A tour of Japan's Warring States Period

Not all the annual tribute is collected in Kofu City. Each county in Kofu has a county office, and the famous owners of each township, village and village can just hand over the annual tribute to the official office.

Kofu just happens to be where the county headquarters of Yamanashi County is located, and it also happens to be the national capital of the Kingdom of Kai, so if you want to learn how to collect annual tribute, you can stay in Kofu.

After a long period of widespread petition, the construction of Kofu Castle has been completed. Probably for some reason, Kofu did not build a castle but only added an imperial palace and enlarged the building. The water wall and other stone walls are also in good condition, and the warehouses are well stocked.

"Greetings to Your Highness!" No matter how busy Konishiharazaemon is, he still has time to meet Taro Yamauchi.

"Zaemon, please get up!" Yamauchi Taro got down from the carriage, and Kasuga Gensuke jumped down a step ahead of him and put a footstool for him.

Followed by a group of famous guests, they all came to greet Taro Yamauchi, and they all showed great respect. After chatting for a while, they were sent away.

Originally, this trip to Kai was not just to deal with people like Nobu-kun Anesama and Nobuhiro Kago. This trip is considered an autumn outing plus an on-site internship, and it comes with a mission.

Kai's situation this year is not bad. Although he suffered a disaster at the beginning of the year, the situation calmed down quickly, so it didn't have much impact.

Last year in Kai, the Five Publics and Five Citizens were implemented and the collection was reduced by half. This year, the full amount will be collected in accordance with the rules of the Yamauchi clan. No more defaults or cheating will be allowed.

"Zaemon, Kai now...?" A crowd of people surrounded Taro Yamauchi as he entered the city, while Koheita and Konishihara Zaemon walked side by side.

"No problem, I've already made arrangements." Konishiharazaemon gave you a reassuring look.

"Your Highness is here to take a look at the flowers. Please be careful about the arrangements."

"Save it!"

The two people were talking as they walked, and the eight hundred Hatamoto standing troops also entered Kofu Castle one after another. There are enough ashigaru longhouses in the city, and the weather is hot now, so there is no need to arrange any quilts. Just give him a straw mat and a cloth to cover his head and he can sleep.

"One more thing, are you about to go to Kawagoe?"

"Of course I'm going!" This was Xiao Pingtai's established plan.

We need to inspect a circle of Musashi's re-established younger brothers to see if they can survive this autumn harvest stably, establish their rule, and restore the local people's support.

"Then you can take the military rations and rice from Kawagoe!" Konishiharazaemon lowered his voice.

The importance of Kawagoe Castle to Kai and Shinano behind Kai is self-evident. At the same time, it is one of the most important branch cities of Musashi. The Yamauchi family really didn't feel comfortable leaving such an important town to others, so they arranged it secretly.

As previously imagined, the Kawagoe area, which is known as the retirement home of Mr. Uesugi Shihken, is still nominally the territory of the Ogidani Uesugi clan, and there are also garrison troops stationed in the city by the Ogidani Uesugi clan. But in fact, the castle guards were sent by the Yamauchi clan, and more than half of the castle soldiers were from the Yamauchi clan.

In order not to attract too much attention, the jodai in Kagotsu Castle cannot be the kind of famous ministers and generals, but they must also be stable people who are loyal to the Yamauchi clan.

After thinking about it, Xiaopingtai thought of Aji!

He also received the kindness of Yamauchi Yisheng, and since he was humble, he was naturally grateful to Yamauchi. In addition, he has been serving as the general of the banner division and has never experienced outside. Although he has enough battlefield experience, it is still his first time to defend the city independently.

The most important thing in guarding the river and crossing the city is naturally loyalty, followed by ability. There are police officers in Kawagoe. Konishiharazaemon can arrive in Kai in a few days. Even if Aji doesn't come back, he will definitely be able to keep watch for a few days. What's more, judging from his past, it must be more than that.

So after some discussion, everyone approved the appointment. So Aji was sent to Heyue, and as a castle representative, he actually served as the Lord of Heyue City.

The main thing is loyalty, feel free to use it!

……………………

In the next few days, it will naturally be about watching the famous owners of Yamanashi County pay the annual tribute according to the inspection of land accounts and the good or bad situation of this year.

I'm very lucky. It's not a cold summer this year. Although there was rain during the month when the rice was bearing ears, it was mostly sunny. The rice grew well, and the harvest of the paddy fields in the center of the Kai Basin was okay.

Koheita took Yamauchi Taro and the others to look around at the paddy fields where most of them had been harvested. The water in the fields has naturally been drained long ago, leaving only rice stubble as far as the eye can see. There are many two- and three-story drying racks built with bamboo in the rice fields. It is covered with harvested rice.

After the drying is completed, the grain will be threshed and winnowed, and finally the warehouse will be closed. Rice bags woven with rushes were packed into tau, pulled by horses and carried to the gate of Kofu Castle by hand and shoulder.

The tax rate of the Yamauchi family is lower than that of the Takeda family, but it is actually very heavy. It's just a 10% easing, which probably only allows the people to have a rice cake to eat during the New Year.

"Your Highness, do you still remember when the Prime Minister asked you to cut rice?" Koheta walked on the ridge of the field and looked back at Taro Yamauchi.

"Grandfather's teachings are still in front of you!"

The field ridges were not slippery when it hadn't rained, and since we were still wearing straw sandals, there was no big problem. The group of people walked slowly, a bit aimlessly.

"In today's era of warring states and the struggle for victory, Your Highness should encourage farming and weaving and teach the people how to fight."

"Agriculture is the foundation of all industries, and all the people depend on it." As a feudal ruler, Taro Yamauchi naturally knew the importance of agriculture.

Farmers provide taxes to the country, undertake military service, produce food, and stabilize the social situation. Nature is the most important industry among all walks of life in the world.

"Have you ever thought about it, Your Highness, that we in Japan are just a small country, and when the world becomes peaceful, the number of households will increase and the land will not be enough for cultivation?"

"What about developing new fields?"

"Is all the new land developed?"

"This..." Yamauchi Taro looked back at his friends.

The children immediately understood that this was to ask them to come up with ideas together and then put them forward for Yamauchi Taro to choose. This is also one of the original intentions of placing them next to Yamauchi Taro, to learn and grow together.

"Your Highness, if you cross Mount Fuji, you will reach Suruga. Suruga Bay is rich and rich in fish and salt!" Koheita turned to look at Mount Fuji.

"Uncle Tanzheng said that in the spring and Autumn period, Guanzi governed the country, connected mountains and seas, boiled salt to make money, and fished and herdsmen." Kuaichuan Shaoxi often told them ancient Chinese stories, and Xiao Pingtai also listened to a lesson about Zhuge Ke The story of getting the donkey.

"This sea has more than just fish and salt benefits."

"That's the Nanman trade!" Yamauchi Taro replied.

"This world is so big that even our imaginations cannot describe it. There are countless people with whom we can trade, as numerous as a cow's hair."

"My uncle's idea is that if one day the people have no land to farm, they can be sent overseas to do business."

"That's right! I have eight strategies to give to Your Highness!"