Night fell. Uchiha Yang was fast asleep in the carriage, with his maid, Xia Lian, nestled in his arms.
Outside the carriage, Uchiha Sake kept watch while Uchiha Ya and Uchiha Kage rested against either side of it. Shadow Guards also patrolled the surrounding area.
Since Uchiha Kage and the others had already been exposed, there was no need for them to hide in the shadows. They had become bodyguards in plain sight.
After receiving the message Uchiha Yang had sent back, Uchiha Madara couldn't sleep.
The Senju Clan was secretly searching for Tailed Beasts. They were surely meant to use them against the Uchiha.
But whether Senju Hashirama had approved this or Senju Tobirama had given the order in secret would lead to two very different outcomes.
If it was Senju Hashirama, then this was serious.
If it was only one of Senju Tobirama's little schemes, then there was no immediate cause for concern.
Still, his cousin wanted to raise a Tailed Beast as a pet. That was a pretty bold idea.
His cousin was an ordinary person who couldn't sign a contract with a Summoning Beast. Otherwise, Madara really would have liked to help him contract a Tailed Beast as one.
Then Uchiha Madara issued an order.
In the dead of night, three elite jonin and an elder slipped out of the Uchiha Compound.
This wasn't something that could be solved by sending a large number of people. One elder and three elite jonin were already the most the Uchiha could spare.
Any more, and the safety of the compound and its defenses would be at risk.
By the time Uchiha Yang woke up, it was already noon. The blazing sun had sent the temperature soaring, and the heat only made people more irritable.
[Brain: This is so annoying. I just want to sleep. What the hell is with this weather?]
[Sleep? You can still sleep at a time like this? Time is life!]
Uchiha Yang wasn't about to let the Brain get away with that jab. He shot back.
It was the Brain's favorite line to use against him, after all.
Uchiha Yang was probably the only person who argued with his own brain.
[Sharingan: Damn, this is all the Brain's fault. Its sleepiness spread to me in an instant. I'm so tired. I want to nap.]
[Hand: What are you sleeping for? Get up and have some fun!]
[Foot: By the way, what does sleeping feel like? Right now, I just want to take a bath. I think I stink.]
Listening to his Foot, Uchiha Yang could almost smell the stench wafting out of his shoes.
"Come wash your master's feet."
Uchiha Yang patted Xia Lian.
Blushing, Xia Lian stepped out of the carriage and politely said to Uchiha Sake, "My lord, my master would like some water."
After stopping the carriage, Uchiha Sake used Water Style to fill a basin, then carried it into the carriage himself.
"My lord, here's the water you asked for."
"Thanks."
With Xia Lian attending to him, Uchiha Yang enjoyed a refreshing foot bath.
Ninjas sure did make things convenient.
"Sake, Ya, put up the Uchiha Clan's banner. Now that our location has been exposed, there's no point in hiding anymore."
As the little maid dried his feet, Uchiha Yang rolled down the carriage window and called to the two men up front.
Uchiha Sake turned around with a puzzled look. "Is it really a good idea to reveal who we are?"
"We do what my lord says."
Uchiha Ya bumped him with his shoulder, reminding him of his place.
The clan leader had specifically instructed them to do whatever Uchiha Yang said.
At the gates of the Land of Fire's capital, soldiers stood guard. Ordinary people had to submit to inspection one by one and pay an entry tax before they could enter.
But no one dared inspect Uchiha Yang's carriage. The Uchiwa Fan symbol on it was simply too conspicuous.
The Uchiha Clan's banner fluttered above the carriage. No one dared approach. That was the Uchiha Clan's prestige.
A banner, a single Uchiwa Fan symbol, was enough to spare them plenty of trouble.
When the guards saw the Uchiha Clan here, they wouldn't dare stop them. They hurriedly shooed away the commoners still waiting in line, in case those fools blocked the road for the Uchiha.
Uchiha Yang saw all of this, but didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
Of course, if he were in the commoners' shoes, he'd find it hard to stomach.
After finding an inn to stay at, Uchiha Yang had Xia Lian hand Uchiha Sake the letter of introduction from the Uchiha Clan, which they'd prepared in advance.
"Go meet the Feudal Lord in the Uchiha Clan's name. Tell him we have a business deal to discuss."
Uchiha Sake respectfully took the letter and vanished on the spot.
Uchiha Ya asked curiously, "My lord, did we come here just to do business with the Feudal Lord?"
In his opinion, business could easily be left to ordinary clan members. Uchiha Yang didn't need to handle it himself. It was a waste of his talents.
"Do you look down on merchants?"
Uchiha Yang raised an eyebrow and stared straight at him.
"M-my lord, you misunderstand. I just think it's beneath someone like you to handle business."
For a moment, Uchiha Ya felt the same pressure from Uchiha Yang that he felt from the clan leader. Cold sweat broke out across his skin.
Uchiha Yang slowly looked away. "Not just anyone can do business. Don't underestimate it."
"To you, business might be nothing more than a way to make some money. But in my eyes, it can influence the course of an entire war and even secretly control the lifeblood of the Land of Fire—or even the entire Shinobi World."
"C-could it really be that influential?"
Uchiha Ya thought Uchiha Yang was exaggerating a little.
"You'll understand when the time comes."
Uchiha Yang figured that letting him see for himself would be more convincing than saying anything else.
The Feudal Lord had also decided to grant them an audience after seeing the Uchiha Clan's letter of introduction.
These shinobi possessed extraordinary power and had never been easy to control. As Feudal Lord, he could do nothing about it but train shinobi of his own to protect himself.
As the nominal ruler of the Land of Fire, the Feudal Lord understood the Uchiha's strength all too well.
So he didn't dare ignore their letter. If he angered the Uchiha, even hiring the Senju would probably protect him for a while at best—not for the rest of his life.
After getting the Feudal Lord's approval, Uchiha Yang smiled to himself. This Feudal Lord knew how to read the room.
Once he met the Feudal Lord, Uchiha Yang logged off and handed control over to his body.
The Brain handled the thinking, and the mouth handled the talking.
Uchiha Yang didn't understand business, but he knew how to delegate. He left it to someone who did.
In a chaotic age like this, what kind of business was the most profitable? The arms trade, of course.
Explosive Tags, hidden weapons, poison, medical supplies, and all kinds of short and long weapons were all options.
There was no helping it. The Brain knew far too much.
As for why he was working with the Feudal Lord, he needed the Feudal Lord's authority. After all, on the surface, the Land of Fire was ruled by the Feudal Lord.
Especially in the eyes of nobles and commoners, the Feudal Lord was a more acceptable and obedient figure than the Uchiha or Senju.
In the end, the Feudal Lord provided the money, people, and labor (15%), while Uchiha Yang provided the technology (85%). The profits weren't huge, but the Feudal Lord was already quite satisfied.
After all, to the Feudal Lord, this deal wasn't just a way to make money. It could also bring the Uchiha over to his side.
Two hours later, Uchiha Yang took control of his body again. The Feudal Lord saw him off with a cheerful smile, and he left the Daimyo Mansion.
Uchiha Yang felt he'd profited, and the Feudal Lord thought he'd made an even better deal.
A win-win situation.
Before you continue