Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1831 - 1318: Countless Goods from the Japanese, Vast Gold from Shandan!

"Ancestor, my Shandan brother. Kudo Chief Retainer expresses sincere respect for your previous hospitality. You are like a lantern before the Buddha, illuminating the smile at Buddha's lips, and carry the same compassion!... Could you, as agreed, release the three captured Ryuuteki Cavalry of my main family, in the same manner?"

"Yi, my Japanese brother. Reindeer need sleds, and guide dogs for direction. Horses also need ropes, and good horse breeders. The tribe wishes to retain the three cavalrymen to breed horses for the tribe. Unless... there are new hands to replace them..."

As the sun set, the transaction between the Kingdom and the Kaozaki Family suddenly accelerated its pace. In this barbaric and desolate Ezo wilderness, trust is a very precious thing, like the newly sprouted seedlings. Therefore, neither side wished to stay overnight here; it was too unsafe.

The Kingdom detained three Kaozaki cavalrymen and demanded horse breeders and cattle breeders. Kaozaki Yoshihiro was only slightly surprised and did not say much. He gave a few orders to his confidant, Kinoshita Ichiro, who responded with a "Hai" and walked straight towards the group of strong Japanese men and women.

Afterward, the samurai barked loudly, and five trembling Matsumae farmers were pushed out by the fearful crowd. After a stern inquiry by the samurai, the five were brought before the Shandan Chieftain. Kinoshita Ichiro leaned in to whisper something to Kaozaki Yoshihiro's ear. Kaozaki Yoshihiro's eyes lit up, and his mouth slightly curved upward.

Foreseeing a misfortunate fate, the Matsumae farmers wept in tears, pulling each other, yet no one dared to speak out against the samurai of Kaozaki Family. The hierarchy of Japan is built generation after generation by the cruel blades of samurai and the religious discipline of monks. Even if driven to the brink, there were very few Japanese farmers who dared to resist, unless... a religious organization was involved.

"Ancestor, my Shandan brother! These three are Matsumae's horse breeders. The elder, hunch-backed old man, is called Ema Doucao. The two younger ones are his sons, named Ema Qingcao and Ema Gancao. They are horse breeders who came from the south of Ouu a few years ago... This time, the whole family was summoned by the army, also responsible for caring for the horses, all skilled horse breeders indeed!"

"This old man initially painted horses and made grass and wooden horse tasks for Temples and Shrines; hence named 'Ema.' Later, when Temples and Shrines acquired horses, they made him a horse breeder, and even married him in. In the end, the shrine was burned by mountain bandits, monks either died or fled, naturally it couldn't be sustained. Thus, their family, as assets of Temples and Shrines, was directly sold to Matsumae by the monks to continue breeding horses..."

Kaozaki Yoshihiro said patiently with a smile. The reason for his patience, naturally, there was only one.

"My Shandan brother, this horse-breeding old Doucao, he is actually a painter of Temples and Shrines! Skilled in both horse breeding and painting, truly a remarkable craftsman. Yet, I'm not sure if he fits your interest?"

"Temple's horse breeder and painter? Called Ema Doucao, who can paint horses?"

Upon hearing he was a "Temple's craftsman," Zuwaro curiously examined the Japanese old man in front of him. The old man was very scared, trembling, didn't dare lift his head, let alone demonstrate any skills. However, his two sons, aged about fifteen or sixteen, dared to glance up once, then quickly lowered their heads again.

The names of these three were also quite interesting: Dou Liao, Qingcao, Gancao, as soon as heard, it's feeding horses work. If they reached the Kingdom of the Lake, and indeed continued, perhaps a few more names might come up, like "Potato Seedling," "Sweet Potato Seedling," "Corn Grass," "Pumpkin Leaf." It's unknown which these cows and horses' big livestock, never had before, might prefer to eat?

"Yi, these three horse breeders, along with the two cattle breeders at the back, I'll altogether give you one Gold Talisman!"

Seeing Kaozaki Yoshihiro's smiling face, Zuwaro boldly waved his hand, Tamikusa threw another Gold Talisman to Kinoshita Ichiro. Kinoshita Ichiro picked it up while kneeling, patted off the dust, carefully placed it in his backpack, beaming with a smile. This is another jin of gold, ninety stone of rice's cash!

"Chief Divine bless! By the way, what are the names of those two cattle breeders?"

"What name could cattle breeders have...? Oh! The older one is called Cattle Breeder Ichiro, the younger one is called Cattle Breeder Jiro!"

Kaozaki Yoshihiro's smile unchanged, casually named the two cattle-breeding farmers, even making them brothers.

In this era of Japan, apart from the higher-status "Professional Workers," commoners almost had no surnames. Everyone was called "Old second of farming," "Old third of tree felling." Just like the craftsmen appeared before, "Woodworker," "Takeuchi," "Mulberry White," "Lacquer Upper," "Ox Tail," "Cloth Weaver," "Shallow Tile," "Potter," those were the tasks they did, with a sequence or a reference added behind them was fine.

"Yi, those two-legged poultry, are there any people raising them?"

"Oh! Ancestor, those over there, a hundred or so farmers, all accustomed to farming, mostly have raised poultry. By then, you can freely choose a few, all can take care of poultry well!"

"Hm? These hundred or so are my farmers?"

"Indeed! Over a hundred, sixty or so strong men, forty or so strong women, all skilled hands at working the fields. This conscription of so many able-bodied craftsmen for service, Matsumae Guardians were quite displeased. Now handing them all over to you, they all have to report as dead upon return... truly bearing heavy pressures for the main family too!... Ancestor, my Shandan brother, you see, what we previously agreed on?"

Kaozaki Yoshihiro humbly smiled, slightly leaning forward, his posture low as if into dust. Seeing him like this, Zuwaro touched his nose, chuckling as he shook his head.

"Yi! So that horse breeder intended to join the farmers and sell them off to me together? ...You! Really are... Tamikusa, according to the previous agreement, give him four more gold talismans!"

Warrior Chief Tamikusa searched his gold talismans and found he was out. He turned to Unanga Warrior Xiong Da and instructed him, upon which Xiong Da single-handedly lifted a heavy deer skin bag and, with his large hand, grabbed four gold talismans from it.

"Gasp! This Shandan bear person is actually so tall! As tall as the temple's Buddha statue!"

Kinoshita Ichiro, holding the four jin gold talismans in his hands, looked up in shock. He glanced at the nearly one-meter ninety-tall "Shandan Warrior" clad in three-layered armor and truly felt the pressure that resembles a bear. The three Japanese leaders exchanged glances, seeing the mutual apprehension in each other's eyes.

"Buddha! Such a fierce Shandan Samurai, moving freely while donned in three layers of armor... if charged into battle, it resembles Shandan's 'Bear of the Northern Country'! How could the Main Family possibly defend against it?"

Feeling the obvious "intimidation" from the Shandan people, Kaozaki Yoshihiro bowed respectfully, tightening the greed in his heart once again. Zuwaro returned the three Ryuuteki Cavalry of the Kaozaki Family. Naturally, they returned on two legs, excluding the horses.

"Zuwaro, my brother! The donkeys you requested are rare within our country; they only appeared in the tributes received by the General, making them difficult to obtain temporarily. As for the breeding stock of sheep and domestic pigs, they need to be brought by great merchants from the rich areas around the Capital City, possibly costing slightly more, comparable to horses..."

"Yi, rest assured! As long as you bring the livestock, regarding the price, brother, I will not treat you unfairly! Xiong Da, give him one gold talisman as a deposit! Whether it's donkeys, sheep, pigs, or more mares and water buffalo... during the next year's trade, bring as much as possible!"

"Hi! Witnessed by Buddha, I will give my utmost effort!"

Kaozaki Yoshihiro bowed once more, even Kudo Chief Retainer and Hougai Elder bowed together. The Japanese Clan's flexible and pragmatic attitude, akin to the nomadic lifestyle on the Far North Snow Plains, satisfied Zuwaro greatly, even more satisfied indeed!

After all, Japanese value gold deeply, treating it with utmost reverence. Just a bit of the Kingdom's specialty gold is enough to drive the Japanese Clan, like hunting dogs, to fulfill Your Majesty's directives! Then, bring back the resources of the Western Sea Continent in an endless stream to the Kingdom.

With the Japanese Clan's efforts, the exploration team doesn't have to continue southward, risking capsizing or attacks from the Great Tribe's threat. Instead, they just wait for the goods to arrive... this is indeed incredibly cost-effective!

"Zuwaro! Lastly, here's the inventory of materials brought by the Main Family this time. As agreed, twenty baskets of ironware, half favored by the Shandan Tribe like iron pots, and half are daily tools and spearheads. Twenty boxes of rice wine, all good products from our Main Family. Twenty stone of rice, also good rice from our Main Family stockpile... Additionally, we brought five stone of salt, always liked by the Shandan Tribe! If your tribe needs, we can give you all!"

"Hmm... Iron pots, tools, spearheads, rice wine, rice... wait a minute! Hundreds of jin of salt? So much salt?! Does the Japanese Clan produce salt?"

Zuwaro was serene until hearing the massive quantity of "salt," then his eyes widened abruptly. It's known that if these "salt" reach the Far North Snow Plains and are handed to the Mountain Part and Rokube, just tens of jin can recruit strong men from various tribes, selling their lives! This is true hard currency among tribes from the Far North Peninsula to the Far North Coast, spanning thousands of miles north.

"Produce salt? Oh, yes! Zuwaro, my brother. Every coastal clan produces salt. And our Ezo Domain occupies such vast coastlines that the salt produced can't be sold out... Ahem! Quality is extremely good, in short supply! This five stone of salt stands as testament to the friendship between our brothers! Consider it a gift for the Shandan Tribe!"

Kaozaki Yoshihiro almost let slip. He also didn't expect the Shandan Chieftain would emphasize "salt" so much.

Japan, being an island nation with a well-developed craft industry, does indeed produce salt everywhere, and the output is high. Meanwhile, Japan is composed of many clans with low centralization, lacking a strong central government like the Ming Dynasty or Korea to levy taxes on salt nationwide. Therefore, Japan Shogunate doesn't have a monopoly on salt and iron, can't levy salt taxes, so salt is merely a regular product causing its price to plummet.

Actually, in present salt-producing Ezo land, one Guan Coin can buy more than one shi of rice, yet can buy nearly two shi of salt. That is to say, salt price is even cheaper than rice!

"Chief Divine! This Insect Mountain Sect is indeed a Japanese Clan producing abundant salt? ...Hmm, such material, critically needed by the Far North various tribes, must be stored in abundance. So during summer and autumn fish migrations, it can greatly aid in preserving food and supporting more tribes, gathering more population!"

Zuwaro blinked, thoughts wandering far. But upon coming back to his senses and seeing Kaozaki Yoshihiro eagerly watching him, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Haha, Chief Divine blesses! Xiong Da, offer five more gold talismans to our Japanese friends! Tamikusa, load all ironware, rice wine, rice, and salt onto the ship! ...Release all remaining Japanese captives!"

"Yes! Chief Priest!... Everyone, load all goods onto the ship! Such vast amounts of goods can fill the flagship's hold, yet it only costs five gold talismans... truly blessed by the Chief Divine!"