บท 15: A Stable Agreement.
Things have of course, not become this complicated just 8 months ago.
It all started when the Nagisa clan's Arms Factory outside of Naka was opened to produce the equipment needed by the military.
"The Shinju clan will keep up with the contents of the contract. They will prioritize equipping the Capital force's army before sending the rifles and equipment to the other settlements."
"Good. That would be the best course of action."
The revision of the ancient tax laws in Naka Harbor and the opening of the foreign sea trade routes that the Shinju clan previously monopolized brought a massive fortune for everyone in Kiko.
The merchants who dealt with basic goods are now less wary of taxation and can afford to make trips to even the furthest reaches of Kiko through the highways.
The merchants that dealt with luxury goods found cheaper and higher quality materials at the foreign trade routes. Because of this, silk cloth, jade trinkets, silver, gold and the jewelry from other mainland sources flooded the markets of Naka, causing a cascade where the supply overtook the demand and caused its prices to get lower. Because of this, even the common soldier at the gates of Naka castle told me that their wives have been a lot "kinder" nowadays with how affordable the gifts they gave them.
Of course, I didn't spend my time dawdling while this was happening. I sent the auditors of the trade and industries ministry to check on them and I was surprised that even with the expenditure of transporting, processing, advertising and even the taxes that came with their products, the traders actually created a whole lot of profit after other merchants from Daigo, Shinka and Fuku provinces came to buy a lot from them.
Lastly, the common folk also benefited a lot with the changes that happened in Kiko. The implementation of employee contracts that requires employers to provide fair salaries and guaranteed benefits depending on their worker's nature of work. For example, guards will be financially compensated if they are harmed at work or if they were killed in action. Sailors of merchant ships have to guarantee that every cent that their employee will make in half a month will be sent to their beneficiaries when their worker is away at sea.
With this, we lifted the temporary rising of the value of money now that the economy has been stabilized. The collected tax money was then spread across the construction of the highways and railroads, the research and production cost of the steam trains and the training of the military.
"Yo, Shinzuke. It's been a while since we last went on a trip, didn't we?"
When I saw that I had 3 hours free in my schedule at one morning, I sneaked out of the castle and rode my horse along the road overlooking the sea north of Kiko.
"Haah… Reminds me of the time when I was walking to wherever my foot can go."
To think that I can go from being a traveler, to a travelling doctor, to a village physician and to being raised by a bunch of noblemen to become a provincial daimyo was such a rollercoaster ride for me.
"Say, boy… Do you think I am doing well right now?"
He simply neighed and swung his head sideways as if telling me that I am not doing well.
"Oh, come on… I'm doing my best, aren't I?"
We went further along the coastline for an hour, by this time, we reached the farmlands furthest from the Aoyama domain and that is when I entered a rustic village who greeted me warmly.
"Oh, are you the new lord that we were hearing about?"
The village elder asked and gave me a cup of tea while we are sitting at the hut where the elderly gathers every day once they are not preoccupied.
"Yes. My name is Iwasawa Hiroshi, Daimyo of Kiko and city leader of Naka Harbor."
One thing I noticed in this place is that only old people and children live here.
"The young'uns just grew up one day and told us that they want to work in the big city. They then went to Aoya and Naka and would only come during new year or if they popped another kid that they will leave to us."
As an elderly woman said that, some kids ran to us and began gathering near me to ask all kinds of questions.
"Are you the new lord?!"
"Your clothes look plain!"
"Do you also eat silkworms?!"
"Wanna see the mole in my backside?!"
Hearing these hyperactive kids, I can't help but be amazed of how these elderly men and women can handle them every day.
"Oh, I forgot about that… What brings you to our village today, my lord?"
"Oh? I found out that I had an empty space in my schedule today and thought about going for a stroll and being more familiar with the land I am governing. After all, everything felt so sudden after the 3 families raised me to being the daimyo."
"Hm, hm… that's true. Even us was surprised to find that out when the news came here weeks later. This truly are chaotic times… who could've thought that noble families can be toppled over so easily."
This is the warring states period after all, no one can really guarantee your safety in such a time where everyone wants to unify this country.
Being treated with a bountiful breakfast of rice, roasted boar meat, and miso soup, I bid my farewell to the villagers and promised to share another meal with them in the near future.
"Hup! Let's go Shinzuke!"
I went south after that since the only place I could go to if I followed the coast was the estuary of Iso river and I am not in the mood to remember what happened to me in that place last time. I thought about going to Aoya to visit Aoyama-dono but I thought that I would probably be roped into a conversation with the old man if I went there so I continued the trip through the plains to the vast bamboo forest of the Fumikage domain.
"Who goes there?!"
Once I entered the forest where the Fumikage ninjas live, I heard a shout within the thicket of bamboo stalks and I replied with my identity.
"My name is Iwasawa Hiroshi, Daimyo of Kiko."
"E-excuse the rudeness, my lord…"
A ninja then hopped down from a tree and bowed down to apologize to me.
"It's alright. I'm not dressed properly anyway so I don't blame you for not recognizing me."
"I am humbled by your grace, my lord."
"Anyway, can you lead me to Fumikage-dono? I have things to discuss with him."
The Fumikage domain is a vast forest with pristine trees and plants. The perfect place for the secluded yet highly capable and wise people of the clan of ninjas. The main trade here is growing tea, spinning silk and fruit plantations that can only be done year-round inside the cold and hilly forest land here.
"Wow… I can't believe you guys can integrate with the wildlife this much…"
Inside the villages that we passed by, there were terraces along the hills where they grew their tea shrubs while tree fruits and various berry plants are located on the top of the hills. There were also man-made canals from the rivers here that was made to turn the watermills made from bamboo in order to power saws, ovens and other daily necessities.
If I'm going to describe it, the villages of the Fumikage domain is centered around efficiency and sustainability. The utilitarian focus comes from a traditional value of not taking something that you cannot renew or will be excessive.
"This is Kagetsuchi village, my lord. Fumikage-sama would be inside his manor. I apologize, but I have to return to my post now."
"Mm. Thank you for leading me until here."
Once he ran away to go back to the entrance of the forest, I unmounted from Shinzuke and entered the relatively silent ninja village. The people I passed by and met my eyes with greeted me with a nod and a smile before returning to their duties again.
Once I entered the slightly larger house in the other end of the village, I was finally able to talk with the leader of this domain.
"I'll get straight to the point, Fumikage-dono. I need the help of your people to train a handful of trainees that I picked for a specific function."
"And that would be?"
"Spying."
"Hmp…"
The young adult took a sip from his tear before he answered back to me.
"Is this related to the rumors that the successor of the Amanogawa shogunate is hiding somewhere in the southern triad?"
"Yes. I believe that he is either in the lands of the Daigo clan or in the mountainous regions of the Yamaguchi clan."
"Hmm… I'm afraid that it is already late for that my lord. I received a report from my own men in the capital. The heir has long been dead."
"What?!"
I was shocked by the news that I almost fell down on the floor.
"They believe that the faking of the safety of the heir is just a deterrent measure until they've found someone who can take the place of the now-dead heir."
Wow… this really is the warring states period…
"I see… in that case, I may really come to need the help of your people."
"For what reason, my lord?"
"To clean the path for the only one left behind who can take it."
"You… you know about that?"
"I am. Misanagi-sama told me before he left Naka."
2 months ago, Misanagi Jirou called me to his house at Naka and told me about how his daughter was secretly married to the previous shogun and bore a child for him after their authority began to wane and the northern daimyos began to ally together.
"She then came back here with that brat before dying from over exhaustion from the trip that she went to on foot to minimize the tracks they have to hide."
"I see… then Rinne is-"
"The only one left of the Shogun's bloodline. If it is true that the only other legitimate heir is dead, she can be your only hope to stop the rampage of the northern daimyos."
Once I heard about it, I felt a bitter taste in my mouth as the idea of robbing this annoying yet loving and adorable brat of her youth is something I felt was too cruel.
"Pave a way for her… that would be something that I can do. I will send some of my shinobi trainers at Naka after this week. Tell those trainees you chose that this won't be a walk in the park."
With that I can now return to the present where I am writing a letter to the lords of the Daigo and Yamaguchi clan.
"Hiroshi-nii?"
"I'm here, Hisako-chan."
It was already late at night when Hisako came dressed lightly as if she was about to sleep before she visited me.
"You're staying up late again… Didn't you say that it is not good for the body?"
"Yeah, but I can't help it. I have a lot of things to do for today and I don't want to rush it tomorrow."
Hisako has been undergoing social therapy for the last 10 months. With the classes no longer held in the castle's courtyard but rather, on the designated school building at the west district of Naka harbor, she was able to take a step outside of the castle everyday and continued to learn academically and socially amongst other young students.
"Mm… Mmm…"
"I know, I know… I'll go to sleep as well soon."
"Good, good… I am becoming better at getting my own way."
"Ehehe… you sure are."
As for our relationship, it is hard to believe that the person who deposed her father can just easily act like her elder brother.
"Well then, good night. Hiroshi-nii."
"Mm. Good night too."
I heeded her request and went to my room to sleep after I stamped the letters with my seal and signature and prepared myself for tomorrow.
"This is the Nagisa Arms factory. The production site of the next-generation weapons we presented yesterday."
I brought the Kusanagi princess and her general to the arms factory east of Naka just like how I promised yesterday. There, they saw the electric powered saws, drills, and lathes operated by the workers to produce the small weapons such as pistols, rifles and machine guns.
"This place isn't something we can just come up and do."
"Indeed. These machines are far too sophisticated for us to create ourselves… one thing that bothers me though…"
"The metals? They came from all kinds of trading deals."
Kiko may have a mountainous region at the Hikigaya domain, but the mines there produce tin, copper, gold and nickel. With no great local lodestone mines, I asked the merchant guilds to source the Nagisa factories with iron ore from their local and sea trades, promising a special price for it with minimized taxes.
The result let us lower the expenditures for creating the steam train, machines but first and foremost, the revolving kilns that can refine iron ore to high-quality steel and the furnaces that can melt these metals to the large machines we need to make.
"I see… You really outdid my expectations…"
"I appreciate the compliment."
We moved on to the heavy equipment and there, they saw the cannons we presented yesterday along with the ammunition they use.
"So, this is how you solved the surplus of workers after you became the lord?"
"Yeah, I was advised to dissolve the overly large army which caused most soldiers to lose their works. But before they can turn to banditry, piracy and other illegal acts, I made them the priority to be taken in the factories to give them a worthwhile job again."
I spoke up and she nodded her head for the reply.
"With this, I don't think you have anything else to fear… why do you insist to form an alliance with all of us?"
She asked that and I answered.
"Because if I do, then who will be the leader of this country?"
"Wouldn't that be you? You're also the one who is holding the heir to the Shogun's position."
"That's why I need the four of us to take the credit. If you three other clans will join me in this, I won't be given the credit alone and there will not be a sole uniter here."
"…Do you lack any ambition?"
When she asked that, I didn't need another moment to answer back.
"Yes. I have no need for an ambition."
"I see… you're not a pure warrior after all."
Closing her eyes, she spoke before her hand grabbed her katana and she slashed towards my neck.
"Hup!"
Even though it won't reach me, I instinctively stepped back from where I was standing.
"…"
"…"
I gave her a scrutinizing look before she looked down to my hand that was holding a pistol towards her head.
"I don't need an ambition if only what I want will come out of it."
I spoke with vigor after she sheathed her sword.
"I am the lord of Kiko. They are my people, if I will send my people to die for what I want, I have failed them more than anything else."
I locked the gun too and holstered it before loosening the fierce gaze on my eyes.
"…If that is your way of thinking, I cannot say that I agree with you. We are in a chaotic era, Iwasawa. Sacrifices have to be made for the better good."
She paused and sighed for a bit.
"I don't believe that war is a failure to us. We are warriors, we live and die in the battlefield. But I sure can get behind the idea of sharing ideals with my people."
"…"
"I accept your offer. I will convince the Daigo clan to ally with us. I'll leave the Yamaguchi clan to you then."
"I will."
Even though she did that stunt earlier, it served to show to both of us that we are staking a lot of things in here that no one expects us to gamble with.
"Also… I have a personal request to Iwasawa Hiroshi."
"…You mean the doctor me?"
"Yes… I heard about that medicine you showed me last time. Some said that it was a miracle drug…"
"We haven't mass produce it yet. The hospitals of Shinka needs to wait."
"That's not what I meant."
She reached out her hand to her general and she gave her a piece of folded paper from her yukata.
Written on the paper was a few words related to a symptom of a disease.
"My father has become bedridden from an unknown disease… I heard of your skills from both the curing of my men in Iso and the surgery you did to save the Aoyama clan's leader…"
After reading all of it, I knew already what disease is…
"I will take this patient. I'll come to Shinka with you. This is not something to take our time with."
"I appreciate it."
With that, we agreed that I will come in advance to Shinka way before the siege that we will be participating in.
As for the disease of her old man, I am off to fight another old enemy of mine.
"Who could've thought that I have to treat kidney stones again?"
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Ephraim_Chronia
Ephraim_Chronia Sorry if it is short, I am exhausted today.
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