At that, the Second Elder opened his eyes and took a scroll from his sleeve.
After writing six names on it, he handed it to the First Elder and said, "Take the people listed here. You and Toka should also investigate Old Fourth again and see if anything was missed!"
"As for the memories, don't look at them. I'll write down the relevant details for you later!"
The First Elder took the scroll and frowned.
He didn't understand why, if there was a problem, he wasn't allowed to look!
But thinking of the Second Elder's awful expression just now,
he didn't insist. After tying up Rikima Senju on the ground, he bowed and left the hall!
Ignoring the First Elder's thoughts, the Second Elder grabbed Rikima and tossed him in front of Mito Uzumaki, saying irritably, "See for yourself!"
Seeing the Second Elder's attitude, Mito Uzumaki sighed inwardly.
He wouldn't let the First Elder look, but he was tossing it to her.
No need to think about it-this was probably another matter involving the Clan Leader's Line!
A golden chain shot out from behind her and dragged the man in front of her.
Feeling a little worn out, Mito began using the Mind Reading Technique to examine him!
Seeing this, Uka knew he wasn't going to get to enjoy this bit of gossip!
But the Mind Reading Technique really was useful!
He added it to his must-learn list, then continued lurking off to one side, ready to enjoy the show!
Today's events were as exciting as a raccoon dog getting into a watermelon warehouse!
How could he not make the most of it, with his love of gossip?
Just as he was enjoying himself, the Second Elder's voice suddenly rang in his ear.
"You, too. Get out!"
Uka looked up and realized he wasn't talking to him. He quickly shrank back behind Mito!
He didn't want to be thrown out halfway through the show.
Moshige Senju looked confused as he checked with the Second Elder to make sure he meant him.
Seeing his foolish look, the Second Elder scolded him irritably, "Are you deaf? Can't you understand?"
"If you don't want to leave, come here. I'll see just how many of those shameful books you've written!"
Moshige Senju had hunched his shoulders after being scolded, but now the Second Elder had exposed the secret in his heart.
His pupils widened as he stared at the Second Elder in shock.
How had his uncle-his second uncle-found out about the thing he'd been hiding?
Was his second uncle the only one who knew, or did the whole clan know?
For a moment, the fear of social death swept over him.
Watching Moshige start to grow afraid and then panic,
the Second Elder rolled his eyes and continued scolding him. "Get out of here! If anyone finds out you're a Senju, I'll beat you to death myself!"
"You good-for-nothing! All you know how to do is disgrace yourself!"
"Get out!"
The final shout startled Moshige into a twitch. He didn't care that his second uncle was insulting him.
As far as he was concerned, as long as the clan didn't know he was the popular author of those books about royal uncles, it was all fine!
He put on a fawning smile, bowed to the two of them, then hurried out of the hall!
Seeing this somewhat familiar scene, Uka Senju immediately guessed what had happened.
Uncle Moshige had probably had some big secret caught by the Second Elder, too!
Uh... that "too" didn't sound right!
Scratch that!
Uka decided he'd have to check out the secret vault when he had time and find out what the secret was.
It had actually scared this social-phobic person so badly!
After finishing his examination of the memories, Mito Uzumaki looked at the Second Elder with a complicated expression and said, "Uncle, this..."
"Enough. It's fine as long as you know."
"Okay, okay!" Mito Uzumaki nodded, understanding what he meant.
The golden chain binding Rikima Senju tightened, then hurled him to the ground by the doorway.
After wiping her hands, Mito Uzumaki couldn't even be bothered to maintain her usual smile.
All the information she'd learned today, along with the memories she'd seen, had left her completely speechless!
Her upbringing prevented her from criticizing her elders, so she could only keep her speechlessness to herself.
Half an hour later.
The First Elder and Senju Toka brought six people in and said, "Uncle, they're all here!"
"Good. Sit down, and call in those fools outside while you're at it!" the Second Elder ordered, setting down his teacup.
Outside, the people had been waiting for a long time.
Before anyone could call them, they heard the Second Elder's voice and walked in on their own.
Seeing the two rows of people kneeling in the hall, they didn't dare say much. They quickly found seats on the left and sat down!
There were fewer people on one side now, so there was room for them.
"Everyone's here. You know what happened, don't you?" the Second Elder asked after they had sat down.
At that, everyone nodded in agreement.
After exchanging glances with the three people on either side, the Second Elder slowly asked the people kneeling in the hall, "Old Fourth, has the Senju Clan treated you unfairly?"
The Fourth Elder, kneeling in the front row, slammed his head against the ground and answered loudly, "Uncle, the Senju Clan has never treated me unfairly!"
"Then tell me, is that bastard's life really more important than the whole Senju Clan?"
Hearing this, the Fourth Elder could no longer hold back his tears. Choking, he cried, "Uncle, I had no choice!"
"I was injured years ago, and he's my only child. My brothers are all dead, and my father's brothers are all dead, too. He's the last child left in my family!"
Growing more and more sorrowful, the Fourth Elder wailed and pleaded, "Uncle! I'll accept any crime, any punishment!"
"But please, for the sake of all the people my family has sacrificed, save him, won't you? Ken'an is still young. He's still just a child!"
The Fourth Elder's pleas left the Second Elder and everyone in the hall at a loss for words.
This man had been ruthless and decisive on the battlefield. In the countless bloody battles of the past decades, he had never once retreated.
He had risen to the position of Fourth Elder through one battle achievement after another, yet this was what had finally brought him down!
But the Senju had all descended from one person. Over the past thousand years, how many branches had lost their bloodlines?
Had the annual blood sacrifices in the clan ever left anyone out?
The clan history recorded it all clearly. The clan members had learned it from childhood. How could anyone forget?
The Second Elder slowly shook his head and said coldly, "You could have told the clan. We had the strength to help you take him back!"
"So that's no excuse for betraying the clan. Because of what you did, everyone in your family who sacrificed their lives will be disgraced!"
"Your father was my friend. You've now destroyed the honor they all had!"
Ignoring what the Second Elder said, the Fourth Elder remained on his knees, repeatedly bowing to everyone and pleading for mercy, his face covered in tears and snot.
He knew he wouldn't meet a good end, so all he wanted now was to beg for a way for his child to live.
Putting aside his sorrow and steadying his emotions, the Second Elder delivered the final judgment. "The Fourth Elder, Tachihito Senju, betrayed the clan. He is sentenced to die by the Thousand Ants Devour the Heart!"
"His father and ancestors' blood offerings will be cut off for a hundred years. But in consideration of his ancestors' contributions, he may bring his son back into the clan and preserve the bloodline. His crime will only be pardoned after two generations of his descendants have died in battle!"
"Does the council of elders agree?"
"Agreed," Mito Uzumaki said with a nod.
"Agreed!" the others said.
After hearing the verdict and the punishment of Thousand Ants Devour the Heart, the Fourth Elder couldn't stop trembling.
Then, hearing what would happen to his son, he bowed to everyone with joy on his face and thanked them. "Thank you, Second Elder. Thank you, elders. Tachihito deserves to die for betraying the clan. I'll leave Ken'an a letter later and explain everything!"
"I'll explain everything. Thank you, thank you!"
Watching the man bow over and over, the Second Elder let out a long sigh and waved for the guards to take him away.