Confinement

Amidst the rumors spreading throughout Konoha Village, a small group meeting is being held in the Hokage Building.

Danzo, who had been missing for several days, finally reappeared, wearing a loose kimono and with a face so gloomy it could drip water.

"The Daimyo is forcing us, and the Senju aren't obeying—then let's fight!" His voice was cold and hard.

"To sow division and form cliques at such a critical juncture—isn't that just bullying honest people?!"

As he spoke, he gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a meaningful look.

The third generation's face has turned almost black from smoking these past two days, and his pipe is burnt yellow.

The construction team worked overtime to add a chimney to the Hokage Building, and from a distance, smoke could be seen rising from the chimney all day long.

Hearing Danzo's words, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.

For some reason, Danzo spoke as if he had been shot today, completely lacking his usual composure.

Calling him to the meeting would be redundant.

Do you know what the situation is like right now?

Other countries' ninja villages are watching us closely; the delegation is right there in one of them.

The various ninja clans in the village are once again stirring up trouble.

Beset by internal and external troubles, and you're talking to me about internal strife now?

That's not suitable.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a drag of his cigarette.

"This matter requires further consideration."

Yang Xiang made mistakes, but they were minor mistakes, the kind of mistakes that young people would make.

As elders, we should allow young people to make mistakes.

Everyone here should also reflect on whether there is a problem with our education system.

We need to look for the reasons within ourselves.

Danzo nearly fainted.

Alright, Hiruzen!

Even now you're still protecting that thousand-armed brat, and you still say you have no ghosts!

He felt phantom pain in his newly fitted arm.

You've chickened out, now you want to be strategic and appease? On what grounds?

You're so aloof, so impressive!

But I am incomplete!

"Yesterday they massacred merchants, today they attacked Tsunade, tomorrow they'll dare storm the Hokage Building and invade Kyoto!"

Danzo became increasingly agitated as he spoke, "If we don't nip this in the bud, how will we ever have a good life!"

He rushed forward, his finger almost poking Hiruzen's face.

"What are you afraid of! Send your secret agents to surround his house, and finish him off quickly! He's just one person; how can he kill us all?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head; Danzo had gone mad.

"Give me eighty more men! Three days! Within three days, I will take Yang Xiang's residence!"

---

The Hokage Building was in an uproar, but the smart ones had already turned their attention to the Daimyo's residence.

They are waiting to see how this drama will ultimately end.

Since Hashirama Senju established the ninja village system, the five great nations have not only consolidated their rule but also created five massive military groups.

Unlike the Warring States period when each village was independent and constantly fighting each other, the current ninja village system is well-established and has abundant combat power, showing a tendency to break free from control.

That's why the Daimyo is using this opportunity to put pressure on Konoha.

But he never expected that this leadership team of Konoha would be so incompetent.

They couldn't even handle a little devil, and instead ended up holding both sides hostage.

Kyoto, Damingfu.

A bulky figure reclines on a couch, his face half-hidden by a folding fan in his hand.

The hall was brightly lit, and several high-ranking nobles sat at the lower levels, each with a different expression.

"The Shandu Kingdom incident resulted in a total of fourteen deaths!" a man shouted, holding a scroll. "Four street vendors, one bounty hunter, and nine thugs—the methods were extremely cruel, and the nature of the crime was extremely heinous!"

Some people chuckled secretly. Who among them wasn't a cunning old fox?

Of all the gifts given by Shanduguo, this person received the most.

After this incident, even if the bounty office is rebuilt, his share will inevitably be eroded by others.

His current outburst of anger is merely an attempt to retaliate against Konoha.

"Well said!" another chimed in. "We've never seen such a ruthless individual before; he must be severely punished! How about we hand him over to head of the Yoshitsuna family for full authority?"

Yoshitsuna immediately shut up, looking down at his nose and mind, as if he hadn't been the one who had just shouted at him.

"How to handle this specifically depends on the lord's arrangements."

"Regardless, this Yang Xiang ninja murdering a registered businessman in the street has had a terrible impact!" someone else chimed in. "If he's not severely punished, what will become of our reputation?"

"Oh, you're right!" a blond man chimed in with a grin. "I've heard that the Kimura clan's Sky Ninja Village is doing quite well. Why don't we leave this matter to the head of the Kimura clan? What do you all think?"

This is the head of the Fukuyama family, Tsunade's uncle, and one of the earliest noble families to marry into the ninja clan.

The head of the Kimura family choked and immediately shrank back.

"But then again..."

Seeing that the family heads below were arguing without reaching a conclusion, the daimyo finally spoke up:

"That Yang Xiang... he's a ninja from the Senju clan, right?"

Seeing everyone nod, he added, "The Senju family is quite nice. I'd like to raise the bridge of my nose a bit more later, so I'll have to trouble them."

This is precisely the path that some branches of the Thousand Hands have found: to perform cosmetic surgery on nobles.

The moment the name was spoken, it set the tone for the entire matter.

The people below immediately sat up straight.

"I heard it all started because someone put a bounty on them?" the daimyo continued.

"This shows that we also have internal problems. There are some red lines that need to be drawn. After returning this time, each of us should conduct internal self-examinations."

"As for Yang Xiang... I heard he's still young, so let's give him another chance. Let him be confined at Mito's place."

The crowd dispersed.

A waiter whispered in the daimyo's ear:

"There's still no news from the Hokage, but a ninja named Danzo has delivered a letter."

The daimyo, always politically astute, immediately became interested: "What did he say?"

The waiter handed over a note that read: Sarutobi is cowardly and not worthy of being called Konoha.

The daimyo covered his mouth and chuckled, then ordered someone to bring pen and ink, adding a line below Danzo's handwriting:

The third generation is frail; you should encourage him.

"Has that person left?" he asked. The waiter nodded.

Daming finally breathed a sigh of relief and resumed his languid demeanor.

This time he acted too hastily.

Ninjas... they're such useful tools. The Daimyo's domain should have its own ninja force.

---

Konoha, which had been seething with tension for days, suddenly calmed down.

Everyone was waiting for a conflict to break out, but what they received was a decree of confinement from the emperor.

Was he confined at Mito's place?

Isn't that going home?

So the person who caused such a big commotion ended up getting away with nothing.

Yang Xiang, who had finally "emerged from seclusion," arrived at the Senju main residence under the guidance of Tao Hua, just in time to welcome the returning Mito.

The old man looked tired – he was getting old, and traveling a long distance was a heavy burden, plus the Nine-Tailed Fox was causing quite a commotion.

It was precisely because she sensed that her days were numbered that she changed her attitude towards Yang Xiang.

In the final moments of her life, she wanted to pave a path for Rope Tree and the Whirlpool Clan.

The two women nodded to each other.

Yang Xiang was then taken away by his servants and "placed in solitary confinement."

He had no objection to this—it was a good opportunity to continue his research on his soul-binding technique.

As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, I saw a yard full of red hair.

Besides the few people he already knew from Wochao Village, there was also a round-faced little girl who was staring at him with wide, curious eyes.