The next day.
The Daimyo's palace in the Land of Wind was in an uproar.
All the ministers were shocked. During the daily morning court assembly, everyone saw the Daimyo, or more accurately, a pile of rotten flesh and the Daimyo's head lying on the ground.
The room was filled with a foul stench, so bad it could make anyone vomit their breakfast.
Shingen was the last to arrive. His face showed neither joy nor sorrow. Looking at this scene, his heart was very calm. The attending court ministers couldn't help but nod inwardly, praising his reaction in their hearts.
Truly the chief advisor. Seeing such a scene, he remained completely unruffled. He really is a capable minister for governing the world. Seeing this, everyone asked, "My lord, what should we do now? The Daimyo is dead. Which young lord should we support to inherit the Daimyo's position?" One of the advisors close to Shingen asked.
Shingen glanced at him but did not speak. He continued to stare calmly at everything, as if pondering something. Then, Advisor 2 spoke up. "Now that the Daimyo is dead, on one hand, we must mobilize the entire nation's strength and hire Sunagakure shinobi to jointly find the murderer and avenge the Daimyo!"
"On the other hand, we must also select the next Daimyo to inherit the affairs of the Daimyo's palace. The country cannot be without a Daimyo for even a day. The Fourth Young Lord is known throughout the land for his gentleness, respect, frugality, and humility, and for his great wisdom. Therefore, I suggest we select the Fourth Young Lord as the new Daimyo of the Land of Wind."
Advisor 2's voice was thunderous, drawing the attention of all the advisors present. Some advisors had a gleam in their eyes. That's right, let the Fourth Young Lord succeed. Surely the Land of Wind would be better off!
But then Shingen turned to face Advisor 2 directly. Advisor 2 also looked at him. In that moment, Advisor 2 seemed to see a wolf, a king with supreme authority and power!
"Kashika Takeshi, I find that unsuitable." Shingen spoke lightly. His gaze towards Kashika Takeshi (Advisor 2) carried malice, brutality, obstinacy, and madness.
The advisors who were part of Shingen's faction immediately stood up and gathered behind Shingen, jointly confronting Kashika Takeshi. In their eyes, following the chief advisor was infinitely better than following the Daimyo or Kashika Takeshi's group!
Kashika Takeshi broke out in a cold sweat instantly. But the ideology of loyalty to the lord in his mind told him he could not back down. This was for the country, for the people of the Land of Wind. He could not retreat!
"Might I ask, Chief Advisor, what is unsuitable about it!" Kashika Takeshi steeled himself and spoke firmly.
Shingen smiled. He pointed at Kashika Takeshi. "Have you forgotten what this guy did? Monopolies, buying low and selling high made the people's lives miserable. The relationship between the Daimyo's palace and Sunagakure broke down. More importantly, they offended the strongest shinobi in the world, Uchiha Ryun!"
Shingen's choice of words was very telling; he used 'this guy' instead of 'the Daimyo'. The minds of the ministers were in turmoil. They all began to have a suspicion. The advisors of Shingen's faction now had shining eyes.
Kashika Takeshi trembled all over as he looked at Shingen. This man's treacherous ambition was now clear for all to see! He wanted to usurp power!
"He is a sinner of our Land of Wind. Now the Land of Wind faces internal troubles and external threats, one after another. If we again appoint the son of the sinner, a sinner's bloodline, to rule the entire Land of Wind, then it won't be long before the Land of Wind collapses completely. By then, we will all become dust, disappearing from the shinobi world!"
"I ask you all, can you accept this result? Your families, your friends, your children are all in the Land of Wind. When Uchiha Ryun comes to settle accounts, not a single one of you will escape!"
Shingen's words were deafening. Even the neutral faction began to waver. Although they felt it didn't matter who became Daimyo, that was under one premise: that they could live decently and safely.
Although Shingen's words were somewhat exaggerated, everyone present knew that Uchiha Ryun was not an easy person to deal with. This purge of the Daimyo's palace might very well have Konoha's hand in it.
Because they smelled that stench of rotten meat and spoiled fruit. If Uchiha Ryun truly intended to settle scores, then the bloodline of the Land of Wind's Daimyo absolutely could not remain in this position!
Thinking of this, the neutral faction's eyes became determined. "We hope Lord Shingen will inherit the will of the Land of Wind's ancestors, rule the Land of Wind, and protect its people, so they can live and work in peace and contentment!"
The advisors of Shingen's faction were even more direct. "We request Lord Shingen to immediately ascend to the throne and rule the Land of Wind in place of the Daimyo!"
Kashika Takeshi trembled as he looked at these traitors stealing the country filling the room. "You! The former master treated you well. Now, because of a few baseless words from Shingen, you betray your former master and support a treacherous usurper as your lord. Do you feel no shame in your hearts?"
Shingen did not answer. Instead, he waved his hand. Advisors from his faction moved forward and beat Kashika Takeshi to the ground. Seeing this, the other ministers joined in. Kashika Takeshi fell into a pool of blood, his eyes fixed tightly on Shingen's back, unwilling to look away for even a step.
"Enough! Stop!" After Shingen spoke, everyone present stopped and moved behind Shingen. Shingen turned around. They made way for him. Shingen looked down at the beaten Kashika Takeshi, who now resembled a dog, squatted down, and said.
"I know you are loyal to your lord and love your country. But is it not loyalty to be loyal to any lord? I admire you. As long as you are willing to support me, from now on, you will be the chief advisor, equal to my former position!" Shingen's eyes held a strange meaning as he looked at Kashika Takeshi.
Unexpectedly, Kashika Takeshi gathered his strength and spat a bloody phlegm onto Shingen's face. Shingen's eyelids twitched. He understood Kashika Takeshi's choice.
"I would rather die than yield. The former master treated me well. Since he is dead and the country has been usurped, then I should follow him in death!" Kashika Takeshi laughed heartily.
Shingen wiped his face. Then he pulled the long sword out of the Daimyo's body, walked to stand over Kashika Takeshi, gripped the sword with both hands, roared, and plunged it through Kashika Takeshi's heart!
Kashika Takeshi's eyes widened, his whole body trembled, and then his muscles suddenly relaxed. There was no more sound. His eyes stared at the traitors stealing the country in the room, refusing to close even in death.
After delivering this strike, Shingen's body curved, his hands resting on the sword's hilt. His gaze was like that of a hawk or a wolf, scanning the ministers as he breathed heavily. "Historian, step forward!"
The historian hesitated slightly, but finally stepped forward slowly.
"Write this. Kashika Takeshi disrespected his ancestors, acted rebelliously, and was executed within the Daimyo's palace!" Shingen's gaze was predatory. He had already killed his own wife. After all these years, he had no sons. So now he was a madman, a madman who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
The historian trembled all over. He was about to speak, to refuse, but a colleague behind him pulled his sleeve. "Do you have a death wish! Agree to it quickly!"
Finally, the historian sighed. "As you command!"
Shingen snorted coldly, glanced at him, then pulled the long sword from Kashika Takeshi's body and slowly walked towards the Daimyo's throne. As he passed the Daimyo's corpse, he even spat on it. Everyone present, except for Shingen's faction, sighed.
Shingen sat on the Daimyo's throne. He spoke. "Since the ministers wish me to rule the Land of Wind, though Shingen is lacking in virtue and talent, I ask for your full support!"
Everyone prostrated themselves on the ground. No one cared about the Daimyo's corpse or Kashika Takeshi's corpse. Instead, they pledged their loyalty.
"My first decree: immediately seal the news within the Daimyo's palace. Also, Mato, you go take control of the military authority. Take this decree, lead troops, and slaughter the entire Daimyo's bloodline. Leave not a single one. If even one escapes, I will take the life of one of your family members!" Shingen shouted!
Mato knelt and received the decree. "Your subject Mato will surely share your worries, Daimyo!" After speaking, he took the decree and left. It bore the Daimyo's seal, so even the military commanders could find no fault with it.
"Second decree: Publicize all the evidence of the Daimyo's crimes that you have collected. Let the common people know what our fine Daimyo has been doing!" Shingen laughed again.
"The more evidence you collect, the higher your official position, the higher your salary. If your official position cannot be raised further, then let the favor extend to your descendants! Let them enter the court and become officials early!" Shingen was the chief advisor, so he naturally knew what these officials thought about: promotion and wealth.
As for loyalty and righteousness, how much were they worth?
All the ministers present were moved. Not only did the advisors of Shingen's faction start speaking out, but even the neutral officials, hearing this, began to have a gleam in their eyes. Favor for descendants, arranging jobs in advance!
And so, all the advisor ministers, ignoring Kashika Takeshi and the dead Daimyo, began to list their crimes continuously. They even fabricated some crimes, making them sound incredibly detailed.
The historian gritted his teeth and began recording these crimes. Shingen crossed his legs, looked into the distance, and thought to himself, "Daimyo, I will send your entire family down to keep you company, neat and tidy!"
In less than six hours, Mato returned, covered in blood. Though a civil official, he was now filled with a murderous aura. Shingen did not speak. Mato knelt on the ground. "I report to the Daimyo, all members of the former Daimyo's bloodline have been executed. Not a single one remains!"
Shingen laughed. "Hahahahaha, good, well done!"
"And the military authority..." Shingen said lightly, looking at Mato. Mato handed the military authority seal to Shingen. After Shingen received the seal, his expression turned fierce. "Guards! Seize this traitor who betrayed his master and joined the enemy!"
As soon as Shingen finished speaking, five hundred samurai appeared, immediately pressed Mato to the ground, and gagged him.
"Now the former master and his entire family have been killed by villains. I, bearing the will of the Sun Goddess, inherit the great lineage, and avenge the former master's family. Do you say I am fit to be this Daimyo!" Shingen spoke again.
The ministers knelt, bowing their heads in submission. Mato could only make muffled sounds as the soldiers held him down, his eyes filled with venom as he looked at Shingen. Shingen naturally knew this man could not be kept alive. So he said, "Drag him out and execute him immediately. His family, wife, children, young and old, leave not a single one!" After speaking, Shingen held the military transfer seal and left the Daimyo's palace.
"By the way, have someone come clean up later. This room stinks too much!" Shingen waved his hand, his face full of disgust. The ministers bowed again and acknowledged the order!
And so, the Land of Wind truly became as Uchiha Ryun had said. Shingen usurped power, the Daimyo's bloodline was wiped out, and the sky of the Land of Wind changed completely from this moment on.
Konoha
Uchiha Ryun received the report from the spy and smiled. Just as expected, it happened just as he predicted. However, a mere Daimyo of the Land of Wind was not enough to attract his attention. Let them cause a stir.
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