"Ancestor, my Sanda brother. Elder Kudo offers his heartfelt respect for the hospitality you showed us before. You are like a lantern before the Buddha, lighting the smile at the Buddha's lips, and you possess the same compassionate heart!... Might you, as agreed, also release the three captured Yabusame cavalrymen of our house?..."
"Yoshi, my Wajin brother. Reindeer need sleds, and Hounds to guide the way. Horses also need ropes, and good Horse Keepers. The tribe intends to keep the three cavalrymen to raise horses for the tribe. Unless... there are new hands who can replace them..."
As the setting sun sank, the transaction between the kingdom and the Kakizaki Clan abruptly picked up speed. On this savage, desolate Ezo plain, trust was an exceedingly precious thing, like vegetable shoots that had only just sprouted. Therefore, neither side wanted to spend the night here. That would be far too unsafe.
The kingdom detained three Kakizaki Clan cavalrymen and demanded Horse Keepers and cattle herders. Kakizaki Mitsuhiro was only slightly surprised and did not say much. He gave a few instructions to his trusted man Kinoshita Ichiro, who answered with a "hai" and walked straight toward the ranks of Wajin young men and women.
Then, after a few loud scoldings from the warriors, five trembling Matsumae farmers were pushed out by the terrified crowd. The warriors questioned them harshly for a while longer before bringing the five before the "Sanda chieftain." Kinoshita Ichiro leaned close to Kakizaki Mitsuhiro's ear and whispered something in a low voice. Kakizaki Mitsuhiro's eyes immediately lit up, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly.
Sensing their unfortunate fate, the Matsumae farmers wept with tears streaming down, clutching and tugging at one another, yet none dared make a sound or resist the warriors of the Kakizaki