Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

No sooner had he sat down than Nobunaga's page came running up, ordering Shichibei to immediately send a fast horse to Tsushima to deliver ten sea breams to the castle the next day, as Nobunaga wanted to entertain his distinguished guests.

The distinguished guests were naturally Hosokawa Fujitaka and Akechi Mitsuhide. These two were now only slightly better off than ronin, but that didn't change their status as special envoys of Ashikaga Yoshiaki. Since they were to give Ashikaga Yoshiaki face, their hospitality had to be respectable.

For a more upscale meal, it's said that they would serve crane soup or pheasant. But those things are no longer possible; only sea bream can be prepared in a way that is both presentable and elegant.

It's a minor matter; Tsushima is practically a fishing port, with plenty of fishermen catching fish in Ise Bay. Even today, Japan's coastal waters are still very rich fishing grounds; you can catch tuna even a hundred meters offshore in Suruga Bay, and sea bream is practically commonplace.

"Hurry up!" the young servant instructed Shichibei before dashing back like a whirlwind. Who knows whose child he is, always so energetic.

"Who are we entertaining? Ten-tailed sea bream." Kotaro called over a waiter and led him a horse.

"How would I know?" Shichibei didn't see the guest behind him, so of course he didn't know.

"Buy one more." Zong Xiaotaro took out his own money and handed it to the shop assistant.

He's now a "double" rich guy, owning both Kawamura-ya shares and Oda Nobunaga's stipend, so eating a sea bream isn't really a big deal for him. Ever since he became a double rich guy, the women trying to introduce him to wives have lowered their standards considerably.

"Let's split it in half." I never expected this kid to be so polite, thinking of us.

The packages were packed, and Inase Yoshinari ordered a dozen or so people, along with four or five men carrying swords, to come and leave overnight without stopping.

There were only a little over 6,000 kan in cash on the counter, with some more in other branches. Some of it was even used for lending money at granaries, temples, and shrines to earn interest. Shichibei had been busy lately and hadn't decided what to invest in next, but now that he finally had a project, he could put all the money out and prepare to go for it.

Inase Yoshiki, who arrived in Anotsu, spread false information, saying that there had been a major flood in the Mikawa-Tōtōmi area between summer and autumn, resulting in a very poor harvest, so it was necessary to purchase grain at high prices.

Mikawa and Tomi are far apart, yet not so far apart, which seems plausible, but verifying this would take several days to travel back and forth. After all, Mikawa and Tomi are quite large, and it might take five or six days to walk around them completely.

In short, the price was high, nine hundred coins per shi of rice!

With a "boom," the powerful families of Beishi and Zhongshi were roused from their slumber, clapping and stamping their feet in frustration. They had sold their rice too early! Regret, annoyance, and pain filled them; they had lost double the rice profit for nothing.

Some people stamped their feet and sold their stored military rations, betting that there would be no fighting in winter and that they could survive on wild vegetables in the spring. By summer, the wheat harvest was complete, and everything was fine.

One man led the way, and ten followed, bringing thousands of koku of rice to Anonozu. But the purchase was still ongoing, and Shichibei, as long as he had enough money, demanded that Inase Yoshinari continue the purchase.

If the powerful clans in the north and central regions back down or hesitate, continue to provoke them, spending one kan coin and one shi (a unit of dry measure) to squeeze every last grain out of them. If they aren't squeezed dry, why would they be willing to pawn their underwear to buy rice when Nobunaga's army arrives?

Within seven or eight days, Shichibei had purchased and stored tens of thousands of shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice from both the northern and central regions. He had practically emptied the military rations of the local nobles and powerful families in both areas, leaving not a single drop to be extracted.

At this time, Nambu Tadamichi, who had been sent to Gifu, returned to Tsushima.

Shichibei was aware of the news. After confirming with Takikawa Kazuyoshi the collusion between the Mokuzuki family and other powerful clansmen, Nobunaga finally made up his mind to send troops. At the moment Nambu Tadamasa returned to Tsushima, the messengers to Odani Castle and Okazaki Castle should have arrived as well.

Nobunaga officially ordered the mobilization of all military forces within his domain, to launch a full-scale attack on the northern frontier.

100. He even possessed the gaze of an eagle and the look of a wolf.

According to the customs of the Edo period, when a respectable samurai ate sea bream, he could not flip it over; he could only pick it up from the same side. Flipping it over was considered stingy and mean, as it wasted no part of the fish.

Unfortunately, Shichibei and Sou Kotaro are just country bumpkins; not only do they flip the dishes, but they also don't offer them any courtesy. They take turns eating with their chopsticks, showing no regard for brotherly affection or respect.

When Shichibei went to deliver the fish in the morning, he learned that it was Hosokawa Fujitaka and Akechi Mitsuhide who had come. Although he was interested in seeing what the two looked like, he thought that they would most likely serve as courtiers in the future and he would definitely meet them, so he did not stay at the Sakuma residence to spy on them.

They even ran into Hideyoshi along the way. Since Hideyoshi had spent a month or so in Kyoto with a bunch of court nobles and was now considered a respectable man, Nobunaga asked him to accompany them and help entertain the two envoys from Yoshiaki. Sakuma Nobumori, who was in Komakiyama, also served as their host and arranged accommodations for the two.

No wonder I bought ten sea bream; there were five people eating, and I wanted to keep five extra as backups.

"So, Lord Otate is about to head to Kyoto?" Although Kotaro was still a businessman at heart, he was now one of Nobunaga's riders, so it was only natural for him to be concerned about the war.

"I don't think so. I think they're going to attack the North." Shichibei's words were reasonable, because they were repairing the streets leading to the North.

Moreover, as Nobunaga had instructed, he had already dispatched merchants to cooperate with Takigawa Kazumasu's mercenaries to win over the small local clans in the north and bribe their retainers. This ensured that Nobunaga's banners would be routed at the mere sight of them.

"Then the envoy from the Duke's side came for nothing?"

"How could we come for nothing? At the very least, we can get two or three hundred strings of cash from our lord."

"Hahaha, I never knew before that a dignified public official could be dealt with for just two or three hundred kan." In the past, Kotaro Sō would never have thought of such a thing.

"Money has a much greater power than you think." As a small businessman, Shichibei firmly believes that everyone has a price these days.

Ashikaga Yoshiaki is worth two or three hundred kan, Kinoshita Hideyoshi is worth a thousand kan, Azai Nagamasa is worth two thousand kan, and Takeda Shingen is worth five thousand kan. Everyone has a price tag, and Nobunaga clearly distinguishes them.

"I'm worth two hundred kan too." Kotaro was quite proud, feeling that he and Ashikaga Yoshiaki were worth the same price.

"Think carefully, it's only worth two hundred kan if you cut it off." Shichibei flattened his palm and made a slitting motion towards his own neck.

This immediately dampened the appetite of Kotaro, who was eating, and he swallowed hard several times.

Speaking of which, wasn't Ikeda Tsuneoki taken by Ando Naotsugu? Later, when Ikeda Terumasa visited Tokugawa Ieyasu, he asked to meet the samurai who had taken his father. The samurai who arrived was poorly dressed, unremarkable in appearance, and lacking any imposing presence. Ikeda Terumasa immediately retorted, "Does a samurai who took my father, a daimyo, not deserve a stipend of 5,000 to 10,000 koku?"

Tokugawa Ieyasu slapped his forehead and said, "Yes, yes, yes! A famous samurai like your father should be rewarded with a generous stipend." He immediately added 5,000 koku to Ando Naotsugu's stipend, and another 2,300 koku after he left, bringing the total to 10,000 koku.

Ultimately, Ando Naotsugu received a fief of 38,000 koku, a qualitative leap from a common samurai to a feudal lord, all thanks to a single complaint from Ikeda Terumasa. Of course, it was also related to the fact that the Ikeda Tsuneoki he killed was relatively expensive.

"Just kidding, just kidding, hahaha." Shichibei quickly interrupted.

If they were to actually go into battle, they would behead renowned warriors, not even the civilian laborers carrying loads for logistics. It's better to worry about being herded and captured by the army, then sold into slavery, than about being killed yourself.

After a quick meal, we had to get back to work. The matter at Komakiyama was nearing completion; after three or four months of demolition, the castle was mostly gone, with hardly any buildings remaining. The samurai residences below the castle had also been largely moved to Gifu, and that demolition work should be finished by the end of this month.

Then Shichibei will be able to rest for a day or two before continuing his journey to Tsushima to handle the endless stream of tribute rice being shipped to Sakai-cho for sale, as well as the streets of Tsushima.

Nobunaga also used this excuse to refuse Ashikaga Yoshiaki's request to immediately launch an attack on Kyoto. With Komakiyama Castle demolished and Gifu Castle completed, the matter of launching an attack on Kyoto could only be considered after everything was settled.

It's just an excuse. Nobunaga has Yoshiaki in control right now. Anyway, it's not far from Ichijodani in Echizen to Gifu in Mino. It's a quick trip by horse.

To express his sincerity and goodwill, Nobunaga also personally bought a strong and healthy horse for each of Hosokawa Fujitaka and Akechi Mitsuhide.

Look at these two men, who will surely become famous figures in the future. The horses they ride are thin and weak, one of them even has gray hair, clearly indicating its advanced age. Riding such horses, I'm afraid that if they run even a little bit, they'll kill the horse.

But since they represented Ashikaga Yoshiaki and the dignity of the royal court, they had to travel on horseback and put on airs.

Poor thing.

I was talking about horses, not the two of them.

Sending the horse to Sakuma Residence, Shichibei was able to meet the two future famous samurai. Hosokawa Fujitaka was said to be a very elegant and well-mannered person, but now, haha, his cheeks were thin and his forehead was quite large. He wasn't thin; he looked like he was starving.

After all, before fleeing to Anyoji Temple in Ichijōdani, he had often been on a life of hardship, sometimes going without even a meal. Anyone who went hungry for a few months would look like him.

Fujitaka, who would later receive the "transmission of ancient and modern knowledge" and become a master of waka poetry, now lives like a poor, penniless ronin.

(The Kokin Tsuryū (traditional teachings) refers to the allusions, word choices, and rhyme schemes found in the Kokin Wakashū (Collection of Ancient and Modern Wakashū). Simply copying wakash poems without understanding their essence makes it difficult to compose one's own.)

As for Mitsuhide, well, Shichibei's first impression was that this guy was actually taller than Nobunaga. To grow so tall, his genes must be really good. That's about it. Since they didn't exchange any words, Nobunaga patted their horses and helped them mount and ride around.

The two accepted Nobunaga's gift without hesitation. It wasn't that they were poor and lacked ambition, but rather that as servants of Ashikaga Yoshiaki, it was customary for them to receive a little bribe and some illicit income while on official business.

Just like when a magistrate goes to the countryside to collect annual tribute, the village chief arranges for the magistrate to have a lavish meal and bathe with the village girls—these are unwritten customs. No one talks about it openly; both the providers and the recipients are tacitly aware of it.

“That Akechi Mitsuhide is a very interesting person!” Nobunaga said, now that only Shichibei and his page were left.

"Hmm?" Shichibei had no interaction with Akechi Mitsuhide and could not comment on anything, so he could only pass the buck to Nobunaga.

"Look at his posture on horseback." Nobunaga crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at Mitsuhide, who was galloping on horseback with a scrutinizing gaze.

Mitsuhide is said to be a rare cavalry general in Japan, capable of wielding a large dachi (sword) over six and a half feet long on horseback, charging left and right, cutting down enemies as easily as mowing grass. Others with similar abilities, such as Mahara Naotaka of the Asakura clan and Sanada Nobutsuna of the Takeda clan, were all renowned generals in the history of Japan's Sengoku period.

Mitsuhide had already ridden halfway around the racetrack, turning his horse back to where Nobunaga was standing. If it were just a matter of riding like that, it wouldn't be a problem, since Hosokawa Fujitaka was running behind him. But soon Shichibei exclaimed in surprise, for at such incredible speed, Akechi Mitsuhide had actually pulled up the straw target for archery in the blink of an eye.

Don't let its appearance fool you; this straw target, including the wooden frame, weighs several dozen kilograms. He lifted it with one hand in the blink of an eye. This isn't just good horsemanship; it's exceptional horsemanship and mounted martial arts, a true unity of horse and rider.

When he reached Nobunaga, Nobunaga drew a lance and tossed it into the air. Mitsuhide caught it and twirled it with a flourish. Using his horse's speed, he wielded the lance like a knife, slicing off the top of the straw stump in an instant; Shichibei didn't even see how he did it.

"Besides that, his arquebus skills are also amazing." Nobunaga's eyes held a certain fervor.

Mitsuhide demonstrated his arquebus skills to Yoshikage Asakura at Ichijodani, showing that he could hit a target about one foot square from about thirty meters away. He could even aim at birds in the air and shoot them down.

What's most impressive is that his arquebus is incredibly accurate. On a 30-meter target, out of 100 lead bullets, he hit the target squarely 62 times and the target squarely 38 times.

He was practically the best arquebusier of his time; you couldn't find anyone in the entire Oda clan more skilled in arquebuses than Akechi Mitsuhide.

“If that’s all…” Shichibei knew that Akechi Mitsuhide was capable of much more than that, but if he were only skilled in martial arts, Nobunaga would not have such a burning gaze.

The Oda clan had no fierce generals? Yes, they did. For example, Maeda Toshiie was a master spearman, a fierce general willing to charge into enemy lines as Nobunaga's first rider. Mori Yoshinari and Shibata Katsuie were also incredibly strong and powerful samurai, perfectly capable of fighting and killing.

Just like Shichibei told Tokugawa Nobuyasu, as long as you are willing to give up your rank, there are plenty of brave samurai willing to serve you.

"He bought all the rain ropes in Komakiyama," Nobunaga immediately replied.

Normal matchlocks easily go out in the rain due to moisture, so a method was used to create "rain-resistant matchlocks" by soaking matchlocks in saltpeter solution. These matchlocks would not easily go out even in the rain. When paired with the small copper cover on the powder bath of an iron cannon, a "rain-resistant iron cannon" could be created in a sense.

"Does the lord mean that he is preparing for war non-stop?" Shichibei suddenly understood.

“He eats faster than I do; he practically just swallows.” Nobunaga nodded.

There's a saying that people with big ambitions don't care what they eat, they just want to be full. Take Wang Anshi, for example. He ate whatever was available. Even when he was fishing at Jinming Pond, he ate the fish food and used the time to think about policies for governing the country.

"His insight is far-reaching, his martial arts are superb, and his eloquence is also excellent..." Shichibei could nod in agreement now. It seemed that in just three to five days, Mitsuhide had displayed qualities that Nobunaga liked.

All of these key points are concentrated in one person!

"Yesterday, Hosokawa Hyobu said that he had been praised by Mori Uma for his intelligence, sharp wit, and unparalleled courage, but..." At this point, Nobunaga suddenly revealed a smile that was hard to describe.

"Then?"

"However, he has the appearance of an eagle's gaze and a wolf's look."

"hiss……"

The most famous person in history with this appearance is Sima Yi. It is said that after Cao Cao discovered that Sima Yi had the look of an eagle and the gaze of a wolf, he immediately prepared to kill him.

But why would Mori Motonari comment on Akechi Mitsuhide? Because Akechi Mitsuhide had served as a courtier in the shogunate and had been sent on a mission to Yoshida-Koriyama Castle, where he demonstrated his archery and horsemanship skills to Mori Motonari.

"What? Say what you have to say." Nobunaga could tell from Shichibei's expression that Shichibei was a good conversationalist, since Shichibei knew a lot of random anecdotes.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Nobunaga was happy to chat with Shichibei. He himself was a disciple of the monk Sawahiko, while the other samurai were only literate. It was rare to run into Shichibei, who at least knew some casual anecdotes and could have a conversation with him.

It's not to the point that when Nobunaga said "eagle-eyed and wolf-looking," his men would ask what that meant.

"That's too mystical and there's not much to say. As for facial features, I don't have the appearance of someone with immense wealth and nobility." Shichibei spoke the truth, because we don't fit the typical facial features of a full forehead, a large and straight nose, and a closed and upturned mouth.

"I think so too." Nobunaga even had some feminine features, which didn't fit the image of a ruler in any way, but historically he was the ruler of the land.

"But this person is a servant of the shogunate and lives in the Asakura. How can you recruit him, my lord?" Shichibei asked in return.