Yes, the Hokage

"As for why I didn't poison you that night... to be honest, it was to prevent this possibility from happening now." Feng Lan shrugged. "If I had poisoned you, you would definitely turn against me. Although you wouldn't fight back, you obviously wouldn't continue to serve me. Since I want to use you as a bodyguard, I naturally have to consider your feelings."

Although what he said was harsh, Shisui still sensed respect in it. After all, no one else would care about the feelings of a shadow guard. As the name suggests, he was just his master's shadow and had no right to have any self-awareness.

"As for the Third Hokage..." Feng Lan leaned back in his chair, a position more comfortable for him as he was still quite weak. "Are you praising me or belittling him by comparing me to him?"

"Huh?" Shisui was taken aback, clearly not expecting Fenglan to say that.

"The Third Hokage was a hero who protected Konoha, a true Hokage, while I was just an advisor to the Hokage, a shadow who clung to Minato's coattails to reap benefits. If you want to make a comparison, you should compare Minato with the Third Hokage. I am not qualified to do so, understand?"

"As for your past admiration for him, it's normal for your idealized image to shatter now. The Third Hokage wasn't a god; he was just an ordinary person. Humans have emotions and desires. The Hokage needs to be portrayed as a lofty idol to intimidate enemies and appease villagers. But what about his true identity after stripping away this myth?"

He shrugged: "Minato is a goofball who can't even get scrambled eggs when his wife isn't home. He gets drunk after just three drinks. Although he's always unhappy with some of my actions, I often manage to outwit him... That's what he is as a human being, but that doesn't stop him from being a war hero who protected the village, the fearsome Yellow Flash, our Fourth Hokage."

"So personally, I think it's okay if the idol filter is shattered. As the saying goes, worship is the furthest distance from understanding, but there's no need to think that the Third Hokage is a bad person because of it. Like I said, the world isn't black and white, but rather..."

He flicked his fingers: "A touch of exquisite gray."

Shisui fell silent again, clearly not expecting Fenglan to speak well of the Third Hokage at this moment. Shouldn't he have taken the opportunity to belittle the other party and completely pull himself into his camp?

He simply couldn't fathom this man's thought process.

"Then, what about Mr. Dai?"

“Dai…” Feng Lan rarely showed a complicated expression. “Dai is a good person, much better than me. There’s nothing shameful about you not being able to be like him, because there aren’t many people in this world who are as pure as him.”

“I think Dai’s strengths and weaknesses can be summarized in one sentence: he never thinks too much.” Feng Lan also said a lot for the first time. “If you can’t win, there’s nothing you can do because the opponent is a genius. This kind of thinking is the first reaction of most people when they encounter an insurmountable opponent.”

"Because rather than trying to overcome obstacles and recognizing one's own shortcomings, people are more willing to protect their fragile and ridiculous self-esteem."

“But Dai and Kai don’t have that mentality. They can face their shortcomings frankly without feeling ashamed, and they will never be discouraged by one or two failures.”

Shisui recalled Dai Wannian's title of Genin. Despite possessing such immense power, he willingly acted as a Genin, completely unconcerned about the ridicule from the villagers, and remained incredibly optimistic every day.

"And another thing," Feng Lan continued, "most people prefer a wide variety of choices. For example, they can't stand long periods of monotonous studying or exercising, and even the most fun game will get boring after a while. They might even be looking for something better when dating..."

"However, there are a few people who, once they set their mind on something, will never give up and have an absolutely tenacious spirit of never giving up until they achieve their goal. Dai is a person with this spirit. He can devote all his energy to a thing without hesitation and does not feel bored, tired or troubled at all. He even finds it very enjoyable."

Zhi Shui frowned: "It sounds a bit like single-threaded."

“Yes, it’s single-threaded.” Feng Lan said, a slight smile appearing on his face. “But this single-threaded approach may have taken him further than any of us on the path of a ninja.”

Without external assistance, Shisui would have stopped at the Mangekyou Sharingan. Although his Kotoamatsukami was overpowered, it required eye contact and had a cooldown period of over ten years.

The Eight Gates technique of Might Guy becomes stronger as his physique improves. To use the original story as a reference, Guy was exhausted after using just one Morning Peacock at the beginning of Shippuden, but by the Fourth Shinobi World War, he could use Daytime Tiger followed by Daytime Tiger, with high damage from both hands.

Currently, the top general under Fenglan's command is not Shisui, nor even Obito, but Might Guy.

"We've gotten a bit off-topic." Seeing that Shisui seemed somewhat unconvinced, Fenglan summarized at the right moment, "What I mean is, there's no need to compare yourself to Dai or anyone else. You are you, the unique Uchiha Shisui. If you choose to stay, then stay. You don't need to find reasons like faith or loyalty for yourself. Staying and doing what you're supposed to do is enough for me."

"So……"

Shisui hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help asking, "Lord Fenglan, do you trust me?"

Feng Lan was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "Your question is a little more sophisticated than the previous ones, but the answer may disappoint you. I don't trust anyone, including Minato."

Upon hearing this, Shisui's heart sank.

“But I will entrust my life to Minato, give you a very important task, and carry the future of the Uchiha on Obito’s shoulders. This is not called trust, but division of labor. A person like me will never trust anyone, but distrust does not mean we cannot cooperate, because trust is emotion, and cooperation is rationality. I believe more in rationality.”

“If you absolutely need an answer…” Feng Lan stretched and stood up again. “I won’t ask you to trust me like Dai did, nor will I require you to choose me like Fugaku did. You just need to do your job well, and I will naturally do mine. As for the rest of the time, I will tell you the answer. As I just said, you are the one and only Uchiha Shisui. Your answer must be derived by your own thinking, not given to you or instilled in you.”

After saying that, he curled his lip. When did it become his turn to give philosophy lectures to others? He'd rather think about what to eat for lunch.

Hmm... let the chef make scrambled eggs. Minato was saying yesterday that he wanted to eat Kushina's scrambled eggs.

As he thought this, he reached for the empty teacup, but found nothing.

Looking up, Shisui had already skillfully brewed the tea and placed it on his table before returning to his proper position as a Shadow Guard.

Feng Lan's lips curled up slightly as she picked up her cup and took a sip.

Hmm...surprisingly sweet.

Chapter 34 The Invitation of the Ino-Shika-Cho Trio

If cutting off the Root organization's finances and manpower was a warning to others, then capturing Orochimaru was an absolute show of force. Now, the major clans were truly uneasy. Whether it was reducing redundancy in the middle ranks or establishing a standing new army, the Fourth Hokage was serious.

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 these words—even the Fourth Hokage, Lord Minato, had never eaten here before… no, he had never even been to a place like this, 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 his reprimand, he also made his stance clear at the right time—inviting me to dinner to curry favor is useful, but not entirely so, but the one who truly sits in the Hokage position is Minato. Just because I'm being played along 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—of course, only one of the three should submit, so that there would be room for maneuver later. Since they couldn't remain absolutely neutral, they should at least have 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.