Tepopolo had relocated his old quarters, held a grand assembly of the nobility, appealed to the samurai, and hurried the spring plowing ever since he arrived in his fief. These series of actions indicated that the transferred noble was eager to make his mark. The population of Akanbaro State had been sparse due to the ravages of war, and even with the addition of the transferred noble families, it remained under a hundred thousand, with no shortage of land for cultivation. His threats this time to demand lands in the north seemed more about establishing his credibility among the local nobility.
"The young Jaguar commands the surrounding mountains and forests. The land in the lakes does not need another strong and greedy wolf."
Bertade's gaze deepened. Xiulote, unaffected, continued perusing the report.