In the days that followed, the capital of the Tea Country became exceptionally lively.
At first, the marriage between Sekito, guardian of the capital, and the Third Princess Aiko filled the city with celebration.
During this time, Feng, as the groom, naturally could no longer hide his identity beneath a long robe.
But Feng was still a ninja. Even if he was only a Genin, using a Transformation Technique was no problem.
So Feng transformed into his appearance from his previous life and got married. He was not worried about anyone seeing through the Transformation Technique.
As for why, the Tea Country was full of nothing but worthless trash. On top of that, he controlled all the capital's troops, its gates, his own residence, and even the Daimyo Palace.
Therefore, anyone capable of seeing through the Transformation Technique could not attend his wedding at all, while everyone who could attend lacked that ability.
Then, before the festive atmosphere in the capital had fully faded, the new Crown Prince, that humanoid excuse for a creature, threw out outrageous stunts every few days and plunged the city into panic and dread.
For example, a minister wanted to build a good relationship with the new Crown Prince and invited him to his home for a banquet. The Crown Prince took a fancy to the minister's wife on the spot and brazenly snatched her away to take home for his amusement.
Another example: a minister advised the Lord Daimyo that the new Crown Prince was immoral and inferior to the former Crown Prince. The new Crown Prince then ordered Feng to behead the minister.
Feng kept saying that this was wrong, that a Crown Prince should have the magnanimity to tolerate others, yet he moved with remarkable speed when it came to killing.
What? You were wondering why the Lord Daimyo did nothing while the new Crown Prince behaved so outrageously?
Sorry, but after appointing the new Crown Prince, the Lord Daimyo had fallen under Feng's control. Every day, he lay in bed half-dead, looking as though he would not live much longer, refusing to see outsiders.
And after Feng finished beheading someone, he would turn around and visit the deceased's home that very night to offer condolences, mingling with the other ministers who had come to mourn.
He put on the appearance of someone who had merely obeyed orders, who had been forced into it, and who was now repenting before everyone.
Once he was done repenting, he immediately began fanning the flames again.
One moment, he would tell one minister, "The new Crown Prince is immoral, and the Lord Daimyo refuses to listen to advice. What exactly should we do?"
The next, he would tell another minister, "The Eldest Prince is truly outstanding. We should find a way to help him reclaim the position of Crown Prince and heir apparent."
The ministers all thought: Sekito, the guardian, truly is a loyal minister devoted to the country.
After stirring up the ministers, Feng still was not satisfied. The next day, he kept wandering around in front of the new Crown Prince with a hesitant, mysterious expression.
Until the new Crown Prince could no longer take it and snapped:
"You, stop circling around in front of me all the time. You're ruining my mood.
Keep wandering around, and I'll have Father chop you up too."
Rather than getting angry, Feng was delighted. He immediately stepped forward.
"Crown Prince, this subordinate offers ten thousand apologies for affecting your mood.
But this concerns a grave matter of life and death for you. This subordinate truly did not know how to bring it up."
"?? What did you say? Who wants to harm me? Who would dare harm me?!" the new Crown Prince cried in alarm.
Though he was a humanoid thing incapable of acting like a human being, when his own life was at stake, even his useless brain would work a little.
"Crown Prince, this subordinate heard that those ministers are discussing matters with that disgraced Crown Prince.
They are planning how to remove you from your position as Crown Prince," Feng said softly.
"Hmm??! How dare they? Father personally appointed me Crown Prince.
They actually dare object? Father said anyone with objections should be dealt with."
The new Crown Prince raged.
"Uh, this subordinate does not know about that. Perhaps they truly have some method."
Feng continued fanning the flames, afraid the matter would not grow big enough.
"You, go arrest every one of those people with objections and chop them up."
After pondering for a moment, the new Crown Prince directly gave Feng an order.
He had only been Crown Prince and heir apparent for a few days, yet he had already experienced pleasures he could never have imagined back when he had been an illegitimate son.
If he became the Lord Daimyo in the future, would he not be able to indulge himself even more recklessly and be even happier?!
So, for the sake of an even happier future, the new Crown Prince decided to strike first—and strike to kill.
"Ah? This... Crown Prince, forgive this subordinate, but I cannot obey this order.
No matter what, the disgraced Crown Prince is still Lord Daimyo's child. Unless there is an order from the Lord Daimyo, otherwise..."
After fanning the flames, Feng began playing dumb.
"Hmm? You actually dare disobey my order? I am the Crown Prince, the future Lord Daimyo. Are you looking to die?"
The new Crown Prince instantly flew into a rage.
"Crown Prince, I will say this one more time: I obey only the Lord Daimyo's orders.
If you wish to command me, wait until you become the Lord Daimyo. This subordinate takes his leave."
Having finished playing dumb, Feng hurriedly slipped away. Before leaving, he did not forget to poison the new Crown Prince's mind a little and play a small trick.
"Sekito, good. Very good. Hehe, just you wait.
I'm going to tell Father right now. I'll have Father chop every last one of them up."
Cursing furiously, the enraged new Crown Prince rushed toward the courtyard where the Lord Daimyo lived.
Feng merely chuckled at that.
At Uchiha Feng's residence, after angering the new Crown Prince, he shut the gates tight and refused to receive anyone.
If visitors came, he turned them all away on the grounds that the Crown Prince's words had wounded him and that he would no longer involve himself in affairs.
In truth, Feng had summoned his three subordinates—Sada Hidemasa, Shibata Keiichi, and Furukawa Kengo—and once again gave them stern warnings and instructions.
"From now on, whether you are on duty or not, all of you will stay at the gate outpost.
Ignore any order from anyone other than me. Otherwise, bear the consequences yourselves."
Feng's eyes flashed coldly, his tone carrying killing intent.
"Yes, my lord." X3
Faced with Feng's stern and repeated warnings, the three men had countless doubts in their hearts, but they held their tongues and resolved to obey obediently.
After all, their lord was merely telling them not to interfere with anything. It was not as though he intended to harm them. Even if obeying orders led to a mistake, the losses would not be too great.
But if they disobeyed, they did not know whether something else might happen. What they did know was that their lord's guard, Uchiha Mikio, would certainly leave them lying in a mass grave.
"Mm, you may go." Seeing that all three had obediently agreed, Feng dismissed them.
Then he turned to Uchiha Mikio, who had been following at his side, and said:
"Senior Mikio, go to the Daimyo Palace and protect the Lord Daimyo.
At the same time, do three things. First, if you encounter the new Crown Prince, whatever he wants, have the Lord Daimyo agree to it.
Second, have the Lord Daimyo send a close attendant to find the former Crown Prince and give this to him.
Third, from time to time, have the Lord Daimyo secretly dispose of the close attendants most loyal to him and those who have served him the longest."
As Feng spoke, he handed Uchiha Mikio a brocade handkerchief bearing a single word, written in blood: "Save."
At first, Uchiha Mikio looked unconcerned. With nothing but the mindset of completing his assignment, he turned to leave.
But after taking only a few steps, he suddenly stopped, his face filled with shock.
For the past two months, he had followed Feng constantly and knew most of what Feng had done.
Thus, he could now roughly guess Feng's next plan and objective.
And to Uchiha Mikio, that was an enormous shock.
After all, what Feng intended to do was something that, in over a thousand years of ninja history, no one had ever done. No one had even been heard of contemplating it.
Before you continue