Pillar of State Mansion

Uchiha Zhuang, dressed in a raincoat, was exceptionally cautious. Amegakure had no shortage of ninja, and there was a real chance he would be detected if he snuck in like this. Only by moving in short stretches and lying low between them could he avoid the eyes and blades hidden in the shadows. With his Two-Tomoe Sharingan active, Uchiha Zhuang nimbly evaded the patrolling ninja and crept closer to Amegakure's most luxurious and imposing estate. It stood north of the wealthy district, a vast residence facing south. Seeing the lavish, extravagant home, Uchiha Zhuang found his worldview, already battered by the wicked ruling class, shattered once more. So people really could live in such obscene luxury. The sprawling, old-fashioned Japanese estate faced south and stretched across several rivers, nestled on a high slope. Several small Tenshu Pavilions guarded the enormous one at its center, while stately mansions with high gates stood brightly lit throughout the grounds.

Rain pattered steadily. Ten guards stood at the tall entrance, their hands always on their sword hilts as they alternated between patrolling and standing motionless. Soldiers were constantly on patrol around the vast estate. From a distance, Uchiha Zhuang could sense that the ten guards had the energy levels of Chunin. They had to be advanced samurai capable of channeling chakra into their swords. His Sharingan could make out the enormous barrier enveloping the entire estate, as well as the energy-emitting formation beneath the ground. Uchiha Zhuang gathered Natural Energy and extended his senses. The barrier's power felt remarkably similar to Natural Energy! Hiding near the entrance, Uchiha Zhuang watched as several groups of wealthy officials arrived. They reported to the guards, waited a while, then took out jade plaques brimming with natural energy and touched them to the barrier before filing inside.

Things had suddenly become simple. The barrier looked powerful, but to Uchiha Zhuang, whose body was rich in natural energy, it was little more than an illusion. When night fell and the lanterns lit up, the number of guards at the entrance had dropped to five. A huge illuminated lantern hung above the gate, with the word "Mado" standing out clearly. While the guards were greeting visitors, Uchiha Zhuang quietly rose. Keeping low beneath the cover of darkness, he used the Body Flicker Technique to slip past the tightly patrolled soldiers. Natural Energy radiated from his whole body. He reached out to test the barrier; it showed no reaction. Then he darted inside, vaulted over the three-meter wall, and landed in a shrubbery in the courtyard, where he stayed perfectly still. The guards' eyes remained fixed on their surroundings. No one moved through the courtyard. Rain slapped against the stone paths, thumped on the broad leaves, and splashed into the clear pond. The downpour grew heavier, and the dense rain seemed to brighten the area around him, though everything in the distance remained hazy.

The buildings in the distance blazed with light, silhouettes moving inside. Uchiha Zhuang crossed a covered bridge in a few quick steps, then leaped over the pond and hid behind a rockery. He crept beneath the veranda and listened. "Steward Yamamoto, this money is a token of my gratitude. My good-for-nothing son caused trouble, and it's all thanks to you that things were settled this time!" "Hahaha, you're too kind, Sir Sato. I only showed my face, and those Konoha Military Police Force mongrels were already scared stiff. I hardly did anything." "It was your courage and nerve that cowed those curs. You really are the bravest warrior in the Daimyo's service! Hahaha!" "You flatter me, Brother Sato. Hahahaha!" "You're the undisputed champion, Brother Yamamoto! Hahaha!" Their forced flattery made Uchiha Zhuang sick. He looked up and saw several figures approaching in the distance. He slipped back behind the rockery to watch them. Two maids and an old woman passed by, heading toward the covered bridge. Inside, the men kept up their endless flattery and coaxed one another to drink. Uchiha Zhuang quietly followed the maids.

The group wound back and forth, passing several patrols along the way. The guards questioned the maids thoroughly before letting them go. Uchiha Zhuang sensed a trace of tension. It seemed an intruder had once made it into the heavily guarded Pillar of State Mansion. The guards and samurai were on high alert, so he would have to be even more cautious from here on. Once the guards had left, Uchiha Zhuang hurried after the maids. They crossed the courtyard and garden, passed the training ground, and finally stopped at a courtyard with a huge canopy. The maids spoke with the female guard at the entrance, then went inside. Uchiha Zhuang climbed over the courtyard wall and watched the two maids and the old woman enter the house. After a while, they came back out and headed for the courtyard exit. Using the courtyard's lush flowerbeds and neat hedges for cover, Uchiha Zhuang approached the veranda and listened. There was little sound inside; he could sense only one woman in the room, and her emotions were calm. After thinking it over, he decisively pushed open the door. The woman reading in the hall stared at the unexpected visitor in shock. His crimson eyes seemed to spin, and then her mind went blank.

Uchiha Zhuang took control of the woman at once. She sat there motionless, dazed. He looked around the room: ornate decorations and clothing, exquisite furniture and antiques, delicate cloth dolls, and beautifully bound books. Fragrant tea wafted from the low table. Fine tea! Everything showed the woman's noble status and high rank. Uchiha Zhuang returned to her and looked at the girl, whose face still had a childlike roundness. She was young, her body only just beginning to mature.

Uchiha Zhuang asked softly, "What's your name? Where is Mado Tadamori?" The girl answered blankly, "I'm Mado Shizuka. Mado Tadamori is my father. He spends every evening in his bedchamber. Tonight, it's the turn of Michiko, the Finance Minister's daughter, to serve him." Uchiha Zhuang raised an eyebrow. So he really was a debauched lecher. It seemed most of the rumors were true. "Where is his private treasury?" "I don't know. Father never lets us go near his bedchamber. He only lets us study and train in a few designated courtyards." "How old are you?" "I'm thirteen. Father said he would send me to the Land of Iron in two years to study swordsmanship under a master. He said that in troubled times, only the sword in your own hand can be relied on." Uchiha Zhuang was surprised, then continued, "Why doesn't Mado Tadamori kill the Daimyo? Does he know someone wants to kill him?" Mado Shizuka clearly hesitated, then slowly replied, "My father is the Daimyo's teacher. Why would he kill him? Father once said he was waiting for the right moment, a chance to put an end to the chaos, division, and corruption in the country all at once. He said he had waited a long time! As for the people trying to kill him, ever since he came to power, he hasn't had a single peaceful day. All sorts of assassination attempts happen around him every day. But he has a great many guards and several divine weapons, so he always manages to escape danger." Hearing this, Uchiha Zhuang furrowed his brow. Divine weapons! That made things tricky. Mado Tadamori himself was probably just an ordinary man, but his personal guards and divine weapons would be troublesome.