Long Live the Daimyo

What could a month change?

In the Shinobi World, perhaps it could mark the end of a brutal battle, or the fall of several powerful figures.

But in the Land of Fire Capital, one month was enough to give the place an entirely new look.

"Brother, these spices of yours came from the Land of Wind, right? What kind of price are we talking about?"

At the largest market in the southern district of the Land of Fire Capital, a traveling merchant from the Land of Grass shouted at a local shop owner.

His name was Watanabe, and he had been traveling this trade route for five years.

In his memories, this place had looked entirely different just a month ago.

Back then, the civil unrest had only just been quelled. Samurai patrols filled the streets, and the air carried a nauseating stench of blood.

The roads were riddled with potholes, sewage flowed everywhere, business was terrible, and every face was filled with numbness and fear.

But now?

Watanabe looked at everything before him and felt as though he were dreaming.

The road beneath his feet had been newly paved with bluestone slabs, level and clean.

The shops lining both sides of the street had all been renovated, their banners fluttering in the wind.

The most outrageous part was the people.

A sea of people!

Dockworkers, construction craftsmen, carriage drivers, vendors... every one of them wore something Watanabe had never seen before.

Vitality!

"Hey, Watanabe, you finally made it!"

The shop owner poked his head out from behind the counter, his face glowing. "Same old rules, we can talk prices! Come in and have some tea first. Let me tell you, you really picked the right time to come!"

Watanabe was enthusiastically pulled into the shop, where an assistant immediately served him hot tea.

Unable to resist, Watanabe asked, "Boss, have you all... struck it rich?"

"Struck it rich?"

The owner slapped his thigh, his voice rising several octaves. "We've gone crazy! The entire Land of Fire Capital has gone crazy!"

"Right now, as long as you're willing to work, you'll never starve! Hauling sacks at the docks for one day earns twice what it used to!"

"They're overhauling the sewers in the northern district, building new residential quarters in the eastern district, expanding the workshop district in West City... people are needed everywhere! Everywhere is short on hands!"

"Wages are high, people have money in their pockets, so naturally they dare to spend it! Look at my shop—this month's turnover is higher than the past three months combined!"

Watanabe listened with his jaw hanging open.

"Th-this was all done by the New Daimyo?"

"Of course it was!"

The owner's face was full of admiration. "You have no idea. As soon as our New Daimyo took office, he made those great nobles who usually looked down their noses at everyone cough up their family fortunes to build roads and develop the city!"

"I also heard that the Daimyo came up with some Three-Year Revitalization Plan to turn the Land of Fire Capital into a golden nest!"

The teacup in Watanabe's hand trembled.

He looked at the endless stream of people outside the window and listened to the distant clanging of construction. Only one thought remained in his heart.

The Land of Fire was about to change.

At the same time.

Inside the Ministry of Finance offices, the lights blazed brightly.

Finance Minister Tanaka Shigeru was sprawled over mountains of account books. His eyes were bloodshot, but his spirits were unusually high.

His fingers ran across row after row of numbers as he muttered under his breath.

"Southern city road restoration project, allocation of one billion ryo. Expected tax revenue growth of thirty percent, actual... forty-five percent!"

"River dredging project, undertaken by the Ito Family. Seven thousand refugees employed. Not only did it solve the resettlement problem, it also revitalized waterway transportation... next month, ship transport taxes alone will bring in an additional fifty million ryo!"

"And the three iron mines Kawai no Kami offered up—using the new techniques, output has quadrupled! The farming tools they forged were all sold out before they even left the furnace!"

The more Tanaka Shigeru calculated, the faster his heart raced.

A month ago, when he had knelt before the Daimyo and been forced to hand over seventy percent of his family fortune, his heart had bled.

But who could have imagined it?

The Daimyo had then handed the most profitable reconstruction projects to him and his family's merchant guild.

At this rate, within a year, the Tanaka Family would recover to its former state!

The Daimyo had said he would let them earn it back a hundredfold, a thousandfold.

Now, it seemed he had not deceived them.

He had used an iron hand to consolidate power, then used unimaginable profits to bind everyone to the Land of Fire's war chariot.

Tanaka Shigeru set down his pen and let out a long breath.

As he looked at each incoming payment, his eyes were filled with zeal and reverence.

"To die for the Daimyo... is the honor of us all."

He murmured it to himself as though taking an oath.

Daimyo Manor, study.

Chiba Ran stood before an enormous sand table.

He casually picked up a wooden marker representing the workshop district and placed it on an empty tract of land in West City.

A gentle voice sounded behind him.

"My lord, the tea has gone cold. This concubine will replace it for you."

Qing Yueye approached with a tea tray in her hands.

She wore a plain maid's uniform. Color had returned to her face, and her movements were no longer stiff. Yet whenever she looked at Chiba Ran, she still instinctively lowered her eyes.

Over the past month, she had gone from an aristocratic young lady who had never lifted a finger to learning how to brew tea, grind ink, and organize the study.

Every day, she followed Chiba Ran's side, watching orders leave this study one after another and become the rapidly changing face of the Land of Fire Capital.

She listened as ministers who had once stood on equal footing with her father showed heartfelt awe toward this man while giving their reports.

She watched familiar place names be replanned across the sand table, turned into projects that generated immense wealth.

She did not understand those complicated economic principles.

But she could feel a vast force gathering at this man's fingertips, changing the entire country.

That feeling frightened her far more than slaughter and destruction ever had.

"No need."

Chiba Ran did not turn around. "Sit."

Qing Yueye froze for a moment, somewhat at a loss.

"Sit."

Chiba Ran repeated himself.

Only then did she hesitantly kneel on a cushion, her back ramrod straight.

Chiba Ran turned around and slowly walked behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently stroked it.

"How has this past month felt?"

Qing Yueye's body trembled as she replied softly, "This concubine... is merely a maid. I do not understand affairs of state."

"Is that so?"

Chiba Ran smiled. "I thought you would believe I was exploiting the nobles, using their money to gain a reputation for myself."

Qing Yueye lowered her head even further and said nothing.

At first, that was indeed what she had thought.

"You only saw them paying out money, but you did not see that they earned even more."

Chiba Ran's hand began to move lower.

"I took their family fortunes to shatter the order they stubbornly clung to. I gave them projects so they could find their places within the new order I established."

"Fear makes them submit, while profit makes them loyal."

His voice was very calm.

Qing Yueye's face flushed as she forcefully endured the restlessness in her body.

Yet deep within her heart, a chill rose.

She slowly lifted her head, daring for the first time to look this man directly in the eye.

Before him, her laughable pride and hatred were truly insignificant.

"My lord... why are you telling me this?"

She could not help asking, her voice trembling.

Chiba Ran's hand continued to stroke and knead.

"Because you are beautiful."

"A beautiful face is such a waste if there is nothing inside the head."

"I know you hate me deeply, but I still hope you learn to think instead of merely accepting things passively. That would be much more interesting."

Qing Yueye's cheeks had already turned bright red. Whether it was from shame and anger or something else, she did not know.

Knock, knock!

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

Minamoto's voice came from outside.

"My lord."

"Speak."

"All preparations for the enthronement ceremony have been completed. The auspicious date is three days from now."

"Good."

"Also, Konoha has sent a reply."

"Oh?"

Chiba Ran raised a brow, withdrew his hand, and returned to his seat. "Come in!"

Qing Yueye let out a breath. There seemed to be both shame and indignation, as well as reluctance, while hatred lay deeply buried in her eyes.

Minamoto pushed open the door and entered, respectfully presenting the reply.

Chiba Ran took the letter and unfolded it. It had been jointly sent by Konoha's elders.

The letter said that they fully understood Daimyo Manor's financial difficulties and were willing to weather the hard times alongside the country.

They would also send a delegation to attend the enthronement ceremony three days later.

Chiba Ran murmured to himself, "A delegation? Hiruzen Sarutobi!"