Ren had long been prepared for the outright rejection. If he had been able to convince the other side so easily, that would have been strange.
"I haven't spoken to the Shogun about this matter. If I had, I'm sure it would have been rejected," Ren said.
"In that case, I cannot grant you the right to use Senkō Port," Shimotsuki Yasuie shook his head. "Daimyo of Kuri, you should know that once Wano Country opens its borders, pirates from the outside world might seize the opportunity to invade. That could be a disaster for this nation."
This was, to some extent, a common problem faced by people living in the New World.
Pirates had existed since ancient times. Each era had its own powerful individuals, and those pirates who dominated the New World continuously plundered the world, keeping various nations in a constant state of danger.
Moreover, the situation in the New World was even more chaotic now.
In the New World before the Four Emperors, pirates constantly fought among themselves, and wars were happening every moment of every day. If one were truly under the rule of the Four Emperors, it would be equivalent to paying for a safe harbor.
Although this safe harbor might have some leaks, being oppressed was better than being slaughtered.
"Lord Yasuie, don't refuse so quickly. I've given this matter careful consideration before coming to you," Ren said. "Wano has only Senkō Port as its external port. As long as we control it, we don't need to worry about outsiders intruding. I want to open overseas markets, but only unilaterally."
"I know the Shogun has always been worried about outsiders targeting this country, but in reality, this concern is unnecessary."
Ren first addressed the concerns in Yasuie's heart.
"Our ships will secretly leave Wano. Once overseas, we will act under the name of the 'Inazuma Kingdom.' No one will focus their attention on Wano, and no one will be able to find us."
Yasuie fell silent, and his expression showed that he still wasn't entirely convinced of Ren's plan.
However, if things proceeded according to Ren's method, it would indeed allow Wano to remain isolated from the rest of the world. Those foreign countries would only focus on the non-existent "Inazuma" and not bring any hidden dangers to Wano.
The premise was that no one was secretly following them.
This could be avoided with proper caution.
So Ren took the opportunity to speak about the benefits of opening Senkō Port.
But hearing is not as good as seeing. He directly took out the Sky Shell he had brought back from Skypiea.
"A shell?"
"This is a type of shell that exists on the islands in the sky overseas. This is a Lamp Shell." Ren pressed the middle of the shell, and it immediately released the stored light, transforming into a lamp shaped like a Den Den Mushi.
"How is that possible!" Yasuie took it in his hand, examining it repeatedly, but no matter how he looked, he couldn't find any mechanism. "How does it light up?"
"I'm not clear on the specific principle. A group of foreign pirates who washed up from the waterfall brought this with them," Ren lied. "Besides this Lamp Shell, there are all sorts of other shells that can be used in combat and to increase productivity for the common people. If shells alone are this magical, there must be countless overseas treasures that could change this country's current situation."
"Think about it, Lord Yasuie. If we can trade with overseas through Senkō Port and the residents of Wano no longer have to starve, what's not to like about that?"
"That's true..." Yasuie lowered his head, pondering for a moment.
He still couldn't make up his mind.
"...At least, we'd need to discuss it with the Shogun..."
"The Shogun would probably not agree," Ren shook his head. "The Shogun's health isn't very good. Compared to such reforms, he would much rather continue to stick to the old ways. But you don't need to worry about that, right?"
Ren looked at Shimotsuki Yasuie and continued: "I've spoken to Kozuki Oden before, Lord Yasuie. As you know, Oden will definitely become the Shogun in the future, and Oden himself is eager to go to sea. Once he takes office, the sea ban will definitely be lifted."
"If it's Oden, he would indeed do that. In that case, let's wait until then," Shimotsuki Yasuie said.
"It will be too late by then. You should understand Oden better than I do. If he lifts the sea ban, he will definitely open Wano Country completely in one go. But a country that has been isolated from the outside world for hundreds of years like Wano would never have enough time to prepare. Before that, we need a pilot project and a model."
Ren smiled and said: "Let's use Kuri and Senkō Port as this pilot project. If something goes wrong, we can stop it in time. If it works well, when we implement it nationwide, other regions can follow Kuri's successful path."
When he put it that way, Shimotsuki Yasuie found it very reasonable.
Considering the situation Oden might face after becoming Shogun, Shimotsuki Yasuie felt that Ren's current approach had become a very reasonable thing.
It wasn't a bad idea to let Kuri be the first to try this new venture. Whether it succeeds or fails, we'll know then. If the pilot project in Kuri fails, it would be the perfect opportunity for Oden to abandon the idea of opening the country.
In that case, it was now time for him to fight for the interests of Hakumai.
Shimotsuki Yasuie had no intention of letting his own region participate in this matter. Even if something went wrong, he could completely distance himself. When Ren said that the Shogun would stick to old ways, in fact, Yasuie was the same way.
"Since we've come this far, we can lease Senkō Port to you and not interfere with its transactions. However, there are a few things to be clear about first," Shimotsuki Yasuie said.
"I'm all ears."
"First, if things are exposed and the Shogun finds out, or if any unexpected situations arise, you will bear all responsibility."
"No problem."
"Second, if any overseas people manage to sneak in through Senkō Port, you must immediately resolve the trouble and compensate Hakumai for all losses."
"No problem."
"Third, the lease fee for one year is only a thousand gold! That's too low! At least a thousand gold per month is possible!" Shimotsuki Yasuie shouted loudly.
A thousand gold a year? That's an insult! What port could be rented for a year with only ten million yen? If Ren really insisted on this price, he would rather let Senkō Port continue to be abandoned than agree.
"No problem." Ren nodded quickly and immediately took out the contract, so fast that it seemed he was afraid Yasuie would change his mind.
This made Yasuie suspect that his quote was still too low.
"The contract is sealed. Those who go back on their word shall be punished by being fed to the rocks."
"I am not so old that I would break a contract, but you will have to pay for the renovation costs of Senkō Port yourselves."
(End of Chapter)
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