Kanazaki Zenemon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the town of Tanabe, which he hadn't seen in about two months. The fields were neatly arranged, and the rice plants were planted at equal intervals, growing lush and green. The houses seemed to have been relocated, built with brown bricks and wood, and looked quite sturdy. The roads were wide and well-maintained, and the people passing by had lively expressions.
"Indeed, the young lord of the new land is no ordinary person. The smell of commerce is strong. This town will develop even further."
While saying this, Zenemon also saw the weakness of Tanabe. There weren't enough people. No matter how exceptional Nitta Yoshimatsu might be, he was still a three-year-old child. Without people to carry out his instructions on the ground, it would be difficult for the town to develop any faster.
"Hehehe, in that sense, the young lord will also be pleased. Hey, let's go."
Zenemon, along with the goods he had acquired, headed towards Tanabe Castle.
"It's been two months. I've been waiting, Zenemon."
In the living room facing the garden of Tanabe Castle, Yoshimatsu welcomed Zenemon. He was still called Zenemon, but he didn't bother to correct it. If he wanted to call him that, it was fine; he thought it wasn't a bad name for a merchant.
Zenemon took a sip of the brown tea served in a wooden bowl and couldn't help but exclaim, "Ho!" It was a tea with a mysterious fragrance and sweetness.
"You guessed it in one bite. This is tea made by boiling dried burdock. In this northern country, it's impossible to get tea from the capital. This is the wisdom of the country folk."
However, from a merchant's perspective, Zenemon didn't think this tea was worthless. It would be more suitable for drinking while talking face-to-face than a formal tea ceremony. Moreover, burdock is known for its medicinal properties and could sell well in areas like Echizen, which adopt Kyoto cuisine.
"The harvest will be ready around September. Dried burdock can last a long time and would make a good trading item as a casual tea."
"That's true. However, the winter in Mutsu comes early. By October, it will snow, so this is a matter for the future, yes."
Zenemon shook his head in resignation. Yoshimatsu nodded silently. There was a way to improve this. The reason it took two months for trade was due to the ships, or rather, the sails.
"Did you get what I asked for?"
"More than I expected. Oh, the specialties of Tanabe were incredibly popular. In Echizen and Echigo, the winters are cold and snowy, so the charcoal sold out instantly. The soap and bricks also brought in good profits."
"Um. And the people you brought, are they the ones you mentioned?"
On the mat laid out in the garden, about twenty people were sitting, eating rice balls and pickled mountain vegetables.
"I brought in Echizen paper, sweet potatoes, and Kyoto carrots, but the highlight is the people. I brought papermakers, hemp weavers, blacksmiths, and roofers. There are also a few who can read and write."
"Ho, impressive. But why were such capable people sold?"
"That's... due to the Kaga Ikko Ikki. When the Otayama Gobo (later Kaga Castle) was built in 1546, the Kaga Ikko Ikki intensified. The Asakura clan, led by Asakura Soteki, fought fiercely against the Ikki. As a result, many farmers and craftsmen who participated in the Ikki became slaves.
"Furthermore, the guardian of Echizen passed away in February this year. His heir, Sonejiro Nobutaka, is still young, and there was confusion in the family. I heard that a considerable number of people left. When I approached them at Tsuruga Port, many were willing to start anew in a place far from the Asakura, yes."
"I see. It was a good match. Thank you for your hard work."
Yoshimatsu stood up and went out to the garden. Though he was well-dressed, he still looked like a child, causing the craftsmen to be puzzled. Umechidai raised his voice, but Yoshimatsu raised his hand to stop him.
"I am the next head of the Nitta family, who governs the Tanabe domain, Nitta Yoshimatsu. Thank you for coming from afar. I promise you will never regret it. I will ensure three things: no hunger, no cold, and no fear. You will never go hungry, shiver from the cold, or fear bandits. I promise you a safe life in Tanabe."
The craftsmen's puzzled expressions relaxed. In the Sengoku period, a place where there was no hunger, no cold, and no fear was almost non-existent. It was a utopia found only in dreams. Yoshimatsu was seriously trying to create that utopia.
"Umechidai, take these people to the craftsmen's quarters. Provide them with food and clothing. Kiyosuke will make the arrangements. Those who can read and write will become my direct officials. For now, get used to life in Tanabe this year."
The craftsmen followed Umechidai. Yoshimatsu sat back down facing Zenemon.
"You did well, Zenemon. With this, Tanabe will develop even further."
"Hehehe, it's a great honor to hear that. However, if I may, it seems that there are still not enough people in the young lord's domain... What about gathering people from Ezo?"
Yoshimatsu's eyes lit up.
The history of the Kakioka family is long. During the Kamakura period, they governed the Shimokita Peninsula under the control of the Tsugaru Ando family, who ruled the Tsugaru region. After the Nanbokucho period and through the Muromachi period, the Kakioka family was driven out of the Shimokita Peninsula during the Kakioka Zangyo Rebellion and fled to the southern part of Ezo (present-day Matsumae).
The Kakioka family continued to trade with the Ainu people, eventually monopolizing the trade. They remained as the Matsumae domain during the Edo period due to the benefits of this trade and their geographical advantage in Ezo.
During the Sengoku period, the Kakioka family could be said to have been surrounded by enemies. They fought with the Ainu people and their archenemies, the Nanbu clan, and even betrayed the Ando clan, who had protected them, to become independent as a Sengoku daimyo. This was achieved by Kakioka Wakasa no Kami Seihiro, who became the head of the family in 1545.
"Lord Wakasa no Kami is considering a peace treaty with the people of Ezo. He would be very pleased with items like charcoal. On the other hand, in the twelve castles, including Oshu, rice cannot be grown, and many people are starving. If they hear about the three no's that the young lord mentioned earlier, some might want to leave Ezo..."
"But will Lord Wakasa no Kami allow that? The Nanbu clan is not considering an expedition to Ezo, but the Ando clan, who control the thirteen ports, frequently send troops from Oshu. Without people, they won't be able to respond, right?"
"Exactly. From my perspective, Lord Wakasa no Kami is likely dissatisfied with Higashiyama. After all, they have been conscripted since the time of Lord Yoshihiro (Kakioka Seihiro's father). In a land where food is already scarce, being conscripted like slaves is bound to cause dissatisfaction... Yes."
Looking at the history of the Kakioka family, it seems that after the Kakioka Zangyo Rebellion, they were more focused on securing a survival zone rather than achieving autonomy in Ezo. They were simply trying to survive. Kakioka Yoshihiro fought the Ainu and was even attacked near his base in Oshu. At that time, he used deceitful tactics, such as a false peace treaty to assassinate Tanasakashi, the ruler of Western Ezo, and even killed his daughter and son-in-law. All of this was to preserve the Kakioka family, which had continued since the Kamakura period.
"For the Kakioka, their survival is the top priority. Whether it's the Ando or the Nanbu, they don't care as long as they are protected. They might think the same about the Nitta."
In other words, it wouldn't matter if it was the Nitta. By feeding them with rice and making them economically dependent on the Nitta, the Kakioka's connections with the Ainu could be acquired. Controlling the thirteen ports would also give the Nitta control over the Tsugaru Strait. This would allow the Nitta to surpass the Nanbu quickly.
"Hehehe... Kanazaki, you're quite devious."
"No, not as much as the young lord... Hehehe."
Just as he thought it was a good reaction, Yoshimatsu realized that he shouldn't know about this exchange.
(´・∀・`)：The 1540s and 1550s were a turning point in the Sengoku period in many ways.
(=゜ω゜=）：Many famous warlords died, like Rokkaku Takayori and Asakura Soteki...
(´・∀・`)：I think it was a transition from the "Sengoku expansion period" after the Onin War to the "Sengoku consolidation period." The generation that knew the authority of the Ashikaga shogunate disappeared, and the generation that didn't know it became daimyo.
(=゜ω゜=）：The timing of the introduction of firearms and Christianity also seems too perfect. Reality is stranger than fiction.
(´・∀・`)：There are records of a musket unit in the 1571 attack on Ishikawa Castle, so it's believed that firearms had spread to the Nanbu clan by the 1560s. Considering this, firearms must have been a real shock to the Japanese of that time.
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* The third volume of my modern fantasy "Dungeon Busters" will be released in June. I would be happy if you could read it.
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