A tour of Japan's Warring States Period

Mibuchi Fujitaka couldn't understand Koheita's anxiety, just like Koheita couldn't understand his determination.

When Xiao Pingtai returned to Zixiaolu Residence, the old servant of the family had become the steward. The old man who used to be so dim-sighted that he would fall down at the slightest breath was now so agile that he couldn't believe it.

"Your Excellency, you don't look well. Aren't you going to the Imperial Palace to pay tribute?" the old man asked while leading Xiao Pingtai's horse.

He has been in Kyoto for a long time. It's hard to say anything else. His ability to observe people's emotions must be excellent.

"Will Luo Jing's wealthy family hire some private soldiers?" Xiao Pingtai suddenly thought.

"Private soldiers? We were just joking. Don't you know the situation of the adults?" The old man also laughed.

Yes, except for some ministers who have connections and ways to make money, most ministers are extremely poor. Even the high-ranking sects like the Ichijo clan packed up their families and went to Shikoku Nakamura to seek life, let alone other weaklings.

Xiaopingta handed the riding whip to Chen San and looked at Aji and Chen San who came out, helpless.

Originally, Xiaopingta thought that no matter how bad the officials in Kyoto were, they were still wealthy families, and each household would have to have at least a few private soldiers such as thugs to guard the courtyard.

This matter is urgent, Ashikaga Yoshiteru has such a big reputation, ring the bell to ask for help, these private soldiers must be gathered, there must be more than a thousand people. After resisting for a long time in the Imperial Palace, the public officials in Kyoto and the mediating envoys of the imperial court fell.

But I never thought that these people didn't even have anyone who could fight, so it was really useless.

The thoughtful little Heita walked into the house. Uncle Tsunari was still awake, holding a Chinese book and reading at night by light. Not only was there a young maid standing by, but there was also hot tea and snacks.

"Uncle, you are so leisurely!" Xiao Pingtai sat down.

When Uncle Tsunley saw that Xiaoping Tai was back, he quickly put down the Chinese book in his hand and said, "My nephew is back. Dashu is doing well these days. Is everything going well today?"

Tatsuzo also came in from outside the house, holding in his hand the wooden box containing the clouds and the sea that was given by Ashikaga Yoshiki. "

Xiao Pingtai pushed the wooden box forward and said, "This is a gift from His Highness Gongfang. Uncle can take a look at it."

Uncle Tsunari used to be poor, but he was also a high-ranking official, so he had good eyesight. He did not open the wooden box, but first gently rubbed the wooden box made of cypress.

Let’s first look at this well-made wooden box, which has no color and is only covered with varnish that has been dried and brushed repeatedly in the shade.

"It must not be ordinary!" Uncle Tsunley praised.

The maid very obediently lit another candle and brought it to her eyes.

A black cloud texture floats on the persimmon red background, and a noble color flows from the light of the candle. The traces of time and the careful care and love of collectors of past generations (that is, the patina) come into view.

"Hi~~, let me guess the famous tea utensils from Tang Dynasty." Uncle Tsunley couldn't put it down at the first sight.

"Dayun Dahai!" "Exactly!" Xiao Pingtai nodded.

"I have long heard that this thing is in the hands of Dashu. I never thought that it would be in the hands of my nephew today." Uncle Tsunley clicked his tongue in surprise.

Of course, Heita-chan didn't just want to watch a tea bowl with Uncle Tsunaliang. Plans 1 and 2 didn't work, and Heita-chan still had plan 3!

It's hard to say whether Mibuchi Fujitaka can ask Ashikaga Yoshiteru to increase his bodyguards. Who knows when it will be done.

The high-ranking ministers in Kyoto don't even have a few thugs to protect their homes, so they are definitely not reliable.

Xiaopingtai's plan is on the candle in front of him!

"Uncle, the weather is hot and dry, the sun is shining brightly, Luojing is so big, it must be extremely difficult to prevent fire!" Xiao Pingtai pretended to point at the candle casually, expressing his concern about fire prevention.

"Yes, although fires don't happen every day, there are always one or two fires in Luoking every day. At the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, there are even more fires." Uncle Tsunari just raised his head and glanced at the candle, still Touch the clouds and the sea and don't let go.

"Don't the imperial court and the shogunate care about it?" "How? Luo Jing is so big that even if it wants to put out the fire, it is really powerless."

"Don't all towns have warnings and fire extinguishers?" "Huh? What do you mean, Xiaopingtao?" Uncle Tsunari finally understood the meaning.

"Why not ask Emperor Mingsheng to unite with the shogunate and coordinate with the town people to divide Luo Jing into districts, and select thirty or fifty people for each district to patrol the streets at night and wait in each district during the day. If there is a fire, rush to rescue and put out the fire immediately. The imperial court The government and the shogunate do not need to spend a cent to give each town a name for fire fighting, and they will be happy if the townsfolk of each town contribute money to establish a town fire fighting team. "[Note 1]

"Huh? It does make sense! What my nephew said is true!" Uncle Tsunley felt that this matter had a reason as soon as he heard it.

And does Xiaopingtai really care whether Luo Jing will catch fire?

The town fire department was established because of the urinary nature of the feudal rulers. Kyoto is so big and has at least a thousand people in the town fire department. Can they rest assured that it is under private control and management?

The shogunate will definitely send personnel to do direct management and deployment at the beginning, and only when money needs to be paid in the end will it be handed over to the private sector.

And there are thousands of local firefighters who are organized, trained, have a management team, and have uniforms. As long as one person is issued a spear, it will immediately become an army.

No matter whether the imperial court and Ashikaga Yoshiteru can see it or have the intention to use this team. The fire problem in Luojing has to be dealt with, and having a way is better than having no way.

As long as this town firefighting team is built, if one day the big bell of the Imperial Palace rings and townfire firefighters from all directions rush to the Imperial Palace to help, thousands of people can be gathered in the Imperial Palace in a short time.

How could three to five thousand people break through the stone wall of the Flower Palace and the luxurious double-eaves wooden door that Ashikaga Yoshiteru built for his own face and the prestige of the shogunate?

If we can't fight overnight, everything will be easier to handle when it gets daylight. Whether it is issuing orders to the four parties for help or asking the court to mediate, it is easy to say.

"My dear nephew, you might as well write down a statement. I'll take it to Ertiao Guanbai for review first. If His Highness Guan Bai approves it, the imperial court will definitely approve it."

"It's natural. My nephew wrote it overnight, so I left everything to my uncle."

Finally getting some clues, Mrs. Xiaoping breathed a sigh of relief.

[Note 1]: Even though there were many large towns in Japan during the Warring States Period, there were never any professional fire brigades.

The most ridiculous thing is that the Edo shogunate stipulated that the daimyo were not allowed to mobilize manpower on a large scale at night in Edo. At the same time, they also stipulated that the daimyo should be responsible for the fire-fighting work in Edo. Isn’t this hilarious to death!

It was not until the time of the Eighth Generation Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune that the fire-fighting missions of various daimyo were cancelled, and the town fire department was established. More than 40 areas were divided, and patrol teams were established to deal with the fires in Edo. In the end, the town fire department became completely private, and the establishment and management were fully funded by the town people.

Even later, a certain town firefighting team in Edo established a baseball team and became a strong team in the Japan Baseball League.