The Ouchi Clan and their Smuggling (14)

     On September the 3rd, the delegation went back as far as Han-zhou, and toured Lake Xi.  On the 12th, they finally got back to Ningbo.

     The 2 ships landed at a river pier near the Ling Bridge across the Fenghua River east of Ningbo.  The other mission members who had remained in Ningbo hurried to the pier to meet the delegation, and unloaded imperial gifts and souvenirs.  The delegation officers rode on palanquins, and returned to the reception hall in glory.  Kamiya Kazue prepared a hot bath.  The delegation members bathed in it, and healed themselves of strain from the long journey.

     Until May the 20th, 1541, when the mission left China, Sakugen spent more than 200 days in Ningbo, visiting neighboring places of scenic beauty, deepening their friendship with Chinese literary figures, and buying souvenirs.  Meanwhile, the ships were reequipped, and Yoshimi Masayori and Yada Masushige (?-?), the vassals of the Ouchi Clan, held a Buddhist service as the chief mourners on the 12th anniversary of Ouchi Yoshioki’s death, whose son, Yoshitaka, owned the mission ships, and they, of course, engaged the ambassador, vice-ambassador and the other accompanying priests in the service.

     After a little more than 2 years and 2 months, the mission finally returned to Naru-shima Island on June the 26th, 1541, with great success.  At the time, Ouchi Yoshitaka was at the front in the Kanayama Castle, Sato County, Aki Province.  Sakugen left Yamaguchi on August the 12th, got to the castle on the 18th, and met Yoshitaka on the 19th to report the mission’s completion.  He also had the used tally checked in the presence of Yoshitaka on September the 14th.  Yoshitaka greatly rejoiced wt the mission’s accomplishment, and, when he met Sakugen again on September the 16th, he already ordered Sakugen to visit Ming again.  Henceforth, they started preparing for the next mission in 1549 with Sakugen as the ambassador.