"Chief Divine bless! My Japanese brothers, you have brought craftsn and livestock, although not as many as required, but I still recognize you as my brother! ... On behalf of our brotherhood, I will return your elder chieftain to you! ..."
Zuwaro smiled, looking at Kaozaki Yoshihiro's respectful deanor, and the solemn expression on the other Japanese chieftain's face, roughly guessing the political significance of the captured elder to the Japanese tribes.
Just like the Elder Priest of a Kingdom, if they fall alive into other tribes, they must be ransod back for the glory of the Chief Divine and the honor of the Kingdom! Presumably, this political drive is the fundantal reason the Japanese tribes quickly gathered so many treasures, livestock, and people, and brought so many warriors to intimidate!
Fortunately, there was almost a month's ti. He had already discussed many tis with that literate elder, asked all the questions that needed to be asked...
Thinking of this, Zuwaro waved his hand. Two of the Kingdom's Warriors supported Shigeyasu Kudo, the Kaozaki Chief Retainer, off the Great Snow Wolf and back to the Japanese's squad.
"Ah! Kudo Chief Retainer! You've finally returned! Seeing you safe and sound is like the Flying Birds of spring bringing the blessing of good ons! Truly a delightful day! ..."
"Young Master Yoshihiro... this ti, I made the main family lose face, suffered the sha of defeat, it's all my responsibility! I truly am... truly have no face to go back and see Lord Nobuhiro..."
"This... Kudo Chief Retainer, Father had sent letters requesting you to ensure your own safety, to return and see him! Father also said, though there was a slight setback this ti, being able to defend against the Shandan in the north and attack the Ezo in the east... still keeps the main family's reputation intact and convinces other families! ... So, things aren't as severe as they seem. On the contrary, this battle opened up Shandan Trade, benefiting the main family greatly! ..."
"I will definitely follow Lord Nobuhiro's arrangents! I will also definitely take on the responsibility for the defeat!"
Shigeyasu Kudo bowed deeply in utmost sha. He looked healthy, with bandages on his hand for injuries, walking briskly indeed hadn't been mistreated by the Shandan people. But after apologizing to the young master, announcing he'll take overall responsibility for the defeat, Shigeyasu Kudo opened his mouth as if he had more to say but paused. He turned his head, looked at the mysterious "Shandan Sea Boat", glanced at Zuwaro checking horses for breeding mares, and then spoke in a lowered voice.
"This Shandan Trade, the origins of these Shandan people, their shocking secrets... I've stayed among the Shandan for a long ti, and have realized sothing!"
"Ah? Kudo Chief Retainer! You really discovered sothing?"
"Indeed!"
Shigeyasu Kudo nodded heavily, with a grave expression. Hougai Masanobu couldn't help but be curious and leaned over while Kinoshita Ichiro wanted to listen but was glared at by Kaozaki Yoshihiro, had to step back and keep watch for the retainers.
"Under Buddha's witness! These so-called Shandan people, their leader even knows strange Chinese characters and can communicate with by writing! ..."
"Ah! Strange Chinese characters? Writing communication? ..."
"Indeed! They used Chinese characters, not only asking about our country's situation but particularly focused on asking about the Ming Empire and Korea!"
"Ah! They're interested in the situation of the Ming Empire and Korea? ..."
"Indeed! They have three smoke-emitting firearms, all bronze, which the main family has never seen, not even in the entire Kanto! ..."
"Ah! Those thunderous evil spirits' firearms? ..."
"Indeed! They also have a lot of gold, seemingly indifferent to gold! Many valiant Shandan Warriors wear gold amulets around their necks! ..."
"Ah! A lot of gold! Cough... Chief Retainer, we already know about that..."
"Hmm, listen to ! I subtly inquired... if they are the 'ancient tribe with a golden heritage'? ...To my surprise, they answered that they are 'descendants of the Heavenly Divine, the bloodline of the Sun and Sky, the ancestors' inheritance when the Flying Bird rested on the tree'! They and these northern Shandan tribes were one family thousands of years ago!…"
At this mont, Shigeyasu Kudo appeared solemn, restraining his incomparable excitent. He understood the shocking extent of this secret, not only would it shake the whole of Japan, but it would also shake nurous Shandan tribes, and even shake Korea, shake across the sea... shake the Ming Dynasty, which has always been indifferent to all external matters!
And this secret is currently in his hands, in the hands of the Kaozaki Family! Of course, this greatly contributes to maintaining his own reputation. As the Chief Retainer who brought back an earth-shattering secret, as long as he proved that this secret, which is invaluable to the Kaozaki Family, is true... then his capture was not only a mistake but indeed an achievent of venturing deep into the lion's den!
"Young Master! All the secrets are on the gold, on their Gold Talismans! The 'Flying Bird' on that Gold Talisman, the emblem they worship along with the Heavenly Divine, is a clear and irrefutable testimony of their identity and origin! In reality, it is not a 'Flying Bird', but a 'Flying Eagle' carrying a snake, a soaring 'Divine Eagle'! And with a 'Divine Eagle' as their emblem, possessing so much gold, it can only be…"
"Ahem! Young Master, the Shandan Chieftain…"
Kinoshita Ichiro softly coughed, and the three Japanese chieftains fell silent imdiately. Shigeyasu Kudo discreetly gestured southward, suggesting to continue the conversation upon returning to the main family. Kaozaki Yoshihiro nodded, acknowledging it should be so. Only Hougai Masanobu touched his nose, intensely curious though he did not show it on his face.
Next, the three simultaneously adopted a respectful smile, looking at Zuwaro who was beaming with the breeze of spring.
"Haha! My Japanese brothers! Twelve mares, truly all are mares of breeding age capable of giving birth! Very good, truly remarkable! Although slightly shorter, twelve mares in one go is truly impressive!…"
Thinking about how these twelve mares, when transported back to Great Whale Island, would accelerate the herd's reproduction speed, Zuwaro couldn't contain his joy. Moreover, he already had a Jurchen stallion capable of breeding, combined with twelve breeding mares, as long as the horses are transported back to the Far North Peninsula, breeding could begin! However, he still needed to obtain a few more horse breeders capable of caring for the horses from the Japanese... and also cattle breeders who could tend to those two "Buffalo Beasts"!
Zuwaro pondered for a while, looked at the three Japanese chieftains, and then said to Warrior Chief Tamikusa.
"Bring three more Gold Talismans! I want to gift them to my Japanese friends! To thank them for their friendship in giving horses, including the previous Jurchen stallion!…"
"Ah! My Shandan brother! What is this? You an?... Ah, to thank for giving the Jurchen stallion?... No, I... are you hoping I bring more mares next ti? ...Err... the main family's mares really are not many. Another Gold Talisman? ...Well... brother, I will do my best!"
Kaozaki Yoshihiro held the heavy gold, montarily at a loss for what to say. His heart was full of complex emotions, he was even sowhat touched! Yet another four Gold Talismans... but the Kaozaki Family truly didn't have many horses left, in all of Japan, there were not many good horses...
"Actually, you can use the Gold Talismans to trade for ironware, liquor from the main family, and go to the western Shandan tribes to exchange for truly good horses!... If you have apprehensions about revealing your identity. You can also have the main family handle it, and split the horses upon return three-and-seven..."
"Hmm? Using ironware and liquor to go to the Shandan tribes for horse trading? Concerns, apprehensions about what? Oh, it seems the translator misspoke..."
"...Indeed, those scattered small Shandan tribes, like Mountain Part and Rokube, do not value gold much, but value Japanese practical ironware and liquor. So, I still have to buy supplies from the Japanese with gold before I can trade with the Shandan people to the west! The Japanese interdiary is indispensable no matter what! The gold we possess can only be transford into truly valuable resources and craftsn through the Japanese!…"
After this trade, Zuwaro had co to so realization. The Japanese clan, which collects the kingdom's gold and provides goods and manpower within the kingdom's Western Sea trade, is crucial and indispensable. The kingdom's trade posts reached as far as this, and further progress would take a considerable amount of ti to accumulate enough power to venture southward to the gates of those enormous tribes in the south, conducting 'highly risky', 'unequal force', 'hundreds of pounds of gold delivered without certainty of return' dangerous trade.
Unless, upon hearing the news, those major tribes voluntarily sail to the kingdom's port, engaging in 'equally powerful' gold trade...
"Never mind! Chief Divine witness! Since the Japanese trade route has already been opened... let the Japanese clan serve as the interdiary! Even the most violent southwestern hurricanes will weaken to a bearable degree by the ti they reach this distant northern coast..."
"And with the kingdom's current power, what we can truly do is to continuously cast gold down the upper reaches of the river, just cast more gold!… This golden great river will find its own way! Perhaps, it can continue flowing westward, flow to the 'Korea' prophesied by Your Majesty, flow to that 'Great Ming Empire' said to be of boundless power, and bring back everything we hope for!…"
The setting sun fully descended the Western Sea, with golden light saturating the crimson clouds. Zuwaro leisurely gazed westward, while the Japanese chieftains smiled at him. At this mont, it seed as if there truly was a golden river connecting the northern "Shandan" with the "Japanese", connecting Maoshili Island, and ultimately crossing thousands of miles of waves, reaching the empire at sunset...
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