Measurement of Value
The plot hatched in the Uchiha clan's secret chamber spread like a silent spiderweb, its threads quietly extending towards the distant Fire Nation capital. The individual entrusted with this important task was one of the Uchiha Fire Core's most trusted subordinates, a jonin named Uchiha Akira. He was approximately thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with an ordinary appearance, the type that would be difficult to recognize in a crowd. However, his eyes were calm and reserved, and he possessed a knack for stealth, disguise, and negotiation, making him an ideal candidate for such a covert mission.
He shed his ninja attire and donned fine merchant clothing. He meticulously prepared cargo permits and customs documents appropriate to his status, and carefully concealed a personal letter from the elders and a valuable "welcome gift"—one that would impress any noble (including rare jewelry, precious medicinal herbs, and exquisite porcelain from an ancient nation in the far east). Then, he blended into a caravan headed for the capital, slipping quietly and unnoticed from the heavily guarded Uchiha territory like a drop of water merging into a river, cautiously making his way towards the Fire Nation's capital.
The capital was bustling and bustling as ever, its traffic thronging with people and the clamor of a thousand voices, a world apart from the tense and oppressive atmosphere on the border. Uchiha Akira had no time to admire this extravagant extravagance. Through several secret intermediaries, established long ago by his family but rarely used, and after several twists and turns and several days of searching, he finally secured a secret meeting with Aoi's grandmother one night after dark—an elderly lady with decades of experience in the capital's aristocratic circles, possessing extensive connections and influence.
The meeting place was a hidden tea room at the back of a seemingly ordinary teahouse, tucked away in a deep alley. The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by a delicate bronze oil lamp. The air was thick with the scent of aged tea leaves and a faint hint of sandalwood. The flickering candlelight cast a magnified, shifting shadow on the wall, illuminating my grandmother's well-maintained face, yet marked by the marks of time, and now impassive. Uchiha Akira bowed his head respectfully, yet a hint of anxiety and fatigue etched across his brow.
"I hope the old lady is well. I am Uchiha Akira, and I have come to pay you a visit on the orders of the elders of the Uchiha Elders' Council. I apologize for disturbing you." Uchiha Akira was very humble, and his words and actions were completely in line with the identity of an envoy representing the family to pay a visit to a noble. He presented the heavy gift list and the secret letter sealed with special sealing wax with both hands steadily.
Grandma didn't immediately open the letter. Instead, with her worldly-wise, piercing eyes, she slowly and carefully examined the visitor, as if trying to discern his true intentions. She was silent for a moment before she spoke slowly, her voice steady and naturally commanding: "The Uchiha... it's truly been years since we've had such formal and secret contact. Mr. Zhao, are you taking this risk to come here for the sake of Aoi?" She got to the point directly, demonstrating her precise political acumen.
Uchiha Akira was slightly surprised, secretly contemplating the old lady's formidable abilities. His face betrayed no hint of this, and instead, he went along with the situation, his tone even more respectful. "Old lady, you are a discerning eye. This trip is indeed closely related to Miss Aoi, but more deeply, it concerns the future direction of the relationship between the Uchiha clan and your family, and whether both sides can work together for mutual benefit in these turbulent times." He carefully chose his words, avoiding the main points and describing the "unspoken difficulties" and "the pains of strategic adjustment" the Uchiha clan has recently faced. He emphasized the importance and urgency of maintaining and deepening close ties with a family as distinguished and wise as the old lady. With a subtle turn of phrase, he hinted at a hope to further consolidate and strengthen these ties of blood and interests through an "old and reliable" method—marriage. The best and only choice for such a marriage, worthy of her status, was naturally Miss Aoi, who possessed pure Uchiha blood, was deeply favored by the old lady, and held a distinguished position.
Grandma listened quietly, her wrinkled fingers slowly and rhythmically turning the warm white porcelain teacup before her. Her face, like a carefully crafted mask, betrayed no emotion. She instantly understood the man's true intentions, veiled beneath his flowery rhetoric. The Uchiha clan was facing an unprecedented crisis, its strength severely weakened. They desperately needed a powerful external ally to sustain their survival. Aoi, with her noble Uchiha blood, the backing of a top Fire Nation noble, and her marriageable age, was undoubtedly their most valuable and scarce bargaining chip.
A complex chorus of emotions inevitably crossed her mind. She felt a genuine sense of granddaughter-in-law affection for this granddaughter, motherless at a young age, sent away from her family, and raised under her wings. Watching Aoi blossom from a tiny child into a graceful young woman, she had secretly hoped to find her a good marriage in the capital, marrying into a stable and prominent noble family, raising children and leading a peaceful and peaceful life—a fulfillment of her late daughter, Miwako's greatest wish. Marrying her far away, especially into the harsh, fierce, and combat-oriented Night Moon Ninja Clan of the Land of Lightning, with its uncertain future and unpredictable outcomes, was definitely not something she welcomed.
However, this touch of grandmotherly warmth lasted only a moment before being completely overwhelmed by the more powerful rationality of a politician steeped in power for decades. She was first and foremost the head of a vast aristocratic family, and only secondarily a grandmother. While the Uchiha clan was currently facing difficulties and suffering heavy losses, the very name "Uchiha" held a weighty, golden symbol. The power and elusiveness of their unique Kekkei Genkai—the Sharingan—made them a feared presence throughout the ninja world. Even a centipede's strength and potential influence could not be underestimated. A successful marriage would not only help the Uchiha clan overcome the current crisis but also provide an opportunity to more closely bind this formidable ninja power with her own family's aristocratic influence. This would strengthen her family's political standing in the capital and throughout the Fire Nation, increasing their leverage in the upcoming power shake-up. The long-term benefits would be immeasurable!
Which is more important, a granddaughter's personal happiness or the family's prosperity and decline in the next few decades? The answer is cruelly clear in her mind.
The political calculations and weighing of interests were completed almost the moment she finished listening to the other party's statement.
Grandma finally spoke slowly, her voice steady and dignified, without a hint of bias. "After all, Aoi carries Uchiha blood in her veins, and she's my granddaughter, raised under my watch. Her lifelong happiness depends on both her and the reputation and future of both families." She initially displayed concern for her granddaughter, then subtly shifted the subject. "I've heard a bit about the difficulties the Uchiha Clan is facing. Even in this trying time, your elders have considered strengthening our ties through marriage. I see and feel your sincerity."
She did not agree directly, but she also had no intention of refusing. Instead, she began to inquire about the specific terms of the "transaction" like a shrewd businessman: "It's just that...marriage is no joke, it concerns Kui's life. I wonder which family the noble elders have carefully selected for Kui? What is his family background, character, and ability? What kind of practical protection and stable future can this marriage provide for my granddaughter? What specific level of...support does my family need to provide for this?" Every question pointed precisely to the core of interests.
For Uchiha Akira, this attitude was already a huge success and a gesture of tacit approval. He secretly rejoiced, knowing the most difficult hurdle was over and that the matter was largely accomplished. He immediately bowed with even greater respect, detailing the name of Ai, the young patriarch of the Night Moon Clan of the Land of Lightning. He then began to recount the generous "dowry" and promises the elders had already prepared: a large amount of urgently needed strategic supplies (soldier ration pills, detonating tags, and precious medicinal herbs), a certain number of elite ninjas providing military assistance for a limited period of time, future political support for the old lady's family on specific matters, and the promise of extremely high status and treatment for Aoi.
In this dark, quiet, tea-scented backroom, a chilling political bargain that would determine Uchiha Aoi's future unfolded and was finalized, point by point, coolly and brutally, between two expressionless negotiators. And that young girl, unaware of all this, her wishes, her emotions, her fears, and her dreams, were reduced to the most important, yet least valued, pawn in this game of chess that hinged on the survival of her family and the struggle for power.
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