Konohamaru, just over three years old, was terrified by his father's fierce demeanor and the threat of being killed. He immediately burst into tears. Hatano had to hold him in her arms.
"Good boy, don't cry. Daddy was just joking."
After comforting the child, Hatano suddenly looked up, her eyes becoming unusually calm.
"Shinnosuke might be under an enemy's genjutsu, which is why he's talking nonsense. Tie him up first and send him to father (Hiruzen). Let father figure out how to release the genjutsu."
The two Sarutobi Anbu froze. Shinnosuke was the young clan head, who would dare to tie him up?
But seeing Hatano's determined gaze and recalling Shinnosuke's frenzied state just now, they eventually gritted their teeth.
Shinnosuke was caught off guard and struggled, roaring in anger, "How dare you! I am the young clan head, are you trying to rebel?"
The two Sarutobi Anbu ignored him, binding him tightly with special ropes. Even his mouth was gagged with cloth, allowing him only to make "woo woo" sounds of protest.
Hatano held Konohamaru, watching her husband being led away, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. There was helplessness, guilt, and a hint of an inexplicable feeling.
Ten minutes later.
Shinnosuke was brought to Hiruzen's residence. This ancient courtyard, filled with cherry blossom trees, now seemed particularly desolate due to the chaos in the Land of Fire.
Hiruzen sat on the tatami in the main hall, dressed in a dark kimono, his hair mostly gray, and his face deeply lined with fatigue.
Seeing his son tied up, he merely sighed softly and waved his hand. "Untie the cloth from his mouth, and you may all leave."
The guards retreated one by one, and a maid stepped forward, picking up the still sobbing Konohamaru. "Lady, I'll take young master to play in the backyard. The clan head wants to have a good talk with you and the young clan head."
Hatano nodded, watching Konohamaru's figure disappear at the end of the corridor before sitting down beside Hiruzen. Her hands rested on her knees, her head bowed, remaining silent.
As soon as Shinnosuke was unbound, he roared at his wife, "You shameless woman! I must have been blind to marry you! Tell me, whose child is Konohamaru really? Have you been colluding with someone else all along, wanting an outsider to take over my Sarutobi clan's property?"
His anger was extreme. He ignored the dull ache in his recently healed abdominal wound, which throbbed from his agitation.
Hatano remained silent, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her kimono, her nails almost tearing the fabric. She knew that any explanation now would be pale and powerless. All secrets could only be revealed by her father-in-law.
Hiruzen's voice was aged but carried an undeniable authority. "Shinnosuke, stop making a fuss. Do you think Hatano wanted this? All of this was arranged by me."
Shinnosuke looked at his father in disbelief. "Father... what did you say? It was arranged by you?"
Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe, his tone as calm as if discussing an unimportant matter. "A long time ago, I knew you were infertile. I wanted to leave you a descendant, so you would have someone to rely on in the future. So, regarding Konohamaru, don't blame Hatano."
Shinnosuke suddenly lowered his head, anger gradually replaced by a sense of grievance. "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 of my Sarutobi clan, but now you tell me all of this is false."
His eyes were slightly red. Having lived for 32 years, he felt like a fool for the first time, kept in the dark by his closest kin.
Hiruzen put down his pipe, looking at his son's red eyes with an expression full of helplessness. "Shinnosuke, when will you grow up? Look at my face, look at my hair, I am already 63 years old, I don't have much time left. Our Sarutobi clan is a prestigious clan with a legacy spanning hundreds of years. You are the heir of the clan. If you have no descendants, who will uphold this clan after I am gone?"
Shinnosuke laughed self-deprecatingly, his voice full of bitterness. "Father, do you think such 'reliance' is a blessing to me? What man could endure such humiliation? Raising someone else's child and still having to treat him as his own heir? This is more painful than killing me."
Hiruzen's face darkened, his tone becoming serious. "Shinnosuke, do you think now is the time for you to be willful? The Land of Fire is already in chaos, and Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure are preparing to carve up this country. The five princes are slaughtering each other. Our Sarutobi clan may seem glorious, but in reality, we have long been at the center of the storm."
He paused, his eyes sharp. "Shinnosuke, I ask you, death or humiliation, which do you choose? Is it to let the Sarutobi clan be annihilated in the chaos, leaving both you and me without a burial place, or to temporarily swallow this bitterness, preserve the clan, and secure your and the clan's future?"
Shinnosuke froze, opening his mouth but unable to utter a single word. His father's words were like a hammer, striking hard at his heart.
Seeing his son's silent demeanor, Hiruzen's tone softened. "Although Konohamaru is not your biological son, he carries the bloodline of our Sarutobi clan. To ensure the bloodline of the Sarutobi clan continues, I hope you will treat Konohamaru as your own son."
Shinnosuke looked aggrieved. "Father, I can't do it."
Hiruzen stood up and walked over to Shinnosuke. "Shinnosuke, your father has never asked you to do anything. Consider this a request from your father. The Land of Fire is becoming increasingly chaotic, and the capital is no longer safe. I plan for you to take Hatano and Konohamaru, disguised as ordinary merchants, to seek refuge in Uzushiogakure. Uzushiogakure is guarded by Shun's people. Although our positions differ, at least your safety can be temporarily secured."
Shinnosuke frowned, his eyes full of surprise. "Go to Uzushiogakure? But Uzushiogakure is currently under the control of the Land of Water. Wouldn't going there be like walking into a tiger's den?"
Hiruzen patted his son's shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of entrustment. "Don't worry, Shun's ambition is great. He needs the Land of Fire to continue in chaos and will not easily act against discards like us."
After speaking, he took out some storage scrolls and handed them to Hatano.
Hiruzen's eyes were somewhat complex as he said, "Hatano, you are a good woman. Shinnosuke's fortune is to have married you. Once in Uzushiogakure, act discreetly and do not reveal your identity. Remember, your most important task now is to preserve your life and the lives of your family, and to protect the bloodline of the Sarutobi clan."
Hatano bowed slightly, revealing her alluring curves. "Yes, father."
***
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