Chapter 259: Taking Chestnuts from the Fire (Sixteen) Talks
Toyotomi Hideucha's visit to Misaki Castle can be regarded as a heavy responsibility. His first question is to find out the true purpose of the Beiyang Maritime Trade Alliance. After all, if you don't even know the purpose of the other party, any subsequent talks will be a fool's errand.
, it is very likely that someone helped count the money after being sold.
Luo Yuan still stated in a routine manner that the Sea Trade Alliance settled in Misaki Castle only for "free trade" and had no intention of actively interfering in any other affairs.
Toyotomi Hidenaga was doubtful and asked: "I am not overly concerned, but His Highness should be aware of the battle that took place in the southwest of Ninja City a few days ago - His Highness Hidekatsu is convinced that the opponent he encountered is not anyone from the Hojo family.
The army, with its flag fluttering, is the sword and flag of your army."
"Oh, Dana Yan is talking about my Marine Corps? This is indeed true." Luo Yuan did not hide it, and said calmly: "The Marine Corps came here to pick up my father's family. Your army's General Xiu Sheng said at that time
Narita Kai, who was being pursued, had been promised to my master as a concubine by his father, the Narita clan leader. Since she is the wife of our Kanto Squadron, how can we be trapped outside? Therefore, our Marine Corps has to fight.
"
This answer was somewhat beyond Toyotomi Hidenaga's expectation. He was startled for a moment and then immediately said: "Since His Highness said so, can I understand that the previous battle was just a misunderstanding?"
Luo Yuanyuan and Toyotomi Hidenchang's answer was very sensible. Naturally, he immediately went down the steps and said with a smile: "This is natural, it is a complete misunderstanding. Our squadron and the Marine Corps all admire Lord Guanbai very much. The mistake is not because
It is a matter of honor and honor, how can we resort to force without asking? Please be considerate of this, Your Excellency the Great Nayan."
One of them called each other His Highness, and the other called each other Your Excellency. They didn't feel awkward at all. It really felt like they were talking to themselves.
After hearing this, Toyotomi Hidenaga breathed a sigh of relief. Although it was a bit surprising that the Narita family was willing to send his daughter to be a child, after all, although his family was not strong enough, their family status was still not low. But there was this reason.
Inside, at least there is an explanation for the last battle, so I can explain it to my brother when I go back. I think my brother must be wise enough to distinguish the priorities.
"Your lord is an important minister of the Confucian sect, Bunzong. The Narita family is able to marry your lord, which is a blessing for three generations." Toyotomi Hidenchag complimented casually, then changed the subject and said, "But when it comes to your lord,
I suddenly remembered something, and I hope I can give you a few words while I get to see His Highness today."
"Oh? Your Excellency Dayan Yan has something to say, but it doesn't hurt to say it." Luo Yuan replied.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Toyotomi Hidenaga twisted his beard and said: "Previously, the Beiyang Sea Trade Alliance built the Crystal Tower in Qingshui City, Kyushu. My brother can still understand that the Shimazu family's territory is closest to the upper country. However, this time the Sea Trade Alliance built the Crystal Tower in Kanto.
When Misaki Castle is settled, another Crystal Tower must be built.
Both the west and the east are able to trade independently. Why is Osaka City, a port outside Kyoto, unable to win the favor of the Maritime Trade Alliance? I have never heard of your alliance building a crystal tower in Osaka City?"
"Speaking of this matter, I don't know anything about it, but..." Luo Yuan sighed, shook his head helplessly, and said: "I have something to say, but I don't know whether Da Nayan wants to hear the truth or a lie.
?”
"Of course it's the truth." Toyotomi Hidenaga said flatly: "To be honest with you, Your Highness, this matter is of great importance to us in Japan. How can I make false accusations?"
"Okay, then I'll tell you frankly."
Toyotomi Hideuchang looked solemn, nodded, stretched out his hand and said, "Your Highness, please tell me."
Luo Yuandao: "Does Dai Yan know what the Shimazu family paid in order for the Sea Trade Alliance to build the first crystal building in Qingshui City?"
Toyotomi Hideucha was startled and said hesitantly: "Well... I have been recuperating a lot recently, and I really have never heard the inside story. Please give me some advice, Your Highness."
Luo Yuan smiled and said: "To be honest, the Shimazu family handed over the defense of Qingshui City to our Beiyang Maritime Trade Alliance, and Qingshui City was exempted from tax for three years."
Toyotomi Hideucha found it very difficult when he heard this. The importance of Osaka Castle to the Toyotomi family goes without saying. It is impossible to leave the city defense to the Maritime Trade Alliance and exempt it from the tax for three years... This
Although one will greatly affect the income and may even cause great fluctuations in prices, at least there is still room for discussion. After all, it is only three years, and it will pass if you bite the bullet and endure it. In the long run, it is still cost-effective.
The problem lies in the Sea Trade Alliance's own garrison and city defense. Toyotomi Hidenchaga didn't even need to go back and ask his brother about this, because the answer was obvious, it was absolutely impossible.
Since there was really no way to accommodate this, Toyotomi Hidenaga had no choice but to speak directly and wait for Luo Yuan's reaction.
Sure enough, Luo Yuan had obviously predicted this. He smiled at that time and said: "My master also guessed the same, so I didn't have such a plan before. According to my master's estimation, from a trade point of view, one west and one east
Two crystal buildings are basically enough to cover Japanese trade."
Gao Jingshi didn't know whether Toyotomi Hidenaga was really satisfied, but he knew that his brother would definitely be dissatisfied, so he had to ask with a wry smile: "Can't we find some other way to accommodate this matter?"
Luo Yuan showed a slightly displeased expression on his face and frowned: "You have a firm attitude. I think there is nothing that can be accommodated. So do you want unilateral accommodation from our sea trade alliance? With all due respect, that is not called
Accommodating is called giving in."
Hidetomi Toyotomi said with a hint of apologetic smile: "This...cannot be said like this. Although the defense of Osaka Castle is indeed difficult to accommodate, I can still discuss other conditions with His Highness on behalf of Lord Guan Bai.
Well."
"Your Excellency Da Nayan, I am not a lobbyist, and I am not used to beating around the bush when I say something, so let's just say it directly." Luo Yuan's face became slightly colder and said: "My master has no other instructions, but based on what I have said to you,
I am willing to take some risks to make a suggestion for Dana Yan: If Osaka City is in a special situation and cannot allow us to garrison troops and control the city defense where the Crystal Tower is located, then we can also set aside a certain city near Osaka City as the Crystal Tower.
The requirements for the place of establishment, garrisoning troops and taking over city defense cannot be changed."
"This..." Toyotomi Hidenaga hesitated, rolled his eyes, and asked: "I wonder what your side...or your Highness, you personally think is suitable?"
Toyotomi Hideucha's words actually had some probing meaning. Luo Yuan didn't know if he heard it, but he answered quickly and neatly: "What I said below was just a temporary thought because of Danagon's mention.
I haven't considered this before, so I can't say what I think. If Your Majesty the Great Nayan has any ideas, you can tell me."
"Please allow me to think about it for a moment." After Toyotomi Hideuchi said this, he fell into thinking. Luo Yuan did not rush him and let him think for a long time before he heard Toyotomi Hideuchi say: "Your Highness, look at Sakai
How is the town?"
"Oh, Sakai Town?" Now, it was Luo Yuan's turn to think about it.
The meaning of "machi" has been explained before, and it is roughly equivalent to a market. The place name "Sakai" first appeared in the Heian period because it is located at the border of three countries (Settsu, Kawachi, and Izumi), which means
The border, so the original meaning of Sakai Town is the border market.
This place was very special just a few years ago. What makes it special? It was a very rare "autonomous city" in East Asia at that time.
As we all know, ancient East Asia was different from Europe. East Asia had a higher degree of centralization and very strong feudal power. Therefore, cities were generally controlled by the central government, and so-called "urban autonomous bodies" rarely appeared.
However, there are still special areas in some very special periods, such as areas where it is difficult for imperial forces to enter, or areas where many forces meet in troubled times. A typical example is the seat of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty court during the Warring States Period.
Luoyang, and Sakai Town in Japan.
When a city becomes an independent entity, it is natural that there must be a force to take the lead. Sakai Town meets this condition. You must know that at that time, the business here was very developed, I should even say extremely developed, and the three countries of Settsu, Kawachi and Izumi were
Merchants will gather here to do business, so it is a highly commercialized city, a bit like Venice in certain periods.
More importantly, because it is also a port near the sea, it is also the center of Kankai trade and has maintained high prosperity for a long time. With a large amount of wealth, the power of local merchants has risen, coupled with the control of the Ashikaga Shogunate at this time
As a result, Sakai Town slowly developed into a new type of autonomous city.
The local industrial and commercial leaders played a major role in the Warring States Period. In order to avoid being affected by the war, local businessmen organized a collective to manage the place in an autonomous manner and built a moat around the city to maintain Sakai Town's independence and independence.
Any lord. At that time, this situation surprised the Portuguese, Spanish and other "southern barbarians". It was called an autonomous city like Venice by the Western missionaries who came to Japan at that time.
Sakai Town's style of doing things is very simple: we only do business and make money, I don't care how you fight among the big names.
At that time, the rules and regulations of Sakai Town were completely managed by the residents themselves. The residents had a specialized litigation hearing organization called the "Ten People". Later, it developed into a thirty-six-person association to represent the interests of the residents.
In terms of urban construction, there are trenches filled with water around Sakai, and the two ends of each town are separated from each other by wooden boards, which are locked at night to protect the safety of the town. In the commercial field, ordinary businessmen in the same industry also have their own "seats"
” to regulate each other’s business practices.
This place became extremely wealthy due to trade with the Ming Dynasty during the Kankei trade period, which brought great influence to the surrounding areas. It even spread overseas. In later generations, roads with the name of Sakai Town still remain in various parts of Japan and even overseas countries.
Basically starting in the mid-15th century, Sakai reached its peak of prosperity as an international trade city thanks to the huge wealth accumulated from trade with the Ming Dynasty. At that time, many Europeans, mainly Portuguese, even came here to open shops.
However, in ancient East Asia, autonomous cities like Sakai could not last long. The essence of Sakai's autonomy was only a loophole created by the feudal feudalism of the Warring States Period and weak governance capabilities. When the situation stabilized, it was impossible for the daimyo to allow such wealth.
The places were out of their control, and it was impossible for these industrial and commercial forces to resist the army of feudal lords.
After the rise of Oda Nobunaga, Sakai Town surrendered to Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi successively. In the past few years, because Toyotomi Hideyoshi decided to locate the political center in Osaka, the merchants of Sakai Town were coerced by his strict orders and almost all moved to Osaka.
Osaka. After that, Sakai Town only had the function of a port and was naturally not as good as before.
Toyotomi Hidenaga's proposal at this time was to hand over Sakai Town, which only had the function of a port, to the Sea Trade Alliance. There is no doubt that he did this in the hope of using the strong trade power of the Sea Trade Alliance to make Sakai Town prosperous again.
Moreover, handing over to the Maritime Trade Alliance also means that Sakai Town cannot return to its previous state of autonomy.
The Maritime Trade Alliance is actually autonomous, but Toyotomi Hidenaga's mentality is similar to "I would rather give to friends than domestic slaves." Especially at this time, Toyotomi Hidenaga believed that the Maritime Trade Alliance had no territorial ambitions for Japan - normal people
In fact, they all think so.
Luo Yuan thought for a while, frowned and said: "Although Sakai Town is close to Osaka City, because the merchants have moved away long ago, there are probably not many people left now, right? Your Excellency, Danagon, such a city..."
Toyotomi Hidenaga said quickly: "Hey, your highness doesn't know something. Although the merchants of Sakai Town have moved, the population loss is not very big. With the strength of the Maritime Trade Alliance, once they settle in Sakai Town, the local prosperity is just around the corner."
Moreover, as far as I know, you have always attached great importance to the seaport, and the advantage of Sakai Town lies in the seaport. It has always been the largest port in Japan, with various facilities and a large number of ships that can berth.
It is suitable for the exhibition of the Sea Trade Alliance.”
That's true, after all, building a seaport not only requires a good port, but also requires a lot of money to build, which is valuable even if you don't count the time lost during the construction period itself.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Luo Yuan pondered for a moment, nodded, and said: "I agree in principle, but I have already said it before, regarding the issue of garrison and city defense...
"
Toyotomi Hidenaga had just thought about it for so long and had already figured out this issue. He immediately said: "I have several suggestions. Please consider it or convey it to your lord."
Luo Yuan nodded and said: "Please come and speak, I am all ears."
"I dare not." Toyotomi Hideucha said: "After all, Sakai Town is very close to Osaka Castle. Even if Guan Bai respects your previous habits and allows you to garrison troops and take charge of the city defense in Sakai Town, there are two conditions.
You can agree to it. Firstly, you cannot have too many garrison personnel; secondly, you only manage the city defense, and Guan Bai has the right to dispatch various types of envoys to Sakai Town to manage the daily affairs of Sakai Town."
Sakai Town is indeed very close to Osaka Castle. In later generations, Sakai Town has been renamed Sakai City, which is the satellite city of Osaka. It is so close. If the Maritime Trade Alliance puts a large army here, it will obviously be too exciting for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, so
Luo Yuan nodded and said: "The first thing I can agree to now is that we guarantee that the garrison in Sakai Town will not exceed 10,000 at most."
Unexpectedly, Hidetoshi Toyotomi shook his head and said quickly: "Ten thousand is too much, too much." Seeing Luo Yuan frown, he quickly explained: "Sakai Town is close to Osaka Castle, and in terms of safety, it is actually
If everything is foolproof, there is really no need for so many soldiers. In my opinion, your dispatch of 3,000 men is enough to ensure public order in the city."
Luo Yuan shook his head and said: "With the establishment of the land division of our Sea Trade Alliance, it is difficult to arrange three thousand people. To be honest, Your Excellency, the land division of our Sea Trade Alliance generally uses towns as its basic unit, and the number of people in a town is 12,512
People. It is actually very difficult for the subordinates to agree to control the number of people to less than 10,000, because only two infantry corps can be stationed, and the town's horse emblems and artillery emblems cannot be brought."
Toyotomi Hidenaga then asked about the configuration of the Sea Trade Alliance's land division - which is actually the configuration of the Kyoka Land Division, and then said: "I'm sorry, Your Highness, given your configuration, I suggest that the Sea Trade Alliance be stationed in Sakai Town
The garrison should not exceed five thousand, and it is best to have only one infantry corps, that is, four thousand and thirty-eight officers and soldiers."
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