Since Naohide and others arrived in the Northland in November two years ago, the conflict between the White Lord and the Matsumae family has continued to occur, and on the surface, there are more reasons from the office - because of secret trade and other privacy, the office has tried its best to prevent the Matsumae family samurai from reaching the White Lord, so it has taken many measures.

In this regard, there has also been a discussion within the office, in the long run, how to deal with the relationship with the Matsumae family, and whether to focus on confrontation or alliance.

The conditions of the North Ezo land are very poor, the strength of the government is weak, and even the evaluation of the beginning of the scale is a bit exaggerated, so it seems to be a wiser choice to win over the Matsumae family.

This view is not without foundation, after all, the attitude of the head of the Matsumae family, Chongguang, is not completely hostile, and before Naohide borrowed money from the Matsumae family, asked for help, etc., all of which were arranged, although it was discounted, but after all, it was all about the same, and everyone had a good face.

But when it comes to how to win over, everyone can't come up with a way.

Seal Island is the largest source of income for the government now, this must not be allowed, not to mention that the Matsumae family has an inch, the magpie's nest dove occupies, even the Matsumae family leaked the news out of the commission can't stand it - more than 30,000 seal skins a year, nearly 100,000 small fines, the shogunate must be crazy if he knows, although the specific number is only known to a few important people in the white master, but it is not without rumors in the market.

Besides, Matsumae Town is known as 8,000 households and 30,000 people, of course, the water is a little bigger, but there is no doubt that Matsumae Town has a resident population of more than 10,000 and Matsumae family has more than 40,000 people, and there are less than 500 people in Hakuba and Maoka together, so how can they be treated equally.

Especially this year's southern strategy has been decided, and Soya and East Ezo are the goals to be pursued, and the tone of confrontation between these two tigers has been set.

In the end, Naoxiu persuaded everyone: After all, there are no ownerless interests in the world, and even in the northern Ezo land, there are still Ainu and Feiyaka people, and in such a bitter cold place, Lucia and Fusang are not all concerned, so fighting is inevitable.

But the battle is also divided into degrees, after all, Matsumae is different from the Lucians, and the white lord and Matsumae are not completely unable to cooperate.

Okubo, who is the messenger of the White Lord, is talking about this matter with the elders of the Matsumae family at this moment.

"The local area is bitter cold, but the soil is still good, and there is a lot to be done in planting and animal husbandry."

Reception of Okubo is the Matsumae family old Matsumae Hirotada, he is noncommittal about this, the Matsumae family is indeed also organizing the people to cultivate, but the climate, roads, water power, livestock, tools, seeds and something are restricting this attempt, it is still important, sitting and dividing the money It is not fragrant, the Matsumae family is called the daimyo of no stone high, because the whole domain is mainly business, the first was the retainers in various places for fishing, hunting and trade, now it is the place please system, as long as you watch the merchants work and then you can sit on the ground to collect money, you mention farming, That kind of hard work didn't cost the samurai master's life.

In later generations, Ezo was the first grain producing area in Fuso, and the production of rice, potatoes, wheat, and beans was quite high, and sugar beets and flax were also produced in large quantities, and the perfume extracted from plants was very famous, and animal husbandry was also developed.

Last year, the White Lord Office hired some Ainu people to farm the land, and although the yield was not high due to the lack of manpower, some planting experience was still accumulated.

Matsumae Hirotada is a learned samurai of the Matsumae family, and a confidant of the current head of the family, Takahiro, although he agrees that Okubo's proposal is very important to the Matsumae family, but there are no conditions for the Matsumae family to implement it now, so he can only be noncommittal.

"However, Fukuyama City costs a lot, and although this matter is good, I am afraid that I can only barely do it."

It turned out that Takahiro, the head of the Matsumae family, received an order from the shogunate shortly after he succeeded to the throne in 1849, requesting that the former castle of Fukuyama be expanded into Fukuyama Castle.

Although the new fortress was helpful for the stability of the Matsumae family's long-term rule, and it was also conducive to the resistance of the Rusians required by the shogunate, it was expensive to build the city now, and Fukuyama Castle consumed a lot of manpower and material resources of the Matsumae family, which is why the white lord pursued the disguised embarrassment of the Matsumae family samurai and did not cause greater friction - the Matsumae family is now building the castle with all its might, and some things cannot be taken care of for the time being.

In fact, the Matsumae family was originally going to ignore Okubo's visit, "We have supported them with so many supplies, but the White Lord Office is not kind to us." "—as if the white lord didn't give money.

However, after reading the gift list, the head of the Matsumae family insisted that the old man Hirotada personally receive Okubo, because he saw from the gift list that the white lord was still quite sincere, and the hostility of the retainers below towards the white lord was not completely out of loyalty.

During the Momoyama period, there were 12 halls in Ezo, and the Matsumae family was only one of them at that time, and later the Ainu people rebelled and broke through 10 of the 12 halls, and the surviving Matsumae family became the lord of Ezo, although they had been married to each other for many years, but the authority of the Matsumae family was not as stable as the other feudal lords, which is why the Matsumae family has always been respectful to the shogunate - it is the consistent strategy of the family to stabilize the domain with the power of the shogunate.

Sure enough, as soon as Okubo and Matsumae Hirotada met, they apologized for their former filthiness, "If you are weak, you are always defensive, and your subordinates are too reckless." ”

Matsumae Hirotada's heart is concerned, our Matsumae family is not easy in Ezo, the retainers are rebellious, the Ainu people are unwilling to work honestly, the merchants are treacherous, your shogunate still comes to intervene from time to time, and it is indeed inevitable that the two families will get dirty, but although it makes sense, why don't you withdraw from the White Lord's office? What a liar.

Okubo said that for the sake of harmony between the two places, the white lord will compensate for a part of the benefits - of course, this can't be said explicitly, Okubo's original words are "mutual support", but after reading the gift list and other suggestions, Hirotaka also understands in his heart that the white lord wants to improve the relationship.

In addition to agricultural books, Okubo also brought some good seeds, and indicated where they could be obtained, indicating that the white lord had no intention of blackmailing them at all.

And most importantly, the white lord provided the method of making volcanic ash and masonry, and said that if necessary, he could also introduce the Matsumae family to Nirayama to buy the ash, as long as the amount is not too large, there is no problem at all.

According to the original construction plan, the biggest cost of Fukuyama Castle came from the mining and transportation of a large number of stones, but with ash and masonry, many places did not use boulders to build, although the overall defense power has decreased, but it saves money, and the defense power has not decreased much, the side by the sea must use boulders, and it is indeed a waste to use boulders in the places near the mountains.

Although the Matsumae family is in the remote northland, the successive generations of family heads have always been very enlightened, and the recent generations of family heads are also supporters of Orchid Studies, and they have an understanding of the Shogunate's vigorous development of Orchid Studies over the years.

But although it is easy to use, the shogunate strictly adheres to the formula, and the Matsumae family begged several times, and the shogunate only promised to supply it at a low price, but has been unwilling to send someone to guide how to make it, this time Okubo provided a manufacturing method, if it is true, then the sincerity is indeed full.

In addition to these benefits, Okubo also hinted that the Matsumae family, the North Ezo land is extremely remote, and the support of the Matsumae family is inseparable from the white lord's dedication, but limited to the place where the responsibilities lie, the Matsumae family will definitely not be able to engage in a place in the North Ezo land, but in business, everyone can jointly control prices and avoid being taken advantage of by outsiders.

The white lord has harvested a lot of fur, and Matsumae Hirotada has also heard about it, which is why he personally came forward to meet Okubo, and since he can't hold it down, he naturally wants to talk about cooperation.

"Can Seal Island be shared?" Matsumae Hirotada didn't know how much the White Lord had gained from the fur, but it was undoubtedly a lot, so he tried to see if he could get a piece of the pie as well.

"Why be confined to one place, in the northeast of North Ezo, there are many places where seals gather, and the white lord welcomes all businessmen to develop it." Seal Island is the lifeblood of the current office, and it can't be allowed at all, but there are a few other seal gathering places, and Naohide knows a few, and this can be operated together.

In 1635, the shogunate issued the "Prohibition Decree on the Construction of Large Ships", prohibiting the princes from building large ships of more than 500 koku, and the naval and civilian ships were not allowed.

Therefore, although the Matsumae family's territory is close to the sea, the warships are all small ships, and the strength of the naval army is like that, and it can't really destroy the shogunate's office.

When Naohide first arrived in Hokdai, the Matsumae family reached several verbal agreements, including:

A. If the White Lord needs support, the Matsumae family spends manpower and material resources, and Naohide needs to jointly report to the shogunate with the Matsumae family;

B. The two parties notify each other of major events;

c. In the event of an invasion by a foreign enemy, the two sides shall join forces to open their forces to the outside world.

The last one is: for the merchant's transportation of gold, the Matsumae family and the white lord of the agency will collect it according to their ability.

Now that Okubo has clearly opened his mouth, Hirotada needs to implement this matter on behalf of the Matsumae family.

"Transporting the gold geometry?"

"The white lord is one out of ten out of ten business taxes, and there are no other requirements." This is a policy set by Naoxiu in order to attract businessmen, but it has not been of much use, and until now, only close businessmen come to Baizhu to do business.

Guangzhong heard that it was okay, this was better than himself

The family wants a lot less, in addition to transporting gold, the merchants in Ezo also have to pay taxes in various names such as gold, if the white lord draws one out of ten, then the Matsumae family can completely scrape a layer of oil from the merchants who go to the North Ezo, as for the wind comments and complaints, can the thing be eaten or exchanged for money, how can the samurai master take it to heart?

After some hook-ups, Guangzhong felt that the white lord was not completely loyal to the shogunate, and he also had his own little abacus, since this was the case, everyone's cooperation had a solid foundation, but he couldn't be good at making claims, and after seeing Okubo, he quickly reported to the head of the family, Chongguang.

Guangzhong felt that the white lord knew that the business tax of one out of ten was a bit stupid, but the head of the family, Chongguang, didn't think so.

"If you want to take it, you must give it first. Edo's plans are far-reaching. "Chongguang has always believed that Naohide is a pawn thrown by the shogunate, and there must be another conspiracy in the Northlands, either against the Lusians or against his own family.

But the benefits in hand can't be pushed out, and he is also very curious about what the white lord has become now, so he agreed to the result of the discussion between Hirotada and Okubo - it is nothing more than the white lord buying goods from Matsumae, and the Matsumae family has a certain military support for the white lord, etc., originally the shogunate also asked the Matsumae family to do this, it is nothing more than the white lord is not at ease to come to make friends, so as not to make the Matsumae family work, which is understandable.

Okubo managed to ease the relationship between the white lord and Matsumae, and then went to Edo by boat, while Chojiro, who arrived with him, continued to stay in Matsumae and began to jump up and down.

At this time, the big merchants had to open up the joints, so it was only natural for Chojiro to visit the important ministers of the Matsumae family frequently. But none of the families gave him a good look, and Tomitaro, the ruler of the Tosa Imperial Merchant Katsura Hamaya, was also snubbed.

Knorkuya Chojiro and Katsura Hamaya Tomitaro entered the port together with Okubo's ship.,Who believes it if it has nothing to do with the white master.。

Originally, these two people should not even be allowed to enter the door, but the Matsumae family is proud of doing business, which is inconsistent with the usual family style, so for the sake of gifts, most of the important ministers received the two of Nagajiro, but it is common for their faces to be careless, and a few irascible retainers still kicked them out of the door halfway to the meeting, "This business in the north is also something you can worry about!" ”

Tomitaro was carefully cultivated by Yoshida Toyo, the city government is very deep, see that Nagasaro is not in a hurry, and he is also quiet, anyway, Tosa means to advance and retreat with Naohide Hori, the purchase business of the white lord has been negotiated, and the house can also be opened, so it will be easy to do in Matsumae, you can get benefits, and you can accept it if you can't get it, and if you don't have a good relationship with the local samurai lord, it is not necessarily a good thing to get the opportunity to do business.

Originally, according to the unified idea of the Matsumae family, the sooner these two businessmen who had a relationship with the white lord got out, the better, but by the middle of May, the wind direction in the family had changed, and although there were still people who insisted on not doing business with these two, the situation did not allow it.

There are dozens of merchants who cooperate with the Matsumae family, large and small, among which the Omi merchants' Ryohama-gumi and Kaga's money house are the most powerful, but somehow they have not appeared until now.

In previous years, April on the Western calendar is the busiest time in Matsumae Town, and there are many merchants who come and go to visit Matsumae's house to determine the situation this year.

Under the place please negative system, the merchant who pays the gold contract the area where the Matsumae family has a weak control, although it is generally the wax month to pay the gold on the gold, but in March or April of the calendar, the Matsumae family also has a deposit to start, otherwise, what if the merchant suddenly runs away at the end of the year?

But this year has been delayed until now, the principal of the money house has not appeared, and the young man who stayed behind did not know, before the businessmen of the two hama groups told the Matsumae family, "The owner of the money house, Gobei, has been arrested, I see that the money house is going to end", at that time, the Matsumae family was still skeptical, after all, the peers are wrongdoers, and they can't be deceived by cunning businessmen, but it has been delayed until now, it is estimated that this thing is true, the first cargo ships of the money house have not arrived, not to mention, after inspection, the hand-man of the money house has also run in advance, Only a few lads and a large number of guards were left in the dark.

Although the accounts of the money house and the Matsumae family are clear, there is no talk of running away with the money, but this is not good, the general place to ask for the negative contract is three or five years, and the money house and the two hama groups are ten years of long contract, this suddenly without saying goodbye is too tricky, not to mention anything else, if the money house really runs away, then this year's Yunshang gold will definitely fall a lot.

Although the merchants of the Lianghama Group said that they could receive all the shares of the money house, the Matsumae family refused to let the Lianghama Group become a monopoly, so the introduction of new businessmen became an urgent matter, so the family music house and the Katsura Hamaya returned to the sight, and at this time, the old man Guangzhong also jumped out to analyze, thinking that "although these two families are definitely not clear with the white master, it may not be a good thing."