Chapter 71: Waves Rise Again

Just as Sima Yi had predicted, early the next morning Itachi was the first to arrive bearing gifts.

Before Shisui could exchange a few words with Itachi, Wise rushed in, followed by Uchiha Overlord, Uchiha Iron Fire, Uchiha Sun Sage, and Uchiha Way Fire—just as arranged, each came in turn.

A few younger members of the clan elders, members of the Police Department, some of Shisui's former subordinates, and the medical ninjas who were once sent to support the Ninja Hospital all came to pay their respects.

Shisui welcomed everyone, hosting daily banquets and continuously discussing the future with each guest.

The situation lasted for three days, after which the number of visitors suddenly dropped; but before Shisui could even sigh in relief, ordinary ninjas in the clan seemed to seize the chance and also began bringing gifts to visit.

Thus, after seven days.

"Huh— I'm exhausted, finally it's over."

After seeing off the last few clan members, Shisui returned to the living room, disregarding his appearance, and collapsed onto the floor to sigh in relief.

Even though the final arrivals were ordinary ninjas of relatively low standing in the clan, Shisui still did not neglect them.

He greeted them at the door, thanked them for the gifts, sat together at the same table, earnestly persuaded them to share a lunch (or dinner), and chatted about the future.

He spoke of the Uchiha's glory, yearning for fame and status, and described a tranquil future yearning for peace.

He applied everything he could learn from Sima Yi, and the results were evident; the later the departures, the more genuine the emotions displayed.

"That's how socializing works; later, if you become clan head, you'll have to deal with outsiders, and trouble will be inevitable."

Sima Yi smiled, then sat aside, sketching something with paper and pen.

Seeing this, Shisui slowly rose, leaned forward and asked, "All the clan's ninjas, except those from the Great Elder's family, have come, right?"

"They've all come; that shows your standing in the clan is already high enough."

"So what's next... Oh right, we were supposed to bring Itachi to the clan members, but Itachi hasn't come to see me these past two days—what's the matter?"

"Itachi's matter isn't urgent; Hui seems to have a day off tomorrow, so you can take the chance to rest, go out and walk around Konoha with him."

Sima Yi gave no direct answer, but instead flashed a strange smile.

Hearing that he could rest didn't make Shisui happy; instead his heart sank, sensing trouble—he'd been busy dealing with clan matters for days and hadn't left the clan's territory in a long time.

"Grandfather, you didn't start any more trouble, did you?"

"No, that wasn't my doing; I merely went with the flow."

Sima Yi chuckled lightly, turned and left, then summoned Xuehua and others to clear the remaining food and deliver it outside the residence.

Shisui frowned, pondering the meaning of Sima Yi's words, but having been occupied with internal clan affairs, he hadn't paid attention to outside news for a long time, so he couldn't guess.

Until early the next morning, at daybreak, he rushed to find Hui, only to be told Hui had just left; Shisui had to go out alone beyond the clan's lands.

By then, the shops and street vendors on both sides of the road had already begun business early.

"It's much livelier than on the first pilgrimage day; that old lady's business should have recovered, too."

Seeing the bustling street, Shisui recalled the old woman selling mutton soup, and as he prepared to head into Konoha, he keenly sensed a series of hostile glances.

They weren't aimed at him, but at the clan crest behind him.

"Another damned Uchiha, a domineering clan."

"Even if it's just a child, it has such a detestable face."

"A tyrannical family!"

Huh? Shisui raised an eyebrow; though the voices were faint, his power let him hear them clearly.

"What's wrong with my appearance?"

Shisui wasn't particularly surprised by such insults; after Sima Yi's warning yesterday, he had become aware.

Only the direction of their complaints seemed odd.

"Domineering? Tyrannical? And his looks? Did the Police Department people do something?"

Shisui was curious but ignored the glances and kept walking.

"Uchiha, get out of here; we won't sell anything to you!"

"Nani? Why aren't you selling to me today? I'm not like I didn't pay!"

Just as he entered the inner street, a familiar voice caught Shisui's attention.

"Brother Hui?"

The voice came from Uchiha Hui, who, in everyday clothes, stood before a breakfast stall, pointing at several baskets of buns and arguing with the owner.

"Shisui?"

Hearing his name, Hui turned abruptly, his face showing surprise upon seeing Shisui, "What a rarity, why are you here—are you looking for the Third Elders?"

In Hui's impression, aside from missions and the Third Elders or Uncle Yi, Shisui rarely left the clan's territory.

"No, I just stepped out for a walk; what's going on with you?"

The bun stall owner, seeing another Uchiha youngster, slumped his face and, with an impatient wave, said, "Go away, go away, I told you I won't sell buns to you."

"Ha?"

Seeing the other still act that way, Hui's face darkened, his anger flaring, "You brat, you're not looking down on us Uchiha, are you?!"

As Hui's words fell, a chilling murderous intent pierced the air; the bun stall owner, who had just looked impatient, suddenly froze in terror, sitting on the ground trembling all over.

The sudden commotion immediately drew the attention of nearby villagers.

Oh no!

"Sorry, we'll leave first!"

Shisui sensed trouble, hurried forward to pull Hui away, and before leaving tossed five hundred paper coins.

"Brother Hui, what's happening? Why won't he sell you anything? And why are those people on the street starting to ostracize you again?"

After the two reached a secluded corner, Shisui quickly asked.

Facing the barrage of questions, Hui pondered for a moment, a bit puzzled, scratching his head as if conflicted.

"Those guys have been like this since the first pilgrimage day; I'm just surprised—yesterday during my patrol that guy sold me several baskets of buns, why the sudden change today?"

"So you know what's going on?"

Seeing Hui seemed already accustomed, Shisui couldn't help a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"Ah? Uncle Sima Yi didn't tell you? Oh, I see, no wonder you came out."

Hui was startled by the words, then quickly recovered and explained: "It was the two old guys, Zhuan Qin and Mizuto Gate, causing mischief; before the first pilgrimage they warned all the shops on the street.

They also forbade them from opening that morning until our ceremony ended, so now the merchants in the Village who were affected have strong opinions about us.

At first these people only muttered a few curses in secret, then, seeing we didn't react, they began raising the prices of clan members' goods; now some people, not knowing who incited them, are unwilling to do business with us.

You've been busy with that side's affairs these days, so you probably haven't heard yet; now resentment both within and outside the clan is huge.

Hui said it with an indifferent expression, showing no sign of anger, and his words even hinted at a touch of schadenfreude.

"Why should their deeds be blamed on the Uchiha, and you were also excluded, right? Why do you still look a bit happy?"

Shisui sighed, then furrowed his brows, pondering Sima Yi's purpose.

Seeing Shisui silent, Hui began to comfort: "Don't worry too much; those merchants refusing to trade are only a few, just like that fellow who laughed so happily when he took my money yesterday.

Wait, could it be because I didn't wear the Police Department uniform today?"

Hui's expression froze, finally catching on; he slapped his hands together and cursed: "I keep asking why I haven't been affected all these days, these guys really fear the strong and bully the weak!"

"Ugh"

"Grandfather asked me to find you to go out together; I didn't expect it to be like this. The clan head and elders will probably argue again, no wonder we haven't seen Itachi's figure for a few days."

Shisui could already picture the scene inside Fugaku's house.

"It's not just the clan head and them; come with me."

Hui said, pulling Shisui toward the clan land, and along the way the two saw several ordinary Uchiha clan members.

They endured the surrounding cold violence, purchasing daily supplies under strange gazes, then quickly returned to the clan land.

"These people"

Hui let out a cold snort, his eyes unfriendly.

"If Uncle Sima Yi hadn't warned us beforehand, I'd really want to give these guys a lesson."

"Before it was only the Police Department being cursed, now even ordinary clan members are affected; the clan must be complaining about those two assistants, right?"

The two spoke as they returned to the clan land, but Hui didn't take him home; instead he led him to a small pond nearby.

By the pond, several plainly dressed women were beating clothes, and the two stood hidden at a distance.

"Why does the Hokage have to do this, when we clearly did nothing."

"I mean, things on the street are getting more expensive, and when we go out to buy, we have to endure their looks; why deliberately target us?"

"It's one thing that rice, oil, and salt are rising in price, but now even laundry detergent is going up; what exactly are those people trying to do? When will the clan head inform the Third Generation? These past few days, if Shisui hadn't sent some leftovers to my family, my child wouldn't even get a piece of meat."

"Why is that? It's clearly the New Year, really, we're almost unable to get by."

The youngest-looking woman among them began to cry; though she was a woman, she looked only seventeen or eighteen, not yet as old as Hui.

Although the two stood at a distance, they heard clearly; Shisui watched their backs and fell silent.

"Don't blame yourself; this isn't Uncle Sima Yi's doing either."

"Sorry, I will succeed, and then compensate everyone." Facing Hui's comfort, Shisui shook his head, looked ahead and said softly.

He knows Sima Yi must be taking action; he won't evade, but will openly take responsibility for all this.

"But why are they complaining about the Third Generation? Shouldn't it be the assistants Zhuan Qin and Mizuto Gate who did it?"

This one's all thanks to me!

(End of Chapter)