Beauty

The long convoy set out from the Royal Capital, heading toward Muchuan County. The people of the Royal Capital also stepped out of their homes to witness this rare spectacle.

Inside Ming Jing's carriage, Tamamachi Kiki hugged her katana and stared at Ming Jing and Tamamachi Seiyo as if the two of them would vanish the moment she blinked.

Ming Jing cleared his throat and quietly complained to Tamamachi Seiyo, "Why did you bring her along?"

"I didn't want to either." Tamamachi Seiyo asked helplessly, "Kiki wanted to come. Do you think I could stop her?"

Ming Jing considered Tamamachi Kiki's combat strength and immediately felt that Tamamachi Seiyo had a point. Thus, he said gently, "Mr. Tamamachi, stay in the carriage and study how to begin construction properly. I'll inspect the convoy." With that, he politely smiled at Tamamachi Kiki and got out of the carriage, "completely failing to notice" Tamamachi Seiyo's pitiful look.

After Ming Jing got down from the carriage, Qing Yan led a white horse over. Once he had mounted, the two of them truly began inspecting the convoy. There were forty carriages in total, carrying three hundred and seventy-five tons of grain—just enough food for the disaster victims for one month. Ming Jing had asked Koji Kurama to gather this grain in advance. As soon as the donations came in, he settled the bill for the shipment, so there was no need to worry about Zhonghua Grand Hotel suffering a broken cash flow.

Asuma stood atop a tree, watching the convoy move slowly onward, and felt even more admiration for his subordinate. Ming Jing had resolved nearly every issue Asuma could think of. More importantly, Asuma could tell that Ming Jing still had feelings for Konoha. Otherwise, why would he care what Konoha thought of him?

As Ming Jing rode beneath the tree where Asuma was standing, he looked up at the smoking man and called out, "Captain, isn't it a little inappropriate to slack off here?"

"Hey, hey, I'm not slacking off!" Asuma gazed into the distance before jumping down from the tree. "The higher you stand, the farther you see. From up there, I can keep an eye on the entire convoy."

"I see. Then thank you, Captain." Ming Jing nodded. He looked toward the Land of Rain. Besides disaster relief, he would also investigate what had happened to the Kurama Clan on that battlefield years ago. Why had awakening the Kurama Clan's Bloodline Limit suddenly become so difficult? Perhaps the answer lay in the Land of Rain.

Besides, Ming Jing had a feeling that he would truly encounter Nagato and Konan!...

Judging by the timeline, Yahiko had likely already died. In Ming Jing's heart, Yahiko had not merely been Nagato and Konan's leader; he had also played the vital roles of elder brother and strategist. After Yahiko died, Nagato became like an unbridled wild horse, turning exceedingly extreme and hateful. In a sense, Konan's personality was close to the traditional personality of Japanese women. She had her own opinions, but rarely expressed them. When Yahiko was alive, she listened to Yahiko. After Yahiko died, she listened to Nagato.

What about after Nagato died?

She chose to listen to herself. Even knowing that Masked Obito would not spare her, she did not seek anyone else's help. She had noticed Masked Obito's strange behavior early on and warned Nagato, but he had not taken it to heart. What would someone else have done? A clever person might have sought evidence to expose him, while a foolish one might have had a huge fight with Nagato before leaving in anger.

But Konan chose to face it together with Nagato. So what if Masked Obito had ulterior motives? So what if they had to wage war against the strongest Konoha? Life was short, and she did not know when she might die. Since that was the case, she would support Nagato with all her strength! Face it together, work hard together! Perhaps ever since Yahiko's death, there had no longer been any right or wrong in Konan's heart. The only person she cared about was Nagato.

"Young Master?" Qing Yan pulled Ming Jing back from his thoughts. He came to his senses, turned to Qing Yan, and said apologetically, "Sorry, I got distracted just now. What did you say?"

"Xiao You is here. He brought the latest intelligence from the disaster area." Qing Yan did not mind Ming Jing's lapse and pointed at Xiao You beside them.

"Hm? Xiao You, sorry about that! Still, I hope you can bring me some good news." Ming Jing smiled apologetically at Xiao You.

"I'm sorry, Young Master, but I'm afraid I cannot grant your wish." Xiao You looked at Ming Jing with a grave expression. "Muchuan County is already on the verge of collapse. Someone is deliberately stirring up the disaster victims' emotions. The local officials can only placate them with the small amount of grain they have left. When I departed, the food in the government residence could only last for one week."

"Did you encounter bandits or mountain brigands on your way here?" Ming Jing asked with a frown.

"I traveled light and found two groups of bandits and one den of mountain brigands along the way. But judging by their accents, they were not disaster victims," Xiao You replied.

"It will be easier to handle as long as the disaster victims have not yet turned into bandits. Your convoy is stationed three kilometers outside Muchuan County according to the original plan, correct?" Ming Jing continued.

"Yes. Mr. Hizashi said the Young Master had his own plans," Xiao You nodded.

"Very good!" Ming Jing smiled in satisfaction and said to Qing Yan, "Qing Yan, go tell the captain that the safety of this convoy depends on him. The two of us will head to Muchuan County first, before the situation becomes uncontrollable."

"I'll go with you, Young Master," Xiao You immediately called out.

"You've had a hard journey. Stay with the convoy for now." Ming Jing shook his head and refused. After Qing Yan returned from making his report, the two men and four horses galloped toward Muchuan County.

Meanwhile, in Muchuan County at the border, seven figures secretly gathered together. They all wore masks, making them seem incomparably mysterious.

After the seven figures gathered, one particularly small-looking person immediately spoke. "Lord Honma, we've already stirred up the disaster victims' anger. Isn't it time to act?"

"Did Shoko find out what I asked her to investigate?" The leader was Honma. Rather than answer the small person's question, he asked one of his own.

"Yes!" The woman named Shoko spoke up. "The Land of Fire has sent its Prime Minister to deal with the floods. This Prime Minister came from Konoha!"

"Haha, that's wonderful!" Honma narrowed his eyes and said, "The mission is to assassinate the Prime Minister of the Land of Fire within Muchuan County!"

"Lord Honma, it is said this Prime Minister is quite decent. He brought enough grain. If we assassinate him, what will happen to the disaster victims?" Shoko hesitated before asking.

"Hmph. As long as we can kill that monster, even if every disaster victim dies, it will be worth it! Have you all forgotten what happened that day?!" Honma said coldly.

"Yes!" The six of them froze for a moment, then their voices became resolute. As long as they could kill that monster, what did the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians matter?

At that moment, a piece of paper at Honma's waist moved. Unhurriedly, he stood and said, "I must go now. Gentlemen, continue with our plan, and do not forget our mission!" Then he passed through the group and left the small place.

After carefully circling around for a while, Honma hid inside an abandoned little house. When he emerged, he had changed clothes. Only after confirming once more that there was no problem did he swiftly leave Muchuan County and enter the Land of Rain. After crossing several hills, he saw a solitary figure standing in the rain.

"Greetings, Divine Messenger Lord!" Honma hurried over, dropped to one knee, and called out.

The person in the rain turned around. She had pale bluish-purple hair, light orange-yellow eyes, and a pale purple paper flower on the right side of her head. Standing there, she was like the beauty from Du Fu's poem: "A peerless beauty lives secluded in an empty valley. Born of a good family, she has fallen among grass and trees..."

"How is the situation?" Konan looked at Honma, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked coolly.

"The disaster victims' emotions are not very stable. Violent incidents may occur," Honma answered without the slightest hesitation.

"Is that so?..." Konan gazed toward the Land of Fire. After a long while, she asked, "Because of a shortage of food?"

Honma seemed to have guessed Konan's intentions, yet his answer remained without hesitation. "There is also a shortage of clothing and medicine."

Konan frowned slightly. Clothing and medicine were also supplies the Land of Rain currently lacked. She fell silent for a moment before saying, "Continue observing."

"Yes!" Honma nodded sharply and shouted.

Countless scraps of paper flew from Konan's body, forming a pair of wings behind her back and slowly lifting her into the air. At that moment, Konan truly was a Divine Messenger. Then, with a beat of her wings, she left the hill. Honma maintained his kneeling posture for a full minute before standing. He revealed no emotion, merely lowered his head and swiftly left the Land of Rain, returning once more to Muchuan County in the Land of Fire.