Chapter 24: Smooth Internal Affairs, A Year of Bountiful Harvest

Ōigawa Castle – Isshiki Masataka

1561. Fall.

Two months after my first battle. During that time, a lot had happened.

First, the execution of the former lord of Hikuma Castle, Inoo Tsuratatsu, happened. After that, Udono Nagamochi and several others who colluded to defect from Imagawa were sentenced to seppuku.

Following that, personnel changes were made. Retainers without castles were assigned to the castles without lords.

Then, following the law of guilt by association, the execution of Tsuratatsu’s wife, Tsubaki, was ordered. Yasutomo-dono came personally to Ōigawa Castle to pick her up.

Since the real Tsubaki had already died at Hikuma, we had to make up a story about how, out of her grief due to her son’s death back at Hikuma, she chose to commit suicide. Luckily, the one who came to pick her up was Yasutomo-dono, so we didn’t need to make extra arrangements.

“How’s the rice harvest this year?”

“Compared to last year, it’s a bumper harvest. Not only that, the catch at the Ōigawa Port seems pretty good. It’s raining mackerel this year.”

“I see. Have the merchants prepare to sell the fish to the surrounding areas while they are still fresh. Also, tell them that we will appreciate it if they could send some to the castle’s kitchen.”

“Understood. I will notify the Kureishiya to prepare, and contact Hikogorō to bring the fish to the castle.”

Masatomo left the room after he said that. Anyway, it seemed like this year’s harvest had been bountiful overall. There was my upcoming wedding with Hisa-sama, but we couldn’t really hold a grand celebration for it due to our side’s poor relationship with Motoyasu, so we’d be celebrating it with only the Isshiki clan’s members—a great thing for me.

By the way, the two people Masatomo mentioned were related to the Isshiki clan.

The first one was Kureishiya Shōbei, the head of Ōigawa Merchant Guild whose members were made up of merchant companies that our Isshiki clan employed—there were 14 of them. One of them was, of course, Kureishiya’s company itself, a company working under his family’s name. His family was wealthy, even on the country level. They had a store open in our Ōigawa castle town, and their store was among the more successful ones among the merchants who sold their goods to those who stopped by the Ōigawa Port on their journey through Tōkaidō.

By recruiting Shōbei and other merchants like him into the Merchant Guild, providing them with ships, our Isshiki clan and Ōigawa castle town prospered in no time. Having good relations with merchants was important, indeed.

As for the other person, he was Hayashi Hikogorō, a retainer of the clan. Originally, he worked under Masatomo to manage some part of the territory, but when the large-scale development of the port’s fishing industry was started, he was appointed as the Water Magistrate. Now, a single word from him could greatly affect the clan’s financial situation, and many among the retainers envied the massive promotion that he received.

Instilling such a feeling among the retainers was important in the long run as well. They had to have some kind of ambition. Fighting in a war wasn’t the only important thing to do, after all. I mean, just take a look at Masatomo. Without him and the others who put their all to take care of the clan’s internal affair flawlessly, the clan wouldn’t be able to support itself and would collapse eventually.

“But my lord, I couldn’t help but wonder. Do you like fish that much?”

“Tokimune, have you forgotten? This boy hates fish.”

It was Mother who answered Tokimune’s question. But, I had to add one correction here. I didn’t hate fish, I just hated removing the bones from the fish. So much hassle just to eat. I had been this way even back in my previous life. When I ate fish, I’d either eat something like sashimi, sushi, or fish that had their bones completely removed already.

“He’s already an adult, but he still asks me to remove the fish’s bones before he could eat it.”

“Mother, the last time you did that for me was ten years ago.”

“In a mother’s eyes, ten years aren’t that long. Besides, it’s a mother’s wish to always see her child as the adorable child that they were. Such a thing made us feel close to our children.”

Really? But, that meant she’d keep digging my embarrassing past even after I grew even older than I was right now, no?

Seriously, what kind of torture would you subject me to, Mother? Of course, I didn’t voice that question out loud.

The retainers aside, I didn’t want my wife-to-be to hear those stories.

“Could I ask you to please restrain yourself from having such talks with Hisa-sama, Mother?”

“Why so? Knowing about each other’s childhood is a key to a happy marriage, is it not?”

“…”

Yep, I’ll give up.

Right, speaking of Hisa-sama.

“Regarding my trip to pick up Hisa-sama, I received a letter from Motoyasu that he managed to secure the area surrounding Okazaki. I’ll be bringing along guards, of course, but just to be on the safe side, I’ll be making proper preparations and leave at the end of the month.”

“Understood. I see no problem with this arrangement. Winter is upon us. The later we leave, the more difficult our journey will be.”

“Prepare well and I pray that you two will return safely.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Mother still looked worried, but at least she let us go without making any fuss.

Alright, time to arrange some things with Rakudo. I mean, it wouldn’t be funny if we got attacked on the way, would it?