Two plainly dressed samurai were let in by Shimakatsu Takeshi. One was a burly man, while his companions were much thinner and slender.

"The 'Pirate Daimyo' really lives up to its reputation!" I looked at the big man who came in and nodded secretly, and another Warring States "celebrity" appeared in front of me.

"Down there is the Nine Demons of Shima Toba Castle! It would be rude to come to the door without prior notice! "To my surprise, that little man is actually the Nine Ghosts Jialong. If you look closely, he is also bright-eyed, but his skin has become dark and rough due to his long life at sea, and he has a short, stiff stubble on his upper lip, but his actual age is not much older than mine, that is, he is in his early twenties. From the perspective of me, who pays attention to the "way of health", he can be classified as a "poor child" and "a hard-working person".

"Your Highness the Nine Ghosts, you are too polite!" I got up and invited him to take a seat. "I wonder what you have to say when you come to the Humble House?"

"Look at what you say!" The Nine Ghosts Jialong made a stiff face and said, "Can't I come if it's okay?" Our Nine Ghost Family was able to receive the assistance of His Highness Oda Dan Masadada, thanks to your advice, and who in the entire Tokaido does not know that your Lord Zhuxing is an optimus pillar of the Oda family! I've wanted to make friends with you for a long time, and it's time for you to do this! If I don't come over to pay respect, can I still say it? ”

"Respect...... You don't have to! "I deliberately pulled a long voice." However, I never have too many friends! The ...... "I pointed at Masuda Nagamori, who was sitting next to me. "This Masuda boss is my good friend, and I never draw a line when making friends!"

"Ha, ha, ha...... You're really in the same temper as me! Nine Ghost Jialong said with a hearty laugh. Then he took a long side of two black lacquer boxes from the big man's hand, put them on the table, and pushed them in front of me with his hand. "Shima is a small and remote place, and there is nothing to get hold of! It's just some local products, a little bit of meaning, and I hope you can laugh at it! ”

"Your Highness the Nine Ghosts, I personally like to receive gifts! But......" I tapped the table with the index finger of my left hand and said, "His Royal Highness Nobunaga has arranged for Takigawa Kazuki-sama to be in charge of the liaison between you and me, and you may not know it yet: because Zaixia is not from a family, Shibata-sama, Takigawa-sama and other generals have always been suspicious of Zaixia!" If this little bit of 'meaning' reaches their ears, then it's really going to become 'embarrassing'! ”

"Lord Stars! Do you think I, the Nine Ghosts, is that kind of person who thinks about his friends? "Although he said it boldly, I noticed that the corners of his eyes jumped very unnaturally." I have a lot of admiration for your open-mindedness! ”

"If I say anything else, it won't be 'meaningful'!" Since he wants to be a good man, I'm not welcome. "Ahh I couldn't help but exclaim when I opened the eight-inch square box, which was full of pearls. If you look closely, each one is between one centimeter and one centimeter and two, and you gently twist one piece, and the pale silver color flows on your fingertips. Although it is not a god or the best, it is indeed the best in the cold water sea pearl, and such a box is worth about 500 in Sakai Town!

I opened the long box again, and the contents surprised me even more! A one-foot-two-inch-long blood jade coral lay quietly in the box, the whole body was crystal clear and colorful. Although this coral is not very large, it is perfectly divided into eight anises and is worth more than 800 kokoi even in Japan, which is surrounded by the sea! I occasionally looked up in admiration, but I saw a look of contempt flashing in the eyes of the Nine Ghosts Jialong. "Looks like he's taking me for a bribe!" My heart was shocked. "It's really unfortunate to ask His Highness the Nine Ghosts to spend so much! What should I do in return......" I bowed my head in contemplation.

"Lord Stars doesn't have to care so much!" Nine Ghost Jialong hurriedly excused himself.

"How's that going to work!' Come and don't be rude! Besides, I won't let my friends suffer!" "As I spoke, I looked down through a pile of boxes in the corner of the table, which Masuda Nagamori had just brought from Sakai Town." Here it is! "I finally found what I needed.

"What is this?" Nine Ghost Jialong took a copper "blow pipe" I handed to him, and asked inexplicably.

"This is a 'Nanban Clairvoyant Mirror'!" With that, I gestured to Masuda Nagamori, and he hurriedly got up and opened the door. "Look through here...... Right! Turn the front to adjust the focal length ......"

"Ahh It's amazing! Something a few feet away seems to be right in front of you! "Under my guidance, he finally discovered the magic of this thing." Such a valuable thing......"

"Your Highness the Nine Ghosts don't have to care! What I value is affection. I said with a bold wave. Besides, I don't often go to the battlefield, this thing will be more useful to His Highness the Nine Ghosts who are crisscrossing the world! ”

"I'm ashamed of that!" He stroked the monocular with delight.

"No! His Royal Highness the Nine Ghosts gave me two things, and I should return the favor with two things! "Seeing the appearance of Nine Ghost Jialong as a "dirt bun", a brilliant idea suddenly popped into my head. "Then ...... Send your Highness another hundred iron cannons! ”

"You don't have to...... What do you say?! "Nine Ghost Jialong was stunned as soon as he understood what I meant. A hundred iron cannons are worth six or seven thousand, and he can't believe that I have such a big deal. "But...... The supplies for assistance have been decided! You still ......" After a long silence, he asked in a low voice.

"Smack!" I slammed the lid of the box of pearls shut. "Do you think I'm a moth who sacrifices my lord for personal gain?!" I let out a deep sigh.

"It's rude! In the next ......," he said in a loud voice.

"Your Highness the Nine Ghosts, don't misunderstand, I just want to give you these hundred iron cannons myself!" As I spoke, I picked up the brush on the table and neatly wrote the words "One Hundred Iron Cannons" on a piece of stationery, and then tore it in half, half of which was handed to Masuda Nagamori, and the other half was handed to the hands of Nine Ghost Yoshitaka.

"This is ......," he said, looking at the half of the letter and still not understanding.

"You just need to send someone to the Santsugaku House in Sakai Town with this half of the paper and look for ......," I pointed to Masuda Nagamori beside me. This Masuda boss, he will hand over a hundred iron cannons to the letter holder as agreed! ”

"I really don't know what to say!" He said excitedly. As a pirate who lives in the shadow of swords and swords all year round, he certainly understands the role of these hundred iron cannons. "Lord Zhuxing, but in the future, I will die, and I will not give up if I go to the soup and die!"

"His Royal Highness the Nine Ghosts is serious!" I stopped him as he was about to bow down. "Friends help each other, don't be so serious!"

"Lord Stars! My Nine Ghost Family will not forget your great kindness! He solemnly said, "If you have any orders, tell me so that I can have peace of mind!" ”

"I'm really fine!" I said this, and my eyes turned to the side. "Boss Masuda, do you have something to ask His Highness the Nine Ghosts?"

"I have something I want to trouble His Highness the Nine Ghosts! It's just a little hard to talk about...... "Masuda Nagamori said with understanding: "Our Santsugakuya's business in Dongguo has been in trouble recently! If His Royal Highness the Nine Ghosts can help us transport a shipment to Oshu or Dewa every month, then I can't thank you enough! Of course, we won't let you be busy in vain, and we will pay you 1,000 per boat. And if you have any needs, we at Mitsutsugaya will also give you the best price! ”

"What's wrong with that!" Nine Ghost Jialong's eyes shone brightly. "It's not me boasting, no one in Kanto can catch up with my Nine Ghost Family's ship!"

"Prepare for the banquet!" I smiled and shouted out the door.

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It was the middle of the night when I saw off the Nine Ghosts Kataka, and I was about to go back to the house after arranging for Masuda Nagamori to stay.

"Lord!" Shimakatsu grabbed me from behind. "There are two guests from Kanto who have been waiting for you for half a day!"

"Huh? What's going on today? ”

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Bears in Winter: It was only 20 years since Portuguese merchant ships first arrived at Tanegashima in Kyushu in 1543. During this time, European imports were mainly made of muskets and luxury goods such as mirrors, velvet, and glassware, and non-mainstream goods such as telescopes were still very rare at the time.