I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 365 and 366: A Gathering of Elegantly Dressed Individuals

At six o'clock in the evening, a faint crimson hue appeared on the horizon.

Naruto Uchiha, dressed in a black suit, walked out of the old house with Chiyo Matsudaira and Namiryu Sakaki, who were also wearing black kimonos, and got into a black Passat.

The other assistants got into another black sedan.

"Tonight is an all-nighter, and the farewell ceremony and funeral are tomorrow. If everything goes smoothly, we can return to Tokyo tomorrow afternoon," Namiryu Sakaki said as she drove.

Japanese funerals follow Buddhist rituals and procedures, and last about three days.

On the first day after death, the body is placed in a suitable location, and the funeral home, city hall, and temple are notified to arrange the subsequent funeral procedures.

The next day, the funeral home arranged for the mourning hall to be set up. After the mortician prepared the deceased's appearance, he placed the body in the coffin. An all-night service was held between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., and people who had any dealings with the deceased were welcome to come and pay their respects and burn incense.

Monks chanted sutras to pray for the deceased's rebirth in the Pure Land, and the bereaved family and friends kept vigil for the deceased that night.

The third-day farewell ceremony is smaller and more formal, usually attended only by close relatives and friends. After the farewell ceremony, the funeral procession takes place, where the coffin is moved to the crematorium for cremation.

"Yes." Uchiha Naruto nodded.

"By the way, what did my brother-in-law say?"

"He returned to the country today and said he would try his best to attend the all-night service. If he really can't make it, he will definitely attend the funeral."

The group fell silent. The black Passat turned a corner and drove for another three to five minutes until they saw an ordinary wooden house standing there. Firewood was piled up to the eaves, and a fence surrounded a yard outside.

"arrive."

There are many open spaces in the countryside, so you can park your car anywhere on the outskirts.

On the open ground next to the country house, more than a dozen cars and trucks were parked, including luxury cars such as BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes, which looked particularly conspicuous in this small village that is gradually dying out and declining.

After Uchiha Naruto and the others got out of the car, Sakaki Nami was about to walk towards the yard when she glanced at Matsudaira Chiyo and suddenly slapped her forehead.

"Ah Ming, you brought your girlfriend back without telling me beforehand, I completely forgot to prepare for Chiyo's memorial service."

At Japanese funerals, guests are expected to bring incense money in specially packaged bags as a token of their respect.

Because it is placed before the spirit tablet of the deceased, it is also called "before the spirit tablet" or "before the Buddha tablet".

"Go back to the old house and see if there are any extra packaging bags," Sakaki Nami said, beckoning an assistant over.

"No need, Nami-chan."

Matsudaira Chiyo smiled sweetly and, as if prepared, took out two sealed envelopes of spirits from her small bag.

"What Ah Ming and I have prepared is all ready."

"You're really thoughtful," Nami Sakaki said with a smile.

Uchiha Naruto, Sakaki Nami, and Matsudaira Chiyo walked towards the country house.

At the entrance to the courtyard, a table serves as a reception desk, where an elderly farmer in his sixties sits, registering the names of visitors and collecting offerings.

"Village Chief. What brings you here?"

"It's Nami Ryu! I almost didn't recognize you. You've got that big city girl vibe now."

The village chief looked up; his face was dark and wrinkled, and he looked honest and simple.

"Since I had nothing better to do, I thought I'd come and help. After all, I've received a lot of help from the Uchiha elder brother in the past."

The old village chief adjusted his reading glasses, glanced at Sakaki Namikaze a few times, and then his gaze fell on Uchiha Naruto, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"This young man looks familiar; he must be the son of a powerful sect."

"Hello, I am Uchiha Naruto."

Naruto Uchiha stepped forward and greeted him politely.

"Hello, hello! Your grandfather and I are old acquaintances. I watched the Immortal Sect grow up. I might even have held you when you were born!" the old village chief said in a rambling manner.

Uchiha Naruto gave a strange yet polite smile.

He wasn't born in a village.

Although he had met the old village chief a few times, how could the old village chief have ever held the newborn Uchiha Naruto?

After registering their names at the front desk and handing over the spirit tablet with both hands, the three members of the Uchiha clan were led into the house by the old village chief.

"For someone from such a small place to get into Dongda University is truly a remarkable achievement! This is the first time in the village's history that such a breakthrough has ever happened!"

The old village chief warmly grasped Uchiha Naruto's hand, his face revealing the loving kindness of an elder.

"Incredible! I knew he was destined for greatness. I just never imagined the Immortal Sect would have such good fortune; now he's a well-known figure in Japan. With someone like the Immortal Sect, who dares to say our village isn't a blessed land of outstanding people?"

Naruto Uchiha felt somewhat helpless.

But the old village chief was getting on in years, and whether he had dementia or was just taking advantage of his age, there was nothing he could say.

"I heard you're also a top student from the University of Tokyo?"

"Yes."

"Like father, like son; the Uchiha clan is truly on the verge of great success."

The old village chief led the three people into the house, which immediately attracted the attention of several villagers inside.

"It's the second daughter of the Sakaki family!"

"Are those young men from the Uchiha clan here too? I haven't seen them." A villager looked around curiously.

"What young man? He's an extraordinary being now, and a minister! He's very busy with official duties and might not be able to come. I heard on the news that Minister Uchiha is attending a meeting abroad."

"I think he's become rich and now he looks down on his poor relatives in the countryside." He was also jealous, muttering to himself in a sarcastic tone.

"Shhh."

In the center of the mourning hall, the deceased's coffin and color photograph were placed.

The coffin was made of black paulownia wood, and only the upper part was open. Inside were the deceased's favorite items.

While Sakaki Nami was exchanging pleasantries with the bereaved family, Uchiha Naruto was discreetly observing the deceased's face.

The old man lying in the coffin was, in terms of seniority, the great-uncle of Uchiha Senmon, that is, Uchiha Naruto's great-great-uncle.

In Naruto Uchiha's memory, this was a rigid and eccentric old man who inherited the Uchiha family business, but his skill in weaving round fans was quite good.

He had no children, but adopted a daughter. After she married and moved to the city, she naturally took her husband's surname.

After this old man passed away, the only people in the world who carried the blood of the Uchiha clan were Senmon and Naruto.

Uchiha Naruto couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

"The old man, who was over eighty, drank too much and never woke up. It's a happy death, you can consider it a peaceful one. Ah Ming, you don't need to be sad."

After speaking with the bereaved family, Sakaki Namikazu walked to Uchiha Naruto's side and offered her comfort.

Uchiha Naruto shook his head slightly.

He had no real feelings for this great-uncle; he was just using the scenery to evoke emotions.

Funeral expenses in Japan are not insignificant. Even a simplified three-day funeral can easily cost one or two million yen for the entire process. After burial, the subsequent maintenance and management of the tombstone also incurs considerable expenses.

There have even been egregious incidents where people poured their fathers' ashes down the toilet in an attempt to save on funeral expenses.

Families with the means will hold an all-night ceremony at a temple or a venue provided by a funeral home, but rural families don't follow this custom. In order to save on funeral expenses, they often hold the ceremony at home.

Rural areas may not be as well-equipped as cities, but they are spacious enough.

The front room where the coffin was placed served as the mourning hall, while some villagers stood in the open space in front of the room to pay their respects.

Besides the villagers dressed in black, there were several unidentified individuals.

He was impeccably dressed, with an air of authority, looking every bit the successful person, but he stood out from the crowd like the luxury cars parked among the trucks and sedans outside.

"Ms. Sakaki!"

The moment the group saw Namikami Sakaki, their eyes lit up, and they quickly walked towards her.

"whispering sound."

A look of displeasure flashed across Namikaze's face as she took a few steps to meet her.

They surrounded Sakaki Nami, talking to her incessantly, their faces showing flattery and humility.

"That fat man is the vice president of Kinokuniya Bookstore. He's been trying to persuade me to have his company publish a biography about my brother-in-law."

A few minutes later, after temporarily dismissing the person, Sakaki Namiru returned, shaking her head and saying:

"The others are in the same boat, they need my help, no, they need my brother-in-law's help. I didn't expect them to follow me all the way here, they really don't know what's good for them."

"Nami-neechan, you're blinded by your own perspective. Their motives aren't that simple."

Matsudaira Chiyo couldn't help but chuckle and said:

"Snakes have their ways, and rats have theirs. Although I'm just a local bully in Shizuoka Prefecture, I'm still very well-informed."

Sakaki Nami was slightly taken aback, but then she understood.

"Nami-neechan, Uncle Uchiha is always elusive, so who knows how many 'distinguished guests' will come to our door during this opportunity," Matsudaira Chiyo said playfully.

Before the words were finished, the old village chief's exclamation came from outside the courtyard:

"Mayor, what brings you here?"

"What, can't I come? I think I'm a bit late; the all-night session hasn't started yet, has it?"

A middle-aged man with an official-like appearance signed his name at the front desk, and his secretary immediately took out a letter and handed it to him with both hands.

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant," the old village chief waved his hands repeatedly.

Just then, several luxury cars parked in the open space outside the country house, followed by a group of wealthy-looking men.

"President of Marushichi Tea Co., Ltd."

"And the president of the Shizuoka Prefectural Agricultural Association!"

The old village chief's expression changed repeatedly. Compared to the mayor of Kawanomoto Town, where the village was located, he was more concerned about these two uninvited guests.

Marushichi Tea Co., Ltd. is the leading tea company in Shizuoka Prefecture. Several villages in Shizuoka Prefecture have become prosperous thanks to this large company, much to the envy of the old village chiefs.

As for agricultural associations, their importance to villages whose main industry is agriculture goes without saying.

It's no exaggeration to say that if the agricultural association were to tighten its grip even slightly, the entire village of over a thousand people would have to tighten their belts and prepare to starve.

Although the guests were all quite distinguished, they treated the old village chief with kindness and offered him a portion of the sacred offering.

The old village chief dared not neglect them and led them into the house.

Several dignitaries glanced casually at the mourning hall, then looked around as if searching for someone.

"Department Head Uchiha, haven't you arrived yet?"

Just as the old village chief was about to answer, a villager rushed in, flustered.

"Why are you in such a panic? Can't you see I'm entertaining distinguished guests?"

The man, with a mournful face, said to the old village chief:

"The mayor of Matsuma City, along with several other large company presidents, have arrived. We don't know what to do. Village head, we can only ask you to step in."

The old village chief's expression immediately became quite interesting.

The visit of several local dignitaries from Shizuoka Prefecture was like opening Pandora's box.

In less than an hour, the area outside the country house was filled with all kinds of luxury cars.

The table was already piled high with spirit tablets.

The old village chief, who was registering his name at the front desk, went from feeling fearful, surprised, and uneasy to now feeling numb.

The president of the Shizuoka Shimbun in Japan.

Mayor of Shimizu City.

Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly Member.

Director of Kawasaki Machinery Co., Ltd.

……

The small farmhouse courtyard was home to the wealthiest and most prominent figures from half of Shizuoka Prefecture.

At first, the old village chief was very nervous and afraid that he might not be able to entertain the distinguished guests properly and would anger them.

But they were all very elegant and polite, showing no disdain for the humble courtyard and the lack of alcohol, as if they were attending a social banquet.

When the villagers who arrived late to attend the memorial service saw this, they all stood timidly to the side and watched, not daring to step forward.

"Wow, the license plate on this Cadillac is from Tokyo."

"The mayor of Shizuoka City has arrived. How many is this now? Which mayors from Shizuoka Prefecture haven't come yet?"

"What a glorious sight! If I were to die, so many important figures would come to pay their respects; I would truly die without regrets!"

"Heh, is your surname Uchiha?"

For the villagers who had never seen much of the world, this was a sight to behold, a truly eye-opening experience.

They all clicked their tongues in amazement and began to discuss it animatedly.

"Governor, your presence is truly an honor to Kawanemoto Town!"

Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the entrance, startling even the celebrities and wealthy gentlemen who were chatting in the courtyard, who all came out to greet them.

The governor of Shizuoka Prefecture and the chief of the prefectural police headquarters arrived together.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the first words spoken by the county magistrate after getting out of the car were:

"Captain Uchiha, have we arrived?"

The old village chief had heard the same question so many times he was practically numb to it.

Whether they are billionaire CEOs or high-ranking dignitaries, after paying their dues to the spirit, they can't wait to ask the same question.

Even the most obtuse person should realize that the real intention is not what it seems.

What merit does this poor, remote village possess to attract so many prominent figures? These important people are using the opportunity of paying respects to come here specifically for Minister Uchiha.

Although television news reports extensively on the importance of the Supernatural Police Department and the power of the Twelve Divine Generals, promoting the head of the Uchiha Senmon sect.

However, as a countryman who had never encountered supernatural phenomena, the old village chief knew that the Uchiha Sage Clan was famous, but he found it hard to imagine what kind of people they had become.

But seeing these luxury cars and the influx of celebrities and dignitaries from Shizuoka Prefecture, the old village chief finally had a clear impression.

Immortal Sect, what a fine name.

A mountain is not famous for its height, but for the immortals who dwell there. Water is not sacred for its depth, but for the dragons that inhabit it.

The extraordinary Uchiha clan is the village's sage and true dragon!

It's not that I have writer's block; I can come up with a draft for whatever I want to write. But my old problem has resurfaced: I lack confidence and hesitate when choosing words and constructing sentences, causing me to procrastinate.

(End of this chapter)