Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

West Fishing Hall

遣水

池

中

Dongdiao Palace

Northeastern

East Central Portico

East Gate

548. My eldest son was sent to serve me.

Emperor Ogimachi visited the Azuchi Seiryoden for seven days, and Nobunaga held a seven-day grand celebration. In addition to the banquets, he entertained the emperor and court nobles with sumo wrestling, kemari, Noh plays and other activities.

It is said that on the very first day, two hundred kosode (small-sleeved robes) were presented to the Emperor, truly a case of "gold upon mounting the horse, silver upon dismounting." A very close relationship was established between the two sides, and many court nobles who kept diaries wrote in their diaries that this trip was an unprecedented event, both ancient and modern. They all declared that peaceful and prosperous days had arrived and praised the extravagance of Grand Chancellor Taira no Tai.

After all, Nobunaga not only gave the Emperor a large amount of gifts, but also showered the court nobles and ladies-in-waiting with money.

The earlier rumors that Nobukatsu would transfer the estates and lands to the Imperial Household Department and other noble families became a reality on the fifth day. The Emperor of Ogimachi received 6,000 koku of rice, Prince Naruhito received 6,000 koku, and dozens of noble families each received 8,000 koku. The highest-ranking nobles, Nijo Haruyoshi and Konoe Sakihisa, received 850 koku, while the lowest-ranking nobles received 70 koku.

This mountain city's territory of 20,000 shi (a unit of grain measure) instantly revitalized the entire imperial court, providing it with a steady and continuous source of income.

Originally, thanks to Oda Nobunaga's contributions, the imperial court's finances were in dire need of assistance.

For the three emperors before him, none had ever been more prosperous. But what Nobunaga offered were the so-called imperial palaces and government estates that had been looted. As we have discussed before, Nobunaga did not actually hand over the lands to the government; he merely restored the "protection allowance."

Now things are much better. Nobunaga has finally relented and, in Nobukatsu's name, has granted the Imperial Household and the nobility a stipend of 20,000 koku. The Imperial Court, whose finances had already collapsed, now has a steady stream of cash flow, effectively embracing the Oda regime completely.

Clearly, there was a deal involved; Shichibei knew this as soon as he heard it. However, this whole situation was Nobunaga paving the way for Nobukatsu, allowing him to bribe the imperial court and nobles. Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hidetada were also bribing the imperial court, as they needed to utilize the old order and framework to jointly usher in a new era.

"Jingzhao Palace, Jingzhao Palace." Shichibei had recently become quite accustomed to the sound of people filling out rooms along Wanli Xiaolu.

Shichibei, who was inspecting the materials being brought in at the construction site, turned around. The basic site leveling had been completed, the old ruins had been cleared clean, and even the irrigation ditches leading to the site had been dredged.

Progress is quite fast; the site of the main hall and the sleeping quarters is being continuously compacted. Since there's no need to build tall pavilions, the foundation only requires digging shallow pits and laying layers of charcoal chips and lime.

Then cover it with soil and compact it, and finally place the pillar stones on top.

The timber was readily available in Kyoto, but the tiles, especially the glazed ones, had to be ordered from Echizen. From placing the order to completion of firing, transporting them to Lake Biwa, and then transferring them to Kyoto, it would probably take more than three months.

Furthermore, the roof of the main gate is made using the cypress bark method, which requires large-scale live stripping of cypress trees from Kishu, as well as selecting mature, straight cypress trees for stripping. From entering the mountains to stripping, to cutting them to the same size, and finally drying them, it will probably take two months.

It wasn't until they arrived on site that Shichibei, the project manager for the subcontracted project, realized there was a whole host of complicated and unsavory details involved.

In other words, they built a celestial palace for the retired emperor. If it were anyone else, upon hearing that it was going to take so much trouble, they would have kicked them out long ago and told them to find someone else.

"What is it, Minister?" Shichibei turned around to look.

"When His Majesty returns to the Forbidden City, he must personally inspect the site." Wanli Xiaoji Chongfang's answer surprised Shichibei. It's just a retirement villa, why does he need to come and inspect it in person?

Why bother with all this trouble?

"The Emperor was overjoyed to receive a 6,000-stone manor from the Grand Chancellor, therefore..."

"I am so glad to have come." Wanli Xiaolu Chongfang can understand this feeling. Finally, he no longer has to be a useless emperor within the constraints of the palace. After abdicating, he can enjoy the flowers and the moon. How can he not be overjoyed?

"What should I prepare?" Shichibei wondered if he needed to change clothes. Would their current casual attire be acceptable?

"Simplicity and naturalness are the most authentic; leave everything undisturbed." Wanli Xiaolu Chongfang is quite insightful; he just blurted it out.

Emperor Ogimachi came to see a free and natural world, untouched by politics and uncorrupted by worldly affairs. If you were dressed in the formal attire of a court noble, people wouldn't want to see that.

Even after Hideyoshi became Kanpaku, his favorite entertainer remained Kim Chun-tayu. Kim Chun-tayu was a master of Noh, as well as skilled in drumming, monkey shows, and other performance arts. He even portrayed a monkey, making Hideyoshi laugh heartily and greatly admired him. So much so that every one of his performances was recorded and compiled into a collection called "Taiko Noh," and the Kim Chun-ryu school of Noh music has been passed down to later generations.

This is certainly related to Hideyoshi's humble origins, which made him unable to appreciate so-called high art. But it also shows that those in power don't necessarily like the so-called "refined"; they also enjoy a bit of the "vulgar."

So much so that an old friend once said, "If the people like what they see, who do you think you are if you don't?"

Alright, alright, then which day exactly? Shichibei had no feelings for the so-called Emperor. Not only had he seen him many times, but he also clearly understood that the Emperor was just a card in Nobunaga's hand, nothing special.

I'll be returning to the capital the day after tomorrow. Before reaching the Forbidden City, I'll make a quick detour to take a look around. It's just passing through, so it's neither an imperial visit nor a departure from the palace. There's no need for any ceremony, and there's nothing inappropriate about it.

There's a rumor—purely a rumor—that during the Edo period, feudal lords traveling to Edo to serve in the government office were required to follow a route prescribed by the shogunate, leading a sufficient number of lords in procession, step by step, to reach Edo. Conversely, the return journey also followed a set order.

So a certain feudal lord suffering from a serious illness, on his way back, was unable to relieve himself or clean himself. He had to hold it in his sedan chair, and it just so happened to be the hot month of August. Before he even returned to his fiefdom, he collapsed into a pile of rotting flesh, his lower body stinking. Upon returning to the city, news of his death was announced.

If even feudal lords were in such a state, one can only imagine the situation of Emperor Ogimachi, who was already completely confined by the old order and system. He had almost no personal freedom and was not happy living in the Forbidden City.

When he actually appeared before Shichibei, the over-sixty-year-old Emperor Ogimachi was indeed very excited, no wonder he was called an "old rascal".

As people get older, they do indeed feel more liberated in some ways, with fewer constraints.

Although it was still a large construction site, he was quite pleased with it. After Sen no Souichi and Yamagami no Souji explained things to him, he was even more satisfied and immediately bestowed upon them the title of "Layman." Sen no Rikyu's title of "Rikyu Layman" was now firmly established and could be publicly promoted everywhere.

Touching and looking around along the way, it really doesn't resemble an emperor.

Following closely behind him was Oda Nobukatsu, one of the three councilors. This time, Nobunaga had learned his lesson; together, they would need 20,000 men. Without 20,000, they would split up, like they were doing now.

Nobukatsu escorted Emperor Ogimachi back to Kyoto, then retreated to Azuchi to continue handling the lawsuits filed by samurai families throughout the land. Meanwhile, Oda Nobunaga departed from Azuchi and entered the Nijō Palace in Kyoto.

The current Nijō Palace has a permanent garrison of 5,000 people; wasn't that something Shichibei did? After a major upheaval, many lands lost their lords. After the reorganization of lords, Shichibei ordered all these people to go to Kyoto to serve Oda Nobunaga for three months.

Later, it evolved into a situation where 5,000 people were always stationed at the Nijō Palace in Kyoto on a rotating basis, and Oda Nobunaga also had 2,000 pageboys, servants, and grooms who were always by his side.

In Kyoto, Nobunaga had seven thousand men with him. But Nobukatsu, at Azuchi Castle, was completely safe and secure. The castle was surrounded by soldiers; the moment the bell rang, twenty thousand men would swarm in.

Great, this setup is finally safe.

The loophole in the New Year's offering of mirror cakes that caused the previous incident has been plugged, and Nobukatsu is going to Kyoto with two or three thousand people in his party. However, there are now two or three thousand people waiting for Oda Nobukatsu outside, and possibly even more.

While the Emperor chatted with Sen no Sōichi and Yamagami Sōji, Shichibei chatted with Oda Nobukatsu. Since Oda Nobunaga had publicly confirmed Nobukatsu's status as the eldest son to what could be considered half of Japan's feudal lords, Nobukatsu was now quite at ease in many ways and had nothing to feel awkward about.

In public, he could openly act as Nobunaga's "acting head." The reason Nobunaga had not yet relinquished the headship of the Oda clan to Nobukatsu was simply because he was waiting for the Kyushu Campaign after this year's autumn harvest.

Nobukatsu was not as capable as his brother Nobutada, who had fought his way up from small battles to major ones. He had both experience and prestige. After subduing the Mori clan, he became the eldest son. Only after pacifying all of Kyushu could he become the head of the Oda clan.

After Nobutada's death, the title of head of the Oda clan naturally returned to Nobunaga. Nobutada's eldest son, the Third Master, was young and inexperienced, yet capable of handling affairs...

He is currently living off the few thousand koku of cosmetics his mother, Takeda Matsuhime, provides. If he can grow up to be twelve years old and Nobunaga is still alive, he might become a lord with ten thousand koku of koku.

What if Nobunaga is already dead? Haha, knowing Oda Nobukatsu as well as Shichibei does, he'd probably just give him 30,000 koku and be done with it.

"Shichibei, you did an excellent job. Father praised you twice." As the eldest son, Oda Nobuo had to put on a bit of airs.

I know that Shichibei was praised twice: once for the "edict of the Grand Chancellor," and once for the approval of Prince Naruhito for the design of the Sento Palace. I guess Nobunaga praised Shichibei, and he overheard it.

"It's just my duty." Nobunaga handed the task over to Shichibei, and Shichibei did it. What's the big deal?

"It has been a lot of hard work, and it's really not easy." Nobuo's words sound a bit like he was putting on an act, don't they?

Shichibei, secretly thinking to himself, turned to look at Oda Nobuo. His tone was sincere, though he didn't usually say such things. This time, Nobuo's expression was well-controlled; at least Shichibei didn't see any smugness, arrogance, or triumph in his eyes, not even a fleeting glimpse.

Wow, little brother, your acting skills have improved!

Having been a small businessman for many years, Shichibei has his own set of rules for reading people. Some people he finds annoying and dislikes at first glance. Others he keeps an eye on, while still others become close friends.

For example, before his time travel, Shichibei had seen a man who never violently opened takeout bags. Instead, he would use a discarded nail clipper to carefully remove the staples from the packaging. Then, he would meticulously wrap each staple with a receipt to ensure it wouldn't puncture the bag before discarding it.

At the time, I judged that this person was very organized and did things in a proper manner. Later, I discovered that there were many elderly people collecting garbage downstairs from this person's building. They would rummage through the plastic boxes from takeout orders and collect them to sell for money.

At this point, the purpose of the bookbinding staples became clear: this person was someone who cared about strangers, even those unrelated to themselves. Essentially kind and reserved, befriending such a person meant there was no fear of betrayal.

The truth is, don't look at what he says, look at what he does.

"If the Prime Minister has any instructions, please speak them." Shichibei probed slightly, knowing that if someone is being courteous, they must have something in mind.

"Hahaha, no orders, no orders at all." Oda Nobuo's mannerisms were clearly something he had learned from Oda Nobunaga.

This is how Nobunaga laughs when he's cheerful. Shichibei had seen it many times before; Nobunaga's laughter was unrestrained when he was happy, and frighteningly so when he was melancholy. He was truly an exceptional person. Other great figures boasted of having "a heart of thunder and a face as calm as a lake," but Nobunaga was often unpretentious.

When they're angry, they'll slap you twice across the face, maybe even kick you. When they're kind, they'll not only run after you barefoot, but also share a bite of melon with you.

"I was being presumptuous." Shichibei felt that Nobuo's acting still needed practice; it wasn't quite like his father's.

"If that's the case, there is one more thing."

"Please speak."

“I would like to offer my son, your eldest son, a salary of 5,000 koku, as my servant. What do you say?” Oda Nobukatsu then made this request.

"Huh? They're already engaged?" To be honest, Shichibei was completely taken aback by Nobuo's request.

Nobunaga had previously promised that once Maeda Toshinaga's marriage was settled, he would arrange marriages for Niwa Nagahide and our Shichibei's eldest son. Originally, these marriages were to be arranged as Nobunaga's son-in-law's, but now they've all become Nobukatsu's son-in-law's. Nobukatsu truly treats his own sister like a daughter.

They demoted people's seniority on the spot.

Logically speaking, Oda Nobuo was a relative of Shichibei, but now he's become related to Shichibei through marriage.

That wasn't all; he directly asked Shichibei to become his page. His desire for Shichibei to join his side as soon as possible was so strong it was almost unbelievable.

The performance was quite good just now, so why is it suddenly so straightforward now?

"Haha, that's just my idea. You'll have to think about it some more, Shichibei." Oda Nobuo's performance was starting to show. He spoke as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, but his expression was still a bit off.

It wasn't just a look of greed, but rather a kind of expectant desire. Others might have this expression for money or power, but he had a desire for Shichibei and the Kawamura family's power.

549. The Nine Provinces Formation Begins

While sending the eldest son of a family to serve as a page to the young lord is an inevitable operation based on the logic of realpolitik, Shichibei's original idea was to send his child to Oda Sanboshi as a page, as such an arrangement was more in line with reality.

Oda Nobunaga was 49 years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning), and Shichibei was 35. They were retainers spanning two generations, and Nobutada still needed Shichibei. Therefore, it was the proper arrangement for young Shichibei to serve Oda Sanboshi.

Before long, things got delayed, but Oda Nobuo brought it up. He wasn't told to rummage around, but he insisted on doing it anyway.

If you let things happen naturally, you won't see any problems. But if you force me to do something, my rebellious streak immediately ignites.

"We need to report to the lord before making a decision." Even if Shichibei should agree, he wasn't prepared to agree on the spot.

There's a premise here: the Kawamura family, including Shichibei himself, and the Kawamura clan were Nobunaga's personal patrons. When Nobunaga gave Oda Nobutada a million koku of rice, a large number of retainers, and thousands of stationary foot soldiers, Nobutada asked for more, but Nobunaga refused.

In the context of Japan's unique feudal system of monarchy and subject...

Shichibei was Oda Nobunaga's retainer, and theoretically, Shichibei himself was Nobunaga's private property. Even more broadly, the personal freedom of Shichibei's wife and children was entirely at Oda Nobunaga's discretion.

Shichibei was one of Nobunaga's properties, and the family members who were attached to Shichibei were even more so Nobunaga's exclusive property. Nobunaga could dispose of them as he pleased, but even if Nobukatsu became the head of the Oda clan, he could not touch them.

Oda Nobukatsu could openly demand things from Nobunaga regarding Ataka Kiyoyasu and his forces. However, Kawamura Nagayoshi was someone you could demand but would absolutely not give up, including everything belonging to the Kawamura family.

So why did Nobukatsu still ask? Because if Shichibei's side took the initiative to suggest sending their eldest son out to become a page or servant, he could then ask Nobunaga.

After all, Shichibei wasn't the legitimate son; the entire Kawamura family and Kawamura-ya relied on Shichibei for governance, and Nobunaga truly couldn't do without him for even a moment. If it were merely the legitimate son, and if Shichibei had offered to send him as a page to Nobuo, then Nobuo would have been much more willing to agree.

If Shichibei hadn't taken the initiative, Nobuo wouldn't have been able to bring it up.