Chapter 182: The Flames of Ambition Gradually Extinguish
Hiyoshi Maru was very skilled at tending to horses. After carefully examining the lesions on the horse’s eyes, he quickly prepared a herbal medicinal liquid. He then gently soothed the horse, continuously massaging its belly and grooming its mane while meticulously cleaning its eyes. The horse remained calm even when stimulated, only occasionally flicking its tail or snorting, completely devoid of its previous wildness.
He was indeed an excellent groom and horse doctor, extremely familiar with horses.
Seeing Hiyoshi Maru’s performance, Maeda Toshiie beamed with pride, repeatedly signaling to Yuan Ye that this was the person he had recommended. Hiyoshi Maru was extremely focused. He waited until the horse had finished receiving its medication and had completely calmed down before feeding it a bundle of straw, then confidently stated, “It’s done. If you apply the medicine on time, it should fully recover within seven days at most.”
“Thank you for your hard work,” Yuan Ye said warmly without putting on airs.
Hiyoshi Maru quickly replied, “Not at all, Lord Yuan Ye, it’s a small matter.” After speaking, he glanced around the stable and showed a hesitant expression.
Yuan Ye followed his gaze and asked with a smile, “Is there something amiss here?”
Hiyoshi Maru immediately said, “The stable is a bit damp; it needs dehumidifying, otherwise, it’s not good for the horses’ health. The ventilation openings are also too low, and the smell here is quite strong, which horses dislike…”
He then pointed out five or six other issues with the stable, including feed storage, ratios, and lighting within the stable. The stable hands nearby listened with unease. This separate residence was a gift from Oda Nobunaga, and they had received it as it was, never considering any changes. Hearing about so many problems now, they worried Yuan Ye might blame them.
Yuan Ye naturally wouldn’t blame them for such minor issues. They were just ordinary stable hands, many of whom had only recently become grooms after arriving in Wanjin. It was understandable that their skill level wasn’t high. He gently instructed the stable hands to try and make the suggested improvements according to Hiyoshi Maru’s advice, then invited Hiyoshi Maru inside for tea and a rest. After all, he had come to help, and it wouldn’t be right to dismiss him immediately after he finished. He had to offer some hospitality.
Incidentally, he also wanted to consult Hiyoshi Maru about his experience in concentrated horse breeding and management. Xin Wanjin was currently constructing a horse-drawn light rail to improve the speed of goods transport. Horse injuries and illnesses were common, and raising horses was gradually becoming a problem. Furthermore, the long-term purchase of horses was quite costly. He planned to open a horse farm in the future to breed his own horses to supplement the losses. Now that he had encountered a professional, he naturally wanted to seek his advice.
Although Hiyoshi Maru was merely a follower of the Oda Family and his status was vastly different from Yuan Ye’s, he did not appear timid. Seeing Yuan Ye’s polite invitation, he did not act overly humble and readily agreed. He followed Yuan Ye indoors. Maeda Toshiie, however, still had his own home to attend to. Seeing that his presence was no longer needed, he left directly.
Yuan Ye and Hiyoshi Maru entered the room and sat down as host and guest. Yuan Ye then ordered tea and snacks to be served. After some pleasantries, he began to inquire about horse care and breeding.
Hiyoshi Maru was very serious in his responses, holding nothing back. He spoke eloquently about daily horse care, rational allocation of horsepower, and reducing horse injuries and illnesses. Based on Yuan Ye’s questions, he even devised several solutions to address minor issues encountered during the use of the horse-drawn light rail. Even though he didn’t actually know what a horse-drawn light rail was, he appeared very astute, and his ideas were quite feasible.
As Yuan Ye listened, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for Hiyoshi Maru’s talent. He found him clear-headed, insightful, and eloquent, even quoting poetry and songs. He also seemed proficient in arithmetic, appearing to be even more capable than Maeshima Shichiro. For a follower, he knew far too much, surpassing many samurai.
After the topic of horses concluded, he couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Lord Hiyoshi, have you ever received formal education?”
He used a respectful title. A hint of joy flashed across Hiyoshi Maru’s face, but he quickly lowered his head and said, “Lord, please just call me Hiyoshi. I am not worthy of such a title from you.” After his humility, he respectfully replied, “When I was young, I studied for a few years at a temple school in Kōmyō Kannon Temple and learned a little.”
He paused, then seemed to feel his explanation was unclear, and added, “A few years ago, I also served as a treasurer at the Matsushita family, receiving much guidance from Lord Matsushita Kibe, and I also studied some books there and participated in horse farm management.”
Yuan Ye knew of Kōmyō Kannon Temple; it was related to Aragiko Kannon Temple. However, he searched his mind for the Matsushita family but couldn’t recall where they were, so he asked, “The Matsushita family is located near…”
Hiyoshi Maru quickly replied, “The Matsushita family is not far from Anshō Castle.”
Yuan Ye suddenly understood. So they were not within Owari. The Matsushita family was likely a vassal local lord of the Imagawa Family, meaning Hiyoshi Maru had worked for the Imagawa Family.
However, that didn’t matter. In this era, many samurai wandered around seeking employment and patrons. Moreover, Hiyoshi Maru was clearly not from a samurai background, so his job search must have been more difficult, and drifting around was normal.
After a moment of thought, Yuan Ye asked with concern, “After leaving the Matsushita family, did you come to the Oda Family? What position do you currently hold in the Oda Family?”
Hiyoshi Maru straightened his back slightly, his expression becoming more solemn. He replied, “Yes, after leaving the Matsushita family, I returned to my hometown, and then I began working at Kiyosu Castle. I am currently serving as the Head of the Horse Department at Lord Kazusa-no-suke’s residence.”
Head of the Horse Department?
Yuan Ye had been in difficult circumstances for several years, and he had basically caught up on the common knowledge of this era. He knew what a “horse hall” was without needing to ask A Man. Horses were important companions, assets, and combat tools for samurai. Therefore, the stable was an important part of a residence. In the Japanese Medieval Period, feudal superstition was very prevalent. Such an important place naturally needed divine protection, so it was natural to worship a series of horse-related deities. This place for worshipping a series of “horse gods” was called a “horse hall.”
Of course, as the era evolved, the function of the horse hall had also changed somewhat. In addition to still worshipping “horse gods,” it also served as a temporary resting place for visiting guests and a lounge for stable hands. Thus, “Head of the Horse Department” meant “head groom” or “stable manager.”
This position was quite good for a follower. It allowed frequent contact with high-ranking members of the family, offered some benefits, and was relatively safe, not requiring direct combat. It was considered a very popular management position. For Hiyoshi Maru to have risen to Head of the Horse Department in such a short time, even if there were other factors involved, his ability was considerable.
Yuan Ye pondered for a moment and felt that Hiyoshi Maru was indeed excellent. He tentatively asked, “Lord Hiyoshi, have you considered changing your place of work?”
Hiyoshi Maru’s eyes suddenly lit up, and his back straightened again, as if he had suddenly grown from just over 1.5 meters to 1.6 meters. He softly asked, “Lord, what do you mean…”
Seeing that he was not averse to the idea, Yuan Ye spoke directly, smiling warmly, “As I mentioned earlier, Wanjin now has a large number of horses, and their use is somewhat chaotic. I have been looking for someone skilled in this area to manage and coordinate them. In the future, I even plan to build a horse farm. Are you interested in this, Lord Hiyoshi?”
He had indeed been looking for someone to oversee and manage “horsepower” to prevent departments from managing their own horses haphazardly, leading to chaos and potential corruption, or situations where some horses were worked to death while others grew excessively long hair from idleness. However, such a person was hard to find, requiring someone who understood both horses and management. His current internal affairs officials were not up to the task. Now, he felt Hiyoshi Maru was quite suitable – he understood horses, was a horse doctor, had experience in horse farm management, had a flexible mind, and could read and do arithmetic. At the very least, he could give it a try.
More importantly, he was not a samurai, which was perfect and met his requirements precisely.
As for poaching from Oda Nobunaga, Hiyoshi Maru was not a significant figure, just a head groom. He likely wouldn’t care, so the problem shouldn’t be too great.
Hiyoshi Maru’s eyes shone even brighter upon hearing this, as if a flame of ambition had ignited within him. He swallowed and asked with difficulty, “Lord, do you mean… you want to recruit me as a vassal?”
As he spoke, his body tensed as if ready to move. It seemed that if Yuan Ye simply nodded with a smile, he would immediately pledge allegiance and become a lord.
Yuan Ye was taken aback and quickly waved his hand, “That’s not what I meant. I just want to hire you to work for me.” He did not recruit vassals and did not want a samurai group to emerge within the Wanjin faction. The previous Maeshima Shichiro was an exception; at that time, he lacked planning for the future and was in great need of personnel, which was why he kept him. Moreover, even now, Maeshima Shichiro was not his vassal, nor had Maeshima Shichiro recruited any vassals himself. He had considered recruiting some vassals and followers, but Endo Chiyo had apparently reminded him, and he quickly abandoned the idea.
Hiyoshi Maru was also stunned. The flame of ambition in his eyes gradually extinguished, and his poised posture disappeared.
Yuan Ye sensed something was wrong and quickly added, “Although I cannot recruit you as a vassal, you need not worry about your treatment. How about an annual salary of one hundred koku? Housing and horses can also be provided. It will be no less than what a samurai receives.”
Hiyoshi Maru hesitated for a moment, then gently shook his head and said softly, “Lord, I wish to become a samurai. This has been my dream since childhood. If you are willing to recruit me as a vassal, I will surely follow you with loyalty and dedicate everything to you. If not, then…”
“I see…” Yuan Ye hadn’t expected that he didn’t care about personal treatment at all and that his only request was for samurai status. He couldn’t fulfill this requirement and therefore didn’t offer a higher annual salary to tempt him. After a moment of thought, he smiled apologetically, “I’m sorry, Lord Hiyoshi, to have troubled you.”
“It’s nothing, Lord.” Hiyoshi Maru had good psychological resilience. Despite the rejection, his expression showed no signs of disappointment, and he quickly regained his composure. He picked up his tea bowl again and chatted with Yuan Ye about other things. “The style of tea you’ve brewed is quite unique. Is it the latest batch of Ming Dynasty stir-fried tea?”
“Yes, I prefer a lighter taste.”
“I see. When I was in Kyoto, I did hear about something…”
Hiyoshi Maru then continued to talk about his experiences at temples in Kyoto, stemming from the topic of tea leaves. Although he seemed young – he looked only slightly older than Maeda Toshiie – he had traveled to many places and had even engaged in business and trade. His life experiences were indeed very rich, and he could converse on any topic, making him an excellent conversationalist.
Yuan Ye was also very interested in hearing about distant places, especially from the perspective of an ordinary person of that era, which he found even more fascinating. They chatted for over an hour. When Hiyoshi Maru finally took his leave, Yuan Ye felt a sense of reluctance.
This fellow was truly a talent, more interesting than Maeshima Shichiro. It was a shame he was determined to be a samurai; otherwise, he would have been a great addition to Wanjin.
