Chronicles of The Hardships of Komachi in The Sengoku Era

1570, late June

June 27th. Nobunaga, who was in the middle of attacking Hiyama Castle, noticed that a bonfire was flickering at Oyoriyama on this night. It was difficult to judge with the naked eye due to the darkness and distance, but the field scope resolved all the doubts. After confirming that the bonfire was moving from the hastily built watchtower, Nobunaga issued orders to the entire army.

“They will come at dawn tomorrow. Quickly prepare for battle.”

Tension ran through the members of the Oda army who received this grand command. In the Sengoku period, battles with large armies deployed on the same land were rare. Usually, the army would be divided into several places and attack each one. However, at the Ashigawa riverside, there was enough space for tens of thousands of troops to be deployed. Furthermore, there was Okuyama (later called “Katsuyama” after Ieyasu’s victory), and the Oda and Tokugawa armies were in a state of division. As a result, it became a situation where the battle was between Oda and Asai, and Tokugawa and Asakura, rather than the Oda-Tokugawa alliance and the Asai-Asakura alliance.

The Uesaka, Mitamura, and Nomura clans, vassals of the Asai family defending Hiyama Castle, were delighted by the reinforcements. However, it was too early for them to relax. Nobunaga had only moved the army surrounding Hiyama Castle to Ashigawa, and he had by no means lifted the siege. He deployed the majority of the army at Ashigawa, but left thousands of soldiers to prevent pursuit from Hiyama Castle.

In the early morning of June 28th, both sides completed their formations. The Asai-Asakura alliance deployed on the north side of Ashigawa, while the Oda-Tokugawa alliance deployed on the south side. The Asai army deployed at Nomura, while Nobunaga deployed across from the Asai army. The Asakura army deployed at Mitamura, while Ieyasu deployed across from the Asakura army. Due to the location of Ashigawa, both sides had elongated formations, unintentionally favoring a frontal breakthrough. Nobunaga took a defensive stance with thirteen layers, but Ieyasu moved his main force to the rear for a certain strategy.

“Everyone. As discussed the other day, we will wait behind them for a while.”

Ieyasu, dressed in armor, informed his main retainers. “Everyone” referred to Ashimitsu, who led the Shizuko unit of 1,500 troops and a unit of 30 mounted archers. The remaining soldiers, Keiji, Saizo, and Nagayoshi, were in the fifth unit led by Oda’s Mori Yoshinari.

“However… Is it really okay?”

A retainer standing nearby voiced his concern with a worried expression. It wasn’t just him, it was an honor for a warrior to be entrusted with the front line. They thought it was somewhat unpleasant to leave it to the Oda army.

“We have 10,000 troops, and the Asakura army also has 10,000 troops. A simple clash would result in significant losses for both sides. Isn’t it just right to prevent that?”

“Y-yes…”

“No need to worry. It’s for the sake of the strategy, but we are using the Tokugawa flag.”

“…”

“I certainly understand your feelings. However, there is always a chance. I don’t want to lose you all in a place like this. Is it selfish of me to ask you to understand that feeling?”

“Not at all. Your Lordship’s feelings are too precious for us to waste.”

“Thank you. If you can’t trust them, then trust me, who trusts them.”

Ieyasu’s words moved all the retainers. Of course, this was a natural result, as Ieyasu carefully chose his words after understanding their feelings. Ieyasu, who was called the cunning fox by Nobunaga, responded with a smile to his retainers’ words. Meanwhile, he was thinking about various things in his mind.

(What kind of battle will the warriors who have gained Shizuko’s trust show? I don’t think they will suffer a humiliating defeat… But I’m a little concerned about the plan to crush a 10,000-strong army with just 2,000 troops.)

Ieyasu had not heard more than half of Ashimitsu’s plan, but he smiled and agreed. However, as soon as the strategy meeting ended, he ordered Hanzo and other spies to deploy behind Ashimitsu’s Shizuko unit and closely monitor Ashimitsu’s actions. At the same time, he ordered Tadakatsu and Sakakibara to move to the rear and gave them a different command.

“Charge as planned (….)”

Ieyasu did not inform Ashimitsu of the contents he had conveyed to Tadakatsu and the others. In his mind, the battle had already been decided and he had figured out how to achieve victory. Now all he had to do was wait for everyone, including Ashimitsu, to move according to his plan. Therefore, there was no need to give unnecessary information to Ashimitsu, and Ieyasu did not feel the need to do so.

Ashimitsu clicked his tongue at the piercing gaze. However, he didn’t have the luxury to worry about what was behind him. He knew that the Asakura army would soon come into view, even though they couldn’t be seen yet. Therefore, Ashimitsu kept his eyes straight ahead.

“Jinsuke, Shikichi, let me make it clear. You guys who trust Shizuko, don’t exactly welcome me having full authority, do you?”

Jinsuke and Shikichi’s faces stiffened at Ashimitsu’s question. As Ashimitsu pointed out, the members of the Shizuko unit, especially the mounted archers, had a high loyalty to Shizuko. In terms of career advancement, it could be said that the Shizuko unit was falling behind. However, they admired Shizuko as the leader and commander of the unit. Being a member of the mounted archer unit was a source of pride, more so than the path to career advancement. So it was only natural for them to feel unsatisfied when someone new was given full authority.

“If you can’t trust me, that’s fine. But please trust Shizuko, who trusted me.”

“…There’s no need for you to say that. Since Shizuko-sama entrusted everything to you, we will follow your orders.”

“However, remember this. If you give poor commands, we won’t hesitate to shoot arrows mercilessly.”

“Then there’s no problem. Shall we begin?”

Ashimitsu easily brushed off the threats from Jinsuke and Shikichi, and with a wicked expression, he announced.

“It’s time for a lesson.”

The Asakura army consisted of 10,000 troops, with the first unit being 3,000 soldiers from the Asakura Kagenori unit, the second unit being 3,000 soldiers from the Maeha Shinhachiro unit, and the third unit being 4,000 soldiers from the Asakura army general Asakura Kageyoshi unit. On the other hand, the Tokugawa army consisted of the Ashimitsu unit with 1,500 soldiers and 30 mounted archers, the Saigusa Tadatsugu unit with 1,000 soldiers, the Ogasawara Nagatada unit with 1,000 soldiers, the Ishikawa Kazumasa unit with 1,000 soldiers, the main unit led by Ieyasu with 2,000 soldiers, and a combined force of 1,530 soldiers from the Oda army and 5,000 soldiers from the Tokugawa army.

The Asakura army noticed that the Tokugawa army had fewer troops than themselves and approached Ashigawa. It could be inferred that they planned to launch a sudden assault on the Tokugawa army as soon as the battle began. The current Ashigawa had a width of about 200 meters, but in the Sengoku period, it was narrow enough to be called a small stream. A width of 50 meters was considered good. The Asakura soldiers approached the riverbank of Ashigawa without any vigilance, which delighted Ashimitsu.

“Announce to the entire army!”

Ashimitsu raised his voice to boost the soldiers’ morale. The Asakura Kagenori unit momentarily stopped in their tracks due to his roar. However, Ashimitsu continued his words without paying any attention to their surprise.

“Dye this land red! There is no need to fear anything. We will be the ones who win this battle! Charge, everyone!”

Pointing his spear towards Asakura, Ashimitsu and the 30 mounted archers dashed forward. However, they were the only ones who charged, while the 1,500 soldiers behind them remained motionless. The Asakura soldiers laughed as if mocking them. On the other hand, the members of the Saigusa Tadatsugu unit and the spies led by Hanzo, who were monitoring from behind, noticed something strange. Ashimitsu and the mounted archers had hidden their bows on their backs. Hanzo didn’t know the reason, but the answer was simple.

“Did you think so? You fools!”

Suddenly, Ashimitsu and all the mounted archers abruptly stopped their horses. They threw away their spears and drew compound bows hidden on their backs. The arrows flew in an arc, but with only about thirty arrows, nothing seemed to change. That’s what everyone thought.

“Uwaaa!!”

“Wh-what!!”

Some of the Asakura soldiers suddenly writhed in pain. As they clashed with other soldiers during the charge, there were occasional accidents where soldiers fell like a game of chess. Even though it wasn’t concrete or stairs, if armored humans fell on top of each other, it was a serious accident. If soldiers who were thrashing around due to a mysterious pain were added to the mix, the confusion would escalate even further.

“Fire at will!”

Ashimitsu gave orders to the soldiers. Five hundred archers who had been waiting in the rear shot arrows at the Asakura army all at once. Their arrows didn’t have tubes attached, but instead, something was attached to the arrowheads. It was bacteria and mold. The deeper parts of the flesh were weaker against bacteria and mold compared to the surface. If bacteria multiplied inside the body, even if they survived the Battle of Ashigawa, they would die later due to infection. In the Sengoku period, where the concept of bacteria and mold didn’t exist, bacteria were far more dangerous than poison. That’s why Ashimitsu contaminated the arrowheads with bacteria and mold. It was easy to breed bacteria on arrowheads, whether by stabbing them into animal carcasses or fermenting them with filth.

“The mounted archers will provide covering fire from both sides! The rest of you, just keep shooting!”

The archers formed a staggered formation with a thousand soldiers in front. This time, the Ashigaru (light foot soldiers) had reinforced their bamboo bundles with concrete. The concrete was five centimeters thick and could withstand arrows and matchlock gun attacks without flinching. On the other hand, it became difficult to transport due to its weight, but Ashimitsu solved the transportation problem by producing concrete nearby.

“Ashimitsu-sama! The preparations for the special ones are ready!”

“Alright, light it up!”

About a meter in front of the soldiers forming a column formation, square boxes tilted upwards were lined up. A soldier bent over and lit a torch to the cord extending from behind the box. After confirming that the fire had started, the soldier quickly moved away while still bent over. From the way the fire was burning at a steady speed, it was clear that the cord connected to the box was a fuse. The moment the fire from the fuse was sucked into the box, an arrow of fire flew out from the front of the box with a loud noise.

“You shall experience the power of my prepared toy (….)”

The flying object, emitting white smoke, was a modern-day “rocket firework for pest control.” The structure of a rocket firework is simple, flying up to a maximum of fifty meters with just 4g of black powder. With 10 to 15 grams, it can fly up to three hundred meters depending on the wind direction and weather. The combination of potassium nitrate and sugar produces smoke to the extent that it is called a candy rocket. By mixing it in a certain way, the volume of smoke can increase up to six hundred times the original volume, making it often used as a rocket observation flight path. Adding wax further increases the amount of smoke, providing excellent obstructive effects. The disadvantage is that when used outdoors, the smoke disperses quickly unless there is no wind.

“The smoke screen is going well. There’s no need to worry about the smoke blowing away since there’s almost no wind.”

The smoke screen, also known as a smoke bomb, is made from a simple combination of potassium nitrate, sugar, and wax. It does not have the same performance as a WP smoke bomb (yellow phosphorus smoke bomb) designed to obstruct the enemy’s line of sight, but potassium nitrate and sugar produce enough smoke to be called candy rockets. By mixing them in a certain way, the volume of smoke can increase up to six hundred times the original volume, making it often used as a rocket observation flight path. Adding wax further increases the amount of smoke, providing excellent obstructive effects. The disadvantage is that when used outdoors, the smoke disperses quickly unless there is no wind.

“No soldiers are coming out, huh? The capsaicin bomb is more effective than I imagined.”

The capsaicin bomb is a tear gas bomb used for suppressing riots, which Ashimitsu and the archer cavalry unit launched during the second wave. After drying the chili peppers, they are finely powdered and mixed with anhydrous ethanol. After mixing to a certain extent, filter the liquid using filter paper and a funnel, transferring it to another container. Finally, the remaining powder after the ethanol evaporates is a crystallized form of capsaicin with some impurities. Repeating the process of dissolving capsaicin in ethanol and filtering it brings it closer to pure capsaicin, but the benefits are minimal. To render a person unable to move for about thirty minutes, a concentration of ten to fifty thousand Scoville units is sufficient. A concentration of ten thousand Scoville units can be easily extracted even from ordinary chili peppers.

By crushing the capsaicin crystals into fine particles and exploding them from the inside of a tube, it becomes a weapon when scattered around. When it comes into contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth, it causes unbearable pain, coughing, and unstoppable tears. Furthermore, capsaicin is insoluble in water but soluble in oil (fat). Therefore, it cannot be washed away with water and instead dissolves in the oil on hands and faces. If the painful area is rubbed in that state, the pain spreads in a vicious cycle.

The pain caused by capsaicin cannot be prevented by anyone, no matter how well-trained they are. Furthermore, there is an advantage in that it is difficult to see due to its small particle size. However, the fact that it affects anyone means that it cannot distinguish between friend and foe. It is a difficult weapon to use as it can also cause damage to allies if used in a melee.

It should be noted that if smoke screens, capsaicin bombs, or rocket fireworks were fired into a crowd in modern times, one would certainly be arrested by the police.

The sound of archers shooting arrows, the sound of capsaicin bombs exploding from the archer cavalry unit, the whistle and explosion of rocket fireworks, and the screams, sobs, wails, agony, and screams of the Asakura army dominate the battlefield.

The reason why the Asakura army cannot launch a counteroffensive is not only because of the capsaicin bombs but also for other reasons. In psychology, there is a concept called emotional contagion. It refers to when one person directly experiences the emotions of another person. This is said to be a higher brain function unique to humans.

Simply throwing smoke screens into a group does not cause the Asakura army to panic. Most people believe that everything will be “fine” even if something minor happens. However, by using capsaicin bombs and rocket fireworks, the Asakura army experiences an “abnormal situation” for the first time. Once this happens, individual confusion quickly spreads and the entire group falls into a state of hysteria. In this state, there is a psychological problem, but there is also an additional problem because some are affected by capsaicin bombs while others are not.

It requires a great deal of effort to reorganize a confused unit. If the Asakura army decides to retreat, there will be those who escape from the battlefield and those who are left behind. When the group left behind falls into a state of hysteria, the damage expands. They may collide with others at full speed while fleeing, swing their swords and spears at invisible enemies, or be plagued by delusions and hallucinations, causing confusion in their surroundings.

Smoke screens, capsaicin bombs, and rocket fireworks are nothing more than tools to create the same state of hysteria as the people who are left behind and unable to escape from danger in the Asakura army. If the Asakura army turns into an uncontrollable hysterical group, there is no need to approach forcefully. By shooting arrows from a distance, they will self-destruct. Seeing the chaos of the Asakura army, everyone thought that the outcome was already decided. However, Ashimitsu’s keen ears caught a faint sound. Despite the smoke screen bombs, capsaicin bombs, rocket fireworks, and group hysteria, someone was approaching. Understanding this, Ashimitsu prepared his compound bow and waited for the enemy to appear.

“It would be easier if fools could be cured even in death.”

Ashimitsu had a premonition that the general of the Asakura army, Asakura Kageyoshi, had already retreated. And his premonition was correct. Asakura Kageyoshi believed that it was impossible to reorganize the chaotic army and decided to retreat with his own troops. However, the troops that managed to retreat were only the four thousand soldiers of Asakura Kageyoshi’s troops who were not affected by the smoke screens or capsaicin bombs. As for Asakura Kageyoshi and Maeha Shintaro’s troops, they were in a state of uncontrollable group panic. Furthermore, Maeha Shintaro was unfortunate enough to be fatally shot by an arrow fired by the archer cavalry unit while unable to move due to the chaos. Asakura Kageyoshi managed to avoid being killed, but he escaped with only a few followers from the army that had fallen into a state of hysteria.

The Asakura army was in a state where the commanders of the first and second waves were absent, and the third wave had already retreated. It was almost non-functional as an army. Ashimitsu knew about three individuals who would dare to charge at the enemy in this situation.

“Fooled by a petty strategy, fleeing shamelessly! I shall strike down the general who executed this plan with a single blow!”

“…Magara Jurozaemon Naotaka, huh? What a foolish person. The outcome has already been decided, yet you alone are charging in, thinking it will change something.”

Ashimitsu sighed and aimed his compound bow at Naotaka. Naotaka, who was trying to control his horse, which was going wild due to the pain of capsaicin, unfortunately, had his eyes affected by the capsaicin and did not notice Ashimitsu. It was precisely because Ashimitsu understood this that he couldn’t escape based on his family’s honor and reputation, and he somewhat pitied Naotaka for his desperate suicide attack.

“What a shame, Naotaka. If you were a little smarter, I could have used you as my pawn.”

Ashimitsu released the arrow. The arrow pierced Naotaka’s throat with precision. With his cervical vertebrae destroyed, Naotaka dropped his sword to the ground, looked up at the sky, and then vomited blood before falling off his horse.

“Retrieve Taro Tachi. We need to inform the neighboring Azai army.”

A nearby soldier stripped Taro Tachi from Naotaka and handed it roughly to Ashimitsu. At the same time, thirty archer cavalrymen who had been firing smoke screens and capsaicin bombs at the Asakura army returned. Some of them were injured, but none had suffered fatal injuries, and the damage to the unit was minimal. However, due to the long time spent on horseback, they seemed to be more out of breath than expected.

“Here, Jiro Tachi.”

Jiro Tachi, which he had been carrying on his back, was thrown roughly to Ashimitsu by Jinjo. As Ashimitsu grabbed Jiro Tachi, a defiant smile appeared on his face.

“So, Takamoto has been taken care of as well. Excellent, with this–”

Ashimitsu was about to say that the Azai army was finished. However, as soon as he uttered those words, the Tokugawa army appeared from the flank of the confused Asakura army. They launched a surprise attack, cutting the confused Asakura army in half. They then charged towards the surrounding Asakura army. With no warlords to repel them and the Asakura army still in a state of confusion, they were unable to counterattack and were simply being defeated.

“Tch, we’ve been defeated.”

Ashimitsu quickly checked behind him and noticed that the Tokugawa army was unusually small. At first glance, there were only about three thousand soldiers. Ashimitsu understood that Ieyasu, who had been ordered by Sakakibara Yasumasa to make a detour from downstream of the Seta River and launch a surprise attack from the flank of the Asakura army, was even more cunning than he had imagined.

“Considering that the smoke screens were dissipating and the archer cavalry unit was temporarily withdrawing, Ieyasu must have moved the troops as soon as the battle began.”

Sakai Tadatsugu, Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasa, Okubo Tadayo, and Ogasawara Nagatada, the main warlords, were launching a surprise attack. The Asakura army would not remember Ashimitsu’s efforts. While they were covered in smoke, they would only think that they were being toyed with by the Tokugawa army. The same applied to the Azai clan and the surrounding daimyo. Although there was no pride in boasting about military achievements, being robbed of victory in such a splendid manner caused frustration.

“We have endured the hardships, and the best part is for the Tokugawa, it seems.”

“Oh, did the troops sent for support cause an unexpected misunderstanding?”

Ieyasu, with his nonchalant attitude, appeared from somewhere and shrugged at Ashimitsu’s words.

“I apologize. I thought that the trick weapons were over and moved the troops to avoid being counterattacked by the Asakura army.”

At first glance, his words sounded correct. The rocket fireworks, of which there were tens of thousands, had been exhausted, and the archer cavalry unit had fired all their smoke screens and capsaicin bombs. The weapons prepared by Ashimitsu were not meant to annihilate the Asakura army but were merely auxiliary. However, it was clear to anyone that the outcome had already been decided, and all that was left was to hunt down the infantry. In fact, after re-equipping himself, Ashimitsu planned to cross the Seta River with the archer cavalry unit and Shizuko’s unit to annihilate the Asakura army. Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ieyasu took advantage of the brief time to re-equip and pursued the Asakura army.

“…That’s how you see it, isn’t it?”

“Haha, that’s harsh. Even if it seems like I only took the good parts, I can’t argue against it.”

“But there’s no helping it, it’s war. It’s only natural to make good moves at the right time.”

“I appreciate you saying that. Well, the outcome of the battle has already been decided. Lord Ashimitsu and your soldiers must be tired. If you’d like, please come to our camp to rest. If necessary, we can provide assistance from our camp.”

Ieyasu’s words seemed to show concern for Ashimitsu and the others, but in reality, it was a means to prevent them from participating in the battle any further. Only Ashimitsu understood this and clicked his tongue in his mouth, then smiled and agreed to Ieyasu’s offer.

“Then I will order the wounded and exhausted to rest at your camp.”

“Understood. I will relay that to our camp members.”

Upon hearing Ashimitsu’s words, Ieyasu also smiled and respectfully bowed.

The battle between the Tokugawa army and the Asakura army ended in a decisive victory for the Tokugawa, but on the other hand, the Oda army was being pushed back by the Azai army. The Asakura army was supported by the Azai, and their goal was not to defend their own land. On the other hand, the Azai army was currently being invaded by the Oda army. The determination of the Azai army to reclaim their castle overwhelmed the Oda army despite the difference in military strength. In particular, the vanguard of the Azai army, the Isono unit, launched a fierce attack, breaking through the first and second waves of the Oda army, and even breaking through the Hideyoshi and Shibata units, and approaching the main camp where Nobunaga was.

“Haha, it’s our duty to turn the tide from here.”

Keiji, who was in the Mori Yoshinari unit, shouted with a relaxed expression, but the situation was completely in favor of the Azai side. Nevertheless, they continued their reckless charge, with the Nagayoshi unit holding back the enemy, the Keiji unit creating tricky movements to confuse the surroundings, and the sturdy and reliable Sōzō unit taking down enemies one by one. However, despite their efforts, dozens of Azai soldiers broke through the defense line of the Mori Yoshinari unit and approached the sixth unit led by Sakuama Nobumori.

“Sakuama unit, advance–”

When the soldiers of the Sakuama unit at the forefront clashed with the Azai soldiers, 1,500 troops from the Shizuko unit, who had finished resupplying between the fifth and sixth units, rushed in. For a moment, Sakuama was confused, but as soon as he confirmed the army flag, he understood the situation. With the Shizuko unit entering between the fifth and sixth units, the soldiers of the Isono unit were caught in a pincer attack. With their retreat path cut off, the Isono unit faltered, and one by one, they were taken down, as if their previous momentum was a lie.

The situation worsened for the Azai army. Feeling the crisis as the Isono unit reached the sixth unit, the Yoko Yamashiro monitoring team, consisting of Ujiie Norimasa and Ando Morinari, formed a guerrilla force to attack the left flank of the Azai army. Furthermore, 2,000 troops led by Tadakatsu and Yasumasa from the Tokugawa army, as well as 1,000 troops from the Inaba Ittetsu unit, attacked the right flank of the Azai army. Surrounded from three sides, the Azai army feared being cut off from their retreat path. They, like the Isono unit, faltered, and eventually, the entire army collapsed and began to retreat to Odani Castle.

The battle began at 6 a.m., and by 9 a.m., the Asakura army had been completely defeated and fled. By 10 a.m., the Azai army had also fled. The outcome was clear by 11 a.m. Nobunaga, Hisamasa, and Ieyasu named this battle after the locations they were in: the Battle of Nonomura for Nobunaga, the Battle of Mitamura for Asakura, and the Battle of Anegawa for Ieyasu.

Both the Azai and Asakura armies lost many generals, and their troops suffered heavy casualties, but the same was true for the Oda army. Only the Tokugawa army had relatively few casualties, but capturing Odani Castle with only 2,000 defenders was impossible. Considering the various circumstances, Nobunaga gave up on capturing Odani Castle and focused on capturing Yokoyama Castle instead. He placed Hideyoshi in Yokoyama Castle to secure it as a stronghold against Odani Castle. Although Nobunaga wanted to capture Odani Castle, the death of his retainer Sakai Naotsune (at the age of 16) and the high casualty rate forced him to abandon the plan. Still, capturing Yokoyama Castle was a significant achievement. It may not have been a completely satisfying result, but Nobunaga was confident that he had achieved some success.

While Nobunaga was capturing Yokoyama Castle, Ashimitsu used his soldiers to collect the dead horses from the battle. Horses have many useful parts besides horse oil, such as meat, hide, hair, and bones. In particular, horse leather is very flexible compared to cow leather, although its strength is inferior due to its lower fiber density. After stripping the less damaged parts of the hide, Ashimitsu cut off the meat from each part, extracted horse oil in parallel, and scraped off the meat from the bones. All the meat was salted, marinated in salt koji or miso, and the horse oil was refined and stored in jars, while the bones were cleaned for use as bone china materials or fertilizer.

Bone china is a type of porcelain that was invented in London, England in the 18th century. At that time, it was difficult for England to obtain the white clay that was commonly used in Chinese porcelain. In search of a substitute for white clay, England eventually came up with the idea of mixing bone ash (calcium phosphate) from cows with clay. Although there are differences such as the use of special glazes and low-temperature secondary firing compared to regular porcelain, the use of bone ash gives bone china a warm milky-white base.

Generally, bone china is made from cow bone ash. Horse bones have less calcium phosphate than cow bones and more iron oxide, so it is questionable whether they can be fired to a white color. However, if the milky-white color is not a requirement, it is still possible to produce it. Moreover, there is a possibility that porcelain with a different taste from cow bones could be created if things go well.

(It’s not that I’m working hard… Well, having more materials is always better.)

Ashimitsu silently dismantled the horses without expressing any complaints. After finishing the dismantling of many horses, he divided the unnecessary organs and waste into several places and buried them in holes. By burying them in holes, the organs and waste would be decomposed by microorganisms and return to the soil. Although there was a possibility of being dug up by wild dogs or bears, as long as birds that carry decayed things did not peck at them, it wouldn’t be a problem. Burying the organs in holes was a necessary task to prevent the spread of diseases.

“That’s it. Now, should I sell the perishable meat to the merchants?”

He arranged for the perishable meat to be sold to merchants, and arranged for the remaining horsehair, horse oil, and horse bones to be transported to Owari.

(I want to return to the shrine as soon as possible. I need to come up with a plan against the Honganji Temple, which we will soon be in conflict with. Well… if I mix dried hemp with tobacco and spread it to the Honganji Temple, it can cause internal collapse due to drug contamination.)

When it comes to hemp, it is often associated with all types of hemp, but it specifically refers to varieties with high narcotic content, such as Indian hemp. The hemp cultivated by Shizuko is the native hemp that grows in Japan. Japanese hemp has less than 0.1% of the intoxicating component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is lower than other subspecies. In contrast, Indian hemp contains a minimum of 1.8% and a maximum of 20% THC. In India and Jamaica, it is called “ganja” (holy herb) and has been selectively bred for over 2,000 years. By the way, dried hemp flowers or leaves are called “dried hemp” (marijuana), and dried hemp resin is called “hashish.” Processed products made by dissolving dried hemp or resin in alcohol or oil are called “liquid hemp” (honey oil).

I’ll skip the details, but it is possible to make dried hemp even with Japanese hemp. However, the cultivation methods for industrial use by Shizuko and for recreational use are different, and they cannot be combined. Due to differences in facilities and cultivation methods, anyone familiar with hemp fields can tell at a glance whether they are cultivated for industrial or recreational purposes.

(If I sow it in spring… by summer, they will become regular users, suffer from withdrawal symptoms in autumn, and be unable to consume it in winter due to the impossibility of cultivation. They will either become lethargic and starve to death or lament the world and commit suicide on their own. If I mix it with rolled cigarettes and spread it, it will spread quickly.)

Tobacco was introduced to Japan four hundred years ago, but the history of tobacco itself is ancient. It was smoked in South America around 1,000 BC. However, at that time, it was used as a tool for religious rituals rather than as a recreational product, as it was used to listen to divine messages, predict the future based on the way the smoke rose, and so on, due to its fragrance and the intoxicating effect of nicotine. Eventually, in 1492, when Columbus discovered the New World, he was presented with dried tobacco leaves by the indigenous people. This is said to be the moment when tobacco first came into contact with Westerners. At that time, Columbus didn’t understand its value and awkwardly discarded the presented leaves, thinking of them as mysterious leaves. Later, when he learned how to use tobacco leaves in Cuba, he brought tobacco leaves back to Spain.

From there, tobacco spread to Europe through various twists and turns, but opinions on tobacco among Europeans were divided, just like today. Those who smoked tobacco used it as a drug for relaxation and stimulation. On the other hand, those who advocated for regulation showed a defensive reaction against the rapid spread of drugs and implemented numerous regulations. For example, King Philip III of Spain banned tobacco and burned all domestic tobacco. Pope Urban VIII excommunicated those who smoked tobacco in sacred places.

There are various methods and ways of smoking tobacco. There are rolled cigarettes, water pipes, snuff, chewing tobacco, hand-rolled cigarettes, and various other methods. The ways of smoking also vary, such as rolled cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smoking pipes. Among them, rolled cigarettes have the unique advantage of “convenience.” Cigars, pipes, and smoking pipes require preparation and a specific way of smoking, and some of them take a very long time to smoke, so they are not easy to smoke. On the other hand, with rolled cigarettes, you just take them out of the box and light them. The smoking time is also shorter, with three to four minutes compared to twenty to eighty minutes for cigars.

The invention of the automatic cigarette rolling machine, the ability to mass-produce even low-quality tobacco by reprocessing discarded stems, the lack of preparation required for smoking, and other reasons led to the popularity of rolled cigarettes. Tobacco, which was once a tool for religious rituals, has become a casual recreational product sold all over the world today. However, due to its explosive popularity, smoking etiquette in public places has been questioned, and tobacco regulations, similar to those in medieval Europe, are being called for.

(Three years… no, two years would be enough. Once the preparations are in place, I’ll start by undermining the Kōga clan from within. Hmph, I need to find the merchants who come and go.)

The reason for the explosive spread of tobacco and the fundamental cause of the smoking environment controversy is the “convenience.” Taking advantage of this convenience, Ashimitsu’s strategy is to popularize rolled cigarettes with dried marijuana mixed with tobacco leaves among the Zaga clan. Although highly addictive and dangerous substances such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, tar, and cyanide compounds enter the body, the pharmacological effects of marijuana, such as pain relief and increased appetite, which bring about a sense of euphoria, make smokers unaware of the dangerous substances entering their bodies.

The Zaga clan is skilled in overseas trade and operates in several groups. The conditions for the spread of marijuana-laced cigarettes are already sufficient. However, there is a problem with this strategy. If marijuana-laced cigarettes spread to others, the negative effects will also spread. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully assess the situation before implementing the strategy.

This is my personal opinion, but if we want to achieve certain results in the smoking environment controversy, it would be better to abolish rolled cigarettes and lower the price of cigars to a level where children cannot easily afford them, rather than implementing smoking segregation. It is because of the convenience of being able to easily smoke with rolled cigarettes after meals, during break times, in the morning, and before bed. By eliminating the greatest advantage and disadvantage of rolled cigarettes, which is “convenience,” the number of people arguing about smoking segregation and littering cigarettes on the streets may decrease.

Dry marijuana is said to have low dependency, and it is said to be completely eliminated from the body by the next day. However, it does not mean that there is no dependency. Legalizing such dry marijuana would decrease productivity and lead to deteriorating public safety, increased social security costs, decreased birth rates, and population decline. In fact, in a certain country in Europe, the successful legalization of marijuana reduced the illegal drug trade, but at the same time, it led to deteriorating public safety and increased social security costs. Therefore, unless one’s life is at stake, it is dangerous to consume and legalize tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

These are my thoughts as the author. Let’s get back to the topic. Ashimitsu is contemplating how to keep the uncontrollable marijuana-laced cigarettes within the Zaga clan.

(…Well, it’s fine. There is still time. The situation may change, and there is no need to rush to think about it now.)

There is no need to come up with an answer right away. With that conclusion, Ashimitsu resumed his work.

On July 1st, the Oda-Tokugawa allied forces attacked Sawayama Castle, which was defended by Isono Kazumasa. However, realizing that capturing Sawayama Castle would be difficult, they stationed warlords around it to establish a long-term siege. After completing the siege, the Tokugawa forces returned to Mikawa, and Nobunaga went to Kyoto on the 4th and returned to Gifu on the 8th.

The Oda-Tokugawa allied forces achieved victory in the famous “Battle of Anegawa” that would be remembered in later generations. However, they did not completely subdue the Asai and Asakura forces, and both sides still had the power to resist. Although there is some unease about this, Nobunaga believed that the warlords and soldiers needed rest, so he ordered them to rest and went to Shizuko’s village to heal his fatigue.

“This battle was a failure.”

Nobunaga, who bathed and washed away the dirt and fatigue from his body, muttered while drinking tea after the meal.

“I heard that the Asai and Asakura forces were completely destroyed.”

Regardless of historical facts, Shizuko heard that the Battle of Anegawa was a victory for Nobunaga. However, Nobunaga, who should have been the victor, saw the Battle of Anegawa as a failure. Shizuko tilted her head, not knowing what his intentions were.

“Looking back now, I should have advised Bizen-no-kami to keep an eye on Hisamasa. It was because I let my guard down and became complacent that Hisamasa drove out Bizen-no-kami and returned to being a local lord of Omi Province. And… this is…”

Along with his words, Nobunaga threw a bundle of papers to Shizuko. There were only Nobunaga and Shizuko in the room, and even the attendants and maids were driven away. Therefore, Shizuko understood that it was a document that Nobunaga didn’t want anyone else to see, and she took the bundle of papers with a slightly nervous expression.

“Ashimitsu, who is your trusted confidant. He thoroughly investigated the topography of Numazu and Anegawa. Before the battle begins, it is important to prepare as much as possible. I forgot such basic things and became complacent due to the difference in military strength.”

The bundle of papers contained detailed maps of the land of Anegawa surveyed by Ashimitsu. On the detailed survey map, their deployment plans were written in detail. It was not just one map with deployment plans written on it. Based on the surveyed map, dozens of deployment plans were prepared. Even if you know the history, the exact positions of where they would be stationed are not recorded. Therefore, detailed surveys were conducted to ensure that they could be stationed anywhere without any problems, Shizuko thought.

“I am disappointed in my own incompetence.”

Nobunaga, who stirred his tea and took a deep breath, closed his eyes. After a few seconds, Nobunaga opened his eyes again and made a declaration with a stern expression, unlike his usual relaxed expression.

“I lost this battle.”

Shizuko knew that the year Genki 1 was a series of battles. She secretly prepared for the next battle. There were two castles that absolutely needed to be strengthened. They were Usayama Castle defended by Mori Yoshinari and Ogikie Castle defended by Nobunaga’s younger brother, Nobuoki.

While the Oda forces were attacking the Asai and Asakura forces, the Miyoshi Trio attacked Settsu and Kawachi provinces. At that time, Araki Murashige conspired with Miyoshi Nagayoshi and expelled Ikeda Katsumasa from Ikeda Castle. In order to stop the invasion of the Miyoshi Trio, Nobunaga was engaged in a battle in Settsu, and Honganji Temple Kenyo issued an order to the followers of various provinces to assassinate Nobunaga. While Nobunaga was occupied in Settsu, Mount Hiei Enryakuji Temple joined the Asai and Asakura allied forces, and Usayama Castle was attacked, resulting in the deaths of Mori Yoshinari (at the age of 48) and Nobunaga’s younger brother, Shinji (at the age of 26). Nobunaga moved his troops to respond to Usayama Castle, but the Asai and Asakura allied forces took refuge in Mount Hiei. During this time, the Ise Nagashima Ikko Ikki uprising occurred in northern Ise, and the Oda clan was in a desperate situation, with Nobunaga’s younger brother, Nobuoki, being killed.

Shizuko believed that overcoming the first Oda siege was the most difficult challenge for Nobunaga’s ambition to conquer the land. She hadn’t paid much attention to the second and third Oda sieges that would follow. The second and third sieges were less organized than the first siege. If Takeda and Uesugi had participated in the first Oda siege, the Oda clan would have been completely finished. However, until they were completely cornered, they maintained a cautious stance of not participating in the Oda siege.

That’s why Shizuko felt that responding to the Oda siege was even more difficult. If they continued to win without any losses, Takeda and Uesugi would feel a sense of crisis and might join the first Oda siege. While appearing to be somewhat losing, they must ensure the safety of Mori Yoshinari and Nobunaga’s younger brothers, Shinji and Nobuoki. It was a daunting task to intentionally cause historical events to occur while protecting the lives of important individuals.

“Hmm, no good. I can only strengthen one of the castles.”

The victory conditions for the Oda siege were troublesome, and even with all the funds available, Shizuko alone could only strengthen one castle.

“Hmm… I also need to work on the practical application of penicillin and streptomycin. Ah, I wish we could just surrender without fighting and get it over with.”

Faced with a pile of problems, Shizuko couldn’t help but hold her head and vent her frustrations.

Penicillin, which is said to be the world’s first antibiotic effective against various infections, including STDs such as syphilis and gonorrhea, and streptomycin, which is a specific drug for diseases such as plague and tuberculosis, as well as bacterial dysentery, are effective against various bacterial diseases.

However, it is true for both that if antibiotics are used excessively, bacteria resistant to them will emerge. Penicillin-resistant bacteria have indeed emerged as a result of the indiscriminate use of antibiotics. Streptomycin-resistant bacteria have also emerged, making the use of antibiotics even more challenging. Furthermore, storing and extracting streptomycin is difficult, and it poses even more difficult problems than penicillin. However, to increase the purity of antibiotics, cultivation and extraction must be performed, and the process of repeating cultivation and extraction using superior individuals is a laborious task.

Therefore, antibiotics are treated as top-secret weapons, and in general, strengthening the body’s resistance is the best choice. Tuberculosis is known as the “disease of the poor” that affects the impoverished, and it is said to be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. Taking that into consideration, Shizuko’s policies of providing abundant food were gradually bearing fruit.

The person who most clearly experienced the effects of the policies was Takenaka Hanbei. He had a weak body and was described as thin, but now he had a healthy complexion. If someone who knew him from when he served the Saito clan saw the current Takenaka Hanbei, they would be amazed. Even his younger brother, who had seen Takenaka Hanbei since childhood, was surprised by his remarkably healthy physique. Although he still couldn’t engage in intense physical activities for a long time, he had enough physical strength to wrestle.

Keiji, who met Shizuko, was exceptionally tall, but his bones grew faster than his flesh, making him thin. Now, he was a giant clad in muscles. Not only him, but Saizo, Nagayoshi, and Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada), as well as the warlords such as Mori Yoshinari, Shibata, and Hideyoshi, and the women led by Nohime, Nene, and Matsu, had also incorporated Shizuko’s health methods. Having three well-balanced meals a day, doing radio calisthenics in the morning, noon, and evening, performing flexibility exercises, brushing teeth, and using bedding that allows for a good night’s sleep were mostly things that modern people do. Of course, a perfect healthy lifestyle can sometimes lead to unhealthy conditions, so some flexibility is necessary.

“Are antibiotics not a problem for later? BCG vaccine and MR vaccine should take precedence. Well, we’ll think about those things gradually… For now, we need to deal with the reality in front of us. But why do all the troublesome things come at once?”

Ashimitsu, Keiji, Saizo, and Nagayoshi showed remarkable performance in the Battle of Anegawa. As a reward for their achievements, Ashimitsu was officially assigned as a warlord of Shizuko’s squad. Each warlord’s troops were increased by 500 soldiers, making Shizuko’s squad 2,000 soldiers, Kurokuwa (civil engineering workers) 500, Keiji’s squad 1,500, Saizo’s squad 1,500, and Nagayoshi’s squad 1,500. Ashimitsu was also allowed to have his own soldiers, and 1,000 soldiers were assigned to him. In addition, 20 more archer cavalrymen were added through a new trial, making a total of 50 archer cavalrymen. Shizuko’s army increased from 4,530 to 7,550 soldiers, along with 500 Kurokuwa (civil engineering workers), and its scale was comparable to Nobunaga’s top retainers.

Shizuko belonged to the Fifth Army, but everyone once left the army and was reassigned to Nobunaga’s exclusive Zero Army, the “Special Operations Division.” It can be said that they are an independent guerrilla unit, carrying out various missions under Nobunaga’s orders. It was decided that Kimyomaru (Oda Nobutada) would later become the commander of the Zero Army.

Nobunaga easily changes the chain of command and reassigns locations, but it is not easy for those involved. Even if the number of soldiers increases, there is a need to consider living space and various other things, and Shizuko’s role is to secure that land. Not only did she have to consider the placement, but she also had to negotiate here and there to build their homes. Of course, Nobunaga had given Shizuko the power that matched her current position. Furthermore, Nobunaga bestowed the “Black Seal of Maturity and Prudence” on Shizuko, which was a system where it would reach her after Nobunaga examined the contents, but she had the authority to issue certain orders.

“The term ‘Black Seal’ sounds quite grand. Greetings are important after all, and cutting off communication will not lead to good results. Well, for now, they need to learn from the rear. Above all, they lack antibodies.”

Many of the additional soldiers and their families do not have immunity to smallpox and measles due to cowpox vaccination. The previous 4,500 soldiers and their families already have immunity to smallpox and measles. Smallpox can be obtained by exposing humans to cowpox-infected cows to gain immunity, but measles is limitedly transmitted to provide immunity.

Currently, intentional attenuation of the measles virus is not possible, so there is no way to acquire immunity to measles other than infecting humans who have not yet developed severe symptoms after strengthening their resistance. Those who develop severe symptoms are isolated and treated, while others follow standard measles prevention measures. By consuming vitamin A, the mortality rate can be reduced, so they are encouraged to consume chicken liver, komatsuna greens, goat milk, raisins, and other foods, and take precautions to minimize severe symptoms.

However, there is still a risk of developing severe symptoms, and there is a danger of death during the acquisition of measles immunity. However, so far, there have been no deaths due to measles infection. There is a reason for going to such lengths to acquire immunity to measles. If a woman with immunity gives birth to a baby, the baby will have immunity to measles until eight months of age. Although the immunity is lost after one year, it still reduces the risk of the baby dying from measles.

The program to acquire immunity to measles and smallpox was steadily producing results. Not only Shizuko and her team, but also the peasants and soldiers living in the surrounding areas, did not experience outbreaks of measles in their regions, even if it was prevalent in the surrounding areas. Even if there were infected individuals, soldiers and peasants who understood the response methods immediately implemented isolation treatment to prevent the spread of the disease. They understood that isolating individuals carrying pathogens was crucial to protecting their own lives.

“Well, there are various things we can do to change the content of the meals… but I’ll leave that to the senior soldiers.”

It may be called passing the buck, but it is not realistic for me to handle everything, and people cannot grow without being entrusted and trusted.

“Well, the next two months will be crucial.”

After murmuring, she rotated her shoulders and regained her determination.