Mitsuki Kōmei, having made a small fortune, was overjoyed. He once enjoyed the process of counting stacks of money.
Now, with billions in his hands, he was left with only one feeling: emptiness!
"System, come out quickly! Your Young Master wants to top up."
"Dear Host, welcome! We've rounded down for you, granting you a total of 1.5786 billion points."
Mitsuki Kōmei said mockingly, "Reverse rounding? When it comes to shamelessness, the System, you truly take the cake."
"Thank you for the compliment! Please, Host, select your items as soon as possible. Little System is ready to arrange delivery for you at any time. We wish you a pleasant shopping experience."
"I just want to know how many points I've got. This dog System is a money counter, might as well use it. Goodbye!" Mitsuki Kōmei wanted to infuriate the dog System.
"Host, don't go! You have over a billion points in the System. Can you really resist spending them?"
"Are you kidding? I once saved hundreds of thousands of jade and primogems without spending a single cent. I'm as steady as they come."
Mitsuki Kōmei ignored the System, which was now in a fit of impotent rage after failing to entice him to spend. He focused his main energy on the public trial and the war with the Harukawa Territory.
The outcome of the war was crucial to his upcoming plans; he could only win, not lose.
At 3 PM, a large number of Common People and disaster victims gathered outside the city. Guards stood around the hastily erected execution platform.
Mitsuki Kōmei sat on the high platform, a thick stack of papers laid out on the long table before him, documenting all the ministers' criminal evidence over several years.
"Bring the people up."
Several ministers were escorted to the high platform by the guard隊 and forced to kneel on the ground.
"Shimotsuki-sama, we know we were wrong! We shouldn't have colluded, embezzled, and stolen your money. Please, spare our lives!"
Mitsuki Kōmei looked at the ministers with cold eyes, then casually picked up a paper from the table.
"The Finance Minister, under the guise of expanding the Daimyo Manor, forcibly seized over a dozen shops near the Daimyo Manor. The original owners of the shops were driven out of Daimyo City, and on their way, they were ambushed and killed by people sent by the Finance Minister. Of 136 people, only two escaped!"
After reading this, Mitsuki Kōmei picked up another paper.
"The Minister of Rites, under the pretext of selecting maids for the Daimyo Manor, forcibly took away Inoue Gen's twelve-year-old daughter. Three days later, her body was found in a mass grave, covered in wounds, suspected of having been abused!"
"The Minister of Justice, utilizing his position, accepted bribes, twisted the laws of the Land of Water, sheltered criminals, abused private torture, and coerced confessions, resulting in a large number of wrongful convictions. He acted as a protective umbrella for the criminal elements of Daimyo City, enriching himself."
"The Minister of Resource Management, Hyakusho Ri, under the guise of enclosing the Daimyo hunting grounds, forcibly occupied 100,000 mu of fertile land. Those who tried to report him were all assassinated by his men..."
"I won't read the remaining papers. Every single one of them deserves to die. I now pronounce the sentence: Lingchi."
As Mitsuki Kōmei finished speaking, the ministers were tied to pillars, and the executioners took out small knives to begin the execution.
"Good! I wish I could wield the knife myself. The Finance Minister had his family servants break my leg because I didn't kneel before him."
"Yes, if only I could chop him myself! That damned Hyakusho Ri said my family's wheat was ugly and affected his harvest, then he beat my father to death and forcibly took our land."
Mitsuki Kōmei looked at the hate-filled Common People below the platform, waved his hand, ordered the executioners to step back, and said to the crowd below.
"Go! Avenge your grievances, settle your scores."
The enraged Common People rushed onto the execution platform. Those with knives personally cut their enemies. Those without knives directly bit off a piece of the minister's flesh with their mouths.
Mitsuki Kōmei remained silent, quietly watching the Common People's various frenzied actions. After venting their anger, the Common People faced him and continuously kowtowed.
"Thank you, Shimotsuki-sama, for giving this old man a chance to avenge my daughter. This old man can now die without regrets."
The ministers' clansmen, servants, and guards were brought up to the high platform in batches. One by one, their sordid and filthy deeds were exposed, and one by one, the once vibrant lives taken by this group of people were revealed.
Mitsuki Kōmei ordered people to bring out the prepared copper pillars and branded batch after batch of criminals until sunset, when the last batch of criminals was brought to the execution platform.
With Mitsuki Kōmei's final execution order, the ministers' trial concluded perfectly.
Sitting on the platform, Mitsuki Kōmei looked down at the Common People on the ground, a group of people crying bitterly, holding their heads in their hands.
The cries were mixed with various emotions: the solace of having avenged a great wrong, the pain of past experiences, and the longing for departed loved ones.
"Everyone, quiet down. I apologize to all of you who have suffered. Afterward, the Daimyo Manor will compensate everyone as appropriate."
"As the Water Country Daimyo, the ruler of a nation, I am at fault. I failed to discern people, distinguish loyalty from treachery, hear the voices of the Common People, or observe their will. I failed to punish wrongdoing and investigate crimes."
"The ministers have been punished. The belated light has dispelled the darkness and illuminated Daimyo City. However, there are still many places in the Land of Water shrouded in darkness."
"Harukawa Rin, as the second Young Master of the Harukawa Family, publicly beat the Finance Minister to death. If he treats nobles and ministers this way, he is even more reckless towards the Common People. The Harukawa Territory is a microcosm of other Feudal Lords."
"I wish to subjugate the Feudal Lords and spread light throughout the Land of Water. I hope for your support."
"You are not wrong. You are still a child. Those scoundrel ministers took advantage of your youth and did these things behind your back. I support your actions and will never cause you trouble."
"The Daimyo is not wrong! Support Shimotsuki-sama!"
"The Daimyo is not wrong! Support Shimotsuki-sama!"
...Amidst the rising waves of shouts, Mitsuki Kōmei slowly walked down the high platform and returned to the Daimyo Manor.
The war between the Daimyo Territory and the Harukawa Territory was about to begin. With favorable timing and popular support, Mitsuki Kōmei held two out of three advantages, making his chances of victory extremely high.
Upon returning to the Daimyo Manor, Mitsuki Kōmei ordered Yū Bohe and Tanaka Ken to lead their men to the front lines without delay, bringing all the shields and bows from the armory.
Their primary mission was to lead the Ninja forces to intercept the Ninja nurtured by the Harukawa Family, preventing heavy losses to the civilian troops from Ninja attacks.
After taking the Harukawa Territory, the two of them and nine Chunin would each lead a team to raid the surrounding Feudal Lords, immediately retreating after dawn.
As night fell, in a forest bordering the Daimyo Territory and the Harukawa Territory, a dense army silently hid, not making a single sound.
A group of people with a noticeably stronger Aura sat together, silent, waiting quietly.
Suddenly, a few birds were startled from the edge of the dense forest, and everyone instantly became alert, gripping their weapons, staring intently in the direction the birds had flown.
"No need to be nervous. It's Chief Yū and Jonin Tanaka Ken leading their men. The battle is about to begin."
Several generals surrounded Yū Bohe and asked, "Chief Yū, you've finally arrived! We'll follow your command. When do we act?"
Yū Bohe waved his hand, took out a Seal scroll, and distributed the supplies he had brought to everyone.
"No rush. Sharpening the axe doesn't delay chopping wood. Put on the equipment we brought. Distribute the soldier pills to fill your stomachs. We will launch the attack at 8 PM."
"The gloomy weather is perfect for our operation. It's a dark and windy night, perfect for killing."
At 7:30 PM that night, Yū Bohe led the army into action, extinguishing their torches and quietly approaching to surround Harukawa City.