Petty grievances and trivial flaws can always be found in someone famous.
But if someone happens to be a daimyo, even with a few shortcomings, as long as he doesn't harm the people of his country, he is considered a good daimyo.
Even if he enjoys life excessively, even if he is infatuated with beautiful women, and even if his palace is filled with concubines, the daimyo of the Fire Country is still better compared to his counterparts in the other great nations.
If he refrains from interfering in military affairs and ensures that his indulgences don't harm the people, he is considered a good leader.
Had the emperors of bygone eras seen this, they would have wept in frustration, lamenting their inability to reach such lenient standards.
Tsunade frowned slightly, unable to hold back her question.
"When will the old man revoke the announcement?"
It had been a while since she attended any high-level meetings or communicated with the Third Hokage. Most of the village's recent major developments, she had learned from Shinki.
Thus, she was genuinely curious when the Third Hokage planned to end the announcement.
"Two or three days, I think," Shinki replied, raising a hand as he calculated. "The whole point of this stunt is to pressure the daimyo into allocating funds. The message is clear: if the financial support doesn't come, Konoha will disarm, withdraw ninjas from the borders, and let the consequences speak for themselves."
"If the daimyo senses the crisis, he'll send the money. Once the funds arrive, the village's financial issues will ease, and the announcement will naturally be revoked. As for what price the Hokage has to pay to regain the trust of the village's young ninjas... that'll depend on his determination."
This maneuver would not only offend the daimyo but also alienate many young ninjas in the village. Even if the Third Hokage managed to mend relations later, his reputation would take a severe hit.
"This is a mess," Tsunade muttered, completely exasperated.
From Konoha's financial records, it was clear the village's economy was robust enough to weather multiple wars. The current financial strain wasn't due to lack of funds but because some individuals were lining their own pockets.
"I fear that in the future, families like the Sarutobi and Shimura clans will have a hard time," she noted.
Without the Hokage's financial backing, these families would be forced to sustain themselves independently. However, most of these clans lacked sufficient industries or stable sources of income. They relied heavily on mission rewards or stipends from village positions.
With subsidies gone, they would be forced to tighten their belts and adapt.
"Are you actually worried about them?" Shinki asked, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.
"Tsunade, with all the problems Konoha is facing, why are you worried about the Sarutobi and Shimura clans?"
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"I'm not worried about them—I'm concerned about the aftermath. Without financial support, these families will need to seek alternative income sources. Without industries to fall back on, they'll start competing for mission rewards. And when that happens, it will affect every ninja in Konoha."
She elaborated, "Family ninjas are often more capable than civilians. If they flood the mission market, civilian ninjas will struggle to compete. High-level missions will be taken by them, leaving only scraps for others. And if this escalates, we'll see a drop in mission commission prices."
"How our Hokage-sama plans to handle that remains to be seen," Shinki remarked with a faint smile.
There were solutions, but none of them were pleasant.
One option was to accept more mission commissions to stabilize prices, but this could undercut other villages, risking increased tensions and even a new war.
The other option was for the Hokage's office to issue subsidies, but that would strain Konoha's treasury.
No matter what, the Third Hokage was in for a headache.
"Hokage? Who'd want such a role?" Shinki chuckled.
Thinking about those aspiring to the position, he couldn't help but laugh.
"If it were you, how would you handle this?" Tsunade suddenly asked.
Shinki froze, caught off guard by the question.
"Not interested!" he blurted out, waving his hands in mock panic.
Tsunade smirked, amused by his reaction. "Relax, it was just a question."
But deep down, Tsunade knew she might have no choice. If the Third Hokage's reputation fell too far, and the village demanded change, she could be thrust into the role of Hokage herself.
For her, being Hokage wasn't a position to covet—it was an inevitable responsibility.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, the atmosphere was tense.
Utatane Koharu had already paced to the window countless times, glancing down at the angry crowd gathered below.
"Hiruzen, are you really not going to explain yourself?" she asked, her tone heavy with worry.
The Third Hokage sat silently, puffing on his pipe. Though his demeanor was calm, the lines of worry on his face betrayed him.
"There's no point in explaining. Once the daimyo sends the money, the announcement will be revoked, the border ninjas rotated, and subsidies issued. In time, everyone will understand my intentions."
Explanation? It wouldn't change anything. Only results would silence the growing dissent.
>>>>>
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