Chapter 67

"Lord Yoshishige, I hear that Lord Hikaru is giving orders to the fishermen at the port near Kesennuma..."

"Yes, I've heard about that. It seems he's found something very delicious."

"No, that's not what I meant..."

"Security is already tight, and it's pointless to try to dissuade Lord Hikaru over food."

In the administrative mansion near the construction site of Sendai Castle, Satake Yoshishige was presented with a complaint from a subordinate about Hikaru's casual outings.

If something were to happen, it would be troublesome, but Yoshishige firmly believed that with the security in place, it was futile to try to stop Hikaru.

After all, Hikaru was moving because of food.

Yoshishige, who had grown accustomed to Lord Hikaru, was beginning to understand his principles.

Humans, after all, get used to anything to a certain extent.

Yes, humans are creatures of their environment.

Meanwhile, Hikaru was at a fishing port near Kesennuma with a part of his troops.

"Fins, abalone, and sea cucumbers can become high-end products when dried. Saury can be pickled in rice bran or made into saury flakes... If we process them into simmered dishes or grilled dishes... But then preservation becomes an issue... I see! We should build a canning factory here! We'll hurry to improve the port along with it."

Hikaru, muttering to himself, was savoring the bounty of the sea from Kesennuma.

He was eating sea urchin, tuna, abalone, and manta ray as sashimi with rice.

In other words, he was enjoying a sashimi set meal.

The side dish was grilled saury cooked on a hibachi.

He put grated daikon, vinegar citrus juice, and soy sauce on the freshly grilled saury before eating it.

"We also need to cultivate oysters and wakame. Oysters can be dried, smoked, or made into oyster sauce. Wakame can be salted for long-distance transportation. It can also be cooked and canned. With sea urchin and abalone, we can make strawberry simmered dishes and can them..."

Next, grilled conch and miso-grilled sea squirt were brought to Hikaru.

"Sea squirt has a unique flavor, but it's delicious. Conch is beyond words. The unique bitterness of the internal organs is excellent. Sea squirt can be cultivated. We can sell it as salted or dried..."

Next, the cook brought out boiled and chopped wakame.

Hikaru drizzled soy sauce, mixed it well, sprinkled katsuobushi, and ate it.

"Kesennuma also catches skipjack tuna. We should build a katsuobushi factory... We can make canned tuna from skipjack. Hmm, there are many fishing ports and potential fishing ports in Tohoku. We should distribute the factories."

Boiled hijiki was also served.

This was Hikaru's favorite.

"Dried hijiki can be sold nationwide. The same goes for kelp, dried sardines, nori, and aosa. We can improve quality by competing in processing technology..."

Finally, kamaboko made from fish paste was served.

Hikaru dipped it in wasabi soy sauce and ate it.

"Besides regular kamaboko, we can have bamboo leaf kamaboko, grilled kamaboko, and chikuwa. Kamaboko has a long shelf life, which is good. We'll adopt this... Oh, if we have cans and jars, we can have mackerel in miso, salmon in water... For the water-cooked salmon, the bones should be soft... Salmon flakes are also good. We don't need to do this here, though."

For dessert, zunda mochi was served.

"The flavor of this zunda mochi is excellent. We can make this anywhere. We just need to cultivate edamame or soybeans."

While thinking about various things, Hikaru enjoyed a delicious meal and gathered some good ideas.

As he was thinking this, Masaichi and Kazutoyo approached him.

"Lord, we're hungry."

"Me too."

The two, who had been listening to Hikaru's mutterings, seemed particularly hungry, and they kept asking for seconds during the meal.

"Anyway, we had some good results from the Sendai inspection, didn't we?"

"Well... So far, I've only heard about food..."

"The development plan doesn't differ much from the previous policy, but food varies from place to place."

"Yes, I thought you would say that, Lord..."

Back at Edo Castle, Masahide, who had heard Hikaru's report, was somewhat exasperated.

But as usual, he immediately started making arrangements for the development project.

"However, dried shark fins? Are they really delicious?"

"Let's wait and see."

A year later, under the guidance of the Tsuda family, the fishermen of Kesennuma completed dried shark fins, dried abalone, and dried sea cucumbers.

The trial products were quickly sent to Edo, and Masahide, upon seeing them, tilted his head in doubt, wondering, "Are these things really delicious?"

"These are dried, so they need to be rehydrated and cooked, which takes time."

"I see. There are many kinds of ingredients in the world."

Three days later, simmered shark fins, simmered dried abalone, and simmered dried sea cucumbers were served to Hikaru and his companions.

"They look delicious."

"You don't have to eat them if you don't like them."

"No, I need to judge whether these will become the best products of the Tsuda domain."

Saying this, Masahide began tasting the three dishes.

Masahide had never refused to taste such things.

"...How is it?"

Hikaru had never tasted these three dishes either, as they were too expensive during his time as a spaceship crew member.

"Hey! Masahide!"

Shaking Masahide, who was in a daze, Hikaru finally brought him back to his senses.

"Lord, I didn't know such delicious things existed in the world!"

"Really, they are delicious!"

Hikaru also tasted them and was so impressed by their deliciousness that he forgot himself.

"I can see why they are expensive."

They shrink when dried, so only large ones can be used, and the processing and cooking require a lot of effort.

Hikaru thought it was only natural that they were expensive.

"Lord, should we export these to Ming?"

"I think they will sell for a very high price."

"Indeed, I have that feeling."

Thus, the processing of dried products began in Kesennuma, and the three items—shark fins, abalone, and sea cucumbers—began to be traded at high prices on the continent.

"The practical use of cans and jars has made things convenient."

"Food can now be stored for a long time, which is convenient for military campaigns."

"That's true, but they are also convenient as gifts. Like this."

"It's like an old-style New Year's gift."

In Edo Castle, Hikaru and Kinuko were looking at a set of canned and jarred goods in a wooden box.

This was something Hikaru had devised to send as gifts to people the Tsuda family was close to.

"Boiled king crab and scallops from Ezo, boiled salmon, salted ikura, crab roe, mackerel in miso, canned tuna (skipjack and yellowfin tuna), grilled saury, whale meat in a Japanese-style stew, and grapes and peaches in syrup... If we balance these, we can create a 'Seasonal Greetings Set.'"

"This way, there's no worry about spoilage. It's not really seasonal, though."

"We can use the wording to replace mid-year and year-end gifts."

The Tsuda couple was satisfied with the appearance and quality of the canned and jarred goods in the wooden box and immediately began selecting the recipients.

"Lord Hideyoshi, Lord Kazumasa, Lord Nagahide, Lord Masahisa, Lord Tadahiro, Lord Mitsuhisa... We should send them to those who have helped us... Katsuie is a waste, so we'll skip him! He hates us anyway. Other hereditary vassals... We don't have much contact with them..."

"Michan, we should also send them to the close retainers and Lord Yūan of Mukai, who helped with the peace negotiations."

"Close retainers... I forgot. As expected, Kinuko."

The Oda administration had become vast in both territory and governance.

In such a situation, those who held power were the close retainers who were given authority within the bureaucracy.

They had little land or stipends but held significant power.

In the future, they would be like high-ranking bureaucrats, and Hikaru, who had been the president of a small company, knew that offending them would be a significant loss.

"Sugaya Nagatoki, Yabe Ietada, Hori Hideyoshi, Hasegawa Hidemichi, Hasegawa Masahito, Shimoishi Yorishige, Shuku Shigemasa, Hira Ko Shigeyoshi, Matsui Tomokan... About this many?"

"There are also business relationships."

"In that case, Tsuda Tsunetoki, Imai Tsunahisa, and Tanaka Yosuke...?"

Since they had been helped in business, they decided to send gifts to the wealthy merchants of Sakai as well.

"Let's send them right away."

"Sure."

Thus, the 'Seasonal Greetings' were sent to many people from the Tsuda family.

"Brother, we have a gift from Lord Tsuda."

"He's a punctual person."

Hidetsugu, who was in battle in Harima, was negotiating with Koyama Gonbee, a retainer of the Koyama family.

Hidetsugu was trying to recruit him through his skill in persuasion.

At that moment, Koichiro appeared and reported that a gift from the Tsuda family had arrived.

"Gonbee, you have fought valiantly for your lord in this unfavorable situation. Even if you surrender now, I think you have fulfilled your duty..."

"Yes, that's true..."

Gonbee's surname was originally Kuroda.

He had gained such trust from his lord, Koyama Masanori, that he was allowed to use the Koyama name, but he was now in conflict with Masanori.

He had predicted that the Oda would win the turmoil in the Kinai region and had repeatedly tried to persuade Masanori to join the Oda, but he was not accepted.

At the beginning of the battle, Gonbee's strategy had prevented the Oda's advance, but Hidetsugu's participation had completely shattered the defense.

In other words, the anti-Oda alliance was not as strong as he had thought, and Gonbee was deeply disappointed in Masanori's lack of understanding.

Hidetsugu, understanding this, was trying to persuade Gonbee, who was struggling with the decision.

"Koichiro, a gift from Lord Tsuda?"

"Jars... Brother! It's amazing! It seems to be food in metal cylinders!"

"Wow! As expected of Lord Tsuda!"

Hidetsugu, forgetting about Gonbee, became engrossed in the cans.

This was a mistake during the persuasion, but Gonbee became interested in the cans.

"I see, you open them like this..."

The can set included a can opener and a detailed paper explaining how to open and cook them.

"The metal lid really opens! Amazing, Koichiro."

"Brother, let me try too!"

The Hidetsugu brothers were competing to open and enjoy the cans.

Gonbee was completely ignored.

However, a smart person like Gonbee, when ignored, tends to overthink and suspect that there might be something more to it.

He was not bothered by being ignored but became very interested in the cans.

"This is grilled saury."

"Brother, this is whale meat in a Japanese-style stew."

"Looks delicious..."

"Let's eat it right away..."

The Hidetsugu brothers realized they had ignored Gonbee.

They had forgotten about him and were engrossed in the cans, making them feel a bit guilty.

"Gonbee, would you like to join us for a meal?"

"I don't think you'll regret it."

The Hidetsugu brothers tried to cover up by inviting Gonbee to eat with them.

It was a bad move, but Gonbee was too interested in the cans to care.

"Lord Hidetsugu, can I open one too?"

After that, the three of them ate, but the menu was the contents of the cans.

Gonbee was shocked by the deliciousness of the dishes he had never tasted before.

"Gonbee, we are eagerly awaiting your return to the Oda family."

"Take your time to think about it."

Gonbee received a jar of salmon flakes and salted ikura from Hidetsugu as a souvenir and returned to Himeji Castle.

"The Tsuda family is only a vassal of the Oda. For them to have the ability to produce such things independently... I should join the Oda as soon as possible."

After that, Koyama Gonbee returned to the Kuroda name and surrendered to the Oda.

The power of the cans played a hidden but crucial role in this decision.

"Why!"

Meanwhile, while the other generals were enjoying the gifts from the Tsuda family, the lord of Azuchi Castle was barking alone near Ishiyama.

This was because he had not received any cans.

"(Is Mitsu angry about the transfer? No, Mitsu should have accepted it. Then why? I sent them to Tadahiro, Kazumasa, Goroza, Inu, and Saru. Kurokichi... He and Mitsu don't get along. I sent them to Kinkan. So, this is a greeting to colleagues? Yes, that must be it. That's why I'm last. I'm the main one! Yes!)"

Nobunaga, alone in his headquarters, was thinking with a serious face.

"Lord, are you troubled by the situation at Ishiyama... I feel for you..."

Chiba Katsuie, who was in the headquarters with him, was sympathizing with his lord Nobunaga, but he was completely off the mark.

"(Lord Kurokichi, that's not it!)"

Hori Hideyoshi, a close retainer of Nobunaga, had already received the seasonal greetings and understood Nobunaga's concerns but could not say anything because he had received the gift.

Village leader Kurokichi, who would be reliable in such situations, was busy as the Kyoto governor and was currently in Kyoto.

"(Kurokichi, at this moment...)"

He must be enjoying the cans, Hideyoshi thought.

"(I want to go back to my mansion and enjoy the cans. They say the contents last a long time, so they should be fine even after this battle ends.)"

While Hideyoshi was thinking this, Nobunaga's expression became even more severe, and tension spread among the generals.

"(Could it be that Lord Tsuda forgot to send a gift to Lord?)"

Just as Hideyoshi was imagining the worst, several soldiers appeared in the headquarters with a large wooden box.

"Lord, this is a gift from Lord Tsuda."

"Really! Let's open it right away!"

Nobunaga suddenly smiled and became cheerful, ordering the soldiers to open the wooden box.

Of course, it was filled with cans.

"Preserving food is very important in war. The diet can be unbalanced, which affects the morale of the troops. These cans can boost morale. If we can mass-produce them, it will be significant. However, the technology seems challenging... Let's start with jars?"

While saying sensible things, Nobunaga distributed the cans to the generals and enjoyed their taste.