Yu Qiuping didn't expect that the relationship between Xueshan Faithfulness and Hu Song would be so good. Later, he learned from Imagawa Kaede that because Anayama Nomineru often ran to Iyi Naotohu, he became acquainted with the child Tiger Matsu as soon as he came and went. Tiger Song was not as wary as his mother, and soon became acquainted with this humorous uncle.

At this point, Ii Naohu no longer had to refuse the gift of Akayama Faithfulness, so he had to accept it silently. Later, when Yu Qiuping asked Jing Yi Naotora to be able to serve as a martial arts, tea ceremony, and etiquette teacher for Yu Qiuyu and Yu Qiuyou, the latter also readily agreed.

"I've worked hard for you for more than a year, and I've helped my wife so much." Yu Qiuping apologized: "There have been too many things in the past year, and I am really sorry for neglecting you." ”

"Your Highness has a lot of opportunities, and there is no need to apologize. I can't hide it, Your Highness," Jing Yi Naohu whispered with some shame: "Copywriting work is really not in the lower strengths. said that he was doing his wife a favor, but in fact, he added a lot of trouble to his wife. ”

"It is also an honor to be able to teach martial arts and tea ceremony etiquette to the two little sons."

·

On April 16, 1564, in the castle tower of Kuroda Castle.

"What the hell happened to Sena-sama?" Naoe Tadahei, who had come to discuss work with Sena, was surprised to find that the latter was crying in his room. So, confused, he asked Ryuko, who was cleaning the corridor on the side.

"My lord, he's been like this since he came back yesterday," replied Ryuko in a low voice, "and the whole person is about to be stunned." ”

"Huh?" Naoe Zhongping was stunned for a moment, and asked in surprise: "Longzi, what has happened in the past few days?" ”

"Actually, it's nothing." Ryuko was still working neatly in his hands, and replied, "Earlier, His Highness said that he wanted to go to Tsushima to buy some gifts for Maeda-sama and Ikeda-sama, who were grounded in Cheongju Castle, to repay the kindness of the two. Lord Sena happened to be about to buy goods for the shop in Mino, so he took his highness with him. ”

Tsushima is a large port in the territory of Owari, and trade and commerce are extremely developed. The Oda family was able to obtain a large amount of taxes through Tsushima every year, which was also the basis for Oda Nobuhide to raise thousands of soldiers and resist Mino in the north and attack Mikawa in the south.

"But when we arrived in Tsushima, His Highness insisted on buying one... Hmmm..."Ryuko seemed to be a little unable to remember the pronunciation of what he wanted to say, frowning and tilting his head to remember, but the movements of his hands were still smooth.

"I think it's called a fire gun," Ryuko hesitated a little to know if his pronunciation was accurate, "but everyone else said it was called an iron cannon." That's what it is, anyway. ”

"Oh, the iron cannon." Naoe Tadahei nodded, he knew this weapon.

The so-called iron cannon is the Japanese name. In the Ming Kingdom, it was called a firecracker, a bird gun, or an arquebus, which was the prototype of firearms in later generations. Japanese iron cannons were introduced to Japan 20 years ago. Some Portuguese people carrying muskets drifted to Tanegashima in Japan, and the muskets they carried were also bought by the locals. Later, daimyo and skilled craftsmen in various places began to imitate muskets and called them iron cannons. The Kyushu region is the place where iron cannons first came from, and the level of iron cannon manufacturing is very high. Omi Kuniyu Village and the Kii area also have high iron cannon manufacturing technology.

Oda Nobunaga, as a new human, has always had a special interest in these things that came from the Nanban. I don't know if it was because of his playfulness or because Oda Nobunaga himself discovered the potential of iron cannons, he bought, manufactured, and installed iron cannons in large quantities in the history of his previous life, and defeated the attacking Takeda family with the excellent performance of the iron artillery team in the Nagashino battle, and also made the iron cannon famous all over the world. Since then, the use of iron cannons has gradually become a trend throughout Japan, and what was originally a "treasure" for the daimyo to show off their strength has become a common item in battle battles. In the previous Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea, the Japanese army used a large number of iron cannons.

"But those iron cannons are so expensive..."Ryuko smacked his lips and whispered with some dissatisfaction, "The one who sells the iron cannons is a merchant from Sakai Town, and it seems that it is a merchant called Tennojiya." He actually said that an iron cannon would cost 60 yuan before it could be sold. But His Highness wanted to buy all 20 of the shop. He also said that he would contact the owner of Tennoji House and supply him often in the future. ”

"20, that's 1200." Naoe Zhongping smiled, if there was no additional caravan income, Yu Qiuping's current territory of 20,000 stones would be able to collect 4,000 guan a year. That's almost one-third of his annual income, so it's no wonder that Sena's iron goes crazy.

"Sena-sama went crazy at the time, and persuaded His Highness not to buy it. But His Royal Highness was determined to buy it, even if Sena-sama forced him to seppuku. Ryuko imitated Yu Qiuping's tone and whispered: "Your Highness said at the time that if the Sena clan dared to commit suicide, he would immediately spend 10,000 yuan to give him a beautiful funeral. When Sena-sama heard this, he never mentioned seppuku again. ”

"Poof!" This time, even Naoe Tadahei, who usually doesn't like to laugh, was amused by Yu Qiuping, "What about Sena-sama?" ”

"Sena-sama went to the merchant to bargain after that," Ryuko recalled the scene, her face showing a slightly frightened expression, "I talked from the evening until the middle of the night, pulling the merchant to prevent him from sleeping or eating, and finally forced the merchant to make a discount." ”

"Fold in half!" Naoe Tadahei was taken aback after hearing this, "This is 600 kan, and Sena-sama is too good at saying it!" ”

"But Sena-sama doesn't seem to be satisfied," Ryuko shook his head and said, "Sena-sama later said that the merchant obviously hasn't made a lot of money yet. ”

"Along the way, Sena-sama has been very self-blaming, saying that it is useless to say anything." Ryuko sighed and looked at the door of the room where Sena Yoshishi was confined, "I've been talking about my 600 kan, my 600 kan and so on, and no matter how comforted His Highness is, it doesn't get better." ”

"That's it..."Naoe Tadahei, who couldn't cry or laugh, didn't want to talk to Sena when he had a problem with Yoshitetsu's rooster, so he had to come back another day, "What about Your Highness?" Where has His Highness gone? ”

"Your Highness seems to have gone to the barracks with the 20 iron cannons you bought." Ryuko replied, "It wasn't long before I left. ”

·

When Naoe arrived at the barracks, he found that Yu Qiuping seemed to be arguing with Charlie about something. Imagawa Kaede, the senior officers of Tokiwabi, and the archers of the three platoons all gathered around and watched the two argue. This scene surprised Naoe Tadahei again - he and Charlie had known each other for a long time, and Charlie and Naoe Tadahei had already known each other when Yu Qiuping was still a settler. Naoe Tadahei has the impression that Charlie has always been a taciturn person who is not sociable. Every day he maintained almost the same routine, except for eating, sleeping and training soldiers, he practiced arrows silently by himself, never tirelessly. The old brothers, who usually get together to drink and eat, Charlie has never participated, and the relationship with everyone is very stiff.

People with a personality like him actually argued with Yu Qiuping? What did His Highness do to hurt the heavens and reason?

When Naoe Tadahei got closer, the argument between the two gradually became clear.

"Thompson! This firebolt is really easy to use! Yu Qiuping held a black and shiny iron cannon in one hand, and pointed to the other nineteen iron cannons in the box not far away, "It's definitely a lot stronger than a bow and arrow." ”

"Your Highness, I can't understand what you mean at all." Charlie looked at the iron cannon in Yu Qiuping's hand with disdain with those blue eyes, "Where can a bow and arrow compare to this musket?" ”

"Might! Firebolts are much more powerful than bows and arrows! Yu Qiuping said firmly: "If the bow and arrow encounter a person wearing heavy armor, there is basically no way but to attack the front door and the place without armor protection!" But it's different! I don't care how good your armor is, I will knock it all down with one shot! ”

"Your Highness, I don't agree with you." Charlie shook his head firmly, "You may not know that in a battle with the French, the country to which I belong completely annihilated their heavily armored knights with the attack of bows and arrows. The thickness of the armor of the French far exceeded that of the Japanese. I don't think bows and arrows are going to be in trouble in Japan. ”

"Are you talking about the Battle of Agincourt of the Black Prince?" As a history tyrant, how could Yu Qiuping be passed by Charliemon, "In that battle, you have British archers, obviously there is nothing to do against the French heavily armored knights!" Is it good to rely on them to get stuck in the mire and stab them to death with a dagger through the gaps in their armor! ”

As soon as Yu Qiuping said this, Charlie was immediately stunned - where did he think that Yu Qiuping actually knew so much about the history of Europe. In this era, such a distance is basically two worlds. Even the most well-versed Eastern businessmen don't necessarily know much about the Western world – let alone the history of the West!

And Charlie's reaction also surprised the surrounding Tokiwabei officers and Ashigaru. Yu Qiuping and Charlie seem to be discussing a war in the history of Charlie's home country, that distant Western country. These officers and ashigaru had never heard of the country of England, and they had no idea about it, and after seeing Yu Qiuping actually say the details of that war so easily, they all looked at Yu Qiuping with great admiration - sure enough, people can do anything.

That battle was the pride of the English longbowmen. Under the leadership of Henry V, they almost completely wiped out the French army with their exhausted inferior forces. Growing up, Charlie listened to his father and other elders boast about the glory of the longbowmen. He had also heard rumors that the English longbowmen were helpless against the French knights and were forced to kill with daggers - but he had always laughed at bows and arrows, and Yu Qiuping actually knew about such things.

"Well, maybe you're right, muskets may be more powerful than bows and arrows at close range." Charlie nodded reluctantly, in fact, he knew this in his heart. In Britain, such experiments were carried out in the barracks. The armor that the bow and arrow could not hold was vulnerable to the fire of the musket. "But you have to admit that as a long-range weapon, the first thing the musket does is to hit the enemy, doesn't it?"