Chapter 110: Hyuga Internal Strife
"Also, let me tell everyone one more thing," Utatane Yuta continued. "The curfew that night before, was actually a coup led by Uchiha Douhuan and the Security Department! Lord Third made the decision to let him ascend to the Hokage position only while under house arrest!"
"What? The Security Department dared to put our beloved Lord Third under house arrest and seize power through a coup?" A villager in the crowd immediately spoke up, filled with righteous indignation.
During the Third Hokage's tenure, he had continued the policies of the Second Hokage, generally taking a laissez-faire approach towards ordinary villagers like them who often skirted the edges of the law to make money. He left it entirely to the Security Department to handle. Sometimes, when the Security Department's punishment was too severe, he would even intervene on their behalf. So naturally, these troublesome citizens revered the Third Hokage.
"Tomorrow morning, let's surround the Hokage Building and force Uchiha Douhuan to step down!"
"Yes! We must make him step down!"
Most of the troublesome citizens in the village weren't very bright. After being incited by just a few words from Utatane Yuta, they immediately became furiously agitated.
"But, what if the Security Department hits people?" Among the crowd, a few slightly more rational individuals voiced their concerns at this moment.
"What's there to fear? With so many of us, would he still dare order the Security Department to attack villagers?"
"Hard to say. Last time there were almost three thousand people, didn't the Security Department beat them up anyway?"
"Regarding this point, everyone need not worry," Utatane Yuta said with a smile, inviting an elderly man, appearing close to sixty, from the side.
"We have invited the Grand Elder of the Hyuga clan, Hyuga Kazuteru, for everyone. The Hyuga clan will step forward to help uphold justice for everyone!" Utatane Yuta bowed respectfully to Hyuga Kazuteru beside him, then said, "Please, Grand Elder Kazuteru, say a few words to everyone."
...
Three hours earlier, within the Hyuga clan compound.
After Hiashi Hyuga read the plans sent by Uchiha Douhuan for the future expansion of the village around the Uchiha compound, he nodded. Uchiha Douhuan was even more generous than he had imagined, directly allocating an entire commercial street to the Hyuga within the village's new planning district.
However, before Hiashi Hyuga could put away the plans, a household servant came to report that the Main House elders had come to visit.
Hiashi Hyuga frowned upon hearing this. The Hyuga clan was different from the Uchiha clan. Compared to the Uchiha, where strength made one's words count, the internal politics of the Hyuga clan were much more complex. Several Main House elders held their own power; usually, even he, the clan head, couldn't always have the final say.
"Show them in," Hiashi Hyuga couldn't be sure of the elders' purpose in seeking him out at this time, so he could only invite them into his home first.
Inside Hiashi Hyuga's reception room, Hiashi sat facing the three elders.
"Hiashi, the Uchiha clan has already obtained the Hokage position. Don't you have anything to say?" The Grand Elder of the Hyuga Main House, Hyuga Kazuteru, initiated the challenge.
Hiashi Hyuga frowned. He now understood that these old men coming together at this time likely meant ill intentions.
"Hiashi, that night, why did you order that no one from the clan should go out?" Another elder spoke up, questioning him. "If Lord Third's faction had our Hyuga clan's assistance, perhaps the Uchiha wouldn't have succeeded."
"Has someone approached you elders?" Hiashi Hyuga said coldly.
Hiashi's relationship with these elders was not good on a daily basis. Since Hizashi died in his place, Hiashi had grown a lot over the years. He now saw clearly that these elders likely played a significant role in that incident back then. When the Third Hokage was still hesitating, it was these elders who forced Hizashi to make the choice, aiming to remove the position of the Branch House head from his sphere of influence.
Therefore, facing the somewhat threatening questions from the elders, Hiashi Hyuga had no intention of yielding.
"The current heads of the Utatane and Mitokado clans have approached us. As long as our Hyuga clan helps overthrow Uchiha Douhuan, they will support our Hyuga clan in taking the Hokage seat."
Hiashi Hyuga almost laughed out of anger upon hearing this. He retorted, "Do you elders know what you are saying? Overthrow Uchiha Douhuan? He possesses the same eyes as Uchiha Madara back then. Who do you plan to have deal with him? Rely on you few old bones who haven't fought in years?"
"We don't need to fight him!" Hyuga Kazuteru stated. "There are many villagers dissatisfied with the Security Department. We only need to use public opinion to force him to step down."
"Public opinion?" Hiashi Hyuga chuckled dismissively. "Do you think Uchiha Douhuan is someone who cares about that sort of thing?"
"Hiashi, this is the clan's best chance to ascend to the Hokage position!" Hyuga Kazuteru insisted.
"Silence!" Hiashi Hyuga shouted sternly. "Don't think yourselves clever, trying to use such tactics against Uchiha Douhuan. In this regard, even Lord Third couldn't outplay him, let alone the few of you."
"Hiashi Hyuga, you..." Hyuga Kazuteru choked with anger.
"Elders, please return," Hiashi Hyuga took a deep breath. "Do not mention this matter again in the future. The Fifth Hokage has just presented the clan with a generous gift. Do not do things that displease everyone."
"Hmph, Hiashi, I see you have forgotten the grudges between our clan and the Uchiha from the Warring States period," Hyuga Kazuteru slammed the table and rose, leaving in a huff with the other elders.
After the elders left, Hiashi Hyuga frowned in thought for a while, then summoned a household servant.
"Have the child Neji come here," Hiashi ordered, then turned and walked into his study.
Before long, Hyuga Neji was brought into the study by the servant.
"Lord Head of House," Neji bowed respectfully.
"Neji, you should still call me Uncle," Hiashi looked at his nephew before him, sighed inwardly, and said.
"Lord Head of House, etiquette cannot be discarded," Hyuga Neji maintained his bowing posture.
Facing his nephew, Hiashi Hyuga couldn't bring himself to be harsh. He could only sigh silently again and take out a letter.
"Take your two younger sisters, make a trip to the Uchiha clan compound, and give this letter to Elder Fugaku Uchiha. If possible, stay there overnight."
Hyuga Neji looked up, puzzled.
Just as Hiashi Hyuga was about to explain, he heard a commotion approaching from outside. He could only say with a cold face, "Obey orders! Leave through the back gate! Protect your two younger sisters."
"Yes!" Seeing the situation, Hyuga Neji could only nod in acknowledgment, then quickly hurried towards Hinata and Hanabi's rooms.
...
At the main gate of Hiashi Hyuga's residence, Hiashi slowly walked out. As soon as he stepped outside, Hiashi saw a troop of fully armed Branch House members led by the three elders.
His own directly subordinate Branch House members stood guard at the gate, confronting the opposing side.
"What do you elders intend to do?" Hiashi Hyuga said coldly. "Do you feel the clan didn't participate in the village coup a few days ago, so you decided to stage one within the clan as well?"
"Hiashi Hyuga, an indecisive person like you is no longer qualified to serve as the head of the Hyuga clan. Today, I, on behalf of the Hyuga Clan Elder Council, strip you of your position as Clan Head," Hyuga Kazuteru stepped forward and declared. "I advise you to surrender peacefully and await the judgment according to clan rules!"
Hiashi Hyuga looked at the situation before him and sighed deeply. He hadn't expected these elders to be so bold.
What surprised him even more was that these elders, usually harboring their own agendas, would actually unite at this time.
[Is the allure of the Hokage position truly that great?]
Hiashi Hyuga sighed inwardly. He remained silent for a moment, calculating the time. Once he estimated that Neji had likely escaped the compound with his two daughters, he gave up resistance.
...
Within the Uchiha clan compound, Uchiha Fugaku was quite surprised to see the three little ones at his doorstep.
When Fugaku was previously Clan Head, his private relationship with Hiashi Hyuga was reasonably good. However, if Hiashi had business with him, he wouldn't need to send three children to deliver a letter, especially when one of them could barely walk steadily.
"Elder Fugaku, this is the letter from the Clan Head," Neji meticulously presented Hiashi's letter with both hands. Uchiha Fugaku decided to read it right there at the entrance. After reading it, his expression changed drastically. "You three, sleep here tonight."
"Mikoto!" Uchiha Fugaku turned and called his wife's name. Soon, Uchiha Mikoto came out.
"Take care of these three. I have urgent business and need to go to the Hokage Building," Uchiha Fugaku finished speaking, pushed Neji and Hinata (who was holding Hanabi) into the house, and then hurried off towards the Hokage Building.
...
Inside the Hokage Building, after Uchiha Douhuan received the news of Fugaku's report, he immediately took out the crystal ball Sarutobi Hiruzen had given him.
After infusing chakra mimicking Hiashi Hyuga's signature into it, Uchiha Douhuan could now see the scene within the Hyuga clan compound.
Hiashi Hyuga had already had seal jutsu markings applied to his body, and two Branch House members stood guard outside his room. It appeared he was already under house arrest.
"Douhuan, should we intervene early?" At this moment, Kakashi slowly emerged from the shadows of the Hokage office and asked.
"There's no need for that." Uchiha Douhuan sneered and shook his head. "I was just thinking of finding an excuse to discipline the Hyuga clan a bit, and I didn't expect them to deliver the reason right to my doorstep. This time, let's take this opportunity to catch all those hidden troublemakers in the village in one net."
"I understand. I'll go make preparations then," Kakashi said.
"Right, in the future, don't lurk in those corners and crevices in this office. I don't know who you learned this bad habit from," Uchiha Douhuan said.
Kakashi: ...
(End of Chapter)
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