Izuna, restore the glory of the Uchiha!

After Izuna expressed his desire for educational resources, the daimyo, for the sake of prestige and long-term planning, generously gave them two options.

First, there were official-backed domain schools, where renowned teachers personally appointed by the daimyo taught professional skills such as official document writing and financial arithmetic.

Secondly, there are temples with a rich cultural heritage, where eminent monks possess knowledge of Confucianism and military strategy.

Almost without hesitation, Izuna chose to go to the domain school.

His aim was to enlighten the people and cultivate a foundation of talent for the future hierarchical management of the Uchiha clan and for further in-depth research.

He had no intention of lowering the threshold for the infiltration of Confucianism into the Daimyo culture; as for military strategy, he believed more in the power of force.

The teachers of the provincial school greeted them respectfully outside the door.

To show respect for knowledge, Izuna left the rest of the guards outside the school and took only Koichi with him, walking inside.

Passing through the rustic wooden gate, the interior of the academy is serene and tranquil, with ancient pines standing tall and vigorous. White walls and black tiles, winding corridors, and the occasional sound of reading can be heard.

"Lord Izuna, please."

The attendant leading the way stopped in front of a side room and respectfully opened the shoji door.

The room was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood, and a calligraphy and painting hung on the wall opposite the door.

Several tables and desks were arranged in a semi-circle, behind which knelt several middle-aged men of different temperaments.

Upon seeing Izuna enter, they all stood up, straightened their clothes, placed their hands in front of them, and bowed deeply.

Izuna responded with standard samurai etiquette, his demeanor humble.

The two introduced themselves and exchanged pleasantries.

After the ceremony, the guests and hosts took their seats.

The formal negotiations went even more smoothly than expected.

It's obvious that Daming had already spoken with these teachers beforehand and confirmed their wishes.

For these scholars living in poverty, the generous salaries and excellent benefits offered by the Uchiha clan were undoubtedly a huge attraction.

Mr. Tanaka, sitting on the left, is about fifty years old and has a goatee. He is the arithmetic authority of the domain school. Mr. Sato in the middle has a serious face and rarely smiles. He is good at law and documents. Mr. Suzuki on the right is much younger. He wears a pair of round-framed glasses and looks refined. He is well-versed in history and geography.

Just as the two sides were having a pleasant conversation, a sound suddenly came from outside the room.

"...Several teachers are inside discussing important matters with the guests."

Just wanted to let you know...

Immediately afterwards, with a soft sound, the previously closed shoji door was slowly pulled open.

The blinding sunlight followed the figure into the room; it was a young man of about twenty years old.

He was dressed in a plain dark blue samurai outfit, with a katana hanging at his waist that was not drawn from its sheath; the worn edges of the hilt showed signs of long-term martial arts training.

"Excuse me."

The young man stopped at the door, took off his wooden clogs, and neatly placed them by the door before stepping inside.

"Your Highness Ichiro!"

Upon seeing this, Mr. Tanaka, who was seated at the head of the left-hand seat, stood up and bowed respectfully.

"What brings you here?"

Izuna looked up, his gaze calmly sweeping over the person who approached.

"Teacher Tanaka."

The young man, addressed as Ichiro, nodded slightly, returning the greeting with impeccable manners, his tone calm and even:

"Having heard of the arrival of distinguished guests from the Uchiha clan, as the eldest son of the Sono family, it is my duty to pay them a visit and fulfill my duty as a host."

"Well..." Mr. Tanaka hesitated for a moment, "We are currently discussing the specific teaching details..."

"It's alright."

"Teachers, please continue. Although I am not very talented, I am somewhat literate. If I could sit in on your class, I might be able to answer some of your questions."

After speaking, he walked respectfully to the last seat and nodded slightly to the maids serving him in the room.

The maid quickly brought over a cushion.

Ichiro sat upright, with his hands on his knees, his back straight, and his eyes fixed straight ahead.

"Please continue, everyone. Don't mind me."

The arrival of this person actually made the originally relaxed atmosphere become somewhat restrained.

Izuna didn't give the young man in front of him much of a look and gestured for Mr. Tanaka to continue.

The matter has already been discussed quite thoroughly.

After finalizing the departure date and arrangements with the teachers, Izuna stood up, preparing to say goodbye to everyone present.

"Well then, Izuna will be waiting for you all at the clan's territory."

Hearing that the important business was over, the young man, who had been sitting as still as a statue, finally moved. He stood up and walked steadily to Izuna.

"Are you the distinguished guest of the Uchiha clan?"

He bowed slightly.

"That's right, Uchiha Izuna."

Izuna replied calmly, responding with standard samurai etiquette.

"I've heard so much about you. I am Sonoichiro, the eldest son of the Sono family."

"So it's Prince Ichiro. It's a pleasure to meet you."

As the three teachers respectfully withdrew and gradually walked away, Ichiro's tense demeanor seemed to relax slightly.

The young man clearly valued him highly and had no intention of ending the meeting there.

"It is a rare occasion for Lord Izuna to come to the capital. If he were to leave in a hurry after finishing his business, it would seem as if the Sono family had failed to provide adequate hospitality."

Ichiro paused, seemingly considering his words:

"Although I am dull-witted and not good with words, I am willing to fulfill my father's duty as a host and show you... the sights of the capital."

Izuna did not refuse. He was to meet the daimyo in two days, and it would be a good thing to get more information through his eldest son.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Prince Ichiro."

The two walked out of the school side by side.

Genta's palanquin was parked outside the door; however, it was a traditional Japanese single-person palanquin, not convenient for two people to travel together.

"If you don't mind, Your Highness, would you like to ride in my carriage for a chat?"

Izuna extended an invitation at the opportune moment.

Ichiro hesitated for a moment, seemingly weighing whether this was in accordance with etiquette, but finally nodded:

"Then I shall respectfully comply."

After boarding the carriage, Ichiro looked at the simple yet fully functional interior, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his serious expression.

Led by his sedan chair bearers, the carriage slowly began to move.

This eldest son of the daimyo was extremely knowledgeable about the orthodox culture of the capital.

At each place, he would lift the curtains and explain in detail.

At first, Izuna listened quite attentively, trying to extract useful information from it.

But as night fell outside the window, the story told by Madoka Ichiro gradually became tedious.

From the architectural specifications of the memorial archway to the centuries-old etiquette, and then to the current style of clothing for nobles...

Izuna seemed to have left his body, his mind was constantly foggy, and he could only manage a polite but awkward smile.

"On another note..."

Izuna finally couldn't hold back any longer and, taking advantage of a moment when Sonoichiro was catching his breath, interrupted his long-winded discourse on court grammar.

In order to take the initiative, he decided to bring up a topic that was both versatile and could also test the waters.

"His Highness Ichiro is learned and insightful."

What unique insights do you have regarding the current situation and the future development of the Land of Fire?