Lin Yide confessed that he was not a kind and generous person. The reason he was willing to pay one hundred million Mora in rent to Inazuma was primarily because he needed Yae Miko's assistance to suppress the evil spirits on Yashiori Island.
Since the Fatui had the ability to destroy the warding tools once, they could potentially destroy them again. He didn't want Yashiori Island to return to its former hellish state.
This rent was essentially a "protection fee" for Yae Miko.
Two days later, several envoys from the Tenryou Commission and the Kanjou Commission arrived and delivered the document for the lease of Yashiori Island.
Lin Yide carefully read the content and nodded with satisfaction.
Just as Lin Yide finished reading the document, an envoy eagerly asked, "Director Yide, as for the hundred million Mora rent, do you think you could hand it over to us first?"
His tone revealed obvious greed and eagerness, as if afraid that the hundred million Mora would disappear.
Lin Yide looked up and gave the envoy a disgusted look. He replied coldly, "This hundred million Mora has already been presented as a divine offering to the Grand Narukami Shrine. If you want this money, you'll have to ask for it from the Grand Narukami Shrine."
Hearing this, the envoys' faces changed dramatically, disappointment and frustration intertwined in their expressions.
Demanding money from the Grand Narukami Shrine was simply a fantasy.
Even Kujou Takayuki of the powerful Tenryou Commission had to remain respectful in front of that Lady Guuji, let alone these mere envoys.
Facing this reality, the envoys had no choice but to retreat in frustration.
They had arrived full of expectation, but now could only leave with disappointment.
Lin Yide watched their retreating backs, his eyes filled with contempt.
With this document in hand, he would face no further legal obstacles in making and ruling Yashiori Island, and he could transform and develop the island according to his own will.
He meticulously arranged for people to make hundreds of copies of this important document, ensuring that each copy was clear and accurate.
Then, these copies were posted in prominent locations in every village on Yashiori Island for the villagers to read.
At the same time, he also issued an announcement with a concise message:
For the next one hundred years, Yashiori Island will be managed by the West Factory of Fontaine, and all residents on the island must abide by the rules and regulations set by the West Factory.
Furthermore, from this day forward, all residents are no longer required to pay agricultural taxes.
When Yae Miko saw this announcement, her mood became quite complex.
When the Inazuma Shogunate ruled Yashiori Island, the agricultural taxes they collected burdened the residents heavily, but as soon as Lin Yide took over, he immediately exempted them from agricultural taxes.
She asked Lin Yide, who had just finished his busy work, "Director Yide, since the West Factory has decided to exempt agricultural taxes, how will the management and order of Yashiori Island be maintained in the long run?"
Lin Yide turned around and explained with a smile, "Lady Yae, please rest assured. The West Factory has only exempted agricultural taxes; we will still collect commercial taxes."
"But," Yae Miko frowned slightly and raised a question, "there isn't much commercial activity on Yashiori Island at the moment!"
"You don't need to worry about that," Lin Yide said confidently. "Soon, Yashiori Island will be completely transformed and become the commercial hub of the entire Inazuma. I am full of confidence in this."
His confidence infected Yae Miko, making her believe that he would surely achieve it.
...
These two important announcements were quickly posted in prominent locations in every village on Yashiori Island, and the news spread like wildfire throughout the island.
Initially, the villagers were skeptical of the news, finding it hard to believe that such a sudden good fortune would befall them.
However, the West Factory Guards patiently explained every detail of the announcement repeatedly, finally dispelling the villagers' doubts.
After confirming the good news, the villagers cheered and danced, celebrating this exciting moment to their heart's content.
They felt an unprecedented sense of relief and joy, because from this day forward, they were finally free from the cruel exploitation of the Inazuma Shogunate.
They no longer had to skimp and save to pay taxes, and they no longer had to watch their loved ones struggle in hunger and hardship.
Even more exciting news came when the West Factory Guards revealed that the Furina Foundation of Fontaine would be conducting relief activities tomorrow.
The residents gathered around, eagerly asking about the specifics of the aid.
Facing the residents' eager inquiries, the West Factory Guards did not explain too much, only hinting mysteriously that this relief plan would specifically target impoverished households who believed in Furina, the God of Justice.
As soon as the words fell, those residents who had never heard of Furina before immediately showed great enthusiasm.
They one by one seemed to instantly become devout believers of Furina, murmuring prayers and expressing their worship and faith in this God of Justice.
Seeing this scene, the West Factory Guards found it a bit hard to maintain their composure.
They considered themselves die-hard fans of Furina, but compared to these new believers, they suddenly felt that their faith seemed less pure.
...
As the golden rays of the sunrise bathed Yashiori Island, the relief that the island residents had longed for finally arrived as scheduled.
Led by several West Factory Guards, a striking humanoid mechanical automaton slowly pushed a four-wheeled cart loaded with rice.
Then, the West Factory Guards announced the specific rules: first, only recognized impoverished households in the village could receive rice, and second, they must become believers of Furina, the God of Justice.
Becoming a believer was relatively simple.
The impoverished households lined up, and one by one they followed the Guards in a devout prayer: "I, [Name], willingly become a believer of the great God of Justice, Furina. I will uphold justice and fairness. Furina, amen~~"
These sincere prayers echoed over Yashiori Island.
After praying, the impoverished households happily took their rice home.
Although the residents of Yashiori Island had never seen the deity with their own eyes, at this moment, each of them felt grateful from the bottom of their hearts for her generosity and protection.
Although the deity did not appear, her kindness had been conveyed to everyone's heart through these bags of rice.
Witnessing all of this, Yae Miko finally understood the true reason why Lin Yide had been unwilling to make a bet with her before.
It wasn't that he didn't dare, but that he disdained it.
Under this model of relief evangelism, the faith in the Narukami would find it difficult to compete with the faith in Furina.
Even if she tried to imitate the model of the Furina Foundation, due to the vast disparity in financial resources between the two sides, this competition was unfair from the beginning.
Yae Miko felt an unprecedented sense of frustration. She had always prided herself on her exceptional wisdom, but when facing Lin Yide, her intellect seemed naive and insignificant.
She gradually realized that the root of this disparity lay in the fact that her way of thinking had fallen behind the times.
What Inazuma lagged behind the other six nations was not only economy and science and technology, but also thought and concepts.
However, she was not discouraged. Instead, it fueled her motivation to move forward. One day, she would surpass that man and make him yield to her.
Subsequently, she proactively taught Lin Yide the secret technique for cultivating mental power.
Although he had never officially acknowledged the existence of that bet, her innate arrogance did not allow her to ignore this failure.
Lin Yide did not decline. He accepted this generous gift with composure.
Just at this moment, the system's voice rang in his mind, "Detected a trainable Kitsune Secret Art. The Host can activate and upgrade this technique by consuming experience points."
Immediately after, a text description popped up on his system interface: "Kitsune Intent Cultivation Secret Art (Inactive, requires 1600 experience points to activate)."
Seeing the required experience points, Lin Yide couldn't help but gasp, feeling the price was truly exorbitant.
Recalling when he first transmigrated, purchasing Favonius Bladework only cost 200 points, but now activating this Kitsune Intent Cultivation Secret Art required 1600 points.
However, he did not hesitate too much and decisively chose to activate it.
In an instant, Lin Yide felt an indescribably wondrous change.
His perception ability instantly increased, and his insight into the surrounding world became clear and sharp.