CHAPTER 1501: CHAPTER 1048: SPRING AND AUTUMN SAMURAI IN TANG PAINTINGS, THE REQUEST TO TRADE HORSES

"Chief Divine, it’s truly a large ship with five masts! Although not as big as the Great Snow Wolf, it has three decks and so many masts, it looks quite complicated... Eh! There don’t seem to be many tribes in the camp! The armor they’re wearing, gray and reflective, is different from the usual leather armor, it looks like a mix of iron, leather, and bamboo wood. This type of armor also seems quite complex, shaped like a composite bamboo man... Hmm! The weapons they’re holding, all iron blades and iron spears?!..."

"By the Chief Divine’s testimony! Those three warriors over there wielding blades, riding on those four-legged riding beasts, could they actually be horses?! Four long legs, no horns... Ah! Exactly as in the prophecy, that should be a horse! ... Such short warriors, such tall horses!!..."

The snow cleared, the Sun tilted towards the West, and the Ice Sea gleamed with golden light. Exploration Captain Zuwaro, with thirty Mountain Hunters and thirty Kingdom Warriors, approached within seventy steps of the camp. From this distance, he could clearly see inside the camp, counting the roughly twenty tribes, and also see the tribes’ clothing, armor, and weapons.

There were fewer than ten Wa Country samurai at the camp entrance, mostly short of stature, with faces fiercely determined to appear daunting. They wore gray doumaru light armor, with warm leather lining underneath, holding iron-tipped spears and bamboo-wood Japanese bows in their hands, with short daggers at their waists.

The Korean sailors inside were likewise only eight or nine, slightly taller and visibly tense and uneasy. Wrapped in leather armor and coats, holding short ship swords, they huddled together like a group of deer, seemingly not adept at combat.

On the west side of the camp were four or five wounded warriors, also holding weapons, but clearly moving with difficulty. On the east side were three samurai on horseback, one hand holding a long sword, the other gripping the horses’ reins. Seemingly sensing the camp’s heavy atmosphere, the tall horses were visibly uneasy. They occasionally lifted their hooves and neighed low, only to be calmed again by the mounted samurai.

"Buddha’s protection! Where on earth did these sled-driving tribes come from? They look half like the usual reindeer tribe, all wearing leather and winged armor, carrying curved powerful bows, and bearing stone axes and blades. But the other half are in golden armor sets? Could it be bronze cloth armor?..."

"Ah! The battle axes in their hands, the raised spearheads, the ornaments around their necks, all glowing with bronze! Surprisingly, it’s all expensive bronze! ... It’s almost as if they walked right out of ancient Tang Country paintings, those living warriors from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States of the Tang lands!..."

Dozens of steps away, ship commissioner Murakami Kitamichi widened his eyes, examining the Kingdom’s Bronze Armored Warriors standing at the forefront. He scrutinized their attire, his uneasy face showing surprise, confusion, and contemplation. When he finally recognized that the obviously heavy gilded armor was primarily made of bronze, with cloth as a secondary material, his expression could no longer hold!

"Buddha! It’s bronze axes, bronze armor! So much bronze... this is all money!!"

Murakami Kitamichi shouted inwardly, his emotions visibly fluctuating. Like the Ming Dynasty, Wa Country used copper coins as the basic currency unit. In practice, one string of copper coins was 900-1000 cash, weighing about seven pounds. The armor and weapons of the Kingdom’s warriors easily added up to at least four strings worth of copper!... Not to mention the high-priced cotton in Wa Country...

Cold winds blew, stirring the scattered snow particles. The two forces meeting from afar, each held their weapons, facing each other quietly across seventy to eighty steps. The more they observed, the more peculiar the leaders’ gazes became, as if veiled by some otherworldly emotions.

"Watanabe-san, these peculiar deer tribe people are all using ancient bronze utensils... How should we respond?"

"Murakami-san, they are numerous and possess sleds and powerful bows... Let’s try to adopt a low-key stance and negotiate amicably with them!"

Monk Soldier Watanabe Masumi wore a stern expression, gazing at the opposing warrior leader. Those heavy bronze armors and sharp bronze weapons were mean for real combat! Facing thirty heavy armored warriors, thirty tribe archers, the twenty or so people in the camp, including the Korean sailors who couldn’t even be considered Ashigaru, were not equipped to fight...

"Hachiman Mahasattva’s blessing! Bring some liquor to their leader. These tribes from the Far North Coast love alcohol!"

"Alright! Buddha’s protection, I’ll handle it myself!"

Murakami Kitamichi nodded, picked up a jar of rice wine, and left the camp. In front of everyone, he first set down the iron-tipped spear, indicating no hostility. Then he moved forward a dozen steps, placed the wine jar in the center of both teams, removed the cover paper and mud seal, letting the rich aroma of wine waft out. Finally, he bowed deeply and carefully retreated under the aim of the Mountain Hunters’ bows and arrows.

"Hmm? Is this... a gesture of goodwill?"

Seeing the opposing leader’s actions, Exploration Captain Zuwaro came to his senses. After a moment’s hesitation, he instructed the warriors to lower their weapons and the hunters to lower their bows. He then had Big Bear retrieve the wine jar, sniff the familiar aroma brewed from unknown ingredients, and nodded slightly.

"Chief Divine testifies! Tribes arriving by large ship, we have come this time for trade! We want to barter for horses!"

Zuwaro wearing cloth armor, brought Stonefirm and some Kingdom warriors forward twenty to thirty steps, shouting into the camp from there. Hearing this unheard-of language, ship commissioner Murakami Kitamichi hesitated for a moment, looking to Monk Soldier Watanabe Masumi.

"Watanabe-san, the Divine Buddha manifests! Your suggestion worked, they seem open to talk... Will you come forward with me?"

"Agreed! Hachiman Mahasattva bless us! We must be careful. Since they came this far with so many people, what they want couldn’t be insignificant..."

After whispering a few words, they brought two or three Wa Country warriors forward. The leaders of both sides met at the camp entrance, curious and wary of each other. Naturally, Zuwaro brought more people, so his eyes were filled with more curiosity. Murakami Kitamichi, at a disadvantage, was more wary, occasionally glancing at the bronze axes hanging at the Kingdom warriors’ waists.

"Buddha’s protection! Leader of the deer tribe, what do you want?"

"Chief Divine’s blessing! Leader of the large ship, your horses, the four-legged horses, how can they be traded?"

"Uh? What do you want? Over there? Riding? Four legs? Running? ... Ah! You want horses!"

"Yes, yes! Just that, those, the three large horses!"

At their first meeting, unable to understand each other’s language, they could only rely on gestures and guesses. It took a while for Murakami Kitamichi to comprehend Zuwaro’s request. He was surprised that these deer tribes, owning reindeer, wolves, and sleds, desired the horses from their camp?

"Watanabe-san, what now? These horses are to be taken back and presented to Family Head Lord Nobuhiro!"

"Murakami-san, since we are seeking shelter beneath others’ eaves, we must lower our heads... That Jurchen horse is truly rare; we’ll have to part with two snow horses..."

"Ah! I suppose that’s how it is..."

Murakami Kitamichi pursed his lips, looked at Zuwaro, and pointed to the two shorter Yakut snow horses, indicating willingness to trade. After shouting a few words, Horse Breeder Sukeichiro led a white snow horse over.

"Witnessed by Buddha! Leader of the deer tribe, see if this horse suits you?"

"Chief Divine’s blessing! Ah! Finally, for the Emperor revealed by Divine Revelation, I have found the prophetic horse!..."

Zuwaro, suppressing the surge of excitement in his heart, could hardly contain the tremor in his body. He reached out to stroke the more docile snow mare, feeling the thick, soft horsehair and the curve of the rideable back, a smile involuntarily spreading across his face!

After a while, he reluctantly retracted his hand, looked at the slightly nervous members of the Wa Country before him, and continued to point towards the direction of the horse stable.

"Supreme Main God’s guidance! Leader of the large ship, your horses are very fine, extremely fine! I want all three horses!"

Zuwaro made a circling motion with his hand, indicating "I want them all". Then, noticing Murakami Kitamichi’s drawn, tense face, his eyes flickered deeply. After a brief deliberation, he took off the Sun Hummingbird’s golden amulet from around his neck and handsomely thrust it into the other’s palm.

"Testimony of the Chief Divine! Haha! Leader of the large ship, I won’t take your large horses for nothing... This golden amulet of the Chief Divine is my valuable good for the trade!"