bookbashuk Chapter 210 Father, I can't do it...
Chapter 210 Father, I can't do it...
Konohamaru was only three years old when he saw his father's fierce appearance and his intention to kill him.
He was so frightened that he burst into tears, and Yui Hatano had no choice but to hold him in her arms.
"Sweetie, don't cry. Daddy was just joking with you!"
After calming the child down, Yui Hatano suddenly looked up, her eyes unusually calm: "Shinnosuke is probably under the enemy's illusion, that's why he's talking nonsense. Tie him up and take him to his father (Hiruzen Sarutobi) so he can figure out how to break the illusion!"
The two Sarutobi bodyguards were stunned. Sarutobi Shinnosuke was the young clan leader; who would dare to kidnap him?
But seeing the lady's determined eyes, and recalling the young clan leader's crazy appearance just now, he finally gritted his teeth.
Caught off guard, Sarutobi Shinnosuke struggled and roared, "How dare you! I am the young clan leader, do you want to rebel?"
The two Sarutobi bodyguards ignored him and used specially made ropes to tie him up tightly, even stuffing his mouth with cloth strips, so he could only make "woo-woo" protesting sounds.
Yui Hatano held Konohamaru in her arms, watching her husband being taken away, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
There was helplessness, guilt, and a strange, inexplicable emotion...
A dozen minutes later, Sarutobi Shinnosuke was taken to Sarutobi Hiruzen's residence.
This quaint courtyard, once filled with cherry blossom trees, now appears exceptionally desolate due to the chaos in the Land of Fire.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat on the tatami mat in the main hall, dressed in a dark kimono. His hair was mostly white, and his face was full of weariness through the wrinkles.
Seeing his son bound, he simply sighed softly and waved his hand: "Take the gag out of his mouth, you can all leave."
The guards withdrew, and a maid stepped forward, picking up the still sobbing Konohamaru: "Madam, I'll take the young master to play in the backyard. The clan leader wants to have a good talk with you and the young clan leader."
Yui Hatano nodded, watched Konohamaru's figure disappear at the end of the corridor, and then sat down next to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
She placed her hands on her knees, kept her head down, and remained silent.
As soon as he was freed from his restraints, Sarutobi Shinnosuke roared at his wife, "You shameless woman! I must have been blind to marry you! Tell me, whose child is Konohamaru? Did you conspire with someone else to let outsiders seize my Sarutobi clan's property?"
His extreme anger completely overshadowed the throbbing pain in his newly healed abdominal wound caused by his agitation.
Yui Hatano remained silent, her fingers gripping the hem of her kimono tightly, her nails almost tearing the fabric.
She knew that any explanation would be futile at this moment, and only her father-in-law could uncover all the secrets.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was aged, yet carried an undeniable authority: "Shinnosuke, stop messing around! Do you think Yui wanted this? This was all arranged by me."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke looked at his father in disbelief: "Father... what did you say... you arranged this?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a drag on his pipe, his tone as calm as if he were talking about something insignificant: "I've known for a long time that you're infertile. I wanted to leave you an heir, someone to rely on in the future... So, regarding Konohamaru... don't blame Yui."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke suddenly lowered his head, his anger gradually replaced by resentment: "Then why didn't you tell me? Do you know how devastated I was when I heard this news from the doctor today? I always thought Konohamaru was my son, the heir to my Sarutobi clan, but now you're telling me it was all a lie!"
His eyes were slightly red. In his 32 years of life, for the first time he felt like a fool, kept in the dark by the people closest to him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe, looking at his son's bloodshot eyes with a look of helplessness: "Shinnosuke, when will you grow up? Look at my face, look at my hair, I'm already 63 years old, I won't live much longer. Our Sarutobi family is a prestigious clan with a history of hundreds of years. You are the heir of the family. If there are no descendants, who will support this family after I'm gone?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke laughed self-deprecatingly, his voice filled with bitterness: "Father, do you think this kind of 'reliance' is a blessing for me? What man could bear such humiliation? Raising someone else's child and having to treat him as my heir? This is worse than death!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened, and his tone became serious: "Shin-nosuke, do you think this is the time for you to act recklessly? The Land of Fire is in complete chaos. Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure are all preparing to divide up the country, and the five princes are still killing each other. Our Sarutobi clan may seem to be doing well, but in reality, we are already in the eye of the storm."
He paused, his eyes sharpening. "Shin-nosuke, I ask you, death or humiliation, which would you choose? Would you rather let the Sarutobi clan perish in the chaos, leaving us both without a burial place, or would you rather swallow this insult for now, preserve the clan, and protect your future and the future of the clan?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke was stunned. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.
His father's words struck him like a hammer blow.
Seeing his son's silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone softened: "Konohamaru, although he is not your biological son, he carries the blood of the Sarutobi clan. In order for the Sarutobi clan's bloodline to continue, I hope you will treat Konohamaru as your own son."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke looked aggrieved: "Father, I can't do it..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up and walked to Shinnosuke's side: "Shinnosuke, your father has never asked you to do anything, so consider this a request from your father. The Land of Fire is becoming increasingly chaotic, and the capital is no longer safe. I plan to have you take Yui and Konohamaru, disguised as ordinary merchants, and seek refuge in the Land of Whirlpools. The Land of Whirlpools has people from the three peaks of the Uchiha clan stationed there. Although their stances differ, at least they can ensure your safety for the time being."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke frowned, his eyes filled with surprise: "Go to the Land of Whirlpools? But the Land of Whirlpools is currently under the control of the Land of Water. Wouldn't going there be like lambs to the slaughter?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi patted his son on the shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of entrustment: "Don't worry, the Uchiha Sanfeng has great ambitions. He needs the Land of Fire to continue to be in chaos, and he won't easily take action against us 'discarded pawns'."
After he finished speaking, he took out some storage scrolls and handed them to Yui Hatano.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze was complex: "Yui, you're a good woman. Shinnosuke is fortunate to have married you. When you arrive in the Land of Whirlpools, keep a low profile and don't reveal your identity. Remember, your most important task now is to protect yourself and your family, and to preserve the bloodline of the Sarutobi family."
Yui Hatano bowed slightly, revealing her alluring curves: "Yes, Father!"