Chapter 31: Frugality is the Way to Manage a Household, Truly
Descending the hill, Yuan Ye and his party soon arrived before Aragiko Castle.
It wasn’t wartime, so the defenses of Aragiko Castle weren’t as strict. They reached the moat before encountering followers of the Aragiko Maeda Family. After explaining their purpose and waiting a short while, a samurai who looked to be in his fifties came out to greet them. He didn’t possess the overbearing demeanor of a local strongman; from a distance, he bowed enthusiastically and said, “Lord Yuan Ye, thank you so much for making the trip. You’ve worked hard.”
“Not at all, I should have visited long ago,” Yuan Ye replied politely, returning the bow with equal courtesy.
“You truly are as the rumors say, a man of distinguished appearance!” Okumura Iefuku was short and stout, with a monk’s haircut, wearing a plain *haori* over his *kimono*, a sword at his waist, and *geta* sandals on his feet. He looked like a traditional samurai of the Muromachi period, but his eyes crinkled with a smile as he spoke, making him appear very amiable. He scrutinized Yuan Ye for a moment, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, and repeatedly gestured for him to enter, saying, “Forgive me, forgive me! Please, come inside, quickly!”
“Then I shall impose,” Yuan Ye nodded in thanks and, with his retinue, crossed the moat and entered Aragiko Castle, seeing the interior of a Japanese medieval period castle for the first time in his life.
Like its walls, the interior of Aragiko Castle was rather unrefined. Unlike the ancient cities of China, which were built with neat blue stone houses and tamped earth floors, everything here was haphazard. It was no different from an ordinary village, with uneven dirt ground, messy and dilapidated thatched huts, and occasional patches of withered grass and burrows between buildings.
There were few military structures, and even fewer soldiers were visible. At most, there were more storehouses, a row of stables and cattle pens, and several connected wells. Beyond that, it looked like an ordinary residential area, unremarkable.
Yuan Ye chatted with Okumura Iefuku as he toured. Aragiko Castle wasn’t large, and they soon arrived at the Maeda Family’s residence.
Unlike the unremarkable Aragiko Castle, the Maeda Family’s residence was quite distinctive.
The Maeda Family’s residence had no courtyard; it was four heavy wooden longhouses forming a”mouth” shape. The round log walls were reinforced with bamboo and mud plaster for defense and fire resistance. The windows were “projecting samurai windows,” a type where the inside had a bamboo lattice covered with paper, and the outside was a thick wooden board. When in use, the wooden board was propped open for light; when not, it was lowered. Even strong bows and crossbows couldn’t penetrate it, and it was difficult for enemies to break through.
The windows of the residence projected outwards, while the main gate was recessed.
On either side of the gate were narrow “watch windows,” allowing for discreet observation of visitors. It was likely that, if necessary, spears could be thrust out from here to kill enemies attempting to break down the gate.
Additionally, there was a “small watchtower” on the roof, and the ground around the buildings seemed to have been reinforced. The overall structure was very different from ordinary dwellings, though a detailed inspection couldn’t be made in their haste.
Perhaps this was a refuge for the women and children of Aragiko Castle during wartime, or a fortress for the Aragiko Maeda Family to make their last stand.
In peacetime, it could probably be used to guard against sudden rebellions?
Yuan Ye greatly admired this peculiar, highly defensive architecture. Considering he would be living here, he thought it would be good to add a layer of iron sheeting to the window boards. He couldn’t help but look at it several times from the entrance. Seeing his interest in the residence, Okumura Iefuku’s face showed a nostalgic expression, and he sighed, “This was the first house built after our Lord led us to migrate here. The surrounding area was still wilderness then, so it was named Aragiko Residence. It’s been ten years now…”
Yuan Ye suddenly understood. This residence was the 1.0 version of Aragiko Castle. During the pioneering days, everyone from the Aragiko Maeda Family had squeezed inside. It was the life-saving structure of the Aragiko Maeda Family at the time, which explained its construction.
This made sense. It was likely that most castles of the Japanese medieval period were expanded from a single residence like this.
Yuan Ye politely offered some words of praise, expressing his admiration for Maeda Toshiharu’s ability to overcome hardships and start from scratch. Then, he entered the “Aragiko Residence” with Okumura Iefuku.
Inside the residence, it returned to being unremarkable, much like the Yayoi Family’s home. Most of the floor was dirt, and there weren’t many decorations. At most, the guest rooms were more refined, with straw curtains replaced by wooden sliding doors and *koshi* doors covered with paper, and the *doza* was laid with proper *tatami*. There were also a few folding screens with paintings and *shoji* screens, giving it a slightly elegant yet still simple appearance.
Okumura Iefuku was an old-fashioned and meticulous samurai, very polite in his hospitality. He invited Yuan Ye into the tea room and had someone attend to A Qing and the Momoi Brothers, sending them to rest in other rooms. A Qing, however, lowered her eyebrows and eyes, remaining silent. She handed her bronze-banded *naginata* staff to the Momoi Brothers for safekeeping, and followed Yuan Ye with her medicine chest, as if she hadn’t heard anything.
Okumura Iefuku didn’t seem to mind. He and Yuan Ye sat on the *doza* as host and guest, and someone served Yuan Ye tea. Then, he began to chat with him. First, he praised Yuan Ye’s benevolent medical ethics in treating the villagers, and then he subtly inquired about Yuan Ye’s background, wanting to understand his past.
This was to be expected. After all, when operating on someone else’s territory, it was natural for the local power to want to understand the newcomer and gauge their strength. Yuan Ye was mentally prepared for this.
He knew very well what the other party was worried about. In this era, Chinese Confucian classics were a mandatory subject for Japanese samurai, and recognizing Chinese characters was a basic skill. After all, most books in Japan and the orders of the various *daimyo* were written entirely in Chinese characters. If one couldn’t read or write them, they couldn’t even become a low-ranking samurai.
In fact, many samurai, not necessarily those of high rank, often quoted phrases from Chinese classics like the *Analects*, *Zuo Zhuan*, and *Records of the Grand Historian* when offering advice or writing documents. They were incredibly proficient, and composing Chinese poetry was fashionable, a symbol of deep learning.
As for *hiragana* and *katakana*, they were not popular in this era. At most, they were used interspersed in *renga* and daily correspondence. If one used too much “kana” in formal documents, people might laugh and ask, “Are you a woman?” In this era, “kana” was mainly popular among noblewomen in Japan, mostly used by court ladies as a form of convenient shorthand, a cursive form of Chinese characters.
Therefore, Okumura Iefuku had a ninety-nine percent chance of having read Chinese history books and knowing about the deeds of rebellious figures like Zhang Jiao. He was well aware that medicine and sorcery were absolute tools for inciting rebellion.
Yuan Ye had long been prepared for this. After all, he truly had no intention of inciting a rebellion and didn’t want to cause trouble on the territory of the Aragiko Maeda Family. From before the “black clinic” even opened, he had been working with Jikuro and Jubei, discussing matters with them and seeking their opinions. He had never hidden anything and believed that Okumura Iefuku had already inquired with them. Now, he was just uneasy and wanted to confirm it personally.
Yuan Ye had no worries about these matters. He simply elaborated on the details of what he had told A Man before, and then used it to deceive Okumura Iefuku. After a short conversation, Okumura Iefuku was indeed convinced. The more he thought about it, the less problematic it seemed, and everything appeared logical and reasonable.
After all, Yuan Ye’s appearance was too deceptive for this era. He was tall and strong, with white, neat teeth, sufficient knowledge, and a quick mind. He could converse on astronomy, geography, arithmetic, and literature. Apart from a slightly strange accent, from any angle, he was a standard nobleman, possibly of extremely noble lineage. Let alone commoners, even ordinary *jizamurai* families couldn’t raise someone like him.
Simply put, in medieval Japan, he stood out like a crane among chickens, immediately recognizable as extraordinary.
To target the Aragiko Maeda Family with such a person, to come as a spy and cause destruction, or to incite rebellion, could even be considered a great waste, entirely not worth it.
Even Okumura Iefuku, if he were to ask himself, wouldn’t believe he could do such a foolish thing.
However, Okumura Iefuku was very diligent. Although he felt there were no issues, he specifically probed Yuan Ye’s religious leanings. He discovered that Yuan Ye was indifferent to the Ikko-shu, Nichiren Buddhism, Ritsu School, and Zen Buddhism, had a neutral impression of Buddhism, and didn’t care about the disputes between old and new Buddhist factions. Finally, he was completely reassured, believing Yuan Ye was indeed just a wandering samurai from out of town who had accidentally crossed into the Odaigawa river basin, a banished individual with no hidden agenda.
He himself posed no danger. His gaze was clear and pure, and his speech was forthright. Okumura Iefuku, at his age, still had some ability to judge people and believed that Yuan Ye’s practice of medicine was simply due to his kind heart and inherent compassion.
If that were the case, then Yuan Ye’s temporary stay in Hibitsu Village would be entirely acceptable.
On the contrary, it would be a great boon!
Okumura Iefuku became increasingly enthusiastic towards Yuan Ye. After all, having a divine doctor in the territory meant fewer deaths, and the longer he stayed, the greater the benefit. Even a fool could understand this. He couldn’t help but be enthusiastic. He chatted with Yuan Ye about local affairs, and seeing that Yuan Ye was unfamiliar with Owari, he meticulously introduced him to the local customs, culture, and scenic spots.
Yuan Ye also wished to foster good relations, as a powerful dragon doesn’t bully a local snake. He used some ancient anecdotes he had heard from later generations, presenting them as customs from Saikaidō to Okumura Iefuku, a samurai who had never left Tōkaidō. The two conversed amiably for a while.
By the time the *genmaicha* had steeped, Yuan Ye felt it was time. A friendly relationship had been established, and he finally brought up the main topic: “We’ve lost track of time chatting. I heard Lord Maeda Kurōdo is unwell. Shall we go see him now?”
Maintaining a friendly relationship with the Aragiko Maeda Family was enough for him. If he wanted to chat, he might as well find Maeda Toshiie, as that would yield greater benefits. He wanted to finish the consultation quickly and return, as the Aragiko Maeda Family hadn’t repaired the roads, making them difficult to travel, and it would take several hours to get back.
Okumura Iefuku, however, felt a bit unsatisfied. Some of the things Yuan Ye said were truly interesting, and he wanted to chat more to broaden his horizons. But of course, the main business was more important. He immediately said, “It’s not just my Lord who has some health issues; it’s also Shinichiro… that is, my Lord’s eldest legitimate son, Maeda Shinichiro Toshihisa, his health is also not very good.”
Saying this, he glanced outside and then apologized, “I am truly sorry. I didn’t expect you to arrive so soon. My Lord and Shinichiro have gone out on business. I already sent someone to inform them, and they should be back shortly. Lord Yuan Ye, please wait a little longer.”
“So that’s how it is!” Yuan Ye nodded, unconcerned, and politely said, “If it’s something urgent, I can come again tomorrow.”
Okumura Iefuku waved his hands with a smile, “It’s nothing urgent, nothing urgent. My Lord has just gone digging for wild vegetables with some people. They won’t go far and should be back soon.”
“Oh? Lord Maeda Kurōdo is personally going to dig for wild vegetables? Does he do it often?” Yuan Ye was slightly surprised, suspecting that Maeda Toshiharu was experiencing grassroots life, much like he had a few days prior.
“He does it often,” Okumura Iefuku replied matter-of-factly. “My Lord is an expert at digging for wild vegetables, and farming too. Few people in Aragiko Castle can match him.”
“That’s truly… uh, remarkable!” Yuan Ye looked around the simple reception tea room and recalled the unrefined, unfinished Aragiko Castle. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say and managed a sigh.
It seemed that in this terrible era, the local powerful families and samurai were not living well either. Even a lord of a castle, even after squeezing every last drop from the commoners and imposing numerous heavy taxes, still had to personally go dig for wild vegetables and farm, and do so often…
Was it poor management of the territory, or were they buying weapons and armor, or was it because the “Tiger of Owari,” Oda Nobuhide, was too much of a scoundrel?
It was likely a combination of all three, but the biggest reason was probably that Oda Nobuhide was too much of a scoundrel. Oda Nobuhide seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally weakening the strength of the local powerful families within his territory, frequently mobilizing them for war, incurring huge expenses and heavy casualties, forcing his feudal lords to personally work the land. It was truly pathetic.
Yet, despite being so miserable, these local powerful families hadn’t united to kill Oda Nobuhide, which showed they had considerable patience!
While Yuan Ye was silently contemplating the internal affairs of the Oda Danjō no Chū family, Okumura Iefuku took his sigh seriously. In an old-fashioned manner, he bowed deeply to Yuan Ye and thanked him on behalf of his Lord for his praise, “Lord Yuan Ye, you are too kind. Diligence and frugality are originally the duties of a samurai. You are too kind!”
“No, no! Prudent household management, indeed, prudent household management. An excellent family tradition!” Yuan Ye withdrew his wandering thoughts and could only follow along, praising repeatedly, feigning great admiration for Maeda Toshiharu.
The pleasantries continued for over two hundred characters. Yuan Ye was almost full from drinking tea when Maeda Toshiharu finally returned, and he returned with his entire family – a large group of men, women, and children.
