A Flexible Moral Bottom Line!

Night

The palace was brightly lit, with dish after dish of exquisite food laid before Uchiha Nan. One table was completely full, and there was another one besides it.

The focus was on extravagance.

Of course, this was also for the Daimyo's safety. The Daimyo was an ordinary person, not a ninja. He only took one or two bites of each dish, so even if ninja from an enemy village poisoned something, the Daimyo might not eat that particular dish—unless his luck was truly abysmal.

"Music!"

A chubby attendant clapped his hands, and the musicians standing around the hall began playing and singing. Who knew what tune they were performing? It sounded decent enough, anyway.

As the music and dancing began, rows of lightly dressed young girls entered the palace. It was truly an age of song and dance, with peace under heaven.

In ancient times, a Daimyo this decadent would either be a ruler who doomed his nation or not far from becoming one.

Eh? Eh? Eh?

Daimyo, why had you gone up there to dance too?!

After going full Liu Bei and dancing himself tired, the Daimyo skillfully returned to his chair with two beauties in his arms.

"Hokage, you have come from far away. Why not relax a little? The palace's waters and soil nurture people well, and these young ladies have wonderfully soft skin!"

The Daimyo narrowed his eyes slightly, looking utterly dissolute. Seeing that Uchiha Nan remained unmoved, he clapped again, and a pair of girls entered from outside.

They were about the same age as Uchiha Nan, with faintly blue hair and pretty faces. More importantly, they were twins, and they took the initiative to sit beside Uchiha Nan.

"Hokage, this is my gift to you today."

"Fu, Rin, the two of you must entertain the Hokage properly tonight!"

Mm! Just like Hyuga Takuma, he was trying to play matchmaker.

Uchiha Nan was tempted—not because he had any particular thoughts about the twins.

Well, he did have a few thoughts.

But that was not the important part. The ten Lottery chances were what Uchiha Nan wanted most.

As long as he was strong enough, any woman Uchiha Nan wanted could be delivered to him by countless people.

But if he came alone to ask the Daimyo for money and returned to the village with a pair of twins...

What would the people in the village think of him afterward?

The Daimyo narrowed his eyes slightly. Seeing that Uchiha Nan still did not react, he sighed faintly inwardly.

Was he exactly like those two Senju brothers again? What a pity. Why did every one of them insist on rejecting his goodwill?

Ninja were truly annoying!

A trace of disgust flashed across the Daimyo's face, but he did not show it outwardly.

"Daimyo, I like this gift very much!"

Uchiha Nan finally said it. In that instant, he felt as though some layer of restraint within him had been torn away.

What did a little integrity matter? Strength was what mattered most!

He needed to broaden his horizons. True powerhouses did not care about such things. Even Snake Uncle could become Snake Aunt!

"Good, good, good!!!"

The Daimyo was visibly happier, thinking to himself.

The Uchiha seemed easier to communicate with than the Senju. None of them were good people, so why pretend to be honorable gentlemen?

For a time, the atmosphere grew even more lively. The Daimyo rose directly from his chair, came to Uchiha Nan's side, and ate at the same table as him.

After several rounds of drinking, Uchiha Nan felt that this could not continue any longer. It was time to discuss serious business.

Money!

He had to make the Daimyo open his purse first!

"Daimyo, Konoha's funds are already stretched thin."

Uchiha Nan rubbed his fingers together. Based on his experience, this was probably the easiest time to discuss money with a patron.

"Hahaha, Hokage, please rest assured. Thirty-one billion ryo will be delivered to Konoha's accounts on time."

Uchiha Nan looked around at the resplendent, golden palace and shook his head.

"Not thirty-one billion ryo. Forty-one billion ryo!"

"What?!!"

The Daimyo instantly froze, stunned by Uchiha Nan's appetite. This funding was already no small sum.

If Konoha had not fought so long for the Land of Fire and begun digging into its old reserves, then forget thirty-one billion—the Daimyo had even planned to restore the two-billion-ryo budget from several years ago.

Did he think money fell from the sky?

Konoha was not the only one suffering heavy losses. The Land of Fire had also been ravaged by this war. Refugees were everywhere, and bandits ran rampant.

His subordinates were also becoming increasingly unruly. They occupied more and more land, and every last one of them kept finding new ways to avoid paying taxes. Squeezing out thirty-one billion ryo to feed these ninja was already nearing his limit.

In the years ahead, resettling refugees and reclaiming wasteland would each cost a fortune. They couldn't possibly pay out of their own treasury.

"Lord Hokage, you jest."

The Daimyo forced a smile and waved his hand.

The noisy music came to an abrupt halt. The assorted attendants tactfully withdrew, leaving the two important figures to discuss serious matters.

"Do you know that Konoha's funding is the highest in the entire shinobi world? The Land of Fire has had a hard time these past few years as well. Natural disasters and man-made calamities never stopped, and taxes have become harder to collect every year."

"Do you know why Sunagakure behaved itself for so long after being defeated by Konoha?"

Uchiha Nan shook his head. During the First Shinobi World War, Sunagakure had been the first to withdraw. He had never cared much about the reason. Back then, he had been focused solely on growing stronger, busy chopping people on the battlefield.

"The Daimyo of the Land of Wind cut Sunagakure's funding by more than half."

Uchiha Nan froze for a moment. He hadn't expected the Daimyo of the Land of Wind to be so ruthless, daring to withhold even a shinobi village's funds.

The entire shinobi world might preach that shinobi were mere tools and that they had to learn endurance, but shinobi were still people in the end.

Living, breathing people of flesh and blood. Not to mention that every one of those shinobi was skilled at chopping people.

"Isn't that just asking for death—"

Uchiha Nan did not continue. Anyone who followed the Daimyo of the Land of Wind had truly drawn the short straw. He even cut the money shinobi earned by risking their lives.

Uchiha Nan knew better than anyone how much money it took to become an outstanding shinobi. He had spent no small sum on himself.

His ninja sword alone had cost several hundred thousand ryo, not including secret medicines for training, ninja tools, and all sorts of other expenses.

For an ordinary shinobi, every bit of funding spent on them would become combat power.

"But what else could be done? The Land of Wind is so poor that all it has left is sand. If Sunagakure's funding isn't cut, even ordinary people won't survive."

"If ordinary people aren't risking their lives out there, who will support you shinobi?"

The Daimyo picked up where Uchiha Nan had left off, a cold sneer spreading across his face. He had made his stance on Uchiha Nan's outrageous demand perfectly clear.

Sunagakure's funding had already been cut, while Konoha's funding had increased compared to previous years. They should be satisfied.

They still wanted more money?

Sorry, not a single ryo!

"Thirty-five billion ryo!"

Uchiha Nan decided to compromise. After all, the man before him was Konoha's biggest financial backer—the client. He had to give him some face.

The Daimyo remained silent. Left with no choice, Uchiha Nan could only lower his offer.

"Thirty-four billion ryo!"

"Thirty-three billion ryo!"

"Thirty-two billion ryo!"

After lowering it three times in a row, Uchiha Nan's expression had already turned unpleasant. I'm giving you face, and you won't give me any?

Then I'll lose my temper and start chopping people!