The Master of Konoha's Legacy

As the saying goes, a great reputation is never undeserved, and as more and more people spread the word, these officials also began to become curious about Abe no Seimei.

Some officials even personally visited him, wanting to meet Abe Seimei, the man widely regarded as a genius.

But no matter how high the official rank of the visitor, Uchiha Tonan ordered his servants to refuse them entry.

"Master Qingming does not wish to receive guests, sir. Please leave."

"Didn't you say I'm the current Minister of the Interior?"

“He did say so, but Mr. Qingming said he only wanted to focus on his studies and educate the younger generation.”

"Then could you please let me see the question that Mr. Qingming did the other day, Lord Tunan?"

"I'm sorry, but Lord Tunan said that the words of sages should not be easily passed on. If they fall into the hands of people with ulterior motives, they will shake the foundation of the Land of Fire."

The more the attendant said this, the more mysterious and unpredictable Abe no Seimei's image became.

This made the Minister of the Interior feel extremely uncomfortable.

However, his visits were repeatedly turned away, leaving the Minister of Home Affairs helpless.

"Hey~"

The Minister of the Interior sighed and could only turn and leave dejectedly.

Outside the North City Guard's residence, there were also many passersby who gathered together and discussed the scene with great interest.

"This Mr. Qingming is truly remarkable; this is already the twelfth high-ranking official to come and visit."

"I heard that they are very knowledgeable; they have already finished the problems before others have even written a few."

"And what else did you say... that the question you posed was a child's question?"

"I've seen the test paper. To be honest, apart from the first self-introduction, I couldn't answer any of the other questions."

As night fell, the City of Fire was brightly lit.

In the attic of the North City Guard Mansion, Abe no Seimei, the incarnation of Uchiha Tonan, stood by the window with his hands behind his back.

His weathered, wrinkled face held a pair of dark eyes as deep as a still pool.

He glanced sideways, looking towards the daimyo mansion at the very center of the Fire City.

"The line is long enough."

When will you take the bait?

[Chapter 84. The Ministers Recommend a Great Name]

The next day.

The sky was clear and cloudless, but it was uncertain whether the faint sunlight could withstand the test of time.

Looking around, only a few scattered birds flew in the desolate sky, making it seem rather cold and lonely.

In the famous mansion.

The spacious courtyard was spotless, and many flower beds were neatly trimmed.

The red pillars in the corridor looked as if they had just been painted, shiny and flawless.

Several rare birds also inhabit the gardens on both sides of the main road leading from the gate to the main hall.

They were chirping away, adding a touch of life to the mansion.

Many servants were busy with their own tasks with their heads down, and everything seemed very orderly.

In the main hall, the daimyo of the Land of Fire sat behind a curtain, with a group of ministers and advisors kneeling on either side.

In the middle, two young men knelt. One had a thin face and a gentle expression, but upon closer inspection, he appeared somewhat dull.

The other one was fat and had a sly glint in his eyes from time to time.

These two are the First Prince and the Second Prince of the Land of Fire, respectively.

The daimyo looked at the prince, his eyes full of admiration, and couldn't hide the smile on his face, and said softly:

"Naraku, I heard you've been locking yourself in your room reading lately. Try to go out and do some leisure activities when you have free time, and don't overwork yourself."

"Thank you for your concern, Father." The Crown Prince bowed slightly to the figure behind the curtain, but his expression remained unchanged.

The daimyo shifted his gaze to the second prince, his expression completely changing.

He frowned as he looked at his troublesome second son, took a deep breath, and said:

"As for you, Nahara, look at what good things you've done lately!"

The Second Prince, however, dismissed the Prime Minister's questioning, saying, "Your subject has been staying obediently in the manor all this time."

“You stay in the manor, but you know perfectly well what you’ve been doing there.”

The daimyo was trying his best to control his anger. After all, he couldn't let his temper get the better of him in front of everyone, lest he become the subject of gossip.

Upon hearing this, the Second Prince muttered, "So what if I played with a few little girls? I bought them all with my own money. What's wrong with that?"

Daming never expected that his son would say such indecent things in front of so many officials.

He was immediately enraged and slammed his hand on the chopping board, shouting, "How dare you say that!"

The ministers were all sitting cross-legged in front of the curtain, initially adopting an attitude of indifference.

But now that the lord has lost his temper, it's not good to remain silent, so he quickly tried to comfort her:

"My lord, please calm down. The Second Prince is young and ignorant. Please don't let this upset you."

"Yes, my lord, your health is of utmost importance."

"Please calm your anger, my lord."

"Huh~"

After letting out two long breaths, Daiming realized that he had indeed lost his composure.

After calming himself down, he said in a tone of disappointment and frustration:

"I'll find you a teacher in the next couple of days and have him properly discipline your temper."

"Naraku, this teacher will explain many political matters to you, so you must listen carefully."

The prince obediently replied, "Thank you, Father."

Seeing his eldest son so obedient, well-behaved, and promising, Daming felt some comfort.

But then, the Second Prince, looking reluctant, said perfunctorily, "Thank you, Father."

Seeing the Second Prince's expression, the Grand Prince became even more agitated and waved his hand, saying, "Alright, alright, you may all leave."

After the two men bowed and left the main hall, the daimyo calmed himself down and looked at the assembled officials, saying:

"Everyone, do you have any suitable teachers you could recommend?"

As the ministers looked at each other and discussed the matter, the Minister of the Interior stepped forward and said:

"My lord, a prodigy has recently appeared in the City of Fire, and the news has spread throughout the city."

I think he's capable of instructing the two princes.

But Da Ming merely lowered his eyes, not believing that the so-called folk prodigy was capable of teaching the two princes well, and waited for other ministers to make recommendations.

Seeing this, another minister immediately stepped forward and said:

"My lord, I have also heard that this person is extremely talented. He can answer the questions that many people cannot even write on with ease."

Upon hearing this, the lord raised an eyebrow, showing interest, and said:

Is this really true?

"This matter has spread throughout the city. I think this person might as well give it a try."

The two ministers' proposal was seconded by many other ministers.

They had heard these rumors before and were naturally curious about this prodigy, but they had never seen him in person.

Because all those who went to visit were turned away.

If the daimyo were to send someone to invite that person to be the teacher of the two princes, the people of the North City Guard would probably have no way to refuse.

They can also take this opportunity to satisfy their curiosity.

After a moment's thought, the daimyo asked the Minister of the Interior, "Do you know where he lives and his background?"

Upon hearing this, the Minister of the Interior immediately lowered his head, looking embarrassed, and said:

"I only know that this great talent is named Abe no Seimei, and that he is from the area around Chifuyama outside the northern castle. I know nothing else about him."

The joy on Daimyo's face faded, and he said with dissatisfaction, "Since you don't even know him, how dare you recommend him? What if he's sent by an enemy country?"

Although the daimyo did not know the details of Abe no Seimei's family background as everyone talked about, he was very curious about this extraordinary genius.

After thinking for a moment, I still asked:

"Tell me the specifics of the rumors first."

"This all started with that day at the North City Guard..."

........

After listening to the ministers' accounts, the daimyo stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes slightly, saying:

"But these are all just rumors, without any basis."

The Minister of the Interior began by saying:

"My lord, as far as I know, Master Qingming is currently teaching a group of orphans in the North City Guard's residence."

I have heard that the captain of the North City Guard is a ninja from Konoha and has a good relationship with Lord Shinnosuke.

Why not send Lord Shinnosuke to the Kitajo Guard Headquarters to retrieve the exam paper that Master Seimei answered that day?

Whether it's just empty fame or genuine talent, it's obvious at a glance.

Daming thought it made sense and decided to take a look at the exam paper that was rumored to be amazing before making a decision.

He immediately made the decision:

"Alright, let Shinnosuke go and get the test questions. I want to see if this Abe Seimei is really as amazing as you all say."

If someone is truly that capable, then such a person must be brought into the household and put to use.