A State-Sponsored Privateer Fleet (5)

Kim Daebung told the Lord of Tsushima to distribute the land on Iki appropriately among the people and take only those who wished to go to Kyushu.

However, the greedy Lord of Tsushima, Sō Sadamori, distributed all the land on Iki among the people rather than applying the “same tax rate as Joseon,”

and ordered all the people of Tsushima to obey unconditionally whenever he, as their lord and daimyo, issued a summons.

As a result, the Lord of Tsushima, Sō Sadamori, was able to enter the Shōni clan’s war with no fewer than 4,400 soldiers under his command.

Judging solely by troop numbers, that was roughly twenty percent of the strength of an average great daimyo clan...

The cornered Shōni Mitsusada welcomed the Lord of Tsushima with great delight and treated him with the utmost courtesy.

“Sadamori.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“If I defeat the shogun’s army this time, I will certainly make you the chief karō of our clan (the clan’s second-in-command). In addition, I shall grant you Chikugo.”

“Since my lord says he will employ me so heavily, I am overwhelmed with gratitude.”...