Chapter 82

Ito Masaharu's group was exiled to Ezo, and the rebellion led by Ito Sukegoro was also suppressed, allowing the Tohoku region to be peacefully pacified by the Tsuda family.

Yamagata would be governed by Oda Nobufusa, but it was decided that the Tsuda family's methods would be applied there as well.

At first, the Tsuda family would have to lend a considerable hand.

In such a situation, Koki was inspecting Tsugaru.

Shima Seisho and Muto Kibei accompanied him as both guides and guards, and on this night, the three of them enjoyed the seafood of Tsugaru.

Squid noodles, scallops, flounder, and the main dish was fresh tuna from Oma.

Before being sent back to this era, Koki had seriously pondered why the new Oma tuna from the planet Neo-Aomori was so expensive.

Seeing the price of the tuna slices in the department store, he had thought that if they were cheaper, he could eat more.

But now, with an abundance of it, Koki was overjoyed and ate the fresh tuna to his heart's content.

It was as if his old frugal nature had resurfaced.

"The happiness of being able to eat medium and fatty tuna to your heart's content. Putting medium fatty tuna on rice is the best!"

Koki was delighted, but the others had mixed reactions.

Some found it too greasy, like Muto Kibei.

He was still not used to fatty tuna.

Instead, he enjoyed the lean tuna, squid noodles, and scallops.

For Kibei, born in Shinano, the seafood was a grand feast.

"I want to bring some back as a souvenir for my family."

On the other hand, Shima Seisho, who had served the Tsuda family for a long time, was eating the fatty tuna sashimi with great relish, partly because he was a warrior with a high activity level.

At the same time, he was drinking a lot of sake.

"Is it alright to let the young master of Date, who is from Ezo, do this?"

"Seisho, what do you mean by 'alright'?"

"The Tsuda family is trading with the locals, isn't it? Wouldn't it be troublesome if they interfere?"

"Yes, that's a concern. But it's fine; Masaharu isn't that foolish."

The Tsuda family and the Kakioka family, which was destroyed by Masaharu, were originally enemies.

The Tsuda family started trading directly with the Ainu to control the procurement price of Ezo's products, and the Kakioka family tried to interfere with this several times.

The Kakioka family deceived the Ainu, buying their products at low prices and selling them at exorbitant prices to make huge profits.

The Tsuda family paid the Ainu fair compensation, eliminated the middlemen, and sold Ezo's products at lower prices than the Kakioka family.

Given their conflicting business methods, it was odd that the two families were not enemies.

During the conflict, the head of the Kakioka family, Kihiro, often publicly insulted Koki, calling him of low birth.

Koki, realizing that it was impossible to subdue them, left the punishment of the Kakioka family to Masaharu.

Masaharu, needing a base to avoid freezing to death, destroyed the Kakioka family as Koki had planned.

"Then, is the destruction of the Kakioka family convenient?"

"Yes, it's not necessary for the Tsuda family."

"What about the Ainu tribes?"

"It depends on the tribe."

The Tsuda family actively traded with friendly Ainu tribes and established trading posts, salmon and seafood processing plants, and stores within their territories.

However, the number of such tribes was surprisingly small.

Many Ainu tribes refused to trade friendly with the Tsuda family.

"In our understanding, they are all lumped together as Ezo's foreigners, but they have their own complexities."

Even powerful figures in the capital of Japan often mistakenly believed that the Ainu tribes were uncivilized and technologically backward, living primitive lives.

However, in reality, they had their own languages and cultures and frequently engaged in wars, just like the samurai of Japan.

There were ruling classes and slave classes within the tribes, and there were also economic disparities, similar to those in Japan.

"Masaharu isn't foolish enough to suddenly attack friendly tribes and invite the Tsuda family's intervention."

The Tsuda family would likely subdue or attack tribes that were hostile or neutral to establish their dominance in Ezo.

Then, they would gather these tribes to face the Tsuda family in a decisive battle.

If the Date army defeated them, establishing the Tsuda family's dominance in Ezo would not be difficult.

This was because the tribes that had opposed the Tsuda family had already been weakened by the Date family.

If they acknowledged this, governing would be easier.

"Given this, Masaharu will be left alone for now. There is a possibility that he might attack friendly tribes we trade with, so be prepared to send troops to assist them."

"Understood."

Kibei accepted Koki's orders sincerely.

Internally, he was amazed by Koki's foresight in exiling Masaharu to Ezo.

Before serving the Tsuda family, Kibei had never thought about the residents of Ezo.

Yet, Koki knew much more about the Ezo tribes than he did.

Kibei wondered if even the great Takeda Shingen, whom he had once served, could have thought so broadly.

"Regarding Ezo, that's settled. The problem is the governance of Tohoku. Even if we leave Yamagata to the son-in-law, we need to help him a lot at first."

Currently, Nobunaga is gathering people and sending them to Yamagata, but they need to be educated before they can be of use.

For a while, the Tsuda family's vassals will bear a significant burden.

"Well, we have no choice but to do it."

With the Tsuda family's territory expanding, they need to be more cautious in their dealings with the Oda family.

Helping Nobufusa in Yamagata is inevitable, according to Kibei's thinking.

Even Honda Masahiro, who is not present, agrees with Kibei.

"For a while, follow this policy. By the way, speaking of Tsugaru..."

"What about Tsugaru, my lord?"

"There are no apples here."

"Do you mean the apples?"

"Yes."

Kibei knew of two types of apples: the small, sour apples imported from China and the large, red apples cultivated by the Tsuda family.

He had never eaten the small ones, but he had tasted the Tsuda family's apples.

They were very delicious and could be stored for about a month at room temperature, so plans were underway to increase the cultivation areas.

Trees were being planted for this purpose.

"Will apples be grown here?"

"The climate seems suitable."

For Koki, the famous apple-producing region was the new Tsugaru apples from the planet Neo-Aomori.

There were other regions, but he thought of Neo-Aomori when it came to apples.

"By making apples a specialty of this region, we can gain the support of the people."

Kibei did not understand why apples were synonymous with Tsugaru, but Koki often made sudden, incomprehensible statements.

His statements were rarely wrong, so Kibei decided not to worry about it.

Increasing the people's income through cultivation and gaining their support was a familiar strategy.

"For a while, we need to focus on developing Tohoku."

"Yes. Seisho also..."

When Kibei sent a glance, he noticed that Seisho had already fallen asleep.

"Thus, there were no apples in the old Nanbu territory."

Returning from the old Nanbu territory, Koki handed today's seafood as a souvenir to Kyouko and talked about the local conditions.

"In other words, apples did not become a specialty of that region until much later."

"According to the Kanagawa database, Aomori became an apple-producing region in the late 19th century."

"Since we are increasing the number of saplings, we will start with the Tsuda family's direct apple orchards and sell saplings to the people later."

"Practically, there is a shortage of saplings."

To cultivate fruit trees, the trees need to grow until they bear fruit.

During this period, there is no harvest, so the Tsuda family started cultivating in their own orchards and employed local people to learn the cultivation techniques.

At the same time, they continued to increase the number of saplings and cultivate them, selling them at a low price when the employees became independent.

"This is the same as with peaches and cherries."

"Cultivating fruit trees takes time. It's good that we can skip the breeding process."

The seeds for the saplings came from the Tsuda family's own orchards, so they could immediately cultivate the improved varieties from the future.

Koki and Kyouko thought that this would significantly shorten the breeding time.

"Talking about apples makes me want to eat one."

"Then, shall we make apple pie for dessert?"

"Sounds good. And..."

"Mitchan likes to eat apple pie with whipped cream. I'll prepare it."

Dessert was decided to be apple pie, and Kyouko started cooking in the kitchen.

"Lord, making pie is difficult."

"Baked apples are not that difficult. Lord, Kishiu wants to make apple tea, so he asked for the materials."

"Kishiu is already interested in apple tea, I see."

"Apple tea?"

"Apple tea in the language of the Southern Barbarians is 'apple tea.'"

"I see, that's how it is."

Kyouko and Oichi and Hazu were also cooking, but they were struggling with the apple pie.

Hazu was making baked apples along with the apple pie.

Kishiu, obsessed with tea, had caught wind of the existence of apple tea and asked for apples, specifically red apples.

In the Tsuda family's automated orchards, the successor to 'Fuji' apples, which are good for eating fresh and storing, and the successor to 'Red Delicious' apples, which are suitable for baking, were being cultivated, and the number of saplings was being increased.

Other products like juice, cider, Calvados, jam, and apple vinegar were also being produced, but mass production would require increasing the apple production, which would take some time.

"Mitchan, it's ready!"

"I'm looking forward to it. Eating apple pie with whipped cream... it's also good with ice cream."

Koki took ice cream from the refrigerator and enjoyed the ice cream version as well.

In the inner kitchen of Edo Castle, which only the Tsuda family could use, there was a large refrigerator, and the family could freely take out and eat juice and ice cream.

"The whipped cream is also delicious."

The production of beef cattle was still experimental, but dairy farming was well advanced.

Thanks to this, the mass production of cheese, butter, and whipped cream had begun, and Western pastries were often made in the Tsuda family.

"It's a shame that you won't be able to eat these things after marrying the Hashiba family."

Princess Chacha, who was eating dessert with Koki, said that not having a refrigerator would be inconvenient while eating apple pie.

"Then, take a refrigerator with you."

"Is it alright, Father?"

Chacha, who resembled a young Oichi, was also Nobunaga's niece.

Even with the Hashiba family, who were close allies, she was worried about taking the Tsuda family's refrigerators, which were a monopoly technology.

"Rather, it would be amazing if it could be replicated."

"Yes..."

To Chacha, her father Koki was a mysterious figure.

He was kind but didn't seem that impressive, yet he had many unique technologies, including refrigerators.

Even after hearing the explanation that the power for the refrigerator was taken from a shiny mirror-like object when the sun's light was directed at it, Chacha found it incomprehensible.

It might be difficult to explain to the Hashiba family as well.

"Take a small refrigerator as part of your dowry. You might not be able to send much to put in it, though."

"Thank you, Father."

"Lord, you shouldn't spoil Chacha too much..."

"A small refrigerator is fine, isn't it?"

Chacha's mother, Oichi, warned Koki not to spoil her daughter, but he was always indulgent with his children.

"However, you won't be able to send much to put in it, so you'll have to make cold things yourself."

"Understood."

The Tsuda family's daughters were all taught to cook.

Kyouko, who believed that a wife who could cook well had a higher chance of a successful marriage, taught them almost forcibly.

"Ugh... Chacha is getting married..."

The Hashiba family was the closest ally among the Oda family's vassals, but as a father, Koki had various concerns.

"The other daughters are marrying within the domain, so it's fine..."

Eri, born to Kyouko, married Kishi Yoshimasa; Oe, born to Oichi, married Ii Naomasa; Hatsu, born to Oichi, married Honda Masaharu; Yuki, born to Oichi, married Muto Yoshinaga; Yumi, born to Oichi, married Yamaji Masahiro's eldest son Tatsunosuke; and Yua, born to Hazu, married Hino Masaharu's eldest grandson Yoshimasa; and Misaki, born to Hazu, married Horio Yoshiharu's eldest son Kinsuke.

Most were still only engaged, but it was decided that many would marry the children of vassals.

"Even Ai is going to Yamagata... I'll be lonely... But if Hazu's third child is a girl, that would be nice."

Currently, Hazu was pregnant with her third child.

Koki hoped it would be a girl.

"Lord, the baby is active, so it might be a boy."

"If it's a boy, I'll teach him how to fish."

"Mitchan really likes fishing... even though you're not very good at it..."

His skills had already been surpassed by his two sons, but Koki thought that if the new baby was a boy, he could teach him how to fish.

"Whether it's a boy or a girl, as long as the baby is healthy, that's all that matters."

"Yes, Lord."

A few months later, Hazu gave birth to a healthy girl.

Later, this girl would marry Iwami Masaharu's eldest grandson Masahiro.

"Kudataro, this apple juice is delicious. The apple pie is also wonderful, crispy and delicious. Jam, when spread on baked rice cakes, has a different flavor from kinako."

Nobunaga, who was energetically working in Ishiyama, was enjoying the apples and apple products sent by Koki during snack time.

Due to the time and distance, the apple pie was actually made by Hidenaga.

Initially, Hidenaga thought, "Isn't making sweets difficult?" but it turned out better than expected, adding a new chapter to his legend as a master.

"(At first, I thought it was strange for a man to cook, but it's surprisingly interesting. Cooking is...)"

Initially, he made it reluctantly, but recently, cooking has become a hobby for Hidenaga.

"By the way, I have one thing to consult with Kudataro."

While eating the apple pie, Nobunaga suddenly became serious.

Kudataro, sensing this, immediately returned to his work mode.

"Nobufusa will govern Yamagata. I will assign Murai Seiji, Kura Matsuju, Sugeya Katsujirou, and Inoko Ichiya, but I want to entrust the position of chief vassal to Kudataro."

Hidenaga understood why Nobunaga was calling it a consultation.

It was a demotion from a close retainer to a vassal of Nobufusa, even if it was a large domain.

He could either continue to serve in the Oda family's core with less income but more authority, or become the chief vassal of Nobufusa and govern Yamagata.

"Let's go to Yamagata."

Hidenaga chose to become the chief vassal of Nobufusa.

"I'm sorry."

"No, Yamagata sounds fun (I can learn new recipes from Kyouko... and get Tsuda domain products...)."

Thinking about it, it wasn't a bad deal for Hidenaga.

"I will appoint Sanemon as your successor among the close retainers."

"Thank you."

Sanemon was Hidenaga's cousin, Hori Naomasa, who was also known for his abilities.

"Before going to Yamagata, please hand over your duties to Sanemon."

"Understood!"

Thus, Hidenaga was appointed as the chief vassal of Oda Nobufusa and sent to Yamagata.

"(The days as a close retainer were long but short...)."

Hidenaga reminisced about the past, but then Nobunaga gave another order.

"Please teach our cooks the methods and tips for the dishes you have cooked so far."

Hidenaga, who was becoming skilled at cooking, had to hand over his work, causing a delay in his departure to Yamagata.

"Kudataro, as a close retainer, the handover is quite troublesome."

Nobufusa, who was delayed in his departure to Yamagata, offered words of encouragement.

However, Hidenaga could not tell Nobufusa that he spent more time on the cooking handover than on the practical work handover.