Chapter 70 The First Talks II
This was my middle ground. I'll marry her like you want. Making emotional and family ties. But I won't accept internal interference. The death trigger and Yami's loyalty to the Head Yamigami were now common knowledge. Along with the fact that they could communicate after the Danzo fiasco. She would effectively become tied to us if they accepted.
"Absolutely not!" Gen'ei stood up.
"My granddaughter will not bond with one of those filthy creatures from who knows where!"
"Did you just call us filthy?" Haruto said, standing. Perfect delivery.
The air thickened — the kind of tension only two sealing masters could create.
"Alright, calm down, calm down." Rei made them both sit back. After a few minutes of pleasantries.
Then he sighed heavily. Looks like the gloves were coming off.
"You know why the marriage is important to us, Lord Ren. By refusing it, you challenge our authority and prestige."
"And by forcing it, you challenge ours. We are fine with an alliance. But not with oversight and internal interference. The bride takes the Yamigami, or it has to be your sister. The second in line to the position of head. Only then does it make sense for us to allow the external influence."
Shiori would be an exchange of influence and a proper alliance. I knew her designs on the position of head of the clan of Kurokami. She would increase our influence instead of undermining it. It should also effectively solve the sibling struggle. Her alliances will mean a mutual flow of intel. But apparently, I wasn't good enough for her. Being the matriarch of our clan was too shallow an influence.
"That we cannot accept. You can pick another daughter of the clan, but she will not bond with a Yami, and Shiori is off the table. She has been promised to Nara Satsumi."
"Then it appears these negotiations have failed. Let's end today's meeting. Review and discuss with clan members and then meet again someday."
"I think that will be for the best for your clan. You do not have many friends now."
We gave the pleasantries and took our leave.
"Damn those stuck-up bastards. Who the hell do they think they are?" Emiko's rage was palpable. And she had told everything to the Guard. Who had renamed themselves, the Lotus-Leaf Squad.
That day, Kurosawa's calm and slow life ended — not with blood or betrayal, but with a marriage proposal. And my refusal to accept it.
Over the next few days, the negotiations happened several more times. But nothing really changed except the ever-increasing tension levels.
All of it came to a head at a banquet where I met their clan head, Kurokami Naotora.
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It was a banquet hosting the yearly Daimyo's delegation. People went around in circles, making deals and talking about the gossip they had or they heard. That's when I was approached by an old man. "Kurosawa-san, Lord Kurokami would like to speak with you."
Power play. Come to my seat. I didn't really care. But I understood politics a bit better now. But I decided to comply. He hadn't talked to us face-to-face before. He probably wanted to intimidate or compromise now.
As I neared their table, I finally saw him. Like his name, he was a fierce man. He was 45 but looked no older than 35. The whole table was silent now. He waited a few moments before gesturing to a seat. I sat down.
"Lord Ren, I am as straight a Kunai as you'll find in these halls. Accept the marriage, and we all go home happy."
"I'll accept the marriage, but not the oversight. Do we have a deal?"
"Is that your final answer?"
His voice was heavy. Full of meaning. This was an ultimatum now. Bend, or stand against the rest of the Fuinjustu industry.
"Yes."
"When you come to us later, kid, the price will be higher."
He waved a hand. Dismissing me. "Price for all choices is high, Kurokami-san. We shall see."
Well, here goes nothing.
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The next day, the sellers and suppliers in the association's pocket refused to do business with us. It was a hit, but the free merchants and sellers were also many. I had been planning to open my own stores for a while now, too. So that just sped up the process. I wasn't too worried about this.
But I should have been. This time was also the time when the Kurokami was poised to establish its supremacy.
It began to target all the free merchants. The paper suppliers, the ink suppliers, and the sellers. Slowly but surely, they were all being forced into an 'exclusive contract with the association." We could have competed if it were just seals. But using their connection to the Nara, they were disrupting weapon supplies too.
By the end of three months. We had only a few outcast shops and the four shops we opened ourselves. But the profit was bad, as the customers, too, were sensing opportunities. We bought supplies high, we sold the tags cheap. There was still a net positive. But nowhere near what we made before.
We sold cheaply or we didn't sell at all. I tried to apply for legal recourse. But with the Hokage not responding to my pleas and staying neutral. The bureaucracy obeyed the next big dog, as did the auction houses. Those were the Kurokami.
I at first adopted a strategy of endurance. Making the free time we had into research. I told my winter and spring legions to research defensive and speed enhancement armaments like my lost mirror.
But now I have stopped supplying my research to the village. I gave small bits, around 10% to barely hold the agreement together. But I kept the rest for the clan only.
We were being isolated.
Slowly, our profit was turning into net burn with the research and training. The importance placed on our clan members was now a restriction. As we could not take those high-paying missions.
But the camel's back broke near the end of the year.