Ryusei, fresh off of presenting a Sparrow/Phoenix treaty, went looking for Gusai Rioshida.

"Yarr," Gusai Rioshida might have said, were he that specific kind of pirate. But, being this other kind, he said, "What've you got for me, Shiba-san?"

Having been cloned unwittingly by the face-stealing Mantis, Ryusei soldiered on gamely.

"It occurs to me, Gusai-sama, that given your own maritime agreement with the Crab, and the one we concluded yesterday, that we might be able to help one another."

[[And if that isn't a sign to go get some sleep, I'm not sure what is.]]

"Oh? And how would you like to be helped, Shiba-san? Because the name of the game for me is rice. Unless you ain't got rice, in which case we can talk about other stuff."

"Perhaps Gusai-sama observed the treaty with the Sparrow presented just now? We can bless one more Clan's harvest this season. Which may not help with immediate needs, but helps secure the future. And if the Mantis have other needs... or would perhaps like to consult on the use of the joint Phoenix/Crab port to be constructed? I am all ears."

"So you're fresh out of commodities, then? I mean, I'll take the blessing if you want our expertise. Don't get me wrong."

"Oh, we have a couple other odds and ends. Some paper, some stone, some iron..."

And if the Sparrow treaty sailed through, yams and sake, but Ryusei's player wasn't 100% sure on that one.

"... but in truth, Gusai-sama, I was thinking, as heir to a coastal house, that some form of maritime agreement might be useful."

"Iron and a Blessing for me. And then a naval agreement. Let's talk brass tacks, there. What kind of agreement? Is this a port fee kind of thing, or are we talking targets?"

"Oh, very much port fees... the Phoenix are currently enjoying some peace, and sharing targets would make that a bit tricky wouldn't it? No, I was thinking something akin to our agreement with the Crab- mutual aid for distressed mariners, perhaps some joint operations against pirates or gaijin."

And any Mantis involved in such operations would course obviously not be pirates, how nice.

"But mostly reduced barriers to trade between the Phoenix and Mantis. And a chance for your ships to access northern markets more readily- and for ours to trade in the south, off of the mainland."

"Ah. Nothing wrong in what I'm hearing. How far south you guys looking to go?"

"Well, we'd hardly ask for access to your more sensitive ports, but if you have a place in the Isles our ships could put in?"

"Certainly. The Isles would be happy to receive visiting Phoenix."

"Hm. I might ask the Crab if they would be open to allowing the Mantis access to the new port, but if not, well... Shiro Shiba has a fine harbor."

He paused.

"Now, I should probably ask what else the Mantis can provide- the port access is a mutual arrangement, after all. And Shiba-ue is hardly likely to approve the rest without some weight on the other side of the scale..."

"I've got fish and I've got naval supplies. I also have maps and navigational tools, a thing called a stirrup as'll help you ride a horse, some other things..."

"Ah! We also have some... well-traveled goods, but didn't really find a market for them."

Ryusei practically lit up.

"The maps and navigational tools are of great interest to me, I may have to make the case to Shiba-ue. The stirrup... well, I'm a bit surprised nobody has troubled you for it, but as our armies drill mostly in mountains and forest, I'm not sure it'll be as easy a sell.... but the maps and the navigational tools fit into the general character of the naval agreement so we might not even need to find a euphemism for them..."

He paused.

"Our supply of surplus iron is very small... how much would the Mantis need for the year ahead? If it's much more than [1 unit] you'll still have a gap, but I could perhaps suggest other sources."

"I can take your 1, and the tip-off, but I'd also appreciate information on Jade, Sake, and rice."

"The Crab and the Dragon both had iron when we dealt with them... and it might be the Boar or Badger do as well, but we have yet to speak with them. We had a jade surplus we traded to the Crab... and I believe both they and the Crane have been looking. You might consult with the Crab about where else they got some. The Sparrow have some Sake- we pointedly didn't ask for all of it, since they stand in need of both tea and lumber, so you might be able to secure sake if you can get hold of either of those- and the Scorpion, I believe, have a generous amount of lumber. As for rice..."

He frowned.

"We haven't been asking after it and our own surplus was small enough we didn't have many conversations about it. I know the Lion had a bountfiul harvest, though. And they occupy enough plains territory, that the stirrup might appeal to them..."

"They're fresh out. My sense is that it's all gone to the Crane, and the Crane don't care whether good folk starve. Between your blessing and the Lion's pottery, we should be alright come next harvest. But this year's going to hurt."

Ryusei frowned.

"We just got those yams, if you think it would help? Hardly a stand-in for rice, but they appear to keep the Sparrow alive..."

What were the Crane playing at? Didn't they have rich farmlands of their own?

"I have to wonder what a stockpile like that could possibly be in aid of... if it's financial speculation, the Dragon might be about to sail into one hell of a headwind."

"This the gold thing? Yeah, not much hope for that. Too scarce and too concentrated. And too bad, as far as I'm concerned. Being able to buy rice cheaply with gold would sure have been nice this year."

"But we are looking for 1 unit of weapons, the blessing, the iron, and the rice. We'd be happy to take those for the navigational tools and the naval agreement. Plus, if you need, we'll mess someone up for you. Don't say no out of hand! Just consider it carefully as a chit for later."