Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

"Tell me, what's going on? You even went all the way to Tsushima to find someone." Shichibei's question stumped the old man. The old man said somewhat hesitantly, "Didn't I tell Shichibei before the New Year last year that we were going to harvest safflowers this April?"

The safflower buds are now sprouting one by one, just waiting to bloom next month. Once the hummingbirds and butterflies pollinate them, they will be harvested.

Could it be that you've forgotten, boss?

Good heavens, I completely forgot! Shichibei thought this stuff couldn't be harvested until May or June. He spent winter repairing Nobunaga's stables and hay sheds, and early spring running off to Kai to teach economics to a bunch of roughnecks. He really did completely forget about harvesting safflower in April.

After all, it was just a small experimental plot, and Shichibei wasn't particularly concerned about whether it would succeed or not. It wasn't as good as the several hundred acres of barnyard grass and alfalfa outside. After all, barnyard grass and alfalfa could be sold immediately after harvesting, making them crops that yielded quick and stable profits.

"Please hire two people to pick them." The safflowers are best picked in the early morning, as the old man is afraid he won't be able to finish picking them all.

Flowers bloom in batches, and for about ten days in April, you have to get up early every day to pick them. Without two or three people, you simply can't take care of them all.

Only after the flowers are picked can safflower cakes be made for Shichibei.

32. How about you, younger brother, be part of my dowry?

Besides needing two temporary flower pickers, the old man also needed buckets, gauze, a stone mortar, a millstone, bamboo baskets, and a thatched hut to build for him. With so many children crammed into the hut, it would be difficult to even find a place to stand, let alone use it to make cakes.

Shichibei remembered all the reasonable requests. He even asked the old man if he had enough to eat, and if he needed salt or small fish. Also, this is a bay, quite different from Kyoto. If the wind picks up, the thatched huts need to have horizontal strips nailed to the roof and large stones placed on top to weigh down the straw.

Lest the autumn wind destroy your thatched hut and tear away the three layers of thatch from your roof.

While Shichibei is inspecting the business, make your requests clear. If any of the seven or eight children are clever, they can be placed as apprentices at Kawamura-ya. Shichibei now has over a hundred horses, and with business expanding, hiring more free child laborers is essential.

Speaking of this, the old man said there was no need to work as a shop assistant at Kawamura-ya. If he could grow good safflower, he could dye red silk for the master later, which would be the same thing.

Yes, these are children from Kyoto dyeing families. If the imperial court had not expelled Kyoto Bantenren, they would probably have been apprentices in the dyeing workshop by now.

There is no demand for purple robes in Owari, but there should be many people who like red robes. After all, Japan admires the culture of the Tang Dynasty, and the Tang Dynasty liked purple and red, not the kind of earthy red, but the yellow-red of safflower.

Yellow-red is brighter and more suitable for use as a dye and in rouge and powder. Later, more advanced lipsticks also used the red color collected from safflower.

As for the madder root, its red color is a dull, earthy red, which is slightly less than presentable. Of course, it has many uses; it can be used as a flag for the "Red Guard."

After Oda Nobunaga conquered Inabayama Castle, he would form the Red-Clothed Army and the Black-Clothed Army. At that time, the Red-Clothed Army would have to use a lot of red dye to print flags, haori, and armor.

Furthermore, Hideyoshi's Yellow-Clad Army would use a large amount of withered yellow dye to color the troops, so that the entire army would be tinged with yellow.

The most flamboyant was Date Masamune, who wrapped the helmets of his two thousand-strong army in gold leaf when he entered the capital. He was so ostentatious that the daimyo secretly cursed him for being frivolous.

But that's all in the future; the safflower cake hasn't even appeared yet.

Looking at the rows of safflowers, Shichibei asked the old man how many safflowers could be harvested from one mu (approximately 0.16 acres) of land? He wanted the dried flowers. Just like growing tea trees, you can't just report the yield of freshly picked tea leaves; you have to process them before you can calculate the output.

"Probably not high." The old man shook his head. "The main problem is that the soil is too thin." He wasn't referring to the thin soil layer, but rather the low fertility. Although it was a sandbar carved out of the river mouth, it had only recently formed and hadn't yet brought much nutrient from upstream.

Furthermore, Shichibei only planted one crop of alfalfa, which didn't retain much nitrogen in the soil. To increase safflower yield, phosphate fertilizer needs to be applied. It's just that last year, I started collecting rotten fish and shrimp, seaweed, etc., and then I poured human and animal manure on it and left it to ferment and rot.

Fermentation is slow in winter, so it is better to do it in summer. However, the odor is too strong in summer, so it may not be possible to do it in the town or nearby, and it has to be moved to the sandbar.

By applying fertilizer for several years and planting several rounds of alfalfa, the land can gradually transform from "raw land" into "cultivated land," thus stabilizing the yield and achieving a bountiful harvest in this era.

Don't worry, Shichibei certainly understands. Last year, when planting alfalfa, we discovered that the alfalfa on the sandbar yielded about half as much as that on properly cultivated land. This difference clearly indicates that the land was not fully developed and was still maturing.

Just like this year when planting alfalfa, Shichibei had a horse plow to turn over the decaying plants and roots, providing earthworms with space and food. The earthworms gnawed and burrowed in the ground, and even produced earthworm droppings. This stuff is one of the sources of the soil's "vitality," which we'll probably call organic matter in the future.

It took several years of joint efforts from humans and nature to truly create this sandbar. Humans invested their energy, and nature rewarded them; in a sense, this represents a harmonious relationship of coexistence with nature.

When egrets start appearing on the sandbar, it means that the land is "cultivated" or "living," and can be continuously cultivated and developed.

On the contrary, the kind of land described in "Silent Spring" (where spring is quiet) will become dead land in three to five years, as hard as stone.

After saying goodbye to the old man, Shichibei inspected the alfalfa and barnyard grass fields again. There were several sandbars, all of which had been sown with seeds. The first crop of the year would be harvested in a few days.

In addition to raising dowries for his five younger sisters, Shichibei also had to prepare a betrothal gift for himself. It was not right to be stingy when marrying a daughter of a samurai family; he had to prepare a grand ceremony and buy some extra things for her.

The pressure is immense!

The thought of getting married makes me feel even more stressed!

The three tenant farmers hired from Inuyama and one original farmer from Shichibei's territory have all moved to the sandbar and are doing quite well. The small village is already starting to resemble a village where you can hear the sounds of chickens and dogs. If you add a rice granary or a waterwheel, it will be a quintessential Japanese rural village.

Planting alfalfa and barnyard grass was the simplest thing for them. They didn't need Shichibei's help. Apart from buying farm tools and providing draft horses, there was nothing else to do.

When it's time to harvest, just bring the backpackers from Tsushima Tenno Shrine. It's unlikely that these four farming households can quickly harvest several hundred or even a thousand acres.

Everything was thriving, and Shichibei, completely satisfied, strolled around for most of the day before returning to Tsushima-cho. He instructed his family to prepare the items the old man on the sandbar wanted and deliver them to him the next day. Then, Shichibei sat back in the shop and began preparing his meal.

While they were eating, Horita Uma, who was in charge of liaison and governance of Tsushima-cho and was announcing Oda Nobunaga's orders, strolled in. He stroked this horse, then that horse, instantly making Shichibei's heart leap into his throat.

To be honest, this kid's appearance was all about making money for Nobunaga.

Last time, Nobunaga married his sister Ichihime to Asai Nagamasa, and he made 500 kan on Tsushima. This time, he wanted to marry his adopted daughter Toyamahime to Suwa Katsuyori, so he had to make another fortune.

If he just wanted to get a free meal, it would be fine. A bowl of rice porridge in tea is not worth much.

He smiled on the outside, but was inwardly cursing. Shichibei quickly dusted off his backside and trousers and went to greet Horita Uma. Although this kid wasn't much of a talent, his father, Horita Michikura, was Oda Nobunaga's marriage matchmaker, which was quite a privilege.

They ushered him into the house and began preparing a meal. Sure enough, Horita Yuma said there was no rush to eat; his visit was obviously for a reason. Nobunaga was absolutely right; he had brought out 600 kan of gold coins from the important town of Toyama to contribute to Princess Toyama's dowry.

There was nothing that could be done. Takeda Shingen was asking for an exorbitant amount, and Nobunaga needed to appease him for the time being. So, five thousand kan it was, and everyone would have to share the cost.

Upon hearing the price of 600 kan for arrows, Shichibei narrowed his eyes, realizing he would only receive 3 kan. In the past, the entire Kawamura-ya would have worked for at least half a month for nothing; now that they had more horses, it was a little better, maybe four or five days' worth of work for nothing.

Even if we work for nothing, at least while Nobunaga is out there fighting and killing everywhere, our Tsushima town hasn't experienced the ravages of war for many years. That's all thanks to Nobuhide and Nobunaga.

The most recent instance of Hattori Tomonasada's invasion was during the Battle of Okehazama, when the lord of Nagashima led his navy to plunder. However, he was repelled by the townspeople, and after Imagawa Yoshimoto's defeat and death, Hattori Tomonasada fled.

However, this temporary collection of arrow money should be announced publicly at the town's meeting place, then discussed and voted on internally by the Tsushima clan, and then the funds should be raised publicly. Why are you coming here to tell me this?

"Shichibei, I never realized you had such a talent for business before." Hotta Yuma patted Shichibei on the shoulder, taking advantage of his height.

"Huh?" They definitely wouldn't find out, because Shichibei had been in charge of Kawamura-ya for a little over a year.

For the previous eight years, it was Shichibei's mother who managed things, and before that, it was his adoptive father's responsibility. Shichibei, who is just over twenty this year, wants to demonstrate his business talent, but he doesn't have the time.

"Haha, I heard you taught several students in Kai, and they even gave you fifty horses." Horita Yuma began to explain the purpose of his visit.

"Yes, while waiting to buy the horse, I did have some dealings with a few samurai from Kai." Shichibei didn't make any absolute statements.

"Kai Takeda Daizen has rewarded you, right?"

"Yes, there were some rewards."

"How about I send you to Kai to serve as a retainer of Princess Toyama?" Horita Uma suddenly said something that Shichibei strongly resisted.

When Oichi married into Omi, she brought with her several samurai families as part of her dowry. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to send her trusted confidants to deliver a bean bag tied at both ends to Oda Nobunaga overnight.

Now that Princess Toyama is getting married, the Oda clan should, by right, provide several samurai households as part of the dowry. These samurai households will become retainers of Princess Toyama's son, forming the original core of the household.

“No, no, no, the Kawamura family’s business is all in Tsushima.” Shichibei’s refusal came out without thinking.

When Princess Toyama got married, theoretically, Toyama Naokane should have sent his retainers, and Nobunaga could have sent two more households as part of the dowry. Why would Shichibei, who had no connection with Princess Toyama whatsoever, be allowed to be part of the dowry?

“Aww…” Horita Yuma looked at the busy Kawamura-ya. He had managed some business before and knew that Shichibei wouldn’t just move like that.

But since the words were spoken, there must have been a reason. These are all people who value social interaction; would they make jokes for no reason?

Shingen offered 200 kan of land to Nobunaga for Kawamura Shichibei Nagayoshi. Since he was a stable boy for horses on the main road, he could do the same job in Kai; pastures and alfalfa fields were readily available, and buying horses would be even easier.

Nobunaga was bewildered upon hearing this additional condition. He paused for a moment before remembering that it was the samurai he had previously instructed to repair the stables and horse barns. Initially, Sakuma Nobumori had mentioned that this man was very capable at raising horses and provided alfalfa and horse feed for the castle. Later, during the Battle of Inuyama, Nobunaga bought all the horses from Kawamuraya and wanted to see if this man had any ability.

After all, the horse-riding business was failing, so they had to find some way to support Shichibei. Later, Niwa Nagahide reported that the streets and post stations had been repaired, but because the marriage alliance with Takeda was of great importance, Nobunaga forgot about him.

Now that I suddenly realize it, it was actually Takeda Shingen who specifically requested Shichibei.

A retainer who is good at repairing horse stables, growing horse grass, and has some ability in calculation, planning, and construction is definitely not someone that Shingen would ask for.

When Niwa Nagahide was summoned and questioned, it was learned that Takeda Shingen greatly admired Shichibei and had rewarded him with fifty horses when Shichibei left Kai. Even if packhorses were worthless in Kai, they would still be worth at least a hundred kan.

Upon further inquiry, it was learned that Shichibei taught the Kai samurai farming and candle-making in Kai, taking on more than a dozen students. Many Kai samurai considered Shichibei a close friend and respected him as their teacher.

Why didn't they teach Oda's samurai how to make candles in Owari?

Just as I was about to ask, Niwa Nagahide said it was made with inedible wild fruits from the mountains, so Oda Nobunaga shut up. Of course, the Owari Plains—where would they find such vast forests and such a large quantity of wild fruits?

After learning more about the situation, Horita Uma came looking for Shichibei.

"Uma-sama, please explain to Lord Gotate that the Kawamura family has been vassal of the Oda clan for generations."

I shed blood for Nobuhide, I was wounded for Nobunaga, I am a loyal retainer of the Oda clan, I want to see Nobunaga, I want to see Nobunaga.

"Write down the candle-making method you taught the Kai samurai in detail, and I'll come to pick it up tomorrow." Horita Uma didn't respond, but instead asked Shichibei to write a manual for making wooden candles.

"I understand. I'll send someone to deliver it to you tomorrow morning." Shichibei nodded repeatedly.

So Horita Yuma said no more, smiled and left Kawamura-ya, leaving only Shichibei, covered in white sweat, watching him leave from the doorway.

Alright, now that's settled, I've even lost my appetite for lunch. What on earth is going on? Why do I have to go to Kai as part of my dowry? My entire business empire is in Owari, this is impossible.

Ai, who had watched the whole thing, still served Shichibei a bowl of ochazuke (rice with tea). Shichibei didn't eat it, but instead found paper and pen and began to write down the process of making wood wax in detail, following the steps that had been taught to him by Takeda and Yonekura Nobutsugu.

To ensure ease of understanding, Shichibei also included some sketches. Remember when Nobutsugu Yonekura held Shichibei's hand and asked what wild lacquer fruit looked like? Later, a group of them went to the forest to search for it for quite a while. These sketches are included here as well, along with a list of other species that can also be used to make wood wax, such as smoke tree and maple.

After several hours of working on it, and as darkness fell, Shichibei carefully folded the final draft and put it into a sealed bag. He then wrote his name and a brief description of the content on the outside.

The next day, someone was sent early in the morning to deliver it to Horita Uma, who was stationed in Tsushima-cho. Horita Uma originally intended to have a retainer deliver it to Komakiyama by fast horse. However, after thinking about it, he decided to make the trip himself. Nobunaga had asked him to test Shichibei, and he needed to report in detail what he had seen and heard to Nobunaga so as not to arouse Nobunaga's suspicion.

33. Nobunaga praised my skillful methods.

"Wow, Shichibei, your business is huge."

Upon entering Kawamura-ya, Yamauchi Kazutoyo, peeking around curiously, remarked quite naturally. He looked here and touched there. Of course, he wasn't there to visit a friend; he was there to deliver Nobunaga's message.

To be honest, Shichibei still doesn't quite understand. Nobunaga gives you forty-five kan, and you're willing to risk your life for him? Human nature is such a complicated thing. The hatred for one's father's murder is forgotten in an instant. Looking at Yamauchi Kazutoyo now, he's really going to serve Oda Nobunaga wholeheartedly.

Tut tut...

"It's nothing special, just a small business." Shichibei had no idea what the message from Yamauchi Kazutoyo was.

"Do you have any good horses?" Kazutoyo Yamauchi had wanted to buy horses last year, but hadn't had the chance.

"Yes, yes, there is one." In front, Fu Genshiro gave one of his warhorses to Shichibei, but Shichibei was not a member of the martial arts school and did not need it.

When the horse arrived, Goto Yoshibei, who was standing beside Yamauchi Kazutoyo, nodded in approval. It was indeed a fine horse. While it might not be considered a divine steed, its shoulder height, body length, and teeth were all excellent for a warhorse.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo, who immediately mounted the horse to try it out, was full of praise for it. Compared to his status of 45 kan, the horse was more than worthy of his status and more than enough.

"how much is it?"

"Well, since it's Inouemon, then thirty kan will do." Shichibei was actually a bit hesitant to set a price because he had never ridden a warhorse before.

“It’s worth it, absolutely worth it, but I can only give you ten kan for now. I’ll give you the rest when I get my salary in the fall, okay?” Yamauchi Kazutoyo didn’t pretend and said directly that he didn’t have enough money.