The next morning had just arrived.
Chiya convened the first official clan meeting since becoming the new head of the Uchiha!
Facing the many concerned eyes of his clansmen, Chiya began to speak in a calm yet authoritative tone, echoing the formal traditions of past patriarchs.
Soon after the gathering ended, the ordinary members dispersed but Chiya asked the senior elders to remain.
Before the meeting could resume,
Chiya suddenly turned toward Fugaku Uchiha.
At first, Fugaku didn't sense anything amiss.
Then, under the silent gazes of several elders, realization dawned upon him.
Ah right.
He was no longer the clan patriarch.
Now, his position was that of an ordinary clan member.
Meetings like this restricted to the current patriarch and the elders were no longer his to attend.
Embarrassed, Fugaku's expression stiffened.
He gave a small, awkward wave of his hand, preparing to leave quietly.
"Uncle Fugaku, please wait."
"I'll be announcing a few new clan policies soon. You're more experienced, so your advice will be valuable."
Chiya quickly spoke, stopping him.
Fugaku hesitated.
He didn't wish to stay his pride still smarted.
If others heard he lingered in meetings after resigning,
rumors would spread that he was clinging to power.
But since these policies concerned the clan's survival itself,
after a long pause, he remained.
All the elders then turned their attention to Chiya,
curious about what the young patriarch intended to say.
"Everyone here knows that our people have been living under heavy pressure and frustration lately,"
Chiya began, voice steady.
"To change that, I've set two clear goals!"
"First.restore Uchiha's honor in the village and mend our relationship with the villagers!"
"The real reason the Konoha leadership can suppress us so easily," he continued, "is because the common villagers distrust us!"
"So we must change the hearts of the people first!"
"If the villagers support us, the Hokage's advisors and elders will lose their leverage. At the very least, they won't dare to openly suppress us again!"
Fugaku's eyes widened.
In that instant, enlightenment struck him.
Yes he had focused all his energy on negotiating with the higher-ups,
yet completely overlooked the foundation of power—
the will of the people!
Not just Fugaku the other elders, too, showed expressions of realization.
"As for the second goal," Chiya continued,
"we must rebuild and strengthen the clan's economy!"
Last night, while reviewing the ledgers,
Chiya had discovered a shocking truth the Uchiha, once one of the founding pillars of Konoha,
had become financially impoverished!
After some quiet investigation, he uncovered the cause.
Firstly, due to deliberate suppression by the village leadership particularly the council led by Danzo and the elders and the Uchiha's own prideful, combat-focused nature, most profitable trades and business ventures had long been dominated by other major clans, especially the Hyuga.
Secondly, about three months prior,
an order had been issued by the Hokage's office restricting all Uchiha from leaving the village to perform missions.
And the reason was obvious.
The village's top brass Hiruzen, Danzo, and their circle
were already preparing contingency plans to deal with the Uchiha should conflict arise.
In that situation, naturally,
no Uchiha would be permitted to operate outside the village's surveillance.
As a result, the only remaining income source was the Konoha Military Police Force.
But how could one small department no matter how prestigious possibly sustain the vast Uchiha clan?
Adding to that, the village leadership often used various excuses to withhold funding from the Konoha Police Force…
This, in turn, left many of the clan members living in quiet poverty despite their prestige.
It could be said
The suppression of the Uchiha by the higher-ups of the village was not only physical,
but also psychological and social!
"The first thing we must do," Chiya declared firmly,
"is to change the villagers' perception of us!"
"Only when the villagers begin to see us differently can we start to rebuild our reputation and our livelihood."
After speaking, Chiya turned toward the elders seated before him.
"I've said my piece," he added. "Does anyone have anything to say?"
One elder sighed heavily.
"It won't be easy to change the villagers' opinion of us… To be honest, after so many years, their impression of the Uchiha has already hardened."
Several others nodded in agreement.
"Yes, this isn't something that can be changed overnight."
"Once a clan is labeled as dangerous or arrogant, it's almost impossible to shake off."
"In comparison, revitalizing the clan's economy might actually be easier."
"..."
Hearing their pessimism, Chiya smiled calmly.
"Actually, I've already thought of a plan for this."
"A plan?"
The elders all turned toward him, curious.
"My proposal," Chiya said, "is to grant all members of the Police Force a collective holiday!"
As expected
His words immediately caused an uproar!
"A holiday!? And a collective one at that? Then who will handle village security?"
"The Police Force already gets no appreciation, but if we abandon our posts, won't that worsen our image?"
"I thought you had come up with a clever idea!"
"And besides, the Third Hokage and the council would never approve! The village's safety can't be left unattended even for a day!"
"..."
Chiya chuckled lightly.
"Don't worry, I haven't finished yet," he said. "Of course, I understand that the Police Force can't simply stop working, its role is too vital. That's why, during our holiday, we'll hold a public event."
Someone leaned forward. "An event?"
"Yes," Chiya nodded. "The event will allow ordinary villagers to experience the daily duties of the Uchiha Police Force firsthand!"
"At that time, we'll recruit three hundred villagers as temporary guards and let them handle the work we usually do."
"Of course, they'll be paid the same daily wages as our officers nothing will be free."
"To make it more engaging, we'll even turn it into a challenge! We'll evaluate their performance throughout the event…"
"And whoever achieves the highest score will be rewarded with one million ryō!"
"Think about it," Chiya continued. "Whenever we enforce the law, villagers accuse us of being too harsh, or say we abuse authority, or act out of personal grudges…"
"Well then let them experience it themselves! Let them see how difficult, exhausting, and thankless our job truly is."
"Only then will they understand. Only then can we truly change their perception of us!"
When Chiya finished speaking, the room fell completely silent.
After a long pause, one elder finally asked,
"Will this plan actually work?"
Another, who oversaw the clan's finances, frowned.
"Isn't one million ryō far too much? We barely have funds as it is."
Chiya's gaze hardened.
"The larger the reward, the greater the participation. Only if we draw enough villagers will the event have impact."
"By letting more people personally experience how much effort and responsibility our clan shoulders every day, we can reshape public opinion far faster. So don't worry about the cost."
Though Chiya spoke confidently, the elders still hesitated.
Out of habit, their eyes drifted toward Fugaku.
Chiya noticed and sighed inwardly. Even now, Fugaku's influence within the clan was undeniable.
After a moment of silence, Fugaku finally said,
"I think the new patriarch's plan is worth trying."
Although he himself felt the idea was bold wasn't this exactly the kind of change he had hoped the new generation would bring when he stepped down?
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