Astronomical 14th year, August 5th.

Inside the castle tower of Ueno Castle, Tsugawa Soji officially received the envoys of the Nagao family and the Asakura family.

In this meeting, the envoys of the two families were separated.

The first person to meet was the envoy of the Asakura family. Soji Tsugawa talked with Asakura Keiren and Aoki Keiyasu for nearly an hour, but because the Asakura family and the Tsugawa family were too far apart, and the two families had no intertwined interests, they simply signed a trade agreement, and then Asakura Keiren and Aoki Keiyasu left Ueno Castle to return to Echizen to resume their lives.

And the next Echigo longtail family is the highlight of this time. After all, Echigo, where the Nagao family is located, and Dewa, where the Tsugawa family is located, are next to each other, and there are many things that the two families can discuss.

"Tsugawa-sama, I wonder if you know anything about the current situation in Echigo?" As soon as he sat down, Minoru Naoe asked.

Soji Tsugawa thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I don't know much about this. "Although Dewa and Echigo are next to each other, the Tsugawa family's territory is located in the Hago area, and the Tsugawa family's goal has always been the Kita-Okuwa region, so I don't pay much attention to the situation in the Echigo area.

Although in terms of the perception of Tsugawa Soji's later generations, Echigo must be the dominant family of the Nagao family, but now Nagao Jinghu is still a teenager, and it is not the same period as the history of the military god that Tsugawa Soji is familiar with. So Soji Tsugawa really doesn't know much about it.

Naoe Minoru was not surprised, but continued, "Tsugawa-sama, let's be honest, the situation in the family is not very optimistic now. ”

"Alas. In the past, when the ancestor was there, the prestige of the family in Echigo could not be compared even to the guardian of the Joshi Palace. But now, the people of Echigo are secretly colluding against the family, and the guardian is also behind the scenes, and the family is now an eventful time. Minoru Naoe said with a sigh.

Soji Tsugawa nodded thoughtfully, and then said, "Lord Naoe and Lord Nagao came to the family this time, did they want to form an alliance with the family?" ”

After listening to Tsugawa Soji's words, Minoru Naoe and Nagao Keita glanced at each other, and then nodded in unison.

"I see." Tsugawa Soji rolled his eyes, and then said slowly, "But you are far away in Echigo, and there are still forces such as Mogami and Daihoji Temple between this family and you. Even if the family has the heart to support you, they can only sigh. ”

"Huh! Tsukawa-sama may have misunderstood. At this time, Naoe Minoru hurriedly explained, "Although the family really wants to become an ally with the Tsugawa family, the family does not need the support of the Tsugawa family. ”

"Then what is the longtail family asking for?" Soji Tsugawa said with a straight face.

Looking at Tsugawa Soji's expression, Naoe Minoru said in a deep voice, "Since the words have come to this, I won't hide it anymore." There is a weapon in the territory of the Tsugawa family for a long time, which is not like a longbow and can be fired from a distance. The thing that was shot was not an arrow, but a lead shot and an iron ball, I wonder if it was true? With that, Minoru Naoe turned his gaze to Soji Tsugawa and waited for an answer.

I don't know what Naoe Minoru said, but in the heart of Tsugawa Soji, there were huge waves.

"How did the Nagao family know about muskets? The family has always been very careful about the secrecy of the musket. Could it be that someone deliberately leaked the information? Soji Tsugawa thought uneasily.

As if seeing the uneasiness in Tsugawa Soji's heart, Naoe Minoru hurriedly said, "Tsugawa-sama, please be relieved for the time being, I learned about this from a strange person. It's also very fortuitous to say. ”

"Oh? I wonder if Naoe-sama can tell the family? "Soji Tsugawa is really curious now, since he is not from the Tsugawa family, who else can it be?

Naoe nodded and said, "Of course." Speaking of this person's name, it's really strange, what is it called? Shadillo? ”

"I vaguely remember that it was a dark and windy night, and I walked in the Kasuga mountain castle Naoetsu castle town as before. It was raining heavily................"

"And so I met Lord Sardillo. Lord Shadilo showed me that strange weapon, which could easily pierce through a samurai's carcass from a distance of dozens of steps, and shocked Zaixia! ”

"Later, when I asked Lord Shadillo, Shadilo only said that the Tsugawa family had it, and then hurriedly left." Naoe Minoru said slowly, "Later, after thinking about it carefully, if this thing can be equipped with large-scale equipment, Ashigaru's combat effectiveness will naturally increase exponentially!" At that time, the family will not be afraid of the countrymen and guardians in the territory. ”

After listening to Naoe's words, Soji Tsugawa suddenly had an MMP in his heart to say to Sardillo!

"Made! Lao Tzu wants to cover up the matter of iron cannons here, and he is afraid that the news will leak out, and this Sandillo, who killed a thousand knives, actually went around to publicize it outside! Next time, if you can't bring something that satisfies your family, don't blame me for being ruthless! Soji Tsugawa gritted his teeth and thought resentfully.

At this time, Naoe Minoru saw that Tsugawa Soji did not answer, and hurriedly continued, "Tsugawa-sama??? ”

"Oh! Ha ha! Tsugawa Soji also reacted at this time, snorted haha, and then continued, "Yes, this thing is indeed in the family's territory!" "Since Sandillo has sold himself, there is nothing to hide, and it is better to admit it generously than to hide it.

"Really?" Minoru Naoe suddenly asked excitedly.

Soji Tsugawa nodded, "Naturally! ”

"Great!" Minoru Naoe slapped his thigh, and then said excitedly, "Lord Tsukawa, how much is this thing worth?" I am willing to buy 1000 pieces! ”

"Poof!" After listening to Naoe's words, Tsugawa Soji almost spurted out a mouthful of old blood, "I want to have 1,000 muskets, and now Lao Tzu is sitting in Yamagata Castle or Yonezawa Castle." "1,000 muskets were placed in the Ou area during this period, and they were truly invincible! 1,000 muskets in a round, even if the hit rate is only 10%, it is still 100 casualties.

Soji Tsugawa held back the smile in his heart, and then said with a serious face, "Lord Naoe doesn't know. It was not easy to manufacture muskets, they were transported from Europa, tens of thousands of miles away, and they were not only expensive to build, but also extremely low in production! Even in the family's territory, there are only twenty or thirty, and there is really no superfluous. ”

"This ........" Naoe Minoru and Nagao Jinghu exchanged a look, and then Nagao Jinghu whispered in Naoe's ear, "Naoe-sama, why don't you buy some for the time being, and when you return to the collar, how about summoning the craftsmen in the collar to imitate it?" ”

Hearing Nagao Jinghu's words, Naoe Minorutsuna's eyes suddenly lit up, "That's right! There are so many craftsmen in the family, why is it difficult to imitate? ”

Thinking of this, Naoe Minoru hurriedly continued, "Since that's the case, I don't know if Lord Tsukawa can sell one or two of these weapons to the family." The head of the family loves such a rare thing very much, if he can offer this in the future... If this musket is used, the lord will be very happy. I hope that Tsugawa-sama will be fulfilled! As he spoke, Minoru Naoe looked at Soji Tsugawa with an expectant look.

Hearing Naoe Minoru say that he would only buy one or two muskets, and thinking of the whispers of Nagao Keihu before, Tsugawa Soji suddenly understood the plan of the two in his heart.

"Huh! This thing has only been studied for so long, and if you can easily imitate it, I will lose! ”