Naruto's civilian cannon fodder starts with the three-body technique

Chapter 397 The Elder's Reminder
Guided by the maids, the two passed through several layers of gauze curtains and arrived at the Queen's bedside.

The Queen leaned against the headboard, trying to appear weak, and said softly, "Elder Xiaochun has come in person, cough cough... I was unable to greet you from afar, please forgive me."

Turning to the next room, Xiaochun's gaze swept quickly across the Queen's face. She saw that her hair was slightly disheveled, her cheeks were flushed unnaturally, her eyes were filled with panic and fatigue, and her lips were slightly swollen... This was hardly the appearance of someone suffering from a cold. It was clearly the result of excessive indulgence.

Koharu immediately made a judgment in her mind: 'It seems that this young Queen's private life is quite... colorful.'

Koharu, however, showed just the right amount of concern on her face and bowed slightly: "Your Majesty is too kind. I heard that His Majesty is unwell and I am worried about him, so I came to visit him. I have some knowledge of medical ninjutsu and may be able to treat His Majesty."

"Thank you for your trouble, Elder." The Queen extended her wrist, her heart filled with unease.

Koharu extended three fingers and placed them on the Queen's wrist, focusing her senses. Her chakra subtly probed into the Queen's body, instantly making her more aware of the pulse indicating a deficiency of qi and blood. This was definitely not a cold, but a typical symptom of excessive sexual activity, even unusually severe.

'It seems Her Majesty the Queen has more than one or two male favorites,' thought Xiaochun to herself, though her face remained calm.

She naturally wouldn't point out the awkward truth, but simply withdrew her hand slowly and said gently:
"Your Majesty has indeed caught a slight cold, and the evil qi has entered your body. In addition, your body seems to be a little...overworked, and your qi and blood are slightly deficient. There is nothing serious. After I take care of Your Majesty and you rest quietly for a few days, you will recover."

As she spoke, a gentle green healing chakra emanated from her hands, which covered the Queen's wrists. Pure Yang Release energy was slowly injected, helping the Queen quickly recover from the three red and swollen areas.

The Queen felt a warm current flow through her body, and her fatigue and soreness quickly dissipated. She couldn't help but let out a soft, comfortable hum, and her complexion became even more rosy and beautiful.

A moment later, Koharu Utatane withdrew her chakra, picked up a pen and paper, wrote down a prescription for gentle tonification and conditioning, and handed it to the maid beside her: "Just follow this prescription for a few days."

"Thank you, Elder." The Queen breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the elder had not discovered the truth, or had discovered it but had saved her face.

“Your Majesty, there’s no need for such formalities.” Koharu Uta no nods slightly before getting to the point. “Your Majesty, regarding the Dragon Vein, although it has been sealed, its significance is paramount. To ensure absolute safety, Konoha needs to leave a squadron stationed in Loulan to guard the Dragon Vein seal. This matter concerns the safety of both nations, and we hope Your Majesty will grant our request.”

She was prepared to use both soft and hard tactics and spend a lot of time persuading others, but the result was beyond her expectations.

"Yes, I grant your permission." The Queen nodded in agreement almost without hesitation, her tone even carrying a hint of urgency, as if she hoped that she would finish her business and leave as soon as possible.

Xiaochun, the maid who had just turned to bed, paused for a moment, then suddenly realized: 'That's it! She must be afraid that I, this old woman, will spread rumors about her excessive indulgence and damage her reputation as a queen, so she agreed so readily and wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible! Hmm, that must be it!'

Koharu Utatane, who thought she had seen through the truth, couldn't help but feel a little smug. She felt that the trip was worthwhile, as she had not only examined the dragon vein but also caught the queen with a small handle that would make it easier to manipulate her in the future.

Little did she know that the Queen agreed so readily because it was Umino Sasuke who made the request, and she was already completely devoted to him. She would not object to leaving even a company, let alone stationing the entire Konoha army there permanently, as long as Umino Sasuke nodded.

“In that case, I thank Your Majesty on behalf of Konoha for your great understanding.” Koharu Utatane bowed again. “The situation at the front is urgent. Squad Leader Umino and I need to return to the Land of Wind immediately to reorganize our troops and set off. We cannot stay any longer, so we will take our leave now.”

"What? Jonin Umino is leaving too?" Upon hearing this, the Queen's face immediately showed urgency and reluctance, and she blurted out, "Could...could you please ask Jonin Umino to stay in Loulan? With him here, the Dragon Vein will be absolutely safe..."

Upon hearing this, Koharu's inner alarm bells rang: 'This outrageous and unrestrained queen actually has designs on Sasuke, wanting to keep him by her side as a gigolo? She's utterly audacious!'

Her face darkened, and her tone hardened: "Your Majesty is joking! Squad Leader Umino is a high-ranking member of Konoha, bearing heavy responsibilities. How can he remain in Loulan? With the battle imminent at the front, he must accompany me to the Land of Waterfall immediately. We must depart today!"

At the opportune moment, Umino Sasuke stepped forward from behind the tent and said respectfully but tactfully, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the Dragon Vein seal is very secure. Moreover, I am proficient in space-time ninjutsu. If the Dragon Vein shows any unusual activity, I can sense it immediately and return to provide support no matter where I am. I will be able to ensure the safety of Loulan and the Dragon Vein."

His words, seemingly for the sake of the dragon vein, were actually meant to appease the queen and imply, "I will come back to see you often."

The Queen understood the unspoken meaning, and her reluctance subsided slightly. Although she was still disappointed, she nodded and said, "In that case... then I will trouble Jonin Unno."

Seeing that the Queen was no longer pressing the matter, Xiaochun, fearing that something might go wrong, quickly said, "Your Majesty is unwell and needs to rest. There is no need for us to see you off. We will take our leave now."

She specifically emphasized the phrase "is unwell".

Upon hearing those four words, the Queen blushed again and, as expected, stopped insisting. She simply watched them leave with a complex expression in her eyes.

As soon as they stepped out of the palace, Koharu Utatane breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Sasuke Umino with a serious expression and asked in a low voice, "Sasuke, what do you think of this Queen?"

Unno Sasuke feigned ignorance: "Your Majesty? He cares about his people quite a bit, and he's also quite reasonable..."

"Understanding?" Koharu Utatane interrupted him, her tone carrying a hint of warning. "Sasuke, you are young and promising, with a bright future ahead of you. Don't be fooled by appearances! This queen... humph, she's not as simple as she seems. She's probably... taken a liking to you!"

Umino Sasuke chuckled inwardly, but on the surface he showed surprise and a hint of disapproval: "Elder, what makes you say that? His Majesty is only concerned about the safety of the Dragon Vein."

"She cares about the dragon vein? She cares about you!"

Xiaochun, who was switching dorms, had an expression that said, "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice."

“Take my advice, this queen is no good match. She… she probably has an extremely loose private life. Think about Tsunade, if she finds out you’re messing around outside… sigh, you’d better watch yourself!” When Umino Sasuke heard Tsunade’s name, a serious look finally appeared on his face, and he quickly nodded: “Elder is right! It was my oversight. I will definitely put the big picture first and stay away from trouble.”

When Xiaochun turned to her room, she saw that he had listened to her advice and nodded in satisfaction.

Senju Nawaki, who was eavesdropping nearby, heard his older sister's name become a "weapon of mass destruction," and thinking of Koharu's absurd misunderstanding of the Queen, he was so trying not to laugh that his shoulders were shaking and he almost suffered internal injuries.

Koharu Utatane caught a glimpse of this out of the corner of her eye and immediately became angry again. Pointing at Nawaki, she said to Sasuke Umino, "And this nepotistic ANBU! Get rid of him immediately! He's an eyesore and doesn't act like an ANBU at all!"

Sasuke Umino readily agreed: "Yes, yes, yes, when we get back we'll transfer him to the logistics department to move supplies, and teach him a lesson!"

Thousand-Armed Nawaki: !!!
"Alright, enough chit-chat, assemble the troops immediately and return to Daming Prefecture!" Tsurugi Koharu didn't delay any longer, waving her hand and giving the order.

Soon, the Desert Falcon, carrying Koharu Utatane, Sasuke Umino, and most of the Iron Wall Anbu members, soared into the sky and sped towards the Daimyo's residence in the Land of Wind, leaving only a squadron of Anbu to guard the sealed tower and watch over the underground dragon vein.

The desert falcon moved with astonishing speed, rapidly shrinking the Loulan below into a tiny green dot in the yellow sand before disappearing into the horizon.

In less than half a day.

The outline of the Daimyo's mansion in the Land of Wind appeared on the horizon. This city, built on a huge oasis, was still as bustling and prosperous as ever. On the surface, it seemed no different from the past. However, once he entered the core area of ​​the Daimyo's mansion, Umino Sasuke's keen senses could detect an unusual atmosphere. Beneath the seemingly calm surface, there were turbulent undercurrents.

The group landed at a base specially set up for Konoha ninjas. After settling in, Umino Sasuke pretended to be unaware of anything and asked Utatane Koharu, "Elder Koharu, I feel that the atmosphere in the Daimyo's residence is a bit delicate. What is the current situation?"

Koharu rubbed her temples, a look of exhaustion on her face. She sighed and said, "The situation is not optimistic. The internal strife within the Daimyo's domain is more intense than we anticipated. Those traditional nobles of the Land of Wind, seeing the collapse of Sunagakure and the Daimyo's rapid expansion with the help of our Konoha and that so-called 'Jingsha New Army,' have had their fundamental interests threatened. Now they have joined forces with the Temple of the Wind, secretly colluding to form a considerable resistance force, and are secretly vying with the Daimyo."

Umino Sasuke said casually, "With Konoha mediating and acting as referees, we should be able to stabilize the situation, right? After all, we have the biggest fist."

Koharu Utatane glanced at Sasuke Umino, shook her head, and said in a tone that sounded like an elder instructing a younger person: "Sasuke, you are invincible on the battlefield, but you still lack experience in political struggles. The intricacies of this matter cannot be completely resolved by force alone."

That's right. Right now, it seems that the daimyo and the Jingsha New Army have a certain advantage with our support. But you must understand that the nobles have been entrenched in the Wind Kingdom for thousands of years. Their power is not as simple as it appears on the surface. Their influence in the region, the wealth they control, and their network of connections far exceed your imagination.

The lord and the Jingsha New Army, which were originally bandits, had too shallow a foundation, and it would be no easy task for them to truly suppress the nobles.

Moreover, the monks of the Wind Temple are not to be underestimated; they enjoy considerable prestige among the common people, and their involvement further strengthens the nobility's position.

Sasuke Umino chuckled inwardly, but outwardly he went along with her words, displaying some radical remarks: "In that case, let's increase our support for the Daimyo and the Jing Sha New Army. I don't believe that with Konoha as our backing, these corrupt nobles can still cause any trouble!"

Koharu Tsurugi immediately waved her hand in rejection: "No! Providing some necessary support in secret is fine, but openly, we absolutely cannot show too much favoritism to either side, especially not to offend these nobles."

You should know that the reason we were able to maintain a relatively stable situation in the Land of Wind was largely because most of the nobles chose to compromise and surrender instead of fighting to the death.

If we appear too supportive of the Jingsha New Army, and the nobles feel that we are breaking with tradition to support peasants, they will definitely sabotage us behind the scenes, or even incite local rebellions.

We have a large force stationed in Daming Prefecture, so they dare not act recklessly. However, those remote oases, especially the important mines that we in Konoha have recently acquired, have relatively weak defenses and are likely to cause big trouble.

Our current troop strength is limited, and our main focus must be on the battlefield in the Land of Waterfall. We absolutely cannot waste our precious troops indefinitely on maintaining order in the Land of Wind!

Umino Sasuke timely revealed an expression of "aha" and "admiration": "I see! Elder, you are wise! It was my oversight that I only saw the military aspect and neglected the political balance. For us, the best thing is to keep the Land of Wind bleeding us out steadily. We cannot let the Land of Wind fall into chaos."

Koharu Utatane was quite pleased with the compliment. She nodded and continued to impart her political experience: "It's good that you understand. We can secretly provide some support to the daimyo and the Jingsha New Army, but we must always be vigilant against them, especially this daimyo of the Wind Country. I've found that this daimyo is quite capable and ambitious. He's a veteran at playing the political balancing act."

Once he uses our power to completely wipe out the nobles, achieve centralized power, and integrate the power of the Wind Kingdom... then a unified and centralized Wind Kingdom will be much more difficult to deal with than the current group of nobles who act independently and check each other.

What we need is an obedient Wind Kingdom, not a potentially powerful adversary.

Upon hearing this, Sasuke Umino was deeply shocked and couldn't help but look at Koharu Utatane with new respect. This elder might have some limitations in strategic vision, but she certainly had unique insights into power dynamics and political acumen, and was by no means entirely useless.

She could clearly see the potential of the Daimyo and the Jing Sha New Army, as well as the challenges they might pose to Konoha in the future. This reminded him that he needed to be more cautious and discreet in his future actions.

It seems that Koharu Utatane has a good understanding of politics. However, no matter how politically savvy she is, she would never have imagined that the daimyo was just a substitute, let alone that the "retired emperor" Minamoto no Kōmyō and the Seisakusō New Army sent by the Land of Fire were his people.

The power of the nobility is indeed extraordinary, but it is not as invincible as imagined. As long as the strength of the Jingsha New Army continues to grow, coupled with the righteous cause of the daimyo, it is not impossible for them to gradually erode and divide the power of the nobility.

Koharu Utatane's wariness stemmed solely from her recognition of this potential. What she desired was for the Land of Wind to maintain this fragile balance, facilitating Konoha's colonization and exploitation at minimal cost.

Umino Sasuke's goal, however, is to take control of the Land of Wind.

(End of this chapter)