Chapter 26 faithful to the Lord

"Monkey, come quickly." Fujii and the right guard of the servant group rushed to call Fujii who was resting in the house. "Yes, what's the matter?" Fujikichiro came out immediately. "The master summons." "what?" "His Royal Highness suddenly asked about you, saying that he wanted to call you. Did you cause any trouble?" "Nothing special." "Okay, come quickly." The guard on the right urged him again, and walked out to an unexpected place first.That day, Nobunaga didn't know what to think, and went around from the established military granary to the kitchen, and even checked the charcoal warehouse.

"People have brought to see you." The right guard came to Nobunaga who was walking and bowed his head to report. "Ah, brought it?" Nobunaga said when he saw Tokichiro behind him, "Monkey, come to the front." "yes." "You will work in the kitchen from today, you know? Work in the kitchen." "I see, thank you very much." "Although the place where the food is prepared is not a place of majesty and fame through martial arts, compared with the glamorous battlefield, it should be guarded with special care. Needless to say, you must serve with all your heart." Nobunaga promoted him immediately, Raise his status a bit.The clerk at the canteen is no longer a servant.However, at that time, being sent to the dining room was regarded as a disgrace to the samurai, and everyone felt that he was going downhill.

He finally ended up like this.Everyone sees it this way, it is a place where people who are no longer useful on the battlefield and outside are placed, and they are despised by people.Between servants and junior warriors, the kitchen clerk has always been despised, and for young people there is no chance of getting ahead, that is, no future. After stepping down, the guard on the right sympathized with Fujikichiro, and comforted him: "Monkey, are you not satisfied with letting you do such a boring job? But it can be regarded as a promotion for you, and it doesn't mean you have to be very promising. Responsible for taking Although the people of straw sandals are of low status, they often serve before their masters and horses, and they may have some hope in the future, but relatively speaking, they also need to have the consciousness of sacrificing their lives. There is no need to worry about their lives at the meal. There is no such thing as the best of both worlds. When being comforted, Fujikichiro acted as if he was being comforted, and nodded in agreement.However, he himself did not feel aggrieved at all.He was grateful for Nobunaga's unexpected entrustment.The first thing he noticed when he took up his duties in the dining room was how dark, damp and unclean it was.The listless cooks and handymen who make people forget the existence of the sun even in the daytime have lived in the smell of kelp soup for ten years.

"This is not acceptable." Fujikichiro couldn't bear it.He hated gloom, everything that was dead and lifeless. "I really want to open a big window on the wall over there, so that the wind and sunlight can come in." Although I thought so, there is also a system here, and there is an old man above him, so it is quite difficult to do this.Fujikichiro silently checks the dried bonito delivered by the merchants every day, and records the received shiitake mushrooms and dried gourds.After Fujikichiro took charge, the atmosphere among the royal merchants in the dining room was completely new.

"As your lord said, we all brought good and cheap goods." Everyone said: "Facing Mr. Kinoshita, even a businessman is willing to bow down. Shiitake mushrooms, dried fish, grains, etc. are very familiar and have a discerning eye. They are especially good at making us willingly sell them to you at a low price." "Don't say stupid things." Fujikichiro said with a smile, "I'm not a businessman. I'm not good at anything. Although I have no interest in myself, the things you deliver are for everyone in the family to eat. People depend on food, and life in this castle How much is determined by the food served. Isn't it our job to serve better food?"

When he had time, he would invite businessmen to drink tea and relax and chat.At that time, he would say: "You are businessmen, so every time you deliver goods, you will immediately think about how much you can earn from this cart, and you can't do without profit. But what if our country dies because of neighboring countries? If you settle the payment, you will lose everything. If the general of the enemy country becomes the lord of the city, the merchants from other countries will replace you and even steal your business. You should think this way, based on the lord, we and you The branches and leaves are luxuriant, and the blessings will benefit the descendants. It is impossible not to think this way. Therefore, it is too short-sighted to only want to gain undue benefits from the items handed over to us.”

Fujikichiro is very respectful to the old steward who serves meals.Even if you understand something, you will ask his opinion.Even if there is something unreasonable, obey first and give the old man enough face.Of course, there are also people who say "a fickle guy." "Smart talk." Reject him.Fujikichiro felt that it was like a wave, and there must be other waves hitting it.He didn't think much of it at all. The kitchen remodel, which was discussed with the steward and even reported to Nobunaga, was finally approved.He showed the workers a picture, opened a vent in the patio, opened a large window on the wall, and remodeled the water and other places according to his ideas.Since Shiba's house guarding the city, the large kitchen that has been lit for cooking even during the day for decades has been illuminated by the sun in the morning and evening, and has a refreshing wind passing through.Complaints like "things are breaking fast" and "dust is too conspicuous" are ignored by him.After becoming clean, the waste appears, and gradually the waste disappears.A year later, this place has become as bright, refreshing and flexible as his character.

That winter, Murai Nagato, the charcoal manager, was dismissed and Tokichiro was appointed to succeed him. When Fujikichiro was appointed, he considered why Nagato would be dismissed and why he would use himself as a charcoal manager. "Ah, I want to save the cost of charcoal and firewood. I have had this idea since the year before last, and I am not satisfied with Murai Nagato's approach." So he, as the new charcoal and firewood manager, used charcoal and firewood in various places in the city. Look everywhere.The office, the preparation room, the academy, the storeroom, the living room at the back, and the outside rooms, wherever they are, are lit with fires for heating in winter, and a large stove is built into the floor.Especially in the chambers of servants and gathering places of young warriors, mountains of charcoal were thrown into the furnace for warmth, which was very wasteful.

"Master Kinoshita is here, I saw Master Kinoshita." "What? Who is Kinoshita-sama?" "It's the new Tanchai steward, who has come over to make an inspection with a serious face." "Ah, that monkey." "Cover it with ashes, quickly cover it with ashes." The young warriors covered the fire with ashes in a panic, and hid the unburned charcoal in the fire extinguishing tank, while they looked as if nothing had happened. "Ah, everyone is here." Tokichiro joined them when he got there, and he put his hand in front of the stove himself. "This time, Yoshiro Shimoto was appointed to be in charge of the charcoal firewood. Please take care of me."

"That's really gratifying." The young warriors said with an itchy expression.Holding the large tongs on the stove, Fujikichiro said, "Isn't it very cold this winter? With a fire buried like this, you can only warm your hands, not your body." After speaking, he turned out the bright red coals. "Please feel free to use the charcoal in the charcoal cage over there. Although there is a prescribed amount for daily use so far, it's too cold to keep warm without lighting the fire, so please use it. Also, you don't need to get the handwritten letter from the housekeeper again and again. Yes, those troublesome procedures are all free, and if you need it, you can go directly to the warehouse to get it.” In the infantry and other departments, Fujikichiro also said the same, encouraging people who have always only heard about saving and saving to use more charcoal.

"The steward this time is really careless." "I think that monkey was very proud of being promoted to be in charge of Tanchai. He wants to show everyone that he is generous. If we listen to him, maybe even we will be reprimanded." No matter how laissez-faire, Tanchai's There is a limit to the use of nature, so everyone is very self-disciplined not to exceed that limit.The cost of charcoal and firewood in Qingzhou City exceeds a thousand stones a year.The number of felled trees in the territory is also very large every year. Not only the amount of this expenditure, but also in the management of the feudal domain, Nobunaga has always had the idea of ​​saving. For two years, Nobunaga ordered Murai Nagato to be in charge of the charcoal and firewood matters, but no results were achieved.On the contrary, the cost has also increased.And now when they hear the word thrift, everyone feels depressed.Fujikichiro first liberated everyone from the sluggishness, and then he went to Nobunaga and suggested: "I saw that the samurai and the infantry below stayed behind closed doors in winter, eating pickles and drinking tea. , Talking nonsense gossips, everyone spends their days doing nothing like this every day. Compared with saving charcoal, please think about it and correct this bad habit first." "Hmm. Is that so?" Nobunaga listened to his words and immediately gave the old minister an order.The veteran summoned the leaders from all over the place, and repeatedly emphasized that everyone should be encouraged to do their daily homework, practice with weapons, give lectures, meditate, and take turns patrolling the territory.In addition to the original practice of encouraging shooting gun skills, they were also allowed to participate in civil construction in the city.If the servants are free, they even make horseshoes.The purpose is to not give free time. Originally, from the emotional point of view of the generals, they loved the soldiers at home like their own children.Between the monarch and his ministers who have a deep bond, they feel more like flesh and blood.In the event of war, those men might die fighting before their horses.If these soldiers are not loved, or if these people do not feel the care and kindness of the king, then no one will give up their lives to protect each other.Therefore, it is easy to be more relaxed at ordinary times.Because I don't know when there will be a war.But Nobunaga felt that it was only good for the retainers, so he resolutely did not give everyone a little free time, corrected everyone's self-cultivation and style of life, and let everyone carry out heavy exercises. The women in the house also practiced, cleaned, and even let them practice how to deal with the siege battle, so that they established a life pattern with no leisure from morning to night.Of course he himself too.So when he saw Fujikichiro occasionally, he said with a slightly smug expression: "Monkey, how are you doing?" "Yes. Although your order has some effect, it is still far away." "Isn't that enough?" "It's still a little bit worse." "Where is there any shortage?" "It's not enough to pass this trend to the homes of ordinary residents in the city." "Well, that's right." Recently, Nobunaga trusted Fujikichiro's words and listened to them often.The servants all treated Fujikichiro with a bitter face and cold eyes.This is because there are very few people like him who have risen so quickly in such a short period of time, and he can directly offer advice to the lord, which makes them look down on them even more.However, the consumption of more than a thousand shi of charcoal and firewood per year has been significantly reduced by half of that winter. On the one hand, Fujikichiro said generously every time he went to various places: "It's very cold in winter, don't worry about charcoal or anything, and don't need to take care of the handwriting every time, everyone is free to go directly to the warehouse to get what you need. That's fine." But on the other hand, because everyone has no free time, there is no time to waste charcoal around the stove.Moreover, with a little leisure, a body that has been fully exercised does not need to light a fire to keep warm.Except for the charcoal for cooking, everything else has been saved. The charcoal that used to be used for one month can now be used for three months.But Fujikichiro still feels that he has not done his best and is still dissatisfied.Every year, the charcoal firewood is contracted on the mountain in summer.He asked the royal businessman to take him to the mountains to check.This inspection has always been a formality.How many trees are there on this mountain and how many trees are there on that mountain? The businessman seems to take you on a tour carefully and meticulously, but laymen don’t know how much charcoal a mountain can produce.Although Fujikichiro is very familiar with the affairs of the common people's markets, he doesn't know the details about the charcoal firewood. "Oh, oh, is that so? That's it, that's it." He also walked around casually according to the previous management, and came down after walking for a while.That night, the merchants entertained their group at the home of the local wealthy family and held a big feast.This is also the old rule in the past. "My lord and everyone have worked hard today." "It must have been hard work." "You are welcome, relax and have fun tonight." "And please take care of me in the future." Greetings and flattery came one after another at the banquet. Of course, there were also those who served the food and wine. I don't know where the singer, the beauty, the dress is very beautiful, beside the steward, the wine pourer The dishes are served very attentively. "Good wine." Fujikichiro was very happy, and he had no reason to be unhappy.He looked at the woman beside him and said, "All of them are beauties." A businessman joked with fear, "Do adults like beauties too?" To this obvious question, Fujikichiro said seriously: "I I like beautiful women, and I also like good wine. I like everything in the world. But if I don’t care, good things will be ruined.” "Then don't waste it, please enjoy the wine, beauty." "Okay, then I will not be polite. But, why don't you talk about business, you are too polite, then I will tell you what to do today Show me the ledgers of the trees we've seen." "Please take a look." "Well, it's clear. Is there any problem with the number of trees?" "correct." "In this case, if you can pay 800 charcoal firewood, can the mountains you saw today produce so much?" "It's less than last year, but the mountain you saw today should look like this." The next morning, the merchants came to spy on the mood of the steward, and they were shocked when they learned that Tokichiro got up and went up the mountain while it was still dark, and they also chased up the mountain.When I arrived, I saw that Fujiyoshiro was supervising the infantry, nearby woodcutters and others tying ropes to the roots of the trees they bought.The number of ropes is pre-calculated. After tying, count the remaining number, and immediately know how many trees there are on the mountain.Compared with the number on the book, the difference is more than one-third. "Call the merchants here." Fujikichiro sat on the tree stump and ordered his subordinates.The merchants fell to their knees, trembling in horror, not knowing what to do with them.No matter how much you check, it is impossible for a layman to know the number of trees.In fact, the previous manager of charcoal and firewood accepted it according to the figures on the books.But this time the steward was not fooled. "Businessmen." "exist." "There's a big difference between the amount on the books and the actual amount?" "……yes." "What is it? What's going on here? You are not grateful for the many years of favors, but you are greedy for profit, defrauding the lord, writing such fake accounts, and making huge profits." "...Don't dare." "Then why is there such a big difference? If this is the case, the charcoal firewood delivered is probably only sixty or seventy shi, and the thousand shi is only six or seven hundred shi?" "No, there is no such reason." "Shut up! It's impossible for you who have been working for so many years to see such a big mistake. Deliberately defrauding the steward and defrauding the king's money is a serious crime!" "The villain is terrified." "Although your property should be confiscated and you should be convicted, there is also the possibility that the bookkeeper made a mistake. Only this time, please forgive me, but let me rewrite the amount truthfully." "As ordered." "But I can't forgive you just like that." "yes." "As the old saying goes, if one tree is cut down, ten trees should be planted. Yesterday I looked at the mountains in this area. Many trees are cut down every year, but there are not many traces of tree planting. After such a long time, if there is a flood, the country It will decline. If the country declines, you will also bear burdens and misfortunes. If you want to accumulate real benefits, hope that your family will be truly rich, and that your children and grandchildren will benefit, you must first make the country strong." "yes." "As a punishment for tax money and your long-term profiteering, from now on, if you cut down a thousand trees, you must donate five thousand saplings. I said it more severely. How about it? Are you not convinced?" "I'm grateful. If it's enough to spare us, we'll do it." "Well, the labor cost can be increased by half according to the book." Then, that day, he ordered the helping people to cut down the trees and plant the forest, set the price of the saplings and related expenses, and informed the lord to pay these expenses. "Okay, let's go back." Fujikichiro urged everyone. Only then did the merchants feel that they had saved their lives, and whispered as they went down the mountain: "What a surprise, this time the manager is not to be fooled!" "This guy really knows how to do it." "Although I can't make as much profit as before, but I don't have any loss, so just do it honestly." After descending the mountain, when the merchants wanted to go back in a hurry, Fujikichiro kept them. "Business is over, everyone come with me tonight, and I will relax tonight." He took everyone to the hotel on the street, and entertained everyone for last night. During the dinner, he was also a little drunk, which made people see His peaceful side.