Using this to test cadres? Which cadre can't withstand this kind of test?

Fire Capital, the daimyo's palace.

Unlike last time, Uchiha Yan was greeted by guards and ushered inside the moment he reached the entrance.

"Yan, you're here."

Before Uchiha Yan even reached the main hall, the Land of Fire's daimyo had come out barefoot to welcome him.

"Your Highness." Uchiha Yan gave a slight bow.

As Konoha's sponsor—its angel investor and paying client—he could disrespect the daimyo's position, but not the money in the daimyo's pocket.

"Quick, take a seat first."

"Someone, bring tea."

The daimyo was clearly even more enthusiastic than last time. He had already paid the ten billion and lost face once; losing it again was no big deal. That was how bottom lines worked—once you lowered them once, there was no bottom line afterward.

"On behalf of Konoha, I offer our heartfelt thanks to Your Highness. Your Highness is kindhearted and keeps Konoha and the ninja world in your heart. Everyone in Konoha is deeply grateful. As the embodiment of love and peace, Konoha has asked me to thank Your Highness in advance. Thank you for generously contributing to the peaceful development of the ninja world."

"Think nothing of it, think nothing of it." The daimyo waved his hand with a smile. "Yan, you've had a tiring journey. Let us enjoy some tea and watch a dance first. There will be time to discuss business afterward."

He clapped his hands.

"Someone, present a dance for Konoha's honored guest."

Before long, a group entered the hall. Music began to play, and the dancers began to whirl gracefully. The woman leading them had bright eyes and pearly teeth; every smile and frown of hers drew the eye.

When the performance ended.

"Yan, what did you think?" the daimyo asked.

"The steps were light, lively, and natural. Truly exquisite," Uchiha Yan replied.

"Good. Truly exquisite." Smiling, the daimyo beckoned. "Chizuko, come here."

The lead dancer stepped forward and lowered her head slightly.

"This is my daughter, Chizuko." The daimyo looked at Uchiha Yan. "If Yan likes her, I would like to forge a marriage alliance with Konoha."

Uchiha Yan glanced at Chizuko. She truly was beautiful, but was Uchiha Yan the sort of man who lusted after beauty?

Besides, using this to test an official? What official could withstand such a test?

"Your Highness, Her Highness the princess is a noble branch of the imperial family, precious beyond measure. I truly have no fortune worthy of accepting her."

"Yan, I can increase Konoha's annual aid by another two billion." Seeing Uchiha Yan refuse, the daimyo hurriedly revealed his trump card.

Over the past few days, the daimyo had grown more frightened the more he thought about it. In what capacity should he face Konoha?

As the daimyo, ruler of the Land of Fire? No. Konoha had numerous powerful ninja, and if they turned hostile, he could not withstand them.

As a vassal of Konoha? That would not do either. He was still the ruler of a nation; how could he lower himself so far?

After considering it from every angle, an alliance with Konoha was the best solution. And for an alliance, no bond was more reliable than marriage.

That was how this arrangement came about. As long as Uchiha Yan married his daughter, he would become Yan's father-in-law. No matter how powerful and overbearing Konoha was, surely they would not overthrow their own father-in-law. Unfortunately, Uchiha Yan had not taken a liking to Chizuko.

"Your Highness. I have no plans to marry for the time being. However, on behalf of Konoha, I thank Your Highness for increasing the annual aid by two billion. Konoha guarantees Your Highness that as long as Konoha stands, your safety will be assured."

"Perfect." Uchiha Yan abruptly changed the subject. "Konoha has a business proposition we would like to undertake with Your Highness. I wonder whether Your Highness might be interested?"

"Business?"

"Konoha has always welcomed investment. If Your Highness takes the lead in setting up business in Konoha now, then encourages the nobles of the Land of Fire to come to Konoha and do business as well..."

"This..." The daimyo hesitated.

He possessed the entire Land of Fire, and Konoha still depended on his annual aid. He truly had no interest in Konoha's little business ventures.

"Your Highness, there is no need to refuse so quickly," Uchiha Yan said unhurriedly.

"Your Highness, what do you think those minor nobles, small landowners, and merchants of the Land of Fire lack most?"

"What do they lack?"

"Status and standing, of course. In the hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, no matter how wealthy merchants become, common people still see them as vulgar upstarts reeking of money—people of the lowest class."

"Your Highness is correct. What they lack is something that can display their social status."

"Yan, but noble titles in the Land of Fire cannot be granted without merit. We cannot violate the ancestral laws. The titles of the Land of Fire belong to feudal families that have inherited them for generations. Granting titles recklessly... would likely cause dissatisfaction."

"Your Highness misunderstands." Uchiha Yan smiled. "Other than titles, what else can represent a person's social standing?"

Without waiting for the daimyo to answer, Uchiha Yan continued, "Things universally recognized by the upper nobility. For example, the accessories they wear, the objects they collect, and refined food and drink."

"Your Highness." Uchiha Yan took a small iron tin from his sleeve. "This is a type of tea abundantly produced in Konoha. I have named it 'Little Leaf Tea.' Its leaves are tightly rolled, its brew is clear and bright, its fragrance subtle and elegant, and its aftertaste long-lasting, leaving a lingering aroma on the lips and teeth."

"Your Highness, if from today onward both the Hokage and Your Highness drink this tea, would the nobles and merchants of the Land of Fire, as well as those ninja clans, scramble to buy it?"

The daimyo's eyes lit up.

"Not only would people buy it, they would blindly follow the trend. They would fear others thinking they had no taste. What they would be savoring would not merely be tea, but status and standing."

"Your Highness is insightful." Uchiha Yan nodded. "Konoha now intends to cooperate with Your Highness in this tea business. Konoha will handle transportation and hold exclusive supply rights."

"Yan, how exactly would this work?"

"The first step is to build momentum. Starting tomorrow, we will spread word that the Hokage has recently fallen in love with a tea called 'Little Leaf Tea,' drinks it every day, and praises it without end. Lord Senju Hashirama also treasures it dearly, calling it 'the sage art of teas.' The Hyuga clan head spent a fortune collecting a tin, and even Your Highness has specially sent people to seek it out."

"The second step: display. Your Highness only needs to drink this tea at tea parties, banquets, and clan gatherings, then praise it a few times."

"The third step: limited purchases. Tell the people outside that this tea is produced in extremely small quantities, and most of it has already been reserved by great clans like ours. Want to buy it? Get in line—and pay more."

"Then we follow up with all the hype and promotion: 'The Hokage drinks no tea but this; the Daimyo finds no joy without it.' Once those words spread, which clan heads and nobles across the shinobi world wouldn't want to get some for a taste?"

"The Daimyo of the Land of Fire drinks it. The Hokage drinks it. You don't? Then you simply have no taste."

"What those above do, those below imitate."

"Those nobles would naturally follow the trend. Once the nobles began clamoring for it, wealthy merchants and magnates would naturally see drinking this tea as a symbol of status and standing."

"Yan, then the price of this tea..."

"This tea will cost thirty thousand gold per tael. Konoha will announce that it is an exclusive supply for the Hokage. Your Highness can also designate it as tribute tea. You only need to establish a trading house in Konoha to sell this tea exclusively. The profits will be split fifty-fifty."

This was not business at all. This was practically handing him money. He only had to drink some tea, and he would receive a huge share of the profits. Moreover, in order to curry favor with him, those nobles would surely scramble to buy it—by then, not only would he make money, he would also see clearly who truly supported him.

When the time came, any nobles who wanted to buy tea would have to send people to Konoha. Once they came, they would have to spend money. And if they spent money, they would have to invest—buy shops, buy houses. Investment would become fixed assets.

This was attracting investment.

This was economic entanglement.