The next morning, Ling set off for the inner city of the Capital. As for yesterday evening, no one came to meet her, naturally. With the Daimyo repeatedly assassinated and numerous court officials dead, the situation was already in chaos.
Fortunately, after a night passed, both the inner and outer cities gradually calmed down, which gave Ling hope of obtaining the provisions.
Ling had also informed the Third Hokage about yesterday's events, so that he could be prepared. It was estimated that after this incident, the Daimyo would want to form the Guardian Twelve.
Hiruzen Sarutobi would definitely have a headache facing the Daimyo's request for personnel. If he did not satisfy the Daimyo at this time, some military funds and provision support would inevitably be greatly reduced.
Asuma Sarutobi, who was currently idling in the Village, would probably volunteer to become one of the Guardian Twelve, just like in the original story, and the problem of 'power versus morality' that troubled him throughout his youth would likely continue to plague him.
In front of the inner city gate, it was still the same Samurai General guarding it, but compared to his relaxed demeanor yesterday, he now looked as if he was facing a formidable enemy.
He was afraid that anyone approaching was a rebel trying to attack the inner city. The Samurai on the arrow towers had their arrows nocked on their bows, scanning the surroundings vigilantly.
Seeing that it was Uchiha Rei, a familiar face who had been there yesterday, the Samurai General did not lower his guard. The main reason was that he could not see through a Ninja's transformation jutsu.
He instructed a subordinate to retrieve the mission credential from Uchiha Rei. After confirming that there were no issues, the Samurai General personally led Uchiha Rei to the Tenshukaku.
Arriving at a building, led by a servant, she reached the room of the Minister of Agriculture. A screen blocked the view, making it seem very impressive.
"Lord Zuo Bu, a Konoha Ninja requests an audience."
"Hmm, give me the mission credential, and then take her to the granary."
"Yes, Lord Zuo Bu."
Although Ling did not see the face of this Lord Zuo Bu, she knew that this minister was one of yesterday's survivors. However, Ling remembered that he seemed to have most of his hair singed by fire.
Perhaps this was also the reason Lord Zuo Bu did not want to see anyone. Thinking of the minister with a topknot having most of his hair burned off, turning him into a monk, Ling felt a little like laughing.
"Ninja-sama, please follow me." The servant held the mission credential, which had already been stamped. Now, they just needed to go to the granary to collect the provisions.
The granary was located in a detached building behind the Tenshukaku. It was heavily guarded, and open flames were strictly prohibited. Many carts for transporting provisions were placed in the open space.
After the servant said something to the stationed Samurai General, the granary's gate opened. Some minor officials and laborers began moving sacks of grain out according to the quantity.
"Ninja-sama, you can check the authenticity of the grain." The servant handed Ling a bronze sampling tube.
Although Ling had never eaten pork, she had seen pigs run. She took the sampling tube and randomly inserted it into different parts of the sacks, confirming that they indeed contained grain.
"Counting completed, a total of 300,000 catties." The minor official announced loudly.
A few hours later, the sacks were piled up into a small mountain. After Ling counted the quantity, she signed the mission credential, and then she could take them away.
"Ninja-sama, how do you plan to transport the grain? Do you need me to arrange for people to help you transport it out of the city?" The servant looked at Uchiha Rei with confusion.
Mainly, in his understanding, such a large amount of grain would require only grain carts and a large number of Ninja escorts.
The main reason was that sealing scrolls were very expensive. Even the largest sealing scroll could only seal one or two thousand catties of grain, and even a large Ninja Village did not have that many blank scrolls for transporting grain.
This was also why, after the Minato team destroyed the Kannabi Bridge in the original story, it temporarily cut off the Iwagakure's grain transfer.
"No need, I have my own way." Would Ling lack sealing scrolls? These things were like Exploding Tags; she could manufacture them in batches.
Taking out a large number of giant sealing scrolls, Ling began to collect the grain. One by one, the filled sealing scrolls were stacked aside, and soon Ling had collected all the grain.
Looking at the piled-up sealing scrolls, the surrounding servants and minor officials were shocked. They had never seen such a quantity of sealing scrolls in their entire lives.
"Is this the strength of Konoha, the strongest Ninja Village?"
The servant thought these were Konoha's sealing scrolls, unaware that these were entirely Uchiha Rei's private property, and she hadn't bought them, but rather manufactured them herself.
"Ninja-sama, the Daimyo requests your presence." A lavishly dressed page arrived.
"Why does the Daimyo want to see me? Does he want me to join some Guardian Twelve?"
Ling was a bit puzzled, but she first stored all the sealing scrolls into her alternate dimension using her Adamantine Bracelet, and then slowly followed the page to the upper floor of the Tenshukaku.
The uppermost floor of the Tenshukaku, this was the Daimyo's private residence, more exquisite, ancient, and grand than Lord Zuo Bu's quarters.
Following the page's announcement and receiving permission, Ling entered the residence. The Daimyo was seated behind a desk, looking at Uchiha Rei with a somewhat strange gaze.
"Uchiha Rei?" The Daimyo really wanted to connect this extremely powerful Ninja mentioned in the intelligence records with the little girl in front of him.
"It is I, Daimyo-sama." Ling knelt on one knee. She endured it; she often knelt on one knee when she was in Anbu. She silently thought, 'Wang Mang was humble before usurping the throne.'
"Do you know that I was assassinated yesterday?" The Daimyo suspected that this Uchiha was also at the scene yesterday, otherwise, how could the newly appeared Kakuzu have been stopped?
"I know, but being in the vital area of the Capital, I dared not go all out, which allowed Kakuzu to escape."
Ling knew that the Daimyo must have heard Kakuzu shout Orochimaru's name, and Orochimaru was from Konoha and was still on the front lines. So, the Daimyo was very likely to have guessed that she was the one who acted.
"I heard that the Uchiha Clan is not highly regarded in Konoha, and is even suppressed by the Hokage line."
"Daimyo-sama, the Uchiha have already integrated into Konoha, and are not currently being suppressed."
"Is that so?" The Daimyo understood that Uchiha Rei had certainly understood his hint, but she refused without hesitation.
"Daimyo-sama, Hokage-sama asked me to deliver a letter to you."
Ling handed a letter to the page, asking him to present it to the Daimyo.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage, has been in office for many years, hasn't he? Who do you think will be the next Hokage?"
The Daimyo's expression did not change after reading the letter. He only asked an unrelated question.
"The next Hokage will be decided by the elders and Hokage-sama. Ling's position is humble, and I dare not comment."
Ling somewhat wanted to leave. Playing mind games with the Daimyo here was too tiring.
"Is that so? I am preparing to form the Guardian Twelve recently. I need to ask the Third Hokage for some personnel. I heard that you have accomplished many military feats but are not highly regarded, and have even been sidelined. Are you willing to come and serve me?"
The Daimyo revealed his true intentions. He desperately needed a talent like Uchiha Rei. Uchiha Rei's strength alone was enough for the Guardian Twelve he wanted to form.
"Daimyo-sama, Ling is just a Ninja without ambitions. As long as Hokage-sama agrees, that will be fine."
Ling didn't care about being one of the Guardian Twelve or not. If she became one, she might be able to control the Daimyo. If not, she could also go to Hidden Mist Village and control the Hidden Mist Village.
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