Chapter 22 24. Encountering Owari People on the Road

Most people in the doma (the hotel lobby also doubles as the restaurant reception room) panicked. A warrior-like man with a sword stood up and asked these people what they were doing.

This group of people turned out to be the town magistrate's tongxinshu, who asked everyone to pay a town fee to support the war of the kanrei family regardless of the reason.

Kobayata felt relieved after hearing this. He thought they were temporarily conscripted men to be sent to the battlefield. It turned out to be a little money to save their lives. This was nothing to the wealthy Kobayata. Ten or eight cents was nothing.

After all, it was understandable. In such a chaotic world, which daimyo would not impose heavy taxes? If you collected less, people would treat you as an alien. Moreover, Kobayata always believed that if you can talk with money, don't talk about feelings. Things that can be solved with money are the most convenient.

But the number reported by the tongxinshu was shocking. A single traveler was charged 30 cents, while a merchant like Kobayata charged 300 cents for a load. It was robbery. A load of salt was only worth 500 cents. This temporary fee was too high, which was equivalent to robbery.

Two farmers who looked like they were working in the city fell to their knees and begged in front of them. They didn't have the money to pay. The fellow sneered and ordered people to tie the two farmers with straw ropes to make them into formations.

Others were angry but dared not say anything. Even the warrior with some status just now didn't ask any more questions and paid the money obediently. Some merchants with meager capital even mortgaged all their goods to them.

The man laughed and turned away. Even if he walked far away, he could still hear that disdainful laugh. The people who were originally happy sighed all of a sudden.

Although Xiao Pingtai didn't hurt his bones, the six hundred coins also made him feel a little painful. Sure enough, nothing could make as much money as robbing. The Guanling family was so exhausted that the local people would inevitably become more disunited, and the collapse of the country might be just around the corner.

Xiao Pingtai saw a very young man sitting there in the corner, looking very depressed. Xiao Pingtai knew that the man was carrying some needles, thread, some seaweed and two rolls of blue ramie cloth. The three hundred coins just now probably cost him half his life.

Xiao Pingtai had no pity or no pity. Which common people didn't live a miserable life? Apart from sighing a few times, he could do nothing because his own strength was too weak.

Xiao Pingtai just wanted to buy his things if he wanted to continue to travel through the city and pretend to be a peddler, so that he could pretend to be more like a peddler. So Xiao Pingtai went up to talk to him and discussed with him to buy his goods for five hundred coins. The man also seemed very discouraged, thinking that he would not lose money and gave all these to Xiao Pingtai.

After a few exchanges, the deal was made. The night was still long, and the two chatted. The man called himself Xiao Yilang, without a surname, and came from Weizhou.

Koyata pondered for a moment and asked him: "What is the current situation in Owari?"

Koichiro scratched his head with a hint of sadness: "Since the death of the previous Bichu no Kami (Oda Nobuhide), the current lord Kamisuke (Oda Nobunaga) and his third brother Musashi no Kami (Oda Nobukatsu/Yuki) have been in opposition, and the retainers have also been divided into two factions, and the internal conflicts among the brothers have intensified."

"So there must be a war between the brothers?" Koyata looked at Koichiro.

"Maybe so, Kamisuke and Musashi no Kami have had conflicts many times, and my father died in the war. So I separated from my brother and went out to do business alone." Koichiro also agreed with Koyata's opinion.

"My condolences, life must go on." Koyata patted Koichiro.

Koyata pretended to ask Koichiro casually: "Since you are from Owari, where is your hometown?"

Koichiro had nothing to hide: "Kinoshita Village outside Aichi Katsubata Castle in Owari's lower four counties."

After all, there will be countless samurai from Owari who will stand out in the future. It's always good to ask and make friends in advance. Maybe one day it will become a good way out.

Koyata's brain turned for a while. Maeda Toshiie was from Arako Castle in Aichi County, Owari, Shibata Katsuie was from Kamisha Village in Aichi County, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was from Kiyosu Castle in Aichi County, Owari, and Murai Sadakatsu was from Suemori in Owari's lower four counties. Well, there's nothing to think about. How could I meet any big guys on the way?

So I found a place close to the fire pit with Koichiro to sleep. The next day, Koichiro was going to buy some specialties from Joshu and go back to his hometown, but waves of troops were heading south from the town.

Kobayata knew that except for the Tatebayashi area in the front, most of the territory in Joshu was a hilly area that stretched down from the Echigo Mountains. There were almost no steep passes to defend, so the strategic points to block the army coming from the south were Matsui-da Castle and Kamiryu River.

He pulled Koichiro and asked him to wait for a few more days. Now there was a battle in the south. Judging from the nature of most battles, the outcome would most likely be decided in a few days.

If he set out in the next two days, he would most likely encounter a chaotic army, and his life might be in danger. It would be better to wait in the town for a few more days.

At the same time, he also told him that medicine, timber, and rice were all profitable businesses during the war, and as long as he was bold and had money, he could make a fortune.

However, Kobayata regretted it after he said it. This Koichiro looked like a poor guy, how much money could he have.

"Hehehehe, I made a mistake, I made a mistake." Kobayata laughed a few times.

Xiao Yilang also looked at Xiao Pingtai like a fool. Xiao Pingtai was a little embarrassed and asked Xiao Yilang to stay, as if hiring him to work for a few days. Xiao Yilang also knew that he couldn't leave, so he nodded and agreed.

Thanks to all the big brothers for the recommendation, now it is indeed more than 3,000, we will see the result on Sunday.