The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 118

At first, Mansho Yoshikiyo put on airs, saying emphatically, "That's not true!" or "You're all overthinking it!"

But he quickly looked dejected, shook his head and sighed, "Oh, don't ask anymore, don't ask anymore! Just don't ask about this!"

Seeing this, the merchants looked at each other helplessly and dared not pursue the matter any further.

Although Mansatsu Yoshikiyo seems to have a good temper, he is ultimately a samurai lord, and one who was directly appointed by Kubo Yoshiaki.

You can only switch to other targets.

The owner of the flying foot shop, Kushino Hisayuki, asked the old monk, "Master Mingzhou, you have also heard what everyone said today. What are your thoughts?"

Master Mingzhou closed his eyes, softly recited a Buddhist verse, shook his head and said, "This old monk is advanced in years and has not been involved in worldly affairs for a long time. I only learned today that there are unscrupulous merchants in Echizen using inferior money to pass off as superior goods. Therefore, I cannot answer the question you just asked."

"I see."

The merchants were clearly skeptical, but had no way to question them further.

After a moment of silence, Deputy Commissioner Kohama Hasegawa Munehito announced, "Now that the matter has been explained, the meeting is adjourned."

The group left with a lot of doubts, and then, according to their social circles, they secretly agreed to continue their conversation in another setting.

……

The truth of the matter of the unscrupulous merchants causing trouble in Echizen is difficult to discern in the eyes of the public.

However, it is certain that the former Wakasa samurai Shirai Mitsutane was caught by fishing, although this has not been officially announced to the public.

This person may not really understand the true situation of the "Anti-Three Goodness Encirclement Network"—it's highly unlikely that they would know—but since they mentioned the five forces of Hatakeyama in Kawachi, Rokkaku in Omi, Asakura in Echizen, Mori in Aki, and Ishiyama Honganji, there must be some reason behind it.

The conflict between Rokkaku stems from an old grudge, while the one between Asakura and a new one is not surprising.

The Mori clan and the Honganji Temple, which were originally neutral third parties with a relatively good relationship, may now need to be treated with caution.

Hatakeyama of Kawachi has always been the most important ally of the Miyoshi family.

However, the initial impetus for the alliance was that Miyoshi Nagayoshi abandoned Hatano Harumichi's sister and married the daughter of Yusa Naganobu, the deputy governor of Kawachi. At that time, Yusa Naganobu held all the power in the Hatakeyama family, and the two sides developed a close relationship.

Then Yusa Nagayoshi was assassinated, and Miyoshi Nagayoshi supported his underage brother-in-law Yusa Shinjiro, won over three powerful officials, Yasumi, Tange, and Shizui, purged a group of opponents, and enshrined the Hatakeyama Takamasa Memorial Archway. With its complex structure of a typical Japanese bed frame house, he barely maintained his rule over Kawachi Province.

Later, Tange Moritomo died, and Shizui Morihide grew old and left no adult children. Anmi Munefusa harbored ambitions, but was fiercely attacked by the Miyoshi family and abandoned the castle, fleeing to a foreign land.

The current situation is that the core samurai of Hanoi have been almost wiped out, and Hatakeyama Takamasa, the long-absent governor, has become the only legitimate object of loyalty for the local tyrants and samurai, thus regaining his authority.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi successively sent Miyoshi Yoshikata and Miyoshi Masayasu to govern Kawachi Province, but due to a lack of legal basis, he had to rely on Hatakeyama Takamasa.

It's hard to say what Hatakeyama Takamasa's true feelings were toward the Miyoshi family.

Even Yuza Shinjiro, Miyoshi Nagayoshi's brother-in-law, though only eleven or twelve years old, was uncertain whether he truly supported his brother-in-law. Historically, this man, after his coming-of-age ceremony, was named Yuza Nobukyo, and was no pushover.

So, Shinzaburo wrote a letter to the Miyoshi family, offering a few words of advice as a precaution, to be prepared for any eventuality.

There is no concrete evidence.

Even if they sent over the Shirai Minbu Junior Assistant, Mitsuhiro, whom they had fished out, a ronin's confession had no weight whatsoever.

223 Saltpeter Tea Set with Two Flowers

Miyoshi Yoshiaki quickly replied with a calm letter. He stated that he was aware of the encirclement network and had worked with the Imperial Court and the Shogunate to formulate preliminary countermeasures, so there was no need to worry too much for the time being. However, he still expressed his gratitude.

Since that's the case, Shinzaburo stopped wasting his energy on pointless speculation and worry, and instead focused his attention on domestic affairs, especially infrastructure projects and economic arrangements.

The priority was to address the newly developed saltpeter fields in the coastal area of ​​Wakasa.

These saltpeter fields primarily used rotten fish and shrimp, along with human and animal excrement, mixed with a small amount of straw ash and rice husks. The mixture was piled up in a shaded, well-ventilated, damp, and cool place to ferment and extract saltpeter. After more than a year of experimentation, several batches of saltpeter products were finally produced on a preliminary scale. Although the output was far from stable, it at least proved that this method was feasible.

According to preliminary calculations based on the previous and previous accounts, the average cost of each pound of saltpeter produced by the family was between 130 and 150 wen. Considering the expenses for hiring labor, composting and transportation, site maintenance, equipment and fuel, the cost seemed to be controlled reasonably.

The market outside was quite different. Merchants in Sakai and Hakata who specialized in dealing in Nanban goods imported saltpeter from overseas kept prices consistently high, with a minimum of over two hundred mon per pound. At its most outrageous, prices even exceeded five hundred mon.

One pound of saltpeter can only produce a limited amount of gunpowder—roughly enough to fire about thirty rounds from a six-eyelet gun, or about twenty rounds from a ten-eyelet gun. In other words, the main cost of a musket for a gunner wasn't the weapon itself, but the gunpowder ignited by the matchlock when firing the projectiles. And the most expensive component of gunpowder was saltpeter; charcoal and sulfur were relatively easier to obtain.

Every gunshot earns anywhere from ten or eight coins to thirty or fifty coins; it's all about money!

That's why they say when the cannons roar, gold pours in.

So, does this mean the Kubo family can get rich by producing their own saltpeter?

Unfortunately, not at the moment.

The Portuguese Garcia and the Meng dynasty eunuch Meng Peiyu were both very familiar with firearms. They came over to take a look and concluded that the color, texture, and shape of this batch of saltpeter were not ideal, and its purity might be a bit problematic.

So Shinzaburo ordered his men to quickly prepare gunpowder and distribute it to the gunners for testing.

The result was that, with the same amount of propellant, the firing sound did indeed seem weaker. If the propellant charge were increased, although the power could be matched, it would produce a large amount of residue, causing the breech to clog quickly and severely affecting the speed of subsequent loading.

In other words, while this saltpeter is usable, it's not good enough. It's fine to keep it for personal use, but it's unlikely to sell it at a high price.

The direction for improvement is quite clear: since the purity is not high, we should increase the purification efforts!

The problem is that current nitrate purification technology relies on a mixture of lime and alkali salts for cooking and filtration, and its process costs are considerable. Simply increasing the number of purification cycles would naturally lead to significantly higher expenses.

How can we improve the process while controlling costs?

Shinzaburo himself couldn't explain it. He didn't understand the specific techniques; the only thing he could do was motivate the practitioners.

Last year, he appointed Hasegawa Naoki, Kokufu Raito, and Iwamatsu Shigenobu to manage the saltpeter fields separately, promising each of them a reward of 100 koku of rice if they produced a usable product. If they controlled costs well, they would receive 200 koku.

Now that we have achieved results, it is only natural that we must honor this debt.

However, the distribution method was adjusted slightly—half of the land and population were still allocated according to the old rules; while the other half was granted to them as a portion of the saltpeter fields as income-generating assets, converted into knowledge and action.

After that, the three of them continued to produce saltpeter in peacetime and went to war as samurai with a rank of 200 koku in wartime.

The artisans involved were considered their subjects and enjoyed the privilege of being exempt from all corvée labor.

At the same time, Shinzaburo also clearly stated that whoever makes a breakthrough in saltpeter technology in the future will have all the additional profits belonging to them without interference. The only condition is that the products will be supplied to the Kubo family for internal use first, and the price will be uniformly agreed upon. Only when it is clearly stated that the current inventory is sufficient and not needed at the moment will the surplus be handed over to the official merchant of Obama for sale to the outside world.

All existing and future gunpowder fields will be placed under the direct management of the Kubo family, overseen by appointed officials. Profits will be distributed as dividends based on final output, primarily used to ensure the daily gunpowder consumption of the main force, but may also be sold externally when market conditions are favorable to increase revenue.

Shinzaburo also knew that government-run industries were often inefficient, and the workers lacked motivation. Especially when it came to technological advancements, it was difficult to expect officials to take the initiative to research. Therefore, his strategy was to leverage the achievements of those three "private contractors." Once a new process was developed, the government system could follow up and benefit from it for free, avoiding unnecessary detours.

Of course, once technology is released, it will inevitably spread sooner or later. Given the level of organization in this era, keeping it secret for an extended period is impossible.

By implementing entry and exit registration, document management, and restrictions on job hopping, as long as the speed of leakage can be slowed down and a few years' time difference can be gained, that would be enough to create a competitive advantage.

……

Corresponding to the start of the saltpeter industry, the pottery business was taken over by Shingoro's younger brother, who worked with Gokurakuji Josuke to develop it. The two of them gradually figured out a knack for it.

They brought in several skilled craftsmen from the unstable Toki County to seek refuge. They cleared land on the hillside outside Daigong Castle, built kilns, and fired pottery. The resulting vessels were fairly standard, including bowls, cups, pots, and basins. The raw materials were locally available, the techniques were already well-established, and the start-up capital was minimal. It was a traditional project, so it wasn't difficult to set up.

The problem is that for ordinary people, the average price for a rice bowl or soup bowl is only about ten coins. Even if ten thousand were sold at once, the total would only amount to one hundred strings of cash, and at most twenty strings of cash in taxes could be collected.

However, when combined with the tea ceremony to create "added value," things change.

Shingoro's younger brother and Gokurakuji Jojo solemnly named the pottery they produced "Tamba Ōyumaki," or simply "Ōyumaki." They enlisted the help of monks and merchants from Kyoto and Sakai to promote the product, claiming it was a type of pottery that combined practicality and artistic value, embodying the earthy quality and natural beauty of the mountains. They then commissioned artisans to refine parts of the shapes, polishing, glazing, and adjusting details to make it more aesthetically pleasing and appealing to literati tastes.

Generally speaking, in the proper tea ceremony circle, locally produced "Japanese tea" is always a level below imported "Tang tea" and "Goryeo tea," making it difficult to command high prices, let alone achieve the status of a "famous tea."

But that depends on who's doing it.

Imai Munehisa secretly got involved in the pottery business through a relative. Afterwards, he used "Oyuki ware" utensils at several tea parties. At the parties, he righteously commented: "Holding a Tanba tea bowl in my hand, I can vaguely hear the sound of wind and birdsong in the mountains and forests. It must be that the craftsman has incorporated the wildness into the work. This can only be called Zen."

Then, at the request of the monk Myoshu, Obayashi Sota of Nansoji Temple in Sakai Town said a few good words for them.

One is a renowned tea connoisseur, and the other is a top Zen monk; this collaboration can be described as a "debate between great scholars." This joint promotion has rapidly enhanced the reputation of Tanba tea bowls, and finer pieces that can now sell for one or two kan each have gradually emerged.

Of course, not all products can easily sell at high prices. The parameters in the pottery firing process are too numerous to fully control, so the results after firing are often unpredictable; shape, color, and feel all fluctuate. Only vessels that happen to conform to current aesthetic trends and have undergone appropriate refinement are likely to gain market acceptance.

There is no standard answer to art; it's hard to define exactly what "beauty" is.

However, as its reputation grew, some wealthy and leisurely young townspeople from Kyoto, Sakai, Ishiyama, Nara, and other places who loved art began to come to the vicinity of Ōyū Castle in groups to personally select freshly fired wares. Once they found something they liked and made a deal, the price usually started at fifty mon, and a hundred mon was not uncommon.

This has also boosted local accommodation, catering, and transportation industries, making hotel owners extremely happy.

Shingoro's younger brother seized the opportunity and promoted his family's millet wine and candied chestnuts to high-spending customers, which proved quite popular and created a small brand.

A quick calculation shows that the military expenses saved by the saltpeter field, plus the profits from "Oogami yaki" and related industries, might amount to no less than 400 kan per year. Moreover, there is a prospect of continued growth and expansion.

224 Muto Shunsuke went to Tajima

Recommended by Mansatsu Yoshikiyo, Muto Shunshu entered Obama Castle and only briefly met with Kubo Yoshiaki before being assigned to a guest room, told to wait for further instructions.

And then there was no further news.

I learned from the servants that everyone in Wakasa was busy compiling the new "Knowledge and Conduct Accounts" and "Military Service Regulations" and had no time to attend to anything else.

Muto Shunshu thought to himself that this must be a test of his willpower. He must not show the slightest sign of being unable to bear the loneliness, otherwise he would be looked down upon by Lord Kubo Sado.

Therefore, he maintained a regular daily routine: he would get up early in the morning to practice martial arts in the courtyard with a wooden stick, carefully read the military books he carried with him in the afternoon, meditate and cultivate his mind and body in the evening, and then go to bed.

It took more than twenty days before he was able to have another audience with the emperor.

At the time, Muto Shunshu felt quite proud. He felt that most people would have become impatient, either irritable and angry or anxious and uneasy, which would have inevitably lowered their evaluation.

Without making any preparations, he followed the waiter into the still unfinished Honmaru of Kohama Castle, looking rather unkempt.

This time, there was no need to wait any longer; the tall and imposing Wakasa Guardian Yoshiaki Shirokubo was immediately seen in the study.

Muto Shunshu bowed respectfully, and Kubo Yoshiaki returned the bow in a friendly manner.

Although they had only just met, both were pragmatic and disliked empty talk, so they quickly got down to business.

Muto Shunsuke got straight to the point: "I hope to serve under the renowned Tanba Zhongkui."

Kubo Yoshiaki did not immediately accept, but instead raised a question: "Previously, the Kubo family recruited three hundred 'Mikura-tsuri' in Obama Bay. Anyone who was good at martial arts, literature, or arithmetic could be accepted into our school. Why haven't you come here?"

Muto Shunshu shook his head and said frankly, "Although I have studied martial arts, literature, and arithmetic, I am not proficient in them. If I were to test my skills in those areas, I am afraid I might not be able to be given important responsibilities."

Kubo Yoshiaki smiled and asked, "So, what are your strengths?"

Muto Shunshu replied with an air of seriousness, "What I am good at is the strategy of defeating the enemy and conquering cities and territories."

“That’s a very rare skill!” Kubo Yoshiaki made no attempt to hide his skepticism. “His previous assistance in guiding public opinion for Lord Yoshikiyo was indeed quite clever, but it’s not enough to prove his talent.”

“Indeed.” Muto Shunshu was not discouraged at all, and his next words were still full of confidence. “When it comes to strategy, you can’t test someone with questions and answers. You can only measure it by results. If Lord Kubo Sado is willing to trust me a little, just give me a letter to prove my identity, and I will surely see my results in a few months.”

"Oh..." Kubo Yoshiaki's face remained expressionless, as if he were just making a casual remark, making it difficult to tell whether he was truly interested. "Could you explain what exactly the result is?"

"If given the opportunity, I hope to travel to western Omi as an envoy of the Kubo family and engage in strategic maneuvering." Muto Shunshu's words revealed a strong sense of self-confidence.

"West Omi?" Kubo Yoshiaki frowned deliberately, but there was no surprise in his eyes.

“Exactly. With Lord Kubo Sado’s great talent and ambition, now that he has obtained Wakasa Province, he will naturally want to take over the nearby Takashima and Shiga districts in western Omi.” Muto Shunshu spoke eloquently, his tone becoming increasingly generous and heroic. “These two districts are complex. They are nominally under the rule of the Rokkaku family, but in reality, the local people, temples, shrines, and pirates form their own systems. They also have close ties with the Imperial Court and the Shogunate. They are a mixed bag. Once we can win over the hearts of the people and make good use of our authority, we may be able to seize them in one fell swoop. But if we send out troops rashly without preparation, it will probably be a case of diminishing returns.”

"That's right, anything else?" Kubo Yoshiaki finally showed some interest and smiled slightly.

"Furthermore, the current head of the Rokkaku family in Omi is old, and the young lord is incapable, a time of great difficulty in leadership. In addition, the situation in the Kinai region has changed drastically since the Miyoshi family made peace with the Ashikaga family." Muto Shunsuke became somewhat agitated at the crucial point, his breathing gradually becoming rapid. "If one day the Rokkaku family offends the shogunate, you can lead three thousand Wakasa soldiers into western Omi, and I will call on my friends to join in. The matter can be accomplished!" "That makes sense!" Kubo Yoshiaki's eyes showed admiration, and he even couldn't help but clap his hands in praise.

"So, you mean you agree..." Muto Shunshu was instantly overjoyed.

“It’s a pity.” Kubo Yoshiaki shook his head, his flat words like cold ice water, extinguishing the newly ignited flame. “It’s a pity that I entrusted a wise man to make arrangements in western Omi last year, and I met with him not long ago to check on the progress. That friend’s results are quite good, and perhaps there is no need for a second person to share the task.”

That's the truth.

One year and three months ago, Shinzaburo lured Mitsuhide Akechi, a doctor, with promises of a bright future, providing him with financial and human support to secretly network in Takashima and Shiga districts in western Omi. Now, a network of connections has been established.

“I see…” Muto Shunshu’s body slumped, his mood immediately plummeted, and his voice lost its spirit. “I have always prided myself on my insight and wisdom, but I never expected to make a fool of myself in front of such a learned person.”

This guy was devastated and fell into a state of utter despair, and it took him a long time to recover on his own.

In this light, his resilience is clearly inferior to that of Mitsuhide Akechi.

However, being inferior to Akechi Mitsuhide does not mean he is not a good person.

Seeing this, Yoshiaki Kubo spoke up: "You just said that you would act as an envoy of the Kubo family to carry out strategic maneuvering. You are very bold. Is your only target western Omi?"

"Ah...of course not!" After a reminder, Muto Shunshu gradually came to his senses. After a brief moment of thought, he immediately responded, "Since there are arrangements in western Omi, I request permission to go to Tajima Province!"

"Tajima Province?" Kubo Yoshiaki's eyes lit up, but he deliberately frowned and asked, "Why not Tango, which is closer to Wakasa?"

"The Isshiki family of Tango has too deep a connection with the shogunate. Since Miyoshi and Ashikaga have made peace, it's inconvenient to attack the Isshiki family," Muto Shunshu pointed out the key point. "Right now, the head of the Isshiki family is still a minor, and real power has been seized by his relatives. Therefore, you and Lord Naito Bizen, the governor of Tan Province, can march under the pretext of eliminating treacherous officials. In other words, even if you conquer Tango, you will still have to nominally respect the young head of the Isshiki family, which will inevitably cause many problems. On the other hand, Tajimayama has always had a deep rift with the shogunate, so it is not easy for him to receive the favor of the Ashikaga family."

“That makes sense, that makes sense.” Yoshiaki Kubo nodded repeatedly. “This insight is indeed something to be proud of.”

"To Lord Kubo Sado is merely to show off one's limited skills before an expert." Muto Shunshu shook his head and sighed, "You ceded the best part of Tango Province to Lord Naito Bizen, the governor of Tan Province, and only took the two counties of Kumano and Takeno, which are adjacent to Tajima Province. Moreover, you deliberately invited the armies of the famous Tajima Mountain families to join you. You must have already made your plans at that time!"

"Haha, you're right." Kubo Yoshiaki finally revealed an undisguised, hearty smile. "Unfortunately, although there are arrangements in place, we lack wise and capable retainers to carry them out."

"I, Mutou Shunshu, am willing to go to Tajima in place of the Kubo family." Mutou Shunshu bowed solemnly. "You only need to write a letter of introduction and hand it to Lord Yamana Kingo, the governor of Tajima, and I will find a way to establish myself."

“That would be excellent.” Yoshiaki Kubo immediately agreed. “Then I await your good news from Tajima.”

"Thank you for your trust, Lord Kubo Sado." Muto Shunshu knelt down and continued, "I have two more requests. I wonder if they can be granted?"

"Please speak!" Kubo Yoshiaki said without the slightest hesitation.

"Firstly, if I achieve something in Tajima, I hope to have the honor of visiting Mount Akutagawa and meeting Lord Miyoshi Chikuzen. Secondly, my wife and son are currently staying at Chōsei-ji Temple, where they are struggling to make ends meet. It would be best if they could stay at Obama Castle."