This Uchiha Itachi is very lonely

And like this, being able to feel the beauty of nature is a joy for Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Do you enjoy it?

Itachi was silent, from this short sentence, he felt the aging of Sarutobi Hiruzen and his heart that supported Konoha.

The passing of Minato, in addition to the impact on Uchiha and Konoha, also caused a great burden on Sarutobi Hiruzen personally.

"I'm really out of time."

While taking out the Bingliang pill from the ninja bag, Sarutobi Hiruzen said with emotion: "If there are no accidents, this should be the last time I leave the village in my life."

As he spoke, he put Bingliang Pills in his mouth and chewed them.

As long as the war with the country of thunder is not provoked.

He added another sentence in his heart.

"Then why did you give up the choice of the Fifth Hokage and take up the job again?"

Itachi also took out Bingliang Wan and chewed it in his mouth, "Master Orochimaru is still in the village, isn't he?"

At the same time, he could feel a slight change in the expression of Sarutobi Hiruzen who was facing him as he asked this sentence.

But it was only for a moment, when his eyes turned to himself, that complicated expression had disappeared.

"Itachi, we should go."

Hiruzaru Sarutobi refused to answer Itachi's question for the first time, "Time is running out, we have to try our best to get to the surrounding villages before sunset."

While talking, he stood up to warm up, and stopped chatting with Itachi.

But soon, when they started on their way again, Itachi continued to ask about some spiritual matters.

And Sarutobi Hiruzen answered these questions as kindly as yesterday.

However, while answering, he also interspersed with temptation and doubt from time to time.

A full ten days of boring and boring journey, in addition to facing all kinds of sensitive and difficult to answer questions.Only when it comes to some theories of practice, Itachi can gain a little.

The life outside the village is not as beautiful and prosperous as Itachi expected, and it can even be said... dilapidated...

There are a total of three villages that we stayed in along the way. Except for one of the villages, which still has a few traces of people moving, the other two villages are almost completely deserted.

"One Sword"

Judging from the degree of dust falling on the objects in the house, it should have been abandoned for a long time.

Except for these villages, except for people walking around when approaching the official road along the way, Itachi couldn't see other people at all the rest of the time.

Whether it's an ordinary person or a ninja.

Even, the dilapidated small temples, shrines, and temporary post stations along the way... These facilities also look like they have not been repaired or worshiped for a long time.

Except for Konoha's official road leading to Kyoto City, which is flat and wide, everything else does not look like the demeanor that the largest ninja country should have.

People from these villages have all moved away.

Itachi knew the reason in his heart.

Nothing more than that, people have migrated to the so-called "outer city of Kyoto".

And when he and Hiruzaru Sarutobi finally arrived at the outer city area, Itachi also understood why people gathered around here.

The so-called outer city of Kyoto is not an urban area surrounded by tall and majestic walls as imagined by Itachi.

An unremarkable boundary marker defines the scope of the outer city area.

Even, judging from the traces of the boundary marker being nailed into the soil, Itachi felt that the boundary marker should have been inserted for no more than a year.

No registration was required, and there were not even guards. Itachi and Sarutobi Hiruzen walked slowly into the "Outer City of Kyoto".

After entering the outer city area, not only the flow of people has become much denser, but also various public facilities have been repaired.

It was almost evening when we arrived in the outer city.

When passing through the planned cultivation area, Itachi could see that in the nearby fields, mature men who were plowing were carrying hoes, talking and laughing as they returned home.

And in the residential area where every household gathers, every household has a smoke and a bird rising, and amidst the laughter, the children are laughing and playing to welcome the parents who are returning home.

Such a scene is completely different from the dilapidated villages Itachi saw along the way.

It's like being in two different countries.

In addition to these, along the way, Itachi can also see various street signs, guiding pedestrians to different areas.

For example, Bamboo Street, Fire Temple, Kyoto Inner City, Commercial Street, Orange Village, Tono Village...

"It's changed a lot from when I came here a few years ago."

And next to him, Hiruzaru Sarutobi also showed surprise on his face after approaching the capital city, "From when I was a boy, when I was a man, and now, every time I come to this capital city, there will be a difference. emotion."

"But there is only one thought that I have every time, and that is envy."

"When...everyone in Muye Village will be able to live a life like this, peaceful and peaceful."

Chapter 110 Seven: [There are traps everywhere]

Kyoto City is a wonderful city.

Because its city covers almost four-sevenths of the Land of Fire's land, the planning of various areas in the city is reasonable and orderly, and some areas are even named after villages, becoming villages in the city.

The reason is that these villages are all relocated together. According to the policy promulgated by the Daming Mansion, not only can they enjoy the preferential treatment of land purchase or lease, but they can also name them by themselves.

"My lord, Konoha Village is different from Kyoto City."

On the bustling streets in the outer city of Kyoto, an old man and a young man walked forward with a portion of sliced ​​roasted sweet potatoes in their hands.

They are heading to the post station in this area called "Orange Village", intending to find a group of carriage convoys leading to the inner city of Kyoto.

On a continuous and long journey, Sarutobi Hiruzen was full of vitality because of the long-lost ninja life at the beginning.But later, due to age restrictions, it was still a bit overwhelming in terms of physical strength.

So for the next journey, they chose to continue in the form of a carriage.

As for Sarutobi's envy, Itachi expressed his opinion almost without reservation, "Everything in Konoha Village is for better fighting and dealing with foreign enemies, while the strategy of Kyoto City is to maintain development and stability. Therefore, Ye should not be able to achieve the stability of the capital city."

"Itachi, do you know what the Kingdom of Fire was like in the initial period?"

Hiruzaru Sarutobi did not refute these words, but asked kindly.

"The Kingdom of Fire was established during the Warring States period, so it should be very chaotic."

Itachi replied calmly.

But soon, he asked again, "But I have always had a question, how did the daimyo of the Land of Fire obtain the right to own the territory."

This is what he has always been puzzled about.

Tracing back from the origin of ninja, the profession of ninja existed long before the establishment of the Kingdom of Fire in the Warring States Period.

So... how did the daimyo get such a vast territory as an ordinary person when ninjas already existed?

"It was quite chaotic indeed."

Hiruzaru Sarutobi nodded, "These histories are too long, and it is extremely difficult to verify."

"However, it is rumored that the lineage of the Fire Nation's daimyos belonged to the royal relatives of the country of the motherland in ancient times. And the land under our feet is the fief of their lineage."

"In the era of the country of the motherland, the energy of chakra has not yet been discovered. Therefore, ninjas do not exist, and the gap in strength between people on this land is not too great."

He paused at this point, "So strictly speaking, this piece of land has been owned by the Daimyo of the Fire Nation since before the Warring States period, and it is not the territorial ownership that was obtained only when the Warring States period was founded."

"As for why they were able to obtain this territory as ordinary people. In fact, they did not obtain this country during the Warring States Period."

Answering along the way, Hiruzaru Sarutobi has gotten used to Itachi asking questions from time to time.

As a "promise" that has been made, he carefully guided Itachi.

Although... this knowledge has far exceeded the scope of what ninja schools should learn.

Itachi was a little puzzled that Sarutobi Hiruzachi didn't get the words from this country.

What aspects does this sentence refer to?

"They only have the right to own territory, but not the right and ability to control it."

Hiruza Sarutobi continued to explain in a complex tone, "How chaotic the Warring States period was, I don't need me to explain it to you, these contents have been explained clearly in the history chapter of Konoha Ninja Course."

"So based on the situation at the time, although the Daming Mansion claimed to be theirs to own the Land of Fire. But in fact, the scope of their power exercise is only..."

He separated one of the hands holding the sweet potato box, and gestured to the range of "a little bit", "It's about the size of the current Daming Mansion."

"Ninjas don't listen to ordinary people who are weaker than them, and don't recognize the identity of daimyo."

"Similarly, ordinary people in villages and towns scattered across the Land of Fire, regardless of whether they recognize the identity of the daimyo, are forced by the strength of the ninja and the threat to their lives. Most of the time, they will not obey the orders of the daimyo."

That's right.

Itachi nodded, he had guessed about these things in the past.

Even now, the daimyo is not an absolute lord in the Fire Nation, but only as a lord of... "ordinary people".

Although, Itachi has been taught that "power is not absolute", and his father has always wanted to have "wisdom".

In fact, he is very clear that although power is not absolute, it must not be absent.

Strength is the foundation of having the right to speak, and wisdom is the ability to exercise the right to speak, both of which are indispensable.

"Then, the turning point that changed everything and made Kyoto City what it is now should be the establishment of... Konoha?"

Itachi continued to ask.

Although he has guessed many things based on simple historical records, he wants to get actual answers from Sarutobi Hiruzane.

"Yes, but more precisely, it should be an agreement between the previous daimyo and the second generation."

Hiruzaru Sarutobi replied, "In the beginning, whether it was the first generation or the daimyo, they all hoped that the Land of Fire would be stable."

"Therefore, they agreed with each other."

"The Daming Prefecture manages the Land of Fire, and sends various resources and funds to Konoha Village."

"And Konoha will escort the Nation of Fire, so that the Nation of Fire can continue to develop steadily and prosperously."

While talking, they rented a carriage and followed the convoy to the inner city of Kyoto.

"However, after the death of the first generation of adults, the flames of war were once again provoked."

"At that time, the peaceful life in the Land of Fire was once again broken, and countless people in the country were innocently involved in the flames of war. Therefore, the previous generation daimyo and the second generation daimyo negotiated a policy, that is, the relocation of the population and the outskirts of Kyoto. the founding of the city."

"According to the population estimates submitted by the daimyo at that time, the population of the Land of Fire is in the range of 8000 million to 9000 million people."

"It sounds like this population is huge, but in fact, when it corresponds to such a huge territory of the Kingdom of Fire, this population base is much smaller."

"At least, even if these relocation plans hadn't been launched at that time, there were a lot of villages scattered across the Land of Fire. But in fact, when I was young and traveling, it was difficult to see dense crowds along the way."

"Because the land is too big, and the population living under the influence of war is too small."

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat on the carriage, explaining with Uchiha Itachi next to him.

And the sound it made was well isolated under the small enchantment technique, and the groom who was driving could not hear it.

"The First Minister of the Ming Dynasty"

"Therefore, in the fire country daimyo's proposal, "gathering people together is easier to manage", "gathering people together can avoid casualties", "compared to sacrificing the resources brought by the land, the most important thing is to live"... ...After a series of proposals, the second generation adults agreed to this policy. "

"The ideas put forward by the daimyo are very reasonable. On a huge territory, there are scattered population gathering places with "villages" and "towns" as units. Under the turmoil of war, it is difficult for ordinary people to survive. "

"Although the rule on the surface of the ninja world is that ninjas are not allowed to attack civilians at will. But this is the rule on the surface. In the age of wars, examples of burning, killing, and looting towns where civilians live while performing tasks are not uncommon. Quite a few, and it's hard to find evidence to accuse."

"Therefore, this policy was achieved with the promotion of war, morality, etc., and the outer city of Kyoto was established, and as the population gathered, it continued to expand its scope."

"According to the daimyo's simultaneous census records a few years ago, the current population of the Land of Fire has exceeded [-] million, and this is the result of continuous wars in recent years."

At this point in the explanation, Hiruzaru Sarutobi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he stared closely at the child sitting next to him, "Itachi, what do you think of the policies promulgated by the nobles including the daimyo in the Land of Fire?"

"Do you think they...have selfish motives?"

"Have……"

Without hesitation, Itachi Uchiha explained the facts calmly, "But there is no doubt about their contribution to the stability of the Fire Nation."

"Then where do you think his selfishness lies?"

Hiruzaru Sarutobi continued to ask.

"They are trying to expand their... dominance, so that more people in the Nation of Fire can know them and recognize them."