Warring States Eagle

In Chikuzen, Kitakyushu, in the recently rebuilt Hakata Port City Lord's Mansion, more than 30 businessmen from all over the country invited by the Luo family are carefully reviewing the commercial laws in their hands.

As Zhengliang said, these laws and regulations not only protect the interests of merchants in all the ports opened to the outside world by the Luo family, but also strictly and meticulously regulate the management of these open areas. The requirement is that without permission, non-Luo family members are not allowed to enter other Luo family territories outside the open area, and those who are captured will be treated as hostile forces.

Although these regulations seem a bit harsh, as long as they are not violated, businessmen are not only free in these open areas, but their own interests are also greatly protected.This is indeed good news for them.All of a sudden, everyone was smiling, and the atmosphere in the yard became active.

At this time, everyone felt that the important matter had been decided, and the atmosphere in the tea room became relaxed.The topic gradually developed into elegant matters.The "forty stones" placed in the house were also seen by everyone, and they all asked to watch them.

"Forty Stones" is a leaf teapot, which was acquired by Ashikaga Yoshimasa in exchange for forty stones of land, hence the name.In the era of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, it was rated as "after the death of Mikazuki and Matsushima, this thing is the best in the world".In the game of later generations, this tea set is a treasure of political plus six.

The "forty stones" were placed in the center of the yard, and people who know elegance were amazed: the glaze of celadon and the arched body of the pot produced a different sense of sight, which made people praise it.The trees and flowers on the body of the pot can be regarded as the finishing touch, which enhances the overall nobleness of the pot body.But it doesn't feel luxurious.

Previously, the only tea utensil in Zhengliang's hands was the Oto Yuzengama.When I originally attended this tea party.In order to show off, Zheng Liang prepared to take out some porcelain from the Ming Dynasty in addition to the Yi Yuqian cauldron.It turned out that at this time, someone delivered the tea vessel "Forty Stones" to Zheng Liang.

The person who gave the gift was the father of the Shimai Clan, who would later be called one of the "Three Heroes of Hakata", Shimai Soshige.

The so-called "Three Heroes of Hakata" are Shimai clan, Kamiya Sozhan and Ohga Soku.In history, among these three great merchants, the first two were the royal merchants of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the latter served the Kuroda family, the lord of Fengqian Kingdom.

But at this time, Kamiya Sozhan's father, Kamiya Shaoce, has become a retainer of the Luo family.Kamiya Zongzhan himself has also become Zhengliang's surname, and the Kamiya family has also become one of the many institutions of the Luo family.It can be said that under the leadership of Kamiya Shaoce, the Kamiya family has realized the great dream that many businessmen could not realize in their lifetime. From a low-status merchant family to a wealthy merchant family, the family governor has also become a samurai with status and status. and famous retainers.As for Dahe Zongjiu, he is a character who only appeared in the late Warring States period, and he is probably not born yet.

Among the three masters of Hakata, the most mysterious is the Shimai clan.Zheng Liang also knew nothing about his origin.However, such an anecdote has been recorded in historical documents. Once, the Shimai clan and Terumoto Mori sat at the same table in a teahouse.Huiyuan asked: "I heard that you are from a public family. Is it true?" The Shimai Clan only replied: "Such crude etiquette makes you laugh, please forgive me." Other than that, he didn't say much.Judging from the family map of the Shimai family, the Shimai clan originated from the Fujiwara Kita family, and it was not until the generation of Fujiwara Jiroemon Shigehisa that it was renamed the Shimai clan.

Of course, according to historical records, the Shimai clan at this time should not have become the governor of the family, and may even be a child.So when Masara received a request from a local businessman claiming to be Shimai Muneshige, he first thought of the Shimai clan.And when Masara asked directly about the whereabouts of the Shimai clan after the meeting, he also got a definite answer. Shimai Munemo's only one-year-old son, according to the family tree, was indeed going to be named the Shimai clan.

Well, Zhengliang is not the house governor who desperately recruited the other party into the Luo family for the sake of a well-known businessman in history. Besides, the other party is not only a child at this time, but also his father Shimai Munemo put the tea set "four The purpose of dedicating ten stones to Zheng Liang was for the Luo family's snow salt.He hopes to obtain the monopoly right to sell snow salt from Luo's family.Fearing that Zheng Liang would sell the monopoly right to sell snow salt at a later tea party with many businessmen, he hurried to find Zheng Liang in advance.

It's just that Munemo Shimai's request will definitely not be agreed by Masara.At this time, the external sales of the Luo family's snow salt have been completely handed over to the Shenya family (the internal sales are handled by the Luo family), and Zheng Liang will definitely not because the other party is likely to become the son of a wealthy businessman in the future, and Giving away famous tea utensils and abandoning the interests of one of his retainers.

However, Muneshige Shimai's subsequent proposal to build a trade route with North Korea for the Luo family and provide the Luo family with various urgently needed North Korean goods immediately moved the political conscience.The Shimai family can indeed start trade with North Korea, and it seems that they have a good relationship with North Korea. There are even historical records that the Shimai family was originally a businessman who immigrated to Japan from North Korea.

As for the trade with North Korea, Zhengliang had sent people to investigate the possibility of smuggling trade with North Korea before, but nothing was found.Moreover, the normal trade authority with North Korea has always been in the hands of the clan of Tsushima Island.The Luo family simply cannot conduct formal trade directly with North Korea.What's more, even if normal trade is possible, it will pass through the water spheres of influence of many forces on Iki Island and Tsushima Island along the way, and trading ships will be extremely unsafe along the way.

The Zong family on Tsushima Island originally belonged to the Shaoer family. After the decline of the Shaoer family, the Zong family fell into the arms of the Ouchi family.Back then, taking advantage of the civil strife in Hatata on Iki Island, the Luo family could still conduct some trade with Tsushima Island, but as the Luo family and the Ouchi family became hostile, such trade has also stopped.

Now Munemo Shimai took the initiative to assist the Luo family in smuggling some inherited materials such as nitrate ore from North Korea as a condition for obtaining the monopoly right to sell snow salt, Zheng Liang was naturally moved immediately.He has been thinking about how to obtain a supply line that can guarantee the shortage of materials such as nitrate in Japan, and now it is in front of him.

Immediately after convening a group of retainers to discuss, Zheng Liang finally handed over [-]% of the land's snow salt production to the Shimai family.However, the Shimai family can only sell these snow salts in North Korea and the area east of Kyoto, and the area west of Kyoto in Japan is the monopolized sales range of the Kamiya family, and the Shimai family cannot set foot in it.

Such an agreement was finally agreed by Shimai Muneshige.In this way, by bartering things, Shimai Munemo obtained snow salt, while the Luo family obtained a relatively stable source of North Korean supplies, and Zheng Liang also obtained a tea utensil that can be taken out in tea parties to save face .

"The tea utensils like this can only be used in the Zhengliang Palace." Everyone in the courtyard of the Hakata City Lord's mansion exclaimed in admiration.

"It is only natural for a daimyo to have a daimyo, and the Zhengliang Hall." Some businessmen echoed.

Zheng Liang laughed: "I appreciate everyone's kindness, and it's not too early, so let's serve tea and food."

"Papa" Di Zhengliang clapped his hands twice, and the wooden door of the courtyard was opened immediately. More than 30 maids lined up to enter with delicious food, and then placed the tea and food in front of the guests one by one.

First, the staple food sashimi, miso soup, rice.After using it up, I served non-staple food, cooking, grilling and so on.

After finishing the tea and food, the guests rest in the tea court, which is called "neutrality".Then enter the tea room again, this is the "back seat".The back seat is the main part of the tea party. In a serious atmosphere, the host orders strong tea for the guests, and then adds charcoal (hou charcoal) before ordering thin tea.

Everyone sat around and kept silent.The atmosphere is serious without the previous sense of urgency.Practitioners who think they have achieved their goals regard it as a kind of enjoyment.The tea utensils around the hearth had been slowed down when everyone was 'neutral'.The fit is a little heavy.

"The poor monk will order tea for you." Master Chanrong said, and sat down by the hearth in the middle, put a tea kettle on the hearth, and added some water.But the eyes of the guests present were immediately attracted by the tea kettle, and those who were well-educated were staring at it even more.

"Is that the legendary Fuji-shaped cauldron?"

"There are quite beautiful patterns engraved on the lifting ring that passes through the kettle wheel."

"The opening is narrow, and the body of the cauldron gets wider as it goes down. The shape is indeed like that of Mount Fuji."

"Yes, this is indeed a Fuji-shaped cauldron."

After Master Chanrong took out his collection of tea utensils, everyone started tasting them immediately. (To be continued..)