The Kirigakure delegation lives in the small courtyard in the southwest corner of the mansion.
Kakuzu's quotation said "two hundred thousand taels a day", Mei Terumi paid for it on the spot and paid three more days.
Kakuzu's eyes when collecting money are said to be so gentle that they can melt people.
Senju Chen fell from the eaves into the courtyard and shook the water on the umbrella.
The door is open.
There were two lamps burning in the room, a pot of hot wine and two cups on the table.
Mei Terumi changed into a homely dark blue yukata, her hair was tied loosely behind her head, she supported her cheek with one hand and fiddled with the rim of the cup with the other hand.
Rin Nohara was sitting opposite her, holding a medical-like booklet in his hand and writing on it.
"Chen-kun!" Rin Nohara took the initiative to say hello.
"Here we come." Mei Terumi didn't look up.
"Yeah." Senju Chen leaned the umbrella against the door and found a cushion to sit on.
"Yesterday I said I wasn't free."
"I really wasn't free yesterday."
"Are you free today?"
"I got rid of my follower today."
Mei Terumi then raised his eyes.
She smiled, then pushed the cup in her hand half an inch away from Senju Chen.
"Dumped her?" she drawled, "That little sister who holds your arm and runs around the street, stuffs you candied fruits, and makes you carry seven or eight paper bags, do you call her a follower?"
Senju Chen Take the cup back and pour the wine.
"Anko is the daughter of Anbu. Konoha Public Security Department is under my control. In terms of staffing, she is considered my subordinate."
"Subordinates." Mei Terumi nodded, "I also have subordinates here."
She stretched out her hand and took away the Rin Nohara booklet. "Lin, when did you hold my arm?"
Rin Nohara put down the pen and thought about it very seriously.
"Last time Kirigakure was cleaning, you were chased and I hugged your waist."
"That doesn't count, that's escaping."
"Oh." Rin Nohara lowered his head and continued writing, but looking at his shaking shoulders, he was obviously snickering.
Mei Terumi looked at Senju Chen again and tapped his fingers on the table three times.
"Minister Senju, you took a girl on a mission to Land of Rain. Three hundred people lined up on the red carpet. The entire Shinobi World intelligence network was writing about you. What do you think it said about her on those scrolls? "Konoha is accompanying the kunoichi on the mission and has a close relationship with Senju Chen."
"Write whatever they like." Senju Chen took a sip of wine.
"I like to watch it too." Mei Terumi leaned over the table with one hand, his face was very close, and his voice was low, "Yesterday at the women's bath, I teased her a few words, and she blushed and pulled out Kunai. Chen-kun, do you owe a lot of people outside?"
"I am a principled person when doing things." Senju Chen sat firmly.
"What principle?"
"What should be given should be given no less; what should not be given should be given not a cent."
Mei Terumi stared at him, the tear mole in the corner of his eye was very clear under the light.
There was a stalemate for two seconds.
She hummed, sat back, folded up her sleeves, picked up the wine glass and took a sip.
"Okay." She wiped the corner of her mouth, "I don't want you to do anything. I just..."
"Just what?"
"Can you take me shopping next time?" Mei Terumi put the empty cup on the table and looked at the wick, "I have never been carried in a paper bag in my life."
Rin Nohara's pen stopped for a moment.
She didn't raise her head, but her little ears were completely erect.
Senju Chen pushed his glass of wine in front of Mei Terumi.
"When the space at Mizukage is freed up, I will accompany you to visit the entire Land of Water market."
Mei Terumi raised his eyes.
The light flickered in her pupils.
"I've remembered this," she said, "Don't say you're not available again then."
Finished the vinegar.
Now it's time to get down to business.
"Mr. Minister, tell me." She changed her tone, "In this game of chess Land of Rain, which bite can we Kirigakure take?"
"Land of Rain's trade channel lacks a sea route." Senju Chen pressed his finger on the table and drew three times, "The land route can pass Land of Fire, Land of Earth, Land of Wind, but Land of Lightning is too far. If you take the land route, you have to go around three small countries, which is high cost and risky. If you take the sea route, go to sea from the port of Land of Lightning, transfer once, and then land in Land of Rivers, it only takes twelve days."
"Where is the transfer?"
"Land of Water."
Mei Terumi's fingers stopped.
"Land of Water has a port, ships, and a whole fleet that is used to traveling on the open sea." Senju Chen said, "These things are useless in Bloody Mist Village. You don't need cargo ships to kill people. But on the trade routes, they are the lifeblood."
Rin Nohara quickly wrote on the booklet.
"What are the specific terms?" Mei Terumi asked.
"Land of Rain promises to be tax-free for ten years. The transit fees and escort fees for this section of the sea route will all belong to Land of Water. If the share is divided, it will not go to Kirigakure, but to a newly established chamber of commerce. "Senju Chen paused, "The Chamber of Commerce is nominally a private joint venture between Land of Rain and Land of Water, and the accounts are held at Land of Rain's bank."
"Bank?"
"Land of Rain will open its first store next month."
Mei Terumi was silent for a long time.
She is a smart person.
If the money doesn't go into Kirigakure's account, Land of Water's senior management won't be able to withdraw it.
The deepest reception room on the north side of the mansion.
The candlelight was half an inch shorter than last night.
"Yahiko" was sitting in the main seat. When he saw Senju Chen come in, the orange hair on his face was removed together with Rinnegan's, and his facial features changed, returning to the pale and thin face of Nagato.
Konan is standing nearby, clearing away the scrolls on the table.
"Chen." Nagato spoke first, his tone much more relaxed than in front of everyone, "Yesterday's banquet--"
"Let's talk about the results first." Senju Chen sat down, "Tsuchiishi of Iwagakure sent three pieces of information back to the village today, and we intercepted a copy. It said: Konoha's layout for Land of Rain spanned twenty years, starting with the training of the leader Akatsuki."
Nagato paused.
"... twenty years?"
"Twenty years."
"But it has only been less than ten years since we established Akatsuki."
"They don't care about this." Senju Chen smiled, "They only want an answer that can explain everything. You give them one, and they will complete the rest themselves, and they will make it more complete than what I made up."
Nagato was silent for a few seconds, and suddenly he laughed, very softly.
"The teacher also came last night."
"I know."
Nagato looked down at his hands, "We chatted for a long time, and the teacher laughed three times at the end, and his eyes were red."
Senju Chen said nothing.
"Chen." Nagato raised his head, "I lied to him."
"You lied to his judgment, not his feelings." Senju Chen said, "You said that Konoha taught you concepts, which is true; you said that without him, there would be no Xiao today, which is also true. The only thing you didn't say is that the person who really sent you supplies these years was not Konoha."
Nagato looked at Senju Chen and smiled even more obviously.
"Chen-kun. Why didn't you say a word at the banquet yesterday?"
"I have spoken. I even raised the glass three times."
"..."