Chapter 815: Win Over
The Daoist group was somewhat surprised by the ruthlessness of Genki and her remarkable capabilities.
On the vast sea, killing someone was the easy part. But returning alone to Fenglin with gold and silver in hand, then negotiating with a local daimyo—none of that was simple.
Pirates on the sea were among the worst of men, and the ocean itself was lawless. To survive the waves while surrounded by such cutthroats required both skill and luck.
Even back in Fenglin, things were far from settled. Not everyone could strike a deal with a daimyo. These daimyos were not honorable Daoist priests who cared about their reputations. For a beautiful woman to approach them with that much gold was like letting a toddler walk through a marketplace carrying treasure. One misstep, and even she would become the daimyo’s spoils.
The daimyo could very well take her in as a concubine and seize her fortune, which would be far more cost-effective than bestowing her a title. Yet the daimyo of the Matsue Domain did neither. Instead, he made her a hatamoto and entrusted her with a massive ironworks. That fact alone spoke volumes about her—Genki was not a simple woman and certainly not just an ordinary hatamoto.
Genki set down her folding fan and personally brewed tea for her guests.
The layout of her house was not of the typical Fenglin design, with wooden flooring and suspended hearths. Instead, it was a blend of Eastern and Western aesthetics, with tables from the Central Plains and Western-style sofas. They were all oddly harmonious. To most Fenglin natives, it might seem strange, but to the Daoists, it felt familiar. After all, the Daoist Order also embraced Western influence.
As Genki prepared the tea, she asked, “May I ask what brings you here today, High Mage Qi?”
Qi Xuansu did not answer directly. “If you mean our arrival in Fenglin, then all I can say is that the Daoist Order came at the invitation of Chancellor Toyotomi’s Office to quell the rebellion.”
Genki chuckled. “For a humble hatamoto like me, that’s a rather grand topic. I mean, what brings you to my modest jin’ya, High Mage Qi?”
“It’s hardly modest,” Qi Xuansu replied. “This is less a jin’ya and more so a foundry that is nearly on par with one of the Tianji Hall’s Class-C workshops.”
“So, you came for my ironworks,” Genki said.