"What does 'eunuch' mean?" Kushina asked, voicing everyone's confusion, as the word 'eunuch' didn't exist in this world.
Seeing that the instructor was about to step forward to stop him, Qian Ren withdrew his foot from Shimura Saburo's face and calmly explained:
"It means a man, but without that thing."
"Ah? Without that thing?" Kushina still didn't understand, her big eyes full of question marks.
Minato, standing nearby, stroked his chin, his brilliant mind quickly working. He tentatively said, "It should mean without the lower part, like the biology we learned in class."
"Ah—!"
Upon hearing this, Kushina's face flushed crimson, and she immediately punched Minato. The girls nearby also chimed in:
"How can you say such things in front of girls, you perverted blonde!"
Minato clutched his instantly swollen face, getting up from the ground with a wronged expression, full of frustration: 'Didn't you all ask, and Qian Ren said it? Why hit me?'
Several classmates who were usually bullied by Shimura Saburo immediately seized the opportunity to kick him while he was down:
"Hahaha, he's so weak. His so-called uncle must also be a weakling. From now on, let's call him Shimura Eunuch!"
"Right, Shimura Eunuch!" Kushina, hearing their words, also quietly echoed.
But as soon as she thought of the deeper meaning of "eunuch," she became both shy and angry, turning to Minato beside her and delivering another punch.
Minato fell to the ground with a thud, on the verge of tears: "You just pick on me because I'm good-tempered, huh?"
Shimura Saburo lay on the ground, listening to the unbridled mockery around him, his gaze fixed on Qian Ren like a venomous snake.
'Damn it! The Uchiha Clan is indeed as my uncle said, an inherently evil clan!'
'Just you wait, Uchiha Qian Ren!'
'I will definitely tell my uncle about this and make you pay!'
Qian Ren completely ignored these clowns.
He spread open his palm, feeling the continuous surge of power within his body, his heart filled with emotion.
"The Uzumaki Clan's physique is amazing! I can fight continuously without any fatigue, my body is full of power!"
"This is what it feels like to be alive!"
After the afternoon sparring class ended.
On the way home from school, Qian Ren and Kushina parted ways at the school gate, agreeing to go see the cherry blossoms together on Sunday afternoon.
Watching the girl's joyful retreating figure, Qian Ren thought, it's also a pleasure to stroll around Konoha with such a cute girl.
Hmm, it's definitely not for any attribute points... The next day at noon.
Qian Ren had just finished making lunch in his rented small house and was about to pick up his chopsticks when a "knock-knock" sounded at the door.
"Who is it? Coming over at lunchtime, you're not here to freeload, are you?" He put down his chopsticks, muttering as he went to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, a pretty and familiar face appeared before him. The person held a slice of watermelon high in her hand, her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled: "Qian Ren, I'm not here to eat for free today. Look, I brought you watermelon!"
The person who came was Uchiha Mikoto.
Qian Ren took a small slice of watermelon from her hand, frowning slightly. A palm-sized piece of watermelon wasn't even enough to get stuck in his teeth.
However, thinking about the world he was in, he felt relieved.
Uchiha Mikoto didn't treat herself as an outsider at all. After handing the watermelon to Qian Ren, she walked into the house on her own, sniffed her small nose, and exclaimed in surprise:
"It smells so good! I knew you'd make something delicious on the weekend. Hurry and show me, what delicacy is it today?"
Qian Ren shook his head and followed her inside.
His parents and Mikoto's parents were very close when they were alive, and the two could be considered childhood sweethearts who grew up together.
Even after Qian Ren's parents died on a mission, their friendship never faded.
Ever since Qian Ren moved out, Mikoto would often come over to "inspect" him, bringing some fruits and snacks, just like today.
Of course, to a large extent, it was also because Qian Ren, as a transmigrator, had cooking skills that far exceeded the average level of this era.
Watching Mikoto eat and praise his cooking non-stop, Qian Ren casually asked, "Mikoto, your house isn't close to mine. Why do you have time to come over today?"
Uchiha Mikoto was the granddaughter of an elder, with a noble status. Her living expenses were far better than his, an orphan.
Mikoto elegantly put down her chopsticks, gave him a resentful look, and after a moment, uttered two words:
"Blockhead!"
She sighed and explained, "Didn't you get first place in last week's practical combat assessment? The clan is distributing subsidies today, and the elders said they want to give you, a genius, a bit more. Grandfather asked me to inform you to come over together after you finish eating."
Qian Ren nodded.
After they finished eating, the two went to the Uchiha Clan meeting room together.
The meeting room was old and gloomy. For the sake of so-called "tradition," it had never been renovated, always giving people a sense of oppression.
By the time they arrived, everyone else had already received their subsidies and left, leaving only Qian Ren.
Qian Ren entered the room alone, as Mikoto didn't need or care for this small subsidy.
In the room, four elders, led by the clan head Uchiha Cangyue, sat upright. Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Cangyue's son, stood beside his father.
Seeing Qian Ren enter and bow, Clan Head Uchiha Cangyue showed a gentle smile: "Qian Ren, the elders are all here today. On one hand, it's to distribute subsidies. On the other hand, we value your talent."
He paused, then dropped a bombshell: "After discussion, we have decided to double your annual subsidy, from 240,000 ryo to 500,000 ryo."
Originally, 240,000 ryo a year, if spent carefully, was barely enough.
However... if the clan head had said he would add a few tens of thousands, it would probably be a good thing, but suddenly doubling it was definitely not simple.
Qian Ren's heart tightened, and he directly asked, "Does the Clan Head have any other arrangements?"
"Hahahaha," Uchiha Cangyue said approvingly to his son Fugaku, "Do you see, Fugaku? This is Qian Ren. At such a young age, his thoughts are so meticulous."
The fourteen-year-old Fugaku, hearing this, also began to seriously observe this clan junior who was a few years younger than him.
But besides looking sturdier than his peers, he didn't seem to have anything special about him.
Uchiha Cangyue continued, "It's like this. I want to cultivate a direct squad for your brother Fugaku, and I want you to join. You can learn from each other and make progress together.
With these extra 200,000 ryo, you'll also be able to cultivate better. This is a good thing for both of you. Uchiha Yakumi, who is one year older than you, has already agreed."
Qian Ren understood instantly.
Simply put, it meant: an extra 200,000 ryo a year, then becoming Fugaku's lackey.
He had thought that the Uchiha Clan Head was chosen by abdication, but it turned out to be hereditary.
If it were anyone else, this might be a shortcut to instant success.
But for Qian Ren, who had a system and deeply disliked Fugaku, this "coward," it was even more disgusting than eating flies.
To avoid becoming enemies with his own son, he would stand by and watch the entire clan be destroyed?
There was clearly an opportunity to fight back, but just to avoid fighting his own son, he caused the destruction of an entire clan.
Also, Qian Ren remembered Mikoto, who had accompanied him earlier... Should he find a way to break her and Fugaku up? After all, she was also his childhood sweetheart, and could she truly be happy with such a guy?
With his thoughts settled, Qian Ren looked up, his sharp gaze directly at Fugaku, and asked coldly:
"The relationship between the clan and the Village has been somewhat tense recently. What are your thoughts on this, Senior Fugaku? I need to confirm whether you are worthy of my allegiance, don't I?"
With one sentence, everyone's attention was focused on Fugaku.
Fugaku knew that this was a double test from his father and the elders. If he answered well, he could not only consolidate his position as heir but also win over Qian Ren, this young talent.
He pondered for a moment, then adopted a demeanor of considering the bigger picture, and said loudly:
"The future of the clan, of course, is to prosper together with the Village. We and the Senju Clan jointly founded Konoha for peace. I believe that the small conflicts we have now will be resolved soon."
As soon as he finished speaking, the clan head and the two dovish elders nodded in satisfaction. This answer was both steady and in line with the clan's current mainstream policy.
"Boring."
Two cold words came from Qian Ren's mouth.
He directly turned around, his back to everyone, his voice not loud, but clearly audible throughout the entire room:
"Since the Second Hokage, the Village has been implementing a policy of isolation and suppression against us Uchiha. If we continue this 'co-prosperity,' the clan will eventually be devoured until not even bones are left!"