Chapter 65

"This hardtack seems to provide nutrition, but it really dries out the throat."

Tsuji's army had occupied southern Mutsu, but they had yet to disband their mobilization. They were prepared for the possible rebellion of local samurai and temples.

Therefore, Horio Yoshiharu, who commanded the troops, was not particularly busy, but he continued to stay in the field camp on site. The meals were properly served hot, but occasionally the hardtack, which he heard was developed by his lord, Kōki, would appear, and he found it difficult to eat.

"I think the taste is not bad, but it just dries out the throat when I eat it."

"Ensuring a supply of clean water during a march is important, and the hardtack increases water consumption, which makes me wonder," Yoshiharu thought.

"Lord Shigehiro, water is also needed to cook rice, so there's not much difference, is there?"

Yamana Kazutoyo, who was dining with him, actually liked the hardtack. Secretly, his latest trend was to soften it with water in his mouth before eating it.

"The sugar cubes that come with the hardtack are great."

During Tsuji's army's invasion of southern Mutsu, canned food was adopted for the first time as a supply item. Due to the extremely low production volume, the number was still small. However, if the development in Kanto progressed, the canning factory was planned to expand.

"But I find it strange that the can is made of metal, and the can opener, which is used to open the can, is also made of metal. Why can the can be opened with the same metal?"

"That's because the metal used in the can opener is harder than the metal used in the can, isn't it?"

Yoshiharu's question left Kazutoyo with no other answer. He thought such questions should be directed to Honda Masanobu or Takebe Yoshimbei, who were smarter than him.

"Still, I guess we have our limits in answering that... I actually asked Lord Yoshimbei, but he gave the same answer as Kazutoyo."

Yoshimbei was a military strategist and did not know the technical details of canning, so it was understandable that his answer was the same as Kazutoyo's.

"It can preserve food for a long time and is more convenient to carry than bottled food. Isn't that good enough?"

"That's true. It would be great if it became more widespread."

Since it was only a trial adoption, the quantity and variety of canned food were still limited. There were only hardtack with sugar cubes, mackerel in miso, grilled horse mackerel, whale in Daidai stew, peach cans, and mandarin orange cans.

"Once more factories are established, the production volume will naturally increase."

While the two continued their conversation over the meal, it was interrupted by a visitor. A soldier guarding the headquarters informed them of the visitor.

"Commander, a local village headman has come to visit."

"Let him in."

"Did he come to sell food?"

"Most likely."

Recently, many merchants, farmers, and village headmen had come to sell food to Tsuji's army. Due to the shortage of money in the Tohoku region, counterfeit coins were also rampant, and they began to bring various foods to obtain Eiraku coins from the new army. According to Kōki's instructions, they were told to buy everything without refusal and at a price higher than the market rate.

This would reduce the burden of supplying the large Tsuji army and serve as an excellent pacification effort.

"Lord Horio, I have come to sell rice today."

"That's fine. Ask the person in charge about the price. We will buy everything."

"Thank you very much."

Usually, it would end there, but the village headman noticed something. It was a can that had been opened with a can opener.

"Lord Horio, what is that?"

"Oh, that's a can that our army has started to adopt experimentally."

"A can?"

"Yes, a can is..."

When Yoshiharu explained the can to the village headman, he was surprised and widened his eyes.

"Such a convenient thing exists!"

"There are still few of them..."

"Please, sell me some!"

"No, but..."

Yoshiharu knew that cans could not be opened without a can opener, and there were still few can openers, so he could not sell them. He tried to persuade the village headman that a can without a way to open it would be useless.

"No, it would be a waste to open it! I will keep it as a family treasure!"

"Huh?"

While he couldn't understand why someone would want to keep such a thing as a family treasure, Yoshiharu had been instructed by Kōki to accept as many requests from the local people as possible in the occupied areas. Since the headman wanted it, he decided to sell him a few cans.

"The can will swell if the contents are spoiled and should be eaten within three years. It can be opened with a sturdy knife, but it's better to eat it before it swells."

"That's good to know."

The village headman obtained a few cans in exchange for a considerable amount of food and took them back to his house.

"Master, it's a silver cylinder."

"Gosaku, this contains food and can be eaten whenever you open it."

"Such a convenient thing exists in the capital?"

"Indeed, the capital is amazing."

The village headman proudly explained the cans to his servant and displayed them in the tokonoma. The rumor spread throughout the village, and many people came to see the cans displayed in the tokonoma.

"In a silver cylinder?"

"But it's beautiful, isn't it?"

"I don't know how much he paid for it, but he must have gotten it because he's the village headman. Is there any way to get one?"

The cans produced in the Tsuji domain had only an engraved label to indicate their contents to save on production time. Printing labels or directly printing on the cans was still a long way off. As a result, they looked like silver cylinders, and more and more people began to think they might be treasures.

"Lord Horio, please sell me these cans!"

"We have money!"

"You guys... they only contain food."

"But, Lord Horio, they are so beautiful."

"Beautiful... now that you mention it, they are..."

The cans were not made of silver, but Yoshiharu thought they could look like silver cylinders.

"Make sure to eat the contents before the can swells."

After explaining this, Yoshiharu sold the cans to those who wanted them. Since there was enough other food from local procurement and transportation, he decided to release these items that made people happy.

"They are beautiful. I'll display them in the tokonoma for a while."

The cans that were purchased were often displayed in the tokonoma. When influential villagers bought them, other villagers would come to see them.

"The contents... whale in Daidai stew? I've never heard of this dish."

Curious about the contents, more and more people tried to open the cans skillfully with hatchets and eat the contents.

"You, this is incredibly delicious!"

"Really! I've never eaten such a feast in my life!"

Actually tasting the contents of the cans, they were moved by the deliciousness of the whale in Daidai stew and peach cans. They were amazed that such delicious things existed in the world.

"The lid is open, but this beautiful cylinder can be used for other things."

"Yes, it's beautiful."

The opened cans were used as vases or, after processing the cut edges to prevent cuts, as cups. They were enjoying the cans, which they had bought at nearly exorbitant prices, without realizing it.

At least, they did not feel like they had lost anything.

"Actually, how much does one of these cans cost?"

"Who knows? Only the lords know..."

As long as the Tsuji family monopolized the technology, the price was almost non-existent, they thought. Whether it was because of the cans or not, Tsuji's army's rule over southern Mutsu proceeded smoothly.