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"You!"
The opposition from the Land of Wind daimyo and the Land of Water daimyo immediately made the Land of Earth daimyo so angry that his fat body trembled.
His face turned a purplish-red.
He had just taken the shame from Shin.
Then, he was stabbed twice in the back by his own allies.
He didn't rush to argue back, but turned to Shin, a hint of begging and stirring up on his face. "Lord Shin, look!"
"I genuinely want to pay this money."
"But they..."
Before he could finish, Shin raised a hand to interrupt him. "I'll say it again."
"I only want nine billion."
"Not a single cent less."
"As for how you three will pay for this money."
"Whether you pay more and they pay less."
"Or if you pay it all yourself."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"That's an internal matter between you allies."
He stressed the word "allies" heavily.
His mockery was clear.
The three daimyo instantly fell silent.
Heavy breathing echoed in the conference room.
Their eyes were filled with suspicion and bitterness towards each other.
The Land of Earth daimyo stared poisonously at the Land of Wind daimyo and the Land of Water daimyo.
He wished he could skin them alive with his gaze.
The Land of Wind daimyo and the Land of Water daimyo, however, did not back down.
They knew very well.
To retreat now would mean to lose another piece of flesh.
Ultimately, it was the Land of Earth daimyo who first gave in, his eyes fixed on the Land of Wind daimyo and the Land of Water daimyo.
"I... will... pay... four billion!" He practically gritted his teeth as he spoke.
After saying this, he closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.
The Land of Wind daimyo and the Land of Water daimyo exchanged glances, their eyes full of satisfaction and relief.
Although it was still a loss, but for others to lose more, and themselves to lose less, this in itself was a victory.
"Two point five billion."
"We, two point five billion each."
The Land of Wind daimyo represented both of them and gave the final answer.
Only then did Shin finally smile.
He clapped softly, as if applauding their splendid internal fighting performance.
"Very good."
"Now, an agreement has been reached."
"This is the attitude for cooperation."
His gaze swept over the three of them.
"Nine billion, to be paid in full within seven days."
"If anyone dares to delay."
"Or play any little tricks..."
Shin's smile faded, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"Then I will personally make a trip to your country."
"And have a good talk about cooperation with you."
His words were light.
Yet they made the three daimyo's hearts tremble.
They knew this young man meant what he said.
He had the power, and he had the guts.
The Land of Earth daimyo's face was gray.
Four billion.
This was a painful sum for him.
The Land of Wind daimyo and the Land of Water daimyo also looked dark.
Two point five billion.
It was not a small sum for them either.
But compared to the benefits they could gain in the Land of Lightning in the future, it was small.
This money had to be paid.
The three of them eventually nodded in silence, showing their acceptance.
Shin walked back to his seat, satisfied.
He picked up the treaty that the Land of Lightning daimyo had just signed, pulled out one copy, and left the conference room directly.
He was still saying curses as he walked.
"Damn it, I kindly invited you to eat cake, and you want to kick me out..."
"You're really too greedy..."
Shin's figure disappeared at the door, leaving without the slightest regret.
Only three gray-faced daimyo and one deathly pale daimyo remained in the conference room...
Back at the inn where he was staying, Shin's expression had already returned to one of calm indifference.
Asaba Toru was already waiting at the inn.
"My lord, I have the item." He presented a scroll with both hands.
Shin took the scroll and slowly unrolled it.
It was densely filled with the names, groups, and preferences of various officials in the imperial court of the Land of Lightning.
This list was not very detailed, but it was enough.
"Well done."
That aunt, she wasn't entirely useless after all.
At least, as a former woman of the Land of Lightning daimyo, she had collected enough valuable information over the past eight years, even from within the cold palace.
"This list is a nail for us to drive into the Land of Lightning."
Shin handed the scroll back to him. "According to our usual practice, just like what we did in the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind, go and bribe and place our people."
"Yes!" Asaba Toru acknowledged the order and withdrew.
After all this, Shin immediately ordered his guards to pack their belongings, preparing to return to the Land of Fire.
The attendants immediately became busy.
Just then, bang!
The door was violently pushed open.
Chiyoko rushed in, disheveled and pale, without a trace of a princess's calm.
"Shin!" Her eyes were filled with terror, and her voice was tearful. "Something happened!"
The attendants who were packing immediately stopped, looking in surprise at the broken lady.
Shin waved them away, then calmly looked at Chiyoko.
"The Land of Lightning daimyo... that bastard!" Chiyoko rushed behind him, her voice trembling. "He's put me under house arrest! He also said... he also said he's going to kill Makoto!"
"What did you say to him, why is it like this?!"
She grabbed Shin's sleeve, her face begging.
Shin looked at his panicked aunt and suddenly smiled.
"Aunt."
"Do you know why this is happening?"
Chiyoko shook her head blankly, tears building in her eyes, her face filled with fear and confusion.
Shin's smile became mocking. "If I were you."
"The moment you learned that the four countries were about to jointly enter the Land of Lightning, you should have immediately drawn a clear line with the Land of Fire, even if it was fake."
"You should have returned to the side of the Land of Lightning daimyo, bitterly complaining to him, cursing me, the Land of Fire daimyo, for being ambitious and heartless."
"You should have stood by his side, showing a united front against a common enemy."
"Only then could you gain a firm foothold in the Land of Lightning and earn his trust."
His voice was very soft, but it was like a knife, sharply piercing Chiyoko's heart.
"Aunt, I lent you the knife so you could first learn how to protect yourself and my younger brother."
"Not so that the moment you got the knife, you eagerly wanted to stab someone to death."
A sudden understanding.
The terror on Chiyoko's face instantly froze, turning gray.
She understood.
She was terribly wrong!
She thought that with the support of the Land of Fire, she could directly confront the Land of Lightning daimyo and demand the position of Crown Prince.
She was too hasty.
She had completely overlooked how sensitive and dangerous her identity as a princess of the Land of Fire was in a country that was about to be carved up by the four countries!
Not only did she not hide herself, but she even used this identity as her biggest bargaining chip, displaying it before everyone.
How was this a bargaining chip?
It was a death warrant!
After being pushed to a dead end by the four countries, the first person the Land of Lightning daimyo would settle accounts with would definitely be her, the insider!
"I..."
Chiyoko's lips trembled, unable to say a single word.
Shin looked at her, his disappointment clear.
This woman was too foolish.
Her ambition far exceeded her abilities.
Giving her a chance was useless!