Tokichiro? (Please keep reading)

Half an hour later, Horio Yasuharu entered the village with horses and laborers.

These horses were all small packhorses, used mainly to transport supplies. Fine steeds suitable for mounted combat were military assets and rarely circulated among the common folk; every daimyo kept a tight grip on them.

Of course, some high-value famed horses were sold off by daimyo through merchants, but such things were opportunities that could only be stumbled upon, never sought.

Even the Seii Taishogun of the Muromachi shogunate had to beg and plead, sending letters everywhere to ask daimyo for them.

They had originally had no use for these horses anymore, but since they had found so many things in the cellar, the money had not been wasted after all.

After the group left Yamajiri Village, Chubei's house erupted into a raging blaze. Flames shot into the sky alongside billowing black smoke. Gotō Kichibē looked at the man at the very front of the procession and silently made a decision.

From this day on, his life belonged to the Yamauchi family.

"Up ahead is Iwakura Road. Koroku, are you heading back to Miyago Village first?"

Hachisuka Masakatsu shook his head. "Straight to Matsukura Castle. Once I've settled in, I'll send someone to fetch my family."

Though Yamauchi Kazutoyo had assured him with a pat to his chest, Hachisuka Masakatsu still decided to inspect the situation first, lest his family go through all that trouble for nothing.

When they reached the crossroads, Horio Yoshiharu turned and quietly gave Horio Yasuharu a few instructions. The latter said nothing, merely patting his son on the shoulder.

"Iemon, I'll go to Matsukura Castle with you as well," Horio Yoshiharu said decisively. He had clearly made up his mind.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo smiled. "It would be wonderful indeed if Elder Brother is willing to return with me. It's just that I myself am also—"

"No matter!" Horio Yoshiharu knew what Yamauchi Kazutoyo wanted to say. "There's nothing for me to do in Gokasho Village anyway. Following Iemon to Matsukura Castle for a look isn't bad. If there truly is no opportunity, I can always come back later."

Yamauchi Kazutoyo himself was living under another's roof, so naturally he did not dare promise Horio Yoshiharu anything.

However, seeing Horio Yoshiharu's resolute attitude, Yamauchi Kazutoyo agreed to bring him along. At least he would have another helping hand at his side.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo had wanted to find time to personally thank Maeno Muneyasu again. Without Maeno Muneyasu's help, this journey to Inagi Estate would not have gone so smoothly.

But Maeno Muneyasu did not receive Yamauchi Kazutoyo, clearly to avoid suspicion. Yamauchi Kazutoyo left behind a letter and departed.

The group headed north along Iwakura Road and soon reached the border between Haguri District and Niwa District.

"Isn't this Koshu gold from the Takeda clan's lands? Does it circulate in Owari too?" Yamauchi Kazutoyo examined the gold coin in his hand and asked curiously.

Hachisuka Masakatsu explained, "For ordinary daily expenses, copper coins are naturally still the main currency."

"But when major commodity trade is involved, transactions are basically settled in gold and silver. There are simply too many bad coins, and the volume of goods traded throughout Owari is enormous. Copper coins alone are far from enough."

Around 1560 was the golden age of gold mining in the Takeda clan's Kai lands. Vast quantities of Koshu gold flowed out from Kai to every region, with Ise Bay receiving the most.

This was also the Takeda clan's most glorious period. Backed by the Kai–Sagami–Suruga Alliance and the endlessly productive gold mines within their territory, they not only traded blows with Uesugi Kenshin but at one point expanded their sphere of influence into Mino, Hida, Kōzuke, and other lands.

Whether transported by river along the Kiso River or shipped by sea through the Imagawa clan's routes, the Takeda clan's Koshu gold ultimately flowed into Owari.

Large amounts of Koshu gold, of superb purity and uniform standard, entered Owari. It even indirectly helped Oda Nobunaga solve the shortage of circulating copper coinage in his lands. Major commodity transactions could be settled directly in gold, and Owari happened to be Ise Bay's largest "distribution hub for goods."

Oda Nobunaga declared: We may not produce gold, but we are carriers of gold.

The gold mined by the Takeda clan had barely been refined before equivalent amounts of Koshu gold had already changed hands seven or eight times in Owari. Thus, the gold served a role in the Oda clan's hands several times greater than it did for the Takeda clan.

In a sense, Oda Nobunaga's various economic policies could be carried out so smoothly only because the Takeda clan's miners dug night and day.

"Koroku, do you know of any place that can make gold ornaments?" Yamauchi Kazutoyo suddenly asked.

"Is Iemon planning to give them to your wife?"

"No, I have not yet married. The fourth day of the eighth month is my mother's fortieth birthday, so I wish to give her a gift," Yamauchi Kazutoyo explained.

To support Yamauchi Moritoyo back then, Hoshūni had sold all her jewelry and dowry. She had been left with only two changes of clothes.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo was not wealthy even now, but at least he no longer had to worry about making a living. It was time to improve his family's circumstances a little.

"If that is the case, you can go to Tsushima Harbor. It is where Owari's skilled craftsmen gather." Hachisuka Masakatsu lifted the tachi at his waist. "This sword of mine was forged by Kiyobē, a swordsmith of Tsushima Harbor."

Sobue Kan'emon also said, "My lord, we can conveniently sell these things at Tsushima Harbor as well. The prices there are higher."

"I happen to know people at Tsushima Shrine. We need only pay a small tax to sell everything."

Yamauchi Kazutoyo nodded after hearing that. "Then once we return to Matsukura Castle, we shall find time to make a trip to Tsushima Harbor."

"What are you going to Tsushima Harbor for?"

"You're a girl. Going somewhere so far away—how dangerous would the road be?"

On the other side of Iwakura Road, Asano Nagakatsu was on his way back to Kiyosu Castle. Looking at his daughter beside him, he seemed thoroughly puzzled.

"Father, you spent so much money to persuade Nagoya Inaba-no-kami to have his wife teach me to read and write. Of course I must cherish such an opportunity."

"I heard that Lady Nagoya loves a certain kind of colored paper, and it is sold only in Tsushima Harbor. That is why I want to buy some."

Daughters of warrior families also needed to learn reading and writing; it was an essential skill. Their husbands spent all year away at war, and documents concerning domains and stipends often needed to be signed and issued by the principal wife.

During the Warring States era, husbands and wives were more like partners in a cooperative arrangement, so women also needed to understand some of the things men knew.

"Even so, why must you go yourself? Couldn't I have someone bring it back for you?"

Though Asano Nagakatsu was only an archer, he was still a samurai and had some connections. Otherwise, he could not have established contact with Nagoya Inaba-no-kami.

Nagoya Inaba-no-kami was Nagoya Katsuyasu. His wife, Yōunin, was a daughter of the Oda clan and a close relative of Oda Nobunaga. Of course, his son was more famous—Nagoya Sanzaburō.

"That would show sincerity," Nene answered without hesitation.

"If I can earn Lady Nagoya's favor and have her take me along to the Oda clan women's banquets in the future, wouldn't I be able to help Father through them as well?"

Asano Nagakatsu found that somewhat reasonable, but he truly could not rest easy about letting his daughter go to Tsushima Harbor alone.

"Our lord is currently gathering troops at Odaka Castle and Narumi Castle to build forts. In a few days, I too will march out with the army."

"How about this? I'll have that newly moved-in Tokichiro accompany you."

"Don't be fooled by that boy's shifty, rat-faced look. I have no idea what great fortune he stumbled upon lately, but he was actually promoted from a mere attendant to a squad leader of ashigaru. His stipend is nearly as much as mine!"

"Tokichiro?" Nene asked casually.

"That's right, the one who just moved here."

"He used to serve as an attendant at our lord's side, then managed the castle kitchens. I heard he also contributed quite a bit when our lord was renovating Kiyosu Castle."

"Though that boy has only just moved here, he knows how to ingratiate himself. Last time, he even brought me a jar of honey from Nakamura—his whole head was covered in bumps from wild bee stings."

Pfft!

Nene covered her mouth and smiled, as if the image had already formed in her mind.