Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

In the blink of an eye, several days had passed, and the customs ship from the rice house had unloaded its cargo of grains, salt, sauces, and liquor, and was now loaded with Ezo land products, ready to return.

Speaking of Ezo land at this time, there weren't many major products available for sale. The potential of marine products was vast, but not fully developed yet. As for high-quality wood, it's laborious to fell, and transporting it to the Kansai region didn't offer more competitiveness than the timber from various Northeast countries. As for rice and beans, the local consumption was still inadequate, requiring imports from Honshu Island.

Therefore, the returning customs ship only carried some local Northern Land specialties like furs, seafood, and a few herbs and supplements. The bulk of the cargo was ballast in the form of sand iron ore. It's worth mentioning that Hokkaido has abundant iron ore and coal mine resources, providing a foundation for industrialization. Iron ore in this area, mainly shallow sand iron ore, is easy to mine and widely dispersed.

Near Victory Mountain Manor, there is a small surface sand iron mine that can be mined nearby for smelting ore to forge swords and helmets. Regarding the production of complex armor, the manor lacks skilled craftsmen and thus cannot produce them. And for such skilled Master Craftsmen, it depends on whether Mori no Kiyoshi can find a way to bring some in.

The development of Ezo land hasn't been long and relies on resources and personnel from Honshu Island. Yet, all of this cannot depend on the General and nobles from the Capital City, but relies on familiar merchants. Therefore, Takeda Nobuhiro, disregarding the cold, stood firm with his aging body, personally leading a number of samurai retainers at the port to see off Mori no Kiyoshi.

"From the mountains I see you off, as nightfall hugs the wood gate.

Each year spring grass turns green, will the noble son return?"

With a smile on his face, Takeda Nobuhiro recited a farewell. This time, instead of Bai Juyi's poem, he switched to Wang Wei's.

"Return! I will definitely return! Lord Nobuhiro, in no more than three months, I will surely come back with the ocean-shielding ship. Please wait a while!"

The great merchant Mori no Kiyoshi smiled and nodded, shaking hands with his old friend. This custom, learned from the Tang people, is like in Tang poetry that says, "Holding hands with an old friend, parting feels like three autumns, traveling far with the aid of a staff." Handshake farewells carry a sense of reluctance, yet it's a very intimate gesture.

"Good! 'Do not ask more, the white clouds drift without end.'

Takeda Nobuhiro nodded and recited another verse. This meant to urge Mori no Kiyoshi to leave quickly.

Mori no Kiyoshi laughed silently, shaking his head. He glanced at the Jurchen Stallion behind Takeda Nobuhiro, bade farewell to everyone, and then the two customs ships hoisted their sails, paddled their oars, and soon disappeared into the horizon.

It wasn't until the two customs ships vanished at the edge of the sky that Takeda Nobuhiro turned around. He looked at the snow-covered mountain forests and the Victory Mountain Manor he had personally established high in the mountain, reminiscing for a long time. After a moment, he straightened his expression, looked at the samurai, and issued orders decisively.

"Notify the villages in the territory to select experienced fishermen who have been to Northern Land! Prepare for trade with the Ezo, and hurry to forge a batch of trade iron axes!..."

"By the way, Murakami Kitamichi, you, who are in charge of the ships and have ventured out to the open sea, come with me into the manor, I have important matters to instruct!"

"Hai'ye!"

The samurai all bowed their heads, riding through the snow away. A weather-beaten, middle-aged samurai mounted his small horse, following Family Head Takeda Nobuhiro back to Victory Mountain Manor.

The two did not enter the tea room and knelt directly in the main hall. In front of the samurai of the territory, Takeda Nobuhiro would not recite poems or speak Zen, nor use the reception style for Capital City figures. His expression was serious as he asked sternly.

"Murakami Kitamichi, I recall you went north of Birch Island and traded with the Reindeer Tribe?"

"Yes! That was ten years ago. I rowed a small boat with two samurai, going there to purchase deerskins..."

Speaking of the experiences back then, a trace of horror was still visible on the timeworn face of Murakami Kitamichi.

"That journey was tumultuous, the small boat rose and fell with the waves several times, almost overturning several times... Fortunately, with Buddha's blessing, we found the coastal Saha people, exchanging two iron axes for two bundles of finest deerskin. I then used the liquor I carried to trade for a small bag of sand gold. Upon returning, all were handed over to the manor..."

Hearing this, Takeda Nobuhiro nodded, showing a look of reminiscence.

Back then, Murakami Kitamichi was still a young samurai. Because of his brave expedition at sea, he brought back valuable furs and sand gold, and loyally offered them to the family, proving his courage and loyalty!... It was then that Takeda Nobuhiro valued him, promoting him to the position of ship master, which has now been ten years.

"Murakami Kitamichi, you also saw the people from the rice house this time."

Takeda Nobuhiro's expression was solemn, his words slightly gentle.

"There's a major event happening in the Capital City, and the Northern most products of the main family are highly pursued in the capital. Some important figures need the main family's fine horses, medicines, and furs, the more precious and rare, the better!..."

"Therefore, after spring, I intend to have you personally sail to the Far North tribes to trade directly with each tribe. Kitamichi, this matter concerns the major plans of the family, and only you can shoulder this great responsibility!"

"Trade in the far north?..."

Remembering sailing the small boat through the turbulent North Sea ten years ago, Murakami Kitamichi's heart surged with waves. Yet, with Family Head Takeda Nobuhiro personally speaking, having reached this point, refusal was not an option. After several breaths, Murakami Kitamichi bowed deeply on the ground and accepted loudly.

"Hai! I will risk my life to journey through all the far northern tribes and bring back precious goods for the Family Head!"

Seeing Murakami Kitamichi's declaration, Takeda Nobuhiro nodded with a smile on his face. He pondered for a while and then reassured him slightly.

"Kitamichi, this journey is focused on trade; there must be both going and returning. The family will not let you sail a small boat and face a near-death experience. Before spring, the rice house will send a two-hundred-ton Tang Ship, called the Ocean Shielding Ship. This ship can sail the sea and should withstand the wind and waves, navigating the Northern Land's tides."

"Ocean-Blocking Tang Ship?"

Upon hearing this, Murakami Kitamichi was slightly taken aback. He had heard of such ships; they were probably the best sea ships that could be built by the various countries of Honshu Island. He just didn't expect the rice house to actually acquire such a ship and give it to the Main Family. One must know, just the cost of this one ship was enough to match the family's income for one or two years.

Thinking of this, Murakami Kitamichi's shoulders instantly felt much heavier. He pressed his lips together, lowered his head, and softly sought permission.

"Family Head, I have heard of such ships. The sails and oars are very complicated... I can't operate it..."

"No problem! The rice house will equip this ship with dedicated sailors. The fishermen in the manor will also have to learn alongside once on board. As for your task, it remains to search out and trade with all the far northern tribes!"

At this point, Takeda Nobuhiro pondered again and added.

"Kitamichi, this time, the food and sake on the ship will exceed the regular allocation for you. The exchanged goods will also be lightweight and high-value ironware and rice wine. The ship's capacity is limited, so prioritize trading for precious furs and herbs. As for horses, if they don't fit, you can go again next year..."

Takeda Nobuhiro paused; the matter of horses wasn't urgent. If necessary, he could even give his Jurchen Stallion to Mori no Kiyoshi.

Of course, from the goods exchanged from the Northern Land, furs, herbs, and even horses will be underpriced by merchants. But what he valued most was actually...

"This time northward, you must pay close attention! The far northern tribes do not know the value of gold; the price is extremely low. If they have sand gold, you must trade for it all! And if there is news of a gold mine, make sure to inquire clearly!"

With a solemn expression, Takeda Nobuhiro carefully instructed. Other goods all had to go through the hands of merchants, yielding profits, but the large portion would be taken by others. What truly yielded hundredfold profits was the Jin Shi in the hands of the northern tribes! Because, this was the true big money, the kind that could be spent directly!

"Hai! I will risk my life, explore all the far northern tribes, and collect sand gold for the Family Head!"

Murakami Kitamichi prostrated once more, loudly pledging. Satisfied, Takeda Nobuhiro nodded and gave a few more instructions before letting him step down. Before stepping down, he said in a deep voice.

"Kitamichi, before you set out, you can go to the treasury and take twenty kan of wealth, and also get some clothes and rice for your family. If on the journey north... your child, I will have Mitsuhiro adopt them and raise them."

Hearing this, Murakami Kitamichi paused his lips tightly, saying nothing. He knelt solemnly, bowing three times heavily to Takeda Nobuhiro before turning and leaving.

Takeda Nobuhiro nodded, watching him walk away, and sighed softly.

"The samurai of the Northern Land are poor yet resolute, loyal yet brave; they will surely leave their name under the heavens!..."

The moonlight was like water, and in the blink of an eye, it was late at night. That night, the old Samurai Takeda Nobuhiro lay under the moonlight, unable to sleep. He sat up cross-legged, his old eyes dim, gazing at the deep snow sea of the mountain forest outside the window, sighing and reciting.

"Growing old with my lord, asking myself how to be at ease in old age. Eyes weary at night resting first, head lazy not combed in the morning..."

Midway through reciting, he suddenly stopped and switched to another poem, the reply between Liu Yuxi and Bai Juyi.

"Being experienced in affairs makes one familiar with them, seeing people as seeing rivers. Thinking carefully, all are fortunate, thereafter one is carefree. Don't say the mulberry and elm are late; they still fill the sky with clouds at dusk..."

"Don't say the mulberry and elm are late; they still fill the sky with clouds at dusk..."

The old Samurai Takeda Nobuhiro's expression shifted as the resoluteness and fighting spirit of his life rose to his heart once again. He muttered softly, perhaps talking to himself, or maybe addressing someone else.

"Great changes are about to happen in the world. Our Kaozaki Clan must seize every opportunity! Increase strength, acquire wealth, raise more samurai, expand the number of citizens; that is the foundation of the family!... And all this, in Ezo land, can only rely on trade with the various barbarian tribes, growing step by step!"

"The time to expand the family... while I'm here, I can still seize it. As for my son, he only has the talent to maintain... Perhaps, my hope lies in the generation of the grandchildren..."

Having said this, the old samurai Takeda Nobuhiro lay down again and soon fell asleep. Listening to his snoring, a slender young man squatted at the doorway, silently for a long while, then quietly left. After he left, the snoring in the room gradually ceased, leaving only a sigh.

"Ah, timing, lifespan... Buddha's blessing..."