible and presentable.

It's a small matter. Tsushima is also a semi-fishing port, and some fishermen fish in Ise Bay. Today, Japan's coastal waters are still very rich fishing grounds. Even a hundred meters offshore from Suruga Bay, tuna can be caught, and sea bream is even less common.

"Hurry up!" Xiao Xing told Shichibei, then ran back like a whirlwind. He didn't know whose child was so impulsive.

"Who are you entertaining? Ten-tailed sea bream." So Kotaro called a waiter over and brought a horse with him.

"How should I know?" Shichibei didn't see the guest behind him, so of course he didn't know.

"Buy one more." So Kotaro took out his own money and gave it to the waiter.

He was now a "double rich man" with both Kawamura shares and a salary from Oda Nobunaga, so eating a sea bream was not really a big deal. Ever since he became a double rich man, the people who introduced him to wives from Tsushima had lowered the bar.

"Let's split it in half." I never expected that this guy would be so polite and think of me.

The packages were packed, and Inase Yoshinari called over a dozen people, including four or five men armed with swords, and set off overnight without stopping.

There was only a little over 6,000 kan in cash on hand, with some at other branches. Some was even loaned out at local warehouses, temples, and shrines, earning interest. Shichibei had been busy lately, and hadn't figured out what to invest in next. Now that he finally had a project, he could put all his money aside and get ready to go.

Inase Yoshishige, who rushed to Anozukuo, spread false news that there was a severe flood in the Mikawa-Tōmi area at the turn of summer and autumn, and the harvest was very poor, so grain needed to be purchased at a high price.

Sanhe and Yuanjiang are far apart, but not too far away. It seems real, but it would take several days to go back and forth. After all, Sanhe and Yuanjiang are quite large, and it may not be possible to completely circle them in five or six days.

In short, the price is high, nine hundred coins per stone of rice!

With a loud bang, the wealthy families in the northern and central regions were blown out. They clapped their hands and stamped their feet, saying that they had sold their rice too early. They were filled with regret, annoyance, and pain because they had not earned twice the price of rice.

Some people stamped their feet and sold their stored military rations and rice, betting that if there was no war in the winter, they could survive by eating wild vegetables in the spring. In the summer, the wheat would be harvested and everything would be fine.

One man led the way, followed by ten others, and thousands of stones of rice converged on Anozukuri. However, the purchase was still ongoing, and Shichibei asked Inase Yoshinari to open up the purchase as long as the money could hold.

If the powerful families in the north and middle regions showed any fear or hesitation, they would continue to provoke them with one kan of money per koku, squeezing out all the rice they had. If they didn't squeeze it out completely, when Nobunaga's army arrived, how could they be willing to pawn their underwear to buy rice?

In just seven or eight days, over ten thousand shi of rice from Beishi and Zhongshi were purchased and stored by the Seven Guards. Almost all the military rations from the nobles in both regions were taken away, leaving not a drop left.

At this time, Nanbu Tadaaki, who was sent to Gifu, rode back to Tsushima.

There was news, and Shichibei certainly knew it. After Nobunaga confirmed the secrets of the carpenters and other prominent figures from Takigawa Ieyoshi, he finally made the decision to dispatch his troops. By the time Nanbu Tadaki returned to Tsushima, the envoys to Odani and Okazaki Castles would have arrived.

Nobunaga officially ordered the mobilization of all the troops in the territory to march out in full force and attack from the north.

100. There is an eagle-like gaze and a wolf-like look.

According to the rules of the Edo period, respectable samurai were not allowed to turn the sea bream over when eating it, and could only eat it on this side. Turning it over seemed stingy and not wasting any fish.

It's a pity that Shichibei and Sokotaro are just country bumpkins. Not only do they flip over the food, but they also don't show courtesy. You take one chopstick, I take another, without any regard for brotherly love or respect.

While delivering the fish that morning, Shichibei learned that Hosokawa Fujitaka and Akechi Mitsuhide were coming. Although he'd wanted to see what they looked like, he realized they'd likely meet in the future as court officials, so he didn't stay in the Sakuma residence to observe.

On the way, they ran into Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi had spent a month or so in Kyoto hanging out with a group of nobles and was now considered a respectable man, so Nobunaga asked him to accompany them and help entertain the two envoys. Sakuma Nobumori, who was at Komakiyama, also acted as a host and arranged accommodations for the two.

No wonder they bought ten sea breams, because they were dining for five people and they left five as backups.

"So, Gotate-sama is going to Kyoto soon?" Although So Kotaro was still a businessman at heart, on the surface he was already one of Nobunaga's cavalrymen, so he had to care about the war.

"It's highly unlikely. I think they're going to attack Beishi." Shichibei's words had a reason, because they were building a street to Beishi.

Moreover, according to Nobunaga's instructions, he had already sent merchants to cooperate with Takigawa Ieyasu's mercenaries to win over the small powerful families in the north and bribe the local samurai. So that Nobunaga's royal flag would be invincible.

"Then the envoy from the royal court would have come in vain."

"How can it be in vain? At the very least, I can get two or three hundred strings of cash from the lord."

"Hahaha, I never knew before that a dignified kung fu could be dealt with with only two or three hundred kan." In the past, So Kotaro really couldn't imagine such a thing.

"The power of money is much greater than you think." As a small businessman, Shichibei firmly believes that everyone has a price these days.

Ashikaga Yoshiaki is now worth 200 to 300 kan, Kinoshita Hideyoshi is worth 1,000 kan, Asai Nagamasa 2,000 kan, and Takeda Shingen 5,000 kan. Everyone has a price, and Nobunaga divides it among them clearly.

"I am also worth 200 kan." So Kotaro was quite proud and felt that he was sold at the same price as Ashikaga Yoshiaki.

"Think carefully, it's only worth 200 kan if you cut it off." Shichibei spread his palms flat and made a killing gesture towards his neck.

This immediately made So Kotaro, who was eating, lose interest and swallow his saliva.

Speaking of which, wasn't Ikeda Terumasa killed by Ando Naotsugu? Later, when Ikeda Terumasa visited Tokugawa Ieyasu, he expressed his desire to meet the samurai who had killed his father. The samurai who showed up was shabbily dressed, plain-looking, and completely lacked any aura. Ikeda Terumasa immediately retorted, "Is a samurai who killed a lord like my father unworthy of a salary of 5,000 or 10,000 koku?"

Tokugawa Ieyasu slapped his forehead and said, "Yes, yes, a famous warrior like your father should be given a generous salary." He immediately increased Ando Naotsugu's salary by 5,000 koku, and added another 2,300 koku for his departure, making it a total of 10,000.

Ultimately, Andō Naotsugu was granted 38,000 koku, a qualitative leap from ordinary samurai to feudal lord, all thanks to a complaint from Ikeda Terumasa. Of course, it also had something to do with the fact that the land he had cut down was more expensive than that of Ikeda Terumasa.

"Just kidding, just kidding, hahahaha." Shichibei quickly interrupted.

If they did go into battle, they would only behead famous warriors, not even the small porters carrying the cargo. Rather than worrying about being chopped off, it would be better to worry about being driven around by the army, captured, and eventually sold into slavery.

After a quick meal, I had to get back to work. Things were almost over at Komakiyama, though. After three or four months of demolition, the castle itself was essentially demolished, with few remaining structures. Most of the samurai residences below the castle had also been demolished and moved to Gifu, so the demolition should be complete within the next month.

At that time, Shichibei will be able to rest for a day or two and then continue to Tsushima to deal with the endless stream of tribute rice sent to Sakaimachi for sale, as well as the Tsushima streets.

Nobunaga also used this excuse to reject Ashikaga Yoshiaki's request to march to Kyoto immediately. Komakiyama Castle was demolished and Gifu Castle was completed, so he had to wait until everything was settled before he could consider marching to Kyoto.

It's nothing more than an excuse. Now Nobunaga is controlling Yoshiaki. Anyway, Echizen Ichijodani is not far from Mino Gifu, and it's very fast to go back and forth on horseback.

In order to express his sincerity and goodwill, Nobunaga also bought a strong horse for Hosokawa Fujitaka and Akechi Mitsuhide at his own expense.

Look at these two, who will become famous figures in the future, and the horses they ride are thin and weak, one of them has gray fur, obviously old. Riding horses like this, I'm really afraid that if they start running even a little bit, they will be killed.

But they represented Ashikaga Yoshiaki and the dignity of the Shogunate, so they had to travel on horseback and show off.

Poor.

I'm talking about the horse, not the two of them.