August 10, 14th year of astronomy. Ｘ

Nagao Keitora and Naoe Minoru resigned to Tsugawa Soji.

After more than ten days of travel, the matters that need to be discussed between the Nagao family and the Tsugawa family are basically completed. Now all it takes is for Nagao Keitora and Naoe Minoru to return to Echigo and pay homage to Nagao Harukei, the governor of the Nagao family, and then the two sides can officially become allies.

Before leaving, Soji Tsugawa also decided to ask Minoru Naoe and Nagao Keitora about Sado Island.

Sado Island is a small island located in the northern part of Echigo, and it has never been taken seriously. Since ancient times, Sado Island has been a place of exile for prisoners, so it is very deserted, and it is basically a place where there is no dispute with the world.

But who would have known that there would be gold mines on Sado Island? And it's a huge gold mine!

In fact, Sado Island has also produced gold and silver mines before, but it has been neglected because of the extremely small production. It was not until the late Edo Shogunate that it was vigorously developed and became an important source of economy for the shogunate.

And now this "desert island" that no one cares about has attracted the attention of Soji Tsugawa.

........

"Tsugawa-sama, thank you for your hospitality these days! Now that the next mission has been completed, it's time to return to the territory. "In the castle tower of Ueno Castle, as the envoy to the Tsugawa family, Minoru Naoe solemnly thanked Tsugawa Soji.

Soji Tsugawa said with a smile, "You and I are about to become allies, and these small things are not enough to worry about. ”

"By the way, there is another question here in this family that I would like to hear about Lord Naoe, and please give me advice." Soji Tsugawa said suddenly.

Minoru Naoe was stunned for a moment, and then replied, "Please also ask Lord Tsugawa to speak up, and you should know everything before you make up your mind." ”

"Thank you so much." Soji Tsugawa said gratefully, "I wonder if Naoe-sama knows anything about Sado Island?" ”

"Sado Island?" Naoe Minoru was shocked, Tsugawa Soji heard about Sado Island so suddenly, could it be that he had something in mind about Sado Island? This is not good news, although Sado Island is small in size, with a height of just over 10,000 stones, its location is very important.

Sado Island is separated from Echigo by a sea, and if the Tsugawa family really intends to get involved in Sado Island, won't the territory of the Nagao family be directly exposed in front of the Tsugawa family? Even if the Nagao family and the Tsugawa family are about to become allies, who knows how long this alliance will last???

Thinking of this, Minoru Naoe suddenly asked with a solemn face, "Lord Tsugawa heard the news from Sado Island, I don't know if you can tell me what happened in the next place?" ”

Seeing that Naoe was suspicious, Tsugawa Soji was not alarmed, after all, he had decided not to tell Naoe the truth, and Tsugawa Soji had already thought of an excuse.

"Oh! That is true. Soji Tsugawa touched his chin and said slowly, "Not long ago, my family's caravan was carrying a batch of goods to Wakasa Province, and when it passed near Sado Island, it was stopped by an unknown fleet! Under the repeated threats of the other party, the caravan of this family had to pay 2,000 yuan to get out. ”

"This incident is really detrimental to the family's reputation, and I didn't plan to tell anyone about it. But Naoe-sama is not an outsider, and the family has nothing to hide. Soji Tsugawa continued.

"I see." Naoe Minoru didn't doubt Tsugawa Soji's words, after all, such a thing had been encountered a few times before by the Nagao family.

"Tsukawa-sama, the situation on Sado Island is complicated, and even if you are below, you don't know much about it!"

"Sado Island was originally a nominal fief of the Great Hojo family, and the Great Hojo clan was the guardian of Sado. Later, the Honma clan served as the guardian of Sado as the official of the Great Hojo family and went to Sado. Roughly after the end of the "Mongol Campaign" during the Bunnaga and Koyasu periods, the Honma clan gradually took control of Sado Island. ”

"Later ........."

After Naoe's introduction, Tsugawa Soji finally had a general understanding of the situation on Sado Island.

Sado Island doesn't really have a ruler in the sense of the word.

Although the Honma clan first completed the domination of Sado Island, the Honma family later placed the concubines of a clan as substitute officials in various parts of the island, and established branches in Ishida Township, Hatata Township, Hamo Township, Kuchi Township, Kinoura Township, and Oura Township.

At the time of the fall of the Kamakura shogunate, these clans took advantage of the later rebellion of the Northern and Southern Dynasties to confront the Honma clan and became independent from the Daikan Prefecture and received a state of security from the Ashikaga Shogunate.

There was a constant war between the various clans and the clans, and later it turned into a big chaos! The division of the family and the clan, and the division of the family and the division of the family fought against each other, and until now it has gradually become a state of separation between the Honma clan of Zataijo and several subdivisions of the Hamo Hamo family, the Kuchi Honma family, and the Kawarada Honma family.

In addition to the Honma family, there are also two people on Sado Island: the Osakami family and the Shibuya family.

These forces are not subordinate to each other, and they are also fighting for each other. The powerful ones such as the Hamo Honma family and the Kawahara Honma family are about 4,000 koku, and the lowly ones such as the Shibuya family and the Osakami family have only one or two thousand koku.

In general, this is a place that is not affected by the outside world, and everyone can fight in peace of mind.

After learning of this situation, Tsugawa Soji was more confident in taking control of Sado Island in the future. Now the contradiction between the Echigo Nagao family, the guardian Uesugi family, and the people of the country is irreconcilable. In the next few years, Echigo will be in civil strife, and the Nagao family on Sado Island can't take care of it.

And there is no strong force on Sado Island, and the Tsugawa family only needs to send a very small number of troops to control Sado Island. In addition to the gold and silver mines produced on the island, Sado Island's unique geographical location can also become a sea transit point for the Tsugawa family!

In the future, whether it is maritime trade or garrisoning, it will be a good place!

Thinking of this, Soharu Tsugawa has decided to take Sado Island as soon as possible.

Bidding farewell to Minoru Naoe and Nagao Keitora, Tsugawa Soji sent someone to summon Saigo Kizo and Motoyama Tadanobu.

After Tadanobu Motoyama became the commander of the Tsugawa family's navy, he has been training the Tsugawa family's navy in the area of Wakihonjo. Since the navy army won the first battle with the Anton family, there has been no battle.

This time, Soji Tsugawa suddenly called himself to Ueno Castle, and Tadanobu Motoyama knew that he might have something to do next.

In fact, in the current situation of the Tsugawa family, there is really no use for the navy. There is no need to send a navy among the surrounding enemies, so the navy has only fought one battle since its establishment.

"Wooden and faithful, do you know why you two were called?" Inside the castle tower of Ueno Castle, Soji Tsugawa said with a smile on his face to Saigo Kizo and Tadanobu Motoyama in front of him.

"Please also make it clear to the lord!" Although there were some speculations in their hearts, Tadanobu Motoyama and Saigo Kizoku did not dare to make a decision easily.

"It's very simple, the sailors of this family have been idle for so long, and it's time to go out! Otherwise, I'm afraid that my family's warship will all perish! Ha ha! ”r