Necessary Corruption 26 (Patreon)

Necessary Corruption

Chapter 26

-VB-

I was dressed in the traditional noble courtier’s sashunuki hakama while he dressed himself up with a haori and semi-formal floral-patterned loose hakama. These clothes, despite their differences, perfectly fine for tea ceremonies.

Unfortunately, when everyone had business to conduct, the tea ceremony got the short end of the stick. Instead of the traditional step-by-step process including multiple different cups, dishes, procedures, and nearly ritualized acknowledgements and bows.

Both the Hokage and I chose to have a single cup of tea (excellent tea from the Land of Rivers, of course) and then moved on to business.

“I am honored that the Lord of Southern Rivers is here,” Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke first and sent a grandfatherly smile to me.

I smiled back indulgently. “My, my. Is that what they call me these days? I don’t recall doing much to claim such a title.”

“The Daimyo of Rivers and his lackeys fear you.”

I paused in my second sip and smiled. “That is so,” I replied before taking that sip. I set the cup down. “He should fear me after what his lackeys did to my clan.”

“Hmm. Speaking of your clan, I have heard many things about them. How they were … unique.”

“From your ninjas I encountered in the Land of Waves, no doubt,” I smiled. “Why, are you interested in seeing their capabilities for yourself?”

He smirked. “Aren’t you making this too easy for us?”

“On the contrary,” I replied. “If Konohagakure wants to see what’s so special about my personal retinue, then they would first have to become my ally … or my enemy.”

He leaned back as he realized what I was going for here. “I see. Wouldn’t your peers stand for it, though? I don’t like to involve Konoha into the politics of other lands, especially in another land that our daimyo has a vested interest in.”

The Land of Rivers was, after all, a very rich, fertile land that exported a lot of rice to other countries. Sure, the Land of Fire was great at rice cultivation as well, but per ri of land, the Land of Rivers produced more and produced them cheaper.

Why?

This was mainly because the Land of Fire was filled with thick, ancient forests that made travel arduous at best and impossible at worst, especially when mountainous ancient forests dominated the landscape.

I didn’t like geography lessons when I was a child, but they proved their usefulness in these talks.

See, the Land of Fire was a land of forests, yes, but half of that forest had mountains underneath them.

Yes, half of the Land of Fire was a land of mountains. While these mountains weren’t as rugged, tall, or sharp as that of the Land of Lightning or barren as that of the Land of Earth, these were still mountains that blocked off villages from towns and towns from cities.

This was also the reason why the Land of Fire had enough jobs for ninjas.

In those mountainous regions, becoming a bandit was all too easy and hiding equally easy.

In contrast to the Land of Fire, the Land of Rivers was a veritable flatland filled with floodplains and regular plains that made hiding hard and farming easy. Transportation was also easier and cheaper.

Much of the rice export went to the relatively poor lands of Land of Wind, but not an insignificant amount went to the Land of Fire. This export mostly fed the larger cities, leaving places like Konohagakure to benefit from directly protecting the farmers, herders, and ranchers near them as they sold directly to Konohagakure rather than large town or city markets. This exchange benefited the food producers as well because unlike the cities, ninjas paid more for the same food and in larger quantities.

Now, why was this suddenly being mentioned?

Because the lands within the Land of River that produced most of the export rice… was the Southern Rivers.

And he called me by that title instead of by my clan name or official title.

He and his daimyo wanted something specific from me.

I smiled.

“And if the Land of Fire and Konohagakure are my friends, then I am sure that I will continue to happily sell you my rice.”

I paused as I felt the shadow underneath my clothes wiggle and then start tapping.

Ah, it seemed that Hisou and Yina were working together to get me information.

Hokage. Feel. Relaxed. Now.

Not. Relaxed. Before. Tense. Before.

I hummed. Had the Hokage been so seriously alert about that? Was it possible that the pressure came from above him?

“I am sure the Daimyo of Fire will be glad to hear that.”

Of course, he would.

“Now, as for your retinue, I do have a few questions, Lord of Southern Rivers…”