Food is always the most important thing.
If even eating becomes a problem, then there's no point in talking about prosperity or development.
In a place like Kuri, with its favorable climate, developing agriculture is actually a natural advantage. However, the sparse population makes it difficult for the people living here to even continue reclaiming wasteland.
For the villagers, simply cultivating the existing land is already a challenging task.
But with the help of Shutenmaru and his men, things become entirely different. The productivity gap between samurai and ordinary villagers is like comparing different eras. If the villagers are at the level of small-scale farming, these samurai are equivalent to large-scale mechanized production.
With this kind of labor force, vast amounts of farmland can be quickly developed.
Coupled with Kuri's climate, as long as they can get through the first three months, they can expect a massive harvest. Additionally, the climate allows for multiple planting cycles in a year, meaning Kuri doesn't have a winter downtime like other regions.
By next year, Kuri's financial situation might completely transform, potentially becoming the second most prosperous region after the Flower Capital.
This isn't Dan looking down on other regions. Places like Udon and Ringo, with their harsh climates, face genuine difficulties in development. For example, in Dan's previous life, Siberia was largely unsuitable for agriculture. While other natural resources might be abundant, developing things like natural gas is still far off for this nation.
---
"Dan-sama, let me give you a shoulder massage," Yukiko said as she noticed Dan sitting alone. She walked behind him and began kneading his shoulders.
Seeing her, Dan was reminded of something.
"By the way, Yukiko, once the Daimyo's residence is built, there will be a lot of work to manage. I'd like you to handle the finances for me."
"Manage the finances? Me?" Yukiko was surprised.
Dan nodded. "When Shutenmaru brings back the villagers willing to help with construction, we'll need to distribute food to them. You'll decide how much each person should receive. When you have time, take stock of the food supplies in this stronghold. If it's not enough, have them go hunting in the mountains."
Yukiko nodded, though she felt a bit nervous. "Can I really do this?"
"I have to rely on you. We can't expect these bandits to understand such things, can we?" Dan said helplessly. In all of Mount Atama—no, in all of Kuri—there were probably fewer than a hundred people who could read. Yukiko had learned a few things from Kurozumi Orochi, and aside from her, Dan had no one else to rely on.
"Once things stabilize, we'll recruit talent from other regions."
Hearing this, Yukiko's expression became determined and solemn. "Yukiko will definitely complete Dan-sama's task!"
---
On the other side, Shutenmaru, who was returning the abducted women to their villages, caused a stir as soon as he approached. The villagers rushed out in fear, kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy.
Shutenmaru explained the situation, but even after seeing the women returned safely, the villagers remained skeptical. Deep down, they didn't believe it, thinking this was just another cruel game by the bandits.
Who could have imagined that the people of Kuri, oppressed for centuries, would one day hear that the bandits had been subdued?
They didn't dare voice their disbelief, but when the returned women confirmed the story, they began to half-believe it. When Shutenmaru asked for laborers to help build the Daimyo's residence, they reluctantly agreed.
No one expected the bandits to actually feed them, but refusing might anger them and lead to immediate death.
So, they agreed to follow orders.
Shutenmaru didn't take everyone, as that would leave no one to tend the fields, and the stronghold didn't have enough food to spare. He selected some men and middle-aged women, instructing them to wait in the village while he returned the remaining abducted women. Once done, he would bring all the laborers back to Mount Atama.
The selected group included both men and women. In Shutenmaru's view, the women were actually more useful than the men.
The villagers couldn't contribute much physical labor—things like moving massive stones or beams for the Daimyo's residence were beyond their strength. The women, however, could help with cooking, and they ate less, which was a bonus.
---
Time passed slowly.
Before long, Dan's Daimyo's residence was completed.
The laborers who returned to their villages shared what they had seen during their time working. They spoke of how the bandits acted subservient to Dan, obeying his every command. Slowly, the villagers began to believe that someone had truly subdued the bandits.
This was especially true for the village Dan and Yukiko had visited. The villagers, recalling their earlier encounter, lamented their own shortsightedness while feeling a sense of pride. They couldn't believe that such a great figure had once eaten in their humble village.
From now on, the people of Kuri no longer had to fear bandit raids.
This alone brought tears to their eyes.
While the bandits, who deserved death, hadn't been executed, the villagers were just grateful to survive. Who would risk their lives seeking revenge against the bandits? Moreover, the bandits had now become the Military Commission, maintaining order under the new Daimyo's command and helping to reclaim wasteland. This was the best outcome they could hope for.
---
Kuri had long been impoverished. Even with Shutenmaru and his men helping to reclaim land, the surplus grain was barely enough to get through the first few months.
Yukiko initially wanted to write to Kurozumi Orochi for help, but Dan stopped her.
To him, this wasn't a difficult problem. He had previously obtained the Ripe-Ripe Fruit and though he hadn't fully mastered its powers, he could use it to some extent.
He used the fruit's ability to accelerate the growth of the first batch of crops, solving the immediate crisis.
However, this ability couldn't be overused, as it severely depleted the soil's fertility.
Once the urgent problem was resolved, the rest became simpler. Kuri had vast, sparsely populated lands, and Dan planned to develop a mixed agricultural system, alternating between farming and livestock.
---
The changes in Kuri couldn't be hidden from the other regions, and Dan had no intention of hiding them.
He set up defenses at the borders, and soon, the Flower Capital became aware of Kuri's transformation.