The flames in the brazier gradually weakened, leaving only crimson embers that occasionally spat out a spark or two.
The echoes of loyalty had yet to fade from the council chamber, and the scent of burning wood still hung in the air.
The mockery on Chiba Ran's face receded, replaced by a gentle smile.
Looking at the officials kneeling on the floor, their faces bearing the relief of survivors, Chiba Ran said, "Rise. You are all pillars of the Land of Fire; there is no need for such grand ceremony."
His voice was not loud, yet the restless crowd fell silent at once.
"Thank you, Lord Daimyo!"
Tanaka Shigeru and the others rose shakily to their feet, though they remained slightly bent at the waist, not daring to meet Chiba Ran's eyes.
That burning brazier had also left an indelible mark upon their hearts.
Rather than returning to the seat of honor, Chiba Ran paced to the center of the council chamber and stood with his hands behind his back.
Then he let out a deep sigh.
The sigh was soft, but it sent the hearts the officials had just set down leaping into their throats again.
"Gentlemen..."
Chiba Ran's tone carried a hint of sorrow.
"My useless elder brothers nearly emptied the treasury over an empty title."
"Suppressing the civil unrest, pacifying the territories, and rebuilding the capital will require another astronomical sum."
He paused and swept his gaze over the crowd.
"Just yesterday, Lord Tanaka Shigeru was weeping to me that the treasury was cleaner than his head."
Tanaka Shigeru shuddered and nearly dropped to his knees again. He hurriedly explained, "I... I was merely making a comparison! I deserve death!"
"No, you were right."
Chiba Ran waved a hand, signaling that he need not be nervous, though the concern on his face deepened.
"Now that the war is nearing its end, tens of thousands of soldiers await compensation, displaced civilians await resettlement, and everything lies in ruins. Every corner needs money."
"These past few days, worries over money have kept me from sleeping."
His words were filled with helplessness.
The ministers exchanged glances.
So he wanted money!
Then again, though this daimyo possessed unfathomable methods, what he had inherited was a complete mess riddled with holes.
And every person present had contributed, to some extent, to that mess.
As the Minister of Finance, Tanaka Shigeru knew the treasury's plight better than anyone. Gritting his teeth, he was the first to step forward.
He knelt once more. "Lord Daimyo bears the burdens of the state. As your subjects, how can we stand idly by?"
"I, Tanaka Shigeru, am willing to offer seventy percent of my family's assets to replenish the treasury and ease Lord Daimyo's worries!"
The entire hall was stunned.
Seventy percent!
That was the Tanaka Family's accumulated wealth of over a century!
Had that old man gone mad?
Yet the ministers quickly came to their senses.
This was not madness. This was a declaration of loyalty!
They were using money to buy their lives, to buy their families' futures!
The fire just now had burned away the evidence of their crimes.
Now was the time to present their pledges of allegiance!
"I, Ito Tadashi, am willing to offer seventy percent of my family's assets to ease my lord's worries!"
"I, Kawai no Kami, am willing to offer all profits from the three iron mines in my territory for the next ten years!"
"I..."
For a time, the council chamber rang with voices offering voluntary donations.
It was as though this were an auction for loyalty. Whoever spoke too slowly or offered too little was showing disrespect to the daimyo.
Standing in a corner, Qing Yueye watched the absurd yet very real scene before her, waves crashing through her heart.
A single fire and a few words had made these miserly old foxes willingly empty their coffers.
Such methods were simply terrifying beyond belief.
Chiba Ran listened quietly. Some of the worry on his face faded, though his brows remained faintly furrowed.
Inside, however, he sneered.
A bunch of fools.
If I wanted your money, would I need to go about it this way?
If I wished it, a single thought could reduce all your wealth—and your lives—to nothing.
As the thought passed, Chiba Ran raised a hand in a calming gesture. "Good. I accept your intentions."
He let out a long sigh, his expression becoming somewhat complicated.
"The affairs of the state are difficult. I should not have made you spend so much. But... alas, for now, this is the only way."
"However..."
"Money alone is not enough."
Everyone's hearts skipped again.
There was more?
Chiba Ran took two steps and said slowly, "After this battle, I have discovered that many positions in court are overcrowded and inefficient."
"Worse still, some hold several posts at once, occupying positions while accomplishing nothing."
"If this continues, the state will cease to be a state."
He stopped and fixed his gaze on several elderly ministers who held real power.
"I intend to streamline the court."
"Some useless departments will be abolished, redundant positions merged, and capable young people promoted."
"You are all pillars of the state, experienced and knowledgeable. Surely you understand this deeply."
"Why not have you draft a list for me?"
"Look through your respective subordinates. Which are too old and should retire with honor, and which positions do not actually require so many people?"
Those words were even more frightening than being asked to donate money.
Donating money was merely cutting off flesh.
This was about tearing out their sinews and shattering their bones!
Those posts and those people were the foundations and wings they had spent decades cultivating!
He wanted them to remove their own people?
Whoever took the lead would lose everyone's support!
This was more painful than killing them!
The council chamber fell into dead silence once more.
Everyone lowered their heads. No one dared to be the first to step forward.
The atmosphere froze again.
The corner of Chiba Ran's mouth curled up, then vanished in an instant.
He knew the timing was right.
It was time for the carrot to make its appearance.
Then he suddenly laughed heartily, breaking the silence. "Haha, look how frightened you all are."
"Would I really make you cut off your own arms?"
Chiba Ran walked over to Tanaka Shigeru, personally helped him up, and patted him on the shoulder with an intimate air.
"I have seen and remembered what you have done for the state today."
"You are my meritorious subjects. I have yet to reward you for your achievements, so how could I punish you instead?"
He looked around and declared, "There is no rush about the list. But there is one matter that must be handled immediately."
"I have decided to use the treasury and the funds you have donated to launch the Land of Fire's Three-Year Revitalization Plan!"
"The first step will be rebuilding the towns destroyed by the war, repairing roads, and dredging rivers!"
"There will be countless business opportunities and countless profits in this!"
Chiba Ran's voice was full of temptation.
"And I will not entrust these projects to outsiders."
"I will give priority to the subjects I trust most—to all of you standing here today, willing to weather this hardship alongside the Land of Fire!"
"What you lose, I will make sure you earn back a hundredfold, a thousandfold!"
"I will not only make the Land of Fire prosperous and strong, but also make my meritorious subjects the wealthiest and most honored people upon this land!"
As his words fell, the council chamber went silent.
Then every minister began breathing heavily, their eyes turning red.
The way they looked at Chiba Ran was filled with fanaticism!
This daimyo had first shattered their spines with thunderous methods, then burned away their lingering worries with a fire, and afterward taken their money and power.
Yet in the end, he had personally drawn them a promise beyond anything they could have imagined!
First he pulled them close, then struck them, then gave them something sweet.
Such imperial manipulation!
It was nothing short of divine.
The ministers were completely won over!
"We are willing to brave fire and water for Lord Daimyo, without hesitation!"
"We are willing to brave fire and water for Lord Daimyo, without hesitation!"
The ministers knelt sincerely.
Their thunderous cries of loyalty nearly lifted the roof from the council chamber.
Chiba Ran watched in satisfaction.
Fear and greed were the two best reins in the world. Now, he held them firmly in his hands.
Before you continue