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After Shin left, all sounds in the courtyard vanished.
Thirty-six women, regardless of their status, all held their breath.
Their fates lay in the few words the daimyo had just spoken.
The elderly woman in charge of the training approached, holding a list.
Everyone's gaze instinctively fell upon the roster in the old woman's hand.
She wasted no words, unrolled the scroll, and read expressionlessly.
"Eri."
"Anna."
"..."
She read four names in a row, all of them women from noble families.
The faces of the four women whose names were called instantly paled.
"You have been eliminated."
The old woman's voice was devoid of emotion.
"Leave the residence on your own before dawn tomorrow."
Eliminated!
A simple sentence, yet it cruelly shattered their illusions.
The women trembled all over, their eyes instantly filled with tears, but they dared not cry out loud.
Here, even crying was a lapse in decorum.
Among the surrounding women, some showed pity, but more were secretly relieved.
The old woman ignored the few disheartened failures, her gaze shifting to Mei Terumi, who was kneeling in the front row.
In an instant, everyone's heart tightened once more.
Especially Kasumi. Her breathing almost stopped.
The old woman looked at Mei Terumi, and a smile finally appeared on her wrinkled face.
"Shizumi."
She called Mei Terumi by her alias here.
"Daimyo-sama greatly appreciates your dance."
Mei Terumi immediately bloomed into a charming smile upon hearing this. She bowed, her voice soft and seductive to the bone.
"It is Shizumi's honor to dance for Daimyo-sama."
The old woman nodded in satisfaction and then said, "Prepare yourself."
"Tonight, you will attend to him."
Boom!
These words stunned everyone, their minds going blank.
All eyes instantly turned to Mei Terumi.
It was this woman, whose origins were unknown but who was alluring to the bone!
Envy, jealousy, unwillingness—all sorts of emotions intertwined on their faces.
Kasumi's pupils suddenly constricted, and she felt a rush of blood.
Why?
Why her?
In what way had she lost to this woman who only knew how to flaunt her charms?
She bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled, just barely managing to maintain her composure.
Her heart was filled with jealousy and resentment.
On the other side, Kurenai, who had been tense all over, completely relaxed.
She exhaled a sigh of relief.
It wasn't her... thank goodness.
She felt much lighter.
But then, she felt a wave of shame.
She... was actually celebrating such a thing?
She lowered her head, not daring to look at anyone, her cheeks burning hot.
And Mei Terumi, the center of everyone's attention, upon hearing that she would attend to him...
Although a captivating smile still graced her face, a glint flashed deep within her lowered eyelids.
In that instant, her body stiffened.
It was a woman's instinctive resistance to the imminent loss of control over her body.
But this stiffness lasted less than half a second.
Immediately following was a surge of excitement.
It worked!
Her mind rapidly replayed her long-planned scheme. During the attendance, she would use genjutsu to control him the moment he was overcome with passion.
Even if she wasn't skilled in genjutsu, it would be enough to deal with an ordinary person!
As long as she could get the daimyo to sign the order, she could escape with enough resources for the resistance army!
Thinking of this, the slight humiliation and resistance in her heart were instantly replaced by joy.
When she looked up again, the allure in her eyes was even more intense, as if it had materialized into sweet honey, almost dripping.
"Yes, Shizumi... obeys."
...
Inside the study, sandalwood incense wafted.
Shin did not go directly to the harem but returned here.
Outside the window, the music had faded.
Scrolls of government affairs piled up on the desk.
Shin leaned against the back of the chair, his fingers tapping lightly, recalling the scene in the courtyard.
Very interesting.
Kasumi's undisguised ambition, Kurenai's thorny resistance.
The most interesting was still Mei Terumi.
From the initial resistance during training to today's deliberately fawning flattery on stage, this change was too abrupt and too fake.
Truly proud people, even if they yield, cannot hide the unwillingness in their bones.
But this woman was different.
This meant she wasn't trying to please. She was trying to seduce.
Seduce him into a well-designed trap.
"Interesting."
A playful smile appeared on Shin's face.
He not only didn't feel offended but found it quite amusing.
He really wanted to see what tricks this Kirigakure woman would play in his bed.
Just then, a report came from outside the door.
"My lord, Asaba Toru requests an audience."
"Let him in."
The door was pushed open, and the capable Asaba Toru strode in quickly, an irrepressible excitement on his face.
"Reporting to my lord!" He knelt on one knee, his voice clear and loud. "The first batch of merchant caravans that went to the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth have returned!"
"Oh? How did it go?" Shin pulled his thoughts away from the beautiful women, sat up straight, and said, "Tell me the details."
"Yes!" Asaba Toru composed himself and immediately reported.
"The silks, teas, and especially the white sugar you named 'Fire Crystal' that we transported caused a huge sensation in both countries."
"The daimyo of the Land of Wind even ordered that only nobles were eligible to purchase it."
"According to reports, the price of a bolt of top-grade brocade in the Land of Wind has been driven up to three times the trade price."
"And white sugar has been inflated to five times the price in the Land of Earth, yet it is still in short supply."
Asaba Toru paused, then continued, "As per your instructions, our merchant caravans also made purchases."
"On this return journey, we exchanged a large amount of high-quality ore from the Land of Earth."
"From the Land of Wind, we purchased their unique medicinal herbs and rare metals."
"These materials are considered common items by both countries, so the prices were extremely low. Our convoys were fully loaded, and there was still a large surplus."
Listening to the report, Shin immediately smiled.
This was a healthy trade closed-loop.
Using luxury goods that the other party could not refuse to exchange for resources they didn't care much about.
Depleting their national treasuries while strengthening his own national power.
This was far more sophisticated than simple burning, killing, and looting.
"Very good."
Shin praised, "What about the trade transit station? Has the location been decided?"
"It has been decided!" Asaba Toru immediately presented a map. "It's right here, we've named it Golden Canyon."
"This area has dangerous terrain, is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and can radiate to the borderlines of three countries!"
"Our artisans and shinobi have already moved in, and both the Land of Earth and Land of Wind also moved in this morning. It is expected to be completed within two months."
Shin's gaze fell on the map, his fingertip gently tapping on the Golden Canyon.
Trade was just the first step.
When the economic lifeline was in his hands.
When the cost of war was unbearable for them.
When those nobles couldn't live without luxurious lives.
By next spring, the matters of the Land of Lightning could be addressed.
"Issue the order."
Shin's voice was calm and authoritative.
"For the next batch of merchant caravans, the total quantity of goods remains unchanged, but the total quantity of white sugar will decrease by thirty percent."
"Also, spread the news that these products are even being used by civilians."
"Yes!" Asaba Toru's eyes flashed with understanding, and he accepted the order without hesitation.
This lord's methods were always so precise and ruthless.
After dealing with all this, Shin slowly got up and stretched.
The main course was finished.
It was time to savor dessert.
He looked at the deep night outside the window, the playfulness in his eyes growing stronger.
Tonight, I want to see what kind of surprise that Kirigakure flower can bring me.
"Notify them."
"Tell Shizumi... to prepare well."