Chapter 222 The Master of Power

Governing a ninja village is difficult. In just two and a half years, Ye Shan realized that he was not up to the task. Orders were often not implemented, and his subordinates were perfunctory, which frightened him. Every day when he opened his eyes, there were a lot of things to deal with, but when he went to bed at night, there were still a lot of things to do. Ye Shan was not a Hokage who took power. He was happy to delegate power, but he could not stand people slacking off, so he fell into an endless vicious cycle.

Take the selection of ninjas stationed in the village as an example. Ye Shan's order was to link points to the whole, but when it was actually implemented, there were only pale and weak points that could not be connected to form a line or a surface. Planning is one thing, and implementing it is another. Good policies without excellent executors are equal to garbage.

When it was completely dark, the beautiful and heroic Uzumaki Kushina walked in. She first glanced at Hayama who was resting with his eyes closed, and then said softly: "Dinner is ready. It's better to eat it while it's hot in the cold weather. Hokage, shall we start now?"

Ye Shan suddenly opened his eyes, and his confusion soon turned into a lively look. Hearing this, he stood up with his hands on the table and said with a smile: "Then let's get started. Minato, you can't be sneaky tonight. You have to accompany old man Gong Yan for a few drinks."

Namikaze Minato smiled bitterly and said, "I really don't like drinking."

"Hey, if you can drink 1 jin or 8 liang, your thinking is not ideal. If you can drink half a jin or 8 liang, you deserve to be trained. Of course, I won't force you to drink, just enjoy it."

Ye Shan held Gong Yan's arm affectionately and said with a smile on his face: "I don't drink alcohol on weekdays, but tonight I will make an exception and drink a few glasses with you."

Gong Yan's wrinkled face relaxed like a chrysanthemum, and he nodded repeatedly in agreement when he heard the words.

The four of them moved to the restaurant, which was located on the westernmost side of the second floor. It was a separate room with ordinary interior decoration but a quiet environment. A faint fragrance could be smelled as soon as one entered.

A round table and four chairs with backrests were all the furniture in the room. Ye Shan pulled Miyahiko to sit at the head seat, while he and Minato sat on the left and right of each other. As for Uzumaki Kushina, she naturally sat beside Minato.

"The meal tonight is very sumptuous!" Ye Shan raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Don't think that you can eat all kinds of delicacies all day long just because you become Hokage. The standard daily meal for Yeshan is just three dishes and one soup. It is not simple but not luxurious either. However, today's dinner is unexpectedly sumptuous.

A total of eight dishes and one soup were cleverly placed on the round table, including stir-fried kidney, sea cucumber with scallions, steamed bear paw, crispy roast duck, tempura, braised beef, crystal tofu, steamed grouper, and pigeon soup. It was truly luxurious.

Among these dishes, except for tempura which is an authentic Ninja dish, the rest are "created" by Hayama. To be honest, the local dishes are really hard to swallow. After becoming Hokage, Hayama also had a burst of cooking ideas and created a unique way of eating on Earth.

"Minato is thoughtful. It's rare that you still remember what dishes I like to eat."

Minato nodded with a smile and said: "Then you are just being sentimental. These are what I like to eat, otherwise they would not be served on the table."

Ye Shan laughed and reached out to pick up the bottle from the table to pour the wine, but Kushina beat him to it, so he had to give up.

"Uncle, you should eat more and don't be restrained. Just treat it like your own home."

Gong Yan put his hands under the table, staring at the dishes and nodded. Seeing that he was really hungry, Ye Shan didn't waste any words. He stood up and served him a bowl of pigeon soup and said, "Come on, drink some soup to moisten your stomach first."

The dinner was held in an inconspicuous restaurant. Ye Shan drank a lot of wine and food but didn't eat much, so he was the first to put down his chopsticks. Seeing this, Gong Yan quickly put away his chopsticks, thinking it was a rule, which made Ye Shan laugh and say, "You continue eating, I'm full."

"Ah?" Gong Yan asked in surprise, "How much did you eat? Are you full already?"

It's no wonder that Gong Yan was surprised. Ye Shan's appetite now is really small. At his age, he is still able to eat a lot, so it wouldn't be surprising even if he had another bowl of rice.

"I'm really full, feel free to eat." Ye Shan waved his hand.

Unexpectedly, Gong Yan was stunned there, and under the gaze of the three people, he shed a few tears, and his tone was filled with sadness: "Are you really full?"

"real."

"woooooo"

Gong Yan leaned over the table and choked up, leaving Ye Shan at a loss. He quickly patted her on the back and asked in a gentle voice, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Wuwuwu," Gong Yan cried, "Lord Hokage is a young man but can't eat much. According to our customs, a young man who doesn't eat much means he won't live past 40. What will we do once you're gone?"

This custom is not made up by Gong Yan. Once a person's appetite decreases, it means that his metabolism is not good, and it is really easy for him to die in his prime.

Ye Shan felt warm in his heart. Not many people cared about him anymore, especially after he stood at the pinnacle of power: "It's okay, old man. I know my own body. Living another fifty years is not a problem at all. Don't worry."

Gong Yan gradually recovered, but he had no appetite. He just drank glass after glass, and the atmosphere at the dinner table became awkward.

Namikaze Minato raised his wine glass and smiled at Gong Yan, "Old man, I toast you and wish you good health!"

The two exquisite wine glasses clinked together, and Gong Yan drank it hesitantly, obviously having something to say.

"Feel free to tell me anything you want to say, but is there anything you need help with that is unfair?" Minato asked.

Gong Yan shook his head and looked at Ye Shan beside him seriously, as if he wanted to engrave his expression in his heart, and slowly said: "I am just a bitch. If it weren't for the Hokage's grace, I would have died long ago. I have a few words in my heart that make me feel depressed."

Ye Shan poured a glass of wine, picked it up and said, "Just say it."

"Then I'll tell you!" Gong Yan drank the wine in the glass, stretched out his hand to wipe his mouth and said: "It is my blessing to meet someone as kind-hearted as the Hokage, but I also know that the Hokage is in a difficult situation. If you are too tired, forget it. It's just a few people who deserve to die."

Ye Shan frowned and said nothing. After a long while, he also drank the wine in one gulp, threw it on the table, and said firmly: "It is my policy to help farmers. Who in the village dares to say no? You can live your life in peace, the rest is not a problem!"

Miyahiko sighed, slowly stood up without saying anything, bowed deeply and walked out of the restaurant. Uzumaki Kushina hurriedly got up and chased after him, leaving Hayama and Namikaze Minato staring at the dishes in silence.

The howling cold wind outside the house was hitting the window, which made people feel upset. Not long after, Kushina came in again and nodded to indicate that everything had been arranged.

Ye Shan stood up, picked up the tilted wine glass, put it in front of his eyes and played with it, his eyes were filled with gloom.

Namikaze Minato reached out his hand and picked up a piece of fish, put it into his mouth and chewed it. After a while, he said happily: "This fish is good. It was sent by the Water Country early in the morning. Yeshan, you should try it too."

The Land of Water was conquered and crippled by Uchiha Fugaku two years ago. Now it stays on the island and licks its wounds. From time to time, it sends fresh seafood as a sign of respect, which is one of the benefits of becoming powerful.

Ye Shan picked up the fish and put it to his mouth, but he had no appetite, so he put it down and took out a cigarette and lit it.

Minato took a few bites of fish, put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth and said nonchalantly: "Many opponents in the village are not really resisting anything. They think that the most urgent task is to end the Ninja World War, not to help farmers or develop ninjutsu. Don't take it too seriously."

"Haha!" Ye Shan sneered, his voice as cold as winter: "I can't hide their thoughts from me, they are just planning for the long term."

"But think about it, Minato. How many things in this world have been ruined by the four words 'take the long-term view'!"

"They are testing me, testing my bottom line as the Hokage! It seems that I was too gentle before, making them think that they are the Kage of Konoha!"

Minato sighed and said, "You are indeed too impatient. Moreover, this is the first time that you have to compete with the daimyo for profit. It is normal for some people to oppose it."

"That's why I'm angry!" Ye Shan sneered, "What does the Daimyo's interests have to do with them? Aren't they trying to evade me just to please me?"

"But it's too hasty. The war isn't over yet!" Minato, who always had a good temper, raised his voice. As one of the rulers of Konoha, he naturally discovered the problem: "People die in battle every day on the front line. They will inevitably be angry about what you are doing now! Ye Shan, tell me clearly tonight, why are you doing this?"

"Sometimes I really can't guess what you're thinking. You're giving up your job as Hokage to do something weird like helping farmers. What do you want to do?"

Uzumaki Kushina pulled at Minato's collar, but he pushed her away, her tone becoming more intense: "Do you really want to break the one village, one country system in order to surpass the Third Hokage?"

This is the crux of the matter. The purpose of the opponents in the village is to maintain the one village, one country system, and there is no other ridiculous reason at all.

"Hehehe" Ye Shan laughed and poked the cigarette butt into the plate fiercely: "I have already surpassed the Third Hokage's achievements when I killed the Raikage and Tsuchikage! As for what I want to do, others don't know, do you need to ask me?"

"Yes, I have become the Hokage. I have the final say on all matters in Konoha Village. I can freely exert my vigorous energy in the village and dress up Konoha Village as I want. Why should I bother with some policy to help farmers? Isn't it better to sit in the office and drink tea, smoke and approve documents? Isn't it better to exploit ninjas and civilians? There is no need to be a disgusting reformer!?"

Yes, this is also the voice of many people. You, Baiyun Yeshan, have already become the Hokage, why can't you play those political games like Sarutobi Hiruzen? Why do you still have to give up our interests to those untouchables? Haven't you succeeded? Haven't you already taken revenge? Haven't you already dominated the ninja world?

We ninjas put our heads on our belts and fight all day long, isn't it just for our wives and children to be rich and powerful in the future? Isn't it just to enjoy the offerings of the daimyo in peace? Why do you, Baiyun Yeshan, have to poop in the pot after you are full to disgust us? You killed the daimyo, do you want us ninjas to farm and collect rent? Isn't it better to live an honest life behind closed doors in the village? What do those untouchables have to do with us?

Ye Shan stood up, stared into Minato's eyes and said word by word: "But I will make trouble and change! Because I am different from you. I am a person who has truly suffered and endured hardships. I know the hardships of the lower class! You are human beings, and the lower class people are also human beings! They also have their own thoughts, their own lives, their own wives and children. You want to live a life of luxury, and they want it too!"

At this point, Ye Shan slumped down in his chair exhaustedly, stretched out his hand and gestured, "In fact, we only need to give up a little bit of our interests to allow them to survive decently. It's really just a little bit!"

"But you guys don't even want to do this little bit!"

Minato smiled instead of getting angry, clapped his hands and praised: "Yayama, you know what? I actually don't accept you from the bottom of my heart, even if you become the Hokage that I have always dreamed of! I just don't accept you, because I think I can do better than you!"

Minato stood up, half-knelt respectfully in front of Ye Shan, and said very seriously: "But tonight I am convinced, or rather, I have been convinced since the policy to help farmers was introduced! Because you are different, you have really become the master of power instead of a slave!"

Those who control power and manage things are called slaves of power; those who control power and change things are called masters of power! The gap between them is huge, so huge that some people cannot cross it in their lifetime.

Ye Shan pulled Minato up, and the two held hands tightly together: "Minato, are you willing to do the dirty work?"

"I don't think this is a dirty and tiring job. On the contrary, there is no cleaner job in the world!" Minato said with a smile.

"Well, well said!" Ye Shan laughed heartily: "I should drink a big glass of wine at this moment!"

So, they really drank a large glass of wine under the witness of Kushina, which was enough to make a normal person drunk, and then they all got drunk with laughter.

Time passes slowly, and even the most eternal things will be corroded. The things we swear to engrave in our hearts and never forget will always fade away in our nagging and trivialities. This is the magic of time and its charm. Because of this, some people insist on pursuing their dreams, which makes them precious.

A person’s most glorious moment is not when he achieves success, but when he pursues his dreams and shows his original intention, and it is also when he holds his head high and says “qnmd” loudly in adversity.

Ye Shan is a successful man. He could have used the power he had acquired to pursue fame and fortune, to be ambitious, to act recklessly, and to enjoy life, but he chose another path.

It is easier said than done to damage the interests of some people and distribute them to other people!

Knowing that something is impossible but still doing it is a noble quality. For Ye Shan, it seems to follow him throughout his life.

Knowing that it is impossible but doing it anyway is exactly what Ye Shan wants to do and will do.