Chapter 31: The Magistrate's Operation
"Let's build the palanquin out of redwood. How about 8 bearers?" Yukiko sat at her desk, frowning in thought. "Even if Muzemi, that old man, goes in place of Lord Ren, everyone will still see Lord Ren's face behind it, so the display cannot be too modest."
"For the accompanying vassals, let Shutenmaru go as well. He was originally the bandit leader of Kuri, and now that he has submitted, others will feel Lord Ren's authority the moment they see him. But he can't be the only one."
"And the gifts to bring…"
"That…" Keiko, who was sitting nearby reading a music score, heard Yukiko's muttering and softly asked, "Yukiko-sama, aren't you going as well?"
She addressed Yukiko as "-sama" not only because Yukiko now held a high position as the head of the Magistrate of Finance, but more importantly, out of gratitude and respect for saving her from a miserable fate.
If not for Yukiko, even if she had not ended up as a courtesan in the pleasure quarters, her life would likely still have been bleak.
However, Yukiko preferred being called "older sister," not in terms of age, but in terms of position within the inner circle.
"Me?"
Hearing the question, Yukiko became even more troubled.
"I don't want to waste time going to the Flower Capital just to see a sickly old man," Yukiko sighed.
"But no one else has your presence, Yukiko-sama. I heard people in the city already call you the Ice Princess of Frost Bloom," Keiko said with a gentle smile, admiration filling her eyes.
Yukiko, the first to follow Ren, was now extraordinary. No one in the Daimyo's Mansion could match her martial strength, and with such a reputation, she was already treated like a legendary figure.
"I heard that title has even spread to the Flower Capital."
"It's already reached the Flower Capital?"
"Yes. I heard Lord Ren mention it before. He said, 'Yukiko's good name has already spread to the Flower Capital. No—her captivating name, the Ice Princess of Frost Bloom,'" Keiko said, imitating Ren's tone and expression.
Yukiko's beautiful face immediately darkened. She pouted and collapsed onto the desk like a dead fish.
"How annoying. If I don't go, Kozuki Sukiyaki, that old man, might think Lord Ren isn't taking this seriously. I can't not go…"
Keiko couldn't help laughing. Who would have thought that Yukiko, so cold and untouchable to outsiders, would act like this inside the Daimyo's Mansion?
After all, Yukiko was still only a teenager.
"If Yukiko-sama goes to the Flower Capital, maybe all the men in the city will come just to see you," Keiko teased.
"Hmph. If those people dare look at me with lustful eyes, I'll dig their eyeballs out," Yukiko said angrily. Of course, she was only joking.
"If you really don't want to go, you could use official business as an excuse," Keiko suggested.
"Forget it. I'll go anyway," Yukiko shook her head. "There aren't many people who can really make a good impression."
It wasn't that Kuri lacked talent, but many people were still insufficiently trained. Most came from other regions and could only be considered passable at best, not suitable to represent Kuri on such an occasion.
"Keiko, while I'm away from Kuri, I'll leave the affairs of the Magistrate of Finance to you."
"Eh? Me? I can't do that, can I?" Keiko panicked immediately, like a child suddenly burdened with the weight of an entire household. She unconsciously clutched the book in her hands.
In truth, Keiko was several years older than Yukiko.
Yukiko was only 17 this year, while Keiko was already 21. However, Keiko's personality was far gentler, lacking Yukiko's confidence.
Only yesterday, she had been a poor woman from Udon who could barely afford food. If she were lucky, she might have become a courtesan and avoided starvation; if unlucky, she might have ended up begging on the streets.
How could she suddenly be asked to manage the entire finances of Kuri?
Yet Keiko was very intelligent. After entering the Daimyo's Mansion, she began learning to read and write and cherished the opportunity deeply.
She even read during her rest periods. When serving Ren, she sometimes reviewed documents with him, and through constant exposure, she learned quickly, occasionally even offering useful suggestions.
"Don't worry. It won't be difficult," Yukiko said. "The subordinates handle almost everything. Unless something unexpected happens, you only need to verify whether the data they submit is accurate."
In practice, the role was similar to an accountant. In fact, Ren had listed accounting as one of the mandatory subjects for the Magistrate of Finance.
"For any large appropriations you can't decide on, you can consult Lord Ren," Yukiko said, spreading out the documents on the desk and moving aside to make room for Keiko to sit beside her.
"I'm already dealing with the arrangements for going to the Flower Capital, so I'll teach you as we go."
"Mm, okay!" Keiko nodded vigorously, as if steeling herself.
"Look here. This is the budget for gifts and escorts submitted by the Yashiro Commission," Yukiko explained. "Expenses related to Lord Ren being slightly higher are acceptable."
The Yashiro Commission was one of the Three Commissions, responsible for etiquette, customs, and culture. Outside of festivals, most of its spending went to education, but it was also in charge of arranging the escort for this trip.
Yukiko explained, and Keiko followed along. These matters were not difficult, especially in Kuri, where corruption was rare and the accounts were clearly recorded.
After a while, Yukiko suddenly cursed at a document.
"Shutenmaru, that bastard, wants to increase military expenses again!"
"Can't the Tenryu Bugyō's budget be increased?" Keiko asked, confused.
"That's not the issue. All reasonable expenses for the Tenryu Bugyō must be covered," Yukiko snapped. "But look at what he submitted—drinking expenses! I really want to crack his skull open and see if it's filled with alcohol!"
Keiko laughed softly.
After calming down, Yukiko picked up another document.
"Construction proposals like this can be set aside for now," Yukiko said, showing it to Keiko.
"Building a reservoir?"
"Yes. Water conservancy projects are crucial for preventing floods and droughts."
"If it's that important, why not approve it immediately?" Keiko asked, puzzled.
"Keiko, building a reservoir consumes massive financial and material resources. Whether a location is suitable, and how to build it properly, requires long-term investigation," Yukiko explained.
"So it's fine to temporarily shelve these documents. Once the investigation results are submitted, Lord Ren will personally decide whether to proceed."
"I understand."
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