Under the pressure from Mitsuki Kōmei, several ministers bounced out of the Daimyo Manor like balls.
The messengers dispatched by the ministers arrived at the territories of the Feudal Lords at the fastest speed, delivering invitations for the Feudal Lords to attend the Feudal Lords' Conference on time.
Harukawa Yamayoshi, the Lord of Harukawa Territory, looked at the invitation with disdain and threw it to his eldest son.
"Father, Kōmei must have some purpose in calling for the Feudal Lords' Conference. Should we attend?"
"He wants money," Harukawa Yamayoshi picked up a pen and wrote the character for 'stingy'. "Little brat, you dream too big. I won't give you a single cent."
At the same time, the Gōyō Family, which had suffered from the wind disaster, had another plan.
"The Feudal Lords' Conference. As victims of the wind disaster, our Gōyō Family should fully support it."
Three days passed in a blink, and the Deliberation Hall of the Daimyo Manor was filled with Feudal Lords. The crowd was subtly divided into two factions: the disaster-stricken faction looked worried, while the other faction chatted and laughed.
When Mitsuki Kōmei entered the Deliberation Hall, the Feudal Lords stopped discussing. No one rose to greet him. Led by the Harukawa Family, some Feudal Lords watched him with amusement.
He secretly noted down a few Feudal Lords, engraving their entire clans onto the Book of Life and Death.
Mitsuki Kōmei walked to the main seat and sat down. He waved his hand behind him, and a maid served tea.
"Everyone is here. I will be direct. The treasury does not have enough money for disaster relief. I hope you all can provide money and provisions to help."
After speaking, he leaned back, picked up his teacup, and quietly watched the Feudal Lords' performance.
"Good. As Feudal Lords of the Land of Water, we should stand united and support each other." Miyabi Heiji was the first to jump out in support.
The disaster-stricken Feudal Lords all echoed Miyabi Heiji.
The Harukawa Family head scoffed at Miyabi Heiji's words, giving him a look of deep contempt.
"What good is your support? I'm the one who has to pay. Why should my money be used to help those lowly Common People?"
Harukawa Yamayoshi also gained the support of many Feudal Lords.
Scanning the opposing Feudal Lords, Mitsuki Kōmei calmly drank his tea, watching the two groups cordially greet each other's family members and discuss unspeakable relationships between them and animals.
"My territory is limited, and my annual tax revenue isn't even enough to spend. I don't have a single cent."
Harukawa Yamayoshi picked up a peach blossom fan, with jade bones and precious jade pendants, and played with it while talking nonsense.
"As the second largest Feudal Lord, you have no money? Don't treat everyone like fools." Miyabi Heiji looked indignant.
"A large territory, but few Common People, and underdeveloped commerce. Whoever has money should contribute. I will not."
Miyabi Heiji sat down, fuming. "Hmph, the wind disaster affected millions of Common People. If they flood into your territories, looting, smashing, and burning, I wonder who among you can withstand it."
The minor Feudal Lords were a little scared and began to change their tune.
"I'm not afraid. Let them come if they dare. I just don't have money."
Harukawa Yamayoshi's large hand, adorned with a jade thumb ring and four gold rings, slammed on the table.
Seeing that the Feudal Lords' performance was over and the time was ripe, Mitsuki Kōmei put down his teacup and said softly.
"Harukawa Family Head, you wouldn't want to be targeted by all the Feudal Lords together for not being cooperative, would you?"
Harukawa Yamayoshi's expression changed. He looked around. All the Feudal Lords were staring at him with displeasure. "You! You are very good! Don't you regret this!"
Mitsuki Kōmei deliberately pretended not to hear Harukawa Yamayoshi's threat and spouted serious nonsense.
"Thank you for the compliment. I eat well and sleep soundly. With someone donating to share the burden of disaster relief, I can be even better."
"Don't be happy too soon! Farewell!" With a flick of his sleeve, Harukawa Yamayoshi angrily left his seat.
He shrugged indifferently, continued to drink tea, and sneered inwardly, 'He has at most two more days to live. Why should I argue with a dead man? How unlucky.'
After the Feudal Lords left, Mitsuki Kōmei called Yū Bohe and gave him a series of orders.
"Notify the Finance Minister to collect disaster relief money and provisions. Order Tanaka Ken to forever leave his dog's life in Harukawa Territory."
"Chief Yū, prepare to lead people to seal the city gates and prepare to arrest several corrupt ministers, confiscating their property and exterminating their clans."
"Arrange for the Daimyo Manor's Ninja and some troops to secretly rush to the vicinity of Harukawa Territory to lie in ambush and prepare for war."
"Young Master, do you want to annex Harukawa Territory?" Yū Bohe, who had been listening attentively to Mitsuki Kōmei's commands, couldn't help but ask.
"Too small, the scope is too small! I want to unify the Land of Water." Mitsuki Kōmei's palm landed on the map, covering the entire Land of Water.
The Finance Minister left Daimyo City with great joy. A plum assignment had fallen to him; he would surely make a fortune.
However, he did not know that at this moment, the atmosphere in the Harukawa Family was extremely oppressive, and no one dared to breathe loudly.
Harukawa Yamayoshi, who was strong-willed and short-tempered, returned home with a livid face and locked himself in his study to vent.
Harukawa Yamayoshi's wife and two sons stood outside the door, trembling, not daring to make a sound to disturb him.
"A mere brat dares to threaten me? A Puppet in the hands of ministers, what are you?! I'd like to see who dares to come to me for money! If I don't teach him a lesson, he'll think the Harukawa Family is easy to bully!"
By the time Harukawa Yamayoshi calmed down, the study was already a mess. The carved window was broken, his favorite vase was shattered, his cherished calligraphy and paintings were stained, and his expensive tables and chairs were broken.
"Come in."
"Father, why are you so angry?"
"It's nothing, let's not talk about it! Rin'er, prepare some money and provisions, not much, just enough to get by."
Harukawa Yamayoshi waved his hand, propped up a three-legged chair, and managed to sit down.
"The Daimyo's envoy should already be on his way. Send him away, I don't want to see him."
Harukawa Yamayoshi's bold words about teaching the Daimyo's envoy a lesson had already been remembered by his son, Harukawa Rin.
Harukawa Rin, as the second Young Master of the Harukawa Family, was a complete fop who led a group of vicious servants to bully men and women and act lawlessly.
"Did you remember clearly? At a critical moment, don't embarrass me, your Young Master. My father doesn't want to see the Daimyo's envoy."
"Don't worry, Second Young Master, brothers are stationed at all four city gates. Without your command, not even a fly can get in," a lackey said fawningly.
The Finance Minister rushed to Harukawa Territory on horseback, only to be stopped at the city gate.
Harukawa Rin, who received the news, hurriedly arrived with more than twenty vicious servants.
"Kōmei sent you?"
"You scoundrel, do you know who I am? I am the Finance Minister! Hurry up and get out of the way! Otherwise, I'll charge you with the crime of disrespect!"
The Finance Minister had been throwing his weight around for too long, believing himself to be second only to heaven. He didn't put anyone in his eyes, and being stopped, how could he tolerate it? He opened his mouth and unleashed a torrent of abuse.
Harukawa Rin was greatly angered by the Finance Minister's arrogant attitude. "Bastard! Beat him for me, beat him to death! You ignorant fat pig, how dare you curse me? I'll beat you to a pulp!"
The poor Finance Minister, eager to get rich, only brought six or seven guards and was overwhelmed by Harukawa Rin's vicious servants. The Finance Minister was beaten to within an inch of his life.
Seeing that the Finance Minister was breathing more out than in, Harukawa Rin ordered his vicious servants to stop. He walked over to the Finance Minister and spat on his fat face with malice.
"Pah, you dog, the Daimyo's envoy, are you?" Harukawa Rin kicked the Finance Minister hard in the stomach.
"The Finance Minister, are you?" Another kick.
"Disrespectful, are you? Arrogant, are you?" Clang, clang, two more kicks.
"Let's go. Let's see who else dares to be more arrogant than me!"
He glared at the surrounding Common People with wide, menacing eyes, then left refreshed.
The guards, who had been playing dead on the ground, scrambled up, frantically lifted the Finance Minister onto the carriage, and drove back to the Daimyo Manor.
Tanaka Ken secretly followed the carriage and, without anyone noticing, killed the Finance Minister. He had never done such a simple task.