Stoking the Flames, Watching from the Sidelines

In the days that followed, the capital of Tea Country became exceptionally lively.

At first, the marriage between Lord Sekito, guardian of the capital, and the third princess, Lady Aiko, filled the city with festivity.

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 the appearance he had in his previous life and went through with the wedding. He was not worried about anyone seeing through his Transformation Technique.

As for why, the lousy lot in Tea Country, combined with the fact that he controlled all the capital's troops, its gates, and his own residence—and even the Daimyo Palace was under his control.

Therefore, anyone capable of seeing through the Transformation Technique could not attend his wedding at all, while those who could attend naturally lacked that ability.

Then, before the festive atmosphere in the capital had even completely faded, the new heir's outrageous antics every few days turned the city anxious and on edge once again.

For example, one minister wanted to build a good relationship with the new heir and invited him to his home as a guest. The new heir immediately took a liking to the minister's wife and brazenly seized her, taking her home for his own amusement.

For another example, a minister advised the Daimyo that the new heir was tyrannical and inferior to the former heir. The new heir then ordered Feng to chop that minister down.

Feng kept saying that this was wrong, that the heir should be tolerant of others, yet he acted with exceptional speed when it came time to draw his blade.

What? You were asking why the Daimyo did not intervene despite the new heir's outrageous behavior?

Sorry, but after appointing the new heir, the Daimyo had been under Feng's control. Every day, he lay in bed looking half-dead, as though his end was near, and refused to see outsiders.

After Feng finished killing someone, he would turn around and visit the deceased's home that evening to offer condolences, using the chance to build rapport with the other ministers who had come to mourn.

He put on the appearance of someone who had merely followed orders, helplessly confessing his regrets to everyone.

Once he was done confessing, he immediately began stoking the flames again.

One moment, he would tell one minister, "The new heir is tyrannical, and the Daimyo refuses to heed advice. What exactly should we do?"

The next, he would tell another minister, "The eldest young master is truly outstanding. We should find a way to help him reclaim his position as heir apparent."

The ministers all thought: Lord Sekito, the guardian, truly is a loyal minister devoted wholeheartedly to the country.

Even after stirring up the ministers, Feng was not satisfied. The next day, he wore an expression of hesitation and kept hovering mysteriously around the new heir.

Until the new heir finally could not help snapping at him:

"You, stop pacing around in front of me all the time. You're ruining my mood.

Keep hovering around, and I'll have Father chop you down too."

Rather than getting angry, Feng was delighted when he heard that. He immediately stepped closer.

"Your Highness, I am deeply sorry for affecting your mood.

But there is an important matter concerning your life and death. This subordinate truly does not know how to speak of it."

"?? What did you say?! Who wants to harm me? Who dares to harm me?!" the new heir cried out in alarm.

Though he was a humanoid piece of trash who never did anything decent, when his own life was at stake, even his useless brain would start working a little.

"Your Highness, this subordinate has heard that those ministers are discussing matters with the deposed heir.

They are plotting how to drive you from your position as heir apparent," Feng said quietly.

"Hm??! How dare they? I was personally appointed heir by Father.

They actually dare to object? Father said that anyone with objections should be dealt with."

The new heir roared in fury.

"Uh, this subordinate does not know about that. Perhaps they truly have some method."

Feng continued stoking the flames, afraid the trouble was not big enough.

"You, go arrest every last one of those people with objections and chop them down."

After thinking for a moment, the new heir directly gave Feng the order.

He had only been heir apparent for a few days, yet he had already enjoyed pleasures he could never have imagined back when he was merely a concubine-born son.

If he became the 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 heir decided to strike first—and strike to kill.

"Ah? This... Your Highness, please forgive me, but this subordinate cannot obey that order.

No matter what, the deposed heir is still Lord Daimyo's child. Unless there is an order from the Daimyo, otherwise..."

After stoking the flames, Feng began playing dumb.

"Hm? You actually dare disobey my orders? I am the heir, the future Daimyo. Are you seeking death?"

The new heir instantly flew into a rage.

"Your Highness, I will say this once more. I obey only the Daimyo's orders.

If you wish to command me, wait until you become the Daimyo. This subordinate takes his leave."

After playing dumb, Feng hurriedly slipped away. Before leaving, he did not forget to poison the new heir's mind a little and play a small trick.

"Sekito, good, very good. Hehe, just you wait.

I'll go tell Father right now. I'll have Father chop every last one of them down."

Cursing furiously, the enraged new heir rushed toward the courtyard where the Daimyo lived.

Feng merely chuckled at this.

At Uchiha Feng's residence, after angering the new heir, he shut his gates tight and refused to receive any visitors.

If anyone came calling, he uniformly turned them away on the grounds that the heir's words had wounded him and that he would no longer involve himself in affairs.

In reality, Feng had summoned his three subordinates, Sada Hidemasa, Shibata Keiichi, and Furukawa Kengo, and sternly warned and instructed them once more.

"From now on, whether you are on duty or not, all of you will stay at the city gate stronghold.

Ignore any order given to you by anyone other than me. Otherwise, bear the consequences yourselves."

Feng's eyes gleamed coldly, and his voice carried killing intent.

"Yes, my lord." x3

Facing Feng's stern and repeated warning, although the three men were filled with doubts, they held back their questions and resolved to obediently follow his orders.

After all, their lord was merely telling them not to meddle in anything, not trying to take their lives. Even if following 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. Still, the guard behind their lord, Uchiha Mikio, would definitely leave them lying in a mass grave.

"Mm, you may all leave." Seeing that the 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 now and protect the Daimyo.

At the same time, do three things. First, if you encounter that new heir, whatever he wants, make the Daimyo agree to it.

Second, have the Daimyo send a close attendant to find the former heir and give this to him.

Third, from time to time, have the Daimyo secretly kill off his most loyal and longest-serving close attendants."

As he spoke, Feng handed Uchiha Mikio a brocade handkerchief bearing a blood-written message. It contained only a single word: 'Save.'

At first, Uchiha Mikio looked unconcerned, turning to leave with nothing but the mindset of completing his task.

But after taking only a few steps, he suddenly stopped, his face filled with shock.

For the past two months, he had followed behind Feng, and he knew most of what Feng had done.

So now, he could roughly guess Feng's next plan and objective.

And to Uchiha Mikio, this was far too shocking.

After all, what Feng intended to do was something no one had ever done in the more than thousand years since the ninja world had first had ninjas. No one had even heard of anyone ever thinking of doing it.