The night passed without a word, save for the pleasant sound of clapping that lasted half the night.
When the first ray of morning sunlight fell, Chiba Ran woke up.
The dancer beside him was still sleeping soundly, her black hair scattered across the brocade quilt, her cheeks still flushed.
Like a beautiful flower watered by rain and dew.
Chiba Ran's gaze lingered briefly on her peaks before becoming utterly calm again.
Last night's intimacy had been wonderful, but that was all.
He rose from the bed, his bare feet stepping onto the cold, smooth floor tiles.
The maids waiting outside filed in. They kept their heads lowered, their movements gentle and practiced, not daring to make the slightest sound.
One offered a hot towel, while another brought over a cup of salt water.
Chiba Ran spread his arms and let them dress him.
Throughout the entire process, only the faint rustle of fabric could be heard.
By the time he had finished washing up and sat down at the dining table, the dancer finally woke leisurely.
When she saw Chiba Ran sitting there properly, panic crossed her face, and she tried to rise and bow.
"No need."
Chiba Ran's voice was flat.
"You dance well. You shall be rewarded."
"Minamoto will arrange a place for you to stay."
He did not turn around, merely waving a hand.
The dancer stiffened for a moment, then joy filled her face.
She knew she had caught the daimyo's eye.
Only after respectfully kneeling and kowtowing did she quietly leave with the maids.
After breakfast, Chiba Ran strolled into the study.
He stood with his hands behind his back before the enormous map of the Shinobi World.
The results of the system's projections from several days ago were taking shape in his mind, evolving into more concrete details.
Economic Shock and Military Deterrence
That was the strategic guideline provided by the sandbox.
But it had only given him a broad direction, without specifying the means of execution.
How to carry it out was the real test.
Chiba Ran fell into thought.
The Land of Earth was bitterly cold, while the Land of Wind was barren.
These two countries possessed a natural craving for outside goods.
But simply selling them food and weapons would be aiding the enemy.
It had to be something unnecessary, yet irresistibly tempting.
Something that could erode their will from within.
Chiba Ran's thoughts gradually became clear.
It was as though he could already see the future.
In the cold stone palaces of the Land of Earth, soft carpets from the Land of Fire would be spread across the floors.
On afternoons when sandstorms raged through the Land of Wind, nobles would taste sweet black tea unlike anything they had ever known.
Once those nobles grew accustomed to such lives, they would never be able to return to the way things were.
As long as the strategy was handled properly, the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind would become astonishingly dependent on the Land of Fire economically, while their domestic interest groups would be deeply tied to the Land of Fire.
Once the seeds of desire sprouted, they would willingly become pieces in his hand just to maintain their luxurious lives.
Chiba Ran picked up the warm tea on the table and took a sip.
Everything was ready. All he lacked was an obedient executor.
Knock, knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the study door.
"Come in."
Minamoto pushed the door open and bowed as he reported, "My lord, Tanaka Shigeru requests an audience."
"Let him in."
Chiba Ran sat back in his chair, resuming his lazy demeanor.
Soon, the slightly plump Tanaka Shigeru hurried in.
He was dressed especially formally today.
"Greetings, Lord Daimyo!"
He prostrated himself on the floor and performed a deep bow.
"Rise. Have a seat."
"Thank you, my lord."
Tanaka Shigeru sat down carefully, his posture humble, then presented a scroll.
"My lord, this is the preliminary budget proposal for the Imperial Concubine Selection Ceremony. Please review it."
Chiba Ran waved a hand. "For such trivial matters, just discuss them with Minamoto and handle them yourselves. You need not consult me over every little thing."
"Yes... this servant understands!"
Tanaka Shigeru hurriedly withdrew the scroll.
Chiba Ran went straight to the point. "I summoned you here to discuss another matter."
Tanaka Shigeru immediately straightened his back. "Please give your instructions, my lord!"
"The war is over. The country needs time to recover, and the people need peaceful, prosperous lives."
"I intend to further strengthen trade with the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind."
"What do you think would be appropriate for us to sell them?"
Tanaka Shigeru's mind raced.
Strengthen trade with the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind?
Why those two countries in particular?
What about the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water?
Having navigated officialdom for decades, he caught a faint scent of something amiss.
After pondering for a moment, he tentatively spoke. "My lord is wise! In postwar reconstruction, exchanging what each side has for what the other lacks is indeed the best way to enrich the nation and strengthen its people."
"The Land of Earth is bitterly cold, and the Land of Wind is barren. If we can sell our surplus grain and cloth to those two countries in exchange for their ores and local products, it would truly serve multiple purposes at once!"
Chiba Ran let out a soft chuckle.
The laughter was quiet, but it made Tanaka Shigeru's heart sink heavily.
He had said the wrong thing.
"Tanaka."
Chiba Ran said softly, "You are skilled at managing finances, but your vision is still lacking."
"Food and cloth cannot be sold in large quantities."
"If we sell them too much, they will be well-fed and warmly dressed, giving them the strength to take up weapons and continue opposing us."
"We want to make money, not support them and make them stronger. Do you understand what I mean?"
Tanaka Shigeru understood in an instant.
The daimyo's goal was not mutual exchange at all!
This was a grand game!
A shocking game that used the national economy as a weapon!
And his earlier answer had been childish!
Sitting in his chair, his mind spun furiously.
Not support them... not food or cloth...
Then what could be sold to make a country dependent without increasing its strength?
Something that would weaken it instead?
A thought flashed through his mind like lightning!
Luxury goods!
Silk, porcelain, tea, fine wine!
Things unique to the Land of Fire, exquisite beyond compare!
"This servant understands! This servant knows what we should sell!"
"We only need to maintain the current level of food and cloth trade. What we truly need to sell are things they do not possess, yet will never be able to live without once they have used them!"
"Silk, for example! What noble ladies in the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind would not want to wear magnificent clothes? Who would be willing to spend an entire lifetime staring at rocks and sand?"
"And our porcelain! They will surely need the finest tea sets to display their status!"
"Oh, and sugar! No one can refuse that sweet taste! Once ordinary people get a taste of sweetness, they will no longer be able to endure their former hard lives!"
"We have as much of these things as we want, while they can only spend money to buy them!"
Tanaka Shigeru spoke faster and faster, his entire body growing excited.
He felt as though he had pushed open the door to a new world!
These things...
They were all poisons that intoxicated and corrupted people!
They would not make a country stronger. They would only make those in power weaker and more addicted to pleasure!
Chiba Ran listened quietly, satisfaction in his eyes.
Very good.
The old man was still useful.
Just as Tanaka Shigeru thought he had seen through everything, Chiba Ran lightly asked a question.
"Speaking of which, the Land of Lightning still refuses to sign the Peace Treaty?"
"What a bunch of idiots with nothing but muscles in their heads."
"What a pity. They probably will not have the fortune to enjoy so many good things."
Those words left Tanaka Shigeru stunned.
Strengthening trade with the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind...
Deliberately leaving out the Land of Lightning...
Using luxury goods to corrupt the upper classes of those two countries and make them dependent...
All the clues connected in an instant, pointing toward one goal...
Isolate the Land of Lightning!
Strangle the Land of Lightning!
This daimyo had never intended to cease hostilities!
Outside the battlefield, he intended to use money and trade to slowly choke the Land of Lightning to death!
Tanaka Shigeru did not even dare breathe loudly.
As he trembled at that discovery, another question surfaced.
Earth, Wind, Lightning... then what about the Land of Water?
Gathering his courage, Tanaka Shigeru asked in a trembling voice, "Then... my lord, what should we do about the Land of Water?"
"What do you think?"
Chiba Ran tossed the question back to him.
Tanaka Shigeru did not dare slacken in the slightest and fell into thought again.
The Land of Water... Kirigakure...
Kirigakure was currently wracked by endless internal strife and had closed itself off from the world.
A country consumed by internal conflict and unable to look after itself...
And the Land of Fire's greatest current enemy was the Land of Lightning, which retained its full strength and held an uncompromising attitude!
Tanaka Shigeru's thoughts instantly cleared, and he replied respectfully, "This servant understands!"
"The Land of Water is mired in the Blood Mist Civil War and cannot look after itself. It has neither the strength to interfere with us nor the strength to become our ally."
"Our primary target at present is the Land of Lightning. It would be unwise to create further complications."
"With the Land of Water, we need only maintain the status quo and preserve the most basic normal trade. We should neither support nor suppress it, and simply let it fend for itself!"
"Mm."
Chiba Ran was finally satisfied.
"Then go handle it. Draft a detailed trade list and implementation plan."
"To improve efficiency, you will take the lead in establishing a Department for the Promotion of Foreign Trade, dedicated specifically to this matter."
He had guessed correctly!
Tanaka Shigeru was overjoyed and hastily agreed.
"Oh, right," Chiba Ran said, as though recalling something else. "I have several promising young people under me with a good head for economics. Have them join this new department as well, serving as your assistants so they can gain more experience."
Tanaka Shigeru immediately replied, "Yes! This servant obeys!"
He knew the daimyo was placing his own confidants there.
Yet he held no dissatisfaction. Instead, he felt relieved.
At the very least, it showed that he still had value in the daimyo's eyes.
"You may leave."
"This servant takes his leave!"
Tanaka Shigeru bowed, then carefully withdrew from the study.
Once again, Chiba Ran was alone in the study.
He slowly rose and walked to the enormous map.
His gaze fell upon the Land of Lightning, his eyes filled with conquest.
Before you continue