Swallow Return

A territory of 10,000 shi (a unit of land measurement) has about 2,000 households, roughly the size of a neighborhood committee, but taking over is actually quite difficult. A small temple can harbor many troubles, and shallow waters can attract many scoundrels. Sometimes, the grudges and feuds within a small mountain village can be as complex as a TV drama.

Although the Oda clan used the koku-gao system, they did not conduct extensive land surveys; the figures were merely estimates, let alone clarify the relationships between land ownership rights.

About a quarter of the new 8,000 koku of land was formerly temple property of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. After the Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei was burned down, the monks who were in charge of the temple property packed up their belongings and ran away, leaving the land now unclaimed. A smooth transition can be achieved by simply appeasing the tenants.

In another third of the territory, there were local families who, though not officially recognized as warriors, held sway over the countryside. These local families acted as middlemen, profiting from the difference in price during the process of the people paying tribute and performing corvée labor.

The remaining territories were generally inhabited by self-governing organizations called "Sōmura". These were often groups of dozens of farmers who united on issues of finance, taxation, and security. They would work together to bargain when faced with the oppression of the lord, making them somewhat troublesome to deal with.

Ryuun had Eguchi Sukezaemon, Hayami Seibei, Uncle-Master Okikawa, and Junior Brother Suifeng discuss this issue together.

According to Oda clan custom, the people under their control were required to pay "dansen," equivalent to land tax, and "tobessen," equivalent to property tax. They were also required to perform labor service for an indefinite period each year, ranging from ten to fifteen days to thirty to fifty days. This resulted in an overall tax burden exceeding 50%, which was quite heavy. (Of course, many other daimyo in the surrounding provinces faced even heavier burdens.)

If a local power exists in a territory, it can be seen as adding an extra layer of middlemen who profit from the difference, making the burden on the people heavier, reaching over 60%, while the lord's income will decrease from 50% to 40%.

Meanwhile, the self-governing organization called "Sōmura" will try every means to negotiate and reduce the overall tax burden to about 35%.

After his investigation, Hayami Seibei proposed a policy of appeasing local forces to a certain extent, turning them into assistants in governance, while resolutely cracking down on the Sōmura organization and eradicating its remaining influence. With the autumn harvest approaching, this would be a good opportunity to restore order.

Eguchi Sukezaemon and his uncle Kōkō didn't have many opinions of their own.

Junior Brother Suifeng looked somewhat uneasy, seemingly disagreeing with Hayami Seibei's opinion, but he didn't speak up.

Liu Yun noticed this out of the corner of his eye and encouraged his junior brother to speak his mind.

Junior Brother Suifeng then spoke up, “If we only consider the current tribute and corvée labor, it is indeed appropriate to win over the ‘local lords’ and abolish the ‘sōmura’. However, the Sasō family intends to stay in the new territory for many years to come. Although the ‘local lords’ can help with governance, they are ultimately just parasites who seek personal gain. If we indulge them too much, it may lead to the people fleeing and the people’s livelihood declining. On the contrary, allowing the people to govern themselves will help attract refugees to reclaim wasteland and increase the yield of the land. If we can find a way to gradually gain control of the ‘sōmura’ in various places, it will be extremely beneficial.”

Hayami Seibei frowned upon hearing this and explained his reasoning: "The 'local bullies' in the village are indeed parasites, but their existence serves as a reminder to the people that they must unconditionally obey orders from their superiors. Moreover, these people can also draw on the lord's grievances. On the contrary, if we allow 'Sōmura' to develop unchecked, it will encourage the people to bargain with the lord. Even if it benefits agriculture, it will probably be a losing proposition."

The two disagreed, and Liu Yunxia concluded, "Suppression and deception are not a long-term solution. It is not unreasonable to leave some room for self-governance for the people. Today's matter should be handled according to Junior Brother Suifeng's suggestion."

Hayami Kiyobei's face still showed some resistance upon hearing this, but after taking a deep breath, he quickly composed himself and calmly continued, "Then, as you wish, my lord, I will select from the dozens of 'local chieftains' within my domain. Those with good reputations and talents will be promoted to samurai in the city, while their influence in the countryside will be severed; those with serious past misdeeds will be tried and stripped of their current power. As for the 'Sōmura' organizations that govern themselves, they will be allowed to continue, but trusted individuals must be sent to supervise them; they cannot be completely left to their own devices."

Liu Yun nodded in satisfaction: "Good. For routine matters here, any order jointly signed by Qingbingwei and Junior Brother Suifeng will be effective. For matters involving changes in real estate or the execution of criminals, submit the relevant documents to me for review."

The two accepted the order.

As for Eguchi Sukezaemon patrolling for security, Okikawa Shishu handling accounts and official documents, Aotabo and Kurotabo guarding the mansion, and the Anti-Demon Ninja Group being hired to deal with yokai—these arrangements go without saying.

The old monk Xinghe was somewhat dissatisfied: "Before, it was already quite a task to calculate the accounts for a territory of two thousand shi. Now that it's ten thousand shi, I'm afraid I won't even have time to manage the affairs of the temple!"

Before Liu Yun could reply, the little monk Sui Feng interjected, "Uncle-Master, now that our Shunshan Temple has three hundred shi of monastic property, it's enough to support dozens of monk soldiers and servants. Do you really need to personally wipe the Buddha statues?"

The old monk Xinghe uttered "Amitabha" and remained silent.

Liu Yun smiled and reassured her, "I know that my uncle has no interest in wealth and power, so just consider it a favor."

The old monk Xinghe sighed and nodded helplessly.

Thus, the policies and division of labor in the new territory were decided.

But it's not time to rest easy yet.

The next day, four neighbors jointly sent a letter in a humble tone: the Yamazaki Katakuri family, who had a fief of 7,000 koku; the Ogawa Yutada family, who had a fief of 12,000 koku; the Goto Takaji family, who had a fief of 3,000 koku; and the Taga Tsunenori family, who had a fief of 2,000 koku.

Since their territories have come into contact, they want to agree on a clear boundary line in advance to prevent future disputes.

These four individuals are all from Omi Province who joined the Oda clan in recent years. They are currently all subordinate to Nobunaga Naotomi and their status is roughly the same.

After careful consideration, Liu Yun realized that he couldn't find anyone around him who was qualified to represent him in diplomatic settings, so he had to take matters into his own hands.

Demarcating territorial boundaries is not complicated. Both parties simply need to be present, sign a document in duplicate, each keeping a copy, and then place a wooden sign or bury a stone tablet as a marker.

However, the neighbors were exceptionally polite. After quickly finishing their business, they insisted on inviting everyone to a tea party, watching Noh, listening to Kyogen, hunting pheasants, enjoying Renga, watching sumo wrestling… experiencing all the popular forms of entertainment among the samurai class. Don't underestimate these few Chiyokos; having lived in the southern Omi region near Kyoto for a long time, they were very familiar with the lifestyles of the "nobles" of Kyoto.

Liu Yun was quite curious, thinking that opening a card would broaden his horizons, and since he couldn't refuse the hospitality, he lingered there for a while.

I tried tea parties, Noh plays, Kyogen performances, hunting, renga (a type of traditional Japanese storytelling), and sumo wrestling, but none of them were particularly interesting. However, the deliberate fawning and obsequious manner of the four "neighbors" was quite amusing.

Clearly, they all knew that Sasaki Ryuun had a bright future and were here to invest in advance.

Who doesn't like being flattered? Especially by cultured people, when the flattery is just right—full of obsequiousness without being overly ostentatious—it's delightful and satisfying.

After about twenty days, I was feeling a bit tired when I received a letter from Kinoshita Tokichiro from the north, saying that he had some important matters to discuss.

Using this as an excuse, Liu Yun bid farewell to his "neighbor," went home to rest for a night, and then accepted an invitation to travel north.

Upon arrival, I learned that Kinoshita Tokichiro had actually gone through quite a bit of trouble after receiving 120,000 koku of land in the three districts of northern Omi.

First, he announced the abolition of the exorbitant taxes and corvée labor imposed during the Asai regime, only requiring a fixed annual tribute with a fixed rate. Next, he forcibly abolished all customs posts controlled by temples and shrines, allowing recognized merchants to trade freely. Then, he completely demolished the ruins of Odani Castle, planning to build a new castle on the shores of Lake Biwa, prioritizing convenient transportation over defense, naming it "Nagahama." Furthermore, he introduced tax reductions and preferential land rental policies in the castle town of the new castle to attract merchants.

Regardless of its ultimate effectiveness, this approach demonstrates an attitude of striving for progress and revitalizing the region.

As for rewarding his retainers and recruiting talented individuals, that goes without saying. In addition, Kinoshita Tokichiro also followed Oda Nobunaga's example and specially organized a personal guard called the "Yellow Mother Robe Clan" to recruit local heroes who had not yet achieved success, treating them generously and enticing them to become his confidants.

When Liu Yun arrived, Changbang City was still only a rough framework, with busy civil engineering work underway. Nearby, many merchants, attracted by the policy, had moved in and were also busy building their shops. Amidst the chaos, the bustling crowds created a vibrant atmosphere.

Chapter 131 The Title of Sworn Brothers

"Brother Liuyun, what do you think of the name 'Hashiba Hideyoshi'?"

I came to Kinoshita Tokichiro's castle for some "serious business," but the first thing he asked me was this.

At this moment, Shigeharu Takenaka closed his eyes and smiled, as if he were asleep, and did not express any opinion.

Kinoshita Koichiro shook his head repeatedly: "Brother, please think it over! After all, it's a name we got from our ancestors. Even if it's not noble, we can't just change it like that."

Hachisuka Masakatsuchi seemed to be trying to reconcile: "Given your status, sir, you should indeed have a formal name long ago, and the name 'Hideyoshi' would be quite appropriate. However, Lord Koichiro's opinion also makes sense; the surnames Kinoshita and Hashiba don't sound any different."

Maeno Nagayasu shared a similar view: "The name Kinoshita easily evokes images of craftsmen or farmers, so changing it wouldn't be a big deal. But since we're going to change it anyway, why not try to come up with a more prestigious and well-known name? Hashiba... I don't think I've ever heard of him before?"

Hachisuka Masakatsu immediately added, "That's right. Look at Lord Akechi, he claims to be a descendant of the Toki clan, the governors of Mino, Owari, and Ise provinces. Who cares if it's true or not, it sounds impressive anyway. If you ask me, why don't we spend some money and get one too!"

Kinoshita Tokichiro revealed a hint of disdain and said irritably, "You guys really have no taste! Akechi may seem impressive on the surface, but he's actually not popular at all, just because he always likes to flaunt his family background! Lord Takenaka, you should know this, right?"

Hachisuka Masakatsu and Maeno Nagayasu exchanged a glance, looking puzzled, as if they truly didn't know about this.

At this moment, Shigeharu Takenaka leaned against the wall, curled up in a ball, and made a soft snoring sound, as if he were really asleep.

The group was discussing something when they saw Liu Yun arrive. They greeted each other and then returned to their original topic.

Kinoshita Koichiro remained firmly opposed. He shook his head with a helpless expression and said, "In short, there has to be a very good reason! We can't just use a made-up surname to replace the original two characters 'Kinoshita'. Otherwise, how can we tell our ancestors when we hold a memorial service next year?"

At this moment, Liu Yun played the role of the straight man, asking the question at just the right time: "Lord Kinoshita is never one to speak without reason. Since you brought up the name 'Hashiba,' there must be a deep intention behind it. Why don't you explain the reason?"

Upon hearing this, Kinoshita Tokichiro finally revealed a smug expression, chuckled, and instead of answering, asked, "Brother Ryuyun, why don't you guess?"

"How could I have guessed that!" Kinoshita Koichiro rubbed his head, exclaiming in exasperation, "Big brother, can you be serious for once?"

Hachisuka Masakatsu also said with a wry smile, "I can't figure it out at all! If Takenaka-sama hadn't pretended to be asleep, he might have been able to guess it."

Liu Yun thought to herself, "What a coincidence, I do know a little bit about it."

So he pretended to nod in thought, then looked up after a moment and said slowly, "The name 'Hajiba' doesn't seem to belong to any ancient noble family, so it must be newly made up. But even if it is made up, it should have a prototype, otherwise it would be a fabrication. Hmm... Hajiba, Hajiba... Could it be that 'Haji' refers to Niwa and 'Shiba' refers to Shibata?"

Kinoshita Tokichiro was stunned for a moment, then looked him up and down for a long time before clapping his hands and laughing loudly, "Brother Ryuun, you can guess this right away, that's amazing! Haha, that's right, that's exactly what it means. Using 'Hajime' as the new seed name represents my ambition to learn from my seniors Niwa and Shibata!"

Kinoshita Koichiro's expression finally softened. He breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, saying, "Thank goodness! This reason is acceptable from the perspective of our ancestors."

Maeno Nagayasu pondered for a moment, then said with admiration, "I understand! Using this new surname allows you to shed the traces of your humble origins without being as ostentatious as Lord Akechi, which would cause offense. The entire Oda clan will see you as both ambitious and humble. Excellent! Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

Hachisuka Masakatsu, however, seemed a little puzzled. He lowered his voice and said in a sarcastic tone, "As a senior, Niwa Nagahide-sama has indeed taken care of us a lot over the years. Asking him for a single word as a sign of respect is quite appropriate. But Shibata Katsuie-sama... he's also a senior, but he's been more of a mentor to us than a mentor. Of course, I'm not saying he has any bad intentions; perhaps this is just Shibata-sama's way of showing concern for his juniors?"

"Hey... why are you beating around the bush like that!" Kinoshita Tokichiro teased, then revealed a resolute and determined expression, and solemnly said, "Lord Niwa is the senior who has helped me the most, and Lord Shibata is the senior who has criticized me the most, so I need to take one word from each of them."

At this moment, Ryuun added a crucial point: "What the Oda clan thinks about this is not important. What matters most is what Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga) thinks about this!"

Hachisuka Masakatsu finally realized: "So that's how it is! I understand now. Expressing respect to Lord Shibata in this way shows your magnanimity. So if we have conflicts with Shibata's faction in the future, Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga) will definitely be more inclined to side with us."

Kinoshita Koichiro wholeheartedly agreed: "Brother's move was brilliant, a strategic retreat! I'll have to learn from it in the future."

"That's it! I've already sent the message. As long as Lord Danjo (Oda Nobunaga) has no objections, I'll be Hashiba Hideyoshi from now on! Hmm, Koichiro will also change his name to Hashiba Hidenaga." Kinoshita Tokichiro nodded with satisfaction, then sighed and said to Ryuun, "Brother, I think your wisdom isn't much less than Lord Takenaka's, is it? Why don't you put a little effort into military studies and political affairs? Otherwise, outsiders will always say that you're only good at fighting."

Liu Yun smiled and said, "Let's forget about it. If someone as talented as me still had to study hard, how would others survive? Being too outstanding would be punished by heaven, haha!"

Kinoshita Tokichiro smiled and said nothing more.

Liu Yun then composed himself and asked, "Lord Kinoshita, I came here because I heard there was something important to discuss. It's not about your name change, is it?"

Kinoshita Tokichiro shook his head repeatedly: "Of course not. The main reason I called you over is to discuss the arrangements for our trip to Kyoto."

"Go to Kyoto?" Liu Yun asked, puzzled.

Kinoshita Tokichiro explained, "Look, brother, the Takeda clan has retreated to Kaishin, the Asai and Asakura clans have been wiped out, and the Miyoshi Triumvirate can't cause any trouble for the time being... This Oda encirclement has been broken, and now it's time to settle accounts with the mastermind behind the encirclement!"

"The mastermind behind this is..." Liu Yun thought for a moment, then, drawing on his gaming experience from his previous life, he suddenly realized, "Could it be the Ashikaga family?"

"That's right!" Kinoshita Tokichiro said menacingly, "It's the current Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki! He only secured his position thanks to the Oda clan's hard work, yet he dares to incite daimyo from various regions to attack us. He's incredibly audacious! Now, the daimyo he instigated are either retreating or perishing. So we must immediately send troops to Kyoto to drive this unreliable Shogun away!"

Kinoshita Koichiro, Hachisuka Masakatsu, Maeno Nagayasu, and others seemed to have known about this all along and were not surprised, but they all lowered their heads and remained silent.

It seems that attacking the General of the Expedition is still somewhat unacceptable to them.

Although the Ashikaga clan's Muromachi shogunate was in decline, it was still nominally the ruler of the land.

Shigeji Takenaka is still snoring.

Liu Yun felt no pressure at all. As a transmigrator, he naturally had no particular fondness for outdated and useless conservative forces.

He simply nodded calmly and said, "Understood. I will bring enough troops to participate in the battle."

Seeing Ryuyun's composure, Kinoshita Tokichiro's admiration deepened. After a pause and a moment of deliberation, he slowly uttered a solemn statement: "Actually, the main purpose of inviting Brother Ryuyun here today is that I want to establish a formal relationship with you and become sworn brothers!"

Liu Yun, who had remained calm and composed, was finally taken aback upon hearing this.

Sworn brothers?

What kind of act is this...?

Could it be that he's read too much "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and wants to learn from Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei?

That's not right. The Three Kingdoms culture hadn't yet become popular in Japan back then, since only the upper class could understand Chinese characters. It wasn't until several hundred years later, when Yoshikawa Eiji localized the entire story, that it became widely known and passed down through generations.

Chapter 132 For your sister-in-law's sake, I've decided you're my brother!

What a load of rubbish about sworn brothers...

Liu Yun found this thing both troublesome and vulgar, and had no interest in it at all, so he politely declined, saying, "Isn't that inappropriate? As a mere retainer of the Yuli family, how can I presume to address you as a brother? Wouldn't that disrupt the proper order of things?"

Kinoshita Tokichiro insisted, "I met Brother Ryuun last year and we hit it off immediately. From now on, we'll be like brothers, no need to stand on ceremony. I've never been one to stand on ceremony here anyway..."

Liu Yun shook his head and sighed again, declining very seriously: "Please reconsider! It's not that I'm being modest, but how can I, an unknown resident of Omi Province, become your sworn brother? It's not appropriate, not appropriate."

Kinoshita Tokichiro persisted, saying, "This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was made after discussions and research with several people." He then pointed to a few others and explained, "Take these people here for example. Koichiro is my biological younger brother, no need to mention him; Hachisuka and Maeno, we became sworn brothers twenty years ago when we were still collecting protection money on the Kiso River; as for Lord Takenaka, I've always regarded him as a teacher, and he's practically family—hey, Lord Takenaka, can you stop pretending to be asleep? Wake up and say something—Brother Ryuun has helped me a lot this year, and we're kindred spirits, so becoming sworn brothers isn't that a good thing?"

At this moment, the burly Hachisuka Masakatsu chuckled and interjected, "What you said earlier is correct. The relationship between Lord Kinoshita and us is definitely not that of an ordinary ruler and subject. Ordinary superiors and subordinates might be wary and suspicious of each other, but that's absolutely not the case between us! We can even call each other 'Fujikichiro' or 'monkey' when no one is listening."

The lean, wiry, sallow-faced man, Maeno Nagayasu, nodded in agreement: "I've seen it all. Many people call you brother when you're poor, but once they make a name for themselves, they forget about you. But Lord Kinoshita is definitely not like that. After he established himself in the Oda clan, he immediately called all his old brothers over and tried every means to help us rise to prominence. When he said he wanted to become brothers with you, he was absolutely sincere!"