"Natsume-chan, I want to ask you to do something," Ryou said with a somewhat complex expression.
Just a moment ago, Natsume was acting like a pet cat being affectionate with its owner, but now she immediately sat up straight in front of him.
"My lord, please give me your orders."
"You don't need to be so serious."
Ryou patted Natsume's small head and continued.
"I just want you to train a group of ninjas..."
Before he could finish his sentence, he noticed that Natsume's eyes had turned red, as if she were about to cry.
"My lord, are you abandoning me...?"
Ryou suddenly felt a headache coming on.
After much effort to calm her down, he carefully explained in a gentle tone, trying not to upset her.
"You see, Natsume-chan, there's only one of you, right? But in my plan, I need my ninja forces to be everywhere in Japan. Besides assassinating key enemies, they need to gather intelligence on all hostile forces and even our people..."
Ryou slowly laid out a grand blueprint for Natsume.
History proved that the hidden group had certain advantages, which most of the country eventually adopted and transformed into what is now the CIA or FBI.
Of course, Ryou planned to use this group without giving it too much power, to prevent it from growing too powerful and taking control of the government.
The quickest way to form this group would be to recruit ninjas and ronin en masse, as these individuals could quickly become combat-ready.
But Ryou didn't trust those who would sell everything for money. Moreover, compared to the Shogun, he was at a significant disadvantage, and it was questionable how many people would even accept his recruitment.
In the blueprint he envisioned, the ninja unit had to be loyal to him. The best way to ensure this loyalty was through faith.
Nothing instills loyalty better than faith.
Money, power, and beauty all come with the risk of betrayal. Faith, though not foolproof, could raise the chance of loyalty from 50% to 90%.
So Ryou preferred to move slowly, ensuring the reliability of these two sharpest daggers.
Since Natsume was already being cultivated as a key talent, signing a contract with her in the future would be inevitable, so she was the perfect choice to establish the Ninja Unit.
Furthermore, to guarantee the assassination capabilities of this unit, Ryou would also grant them supernatural powers.
However, unlike Natsume's powers, theirs would be significantly weaker and would require regular replacement of magic crystals. These magic crystals could only be provided by Ryou, who could claim they were a divine gift.
Natsume, with her four-star potential, was very smart. As he explained the importance of this task, she quickly understood its significance.
"Please leave this task to me!"
Natsume performed a perfect dogeza, kneeling in front of him.
Ryou's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he quickly helped her up.
He felt no discomfort when the natives of Japan bowed to him, but when close people like Natsume and Ayame did so, he felt uneasy.
He could only attribute this to an issue of trust—he had subconsciously started to consider them as his people.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Natsume-chan."
"Yes! I won't let you down!"
Natsume seemed a bit excited, her small hands clenched into fists.
In her heart, she added softly, "I won't disappoint you... my lord..."
...
The relocation plan, which was expected to take three days, was completed in just two days under Ryou's direct supervision.
Aside from a group of troublemaking old hooligans, over 95% of the residents of Aragane Station obediently followed his orders and boarded the steam train bound for Yokosuka.
There, thanks to the ample labor force, rows of neatly planned wooden houses were quickly built.
Ryou had practically emptied Aragane Station, moving a vast amount of food, ammunition, fuel, steel, and other resources to Yokosuka.
Although he had been away for two days, everything in Yokosuka Port was proceeding smoothly according to the plan he had laid out before leaving.
The prisoners, reduced to laborers, were forced by steam guns and whips to build housing for the residents of Aragane Station.
Once the housing needs were met, Ryou would not hesitate to send them to designated locations to begin constructing the city walls.
On the other side, Jeanne was appointed as the principal of the seminary.
The holy maiden's theology classes had begun!
Prisoners who chose to convert to Christianity started receiving daily theological education from the priests.
Ryou was confident that, under the guidance of divine grace, these lost sheep would turn over a new leaf and contribute their small part to the Lord's work.
Just as Ryou's plans were flourishing, it seemed his good days were coming to an end.
...
After learning of his betrayal, Kongoukaku responded quickly.
The Shogun immediately issued a manifesto condemning Kenshou Yomogawa for rebelling and declaring independence, vowing to mobilize the entire nation to eliminate this audacious traitor!
But Ryou was not one to be trifled with. He immediately exposed the Shogun's plot to murder his son and sacrifice 400,000 troops, along with a series of evidence and speculations.
In his speech, the Shogun was painted as the ultimate villain, willing to kill even his son to maintain his rule and to sacrifice 400,000 troops without batting an eye.
Ryou argued that because Japan was ruled by such scum, divine punishment was brought down in the form of the Kabane to cleanse humanity.
In summary, everything was the Shogun's fault.
Ryou, on the other hand, claimed to be sent by God himself to save the people.
Under normal circumstances, with the Shogun's prestige, no one would have believed such claims.
But the Shogun's betrayal of his son was a well-executed move that, unfortunately, involved too many people and left traces that even his authority couldn't fully suppress. Now that Ryou had exposed it, the cover was blown.
Moreover, at the most critical moment, the Shogun made a blunder by ordering all regions to ignore the traitor Kenshou's statements and attempting to cut off Yokosuka's external communications.
However, as one of Japan's four major naval bases, Yokosuka had very advanced communication equipment, far superior to that of Aragane Station.
The Shogun's actions not only failed to clear his name but also revealed his guilty conscience to the entire nation.
This turned into a huge spectacle.
First, his son rebelled.
This character, who had been a formidable hero in the original story, suddenly abandoned his low-profile approach, gathered a group of old subordinates and suppressed pro-war factions, and openly opposed the Shogun, demanding his abdication and seppuku.
Soon after, petitions and memorials from all over the country, calling for the Shogun's abdication and seppuku, flooded the imperial court in Kyoto and onto the Emperor's desk.
The current Emperor Heishou felt a profound sense of joy!
Since the era of the shogunate, the Shogun had tightly controlled Japan's government, leaving the Emperor's role as nothing more than a puppet and a ceremonial figurehead.
This was the first time Emperor Heishou felt so valued.
He couldn't help but recall the humiliation and fear of being dominated by the shogunate.
A strong sense of malice and satisfaction welled up within him.
In a moment of heat, Emperor Heishou almost followed the will of the people.
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"
A young girl, hidden behind a beaded curtain, interrupted him.
She was dressed in an exquisite jūnihitoe—the long trousers were as pure and black as the night sky, while the outermost robe was white as snow, adorned with cherry blossom patterns. Her long, sleek hair was styled in the traditional hime cut, cascading down to her waist. Her black eyes sparkled with a wisdom far beyond her years, resembling stars. With a delicate and radiant beauty, she was like a lotus blooming quietly in the night—serene and graceful.
"Sister, what do you mean by this?"
The Emperor was puzzled.
From the Emperor's attitude, it was clear that this young girl held a very high place in his heart.
It was an iron rule since ancient times that women should not interfere in politics—a rule even more stringent in Japan. However, this young girl by the Emperor's side had broken that rule.
Moreover, the noble courtiers, dressed in luxurious attire in front of the curtain, showed no signs of dissatisfaction. On the contrary, they were all ears, indicating that this wasn't the first time the young girl had participated in state affairs.
"Right now, the Shogun's focus is on that rebel and his son, Amatori Biba. If you, Brother, were to order the Shogun to step down and commit seppuku..."
"The Shogun is a man deeply attached to power. He would never willingly commit seppuku. Your actions would only anger the Shogun and turn his attention toward you. Wouldn't that be counterproductive? You must remember that Kongoukaku and the Imperial Palace are very close. The Shogun could march his troops here in no time."
The young girl's logical analysis left the courtiers murmuring in agreement, nodding approvingly.
"Then... according to you, sister, what should I do?"
The Emperor hastily inquired.
"Brother, please be patient. Right now, you only need to follow the Shogun's lead and issue an edict to calm the people. When the Shogun has dealt with the rebellious rogue, his next target will be his son, Amatori Biba. When that happens, the situation will be chaotic, and our opportunity will come."
"But..."
The Emperor hesitated, clearly unwilling to continue being the Shogun's puppet in the face of such a rare opportunity.
The young girl, seeing through the Emperor's thoughts, spoke again.
"Brother, you don't truly believe that a single decree will make the Shogun bow down, do you? In the end, the world respects strength."
Her clear, melodious voice struck the Emperor like thunder.
The root of the problem was that the Imperial faction was too weak to be a significant force.
Weakness was the original sin.
"I understand. I will issue this decree."
Though he agreed, a flash of intense reluctance crossed the Emperor's eyes. He was also an ambitious man, who had longed for an opportunity like this. How could he easily give it up?
The young girl's lips curved slightly into a faint smile.
"Brother, there's no need to be so disheartened. We cannot openly defy the Shogun, but that doesn't mean we can't do so in secret."
Without any grand gestures, the young girl exuded a commanding presence that none of the courtiers or even the Emperor could match.
"Brother, simply send a private letter to Amatori Biba, promising to support him in becoming Shogun if he defeats his father, Okimasa Amator. When father and son are at odds, our chance will come!"
"I believe the princess is right!"
"I second that!"
"We all support it!"
The noble courtiers exchanged glances and found the plan sound and in line with their interests. Before the Emperor could decide, they loudly voiced their approval.
Their stance was almost pressuring the Emperor to make a decision.
After all, the courtiers in Kyoto maintained their lavish lifestyles only through the generosity of the nearby Shogun.
Of course, they viewed this as the Shogun's tribute to maintain stability.
Though they yearned to regain power, they were unwilling to openly antagonize the Shogun without a guarantee of success.
Cautious to the point of cowardice, they were the very reason the shogunate had controlled Japan's politics for centuries.
A flash of anger passed through the Emperor's eyes.
The young girl subtly signaled him with a glance, calming his fury. Reluctantly, he said in a low voice:
"So be it, as you all suggest."
"Your Majesty is wise!"
The courtiers immediately erupted in a chorus of praise, kneeling in unison as if fearing the Emperor might change his mind.
After the council ended, the Emperor stormed back to the inner palace, the young girl following behind him with graceful, measured steps.
"Damn it!"
The Emperor couldn't help but roar, slamming his hand heavily on the small table beside him.
A delicate teacup tumbled to the floor.
"Why are you so angry, Brother? Since we were young, we've known these so-called noble courtiers and aristocrats are unreliable."
The young girl gracefully picked up the fallen cup and placed it back on the table.
"But, Sakura, look at them! Look at them! Not a single one sees me as the true ruler. If it weren't for appearances, they would have long since run to curry favor with the Shogun. They're all timid, sycophantic cowards!"
Thinking of the courtiers' cowardice and how they had pressured him, the Emperor nearly burst into rage again.
However, Sakura made a simple gesture, and the Emperor fell silent.
She gently raised her flawless, jade-like finger to her lips, signaling for silence.
The Emperor immediately understood. Though they were within the inner palace, the Shogun's spies were everywhere. His sister was reminding him that walls have ears.
Seeing the Emperor finally calm down, Sakura spoke:
"Brother, calm yourself. Now is the time for patience. Besides, I have a feeling that our turning point is not far off."
"Oh? You think that highly of Biba Amatori?"
The Emperor looked surprised.
But Sakura showed a glimmer of disapproval.
"Amatori Biba... I've met him. Though he has the makings of a formidable figure, his ambitions are too small. He may have a strategy, but his vision is limited. Until he kills his father, his focus will remain on him. But that just gives us an opportunity..."
"You can't possibly be thinking of that rebel, Kenshou Yomogawa?"
The Emperor's face showed a hint of uncertainty.
No rational person believed that Ryou's rebellion could succeed.
Taking on the entire nation with just one city was the kind of miracle that only happened in novels.
Over 95% of Japan believed that Kenshou Yomogawa was mad.
At most, he could only stir up trouble, acting as a pawn in someone else's game, a sacrifice for the true victor.
However, Sakura did not laugh; instead, a slight unease filled her heart.
The timing of Kenshou Yomogawa's rebellion was far too coincidental.