In mid-August, after returning to the territory, Yu Qiuping first received good news. Lan Xiang Huadu: The imitation of the iron cannon they started two years ago has finally made a breakthrough! Although they have copied many samples before, the quality is very poor. Some of them exploded during the test, and some encountered a series of problems including low accuracy and easy to get hot. They were not discouraged, and after day after day of exploration and a large amount of raw material input, they finally forged a batch of finished products similar to the quality of the purchased iron cannons. That batch of finished products has now been put into the army and handed over to Kitabatake's Keike for testing.

If these finished products prove to be really usable in real combat, there is no need to buy expensive finished iron guns. The price of an iron cannon produced by oneself, even if all the raw materials and common costs are counted, will not exceed 10 yuan. When the process and assembly line are further matured, the price can even continue to be lowered. Although the current process is complex and the output is very low, I believe that it will get better and better in the future.

However, this is enough news to make Sena Yoshishi faint with joy, but it can't make Yu Qiuping feel so excited. Because, the problem he needs to solve in front of him is too complicated, that is, the disposal of the land of the four small wealthy families. Yu Qiupei and his staff members: Naoe Tadahei, Amano Keitori, Sanada Masayuki, Sena Yoshitoshi and Takenaka Shigeharu discussed for several days, but they were still unable to reach a consensus on a solution.

But time waits for no one, and it is about to come to collect taxes after the autumn harvest. If you don't come up with a solution by that time, you will encounter even greater resistance when you wait until the next year to deal with it. As a result, Yu Qiuping had no choice but to come up with an immature solution and put it on the table for negotiation.

On September 2nd, before the autumn harvest was collected, Yu Qiuhei summoned Mitsuto, Nonomura Yukinari, and Hara Yoribo to the assessment room of the Kuroda Castle Castle Tower, intending to discuss this serious topic with them.

After seeing the four people walking in with a smile and a smile, Yu Qiuping's heart suddenly sank. They are also old friends, and they have known each other for more than six years. Although there was a battle at the beginning, they have always gotten along happily after the peace. The two parties also partnered to do business together and made a lot of money. In recent years, the four small wealthy families have not even set up the defense of Yuqiuping, and they will send people to send condolences during the New Year's holidays. This time, Oda Nobunaga put them under the rule of Yu Qiuhei, which also made them feel very comfortable. A few months ago, they had also met with Yu Qiuping to discuss the next cooperation between the Mitsubishi caravan and them.

I don't know if they can still laugh after they know what Yu Qiuping wants to talk to them about. It's just such a serious question, Yu Qiuping really doesn't know how to speak.

"Your Highness Momiji, long time no see." Bee Suga Xiaoliu laughed heroically twice, and bowed to Yuqiu in parallel, and the other three also bowed respectfully to Yuqiuping when they heard this. Seeing this, Yu Qiuping hurriedly got up and helped the four of them up, and said with a smile: "This is the last time I salute like this!" In the future, in our Yuqiu home, we are not allowed to kneel and worship! ”

"Huh?" Yu Qiuping's words made Yuan Laifang stunned for a moment, "Why is this?" ”

"Are there still fewer strange rules in the Yuqiu family?" Wasuka Xiaoliu laughed and said, "Lord Yuan, you just do it!" Isn't it a good thing not to kneel? ”

Yu Qiuping was suddenly stunned, realizing that this was an opportunity to start a conversation. So, when everyone was joking with each other, he also smiled and said, "Actually, it's not necessarily a good thing." ”

"Oh?" Hearing this, Kato Mitsuchao smiled and said, "Your Highness, please speak." ”

"Although you don't have to kneel for me, your subordinates are not allowed to kneel for you in the future!" Yu Qiuping tried his best to use a witty tone to dilute the political overtones of this topic, "If someone reports to me that you still accept other people's kneeling salutes, I will punish you to do push-ups!" ”

Yu Qiuping's words made the four of them laugh, they had all seen Tsunebanbei's Ashigaru do that famous punishment move. For a while, they also ignored the implicit meaning of Yu Qiuping's words. Originally, the main family had no right to interfere in the internal affairs of each retainer's family. Yu Qiuping's words faintly expressed the meaning of interfering with everyone's etiquette.

"But Your Highness Red Leaves, what are you thinking about abolishing the kneeling ceremony at Yuqiu's house?" Nonomura Yukinari didn't quite understand Yu Qiuping's approach, and asked curiously.

"Well, this." Yu Qiuping thought for a while, and then explained: "Actually, it's for the unity of the entire Yuqiu family!" I've been trying to create an atmosphere where everyone in the Yuqiu family is equal and everyone should respect each other. ”

"But in this case," Kato Mitsuchao said in a low voice, "Maybe His Highness Momiji is relieved, I don't like to see my subordinates in front of me anyway." ”

"There are pros and cons to everything." Yu Qiuping nodded reasonably, "But in this atmosphere of equality, even the lowest Ashigaru will feel that he is an indispensable part of the collective, so he will be full of energy, and the combat effectiveness of the army will be very significantly improved." The reason why Chang Panbei was able to have such a neat queue change and a powerful gun array, and the reason why the Yuqiu family had such great achievements up and down, was all like this. ”

Yu Qiuping's words made everyone fall into deep thought. They have also seen Chang Panbei's combat effectiveness, which is far from their miscellaneous fish troops. They hadn't thought about it before, but there was such a reason in it.

"Then you're going to do what you say." Yu Qiuping smiled and clapped his hands, "In the future, if the kneeling salute is abolished at home, I believe that the combat effectiveness of your troops will definitely be improved to such a high level as Chang Panbei!" ”

"Your Highness laughed." Yuan Lai Fang shook his head again and again when he heard this, "Chang Panbei's combat power, I'm afraid that no one in the entire Tail is unbeatable, how dare we climb high?" We are not as rich as His Highness, and we can provide Tokiwa with as good armaments and food, and let them train every day. I don't have the money to recruit so many standing soldiers, how dare I compare! ”

However, after Yuan Laifang said this flattering sentence, Yu Qiuping did not speak out immediately, but played with the teacup in front of him. His strange behavior also made several people around him quiet down for a moment, and they had a premonition that he might have something to say.

"If I say I'd like to make your men as strong as Tokiwabi." Yu Qiuping suddenly threw out such a sentence quickly, and the hand playing with the teacup stopped suddenly, "Are you willing to think about it?" ”

Yu Qiuping's sudden mention of the serious topic made the four of them stunned in place, and they were a little out of breath in a hurry. After exchanging glances with each other, it was finally Wasuka Koroku who tentatively asked, "Your Highness might as well speak up?" ”

"If you say it bluntly, it probably means-" Yu Qiuping dragged out his voice, paying attention to the expressions of the four people, "I am willing to pay for everyone to buy equipment, provide food, ensure that they exercise every day, and send instructors to train them." ”

Everyone understands that there will be no such good thing in the world.

"In this case, thank Your Highness for your kindness." Wasuka Koroku took a deep breath, Yuqiu Ping was willing to take out such a large amount of chips, then what he wanted to ask for must be worth a lot. After hesitating for a while, Bee Suga Xiaoliu said in a low voice: "Then what does His Highness need us to do?" ”

"To put it simply—" Yu Qiuping held the teacup in both hands and paused lightly on the table, "Land nationalization." ”

·

"What I'm going to say next might be a bit complicated, so don't interrupt me just yet. When I'm done with everything, you can digest and digest it, and then come back to your opinions. Yu Qiuping looked at the four people with solemn faces, and after receiving their nods in response, he cleared his throat and told his plan.

"If you put it in an easy-to-understand way, my idea is that the Yuqiu family will annex the land owned by the four of you." Yu Qiuping's first words made the four of them jump almost on the spot, but when they thought of Yu Qiuping's order just now that they were not allowed to interrupt, the red-faced four barely stabilized their minds.

For the samurai of the Warring States period, the land was their lifeblood. Their food and clothing come from the tax burden of the territory, and they ensure that the family can pass on the inheritance without being annexed, and it is also through the soldiers recruited from the territory. The territory is the symbol of the samurai and the protection of the family, and it must not be lost. When the daimyo conquered each other, they basically only demanded that the local nobles submit to them, and did not forcibly deprive them of their territory.

If Yu Qiuping really wants to annex their land, even if these little tyrants know that they will definitely not be able to fight, they will definitely rise up to resist. Because the samurai who lose their territory will become down-and-out ronin, and these ronins will also make it their life's goal to restore their territory. And Yu Qiuping's move to annex the small wealthy clan will also cause opposition from Oda Nobunaga. According to the principle of size and size, these small wealthy families are the chess pieces used to balance the power of the Yuqiu family, in case the strength that Yuqiuping can use is too huge.

Therefore, Yu Qiuping's words can already be regarded as a big rebellion.

"The reason is very simple, according to my concept of equality, I don't want unequal areas in my territory." Yu Qiuping said in a low voice, "If you don't get into the system of the Yuqiu family, neither justice, taxation, or governance will be efficient, and the combat effectiveness of the army will not be able to keep up with Chang Panbei." I can't stand such an inefficient system, and your privileges will trouble my subordinates, even asking me to divide their domains as well—and eventually turning Tokiwabi into a mess. So I have to curb this momentum at the source. ”

"So Your Highness..."Yu Qiuping said this, and Bee Suga Xiaoliu was already in a cold sweat. He glanced at the door with palpitations, then looked at Yu Qiuping with a trembling look, and looked at the teacup in his hand, "It's determined to take away our territory... Are you going to smash the cup now and catch us? ”