Owari Yumeki Golden Day

As the chief secretary of the Takeda clan, what else could Takeda Nobumasa do? He could only agree reluctantly.

Niwa Nagahide, who felt that Shingen should accept his conditions, suddenly received an invitation from Takeda Nobumasa, who said that he would invite Niwa Nagahide to Yumura Onsen, not far from Tsutsujigasakikan.

The sudden change left Niwa Nagahide stunned. Was this clearly a sign that Shingen didn't want to talk to me tomorrow? Could it be that things had changed again? That shouldn't be the case. Niwa Nagahide had already promised today a dowry of 5,000 kan for Nobunaga's adopted daughter, Toyama-hime.

Five thousand kan, five thousand kan to buy a temporary peace, what's so bad about agreeing to it? You must know that when Nagao Tamekage first debuted, his annual income was less than six thousand kan.

Nobunaga paid 5,000 kan to buy peace money, so why are you hesitating, Shingen?

Xin Xinlian would not allow Niwa Nagahide to refuse. He got up early the next morning and went to Niwa Nagahide's house in person to kidnap him.

29. Shingen gave me fifty horses

I'm so envious. Niwa Nagahide must have a good relationship with the Takeda family. Otherwise, why would Takeda Nobumasa, the head of the Takeda family, get up so early to pick him up to go to the hot springs?

Look at ourselves, alas, a group of short and strong Kai men came to our house and took Shichibei to see the Fuji River.

Niwa Nagahide enjoyed the lovely and charming hot spring girls, but what we saw were a group of bald men as black as coal balls.

Depend on!

The Takeda warriors were delighted, completely oblivious to Shichibei's grumbling. Besides being able to attend classes again today, a class representative also showed up. Well, the class representative's name was Iitomi Genshiro.

Shingen's former occupant was now a samurai general, commanding 150 cavalry. If necessary, he could also obtain reinforcements from other locals and local samurai, and it would not be impossible to form a large reserve force of 1,000 men in a short period of time.

Oh, Genshiro, huh? I've heard so much about him. Shichibei saluted Iitomi Genshiro. Why was he so happy? It wasn't because of anything special about him, but mainly because Shichibei had miraculously met a grown man shorter than himself. Iitomi Genshiro, who was already in his thirties, was at most 1.4 meters tall, not much of a presence.

Shichibei, who was originally muttering about Niwa Nagahide's plan to sleep with a hot spring dancer, became happy again and was about to sing "I'm so happy today, so happy."

Finally able to run alongside others, Shichibei asked Iitomi Genshiro why he had to get involved in such trivial matters. Iitomi Genshiro's explanation was obvious: Yonekura Nobutsugu told him yesterday that he wanted to find fifty horses to sell to Shichibei.

They're a wealthy family in Jumo County, owning a stable and raising quite a few horses. So, I came here today to see what Shichibei wants. A male? A female? A pregnant one? Or a foal?

Hey, man, for something like this, why don't you just ask Yonekura Nobutsugu to come and say, "I'm delivering a message to the Imperial Army"? Is there really any need to come here in person? Only a pedantic samurai like you, Kai, would come up with such an easily debunked excuse.

But Shichibei didn't care whether it was made up or not. He was mainly happy that Ito Genshiro was only 1.4 meters tall.

I have made up my mind to be your brother, and we must keep in touch in the future.

Let's go, walk, walk out to the Fuji River. The hydrological conditions along the Fuji River in the Kaifuchu Basin, or rather, the small plain, are excellent. Since it's a basin, it's naturally quite flat.

The main difference in elevation is concentrated in the mountainous area between Kai and the coastal plains of Suruga. In fact, this section of the Fuji River is also the main connection between Kai and Suruga. When Takeda Shingen was going to attack Suruga, his army would mainly pass through this area.

To attack Sunpu Castle, also known as Suruga Fuchu Castle, from Mount Fuji to the sea, one would need to capture Kambara, Yubi, Okitsu, and Abara Castle along the way. If it weren't for the numerous defections of Imagawa's retainers, it would have been difficult for Shingen to break into Fuchu Castle, which is located next to the Abe River.

As for why Shingen had to attack these cities instead of just attacking Sunpu? As I mentioned before, the Suruga Coastal Plain. You can't force Shingen to fly over the mountains and land in Sunpu out of thin air. Without taking down these cities that control Tōkaidō, there's no way to launch a full-scale attack on Sunpu.

Of course, if you only have ten or eight people, carrying enough battlefield rations to last for a month, then all of the above does not apply, and flying is also an option.

By the way, the upper reaches of the Fuji River are called Kamashi River, which refers to a river. The Fuefuki River also flows into the Fuji River, just like the upper reaches of the Qiantang River are called Xin'an River and the upper reaches of the Yangtze River are called Jinsha River, which means the same thing.

Takeda Shingen had begun to control the Kamanashi River, but he didn't manage it completely. As for water conservancy projects, it's rare to see a complete success in one go. They often require annual repairs, additions, and gradual improvements.

In addition to the most common dam construction, Shingen was keenly aware that blocking the river was useless. So he built the Yanxing Dike. You don't need to remember the name, but remember that this dike is a facility that allows the floodwater to overflow the dike and enter the water diversion area after reaching a certain level.

Sacrificing the interests of localized flood discharge areas to ensure the safety of the entire basin. This tactic was still used in 2024, and videos of the flooded flood discharge areas were frequently released. In fact, such areas were clearly stated to be unsuitable for living and would be flooded when necessary.

There is no way around it. People are attached to their land and many of them are reluctant to leave such a large flood discharge area empty.

Then, a low dam would be built outside the water diversion area or flood discharge area to block the spreading floodwaters and control the scope of the flood impact. In any case, the floods in Japan will only last three to five days at most, and the water will recede as soon as the typhoon recedes, which is enough to save most of the paddy fields.

In order to maintain the levee year after year, Shingen established the Kawamata people, or Kawau-mata people, exempted them from rent and taxes, and ordered them to live in villages along the river. In peacetime, they would repair the levee, and in times of flood, they would go up to the levee and defend it against the peak of the flood.

After two decades of continuous water conservation efforts, the flooding problems of the Kamashi and Fuefuki Rivers have been greatly alleviated. With continued efforts to strengthen water conservancy facilities, divert waterways, build weirs, dredge rivers, and expand canals, the Kamashi River floods will eventually be tamed.

For the 30 kilometers or more downstream from Tsutsujizaki-kan, there's actually no need for a weir. The river is relatively flat and the flow is acceptable. Navigation is difficult on the larger tawara, but it's easy on the smaller tawara.

All the way to the Iitomi clan's base, Iitomi-sho or the Iitomi area, the terrain was all river valley, with numerous paddy fields and terraced hills flanking the river, and it was flat everywhere. But further south, towards Shimoyama Castle, the elevation difference gradually increased, the river valley narrowed, and the paddy fields became scarce.

Mountains over a thousand meters high are common, with Shimen Mountain reaching two thousand meters, and Mount Takatori and Mount Shiqin both over a thousand meters. The Fuji River rapidly changes its elevation over the next few dozen kilometers, from an average of just a few hundred meters to an altitude of three to five meters.

It would be strange if the water wasn't urgent.

The group passed Shimoyama Castle and continued walking down to Gotenyama. Shichibei immediately pointed to the narrowed river channel and indicated that a weir and a water diversion channel should be built here.

Sengai Pass and Mt. Goten, nestled between two mountains and separated by a river, have yet to be eroded apart by thousands or even tens of thousands of years, demonstrating the stability of the land. Building a weir, installing a diversion outlet, and, when necessary, a flood discharge ramp, ensures its safety.

What Shichibei didn't know was that it was here that the great merchant Kadokura Ryoi, in the early Edo period, built the first shipwreck and flood shelter in the Kai direction.

Iitomi Genshiro didn't respond, but simply nodded and instructed the Kai samurai behind him to take notes. Shichibei glanced at the sky. It was already noon, so they should head back.

They hadn't even reached the border yet, so Iitomi Genshiro naturally refused to go, saying he could go further down the river. He had come to Shingen to try to obtain Shichibei's plan for managing the entire Fuji River, so he naturally refused to turn back.

So Iitomi Genshiro suggested that they could rest in Iitomi Village for the night and there was no need to rush back to the city. Anyway, Niwa Nagahide had been invited by Takeda Nobumasa to soak in the hot springs and wouldn't be back for a day or two.

Huh? Niwa Nagahide was taken away early this morning. How did you know?

Shichibei was a little confused, but didn't show it. Since they invited him, then so be it. The guest should follow the host's wishes.

After eating in a small village, the group continued their journey. Looking at the turning Fuji River, Shichibei suddenly realized that his plan to divert the water and build a weir might not be necessary.

Why? Because of Mount Fuji.

Mount Fuji is an active volcano that was pushed up by plate tectonic plates due to intense geological activity in the last tens of thousands of years. Originally, this place should have been a flat land or a depression, submerged below sea level.

Volcanic eruptions and plate compression created such a huge mountain.

What does the presence of the mountain signify? It means that the Fuji River, which once flowed straight from Kai, cascading down 3,000 feet, has been cut off by Mount Fuji. The river's course has changed from a "丨" shape to a "《" shape.

There is no way, the Fuji River cannot wash away Mount Fuji. So the only option is to go around Mount Fuji, and the entire waterway takes a big detour.

No wonder the Fuji River was navigable in history!

I get it, I get it. I completely get it. In later junior high school history textbooks, there's a high slope on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway that trains can't climb. How did Zhan Tianyou design it? He used a herringbone-shaped railway to allow trains to ascend one section at a time.

Similarly, the Fuji River transformed itself into an inverted "人" shape, so that rapids and dangerous shoals that were originally insurmountable could now be crossed.

The entire Fuji River is 120 kilometers long, not counting the 30 to 40 kilometers upstream, which are mountain streams and rivers. Not counting the dozens of kilometers of flat river courses or mountain valleys in the Kai Basin and the coastal plains downstream along the Suruga River, the truly dangerous and rapid river lies in the 30 to 40 kilometers of river at the junction of Kai and Suruga.

The large altitude difference was originally a natural barrier, but the winding river course provided a solution.

During the dry season, an earth dam was built and the river was dredged to remove the boulders, steps, and deep pits in that section of the river. The river was then dredged and widened to allow the passage of small boats.

Once the water is dredged, it can be used for at least thirty to fifty years. If it silts up afterwards, that will be the problem of future generations.

Don't think you can build something and guarantee its use for 10,000 years. I've never heard of a project with a 10,000-year guarantee.

The only problem with this is that the shuttle boats going down from Kai can go downstream, but the shuttle boats going up from Suruga need to be pulled by boatmen.

After all, without a weir or stepped waterway, the water flow was still quite high, so it was difficult to sail upstream with the help of a sail.

But even if we have to use trackers, it is still better than land transportation!

Sitting in a farmhouse in Iitomi, Shichibei asked for a piece of paper and drew a simple and abbreviated map of Kai and Suruga. His skill in drawing was enough to astonish the dozen or so people sitting below.

It can be said that most people of this generation are completely unfamiliar with areas outside of their hometowns. Not only do they not know the roads, but they are also completely confused about directions and terrain.

Even Iitomi Genshiro thought he couldn't easily draw a map of the two countries. However, the issue of Fuji River water management was obviously more important at this time, so he didn't ask.

After expressing the new ideas that had just come up by the river in as straightforward a language as possible, the two flood control plans were placed in front of the Takeda warriors.

By diverting the water and building weirs, boats could navigate the waters one by one, making it easy for both upstream and downstream boats. However, the cost of such a project would have been considerable for Kai. Historically, it wasn't until the Edo Shogunate that manpower and resources were concentrated on managing the Fuji River, indicating that this project would have been quite expensive.

As for the second option of dredging only the mountain rivers, it is equally feasible and less expensive. The farmers of Kaikoma County can be mobilized to prepare for the winter. As for the boats sailing up the Suruga River, do they need boatmen?

It's said that manpower is worthless these days. Besides, the Takeda family, right? It's not Shichibei who wants to discredit Takeda Shingen. This old guy and Uesugi Kenshin are both fans of large-scale indiscriminate capture. They go around capturing prisoners and slaves, are they still worried about not having enough manpower?

Given his nature of fighting all year round, the mere lack of a few trackers is no big deal at all.

You can make your own choice. Shichibei is only providing an idea.

A group of Takeda students looked at Iitomi Genshiro, who didn't answer, but only said to treat Shichibei to a bath and rest. Then he really sent two local girls from Iitomi to help Shichibei take a bath, showing his hospitality.

But, well, she was just a girl from a local farmer's family, and Shichibei really had no interest in her↑.

He was dark, thin, and small, with rough hands. I touched him and he didn't even think about it.

After showering and lying in bed, Shichibei glanced from afar and saw candles still lit in Iitomi Genshiro's room, where a group of people were engaged in a heated discussion. They were truly studious, still diligently discussing and studying after 9 or 10 p.m., and would have to wake up at 4 a.m. tomorrow. A high school senior wouldn't be able to do that, or even worse.

After Shichibei and his group returned from Shimoyama Castle, Niwa Nagahide, who was dragged to Yumura Onsen, was satisfied and returned to Tsutsujizakikan after eating and playing.

All the doubts in his heart disappeared. Niwa Nagahide thought that the Takeda family invited him to take a hot spring bath and sleep with the dancers as a sign of goodwill.

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

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

Because Yonekura Nobutsugu came to say that their Lord Shingen donated 50 pack horses to Shichibei, and Iitomi Genshiro donated one war horse to Shichibei. In addition, several students pooled their money and donated five pack horses to Shichibei.

If Shichibei still wants to buy a horse, we have one ready, so just ask.

30. Pack up and run away

why?

I didn't do anything?

Your boss is so rich! Even in the horse-breeding area of ​​Koshin, the price of an ordinary draft horse should be around three kan of coins. Shingen is giving me 150 kan of coins for free. When did he become so rich?

On the other hand, it was completely understandable that Iitomi Genshiro and a group of students gave Shichibei a few horses. Shichibei had taught them for so many days, and although he had been chatting with them, he had always talked about practical matters.

As long as they listen carefully and invest and develop well after returning, they will definitely be able to reap considerable benefits. Therefore, it is entirely appropriate to give Shichibei some local specialties.

Even Confucius had to accept two strips of bacon as his apprentice, let alone a commoner like Shichibei. As a small businessman with an abacus, I'm most emotionally attached to money.

The main thing is that Shingen gave me fifty pack horses, and I can't accept this gift without merit. Besides, how can I explain this to Nobunaga when I return? Nobunaga might think I've defected to the Takeda clan.

No, Nobunaga's IQ is not that low. He would not think that a samurai with only 60 kan of knowledge and action is worthy of the Takeda family's efforts to win over.

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

"What is your lord doing?" Qibingwei had to ask.

It would be impossible to keep it a secret if fifty or sixty horses were brought here at once. Niwa Nagahide would ask about it if he found out.

"Goten thinks that your candle technique, Shichibei, is excellent and worth 100 kan. I also think that your reed paper technique is excellent and worth 50 kan." Yonekura Nobutsugu is a very honest person. He clearly marked the price and settled the bill with Shichibei.

"what?"

"Gotate-sama has already given the order to start preparing candles and reed paper. This is a thank you gift for you."

It's true that the samurai of Kai were quite straightforward, and their directness made Shichibei a little unpredictable. After all, if someone else said this, Shichibei would either bargain with him or doubt his authenticity.

It would be fine if Yonekura Nobutsugu was straightforward, but Takeda Shingen was also shrewd. Given 150 kan in cash and a packhorse worth 150 kan, he decisively chose the packhorse that Koshin could continuously produce, and he also "pleased" Shichibei and met his needs.

Being smart is smart, at least when it comes to understanding other people's psychology. As for developing the territory and developing business, that's a matter of thinking. Without the insight, there's no such method.

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

"Also, Shichibei, are you married?" Nobutsugu Yonekura's thoughts jump a bit too much. Why did he jump to this question again?

"The marriage is already arranged."

"Ah, what a pity." After hearing Shichibei's answer, Yonekura Nobutsugu was still feeling sorry for just standing there.

Why are you so sorry? You're not a woman. If you were a girl, it would be fine. But you're a bald, dark-skinned dwarf. Why are you talking to me about pity?

"My sister is fourteen years old this year, and my father wants to find a good match for her." Nobutsugu Yonekura sighed and said, holding Shichibei's hand.

"There are so many warriors in Kai, are you still worried about not being able to find a good man?"

"There are many pig warriors, but it is hard to find one who lives up to his name."

"Me? That doesn't sound like something you would say." After hanging out with Nobutsugu Yonekura for half a month, this guy couldn't come up with such a subtle fart. He must have plagiarized someone.

"Ahhh, it's that so-and-so, that's what Master Genshiro said."

"Really?" Looking at the way he looked around and shook his head, Shichibei knew that Nobutsugu Yonekura was lying.

After asking three "Hongduo" questions, Yonekura Nobutsugu turned and ran away. As he ran, he told Shichibei to get ready, saying that a horse would be delivered to Inuyama's residence soon.

On the other side, Niwa Nagahide came out of the palace in the castle and was very happy. Shingen sold him fifty pack horses. These fifty horses were enough to fill the post houses between Owari and Nakano, ensuring that the news from the Nakano area was presented to Nobunaga as soon as possible.

And the price is not expensive, only three kan and five hundred sen per piece. It is hard to find such a price in Owari, unless you go to the horse market in Omi and Obama.

Niwa Nagahide was very happy when someone drove over fifty horses. Naturally, he was eager to check out the horses Shingen had sold him. However, his retainers asked the driver, who said the horses belonged to Shichibei.

Shichibei, who was standing behind Niwa Nagahide, chuckled twice and waved with his hand, looking embarrassed.

It's true that the horses sent by the Takeda clan were all good draft horses with good teeth, good age, and good shoulder height. The warhorse sent by Iitomi Genshiro was also about 1.3 meters tall at the shoulder, which was considered a relatively good warhorse among Kiso horses.

A usable warhorse costs ten times as much as an ordinary mule or horse. Iitomi Genshiro is really generous.

Seeing that Shichibei had bought a horse before him, Niwa Nagahide asked Shichibei how he had managed to get one. In a city as vast as Kai, the biggest influence would have to be Shingen himself. How could someone have managed to get a horse before Shingen?