The Self-Cultivation of Warring States Warriors

Page 2

They have the nerve to say "show some consideration"?

No wonder he's used to being a respected local figure; his skin is indeed thick.

"You're absolutely right." Shinzaburo's emotions were complex and he couldn't suppress them. He only offered a perfunctory compliment, then subconsciously glanced around before lowering his voice and asking, "So, sir, after all these years as a second-ranked person, what have you actually accumulated...?"

“Well…” Old Man Jin Bingwei hesitated for a moment, then slowly held up two fingers, “The gold, silver and Yongle coins hidden in our cellar add up to this amount.”

"Two hundred strings of cash? You're really... impressive."

Upon hearing this number, Shinzaburo felt a bit conflicted.

It turns out that after transmigrating, I ended up with this kind of family background. Although I don't have a family name and I'm not a samurai, I'm still quite well-off.

In this way...

"Speaking of which..." Shinzaburo couldn't help but ask, "Having saved up so much money, haven't you ever thought about getting a status to elevate your family's social standing or something..."

"Actually, I was planning to do just that." Old Man Jinbingwei gradually sat up straight, his smile slowly fading, and two glints of light appeared in his cloudy eyes.

The following words, spoken in a low voice, seemed to carry a resounding weight: "I plan to spend 100 kan to get you a proper family name and make you a samurai. Then I'll spend another 100 kan to send your younger brother, Shingoro, to become the head priest's personal disciple at Kofuku-ji Temple."

002 At least we should be able to afford the freedom to use oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

Without comparison, there is no sense of anticipation.

If one were to be transported to Japan's Sengoku period from the very beginning and become a poor, low-ranking samurai, they probably wouldn't be very satisfied, and they certainly wouldn't think that their status was anything of value.

After all, there are wars everywhere these days, and there are plenty of ronin samurai who have been driven out of their territories and are so poor that they have nothing to eat.

But after spending a few days as a commoner without a surname, he felt extremely lucky when he heard that he had the opportunity to become a samurai.

Shinzaburo then flexibly adjusted his moral compass, temporarily setting aside his dwindling conscience, and asked, "Sending Shingoro to Kofuku-ji Temple should be easy. Becoming the abbot's personal disciple would also be a good path. But making me a samurai might not be so easy... What's your plan?"

Old Man Jinbingwei shook his head, glanced at him sideways, and said irritably, "I just said you've finally figured things out, why are you being so confused again? Since we're on the territory of the Naito family, the deputy governor of Tanba, if you want to get a samurai identity, you naturally need to curry favor with the Naito family and get them to promote you!"

"Ah, it's that simple?" Shinzaburo was a little surprised.

"As long as there's enough money, what trouble could there be?" Old Man Jinbingwei looked at his foolish son with disdain and patiently explained, "I've already befriended a member of the Naito family. That guy loves gambling and is in debt, having pawned most of his ancestral weapons. If you cover his debts, he'll be willing to take you as his attendant and even arrange your family crest. After that, use the remaining money to bribe officials and get you a position like a manager or subordinate. Who would dare say you're not a legitimate samurai then?"

"It is indeed quite simple... Anyone could think of the method, it's just that ordinary people can't possibly save up a hundred kan." Shinzaburo muttered to himself for a few moments, then became worried and couldn't help but ask, "But, according to what you said, that member of the Naito family doesn't sound like a reliable person, does he? Wouldn't it be very dangerous to be a close attendant to an unreliable person?"

"You brat... how can you be so afraid of hardship and death? How do you expect to get ahead like this?" Old Man Jinbingwei was so angry that his face turned red. He slapped Shinzaburo hard on the back—he probably meant for the face, but because of the height difference, it only hit his back—and scolded, "Aren't farmers in danger? Have you forgotten how your older brothers died? Samurai go to the battlefield and risk their lives, at least they have hope! For ordinary people, dying is just a wasted death!"

"You're right, you're right..."

Shinzaburo didn't want to argue, so he just casually agreed.

On second thought, the other person does have a point. You've transmigrated to the chaotic Warring States period; no matter what you do, there's no way you can avoid danger. Farming might lead to fleeing soldiers, business might involve bandits, and becoming a monk might mean encountering a charlatan who'll burn down your temple while chanting "Fifty Years in the Human World"...

In comparison, I still have to become a samurai.

Then Old Man Jinbingwei said, "Have you rested enough? Get back to work!"

Shinzaburo shook his head and sighed, "Our family is almost a samurai family, yet we still have to thresh the barley ourselves. It makes no sense. Shouldn't we hire some servants?"

Old Man Jinbingwei immediately sneered: "Do you think samurai are so great? Take the Naito family in Funai District of Tanba Province, for example. Apart from a small group of gentlemen who can enjoy life, the poor samurai below are just barely able to support their families. They can't afford servants at all."

"Even samurai can't afford servants?"

This puzzled Shinzaburo.

He knew that ronin samurai who lost their jobs and territories would be destitute, but he didn't expect that even samurai with proper ranks might not be much better.

Old Man Jinbing sighed, stopped getting angry, shook his head, and patiently explained, "Our village is in a remote area, so we don't see them often, which is why we think every samurai is so impressive. In Funai District of Tanba Province, there are probably no fewer than two or three hundred samurai on the Naito family's roster, but of them, at most fifty can afford to keep horses and hire servants. The rest are probably not as well-off as our family."

Shinzaburo asked doubtfully, "Didn't they say they could find a way to get a position like a manager or subordinate? Wouldn't it bring in more income if we were in charge of a farm?"

Old Man Jin Bingwei chuckled coldly and said, "It's easy to get a title, but it's hard to actually collect the money and grain. There are plenty of unruly people who would rather die than pay taxes, and there are also people like our village who are protected by temples and shrines. None of them are easy to mess with."

"This means..." Shinzaburo quickly realized, "Even if I become a samurai, our family's life will probably be about the same as it is now?"

"Life might even get worse. Not only will there be no more income, but there will also be new expenses." Old Man Jinbingwei added, "Since he is a samurai and is listed in the Naito family's register, he won't be able to handle his duties when there is a war. We will have to properly purchase weapons, train his martial arts, and recruit soldiers. It would be best to get a warhorse."

"This is just asking for trouble..." Shinzaburo muttered instinctively.

"That's exactly what I was afraid of!" Upon hearing this, Old Man Jinbingwei immediately adopted a stern posture and issued a stern rebuke, instructing him word by word: "In the end, you must have a recognized samurai identity in order to last! Even if you lose money, your family must stand firm! Even if you are only nominally a samurai and cannot collect taxes at first, can't you think of a way yourself?"

“You’re right.” Shinzaburo nodded helplessly.

Upon closer reflection, this is indeed the case. In the sixty-six kingdoms of Japan, so many prestigious families are merely figureheads, unable to control their subordinates. How can you expect to gain real power simply by obtaining a title like "manor head" or "subordinate"?

Lord Jinbingwei, however, was not about to let it go easily. His expression remained solemn: "Your father is almost fifty years old, and my health has been failing lately. I'm afraid I don't have many years left. I only hope that you two brothers, one a samurai and the other a monk, can support each other and bring honor to our family. Only then can I close my eyes in peace."

He really didn't know how to respond to that, so Shinzaburo could only pretend to be sincerely receptive to the lesson.

After that, Master Jinbingwei stopped talking and just urged everyone to get to work.

……

More than an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and Shinzaburo was so exhausted that he couldn't do anything more.

On the contrary, the short and old Jinbingwei was still able to wield the heavy "Karazuka" (flail).

Fortunately, the work is almost finished.

Although the old man was glaring and his gaze toward his "lazy son" was still full of disdain, he eventually agreed to let him rest.

It was already noon when Old Man Jinbing called the little ones over and instructed nine-year-old Shingoro to tidy up the field and tools, and twelve-year-old Ari to start a fire and cook.

These two younger siblings would probably still be in elementary school in the 21st century. But in the 16th century, they were already taking on family responsibilities.

Even Jinbingwei's father kept saying that he should consider A-Li's marriage as soon as possible.

Shinzaburo thought this would be enough to land him in jail in later generations, so he quickly said there was no rush, but he didn't know if Old Deng would listen.

After a while, Ah Li finished cooking the mixed grain rice, ladled two large bowls from the pot, and served it on the table with a dish of pickled vegetables and a bowl of vegetable soup.

That's right, it's two bowls, not four.

Only old man Kinbei and Shinzaburo need to eat lunch.

According to the rules of that era, only strong laborers who did heavy work were entitled to three meals a day. Those who did not do heavy work were only allowed to eat two meals a day, one in the morning and one in the evening.

Even in the homes of "local gentry" who could amass more than ten strings of cash in illicit income a year, this was the case.

Since Shingoro and Ari are only allowed to do some light housework, they are not entitled to any extra food.

Jin Bingwei's father picked up the bowl and poured it into his mouth without saying a word.

Shinzaburo was also exhausted and hungry.

But once you put this mixed grain rice in your mouth, it's not only bland, but also so rough it hurts your throat.

Then I picked up a piece of pickled cucumber with my chopsticks, and the strong, unpleasant smell made my nose sting and my teeth ache.

I took another sip of the soup; it had no oil, no salt, just a bland miso flavor, like dishwater.

My appetite immediately decreased.

But not eating is not an option, so in the end I had no choice but to grit my teeth, frown, and swallow.

Master Jinbingwei wolfed down a large bowl of mixed grain rice in no time. Seeing that Shinsaburo had only taken a few small bites, he couldn't help but curse him a few times as a "spendthrift."

But after he finished cursing, he sighed, took out a bunch of keys from his pocket, and said to Ah Li, "Go to the back room and take ten candied chestnuts from the black jar in the corner!"

The little girl said "Oh," took the key, and ran into the room. A moment later, she came out carefully carrying a small covered bowl.

Old Man Jinbingwei took it, opened the lid, took a deep sniff, and carefully smelled the aroma of the candied chestnuts, revealing a satisfied expression.

He first called Shingoro and Ari over, and had the two children each take two pills. Then he reached in, picked up one pill, held it up in the air, smelled it twice, and put it back.

Then he handed the remaining six candied chestnuts to Shinzaburo.

"You've really had a hard day, kid. Eat something good! This is a sample I made a few days ago using leftover ingredients from last year to test it out. It's only a small jar. Don't expect any more tomorrow!"

After saying that, Old Man Jinbingwei got up and started clamoring to assign new chores to Shingoro and Ari.

The two younger siblings each held two candied chestnuts, looking at the small ceramic bowl that was brought to their older brother. They were very reluctant to part with them, but they did not dare to disobey their father's orders and left, looking back every few steps.

Shinzaburo didn't know what to say. After a moment of stunned silence, he quietly picked up a candied chestnut and put it in his mouth.

I must say, even though it was just a sample made from leftover ingredients from previous years, it tasted pretty good.

It is sweet and delicious, soft and smooth, and has a complex aroma when chewed.

Shinzaburo knew that this stuff was made by peeling chestnuts and then marinating them in brown sugar and sake. During the process, tea leaves, salt, and seasonings such as perilla leaves, sansho pepper, and ginger were added; a lot of effort was put into it, and the result was indeed quite good.

(Incidentally, while the taboos of monks in different sects in Japan vary, their overall aversion to alcohol is very low.)

No wonder it was given as an important gift to a high-ranking monk.

On the other hand, the material costs are high, the finished product process is complicated, and the time cycle is long. Each family can only produce a few dozen kilograms a year, which is not enough for the important people of Guangfu Temple to eat. Family members rarely get to enjoy it.

That is, after serving those monks, the extra grains were stored in the cellar, and a few could be eaten every now and then.

This is not surprising; it's simply a case of "those adorned in silk robes are not the ones who raise silkworms."

only--

It's always a sad thing to travel from a mature industrial society back to ancient times with such low material conditions.

Shinzaburo thought to himself that he had some knowledge of the future and his physique was considered imposing and strong for the 16th century. If he could successfully become a samurai and live a long life, he might be able to achieve something.

Let's not talk about indulging in extravagant feasts or conquering vast territories; let's at least set a small goal: to achieve financial freedom in terms of basic necessities!

003 We must be both compassionate and forceful.

At noon, Shinzaburo managed to eat a mixed grain meal with candied chestnuts, then found a shady spot under a tree in his front yard and lay down on a pile of grass to rest.

Unexpectedly, a short while later, someone knocked on the door and said, "Is Lord Yiming at home? We caught someone from the neighboring village stealing medicinal herbs, and we don't know what to do with him. Please decide!"

As soon as he finished speaking, nine-year-old Shingoro, a cute little boy, ran out very diligently, opened the gate, and invited the villagers in.

Then, they heard Old Man Jinbingwei slowly grunt "hmm" from inside the house, straighten his clothes, and stroll out.

Shinzaburo had no choice but to get up, brush the grass clippings off his clothes, and greet the visitors.

Ah Li probably felt that a young lady shouldn't receive outside guests, so she stayed inside without saying a word.

Shinzaburo came out and saw that the villagers who came to deliver the news were two familiar middle-aged men. One was thin and sallow-faced and named Kumakichi, and the other was short and dark-faced and called Hashisuke.

From his memory, he knew that these two men were related to his family and had always been the most obedient confidants and lackeys of Jin Bingwei, the "village worthy," in the village.

Upon arriving in the courtyard, both men appeared respectful and dared not easily enter the inner quarters. They stood bowing in the courtyard, awaiting "Master Yi."

After a short while, Jin Bingwei's father came out, and the two men hurriedly stepped forward, whispering about the unexpected events that had occurred that day.

The inside story wasn't complicated; Shinzaburo overheard a few words and understood immediately.

It was nothing more than a villager named "Kozaemon" from the neighboring village of Takeda, who carried a bamboo basket and a pitchfork and climbed up a nearby hill in an attempt to collect medicinal herbs.

This small hill, called "Nishisenzan," is located between Kubo Village and Takeda Village. It was originally a hill shared by the people of both villages.

However, a few years ago, Takeda Village was affected by a flood and was unable to pay its annual tribute, causing it great distress to the samurai lords of the Naito family. At that time, Kinbei, the father of Otome from Kubo Village, raised some money and provisions and lent them to Takeda Village in an emergency.

The agreement stipulated that no interest would be charged, but with a condition: until the debt was fully repaid, the "Nishifune Mountain" between the two villages would belong entirely to Kubo Village. The timber, wild animals, and medicinal herbs on the mountain could only be enjoyed by the villagers of Kubo Village.

This was clearly written into the agreement, and even a monk from Guangfu Temple was invited to sign it as a witness. This matter can be considered a blessing that Jin Bingwei's father, whose given name was "Yi Ming," brought to the villagers.

To this day, the villagers of Zhutian Village are still struggling financially and unable to repay their debts.

Therefore, it was only natural that the people from that area who went up the mountain to collect herbs were breaking the rules and were caught and brought back by the people of Kubo Village.

However, the original document did not specify how to deal with the prisoners after they were captured. The villagers were hesitant to decide whether to punish them severely or release them leniently, and instead had to consult with the "Lord Otsuname," the old man named Kinbei.

After hearing this, Shinzaburo felt some sympathy for the people of the neighboring Takeda Village, but fearing being seen as "womanly compassion," he subtly inquired, "Why wasn't a punishment plan agreed upon for violating the rules in the first place?"

The two villagers who came to deliver the message, Xiongji and Qiaozhu, smiled and remained silent, only casting their gazes at "Lord Otsuna".

Old Man Jin Bingwei stroked his beard and laughed, "That's exactly right, it shouldn't be written too clearly. Otherwise, how can we make arbitrary judgments according to our own wishes? Right now is the busiest time of year, so why not punish that medicine thief by making him do some hard labor for our village? Wouldn't that be perfect?"

Over there, the sallow-faced and thin Kumakichi and the dark-faced and short Hashisuke exchanged a glance and spoke at the same time in a tacit understanding: "What kind of hard labor do you think we should give that guy?"

After thinking for a while, Old Man Jinbingwei came up with an idea: "The only draft horse in our village died of illness in the first half of the year, and everyone has been left with barley that they haven't had time to process. Let that kid push the stone mortar and pestle, grind all the barley, and then put it back!"

Good heavens, they're making people replace oxen and horses to grind grain?

Shinzaburo instinctively felt that something was wrong.

However, upon closer inspection, the people around him all seemed unfazed, and he realized he shouldn't say anything more.

But after thinking about it, Shinzaburo couldn't help but reply, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Don't compare people to cattle and horses."

"Isn't that obvious?" Old Man Jin Bingwei rolled his eyes. "A person won't starve if they have three to five coins a day. A horse that does a lot of hard work needs at least twenty coins of feed to make up for it. Do you think I don't know how to do that?"

This……

Shinzaburo was speechless.