Chapter 29: Each Family, Each Trade

"Still thinking about what happened just now?"

After leaving that street, the two strolled around a while longer. In just one morning, such conflicts had played out before their eyes six times, some big, some small.

After a simple lunch, the two came to a place with fewer people.

Seeing that Hui remained gloomy, Sima Yi chuckled and asked.

Hui looked miserable and nodded, saying, "Uncle Yi, why exactly does this happen? Uncle Badai and the others clearly only did what they were supposed to do, yet they get ostracized by the villagers like this."

"And it was only after they themselves reported it that the Police Department stepped in to resolve things, yet they still insult us Uchiha like this — it's simply outrageous!"

The more Hui spoke, the angrier he got. The last time he had been this angry was back at the rear camp, when Shisui was questioned by Uchiha Shinko.

Damn that Uchiha Shinko! Sima Yi glanced at the shops on either side, smiling faintly without speaking. He had of course seen the problem, but with so many people around, he naturally would not give anyone ammunition for gossip.

He simply consoled him, "Misunderstandings are always inevitable. With more contact, perhaps the villagers will come to understand the Uchiha."

Understand?

Hui looked at Sima Yi with a strange expression. "Uncle Yi, how come you say the same thing?"

Now it was Sima Yi's turn to be surprised. "Who else has said this?"

"Seems like everyone says it. Shisui, Clan Head Fugaku, Tie Huo, Inabi, my old man too — oh, and Lord Hokage."

"One after another, they all talk about mutual understanding. But in all these years, I've only met a few who actually understand the Uchiha. That Kakashi counts as one, the Fourth Hokage counts as one. What a pity, though..."

As he spoke, Hui grew even more depressed.

"Heh, alright now, why dwell on those trivial matters? Keep helping me look — why is this street so sparsely populated?"

Sima Yi noticed that the shops on either side were decorated noticeably differently from before, and the people coming and going here all carried auras tinged with gloom and brutality.

Sima Yi had seen this kind of thing before. These people had mostly just returned from war, their emotions not yet stabilized.

"Most of what's sold here is ninja-related goods, and the prices are quite high. Ordinary people can't afford them at all, so the ones who come here are mostly ninja."

Hui suddenly pointed at a shop bearing the Uchiha clan crest and said, "Those are our Uchiha shops, specializing in selling things like explosive tags and kunai, as well as some low-level fire-style ninjutsu that Lord Hokage has permitted for sale."

Sima Yi looked at the shop before him with nary a customer and sighed, "Looks like business isn't very good!"

Hui pointed across the street with an indignant expression and said, "Because there's another one over there. They've stolen all our business."

Sima Yi turned to look where he was pointing. Though the shop across the way couldn't be called bustling, the flow of people coming and going was rarely interrupted.

"Who dares to compete with the Uchiha clan for business?"

Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. The Uchiha could actually tolerate such blatant behavior?

Hui's eyes shifted as he glanced around, then leaned close to Sima Yi's ear and whispered, "I heard from people in the clan that it seems to be the Sarutobi Clan's, but there's no proof. The clan head suppressed it and told us not to go cause trouble."

Sarutobi!

Sarutobi Rizhan, the Third Hokage! Sima Yi suddenly understood. He took another look at the other shop's decor — indeed, there was no clan crest — and couldn't help but smile.

"Heh, so that's how it is."

"Sigh, anyway, after that night with the Nine-Tails, a lot of our clan's shops disappeared. Most of the business was snatched away, and Clan Head Fugaku keeps making concessions. Our lives are getting harder and harder."

The two walked along the street. Sima Yi memorized every shop on this street and the family behind each one.

"Those pharmacies belong to the Nara family. Back when I was training in taijutsu, my old man used to come here to buy medicinal herbs. They were so expensive — nearly half his mission pay went to them!"

"Those belong to the Hyuga family. In Konoha, they're the strongest clan besides us Uchiha."

"Oh?"

Sima Yi grew interested and examined them carefully. He was about to step forward but was stopped by Hui.

He leaned close to Sima Yi's ear and whispered, "Uncle Yi, what are you doing? That's the Hyuga — you can't go in there!" "Getting old, my eyes aren't so good anymore. I just wanted to get a closer look at what they're selling."

"What could they be selling? Nothing but secret medicines and ninja tools. It's not like they're going to give us a massage, right?"

Hui muttered under his breath. It was clear he didn't get along well with the Hyuga clan.

Sima Yi, without changing expression, softly changed the subject. "How come there's also a painting shop here?"

Tucked among several large shops was an inconspicuous little door, engraved with a clan crest.

"That's the Kurama clan's. They've always been on good terms with us Uchiha, but now they've fallen on hard times too."

Hui sighed, thinking of the Uchiha's situation, and couldn't help but be moved by the scene before him.

They had picked the wrong side politically and been purged.

Sima Yi made this judgment in his mind and likewise memorized this clan.

"Over there, the one with smoke rising — that's the Akimichi family's barbecue restaurant. I hear the seasonings they use include secret medicines purchased from the Nara family. Eating there is good for ninja too, though the price is a bit steep."

Hui pointed at an intersection, drooling as he introduced it. His eyes gleamed as he looked at Sima Yi with an expectant expression.

"It's getting late, so let's have some barbecue before heading back."

Sima Yi didn't spoil the mood and nodded with a cheerful smile.

"Great! I'll go buy a few bottles of sake. Uncle Yi, you go grab a seat first."

Hui clapped his hands excitedly, but after taking just a few steps, he turned back around with an embarrassed look on his face.

Sima Yi had expected this. He pulled some bills from his robe. "Go and come back quickly."

"Uncle Yi, long live you!"

After taking the money, the two split up. Sima Yi slowly made his way to the entrance of the Akimichi barbecue restaurant, where the curtain bore the 'food' character clan crest.

"Old sir, just one?"

Before he could step forward, a broad, stout Akimichi clansman with a kindly face, wearing an apron, passed by from the side.

"Two. Find me a quiet spot, please."

Sima Yi glanced at this man in surprise, but withdrew his gaze after just a moment.

"Right this way, please~"

Sima Yi followed the man to a quiet corner. A bit further away were tables of people drinking and shouting loudly. These people wore forehead protectors — they were all ninja. Seeing the old man arrive, they merely glanced at him before turning back to their revelry.

"The menu items are all on the curtain. What would you like to order, old sir?"

It seemed he was worried Sima Yi could not read, so the boss read them out one by one.

"Two portions of each, please. Also, prepare me a basin of hot water — I would like to warm some wine."

". Right away, please wait a moment."

Hearing that he wanted two portions of everything, the boss was somewhat surprised, but did not ask further. After noting it down, he glanced at the several tables of ninja a short distance away and said, "If there is anything you need, sir, you can call me directly."

Only after saying this did he turn and leave.

Hearing this, Sima Yi surveyed the room without changing his expression, deep in thought.

But soon his attention shifted away from these ninja. He studied the curtain painted with the dishes and, seeing the prices, could not help shaking his head repeatedly.

"One portion of pork, eight hundred taels; mutton, one thousand two hundred taels; beef, one thousand five hundred taels; venison, two thousand taels! With prices like these, it seems there is indeed a problem."

(End of this chapter)