"What? Lord Nobuhiro, the Kakizaki Clan intends to break away from its main house and become a country of its own?"
The fragrance of tea in the quiet room had yet to disperse. When the two people in the room heard those words, both were greatly astonished.
Kakizaki Mitsuhiro's expression shifted and changed, shocked by his father's ambition, yet secretly in agreement.
As the deputy of the Tsugaru Ando Clan, the Kakizaki Clan served as protector of Kamikuni in Ezo. They had to pay tribute regularly and obey the Tsugaru Ando Clan's demands to send troops. This vassal relationship continually drained the Kakizaki Clan's wealth and manpower, while also restraining the Kakizaki Clan's expansion in Ezo Land.
"Lord Nobuhiro, please think thrice! In the Kamakura period, the Tsugaru Ando Clan was the Ezo Kanrei, with domains spread across Mutsu, Dewa, and Ezo Land. For a time, they were a great power of the northeast! At present, although the Ando Clan has split in two, with the Hiyama Ando Clan of Shimokuni standing opposed to the Minato Ando Clan of Kamikuni."
"But even the Hiyama Ando Clan, to whom the Kakizaki Clan owes loyalty, still has at least sixty thousand koku of direct holdings, controls more than fifty thousand people, and has two thousand warriors! Add to that the Hiyama Ando Clan's various vassals, and compared with them, the Kakizaki Clan..."
At this point, the great merchant Morino Kiyoshi paused, his expression grave, and said no more. But the meaning within needed no words.
Beside him, Kakizaki Mitsuhiro lowered his head and sighed soundlessly. The Kakizaki Clan's strength was only one-tenth of the main house's, with a little over two hundred semi-professional warriors at most.
Although in Ezo Land, the Kakizaki warriors, relying on better equipment and fighting skill, could make