The ninja world entered a period of rapid development. The villages became interconnected, and with roads being built, commerce became commonplace. But for small merchant groups, this was a nightmare.
Although Dawn Weapons Store had not swallowed them up, its price advantage and vast quantity of goods crushed the competition from afar, causing commerce to become increasingly centralized. Fortunately, everything remained under Uchiha Yū's control.
"At last, things have settled down."
A few more wrinkles had appeared on Shan Juhua's face, but compared to ninjas who braved wind and rain, she still looked much younger. Combined with her glittering jewelry and luxurious attire, she immediately became the center of attention in any crowd.
For the first time, all of Dawn Hidden Village's high-ranking members gathered in the main hall for a meeting.
"I am currently consolidating the Land of Wind Weapons Shop and merging the two completely."
Shan Juhua, who managed the flow of wealth, worked in tandem with Kakuzu. Together, they kept the empire's finances in perfect order. At their level, they had long since outgrown such low-level methods as moneylending.
"You're becoming more and more like a merchant instead of a ninja."
After finishing the documents in his hands, Kakuzu recalled how she had once relied on Uchiha Yū. Now, whether it was cultivating trusted subordinates or manipulating people's hearts, she had fully adopted a merchant's methods. Fortunately, Shan Juhua was one of them.
"Isn't it because you're useless? If you could take over the business from me, I'd hand all of this over to you. We could switch positions—I'd stay in the village and keep Mr. Yū company."
As she spoke, Shan Juhua's face showed a hint of irritation. As the woman behind Dawn Hidden Village, she had sacrificed far too much. Thinking of this, she gently