Yes, the Hokage!

Even the renowned Hyuga clan has been suspended from their duties pending investigation. No matter how powerful your family is, how does it compare to the Hyuga clan?

In addition to the Hyuga, another prestigious clan, the Uchiha, also cooperated by reducing the number of their six guards. These six men were then transferred to the regular new army. This was practically a blatant way of telling you that if you cooperate, you'll be rewarded, but if you resist, you'll be in serious trouble.

Given this overwhelming trend, Feng Lan could calmly take the list given by Shikaku and select those who were indeed incompetent and eliminate them one by one. Although the people whose names were called had long faces, they knew that their abilities were indeed insufficient. In addition, Feng Lan was now a hot celebrity and the chief advisor to the Hokage with great power. Who would dare to disobey him?

Of course, it's impossible to stop someone like Feng Lan from taking advantage of the situation. He doesn't lack money right now, and he's afraid of leaving any leverage over the secret techniques, but he does lack people.

Although his private army... cough cough, he meant that the standing new army could only have twelve people, but he didn't say that I couldn't have a reserve force, right? Although these people are not officially his people, they eat and drink my food every day, and I pay their wages when they are unemployed. I even arrange jobs for their non-ninja family members. You tell me, it wouldn't be right for you not to do what your elder brother tells you when he gives you instructions.

He would normally dare to do such things, and the elders would take care of him in no time. However, the Third Hokage has something on him that Feng Lan has, so he can't do anything to Mitokado Homura or Utatane Koharu.

This is why Feng Lan was willing to risk everything to take down Orochimaru; that guy could really keep the Third Hokage occupied for a long time.

As for Danzo, it's unclear whether he's been subdued or is secretly plotting something; in any case, he hasn't made any moves.

Therefore, Feng Lan's standing new army is growing bigger and bigger. Although theoretically there are only twelve official members and the rest are reserves, under his money-spending tactics, even the treatment of the reserves is the envy of countless people!

As a result, the standing new army, which was a disaster that everyone avoided a while ago, has transformed into a highly sought-after commodity. Now, you can't get in without some special skills.

Sorry, we're full. (Jotaro face)

That evening, Feng Lan, who had just finished get off work, was about to continue eating noodles and garlic when she suddenly heard a polite knock on the door.

"Hmm? Who is it?"

Having lost his senses, Feng Lan was more vigilant than usual, but since his neighbors on either side were Minato and Hizashi, he wasn't really that scared.

"Lord Fenglan, I am Nara Shikaku."

“Mr. Shikaku?” Feng Lan raised an eyebrow, walked over and opened the door, a smile spreading across his face. “It’s been a while, Mr. Shikaku. I’m sorry I’ve been too busy lately.”

"Lord Fenglan is very busy, and Lu Jiu has seen it all." This time, Lu Jiu's attitude was much more humble. "Last time you hosted a banquet at an izakaya to invite me. I wonder if you could give us the opportunity to express our gratitude and return the favor with a banquet this time?"

To be honest, the scale of Fenglan's invitation to Lu Jiu last time, no matter how exaggerated, could not be considered a "banquet". However, this time, the scale of the other party's invitation is definitely a banquet, and he said "we", which means that Ino, Shika, and Cho are all there.

When Fenglan was recently downsizing the middle ranks, she deliberately avoided members of the Pig-Deer-Butterfly clan, but she also did not accept the young people they sent to join the regular new army. This seemingly gentle but actually ruthless approach eventually made the three major families somewhat uneasy.

“Great!” Feng Lan smiled. “I haven’t had dinner yet, so I’m thrilled to accept an invitation.”

"Then let's go." Shikaku gestured for them to leave.

"Wait a moment." Feng Lan knocked on the door next to her and explained, "Although my body has recovered a lot, I still can't use ninjutsu. I need to bring a guard just in case."

“That’s how it should be.” Although Lu Jiu said this, he couldn’t help but be slightly taken aback when he saw who opened the door.

Hizashi was standing at the door with Neji in his arms and a big smile on his face. When he saw that it was Fenglan, his smile softened slightly, but the respect and gratitude on his face became even greater: "Lord Fenglan, is there anything you need?"

"Hmm... Have you had dinner yet? If not, I happen to know a place where I can mooch a meal." Feng Lan gestured to the person next to her, "Want to come sit down for a bit?"

Hizashi glanced to the side and saw it was Shikaku. He immediately understood what was going on: "Please wait a moment, I'll hand Neji over to the child's mother."

Feng Lan glanced at the still-infant Hinata Genius a few times. In this timeline she had entered, he had already left Hinata before he was even imprisoned in the Caged Bird Seal. The son of the scapegoat... he could still have a bright and beautiful future.

The curse mark on the caged bird is almost gone...

Shikaku was also secretly surprised: [The rumors were true; Fenglan really did poach a branch family member from the Hyuga clan.]

Fenglan is still a relatively new force in Konoha, and can only entertain guests at izakayas. The place that Shikaku brought his people to is much more elaborate. On the surface, it looks like a secluded courtyard, but once you go inside, you will find that it is a hidden world, somewhat similar to the base of Orochimaru and Root, with a huge hole dug out underground.

Those qualified to enter and exit this underground winery are obviously either rich or noble. At least Feng Lan saw two people inside who acted arrogantly outside, and they were said to be close advisors of a great lord.

Before he could even mentally complain about how illogical the existence of the Daimyo in the Naruto world was, Shikaku invited him into a private room, where the three people inside immediately stood up.

Feng Lan glanced around and recognized them all: Akimichi Choza, the head of the Akimichi clan; Yamanaka Inoichi, the head of the Yamanaka clan; and...

The last guy in sunglasses is quite intriguing; he's actually the head of the Aburame clan, Aburame Shiki.

The Aburame clan's signature secret technique is parasitic insects. Most members of the clan wear sunglasses and are quiet but not aloof. For example, Shino, one of the twelve Konoha 12, is a bit of a repressed flirt, while Shiki is known for his preference for acting alone during the Third Shinobi World War. He also doesn't have much interaction with Fuuran.

Most importantly, this clan is actually somewhat inclined towards Danzo. At this point in time, Ryoma Aburame should already be in the Root organization. After a while, Danzo will ask Shino Aburame for his son. Although Shino knows that the Root organization is bad, he does not dare to resist. In the end, it is Shino Aburame who takes the initiative to step forward and join Root in place of Shino.

Although many thoughts flashed through Feng Lan's mind, a smile had already appeared on his face. Lu Jiu also smiled and introduced them one by one. After shaking hands with each of the three, Lu Jiu began to introduce the Japanese.

As expected, everyone showed a slightly surprised expression. After all, the Hyuga family would never go around talking about such a shameful thing as their branch family being poached. So, the matter of Hizashi was still slowly spreading as a rumor. Seeing that he was not like the caged bird today, everyone realized that the rumor had come true.

"Lord Fenglan...you are truly skilled." Aburame Zhiwei couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Not at all, it's all thanks to the Fourth Hokage's lofty ambitions. I only did a little bit of work." Feng Lan smiled calmly and sat down in the main seat surrounded by everyone.

The heads of the families were all shrewd people, so they wouldn't start by talking about business. Instead, they first offered drinks and food. Feng Lan was really hungry, so she didn't stand on ceremony and decided to eat her fill first.

However, while eating, he was also secretly observing the group, wondering whether this meal was an attempt to curry favor or a trap, and even speculating who would speak first.

After a few rounds of drinks, someone finally couldn't hold back and asked, "Lord Fenglan, what do you think of the food here?"

[Hmm, it really is Choza Akimichi.]

Feng Lan's lips curled up slightly, Shikaku was deep in thought, Haiyi was smooth and mature, while Dingza was honest and straightforward. In this kind of occasion, it would be the least likely to offend people if he spoke up and started the conversation by talking about the food that the Akimichi clan liked.

Furthermore, the Akimichi family's Expansion Technique is highly dependent on chakra reserves and physical strength. Under the taijutsu training system of the standing new army, the young people of the Akimichi family actually have a great advantage. Therefore, compared to the Nara and Yamanaka families, which focus on shadow techniques and sensory abilities, Choza, who mainly uses physical means, may be more eager to secure a spot for his clan's members.

"The food here is delicious!" Feng Lan patted her stomach with satisfaction. "To be honest, I've never eaten anything so delicious before."

"I'm glad you like it." The chubby Ding smiled and his eyes narrowed into slits, unlike Feng Lan's deliberate squinting. He naturally gave people a kind of honest and simple feeling. "I often come here to eat, and every time I wish I could swallow my tongue."

"It really is delicious," Feng Lan said with a smile. "If there are any leftovers, remember to pack some up and I'll take them back for Shui Men to try."

The atmosphere immediately became somewhat awkward after those words were spoken.

Even the younger Hizashi could understand the meaning behind those words. Even the Fourth Hokage, Lord Minato, had never eaten in such a place... no, he had never even been to such a place. Yet the heads of the families were enjoying themselves here.

However, Feng Lan quickly smiled again: "But Minato, he's not used to eating delicacies. He's content with just a bowl of ramen. I just wanted him to try something new and know that there are things in this world that taste better than scrambled eggs."

Everyone laughed in agreement, and the atmosphere became more lively again.

The smooth-talking Haiyi spoke first: "Lord Fenglan is right. The Fourth Hokage is very busy and should indeed replenish his energy. I will have someone make another batch and pack it up right away, so that you won't have to make another trip."

"No problem, no problem." Feng Lan narrowed her eyes. "I will definitely deliver it to him exactly as it was."

After giving him a warning, he also expressed his stance: "Inviting me to dinner and currying favor with me is useful, but not entirely. The one who truly sits in the Hokage position is Minato. Just because I'm buying into this doesn't mean Minato is."

This can be considered a hint in some sense. It's impossible to please both sides. Minato and the Third Hokage, you have to choose one side.

Chapter 35 The Aburame Clan's Gamble

Feng Lan's advice was so straightforward that there was no reason for the heads of the various families not to understand it. Hai Yi and Ding Zuo's gazes involuntarily fell on Lu Jiu's face. The pig, deer, and butterflies were of the same ilk, and they trusted Lu Jiu's wisdom very much. Therefore, the decision that Lu Jiu made at this moment was their decision.

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Jiu tentatively spoke, "Lord Fenglan, we have all witnessed your sweeping reforms during this period. To be honest, we invited you here today for two reasons: first, to express our gratitude, and second, to ask you some questions."

"It's not really a question of seeking advice. I don't think I have anything to teach Mr. Lu Jiu, the top strategist." Feng Lan waved his hand. "Please feel free to ask me anything you want."

"So, regarding the new standing army, how does Your Excellency plan to arrange for the young people of the various families?" Shikaku didn't simply mention Ino-Shika-Cho, but Fenglan should understand what he meant.

Feng Lan knew this, but she spoke without revealing any flaws: "Where did you get this idea of ​​'arrangement'? The selection of the new standing army is entirely based on merit. I haven't given anyone special treatment, have I?"

That's true in a sense, but all the Uchiha who got in were regular soldiers, and even the reserve members of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio weren't accepted. Can you say you didn't pull strings?

Feng Lan really dared to say that, because the Uchiha who came in were all top-notch fighters handpicked by Fugaku, all of whom had survived the Third Shinobi World War. Anyone who disagreed could come and fight him. If you could beat him, you could become a regular soldier; if you couldn't, well, that would be embarrassing.

The three of them knew this, which is why they didn't bring up the matter directly.

Ding Zuo, being the straightforward one he was, couldn't help but speak up: "Lord Fenglan, let's be frank. We also want to support the standing new army, but you haven't accepted any of our people, which makes us feel uneasy."

“It’s not that I don’t want to accept them, it’s just that the time isn’t right.” Feng Lan took a sip of wine. “The Uchiha clan sent Shisui and Itachi, and the Hyuga clan sent Hizashi and his son Neji. If you all don’t offer something, things won’t be so easy to handle.”

The three men's expressions immediately changed. This was a pledge of allegiance. Once this pledge was submitted, it was as if they had boarded Feng Lan's ship. Whether they could get off later was another matter, but it would ultimately violate the rule of absolute neutrality among the three families.

But if you don't pay... it's a bit hard to handle when the other party is subtly hostile and targets you in a businesslike manner.

Furthermore, there are examples of both the obedient (Uchiha) and the rebellious (Hyuga) right there. Although the Ino-Shika-Cho trio combined are stronger than the Hyuga, they are ultimately under someone else's thumb and have no choice but to bow their heads.

Hai glanced at Lu Jiu, who nodded, and then said, "Our mountain clan has a young man named Shan Zhongfeng. If Lord Fenglan doesn't mind..."

They had already submitted their pledge of allegiance, but of course, they only submitted one of the three, so that there would be room for maneuver later. Since they couldn't remain absolutely neutral, they at least had to waver and see how things went.

Unexpectedly, Feng Lan interrupted him, saying, "Of course, I'm not completely refusing to accept them. Since the three of you are so willing to support the Fourth Generation Lord's cause, let's call all the young people in the clan over to train with Mr. Dai first. Consider it as getting used to it in advance. When the standing army is expanded, they will naturally have an advantage over others."

Hai's eyes lit up: "Lord Fenglan, you mean..."

“I didn’t say anything,” Feng Lan smiled. “Let’s drink, let’s drink.”

Instead, Lu Jiu frowned. Feng Lan's move of retreating to advance was ruthless. Although it seemed that people from all three families had entered, following Dai for training was not the real reserve force. At most, it was just participating in military training. Whether or not they would be accepted was still up to Feng Lan.

You want to befriend only one of the three of you so you can get along with everyone, right? I can't say for sure; I'll decide whether to accept this group based on your subsequent performance.

And by having the young people of the clan train with Matt Dai, isn't this just a disguised way of having his people train the children of each family? Once the training is over, these young people will have learned Feng Lan's methods, and their hearts will naturally be with Feng Lan.

In other words, in the worst-case scenario, Fenglan might make a huge profit without any investment, taking your people but not giving you any benefits!

Therefore, if you want to be successful in both directions again, you'll have to think twice.

"As for that Yamanaka Fu... a child that Mr. Inoichi cherishes so much must be the future of the clan. How could I possibly leave?" Feng Lan smiled, as if he hadn't just forced the three of them to pledge their loyalty. "Besides, such a genius shouldn't be trained like an ordinary person. The Yamanaka clan focuses on sensory abilities, which doesn't align with physical training. Mr. Inoichi should train him personally."

A hint of disappointment flashed across Haiyi's face, but he quickly regained his smile: "Lord Fenglan is right, I was presumptuous."

There was another person who hadn't participated in the conversation at all, just silently drinking. But after Fenglan refused Yamanaka Fu, Aburame Zhiwei suddenly spoke up: "Lord Fenglan."

"Hmm?" Feng Lan turned her head. "What advice do you have for me, Mr. Zhiwei?"

“I…” Aburame Shiki took a deep breath. “Our Aburame clan also has a young man named Aburame Torune. He is inhabited by the nano-sized, highly toxic insect, Phosphate-Bacteria. If you don’t mind, I will entrust this child to you from now on!”

What?!

This time, Feng Lan was genuinely surprised. The Aburame clan had always had an ambiguous relationship with Danzo, but she never expected that Zhiwei would take the initiative to offer his allegiance at this time. What was this all about?

Is it his recent performance that makes him think that joining his side is better than Danzo, or is it like the Hyuga side, that they've sent another traitor to cause trouble?

However, he quickly regained his composure and returned to his squinting state, not immediately accepting this pledge of loyalty: "Mr. Zhiwei, since you've spoken, I also have something I'd like to ask you."

"Please speak, Lord Fenglan." Aburame nods slightly, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses, making it impossible to discern his emotions.

"How has Lord Danzo been feeling lately?"

Upon hearing this, Zhiwei knew that Fenglan knew about the affair between the Aburame clan and Danzo: "Lord Danzo has been... very quiet lately."

The atmosphere at the table became subtle again. Feng Lan smiled and said, "Lord Danzo is getting old and wants to retire in peace, which is only natural."

"Do you really think someone like Lord Danzo would be content to retire?" Zhiwei asked rhetorically.

"What can Mr. Zhiwei do even if he's unwilling?" Fenglan asked as well.

Zhiwei remained silent and did not give an answer.

Feng Lan wasn't in a hurry to press him. He picked up his wine glass again and spoke in a relaxed tone, as if he were having a chat: "Mr. Zhiwei, I'm not bragging, but I'm a little different from Lord Danzo. I don't throw away the ninja tools I use right away. Instead, I take good care of them so that I can use them again next time."

"Even if those ninja tools are really damaged beyond repair, I will wipe off the bloodstains and carefully keep them, because this will make the usable ninja tools even sharper."