Youdao means that there are no eternal enemies or eternal friends in the world, and there are only eternal interests. The combination between forces comes from common interests.

In my opinion, as long as I convince Otomo Sorin and make him my supporter, I will be in every way in Kitakyushu. As for vassals like Ono Jishi, in this vast and chaotic world, the ruler is really a life of the thought and a death of the thought, and there is no room for resistance or strength to resist.

For those in power, what they need is not superficial peace—of course, I mean in troubled times—what they need is interests, actual interests! They are practical interests that can provide themselves with their survival resources and powerful collaborators who can provide them.

As the manager of the business association, Ono Jishi actually lost his due function many years ago. His original intention and principle of conduct were not to strengthen Hakata's business association, but to follow me and prosper, and to make himself the leader and dominate one's own.

But this is inconsistent with the needs of the Otomo family. They have been thinking about the issue of substitutes. Otomo Soru once wanted to support the current second and third directors, but after observation, if a role like them is in the position of Ono Jishi, he is actually the same as him, and he will definitely not do better than Ono Jishi.

In addition, his brother-in-law Tahara Ken Ken was also dirty in the middle, so despite the fact that Takahashi Shaoyun reminded him many times, Otomo Sorin never made up his mind to reform or abolish the original business association, but instead let it stay alive.

But when I appeared in front of him, Ototo Sorin suddenly felt that he had found the person he wanted.

First of all, my fundamental interests are consistent with him - everyone in the circle knows that I have been committed to the struggle with Hideyoshi Hashiba. Although the reason seems a bit thin, the objective fact is that I have fought with him in various fields and the results are quite good.

In the struggle between Shimazu Yoshihiko and Otomo Sorin, Hashiba Hideyoshi has always been on the side of Shimazu Yoshihiko. Although Shimazu Yoshihiko is very ambiguous under my influence, it does not prevent Hashiba Hideyoshi from still being very unfriendly with Otomo Sorin.

In fact, Japan has shown a trend of unity in recent years, and that key point is Oda Nobunaga. After Oda Nobunaga's death, Hashiba Hideyoshi became his most perfect substitute.

Those who expect peace see hope for continued unity in him, but every major boss of independent forces never hopes that such things will happen - after all, when you are used to power and aloof, who will be willing to give up these and become a vassal of others?

In this regard, Otomo Sorin and Shimazu Yoshihisa are the same, and even each daimyo is the only difference is that they have adopted a policy of appeasement, dependence or hostility towards the powerful Hideyoshi Hashiba. That's all.

However, when they saw my thoughts, my actions, and my sword blade pointed, they all chose to cooperate with me. The reason is simple - the enemy of the enemy is a friend, right?

Secondly, my business philosophy is a reality that he has to accept - I helped him and Shimazu Yoshihisa's state, which made him not very satisfied. But I am a businessman, and the businessman wants to maximize his interests. My principle is that both parties help, and it can also be regarded as helping each other, because what I provide to them is their own necessities.

With my support, the Shimazu family and the Otomo family have both defects to perfection, making up for their respective shortcomings. In fact, they used to be balanced, but now they are still balanced. He can't stop me from helping Shimazu Yoshihisa, but he can win me the same support for him, at least not changing the current situation, right?

Third, I can bring him real benefits. In recent years, under the instigation of Ono Jishi, the development of Hakata Port has not been good, and its trade volume has been shrinking year by year. Some excellent chambers of commerce cannot enter, and those who come in cannot stay, but internal interests have formed internal communities, and they are snuggling together half-deadly.

From a tax perspective, in recent years, the tax revenue of Hakata Port has been negative year-on-year, and has even experienced a cliff-like decline on a month-on-month basis - mainly because some of the original port pillar industries, excellent chambers of commerce, were expelled because of their disagreement with Ono Jishi and their refusal to join them, resulting in a serious short-term tax revenue of the month. In the long run, it will be extremely unfavorable to the country.

Otomo Sorin beat Ono Jishi several times, but this guy was still the same and didn't change anything. So despite being protected by his brother-in-law, Otomo Sorin still made Otomo Sorin deeply dissatisfied.

On the other hand, I advocate taxation for the people, and on the other hand for the people. Of course, it is not to directly return the tax to the people, but to increase the taxation, enhance the regulatory capacity and expenditure level of Otomo family, and invest it in economic, civil affairs, military and other aspects, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Otomo family again.

Of course, all the above ideas are all concepts, and my solution is very simple, that is, official guidance, survival of the fittest, and using the law of the forest to solve the real problems! Squeeze out those chambers of commerce that survive by nepotism, so that valuable, potential, and energy chambers of commerce come in!

Means 1: Tax cuts. Lower tax rates, release water to raise fish, attract outside chambers of commerce to come in, make existing chambers of commerce more at ease, and support them to become bigger and stronger.

Mean 2: Competition. Abolish the original tactics of Ono Jishi's muddle with the slightest, and he also pays attention to "resource allocation". I encourage market competition, let them eliminate them naturally, leave the good and eliminate the bad.

Mean 3: Subsidies. We subsidize whatever the country needs. For example, if the Otomo family needs iron cannons, then subsidize iron cannons. From the aspects of labor, materials, transportation, storage, etc., direct subsidies are given to chambers of commerce in related fields, or tax returns, to attract urgently needed chambers of commerce to develop in Hakata.

Mean 4: Sharing. Lead by Renhai, a trade exchange platform is established. The chamber of commerce joins in a purely voluntary manner to provide the platform with the business information they have - such as regional price fluctuations, trend changes, etc., in exchange for corresponding points. They use points to view and master the inside information they need provided by others.

With this platform, joining the chamber of commerce is like having a wide range of eyes, and being able to see all directions and listen to all directions; while the chamber of commerce outside the platform will become more and more deaf and blind, becoming other people's meals and meat facing the knife and chopping.

If you strengthen yourself in this way, you will inevitably absorb the nutrition from the surrounding areas, including the Hanshi Hideyoshi family. One rises and the other falls, the water rises and the ship rises, which will benefit Otomo’s family and not be harmful to all!

After listening to my idea, Ototo Sorin took a photo on the spot and expressed his understanding and apologies for the friction between me and him before.

As for Otomo's important officials, Shiraki Kamiya and Takahashi Shaoyun, they proposed that they hope to establish a closer military cooperation relationship with our Bandai Chamber of Commerce - they were attracted by two points - my navy and my tactics.

But of course I refused. I said early in the morning that in the Warring States Period, I would become a person standing in the middle. I would not join any force, could cooperate, but would not become a vassal of anyone.

Many people don’t understand why? Aren’t you more intimate with the identity of a subordinate? People with this view generally lack social experience. Just like a young man and a woman, when they look at each other from afar, they may feel that they are very attractive to each other; but when they really get together and face each other day, they often find many shortcomings of each other, which is simply unbearable.

This is even more true for loyalty. The cooperation between friends and partners is equal, while the cooperation between the Lord and the subordinates is divided into superiors and inferiors. A person with his own thoughts has his human heart and human nature that is unwilling to surrender to others!

For example, me.

So I rejected their proposal to "kidnap" me and tie me up on the Otomo family's chariot, but chose simple trade cooperation. Of course, I did not cooperate for free. My requirements are: on the one hand, the Otomo family's port will be open to me and the tax will be reduced by 30%; secondly, based on this year's taxes, I will want 5% of the tax increase in the following year as the basis for the tax increase.

Otomo Sorin agreed to my request without hesitation because it was fair. So the scene just now came about at the joint meeting.

I said before that in this chaotic world, as long as the rulers support it, dealing with these civil organizations is simply unstoppable! That is a rush to the end without any obstacles!

Of course, we despise the enemy strategically, and we also need to pay attention to the enemy tactical - Xue Takiyaku always wanted to destroy Jishi Ono, so he searched for him everywhere. When we were drying the fire and hit it off, he immediately pointed out several chambers of commerce that could be used.

Those children were recommended by him, and they had a grudge against Ono Jishi and had actual development potential. When we promised them to provide them with a better business environment in the future, they chose to cooperate without hesitation.

The man who married his daughter to Ono Jishi's concubine, Genuchi, was stuttering, but he pointed out the reason why he chose to cooperate with us.

On the one hand, they believe in Tachibana's reputation.

On the other hand, they could not avoid fear and concern about my cruel means, and if they did not cooperate... the next result was unpredictable.

This was what I expected, but Tachibana Yuki glanced at me again.

As for why the butler of the Ono family betrayed Jishi Ono, it is actually nothing difficult to understand - when your life is in the hands of others, you can survive and even get a good job if you work with it. If you refuse, you don’t have to wait until tomorrow, your family will become the food for wild dogs. Is this difficult choice?

So everything happened naturally. There might have been some sporadic noises at the meeting, and I gave the answer in an official way. The same thing is, whether to join or not, it depends on voluntary action, and I will never force it.

At first, some people didn't believe it - mainly Jishi Ono's confidants - but later they found that I really did what I promised to come and go freely, so I felt at ease and chose to be content with the status quo and not join the free trade alliance.

On the way back to the city to report to Otomo Sorin, Tachibana Yuki endured it for a long time, but asked me strangely: "Commander Sun, why do you want to give those hostile chambers of commerce a way out? Why not..." He reached out and made a slash, with a fierce light in his eyes.

It can be seen that this loyal minister of the Otomo family hated these business worms and wanted to uproot them immediately.

But I smiled and asked, "Daoxue Palace, do you think these chambers of commerce can survive under our commercial offensive?"

Tachibana Doyuxue shook her head and said, "Of course, it's not possible! That's why I wonder, why don't I cut the mess quickly?"

I looked into the distance with a smile and said, "Two reasons. On the one hand, we are a business alliance, so we naturally have to look like a business alliance. We rely entirely on the pressure from above to solve the problem. That is the greatest damage to the business environment!"

Tachibana Daoxue nodded and turned her head to continue looking at me.

"On the other hand!" I looked at Leakan Dojue and smiled softly, saying in a whisper: "Birds, hens lay eggs, egg yolks inside, egg white outside, insects, fish too. Do you know why this is?"

Tachibana Doyuxue shook her head, not knowing what I was going to say.

But I looked into the distance and said, "Because these mothers laying eggs have to leave enough nutrients for their children. Only by absorbing these nutrients can chicks, birds, insects, and fish be transformed from the egg yolks! And these chambers of commerce that I "soft-hearted" stay, but are actually dying. I am leaving the nutrients for the future to prepare to vigorously cultivate the large chamber of commerce!"

After saying that, I smiled slightly, squeezed my legs into the black horse's belly of the Three Kingdoms, and rode my horse away. Only Lean Hana Daoxue looked at my back, speechless for a long time.
Chapter completed!