Chapter 287: Meet Weiting

The snow fell heavier and heavier, and the number of pedestrians on the street gradually decreased. When the warmth in people's hearts faded away, they returned to their respective jobs, devoting their remaining energy. It can be expected that the evening dishes must be more sumptuous than usual. After all, ordinary and dull life also needs some seasoning.

Uchiha Keiji's home is located in the center of the Uchiha clan's territory. His grandfather's generation has settled here. After three generations of management, it is not only large in scale, but also equipped with fish ponds, rockery gardens and corridors. The interior decoration is even more magnificent.

This is the heritage of the wealthy families in the ninja world. If they only have gorgeous decorations, they can be considered nouveau riche at best. But the plum trees in the courtyard that emit fragrance, the goldfish swimming leisurely in the fish pond, the incense burners placed in the corridors, and the exquisite wind chimes hanging under the entrance all show the aesthetic taste of the owner. It not only shows their strong financial resources nakedly, but also hints at their cultural foundation in subtle places.

Don't ever think that ninjas only know how to fight and kill. The real old families emphasize the cultivation of both martial virtues and literary virtues. In the Warring States Period, they required their members to kill the enemies on horseback and govern the country on foot. Otherwise, how could such a vast territory be in order?

In the entire Konoha Village, only the Uchiha and Hyuga clans maintained the architectural style of the Warring States Period. They built elegant courtyards on their clan lands, rejected high-rise buildings and some modern products, and stubbornly lived the life of their ancestors. The ancestral hall of the Uchiha clan is even more mysterious and ancient. All the clan members are proud to have their portraits placed in the ancestral hall, which in turn promotes the clan's martial spirit.

Uchiha Keiji's three sons had been standing outside the gate early in the morning, looking forward to it. They were about the same age as Yeshan and the others, wearing Konoha's standard vests with the Uchiha clan emblem embroidered on the arms. When they saw the Hokage and his party coming from afar, they did not dare to delay and went forward to greet them.

They naturally knew the heir of the mansion. After exchanging pleasantries, Ye Shan said, "Today, regardless of our positions, we will all address each other by our first names. There is no need for those annoying formalities. Just relax."

Although he said so, how could Uchiha Keiji take it seriously? The leader said that, but the rules still had to be followed. The so-called social etiquette was just like that.

"You're right. We haven't had a simple meal together for a long time. We must enjoy it today."

Ye Shan smiled and nodded, and was the first to step over the high threshold and walk in. Behind him were Uchiha Fugaku and Namikaze Minato. The owner of the place, Uchiha Keiji, became the last person. As for his three sons, they were not even qualified to enter through the main gate.

There are many twists and turns, pavilions and waterside pavilions along the way. Even though Ye Shan had been here several times, he almost got lost. A few people walked to a small pavilion in the center of the fish pond. After sitting down in order, Ye Shan smiled and said, "This place is a good choice. We can watch the snow scene up close, which is much better than indoors."

Although it is called a small pavilion, it is actually quite large. It is 30 square meters in size, which is more than enough to accommodate four people. There is a table, four official hat chairs, and only a few plum blossoms that have just been picked to decorate the pavilion, adding a bit of warmth. The pavilion is surrounded by transparent glass, and the scenery outside the pavilion is unobstructed. What is even more surprising is that it is not cold at all inside, and it is even warm enough to make people sweat.

Ye Shan took off his shoes and felt them for a while before suddenly realizing, "There's actually a floor heating system under the pavilion. I was wondering why it's so comfortable!"

Uchiha Keiji chuckled and said, "Hokage-sama is very knowledgeable. There are not many people in the whole village who know the earth dragon."

There really aren't many. The Fire Country has a superior geographical location. It's true that there is snowfall in winter, but it doesn't need heating. Naturally, few people know about earth dragons. But Ye Shan is a real northerner who has slept on a kang since he was a kid, so how could he be unfamiliar with floor heating?

"This pavilion is called Jianwei. It was my grandfather's favorite pavilion when he was alive. Whenever it rained or snowed, he would hold me here and sit quietly. I still remember that I couldn't stay still at that time. I would clamor to go out and play after sitting for a few minutes. I was really naughty. More than ten years ago, my grandfather died in the Kingdom of Thunder. In order to commemorate him, my father rebuilt the pavilion, and now it has been passed to me in the blink of an eye."

Uchiha Keiji stood up and poured tea for the three of them, and spoke slowly and leisurely about the past, as if tea was falling from the spout of a pot, but the emotions revealed between his words were moving.

"Jianwei Pavilion, what a great name!" Ye Shan praised, "As the saying goes, seeing the big picture from the small details, the Uchiha clan is the most famous ninja clan in the world with their pupil techniques, so this name is very appropriate."

"It's just an old story. Lord Hokage, just listen to it. Please have some tea!"

Ye Shan took a sip from the teacup and said, "Forgetting the past is equal to betraying the future. The prosperity of Konohagakure today is inseparable from the selfless dedication of our ancestors. We must live in the present, but we must also keep the past firmly in mind."

Namikaze Minato smiled and said, "What the Hokage said is very true. People are impetuous nowadays and they are eager for quick success. Sometimes it is a good thing to take some time to think about the hard days in the past."

"There is no Hokage here, only our good friend Baiyun Yeshan. We should keep it simple in private."

Uchiha Fugaku put down the teacup in his hand, took out a pack of cigarettes from his arms and scattered them around, saying, "Try it all. This is a new product designed by the New Rain Country Cigarette Factory. It is unique outside."

Ye Shan put the cigarette under his nose and sniffed it, saying: "The New Rain Country is getting better and better. Now it has its own cigarette factory. Fugaku, you have made an indelible contribution!"

"That's nothing," Uchiha Fugaku said with a smug smile, "By October next year at the latest, the machinery factory in the New Rain Country will be able to produce its own agricultural chakra tractor. By then, modern farming will no longer be an empty talk."

"While developing productivity, we must remember not to neglect ideological and cultural construction. The ultimate goal of our new policy is to bring new ideas and a new life to the people. A lame person is doomed to not go far. It is better to walk slowly now than to become a malformed person with poor development."

"I was just about to report this to you. The literacy campaign in the New Rain Country has come to a successful conclusion. How should we proceed with cultural construction next?"

After thinking for a moment, Ye Shan said, "This matter cannot be rushed. Konoha should not directly intervene in the leadership. It is better to play a guiding role. A person's thinking cannot be changed in a short period of time. First of all, they must understand their own role positioning. What I said at the first plenary meeting of the Ninjutsu Research Association about uniting the middle and lower classes is not empty talk. The third plenary meeting will be held soon. I plan to add representatives of the people to the presidium and decision-making level to let them participate in management. What do you think?"

The presidium of the Ninjutsu Research Association consists of only three people, namely, Hayama Shirogane, Minato Namikaze, and Fugaku Uchiha. On this basis, the decision-making level has three more people, namely, Keiji Uchiha, Hiashi Hyuga, and Mizuno Tsukigahara. Under Hayama's reform, the power structure of Konoha Village is equivalent to the structure of the Ninjutsu Research Association, which means that these six people have the final say on all matters of Konoha Village.

Namikaze Minato frowned and said hesitantly, "Is it too hasty? The people's representatives are good at farming. They have never participated in the affairs of the ninja village. I am worried that it will cause unnecessary trouble."

Ye Shan leaned back in his chair, exhaled smoke and said, "We have the final say on the affairs of the Ninja Village. The people's representatives are mainly responsible for the local administrative construction. The two are not related."

Uchiha Keiji added: "What about the old party? They will definitely not accept it in their hearts, and it will be embarrassing if they make trouble."

"I have given them all the minerals produced by the Whirlpool Country every day. If they are still greedy, I will take care of them myself."

After that, Ye Shan stood up and walked to the glass, looking at the fish swimming freely under the ice in the pool, and smiled: "The so-called old party is just like these fish. In fact, they all know in their hearts that they have boarded the new party's ship, but they are unwilling to break the thin ice above their heads and look up to see the real situation outside."

"We all eat from the same pool, so who is nobler than who? As long as life is getting better and better, they won't risk their lives to fight for the interests of the nobles."

"Look at Jiraiya. He has opened more than a dozen bath centers. He drinks wine and hugs girls every day. He smiles all the time. How can he really take the daimyo seriously? Where does he get the money to do business? He relies on the dividends from the Whirlpool Country!"

Namikaze Minato smiled bitterly, his teacher was too unreliable, he had to open a smoky bath center, and provide a one-stop service that was unique in the whole ninja world, which made him feel helpless. But there was nothing he could do, Jiraiya only had this little personal hobby in his life, and people said that sex was like a steel knife that scraped bones, but he was born with hard bones and was not afraid of scraping, what could you do?

"Teacher Jiraiya has a steady personality and has done a lot of great things for the village in recent years. Yeshan, please be merciful and give me some face and say less."

Ye Shan shrugged and said, "Master Jiraiya has made great contributions to the village. I admire his magnanimity from the bottom of my heart. At the next meeting, you can vote to raise his position and let him join the decision-making level."

Uchiha Fugaku's eyes flickered, and he smiled at Keiji and said, "The guests have been sitting for a long time, why haven't you, the host, served the dishes yet? It's snowing heavily outside, and it would be a bit of a waste of the beautiful scenery if we discuss official business again. It's more meaningful to talk while eating."

Uchiha Keiji slapped his forehead and said in annoyance: "Look, look, I'll ask them to serve the food right away."

A moment later, his sons carefully brought a brand new copper pot and put the burning charcoal into it. Immediately, a crackling sound was heard and a smell of smoke came out.

Ye Shan smiled and said, "Let's add a few captain positions in the security department and let Brother Keiji's sons go in to do some work. He is also old enough to train a successor."

Normally, this little thing should be done by the servants, but Uchiha Keiji asked his sons to do it, and his intention was self-evident. Although he was the deputy Hokage in charge of personnel, it was easy for him to arrange some positions, but the one decided by the Hokage himself was very different and full of gold.

"Minato, you should also work hard. Fugaku and Keiji already have a son. You have been married for several months, why are there still no signs of anything happening?"

Namikaze Minato chuckled, picked up the cigarette on the table and said, "Can't you see I don't smoke? There's a happy event at home, I have to take care of it."

The three of them were stunned for a moment, and then they all congratulated Minato Namikaze on becoming a father.

Ye Shan pointed at him and said, "You are so mean. You didn't tell us about such a big thing right away. You must drink three cups as punishment today!"

"Hahaha, that's right, you must drink three cups as punishment!"

The atmosphere in the pavilion became lively, but the heavy snow was still falling outside, soon completely covering the fish pond. Several fat and brightly colored fish disappeared.