Yoshigan Shiba is sitting at the top, and below are Asahide Ohkuma, Mitsunari Ishida, and Chuji Ina.
Recently, the three princesses have been working in Naoejinguan, which has become the economic cooperation office of the Echigo duopolies.
In addition, Dazang Changan was also present.
Da Xiong Chao Xiu glanced at the unfamiliar Ji Ji Ji, wondering in his heart. Tomorrow is the day of the Shiba Council. Why should the Imperial Council urgently summon him?
As usual, the village of Kamao clan guards the lord, and Ii Naomasa serves at Yoshigan's side.
After the concubines saw it, Yiyin pointed at Dazang Changan and said.
"This is Dazang Chang'an. The accompanying ministers I have brought recently will also belong to the followers and your colleagues in the future."
The three concubines met with Dazang Changan one by one. Yiyin waited for them to finish their greetings and then directly cut to the point.
"Big Bear Ji, I heard that the spring rain this year is not smooth and the rain is sparse."
Big Bear bowed to Xiu.
"Reporting to the imperial office, this is indeed the case.
This year's rainfall is more than half less than in previous years. Wheat fields and rice fields have dried up, and a bad harvest in summer and autumn is a foregone conclusion.
The emergency report to Echichu was sent from Naoejin Pass, did the Uesugi family notify you?"
Yiyin nodded.
"His Royal Highness Uesugi discussed with me that the Uesugi retainers group intends to stick to the Kanto strategy. Their idea is to obtain food at the battlefield to make up for the food shortage.
What do you think about this matter?"
Daxiong Chaoxiu said respectfully.
"Robbing food during disaster years is a common method used by the Wu family, but for the Guandong strategy, I'm afraid it will be more harmful than helpful."
Yiyin raised his eyebrows in surprise. This was the first time he heard any opposition from the various forces in Sibo.
Unexpectedly, the first person to stand up against the grain grab was not Shima Katsuruo and Yamanaka Yukimori, but actually the Ming Dynasty who was responsible for the logistics.
Yiyin suddenly became interested and asked.
"Echigo's harvest failed, and there was a huge shortage of military rations for the Kanto Raiders.
Logically speaking, you are under the greatest pressure as you are responsible for all logistical matters, and you should be the most supportive of the Uesugi Retainers' food supply plan.
What? You don’t agree?”
Da Xiong Chao Xiu said.
"The followers of the Uesugi family have actually communicated with me secretly and hope that I will support their food supply plan.
Because of your benevolence and righteousness, they are also afraid of being obstructed by you. They are using me to make their speech.
I'm ashamed to say that I was a little tempted. But now I am opposed because of Ishida-hime's advice."
Shiba Yoshiyin looked at Ishida Mitsunari, saw her bowing and said.
"Lord Ohma, you're polite. I just read some of the information sent back by my fellow soldiers and feel that the actions of the Uesugi Retainers Group are harmful to the Kanto strategy.
It’s also because Mr. Daxiong is open-minded and accepts advice readily, and he agrees with my ideas.”
Yiyin twitched his lips, Ishida Mitsunari was doing well, Daxiong Chaoxiu seemed to think highly of her.
Ishida Mitsunari, the adjutant, was actually the supervisor sent by the Ohuma Asahide group to decide whatever Yoshie Bank was worried about.
Supervisors have been unpopular since ancient times. It's okay to be polite on the surface, but it's very difficult to get along well and make the supervisees truly make friends with you.
Da Xiong Chao Xiu and Ishida Mitsunari looked at each other and smiled, Da Xiong Chao Xiu said.
"The specific idea came from Ishida Hime, let her speak."
Yiyin nodded to Ishida Mitsunari, Daxiong Chaoxiu gave her the opportunity to show his face. This relationship is quite good.
Ishida Mitsunari bowed and said.
“I dare not take credit for this matter.
It was the Lord who ordered his military colleagues to enter the Guandong Plain early to collect local intelligence, which made me discover the bad consequences of starvation."
Yiyin listened silently.
Momochi Santao was sent by him to the Kanto Plain to collect information about the Hojo family. In addition to a copy of the general information, there was also a copy at the Kanto Secretariat, which allowed high-ranking samurai to review and understand the enemy's situation.
Unexpectedly, before the army moved, Ishida Sansei had already used this information. She was indeed very motivated.
Yiyin said.
"The Wu family has been trying to grab food during the calamity years. It's a shameless thing that has endured famine for generations and there's nothing they can do about it.
There was only so much food, and the shogunate's explicit orders prohibited them from being vulnerable to famine, and the starving middle- and lower-class samurai families would not listen at all.
Why do you oppose this behavior and think the consequences will be serious? Give me a clear explanation."
Yoshigan Shiba did not expect that the answer he did not get from Umino Riichi would actually be obtained from Ishida Mitsunari through some combination of circumstances, and he was full of expectations.
Ishida Mitsunari also knew that this was his best chance to show his face in front of his master.
She has worked at Echigo Kinjin Industry for more than a year. On the basis of doing her duty well, she has tried her best to maintain her relationship with Daxiong Chaohide, and she can be regarded as looking forward to the day when she will be rewarded.
She took a deep breath and spoke slowly.
"Odaisho, you know that the Kanto Plain is the origin of the shogunate and the place where the samurai family flourished.
This place is full of descendants of famous families, and there are countless people who claim to have noble blood, and they look down upon the outsiders from Kansai the most.
The Hojo family was originally a descendant of the Ise family of the Ise Taira clan, and they pretended to have the Hojo Miao name. Their pedigree and family status could not convince the Kanto samurai family.
But her family endured for three generations under the hostility of the Kanto samurai family. Not only did they stabilize the two countries of Izu and Sagami, they also destroyed the two Uesugi families and held the Kamakura Lord in their hands as puppets.
How did her family gain support from the stubborn local Kanto samurai family? Aren't you curious?"
Yiyin frowned.
Ishida Mitsunari did not talk about the disadvantages of relying on food, but talked about the Hojo family. He was a little confused about what she meant, but he reluctantly nodded and let her continue.
Ishida Mitsunari said.
"Kuandong does not have the prosperous commercial taxes of Kansai, and the income of the Wu family is in the land. Therefore, the land tax is very high, and the common practice is six public houses, four people, or even seven public houses and three people.
When the Takeda family unified the Kingdom of Kai, the previous family governor, Nobutora Takeda, resorted to militarism and even increased taxes to the level of eight public officials and two civilians.
Even the high-ranking samurai family couldn't bear this kind of land tax rate, so they united with the young master Takeda Harunobu to expel the family governor.
In the imperial office, the land tax of the Hojo family is the only benevolent government in Kanto with four public officials and six citizens."
Yiyin nodded and said.
"I've heard about this a long time ago. The Hojo family is indeed tolerant to its people."
"But that's not all. The Hojo family implemented land inspections on the old territory of Izu Sagami and unified the taxes.
Just by removing scattered public taxes from various places and unifying the money for each building, 30% of the burden on local villages has been reduced.
In addition, transportation, water conservancy construction, and granary preparation are all in good order.
I dare to say that the harvest failure in Hojo's old territory of Izu-Sagami this year will not exceed 30%. The Hojo family's reserves can fully sustain it, and there is no need to deliberately increase the exploitation of local villages.
Yutaisuo, just think about it.
The core territory of the Hojo family is stable, and the army is not short of food and grass. However, after my Echigo army entered the Kanto Plain, it was like locusts snatching food and sweeping away.
If the two sides were fighting in Ueno and Musashi, who would the local samurai's hearts turn to?
Even if we have a strong military and can attack Sagami Country in one go and besiege Odawara Castle, how can this fortified castle that has been repaired by the Hojo family for two generations fall easily?
Once the Hojo family is fortified and the country is clear, the army will not be able to hold on for long even if it relies on grabbing food to supplement its military needs.
As long as we dare to retreat, the Hojo family does not need to use troops. We only need to shout that the public and the six citizens will not seize food, and the middle and lower-class Ueno Musashi samurai family who were previously intimidated by swords and guns will run back to her house.
People are heartbroken, will this Guandong strategy still be successful? Yutaisuo, the plan to grab food has really destroyed the foundation of the Guandong strategy."
Seeing Ishida Mitsunari making an impassioned speech, Shiba Yoshiyin could hardly help but scream to the sky. He wished he could hug Ishida Mitsunari and kiss her hard.
He finally had a good reason to unite the Shiba clan warriors and oppose the Uesugi retainers' food grabbing operation.