Trade Decided

The Hokage's Office.

Minato Namikaze looked at Shimura Ken, who stood before him, and the list he presented, a slight frown creasing his brow.

The list contained the names of all eligible young ninja from the Shimura Clan, twenty-seven in total.

Next to each name, four characters were written in vermilion ink: "At my disposal."

"Elder Shimura, what is the meaning of this?" Minato's voice betrayed no emotion.

Shimura Ken's posture was humble.

"Hokage-sama, Danzo... his sins are heinous. He has brought an indelible shame upon our clan."

"But the loyalty of the rest of the Shimura Clan to the Land of Fire, and to the Daimyo, has never wavered!"

"We... we Shimura Clan wish to serve the Daimyo!"

He suddenly looked up, his cloudy old eyes sharpening.

"Do the descendants of a criminal still have a path to serve the country?"

"I beg the Hokage to show us the way!"

Minato Namikaze fell silent.

He gazed at the old man, his heart churning.

The Daimyo had issued no specific orders regarding the Shimura Clan.

Yet, this silence was like a blade poised to fall at any moment, leaving the entire Shimura Clan in a state of perpetual anxiety.

Now, they could no longer bear it.

Minato was inclined to agree. After all, he wasn't blind; the entire Konoha knew what kind of life the Shimura Clan had endured during Danzo's time.

However, this was not a decision he could make alone.

"I will truthfully report your intentions to the Daimyo."

"As for whether the Daimyo is willing to give you a chance, I cannot guarantee it."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama! Thank you, Hokage-sama!" Even such an ambiguous answer gave Shimura Ken a glimmer of hope.

He bowed respectfully, deeply, before trembling as he retreated.

Watching Shimura Ken's hunched back, Minato Namikaze picked up the heavy list and sighed.

Once upon a time, the Shimura Clan was a prominent Konoha family. When had they ever been so humble?

He organized this request, along with the lists from other families, and dispatched someone to deliver them with all haste to the Land of Fire Capital.

The fate of the Shimura Clan would be decided by the word of their sovereign.

Meanwhile, far away in the Land of Fire Capital, negotiations were underway.

The Daimyo Manor, the auxiliary council hall.

The hall was warm as spring.

But the atmosphere was tense.

Finance Minister Tanaka Shigeru wore a smile.

Opposite him were the negotiation representatives from the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind.

The envoy from the Land of Earth was a stocky middle-aged man, his face looking haggard.

Clearly, the seven-day negotiation had taken a heavy toll on his energy.

He pointed to the trade agreement draft, which had been revised more than twenty times, and said in a hoarse voice, "Lord Tanaka, we have felt the sincerity of the Land of Fire."

"The Land of Fire is willing to open its exports of white sugar, silk, and refined sea salt. We are very grateful."

"However..."

His tone shifted as he pointed to a specific clause in the draft.

"Regarding the establishment of a trade transit station at the border of the three countries, with the Land of Fire taking the lead in its construction, and the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind jointly funding it..."

"We cannot accept this point!"

Beside him, the envoy from the Land of Wind nodded in agreement. His eyes narrowed, flashing with the caution and cunning unique to desert peoples.

"Precisely."

"Trade should be free. It should be merchants carrying goods, traveling between their respective towns."

"Why must a fixed trading post be established?"

"This doesn't sound like trade."

"It sounds more like the Land of Fire is building a military fortress on the border."

This accusation was as sharp as a knife.

The smile on Tanaka Shigeru's face did not waver in the slightest.

Instead, a young man standing beside him rose.

The young man was barely in his early twenties, with a handsome face. The brand-new official uniform he wore made him stand tall and straight.

Facing the envoys from two countries, he remained as steady as a mountain.

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.

This person's name was Asaba Toru, a trusted confidant who had followed Chiba Ran throughout his rise.

He bowed slightly and then spoke in a clear, neither humble nor arrogant tone.

"My lords, I believe you have misunderstood."

"The reason for proposing the establishment of a trade transit station is not to restrict freedom, but quite the opposite – it is to guarantee the freedom and safety of merchants."

He meticulously analyzed issues such as border banditry, trade route security, and tariff barriers.

He also compared the long-term expenses of issuing missions with the one-time investment required to establish the transit station.

His words painted a blueprint for efficiency, safety, and mutual benefit.

His speech was flawless.

However, the envoys from the two countries were clearly experienced and were not swayed by his words.

"A pretty speech!"

The envoy from the Land of Wind snorted, placing his teacup down heavily. "Young man, you have a silver tongue. But we are discussing national interests, not drawing cakes to fill our stomachs!"

The envoy from the Land of Earth added, "Having the Land of Fire take the lead in construction is inherently unfair."

"At that time, whether the trade station becomes shops or barracks, I'm afraid it won't be up to us to decide."

"We cannot accept this proposal!"

The negotiations instantly fell into a stalemate.

The air seemed to freeze, and Asaba Toru frowned slightly.

Just then, Tanaka Shigeru, who had been silent, finally spoke, "Envoys, please do not be upset!"

He looked at Asaba Toru, feigning a scolding tone.

"Watanabe, your intentions are good, aiming for the common prosperity of our three nations."

"But you are still too young. When considering issues, you cannot only look from the perspective of our Land of Fire, but must also consider the concerns of the envoys."

These words, while sounding like criticism, also eased the tense atmosphere.

The expressions of the envoys from the two countries improved slightly.

Tanaka Shigeru then continued, "Since you both have doubts about this point, then... why don't we each take a step back, how about that?"

"The trade station must still be built. For the sake of everyone's safety and interests, this point cannot be shaken."

"However, the method of construction can be changed."

Looking at the surprised and uncertain eyes of the two envoys, Tanaka Shigeru presented his plan.

"How about this: the construction of the trade station will be jointly supervised by people from our three nations! The number of ninjas stationed there must also be completely equal, no one more, no one less!"

He paused, looking at the increasingly serious envoys, and continued to add weight to his proposal. "Furthermore, the highest administrative officer of the trade station will not be appointed by any single nation, but will be managed by a committee composed of representatives from our three nations, who will jointly manage the trade station!"

"This way, it will be open, transparent, and power will be equal. Surely you can be at ease now?"

In the dark room, separated by a wall.

Chiba Ran observed with great interest through a specially made one-way crystal.

Brilliant!

This act of playing good cop and bad cop was performed perfectly.

First, they threw out harsh conditions to test the bottom line and draw fire.

When the other party strongly reacted and negotiations reached a deadlock, they would then proactively make concessions and present a pre-prepared plan.

This would give the opponents the illusion that they had forced the other side to make concessions through their strenuous efforts.

As expected, the old ginger was the spiciest.

Indeed.

In the side hall, after a brief moment of surprise, the eyes of the envoys from the two countries suddenly lit up with joy.

Joint supervision? Equal ninjas? Joint management?

Wasn't this exactly the ideal plan they had in mind!

They never expected the Land of Fire to propose it themselves!

The envoy from the Land of Earth said with barely concealed excitement, "Is this true?"

"Of course, it's true!"

Tanaka Shigeru acted righteously, waving his hand grandly. "For peace, for the everlasting friendship of our three nations, what are a few gains and losses of profit? We, the Land of Fire, will yield!"

"Good!"

The envoy from the Land of Earth slapped his thigh. "Lord Tanaka, your benevolence is great! I, on behalf of the Land of Earth, agree!"

The envoy from the Land of Wind quickly nodded as well, "We in the Land of Wind also agree!"

Next, it was naturally time for the three parties' representatives to sign the trade agreement.

A trade negotiation that had lasted seven days came to a close in an atmosphere of universal satisfaction.

Chiba Ran contentedly set down his teacup and stood up, preparing to leave.

Just then, Gen entered and whispered in his ear, "Sir, the Fourth Hokage's proposal just arrived!"