Chapter 95

"Finally, we've arrived in Hakata."

Kohki had been busy with the development of his territory, but today he was in the town of Hakata in northern Kyushu.

As usual, he came to look for potential business opportunities.

"Hakata is known for..."

On the planet Neo Fukuoka, tonkotsu ramen, mentaiko, motsu nabe, and iron pot gyoza were famous products.

Regarding tonkotsu ramen, he recalled a friend from the planet Neo Kumamoto who had angrily insisted, "We were the first with tonkotsu ramen!"

However, some people claimed that the Shin Kurume area of Neo Fukuoka was the origin, while others argued that the Shin Nagahama area of Neo Shiga was the true birthplace.

In fact, all records were lost when the Japanese archipelago sank during the World War, leaving the true origin unknown.

Every few years, intense debates would start, but no conclusion would ever be reached.

Kohki could only say, "Is that so?"

Local residents might be particular and proud, but to outsiders, it didn't matter much.

However, Kohki thought it was important to be careful when speaking in front of those who were particular about it.

"But isn't mentaiko better made in Ezo or the Tohoku region? Since tarako is caught in the north. Tonkotsu ramen is made in the Tsuda domain, which raises pigs. The same goes for motsu nabe..."

Kohki almost forgot why he had come to Hakata.

"Besides, Hakata is strict about big business."

Hakata Bay is shallow, so large ships cannot dock. Kohki thought Nagasaki was better for trade.

However, Nagasaki was currently in chaos because the Oomura clan, the lord of the region, had donated it to the Jesuits.

"Do not donate land to Christians without permission!"

The Oomura clan had donated the land of Nagasaki to the Jesuits, which infuriated Nobunaga.

He feared that if Christian daimyo increased, Japan would be dominated by Christians and the Jesuits behind them.

Still fresh from the threat of the Ikko sect, Nobunaga took Nagasaki from the Jesuits and made it a direct territory of the Oda family.

This led to protests from Oomura Sumitada and Arima Harunobu, resulting in the confiscation of their territories.

Furthermore, the large number of Christians in Kyushu alarmed Nobunaga.

Despite the Oda family allowing the construction of churches and missionary activities, two Christian daimyo protested the confiscation of their territories, and tens of thousands of Christians gathered for a meeting.

Additionally, hearing that Oomura Sumitada and Otomo Yoshishige had destroyed temples and shrines in their territories, Nobunaga became even more wary of Christianity, seeing it as similar to the Ikko sect.

While busy with the Korean campaign, rumors suggested that Nobunaga would take action soon.

"This might be better to wait until the situation stabilizes. Ieyasu also seems busy."

"Please wait! If we don't establish trade networks with Kanto, Tohoku, and Ezo, we will dry up!"

Kohki wanted to put Kyushu on hold since it wasn't his territory. Ieyasu was also busy supporting the Korean campaign, so he thought it could wait until Ieyasu had more time.

However, some strongly opposed this.

Shimai Soshitsu and Kiyoyasu Soshin, major merchants of Hakata, were among them.

They saw limits in the Nanban trade due to Nobunaga's wariness of Christians, and the Korean trade had been cut off by the Korean campaign. Trade with Ming China was also heavily restricted because Ming was the suzerain of Korea.

Currently, the most powerful trade route with Ming was through the coastal king Date Masamune's tribute trade.

Since Masamune paid tribute to Ming, he was not restricted in trade and needed to increase trade with the Tsuda family to expand his influence.

Therefore, the Date family did not interfere in Korea, and from Ming's perspective, it was advantageous not to trade directly with the Tsuda family, who were vassals of Nobunaga.

High-quality products from the Tsuda domain, such as dried seafood, furs, and other luxury items, were still in demand among Ming's powerful and wealthy people, even during the war.

"We won't dry up. I have a long relationship with Ieyasu. We will continue regular trade."

What Shimai Soshitsu and Kiyoyasu Soshin were concerned about was the more profitable foreign trade.

Ieyasu also wanted to continue it but was loyal to Nobunaga.

Until the Christian-related issues in Kyushu were resolved, he would not expand the Nanban trade.

Trade with Ming and Korea was impossible due to the war, and Ieyasu, a person of high standing, would not sit idly by.

The Tsuda family had established a trade route from Ming to the coastal region, Ezo, Tohoku, Kanto, Ise, Kii, Ishiyama, Tosa, Satsuma, Ryukyu, Taiwan, and Luzon, and was supporting it.

Regular routes for medium and small ships were also established from Tosa to Shimonoseki to Kokura, and from Kagoshima to Nagasaki to Hirado to Karatsu.

The plan was to expand domestic trade networks by adding northern routes to compensate for the decline in trade with Ming and Korea.

With the involvement of Tosa and Shimonoseki, the Akechi and Chosokabe families were also cooperative.

The marriage between Nobushige and his daughter had such advantages.

The decline of the Mori family and the Murakami navy had created a temporary gap in the Seto Inland Sea's maritime transport, but Nobunaga and Kuki Moritaka were quickly rebuilding it.

Naturally, the rights would belong to the rebuilt Oda and Kuki families, while the Mori family would be reduced to a minor trading role.

On the Sea of Japan side, the route from Sakata to Naoetsu to Tsuruga continued, but due to the poor relationship between Kohki and Katsuhisa, the trade volume was low, and it was only maintained out of a sense of duty.

Kohki's travels to various places were also to discuss the establishment of trade networks with local influential figures, not just to find delicious food.

"So, we need to be patient for a while."

"Please wait!"

"Do not abandon us, the merchants of Hakata!"

Shimai Soshitsu and Kiyoyasu Soshin were so desperate because they were excluded from Kohki's trade plans.

Kohki's relationship with the former Sakai assembly was strengthening, and he was also cultivating merchants close to the Tsuda family.

Thus, there was no need to treat them specially.

Moreover, Kohki was tired of their greed.

They had funded the resistance of local lords against Ieyasu's control of Chikuzen and Chikugo, and even tried to create chaos to justify their own intervention.

They thought they hadn't been caught, but Ieyasu, known for his information network, was well aware of it.

However, they hadn't been eliminated because their sudden disappearance would affect the governance of Chikuzen and Chikugo.

Kohki, hearing this from Ieyasu, decided not to provide them with any benefits.

This was also Ieyasu's request.

The plan was to reduce their status and financial power before making them bow.

If that didn't work, they might be eliminated along with their families.

"No, our large ships can't dock in Hakata Bay. Saying we're abandoning you is an exaggeration. Medium and small ships are regularly docking. When Nagasaki stabilizes, large ships can also trade, but dredging the bay is the only solution."

"Dredging Hakata Bay? That would require a lot of time and money..."

"Indeed. Can you provide it?"

"No, we don't have that kind of money..."

"Excuse me, I have some business to attend to..."

When asked for funding for the dredging project, Shimai Soshitsu and Kiyoyasu Soshin left Kohki's presence as if fleeing.

"They are already big merchants, yet they are so greedy."

In the end, the dredging of Hakata Bay was done much later, and Shimai Soshitsu and Kiyoyasu Soshin gradually reduced their business scale.

"If the bay is dredged, Hakata's value as a trading port will be high!"

In the future, the person who invested a large sum to dredge Hakata Bay was Haga Soshu, who had gained immense wealth through overseas activities.

He generously provided the wealth he gained to the development of Hakata, further increasing his assets and becoming known as the father of Hakata and the greatest merchant of the region.

"Nice to meet you, I am Nabeshima Naomasa."

After negotiating with Ieyasu, Kohki immediately headed to Hizen.

Nagasaki was still in chaos, but trade with medium and small ships had started in Hirado, and he wanted to greet the lord, Nabeshima Naomasa.

Naomasa had risen from the steward of the Ryuzoji family to become the lord.

When the Oda family landed in Kyushu, the Ryuzoji family, which had taken land from the declining Otomo family, was at its peak.

The head, Ryuzoji Takanobu, decided to fight the Oda family, while Naomasa advocated surrender.

Enraged, Takanobu placed Naomasa under house arrest and then fought the Oda family.

The result was the loss of Takanobu, Masahisa, and many other retainers and soldiers, leading to the destruction of the army.

Naomasa, who survived due to his house arrest, quickly abandoned the territories of Chikuzen, Chikugo, Higo, and Buzen, fortified Hizen, and sent a surrender envoy to Nobunaga.

Impressed by Naomasa's quick action, Nobunaga entrusted him with the entire Hizen province.

However, Naomasa was struggling with the loss of retainers and Christian issues.

"Please wait a little longer. The situation in Nagasaki will stabilize soon."

Naomasa was considerate of Kohki.

If the Tsuda family's trading ships could dock safely in Nagasaki, Hizen's economy would improve.

Stable lives for the people would reduce the number of those who turned to Christianity out of poverty.

Naomasa expected Kohki's skills, which had destroyed the Ikko sect.

"By the way, what kind of specialties does Hizen have?"

"Excuse me, are you asking me?"

Kohki thought, "Aren't you the local?"

"Well, yes, but Tsuda-dono has successfully developed various products in Kanto, Tohoku, and Ezo, so I thought it might be helpful..."

Kohki had never been to the planet Neo Nagasaki.

While champon and castella might be questionable, the region had abundant seafood that could be processed.

Loquat and mandarins didn't exist in this era, but they were being produced in the Boso region of the Tsuda domain.

Camellia oil could be extracted and used for food, cosmetics, varnish, and polishing crafts.

It was also useful as a hair styling product and for maintaining sailors' health, so production had started in the Izu Islands and could be cultivated in Nagasaki.

Pearl cultivation was possible, but Kohki wasn't so generous as to share the technology with the relatively unknown Nabeshima family, which he kept secret even from the Oda family.

"I see..."

Even with Kohki's rough suggestions, Naomasa listened attentively.

He had become the lord of Hizen unexpectedly, but to gain support from the local people, he needed to improve their lives quickly.

"I can provide some seafood processing techniques."

"Thank you!"

Karasumi, which was not produced in the Tsuda domain, was a high-end product that could generate some profit.

Dried and grilled aji were also in demand, and Kohki thought it was fine to share the techniques.

"Thank you."

Kohki received a polite thank you from Naomasa, even though he hadn't given much advice.

Naomasa had to send troops to Korea despite the difficult situation in his domain.

"Higo is... Katsuhisa's brother's territory, so I'll leave it alone."

Kohki left Higo, which was governed by Sassa Narimasa, and headed to Satsuma.

However, the poverty there made him feel uneasy.

"Welcome."

When Kohki arrived in Satsuma, he was greeted by Shimazu Yoshihisa, also known as Ryuhaku, whose eyes were sunken.

He had lost many retainers to the Oda family, lost Satsuma and Hyuga, and forced his brother Yoshiaki to commit suicide due to the Meiho Rebellion.

The burden of the Korean expedition led by his brothers Yoshihiro and Tadahiro, and the current state of Satsuma, made it the poorest region in the country.

"Even if we turn it upside down, nothing will come out."

"Um... What should I say..."

"Tsuda-dono is not sending troops to Kyushu, so there are few who resent the Shimazu family. Please be at ease."

"Hmm..."

Kohki wondered if an Oda family vassal would be assassinated out of resentment if they appeared in Satsuma.

He couldn't ask Yoshihisa directly, so he said nothing.

"What do you think of Satsuma, Tsuda-dono?"

"Well..."

First, securing food was essential. If left as is, a second or third Meiho Rebellion might occur.

People turned to rebellion due to poverty and lack of future prospects, and Satsuma met these conditions.

"Food is the priority."

"Securing food first..."

"Stop focusing on rice. Cultivate other crops except for the small areas suitable for rice."

Kohki insisted on cultivating sweet potatoes, soybeans, and rapeseed, and raising pigs when there was enough surplus.

Satsuma was known for black pigs, and Kohki thought the same for Neo Kagoshima, but they didn't exist in this era.

"But if we fail..."

"I will provide food until you succeed."

The situation in Satsuma was much worse than in Hizen.

If left as is, it could cause unrest in Kyushu and lead to the collapse of the Korean expedition due to supply issues.

"We have nothing to sell."

"You do."

First, the shirasu, which forms the shirasu plateau covering most of Satsuma.

Made from volcanic ash and pumice, it can be used as an abrasive, concrete aggregate, and soil and fertilizer for gardening.

Exporting this to the Tsuda domain would help.

Satsuma also had many mines, including gold and silver mines.

Exporting minerals to buy food and increasing sweet potato production in the meantime, Kohki explained to Yoshihisa.

"Also, producing katsuobushi in枕崎? I can sell you the technology if needed."

"Thank you."

Yoshihisa accepted Kohki's proposal.

Sweet potatoes, which were not very sweet and used as feed in the future, required little effort and produced a large yield.

Fields were created throughout Satsuma to plant sweet potatoes, and the production of soybeans and rapeseed was increased.

During the crop transition, the increased mining and shirasu export would support food needs.

With the reduction of the Shimazu family, the number of samurai had increased abnormally, so Yoshihisa used them as miners, farmers, and fishermen.

With fewer men due to the Korean expedition, jobs were assigned to the elderly, women, and children.

"I know it's pitiful, but give them food based on their work and keep them busy. This will prevent rebellions."

"That's the only way..."

Yoshihisa was impressed by Kohki's practical thinking.

"Finally, we can breathe a sigh of relief..."

A year later, in front of vast sweet potato fields, Yoshihisa sighed in relief, having escaped the worst-case scenario.

"Since we don't have many souvenirs, I caught this on the way back."

After inspecting Kyushu, Kohki met with Kyouko in Ishiyama.

While there weren't many Kyushu souvenirs, Kohki had caught something on the way back.

"Ta-da! Look at this giant kue! Oh, in Kyushu, it's called ara. Not the leftover parts of fish, though."

Ara, a high-end fish in Kyushu, is often served as sashimi or in hot pots.

"Did you catch this, Mitsu?"

Kyouko, who knew Kohki's fishing skills, looked at him suspiciously.

"It's my ship, so it's like I caught it..."

In reality, a young crew member, ordered by Kohki to fish, had luckily caught it.

"Don't worry about the details. I've already rewarded him, and the kue is perfectly prepared and refrigerated. Let's eat quickly."

Kohki had given the young crew member a bag of gold and his fishing gear as a reward.

As a leader, it was natural to reward subordinates for their achievements.

"That's true."

Kyouko and the Tsuda family's dedicated chef prepared a luxurious course of kue, including sashimi, hot pot, fin sake, sushi, rice porridge, butter-grilled stomach, blanched skin, tempura, and liver stir-fry.

"Actually, it's a specialty of Kii, but since it was caught in Kyushu, it's ara cuisine."

"Well, it doesn't matter. It looks as delicious as fugu."

Suddenly, Nobunaga was sitting at the table.

Kohki hadn't invited him and planned to visit him the next day, but since the Tsuda residence wasn't completed