Fukuda Kō

Fukuda Kō was a man under thirty, yet his Fukuda Family controlled over half the ships in the Land of Rivers. Before Ming Jing appeared, he was the most famous genius in the business world.

After waking up this morning, Fukuda Kō ate breakfast he'd bought from a Chinese restaurant while flipping through the newspaper. He was very concerned about the disaster situation on the border of the Land of Rain. After all, his transportation business would inevitably spawn a group of bandits if the disaster wasn't controlled. At that point, the Fukuda Family's transport teams would either have to find a new trade route or increase costs to bribe the bandit leaders to pass safely.

Just then, Fukuda Kō's butler walked in and said in a low voice, "Lord Kō, the Prime Minister the Daimyo invited has arrived in the Royal Capital."

"Hm? Akira Kurama is here! Where is he now?" Fukuda Kō put down the newspaper. He really wanted to chat with this business genius, who was even more legendary than himself!

"He went to the Daimyo's Mansion," the butler replied.

"Alright, I understand. Let's see what his intentions are!" Fukuda Kō nodded and picked up the newspaper again. A businessman entering politics? That sounds interesting!

That evening, as Fukuda Kō was playing with his wife and children, the butler brought in two people, one tall and one short. Fukuda Kō was startled. The butler had been with him for over ten years, and this was the first time he had brought people here without his permission!

Just as Fukuda Kō was about to reprimand the butler, the shorter person stepped out from the shadows. He lowered his hood and said gently, "Mr. Fukuda, I am Akira Kurama. It's our first meeting, please take care of me."

"So it's Prime Minister Kurama!... May I ask what the Prime Minister's uninvited visit means?" Fukuda Kō gently patted his wife's hand. Years of marital understanding were fully displayed at this moment. Fukuda Kō stepped forward to block Ming Jing's line of sight, while his wife retreated, pulling the child away from the room.

Ming Jing didn't speak. Instead, he watched Fukuda Kō's wife and child leave. This action made Fukuda Kō relax a little. At least the visitor wasn't here with malicious intent.

"Tomorrow, I plan to host a banquet for all the wealthy individuals in the Royal Capital to donate to the disaster victims," Ming Jing said, retracting his gaze and looking at Fukuda Kō.

"Disaster relief donations are a good deed. I don't think anyone will refuse," Fukuda Kō said.

"What if the budget is quite large?" Ming Jing asked with a slight smile.

Fukuda Kō frowned. His first thought was that Ming Jing intended to extort everyone under the guise of fundraising. But considering the Kurama Clan's financial strength and development trend, he wouldn't need to do that! Fukuda Kō asked, "How much does the Prime Minister estimate is needed?"

"Sixty million ryo," Ming Jing slowly uttered the number.

Sixty million?! Fukuda Kō's eyes widened subconsciously. That was equivalent to one-twentieth of the Fukuda family's total assets! Had the disaster zone become that severe?

"Sixty million ryo. Even if it doesn't permanently solve the flood problem, there won't be any floods on the border of the Land of Rain for at least two hundred years," Ming Jing continued to elaborate.

Fukuda Kō's mind immediately conjured the geographical environment of the Land of Rain. He wondered how Ming Jing planned to achieve such an effect.

"Does the Prime Minister plan to build a dam?" Fukuda Kō thought of a location there where the mountains on both sides were high. If the middle was blocked, the water from the Land of Rain could be contained.

"No!" Ming Jing shook his head. "Instead of blocking, it's better to dredge. I plan to dig canals! Connecting the Land of Fire, the Land of Rivers, the Land of Rain, and the Land of Grass."

Fukuda Kō was surprised. His family had done canal digging before, but only within the Land of Rivers. Judging by Ming Jing's words, he intended to make a big splash! Fukuda Kō calculated in his mind for a moment, then shook his head. "The Prime Minister's idea is good, but it's impossible to dig such a large canal with sixty million ryo. The workers' wages alone would exceed that amount!"

"The workers only need to be provided with food and lodging. Current estimates suggest about fifty thousand people," Ming Jing said calmly.

Fukuda Kō immediately understood Ming Jing's meaning. The Prime Minister intended to have the disaster victims help him dig the canal. In that case, it wasn't impossible!

Wait, why did the Prime Minister come to see him today?

Fukuda Kō looked at Ming Jing doubtfully, hoping for an explanation.

"The reason I came to see Mr. Fukuda in advance is that I hope Mr. Fukuda will fully cooperate with me at tomorrow's donation event. Donating five to six million ryo would be best. Of course, I won't treat Mr. Fukuda poorly either. The newly built canal will allow the Fukuda Family to be exempt from canal taxes for ten years," Ming Jing said, also feeling relieved. It was easy to talk to smart people. They understood without needing too much explanation.

As expected, after hearing the bait Ming Jing offered, Fukuda Kō agreed almost without hesitation. He promised that the Fukuda Family would donate eight million ryo to the disaster victims. The extra few million was a gesture of respect for Ming Jing.

After Ming Jing left, Fukuda Kō paced happily around his home. His wife quietly came to check on him. Seeing her husband so happy, she couldn't help but ask. Fukuda Kō told her about his agreement with Ming Jing and then said excitedly, "Ten years of tax exemption! Keiko, do you know what this means? It means that for the next ten years, my Fukuda family will have the full capability to contract transportation for the Land of Grass, the Land of Rain, and the Land of Fire! This is a market worth hundreds of millions! What is the seven million ryo I'm paying now?! Hahahaha..."

"Ahaha, congratulations, Kō," Fukuda Kō's wife said happily.

Just then, the butler, who had been standing by the side with no sense of presence, trembled all over. Then he looked around blankly. Seeing Fukuda Kō, he quickly bowed and said, "I'm sorry, Lord Kō. I don't know how, but I just came in?"

Fukuda Kō's expression stiffened. He immediately understood that this was Ming Jing's warning. The man was not just an official, but also a powerful ninja. Realizing this, Fukuda Kō smiled freely. He waved his hand, dismissing the butler. After all, he had no intention of playing any tricks.

On the way back, Ming Jing and Qing Yan walked at a leisurely pace. Seeing that Ming Jing was in a good mood, Qing Yan asked, "Young Master, why did you seek out this man first?"

"Fukuda Kō is young and his thinking is active, making him more receptive to new things. And the Fukuda family is in the transportation business. What could be more attractive to them than digging a canal?" Ming Jing explained with a smile. He hadn't expected it to go so smoothly himself. He had to admit that sometimes, finding the right person was key to getting things done!

"I understand," Qing Yan nodded and asked no further questions, quietly following behind Ming Jing.

Ming Jing smiled. He was now full of confidence for tomorrow's donation ceremony. Yes, he would go back and secretly make arrangements at the venue to ensure everything went flawlessly. He really had to commend his sudden whim tonight! If he hadn't gone out for a stroll, how would he have come up with such a brilliant idea?

That's right, the reason Ming Jing went to Fukuda Kō's place was that simple – it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

The next morning, the Fukuda family's butler received an invitation from the Prime Minister's Residence. When Fukuda Kō took a look, the invitation was truly... simple! It was just a piece of white paper folded in half, and the content was also very brief.

It began with: "Compassionate and receptive to goodness."

Respected Mr. Fukuda Kō:

We are pleased to learn of your esteemed reputation and your influence in society. The Prime Minister's Charity Gala will be held on July 24, 2016, at the first conference hall of the Zhonghua Grand Hotel at the hour of the dog, first quarter. Let us join hands for charity, offer our love, and benefit the disaster-stricken areas. You are sincerely invited to attend.

Signed: Prime Minister of the Land of Fire, Akira Kurama

"Heh, this Prime Minister is putting on quite a humble act! I wonder if that old fox Masao Kosaka will take the bait," Fukuda Kō chuckled, handing the invitation to the butler. "Remember to remind me, this banquet is very important."

"Yes, Lord Kō!" The butler respectfully took the simple invitation.