The process of taking Kanesaki Castle can probably be regarded as "outwitting". However, after careful calculation, it took more than ten days and two or three thousand soldiers, although the fundamentals were not shaken, but there were always some bruises.

So the army of the Oda family rested near the city for a while, and the dead and wounded were compensated.

The defenders of about 3,000 men were allowed to leave safely, and Nobunaga, riding on his horse, watched the discouraged soldiers retreat north in despair.

According to the previous agreement, none of them were harmed, including the guard general Asakura Keiheng.

This was not because of how well-behaved Nobunaga was, but because he hoped that the defeat of the three thousand would bring back the panic and provoke further internal divisions among the enemy.

This trick may not be used anywhere else, but it may work well in Echizen.

Because the Asakura family system is strict and the bureaucratic system is mature, it is a rare outlier among the Sengoku daimyos. This is also the reason why they have lasted for eleven generations, and they have been able to maintain their rule regardless of whether they are virtuous or unscrupulous.

However, having enjoyed the security and stability of the bureaucracy, we have to face the rigidity and hypocrisy of the bureaucracy.

Ordinary daimyo, as long as he takes the lead and does not avoid the rain arrows, the horizontal knife immediately stands in front of the army and yells, "Lao Tzu fought with you today!" It was enough to make most of the retainers and generals inspired, brave and fearless.

But the Asakura family can't do it, and the civil officials will tell you that this is against the ancestral system and is very dangerous.

Asakura Yoshikei is not the kind of person who has the courage at all.

While Oda Nobunaga was full of ambition and high spirits, Hirate Honhide had already found a secluded place in the burned down port town of Kanesaki Castle and built a temporary residence for himself.

And on the day of entering the city, I waited for Yumitsu Numata, Kayo Ieka, Ishikawa Goemon and others who were sent to Lake Biwa.

The matter was urgent, and the flat hand Fan Xiu had no intention of greeting, and immediately asked: "How is the situation?" ”

Although Numata Yumitsu ran back and forth, he still maintained his neatness and brilliance, and when he heard this, he just smiled calmly and calmly, bowed down and said, "Fortunately, I don't disgrace my life." There are a total of eight wealthy families on Lake Biwa, with a total of more than 100 boats, 700 sailors, and 3,600 soldiers. Five of them had long intended to belong to the Oda family, just to continue to enjoy the right to earn a living in this place; There are also two families who were not very friendly with me in the past, but this time they agreed to borrow a boat, and my subordinates asked Ishikawa-sama to send someone to spy on me; There is only one family that relies on the Enryakuji Temple of Mt. Hiei as a backer, and it is not disrespectful, and it has been captured by the lord of the township, waiting for you to fall. ”

"Well done." Fan Xiu first made an affirmation, and then was slightly puzzled, "What can a wealthy family of this scale have to do with Enryakuji Temple?" ”

Numata Yumitsu did a lot of homework, and immediately replied clearly: "It is said that the family will give the temple ten pieces of silver and two hundred salted fish every year. ”

"Can this be regarded as a backer?" Tie Hyun Xiu sneered disdainfully.

On the other side, Numata Yumitsu also thought it was ridiculous, but the other two retainers didn't think so.

Ishikawa Goemon bowed down and explained, "My lord! In fact, the monks of Enryakuji Temple do not have much property themselves, and they all rely on the offerings of small families in small villages to get fine clothes and food. Therefore, if there is a sacrifice, even if it is only five stone rice and three silver coins, Enryakuji Temple has always been a little sheltered. Many villages were poor, but they still squeezed out a little surplus money and sent it to the temple just to prevent the daimyo from overpaying taxes. ”

Bai Xiangjia is clumsy and not good at words, but he also nodded his head again and again in agreement.

It's a shame that both of them are from the bottom, so they know these things.

Hearing this, Hijo was silent for a while, and then ordered, "What did you say...... It makes sense, and there is no need to offend the Buddhists at present. Uenosuke (Numata Yumitsu) You just make one more trip and bring a hundred kan gift money to Enryakuji Temple, and I think it will be able to settle the matter. ”

All the ministers are called wise.

After pondering for a moment, Fan Xiu continued to ask, "Uenosuke, you have been dealing with this group of sailors on Lake Biwa for two years, can you know how they have survived in the past few decades?" ”

"I do know a little bit about it." Speaking of this, Numata Yumitsu is still confident, "The Lake Biwa naval army began to entrench in this place a hundred years ago, and in that year, they also paid one-tenth of the tax to the shogunate, and there would be as many as 300 kan in good years and one or two hundred kan in disaster years. ”

"In other words, their income all year round is only 3,000 yuan when the business is at its best?" This figure is even lower than Fanxiu imagined, and it seems that lake transportation really cannot be compared with sea transportation.

Yumitsu Numata replied, "That's true. It is precisely because of its insignificance that in recent decades, the heroes have not taken it to heart and have not spent their efforts on this matter, so the Lake Biwa naval army has been uncontrolled and free to act recklessly. In the past few years, the Oda Hall has probably been in full swing, and it has not yet been taken into account. ”

At this time, Ishikawa Goemon added: "Actually, Rokkaku and Asai have long been eyeing the benefits of the lake, but they are hostile to each other in the south and north, and each of them controls part of the coastal area of Lake Biwa, and the naval army is attached to one of them, which is tantamount to offending the other, which is not because they are arrogant in nature. ”

"That's what Ishikawa-sama said." Numata Yumitsu's speech was interrupted, and he didn't make a show, but only tactfully expressed his dissatisfaction: "But what Ishikawa-sama doesn't know is that most of the sailors are nervous about this, and they all hope that there will be people of high moral integrity to ensure the safety of Kinai. ”

Ishikawa didn't speak again. As a former "ranger", he seems to have a lot of sympathy for the free and uncontrolled Biwa Lake sailors, and he rarely replied to two sentences.

Pingshou saw it in his eyes, but he didn't take it to heart, but he had already considered other problems.

It's true that there is no oil or water in this part of Lake Biwa, but since it is in front of you, you always have to find a way to deal with it.

As soon as he thought of this, he opened his mouth and said to Numata Yumitsu, "Uenosuke, if I recommend you to Oda Danmasa to be the 'Biwa Lake Commissioner' and manage water affairs as a whole, do you have any intentions?" ”

"Lake Biwa?" Numata Yumitsu was stunned for a moment, "Is this a position you came up with temporarily?" ”

"Exactly." Fan Xiu smiled and nodded, "I don't think Oda Danzheng can afford this kind of income either, and the taxes paid by the navy army in the future will be regarded as a good fortune, which is just right." ”

This position is indeed a whim.

Yumitsu Numata is a talented and simple person, but it is difficult to feel at ease when entrusted with important tasks, and it is a pity to abandon it, and it can be said that it is a difficult compromise option to stay in the Heite family to deal with flashy ceremonial foreign affairs. Today, seeing that he has handled the affairs of Lake Biwa properly, it is better to simply find a full-time job, and he can command those sailors more justifiably.

Although he was not high and did not have much power, if he was accepted, he would become a direct minister of the Oda family, and he could further develop in the civil service system in the future, or play a role in the use of force against Tanba, Wakasa, and Tango.

All in all, it is both public and private, which does not delay talents, but also expands the circle of "tie factions".

There are already a lot of people who have been actively and passively recommended to go to the Oda family, Matsui Yukan is now a central civil official, Tokuyama Norihide has become the general of the Ashigaru of the Banner Army, and the nine ghosts of the water army, Suga Dacho have a relationship, and Hori Hidemasa and Senshi Hidehisa, who are close to the public, have also been recommended...... Coupled with the good friends and the strength of the ride, it maintains a certain influence, but never crosses the line.

Numata Yumitsu thought for a while, knowing that the benefits of this matter outweighed the disadvantages, and he bowed down without hesitation and said, "Then thank you for recommending it!" ”

Without further ado, the tie immediately took the party to ask for instructions.

At this moment, Oda Nobunaga was still patrolling on a tall horse, and when he heard Honhide's proposal, he laughed and replied, "It is indeed necessary to send someone to manage the lake, but it is not only water transportation on Lake Biwa, but also fishing and reed harvesting. In this way, the Numata Yumitsu you mentioned will be appointed as the 'Lake Biwa Boat Officer', and there will be another 'Lake Biwa Fishing and Hunting Agency' - call Heiko Taneyoshi over! The position was given to him! ”

It was rare for the Great Demon King to be concise and concise to say such a long sentence at once, which made Pingshou Fan Xiu a little surprised, and he didn't react for a while.

Then I thought about it, and realized that Nobunaga had quietly taken the suggestion on the surface, but added checks and balances and supervision.

Of course, Fanxiu has nothing to complain about this, just a routine operation.