"Simply put, Inazuma is managed by the Three Commissions!"
"First, the Yashiro Commission. That's the Kamisato Clan you've already come into contact with. They are kind and very willing to help others. Even though they support the Shogun, they still pay attention to the lives of the common people, so they are the easiest to talk to."
"The second is the Tenryou Commission. They are loyal and ruthless, representing the Kujou Clan. Those soldiers you saw, and the ones issuing travel permits, are all under them. Greed blinds people. Sooner or later, those fellows will perish."
"The third is the Kanjou Commission. They control Inazuma's financial center, similar to Ningguang, but they have been infiltrated by the Fatui. They are currently foolish and colluding with the Tenryou Commission."
Su Han briefly explained the situation in Inazuma, giving Hu Tao a much clearer understanding of the nation.
However, the Hall Master still had one doubt.
"Wait. According to what you said, all three Commissions are subordinate to the Archon. So why, aside from the Yashiro Commission, are the other two families harming Inazuma?"
This was not right.
Among the Liyue Qixing, there were also great aristocratic families, yet they did not oppress the common people. On the contrary, whenever a crisis arose, they were always the first to step forward.
Ningguang, Keqing, and that Uncle Tian were the best examples.
Su Han sneered. "Arrogance, ignorance, and disregard for the lower classes. That is their original sin."
"So you mean they are doing it knowingly?"
Hu Tao was genuinely stunned this time.
Just what was going on in Inazuma? The people were suffering, the Shogun was muddle-headed, and the officials below were colluding with the Fatui.
Was there anyone at all thinking about this nation?
"More than that. They are fully aware of the harm this causes. They simply believe the common people are like ants, and that any external enemies can be easily destroyed by the Shogun."
Hearing Su Han's evaluation, One word slipped from Hu Tao's mouth.
"Beasts."
Without the people, where would a nation come from?
Without the people, how could there be prosperity?
Despising the people was equivalent to tearing down one's own city walls.
She could see it clearly now. Inazuma was simply a group of arrogant fools.
Seeing the Hall Master angered, Su Han immediately comforted her. "Alright, Hall Master. Don't get so worked up over these idiots. What I just told you is only the tip of the iceberg in Inazuma. Have you ever thought about how, even with the country locked down, there are still battles happening?"
"Wait, you are not saying there is a rebellion, are you?"
"The Hall Master is indeed clever. The war I mentioned before is an internal rebellion. In short, you should focus on doing business. Stay out of the other matters. Leave them to me."
Hu Tao naturally trusted Su Han and immediately agreed not to meddle in Inazuma's internal affairs.
However, she came up with another idea.
"Su Han, I just thought of something. Do you think we can make money using maritime trade?"
"What do you mean?"
Hu Tao recalled what she had seen that day and said with a grin, "Think about it. Inazuma lacks a large amount of grain right now, but there are plenty of idle laborers. Could we use them to make a profit? I can't think of any business opportunities myself, but if it's you, you'll definitely manage."
He inhaled sharply. That actually had some potential.
Su Han felt a little tempted.
Inazuma was currently in chaos, the people were struggling to survive. Maritime trade could indeed bring in huge profits.
But the question was, did the people of Inazuma have any value to exploit?
The answer was naturally no.
"If the people have no value, what about the fox?"
Suddenly, the image of Yae Miko appeared in Su Han's mind. If he could not exploit the people, he might as well bully the fox instead.
...
Night fell.
All things drifted into sleep.
At some unknown time, pleading voices sounded by Su Han's ears.
"Stop! Stop right now."
"Please, I'm begging you."
"You must survive."
The sky was incomparably dark, and so was the earth.
His body felt so tired.
So heavy.
Where was this place?
Su Han tried to open his eyes, only to find that he could not. It was as if he were trapped in a vortex, completely unable to escape.
He tried to grasp that faint voice, but it seemed to suffer from a bad signal, breaking off intermittently.
"I believe your words."
"Even if I die, I."
Su Han suddenly sat up, the sunlight outside the window blindingly bright.
He lowered his head and looked at his hands, his brows gradually knitting together.
"Was that a dream? But it felt so real."
Su Han was puzzled. Ever since transmigrating, he had never dreamed. Yet last night's dream had felt excessively real, as if he had personally experienced it.
Because he sat up too abruptly, he woke Shenhe beside him as well.
Seeing Su Han drenched in sweat, Shenhe sat up and reached out to touch his head, saying gently, "Did you have a nightmare?"
"Yes, and it felt very real. Almost like some kind of omen."
Su Han frowned deeply. It was the first time he had encountered such a situation, especially that sense of realism. It felt like a resurfacing memory.
Shenhe thought for a moment and suggested, "How about letting Master take a look? She might have a solution."
"You're right. We should let the Adeptus have a look."
The two of them dressed and went downstairs. It was still early, so Mona and the others had not woken up yet.
They walked out of the small courtyard.
The thin mist on the street gradually dissipated, but many vendors had already opened for business.
Bamboo Grove Courtyard.
Research room.
After hearing the matter, Cloud Retainer used her divine sense to examine him. After a long while, she withdrew her power.
"How strange. This Adeptus did not see any influence of evil spirits, nor any traces of spellcasting. Could it really have just been a dream?"
She was somewhat unwilling to accept it, but after several attempts, the result remained the same.
In the end, the Adeptus concluded that it was likely just a dream.
"Just a dream?"
Su Han looked at the sun overhead, feeling that things were not so simple.
...
Inazuma.
Hanamizaka.
A new batch of comics was grandly released at Yae Publishing House.
Several editors had turned into promoters, shouting energetically.
"Come take a look. Boss Su's latest comic, Adventure King, has arrived. Sing loudly for freedom, ignite the flames of adventure."
"The lights of Shandora will resound once again, even after hundreds of years."
"People's dreams will never end."
"When does a person truly die? When their heart is pierced by a bullet? No. When they contract an incurable disease? No. When they drink poisonous mushroom soup? No. It is when they are forgotten."
The nearby citizens exchanged glances and gathered around.
With such passionate lines, who would not want to buy a copy and read it?
Although the streets had been cleared a few days ago and public discussions were not allowed, they could still talk in private or in corridors.
They did not want to miss this rare chance to relax.
"Give me one hundred sets!"
"I want thirty sets."
"Give me twenty sets. I'm reselling them."
"Can you deliver to my house? I'm afraid those soldiers will come again later."
Faced with everyone's requests, Yae Publishing House agreed to them one by one.
After all, this was a special period. Even with Lady Guuji backing them, they still had to be careful.
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