Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

The only problem with this is that while boats traveling downstream from Kai can go downstream, boats traveling upstream from Suruga need to be towed by boatmen.

Since there was no weir or stepped waterway, the water flow was quite strong. It would be difficult to go upstream using the power of a sail.

Even if we still have to use boatmen, it's still better than transporting by land!

Sitting in a manor house in the Iifu region, Shichibei asked for a piece of paper and sketched a simple, abbreviated map of the division between Kai and Suruga provinces. His mere skill in drawing such a map on the spot astonished the dozen or so people sitting below.

It's fair to say that most people of this era are completely unfamiliar with areas outside their hometowns. Not only do they not know the roads, but they are also completely clueless about directions and terrain.

Even Iifu Genshiro knew he couldn't simply draw a map of the two countries so easily. However, the issue of flood control along the Fuji River was clearly more important at the moment, so he didn't ask.

After explaining the new ideas that had just come to mind by the river in the most straightforward way possible, the two flood control plans were presented to the group of Takeda samurai.

Dividing the waterway with weirs and allowing boats to pass in stages, making it convenient for vessels to travel upstream or downstream. However, such an engineering project would likely have been quite expensive for Kai. Historically, it wasn't until the Edo period that manpower and resources were concentrated on managing the Fuji River, indicating that such a project would certainly have cost a considerable amount of money.

The second option, dredging only the mountain waterways, is equally feasible and less expensive. Farmers in Kai-Koma County can be mobilized to prepare during the winter. As for the boats traveling upstream on the Suruga River, would they need boat trackers?

It's been said that manpower is cheap these days. Besides, the Takeda clan, right? It's not that Shichibei is trying to discredit Takeda Shingen, but that old man, along with Uesugi Kenshin and the young Phoenix, were all enthusiasts of large-scale indiscriminate capture of people. With prisoners and slaves being taken everywhere, how could they possibly lack manpower?

Given his nature of fighting year after year, losing a few boatmen is no big deal.

You can choose for yourselves; Shichibei is just providing one idea.

A group of Takeda students glanced at Iitomi Genshiro, who didn't reply, only saying that he would invite Shichibei to bathe and rest. Then, he actually sent two local girls from Iitomi to serve Shichibei during his bath, showing great hospitality.

However, alas, she was just a girl from a local farming family, and Shichibei really couldn't muster any interest in her.

Dark-skinned and thin, small in stature, with rough hands, the kind that you wouldn't even think of touching if you did.

After taking a bath and lying in bed, Shichibei glanced into the distance and saw that candles were still lit in Iifu Genshiro's room, and a group of people were having a heated debate. They're really diligent; it's past nine or ten o'clock at night, and they're still working hard on their studies. They'll have to get up at four in the morning tomorrow. Even high school seniors aren't this dedicated, and might not even be as diligent as some.

When Shichibei and his party returned from Shimoyama Castle, Niwa Nagahide, who had been dragged to Yumura Onsen, was finally satisfied and returned to Tsutsuzaki House after eating and playing.

The doubts he had in mind dissipated, and Niwa Nagahide assumed that the Takeda family had invited him to a hot spring and sleep with a dancer as a gesture of goodwill.

The talks went smoothly, and Takeda Shingen confirmed the marriage between Nobunaga's adopted daughter, Toyama-hime, and Shingen's biological son, Suwa Katsuyori, in a written document. Of course, Oda Nobunaga's dowry of 5,000 kan was provided; without this dowry, the marriage would not have taken place.

"No, this, this..." Shichibei felt it was unbelievable beyond belief.

According to Yonekura Nobutsugu, their lord Shingen gifted Shichibei fifty pack horses, and Iifu Genshiro gifted Shichibei one warhorse. In addition, several of their students pooled their money to gift Shichibei five pack horses.

If Shichibei still wants to buy horses, there are plenty available; just ask.

30. Pack your things and run!

Why?

I didn't do anything.

Your boss is incredibly wealthy. Even in the horse-breeding region of Konoshin, an ordinary packhorse should cost around three kan. Shingen practically gave me 150 kan for free! When did he become so rich?

It's perfectly understandable that Iifu Genshiro and his students sent Shichibei a few horses. Shichibei had taught them for so many days, and although he had a casual attitude, what he said was all very practical.

If they listen attentively and then invest and develop their businesses properly after returning home, they will surely reap considerable profits. Therefore, it is entirely appropriate to send Shichibei some local specialties.

Confucius even required two pieces of cured meat to accept a disciple, let alone a commoner like Shichibei. As a small-time businessman who plays with an abacus, I'm naturally most emotional when it comes to money.

The main reason is that Shingen gave me fifty packhorses, and I shouldn't accept such a reward without having done anything right. Besides, how am I supposed to explain this to Nobunaga when I get back? Nobunaga might think I've defected to the Takeda clan.

No, Nobunaga wasn't that stupid. He wouldn't think that a mere samurai with a mere 60 kan of credit was worth the Takeda clan's efforts to win him over.

If Shichibei had 600 kan of credit, he could mobilize dozens, or even a hundred, soldiers. He had also earned a reputation for bravery in battle, so Nobunaga might well start to have some doubts.

"What's wrong with your lord?" Shichibei definitely had to ask.

It's impossible to keep it a secret that fifty or sixty horses were brought over at once; even Niwa Nagahide would ask about it if he found out.

"Master Otate thinks Shichibei's candle-making technique is excellent and worth 100 kan. He also thinks your reed paper-making technique is excellent and worth 50 kan." Yonekura Nobutsugu was a straightforward man, clearly stating the prices and giving Shichibei an account.

"what?"

"The Imperial Household has already ordered the preparation of candles and reed paper; this is a gift of thanks to you."

To be honest, the samurai of Kai were quite straightforward; their directness made Shichibei somewhat unpredictable. After all, if it were anyone else saying the same thing, Shichibei would either try to negotiate or question the veracity of their claim.

Furthermore, while Yonekura Nobutsugu might be considered impractical, Takeda Shingen was shrewd. Given 150 kan of cash and 150 kan worth of packhorses, he decisively chose the packhorses that Kainobu could continuously produce, and even "ingratiated" with Shichibei, satisfying Shichibei's needs.

He is clever, at least in understanding how to manipulate others' psychology. As for developing territory and expanding business, that's a matter of mindset; he lacks the insight and the methods.

"A thank-you gift..." Fine, at least it's a reason.

"Also, Shichibei, are you married?" Yonekura Nobutsugu's train of thought is a bit too abrupt; how did he jump to this question again?

"The engagement has already taken place."

"Ah, what a pity." Upon hearing Shichibei's reply, Yonekura Nobutsugu remained there, still feeling regretful.

What are you lamenting about? You're not a woman. If you were a girl, then it would be understandable to feel sorry for you. But you're a bald, dark-skinned little dwarf, what right do you have to talk to me about feeling sorry?

“My sister is fourteen years old this year, and my father still wants to find her a good match,” Nobutsugu Yonekura sighed, holding Shichibei’s hand as he spoke.

"With so many samurai in Kai, how could we possibly be afraid of not finding good men?"

"There are many pig warriors, but a famous magistrate is hard to find."

"Me? That doesn't sound like something you would say." I've been hanging out with Nobutsugu Yonekura for almost half a month, and this guy can't come up with such a subtle fart. He must have plagiarized someone's words.

"Aww, it's that guy, it was Genshiro-sama who said it."

"Really?" Judging from his looking around and shaking his head, Shichibei knew that Yonekura Nobutsugu was lying.

After asking "Todoroki" three times, Yonekura Nobutsugu actually turned and ran away. As he ran, he told Shichibei to prepare, as the horse would be delivered to Inuyama Yashiki soon.

On the other side, Niwa Nagahide, who had just come out of the castle, was very pleased. Shingen had sold him fifty pack horses and riding horses. These fifty horses were enough to fill the post stations between Owari and Nakano, ensuring that news from the Nakano region would be delivered to Nobunaga as soon as possible.

Moreover, the price is not expensive, only three kan and five hundred sen per unit. You would hardly find this price in Owari, unless you went to the horse market in Omi and Obama.

Niwa Nagahide was in high spirits when someone drove over fifty horses to him. Naturally, he was eager to check the horses that Shingen had sold him, but when his retainer asked the horseman, he was told that the horses belonged to Shichibei.

Standing behind Niwa Nagahide, Shichibei chuckled twice and waved his hand, looking embarrassed.

To be honest, the horses that the Takeda clan sent this time were all good packhorses with good teeth, in their prime, and with the right shoulder height. The warhorse that Iifu Genshiro sent was also over 1.3 meters tall at the shoulder, which was considered quite good among Kiso horses.

A usable warhorse costs ten times more than an ordinary mule; Iifu Genshiro is truly generous.

Seeing that Shichibei had managed to buy horses even earlier than him, Niwa Nagahide asked Shichibei what connections he had made. In such a vast region as Kai, the most powerful connection should be Shingen himself. How could there possibly be someone who had gathered horses earlier than Shingen?

I've never heard of any wealthy merchants in Kai who are so extravagant as to hoard hundreds of horses, just waiting for customers to come to them.

What Niwa Nagahide found even more incomprehensible was that when he asked Shichibei about the price of the horse, Shichibei shrugged and said that he hadn't spent a penny, and that it was all thanks to the generosity of his brothers in Kai.

Just five minutes ago, Niwa Nagahide was beaming with joy, but his joy vanished instantly. Where did such a good thing come from? Why don't I encounter such a thing? Just as he was about to ask, Shichibei and his men had already begun to inspect the horses. Several old family members were examining the horses' hooves and mouths very carefully.

Unable to get the reason, Niwa Nagahide could only keep it to himself for now, figuring there would be plenty of time to find out.

The key point is that he has completed his main mission to the Takeda clan: first, to forge a marriage alliance with them; and second, to purchase a batch of horses to replenish the Zhongnong post station. Now that both matters are settled, he quickly sets off back home to report to Nobunaga that Shingen has agreed to the marriage.

Furthermore, Niwa Nagahide also sensed something unusual about the atmosphere at Tsutsuzaki Castle. Initially, when the Oda clan delegation arrived at the castle, some of the Takeda clan samurai simply ignored them. Now that news of Shingen's proposed marriage alliance with the Oda clan had spread, some unfriendly glances were being directed at Niwa Nagahide.

The Japanese have a long history of things like overthrowing superiors, going solo, and seeking divine retribution. Even if Niwa Nagahide was only thinking of himself, he had to pack up and run away as soon as possible.

31. In April, I have something to do: pick flowers.

Before setting off, Shichibei bought fifty more horses. He'd carried all that copper coin all the way from Owari; if he carried it back, he wouldn't be able to take care of so many horses.

The men carried over 100 pounds of copper coins on their backs every day and had to crawl through mountain gullies. They were exhausted to the point of near death.

So Shichibei now had 106 horses, including that warhorse. The dozen or so men who came with him to Kai were almost overwhelmed and in a flurry of activity.

Furthermore, since Kai paid Shichibei 2 kan and 500 mon for his horse, the 20 gold coins Shichibei exchanged before setting off were left untouched, and he only spent all his copper coins.

Tightly wrapped with twenty gold coins, Shichibei walked with an air of utter arrogance, following the main group back to Owari.

Kato Nobutaka, on the other hand, had a long face the whole way; he had only managed to buy a dozen or so horses in Kai. The large Atsuta Kato Denmaya (Kato Horse Shop) was finding it difficult to even get business going after spring. If they didn't encounter any horse dealers with large numbers of horses in May or June, Kato's reputation would likely suffer.

If we cannot complete the old orders from old customers over the years, it will lead to a collapse of our reputation.

He did come to Shichibei for help, but can you really get away with something like that just by asking? Lending money is one thing, it's normal for businesses to borrow and lend each other money. But lending means of production is outrageous. Shichibei himself runs a stable, there's no reason for him to lend his horses to someone else.

If you're just having bad luck, then don't blame me.

Everything was fine at home, especially after seeing Shichibei return with over a hundred horses. The few people from the old family who had stayed back home were worried, but now that they had seen him, they all praised Shichibei for his ability to enhance the reputation of the Chuanma Kawamura family on the Otsushima Road.

You're too kind!

Keep the money safe. Without horses in the shop, there's no business lately. Shichibei then asked if the alfalfa and barnyard grass had been planted after the spring. Now that Shichibei has money, he can add another step of hiring people and horses to plow (shallow plow) the soil, in addition to burning the wasteland.

At least we can dig up the grass roots and other debris to rot, which can serve as fertilizer. Once Shichibei makes a big profit, he'll enclose the entire 1,000 mu of sandbar with earthen walls and really pull off a big heist.

Fortunately, Ai had her eye on Kotake, who still had over a year before "graduating" from Itō-ya. There was plenty of time to prepare her dowry, allowing Shichibei to indulge in a bit of leisure.

Even if you can't make a living, you can still earn two hundred strings of cash by selling alfalfa twice a year.

I was thinking that a dowry of 20 kan per person would be fine, but now I see that Nobunaga spent at least 3,000 kan to marry off his sister to Azai Nagamasa, and another 5,000 kan to marry off his adopted daughter to Suwa Katsuyori. We can't compare to him, but 20 kan doesn't seem like a very generous amount either.

In addition, Shichibei also hoped that his sisters could invest in several future castle lords and kings, so that the two of them could start a business together. Ultimately, only a deep and loving relationship can last.

I don't need Maeda Toshiie and Matsu, but at least Yamauchi Kazutoyo and Chiyo.

When Empress Ma married Zhu Yuanzhang, her dowry consisted of almost half of the Guo family's army. Since we don't have a dowry for our sister's marriage, we can only be more generous with money. Giving these future city lords and rulers some start-up capital might allow them to build their armies and become wealthy sooner.

He instructed his family back home to take good care of the warhorse, and then Shichibei prepared to wander around the town to find out what had happened on Tsushima during his month-long absence. The market conditions in various industries were especially important; there might be some hard-to-find business opportunities there.

The man from his hometown stopped Shichibei, explaining that they had signed two more free laborers this year—in other words, apprentices. In Japan, they're called "kohija" or "kosō," which basically means apprentice. One is nine years old, and the other is eight. Both have seven-year contracts, with room and board provided, but no wages.

Don't report trivial matters to me; it's industry practice. Every year we hire a few apprentices. Those with talent are kept on; those without are just being used as child laborers for seven years.

Seeing that Shichibei wasn't particularly interested, the old man sent the two apprentices to feed the horses hay. Speaking of which, the old man who had planted two acres of safflowers on the sandbar outside the town had come to town a few days ago to ask Shichibei when he would return.

Something? It seemed like something, but the old man didn't say anything more when he saw that Shichibei was not at home. He also said that it was not that urgent anyway and he would come to the town again in half a month.

Counting the days, seven or eight days have already passed. Has anyone come again? No.

Alright, the next day Shichibei took a boat to the sandbar to look for the old man. He didn't see the old man, but he heard dogs barking. He hadn't seen the old man all winter, and the three dogs he had given him had grown quite a bit. They were barking fiercely, which startled Shichibei.

The man who had come ashore with Shichibei was also startled and kicked him. The dog, which had been barking loudly, stopped barking when it saw that it was a "familiar face" and instead rolled over from a distance to sniff his feet.

Dogs really do discriminate based on who they treat...

Because of the dog barking, the old man ran out with several children of varying ages. The oldest child was even holding a dog, watching Shichibei warily. "It's only been four or five months, hasn't it? Don't you even recognize your master?"

I'll even send someone to deliver rice to you every month, okay?

The old man was quite attentive, and upon seeing Qibingwei, he quickly bowed and called him "Master." He also kicked the dog, forcing it to make way for Qibingwei. The small village consisted of only two acres of land, planted with red flowers, so there wasn't much room to step.