Chapter 8 - Meeting with the Uchiha Clan, My Father Wants to Invite You to Join the Chamber of Commerce!
"Recruit Uchiha clan members? Given the arrogance of the Uchiha family, they're unlikely to agree!" Upon hearing his son's suggestion, Uchiha Hanjo shook his head decisively. It was common knowledge that the Uchiha clan members were inherently proud. They looked down upon those engaged in commerce, let alone the idea of joining a chamber of commerce.
"Why not give it a try? How can you be sure they'll refuse without asking?" Xuan Yu said with a mouth full of meat, speaking indistinctly.
The Uchiha clan, known as one of the great families of Konoha, no longer had paramount powers like the legendary Spotter, but there were still numerous middle and upper ninja who had awakened their Sharingan.
Moreover, the Uchiha clan was currently facing exclusion within Konoha, with everything going against them. Even external missions were rarely assigned to the Uchiha. It could be said that apart from the exceptionally talented Uchiha Shisui who remained at the heart of Konoha, the others were merely living off the Uchiha clan's past glory.
Furthermore, the Konoha Guard Corps under the Uchiha clan's control was a thankless job that earned them enemies without substantial pay, and some had long grown weary of it.
If his father were to recruit ninja now, there should be quite a few interested parties!
Once some joined the chamber of commerce, recruiting others would become much easier.
"Can this really work?" Uchiha Hanjo still harbored doubts, but it was evident that he was tempted.
Should Uchiha clan members join his chamber of commerce, not only would the goods be safer, but the mere sight of the Uchiha uniform would deter those without sufficient strength from causing trouble.
"How could it not work? Father, the Uchiha clan members are currently being marginalized by Konoha, with few external missions available. Although they saved some money during the war, it's nearly depleted by now!" Xuan Yu spoke with great conviction, his small face serious. "Are they to rely on the clan's resources? Can the clan even afford to support them? In the end, it would still require you to donate money to the clan, which would essentially mean we're supporting them!"
"They look down upon merchants, yet how can the clan accept our financial contributions with a clear conscience?"
It was common knowledge that the Uchiha clan had been consistently marginalized by Konoha recently!
Currently, the Uchiha clan's only source of income was the Konoha Guard Corps. However, possibly due to Konoha's deliberate suppression, the wages for the Guard Corps were extremely meager!
Some, in order to support their families, took on private missions, but when discovered by Konoha, they were accused of violating village rules, leading to the deduction of resources intended for the Guard Corps.
Thus, life for the Uchiha clan members in the village of Konoha was exceedingly tough!
After pondering for a moment, Uchiha Hanjo acknowledged that his son's words made sense and nodded in agreement: "Very well, I shall first approach a few Uchiha clan members for discussion!"
He decided to start by talking to those Uchiha clan members who were most severely marginalized. If possible, he would recruit them into the chamber of commerce and gradually expand to include other clan members.
Of course, it wouldn't be feasible to recruit too many at once.
If too many Uchiha clan members were brought in initially, the clan head, Fugaku, might take offense or become wary, potentially preventing further recruitment.
"Then I shall accompany you, Father, and meet some of our other uncles!" The training ground followed a schedule of one day of practice and one day of rest, as the children were still young and needed to preserve their health!
Xuan Yu didn't mind; whether at home or elsewhere, he could continue refining his chakra. It would be a good opportunity to accompany his father to his workplace and break the monotony of staying at home all day.
"Very well, you may come along. Familiarize yourself with the work environment. Should you lose interest in training in the future, you can inherit the family business early, allowing your father to rest properly!"
After analyzing the situation with Xuan Yu, Uchiha Hanjo had confirmed that his son possessed a greater aptitude for business than he did. He had already planned to pass on the family business to Xuan Yu when he grew up, so he could enjoy a leisurely life, perhaps taking up fishing or bird-watching as a wealthy gentleman.
"Father's plan is quite the scheme, making me help manage the business while he intends to shirk his responsibilities!" Xuan Yu thought, rolling his eyes inwardly. He responded, "Humph, you might as well leave the business to your grandson in the future. I have no intention of wasting my time on commercial matters! I'll protect the family business from the shadows!"
The next day!
Xuan Yu accompanied his father to the chamber of commerce early in the morning.
Throughout the morning!
While his father handled affairs, Xuan Yu sat cross-legged on a chair, continuing his chakra refinement. Due to the awakening of his Sharingan, his appetite had surged dramatically!
During this time, he even had his father's male secretary order over ten bowls of Ichiraku ramen for him.
However, these ten bowls were merely a small snack; his stomach seemed like a bottomless pit.
Uchiha Hanjo stared in amazement; his son's appetite seemed to have grown even more voracious.
"Is everything alright, son? Should we visit the hospital for a check-up?" Uchiha Hanjo inquired cautiously.
It wasn't that he feared his son would eat him out of house and home, but this behavior seemed distinctly abnormal!
"I'm fine. I'm just going through a growth spurt!" Xuan Yu knew he was fine because after eating, every cell in his body felt incredibly active, as if absorbing energy and strengthening itself.
Continuing like this, he would only become stronger.
It seemed he needed to find an advanced chakra refinement technique to rapidly extract chakra!
"Alright! If you ever feel unwell, tell me immediately!" Uchiha Hanjo still hesitated; "And in the future, take more money and eat whatever you want. Don't go hungry."
"Understood!" After eating a few more skewers of grilled meat, the office door swung open, and several middle-aged men dressed in Uchiha attire walked in.
They weren't very old; apart from one who was a few years older than Uchiha Hanjo, the rest were younger.
Xuan Yu's eyes flickered. It seemed these individuals were the Uchiha clan members his father intended to persuade first.
With this thought, Xuan Yu put away his leisurely demeanor and focused intently on the newcomers, though he didn't stop eating.
"Banjo, you called us here for something?" The leader of the group was Uchiha Ohmura, a core figure of the Uchiha clan.
With his Three-Tomoe Sharingan activated, he was among the elite upper ninja and usually had a decent relationship with Uchiha Hanjo.
"Banjo, you've arrived. Please, have a seat!" Uchiha Hanjo greeted them warmly, offering tea.
"What's this about?" Uchiha Ohmura sipped his tea, turning to Uchiha Hanjo.
They were well aware that Uchiha Hanjo wouldn't summon them to his office without a good reason.
"It's not a major issue, but..." Uchiha Hanjo hesitated as he spoke, unsure of how to phrase his request.
These men were top-tier ninja in Konoha, with Uchiha Ohmura being an upper ninja. Although they had been marginalized by Konoha in recent years and had been idle for a long time, their pride, inherited from the Uchiha clan, remained unshaken.
Despite his close relationship with them, Uchiha Hanjo found it difficult to bring himself to invite them to join his chamber of commerce.
At that moment, Xuan Yu swallowed the last few pieces of grilled meat and spoke up on behalf of his father: "Uncles, my father wants to invite you to join our chamber of commerce to carry out escort missions!"
Silence!
The room fell so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Upon hearing this, the individuals present were momentarily stunned. The atmosphere was thick with tension, as if the very air had frozen. Uchiha Ohmura, the leader of the group, was the first to break the silence. His tone was neutral, yet there was an unmistakable edge of caution in his voice. "So that's the matter. Hanjo, are you serious?" He leaned forward slightly, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan eyes locking onto Hanjo's, as if trying to gauge the depth of his resolve.
Hanjo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He had anticipated skepticism, but the weight of the moment pressed heavily on him. "Yes, I am. The current situation within the village is... challenging for our clan. Many of you have been marginalized, deprived of missions and opportunities. My chamber of commerce offers a different path—a chance to utilize your skills without the constraints you've faced here."
The room remained quiet, the gravity of Hanjo's words hanging in the air. Uchiha Genji, who had just finished his meal, watched the group with keen interest. Despite his young age, he understood the significance of this moment. His father's proposition was not just a job offer; it was a potential lifeline for those who had been pushed to the outskirts of Konoha's shinobi world.
One of the Uchiha men, a middle-aged shinobi with a scar running down his cheek, finally spoke. His voice was rough, like gravel being dragged over stone. "And what exactly does this 'escort mission' entail? Guarding caravans? Protecting merchants? These are tasks beneath our capabilities."
Hanjo nodded, his expression steady. "The missions would involve protecting our trade convoys as they pass through various lands. Your experience and skills would be invaluable. Plus, the compensation is competitive—far more than what you've been receiving for your current duties."
Another man, younger than the rest, snorted. "Competitive? How can mere commerce compare to the honor of missions assigned by the village? We are Uchiha—our pride cannot be bought with coins."
Genji, who had been quietly observing, couldn't help but interject. "Uncle, pride fills the belly about as well as an empty bowl. How noble is it to watch your family struggle while you cling to outdated ideals?"
The room tensed further. The young man's face flushed with anger, but before he could retort, Uchiha Ohmura raised a hand to silence him. "Genji has a point, though I doubt that's the perspective you came here to share, Hanjo."
Hanjo sighed. "I understand your reservations. But consider this: the village's attitude toward our clan isn't likely to change anytime soon. The opportunities for missions are diminishing, and with them, our means of supporting our families. This is a chance to secure a future—not just for yourselves, but for your loved ones."
The weight of his words seemed to settle on the group. Uchiha Ohmura leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant as he contemplated the proposal. The others exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of skepticism and curiosity.
Finally, Ohmura turned to Genji. "And what of you, Genji? Do you support this plan?"
Genji nodded firmly. "Absolutely. I believe in adapting to survive. If the village won't give us a fair chance, we create our own. Isn't that what being a shinobi is really about—finding a way to win, no matter the odds?"
A flicker of respect crossed Ohmura's face. He turned back to Hanjo. "We'll discuss this among ourselves. Give us a day to consider your offer."
Hanjo suppressed a surge of relief. "Of course. Take all the time you need."
As the Uchiha men filed out, Genji turned to his father with a grin. "Told you they'd at least listen."
Hanjo ruffled his son's hair. "Your confidence is both inspiring and terrifying."
Outside, the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the chamber of commerce. For the Uchiha clan, a new path—a controversial, pride-testing path—had just been laid out. And somewhere in the village, the winds of change began to stir.