章節 68: Trade Wars! (Part 2)
Three days quickly passed and the Trade war between our factions involved the common people more and more as it escalated into higher and higher stakes.
"Huh? What do you mean that there is no more local rice here?"
"Argh! Quit yapping already! Just buy what's in there!"
"But I've only eaten local ones before-"
"Rice is rice!"
In the stores selling daily commodities like grains…
"Oh… This cloth seems unfamiliar."
"It's cotton. It's an imported cloth from the south."
"It feels so soft and breathable… I want to pair it with silk but…"
"Sorry. I have none to offer right now."
In stores selling cloth and clothes for the upcoming springtime…
"Get off the railings! Form a line or we won't let you exchange your money!"
"Just get with it already! This is the fifth exchange stall that I went to!"
"Argh! This is the reason why I told my husband to not accept salaries in Mon!"
And even in money exchangers, people are trying to get their pouches of coins to exchange them to the prevailing Yen bills.
The entire province has been swallowed by the fight. And in the office of the Miyazaki corporation, the usual midday market report was requested by the company owner's adjutant.
"Market report."
"Umm… 57% local holdings. 763.81 million yen in Net worth, sir."
That was good news. Minori smiled after hearing it and turned to his master to comment about it.
"Nice. Shachou, did you hear-"
"Zzzz… Zzzz…"
Unfortunately, their boss was out of commission, sleeping at his chair with his coat acting as a blanket.
"Haah… Well, we can't blame the guy."
"Yeah. Managing the deal with the investors from Yukogahara took an entire night. Let's give him some rest."
As the finishing number approached, the large office of the Asakura alliance went more and more chaotic.
"Yamada-sama! Some of the employees are quitting already!"
"We cannot win this anymore!"
"We implore you, master! Please let us prepare a carriage for you so you can escape from the province."
He deafened himself from the words of his subjects and comrades. Yamada Youji still believes that there is a chance to turn all of this around.
Even though his farm was sterilized, his sea trading company completely seized by its original owners and the impact of the sudden rise in the value of the new money wrecking his unprepared businesses, he still has hope that the enemy will trip down and fail.
"You there, on the door."
"Yes, Master?"
He spoke towards his right-hand man who quickly responded and listened to his order.
"…Bring in the messenger from their side."
"Yes sir."
After a moment, a man dressed in a black trench coat came in. He is one of the 12 people who went with Hiroshi in the trip. This work as a messenger was intended by Hiroshi and Minori since he can protect himself and also carry messages in their own codes.
"What message do you want me to bring?"
He asked the old man without even a shred of veneration.
"Go and tell your master that we're settling this with one last bout. If he gets a majority holding before the day ends, he wins."
"That's quite unfair, wouldn't you say?"
"What do you mean?"
"There are four more days for the Trade War to continue. You're setting an impossible standard when you have nothing to offer in return for the request."
"Tch!"
The old man didn't expect the simple messenger to have the wits of a negotiator. He clicked his tongue and grit his teeth as his ploy didn't work.
"Just accept it. You lost. Come call me again if you want me to send your surrender statement."
After he left, the old man asked something to his right-hand man.
"Come brew some tea for me again… Maybe it will calm me."
"As you wish."
Even though he didn't send the proposed message of their enemy, the messenger still reported what happened which caused Hiroshi to have an idea on his mind.
"…Minori, can you bring in a map of Iwaki?"
"Yes, just give me a moment…"
Minori quickly took a map from a shelf and spread it open at my table.
"I see… that may work."
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Hey, do we have someone near the land auction at western Iwaki?"
I asked to a nearby accountant, and she opened her book before nodding that a ground worker is near the place.
"Good. Tell them to join in under our company name and keep the lines open so I can actively bet in."
"As you wish."
She fiddled her with her console and gave me the frequency that I inputted in mine to listen to the raspy sounds of the noisy auction hall.
At the opponent's side, the news quickly came.
"It seems like the Miyazaki corporation is trying to buy land at the local land auction at the west."
"What?!"
The old man shot up from his seat and took his coat from a chair.
"I'll go there! I don't know what that prick is planning but I can't let him get the upper hand now!"
The old man rode out with a few of his retainers and arrived at the auction hall just in time for the start of the application of buyers. He gave his identifications and bought a seat as the bidding started.
"There they are. It's the men with a wooden box."
"…What is that thing?"
"A casket of gold, perhaps?"
"Maybe."
The auction felt more like an active battle as he watched the two men who didn't seem to be betting at all. It was only when a specific piece of land was raised for sale did they hear the two shout.
"300,000 Kan!"
"W-What?"
The land being sold is called Furi Stream, a local brook near the city outskirts."
"What are they planning by buying that?"
"I don't know and I don't care."
The old man replied to his retainers before raising his hand and shouting.
"Double!"
With that, the auction master shouted.
"Alright! 600,000 from the Yamada gentleman! Anyone wants to top that?"
"700,000!"
"Okay! A hundred thousand addition from the Miyazaki company!"
"800,000!"
He raised the bet again.
"900,000!"
The other side replied with a higher number.
What are they planning? This was a genuine question in the old man's mind as it seems like the other side has no intention to let go of the sale.
""Hehe…""
However, as he saw an evil smile on the faces of his opponent's men, he knew that whatever it is, he cannot let his enemy to win.
"1 million!"
He has to outdo them. This was the only thing in his mind.
Back at the office, Hiroshi can hear the panicked shout of the person that he is trying to bring down.
"Call a 900 and look out for his response."
[Yes sir… Do it.]
[900,000!]
There was a plan in his mind as he kept a straight face while the other workers cluelessly listened to their exchange in the radio, setting the frequency of their consoles to the same line and deactivating their microphones to not interrupt with the act.
"What is the boss doing?"
"I don't know."
"…"
Meanwhile, the adjutant was simply watching, placing his trust on whatever his master is trying to pull off.
"You two, try to make the creepiest smile that you can make."
[E-eh? W-why?]
"Come on, just do it."
[Okay… he said that we should make a creepy smile.]
[What? Argh… Alright, let's do it.]
After a moment, a loud shout was heard.
[1 million!]
After hearing that, Hiroshi chuckled and spoke into the microphone again.
"Call a triple."
[Yes sir. Call a triple, he said.]
[Triple! We bid 3 million!]
[Uwoooohhh!]
Even the amazed voices of the other bidders went through the microphone as they heard the ludicrous bid that just came from them.
"Shachou, I'm sorry for saying this, but this is too risky to-"
"Don't worry, Minori. I have everything under control."
"But…"
"Please. I know when to stop this."
Hiroshi returned to the microphone and waited for a reply.
[4 million!]
"Add 1 million."
[5 million!]
[8 million!]
"Go big. Add two to that."
[10 million!]
As this stupendously lengthened exchange of bids went on, the other side fell under a deeper and deeper anxiety.
"Yamada-sama. We can't continue this anymore!"
"We don't have enough money for that anymore!"
"Yamada-sama!"
Even when his retainers are begging him to stop already, the old man stayed indignant and raised the stakes higher.
"Double!"
"Yamada-sama!"
"Alright! This is getting crazy! 20 million bet from the Yamada gentleman! There's only 20 seconds left! Anyone want to top that?!"
As the auction master announced the impending end of the betting phase, the old man's retainers finally blew their tap and complained to him.
"Master! How will be fork out 20 million Kan right now?! We don't have that kind of money at hand!"
"…"
He racked his head for an answer and came up with something.
"Send someone to the Stock exchange office. Tell them that I'm selling the entire Danzo farmstead."
"But master, that is-"
"Do it! That land is barren anyways! That is an order!"
Faced with a direct order from their master, his retainers bit their lip and did as he asked. One of them left with the message from their master.
"30 million!"
"Uwoooohhh!"
The fight is long from over. And for the old man, he cannot give his enemy the upper hand.
"35 million."
At the office, Hiroshi smiled after receiving a report from someone by radio and switched to the team in the auction.
"Cancel our bet."
[Yes sir.]
[Alright, time's up! The property goes to the Yamada gentleman! Congratulations on your purchase!]
After hearing that, Hiroshi stood up from his seat as his workers anxiously looked at him.
"I have an announcement to make…"
Everyone held their breath as the young man's lips spoke the next statement.
"We won."
With that, everyone jumped up from their seats and cheered joyfully.
"Yosh!!!"
"Finally! After so long!"
"We finally won against them!"
As the workers cheered and congratulated each other, Minori walked up towards his master and asked something.
"How exactly did we win, Iwasawa-sama?"
He seemed so out of it that he forgot to hide his master's identity.
"I'll explain it on the way. Come on, I have to congratulate the old man for his purchase."
"Ah. Y-yes…"
The two went out of the room and rode horses to the auction house where the old man is receiving the title for the land he bought.
"Hey. I heard that you outdid my men out there."
"You…"
"Whoa, whoa… Don't look at me so fiercely like that."
Facing the young man who gave him so much trouble, the old man looked at him with disdain but quickly shifted it to a smug look.
"Seems like you lost. I don't know what the hell you were planning to do, but if you are prepared to go to the millions for this thing, you're not in luck because I got it before you did."
"Oh, that? Ahahaha… Yeah, it was quite a shame. Seems like I didn't win at all then."
"Wait…"
This was the moment when the old man thought that something is weird.
"Is something wrong, Yamada-dono?"
The words and the expression on his face is strange. Something about it didn't add up at all.
"You… why exactly did you aim for this land?"
After being asked that, the young man looked away before replying.
"Let's just say that I wanted to build a summer house or something. Yeah, that's my reason."
"What?"
"You see…"
He spoke and took a rolled length of paper from his saddle bag.
"Greenbelt land isn't that good of a business investment."
Hiroshi gave the roll to one of his servants before riding his horse with his adjutant and leaving.
"Greenbelt? What is that?"
His servant opened the roll and found that it was a map of the city with a green highlight outside of the city outskirts that stretches over 8 kilometers from the edges of the city.
"Proposed Greenbelt land managing act. A proposal of Consul Miyazaki Hiro to find a solution to the urban development spread in the city of Iwaki."
Hearing that, the old man slowly had his blood drain from his face in fear.
"All the highlighted land surrounding the city of Iwaki will have its value deferred and permission to build commercial infrastructure or performing agrarian activities for the sake of macro market commerce will be unallowed by the sanction of law. The only applicable use for the land is for personal housing, community gardens or construction of unmonetizable parks."
He was tricked.
"This law has been accepted by the congress of Hashidate and by the sanction of the Taka clan, will be immediately set into action."
He bought a land with almost no value and by the rule of law, declared as unusable.
"Why… how did this happen?"
It was only at this moment did he understand how brash he became to fall for this trickery.
"Yamada-sama! Good news!"
Suddenly, one of his retainers came by with a smile on his face.
"Someone bought Danzo farmstead as soon as it went for sale. We now have enough money to pay for your bid!"
But that news was not good news at all. The old man snatched the invoice document from his servant and read the line of who bought it.
[…for the price of 9 million Kan, the 159 square kilometer property: Danzo Farmstead, is sold to the Houjun Monetary Company.]
"DAMN IT!!!"
He lost. Not only in the bidding, but also on one other thing.
That evening, as the market of the stock exchange closed, it also announced the winner of the trade war.
"Miyazaki Corporation! 62% Holdings and 1.3 billion Yen in Net Worth!"
The victory party was held in the Yutaka estate, people from all walks of life, may they be small-time entrepreneurs to big names like congressmen or company owners all cheered after the massive victory that happened.
"YOUSHAAAA!!!"
"We did it!!!"
At the main table of the gathering was a splendid feast. Pouched duck, fried giant crab meat, tender and well-done steaks and many more selections of exotic and common food were laid out.
"Guhahaha!!! This is what I've been here for!"
"E-Edogawa-sama! Please maintain some dignity!"
"Argh! Let me drink my wine in peace!"
Also at the buffet table were cases of red wine that made the gathering more lively than ever.
"It was a victory…"
"I told you to trust me, didn't I?"
Hiroshi and Minori spoke to each other while watching over the courtyard where the party is being held from the main building's terrace.
"…What's next for us, Iwasawa-sama?"
Indeed, what will happen now?
"You got involved with this province's government, became its first billionaire and etched your place in its history."
"…"
"How can we just disappear after this?"
That was a good question.
Minori always doubted the course of action that his master went with by involving himself with Hashidate. They were supposed to be uninvolved, hidden from plain sight and silently travelling from one place to another while gathering information.
But every action that his master chose to do was big, loud and very noticeable.
"Minori."
"Yes, Iwasawa-sama?"
"I had to do this."
After saying that, Hiroshi drew his handgun and fired at someone in the crowd below.
"KYAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
The gunshot caused a massive racket below as everyone went away from the man hit by the bullet who fell on his knees while bleeding out.
"How…?"
As Hiroshi approached the man, he raised his face that still carried a fierce expression even when his mouth is already coughing out copious amounts of blood.
"Everyone. Don't drink the tea that's on the table. He poisoned it."
Hearing that, the guest either let go of their cups in shock or placed them carefully in the nearest table.
"You actually thought that you can trick me when we met at the same teahouse which acted as the safehouse of your master?"
"Hah… Hahaha…"
"All of the crappy information that you forced that girl to tell me… I already knew that it was a lie. I just had to pretend that I believed it. After all…"
Hiroshi spoke and threw a hood in front of him.
"You're the assassin leader who orchestrated the killing of all the civilians in Ikki and Yuki city."
As he drew his pistol and aimed at the head of the mortally wounded man, it shouted one last statement.
"Glory to the True Kirin Lord."
That night, Hiroshi removed the last trace of his real enemy's hold in Hashidate. But with this, the eyes and ears that followed him became more willing to end his life.
創作者的想法 
Ephraim_Chronia
Ephraim_Chronia How to teach a cheeky editor a lesson: Limit her french fry intake.
Patented by: Author Rai.
(P.S: She's crying next to my table right now.)
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