Uchiha's personal opinion

Even after receiving the first batch of proceeds from the sale of the special infrastructure bonds, the top brass of the Cloud Village began to discuss whether to increase the scale of bond issuance at the Naga River Stock Exchange in order to raise more funds to deal with the overwhelming momentum of the Kirigakure Ninja Army.

The Uchiha clan also made a fortune from this wealth-generating feast, just by collecting management fees.

However, for the Tokugawa Shogunate, the most important thing was to use the gold coins as official currency in the open market, and this was tacitly approved by the Land of Lightning, one of the five great nations.

Although the 500 million gold coins would most likely flow back into the hands of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the near future through the arms trade, the use and circulation of the gold coins meant that the gold coins, which were issued without any standard of reference and based on productivity, had the same effect as the currencies of major countries.

Next, Uchiha Tokumitsu will focus on expanding the breadth and depth of the use of the Gold Yuan.

However, news from Konoha disrupted Uchiha Tokumitsu's series of plans.

After the Hokage Building announced the list of candidates for the Fourth Hokage, the village was in an uproar, and the Uchiha clan jumped up and down as if a pot had been boiled over.

Clan leader Uchiha Shimo was the first to speak out within the clan, gathering the clan's Jonin to jointly submit a letter questioning the legality of the candidate nomination process.

After the Kumogakure campaign ended, Hatake Sakumo returned to the village to deal with the long-standing affairs of the Jonin team, and was also surprised when he heard the news.

Although he also intended to compete for the position of Fourth Hokage, he never expected to be nominated as a Hokage candidate in this way.

At the same time, he felt a deep sense of worry.

He was well aware of the Uchiha clan's ambition for the Hokage position. Although Uchiha Tokumitsu had never shown it, ordinary Uchiha clan members, especially the radicals, had long recognized Uchiha Tokumitsu as the next Hokage.

So, after the village's resolution is issued, will the Uchiha clan take any extreme actions?

But at this juncture, he couldn't immediately seek out Uchiha Tokumitsu for advice.

Besides, what else could they possibly discuss? Even the Uchiha clan's combat Jonin from the Mobile Force were already getting carried away, so if they were to step in now, it would only invite gossip.

Uchiha Tokumitsu's heart was not greatly disturbed by this.

In his eyes, although the position of Hokage was the long-cherished vision of his clan, it was still too narrow a goal.

With the current power of the Uchiha clan, the Tokugawa Shogunate rules the southern islands of the Land of Water, the former territory of the Land of Whirlpools, and controls island nations such as the Land of Waves; while the Higanbana Shogunate is based in the Land of Grass and has infiltrated the southwestern part of the Land of Waterfall and the northeastern part of the Land of Rain. In addition, the Uchiha clan has gained control of the southern part of the Land of Frost and the small buffer state between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning during the Cloud Village Conquest. The Uchiha clan has become a behemoth with its own independent ninja army and territory.

Therefore, the Uchiha clan is less a ninja clan and more a super-continental group with both military and political power.

Moreover, in Uchiha Tokumitsu's eyes, the so-called three Hokage candidates were just targets put forward by the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi to attract attention. Instead of getting hung up on the procedural justice of the Hokage candidate list, it would be better to directly reform the Hokage election system.

Furthermore, compared to returning to the village to compete for the Hokage position, Uchiha Tokumitsu preferred to devote his energy to war and production, as the returns would be higher.

However, as social animals, humans cannot escape the constraints of the collective will.

Uchiha Tokumitsu could not show his attitude too obviously. After all, he was not a weasel with a rebellious nature. The foundation of his power and status came from the cultivation and support of his family all along. Therefore, Uchiha Tokumitsu also cooperated with his family to issue an inquiry to the Hokage Building in a restrained manner.

At the same time, Uchiha Hatake was transferred from his position as the head of the Dark Guard and appointed as the commander of the northern border defense forces.

Amidst the heated debate over who would become Hokage, Uchiha Tokumitsu's appointment seemed unremarkable and caused no stir.

Even the Konoha ninjas who originally belonged to the northern border defense forces accepted the arrival of the new commander without any psychological burden.

After all, ever since Uchiha Himon reorganized the northern border defense forces, the northern ninjas have all assumed that the commander of their headquarters will be a ninja from the Uchiha clan.

This still did not satisfy the Uchiha clan members, especially the police ninja stationed in the village, who were indignant and began to clamor for a ninja army to demand an explanation from the Hokage's faction. They said that if the Uchiha clan could not be satisfied, then war would be the only option.

Now even Sakumo Hatake couldn't sit still anymore.

Although he and Uchiha Tokumitsu were allies, those radical Uchiha ninjas were not so easy to talk to. Although they usually maintained politeness and respect for Hatake Sakumo out of respect for Uchiha Tokumitsu, they might not be so at this moment.

During the Jonin meeting, the Uchiha Jonin, under the influence of the clan elders, jointly petitioned the Jonin to impeach the Hokage. The petition grew stronger with each petition, and even the Jonin from the affiliated clans who remained in the village participated.

Seeing that the situation was about to deteriorate to an irreversible point, Hatake Sakumo had no choice but to announce the suspension of the Jonin team's operations and personally went to the shogunate's headquarters in the north to discuss this ending with Uchiha Tokumitsu.

……

Uchiha Tokumitsu did not distance himself from Hatake Sakumo despite his nomination as a Hokage candidate; he still received him warmly.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two got down to business.

“Lord Deguang, the village cannot be allowed to descend into internal strife; this is the bottom line…”

Sakumo Hatake said seriously.

"The Uchiha clan only wants fairness, nothing more."

Uchiha Tokumitsu agreed with a serious expression.

This also forms the basis for the formal talks and negotiations between the two.

In Sakumo Hatake's heart, it didn't matter much who sat on the Hokage seat, as long as he could realize his vision of a new Konoha.

Of course, if he could become the next Hokage, he would be able to better realize his ideals, so Sakumo Hatake naturally wouldn't have any objections to it.

However, in the eyes of the Uchiha clan, ever since Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju joined forces to create Konoha, the clan's overall strength had been in a state of continuous decline until the rise of Tokumitsu Uchiha, which then began to show signs of revival.

But this is not enough.

The position of Hokage has become a collective obsession for the Uchiha clan, and only by having an Uchiha clan member wear the Hokage robe can this obsession be resolved.

"...Should we really impeach the Hokage?"

After a moment of silence, Hatake Sakumo finally spoke.

"Anything else would not be enough to convince the public."

Uchiha Tokumitsu answered crisply and decisively.

Sakumo Hatake was at a loss for words.

Fairness and public acceptance.

What seems like a simple request is anything but simple when applied to a powerful clan like the Uchiha.

The Uchiha clan is too strong.

Sakumo Hatake was well aware of this.

Apart from the Uchiha clan, no other ninja clan or force in Konoha was capable of launching a war on its own and forcing a major power to submit.

Moreover, the Tokugawa Shogunate still controls the Three-Tails Jinchuriki captured from the Kirigakure battlefield, and the Kirigakure, the victim, has inexplicably failed to retrieve the Jinchuriki along with Uchiha Tokugawa.

With such a vast power, coupled with the various industries and territories they controlled throughout the ninja world, Hatake Sakumo couldn't understand why the Uchiha clan was still not satisfied.

"Konoha is the Konoha of all Konoha ninjas, and the Uchiha clan is also a member of the Konoha ninjas."

Uchiha Tokumitsu took the initiative to say, "The First and Second Hokage were chosen by the Senju clan, and the Uchiha clan had no choice but to accept it because of their strength; when the Third Hokage ascended the throne, there was a war, and the Uchiha clan had no choice but to endure it as well."

"But this time... the Hokage seems to be showing a lot of disrespect to the Uchiha, the strongest ninja clan!"

"Sakumo-kun, according to Konoha's system, who decides the election of the Hokage? And what procedures must be followed?"

"...The vote of confidence in the Jonin Team Tournament."

Sakumo Hatake opened his mouth to defend himself, but ultimately answered directly.

"It seems the supervisory and auditing authority of the Jonin team isn't enough for the Hokage..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu leaned back in his chair and said quietly, "Then can I assume that after Danzo's ambush failed, all the agreements we reached with the Hokage became a bunch of useless empty words?"

"...It's not that bad."

Even so, Hatake Sakumo still felt a great headache.

This is what he is most worried about.

As the leader of the Jonin squad, he was completely unaware of the list of Hokage candidates compiled by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, beforehand, which was also his problem.

At the same time, it was precisely because of the suddenness of the candidate nomination that Sakumo Hatake found himself in a dilemma.

"I understand your idea."

Uchiha Tokumitsu said, "But things that need to be changed still need to be changed. The impeachment of the Jonin team is the legitimate right of all Konoha Jonin. It is also reasonable for the clan to express its demands. The Hokage Building also needs to give an appropriate response. But don't worry, with me here, the clan will not start a war with the village."

"That's good!"

Sakumo Hatake immediately breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

"but……"

Uchiha Tokumitsu changed the subject, and Hatake Sakumo's heart jumped into his throat again.

"From now on, the shogunate's direct troops will no longer use village headbands."

Uchiha Tokumitsu took out the special headband he had worn during the signing ceremony of the ceasefire agreement with Kumogakure and solemnly placed it on his forehead.

The headband bears an engraving of the Uchiha clan's fan emblem.

Sakumo Hatake could only sigh at this.

He wanted to stop it, but couldn't find a suitable reason.

As the Uchiha clan's power rapidly expanded, conflicts between the Uchiha clan and the Hokage's faction increased, which was inevitable.

Fortunately, Uchiha Tokumitsu was relatively restrained, limiting the costume change to the Shogunate's direct forces.

However, Hatake Sakumo did not let his guard down. In his impression, Uchiha Tokumitsu was not an easy person to talk to.

"anything else?"

Sakumo Hatake sighed. "Go ahead and tell me. As long as it's not a direct conflict with the village, I'll try my best to mediate..."

"The Uchiha clan will use gold coins for all future arms transactions with foreign countries, including village purchases."

Uchiha Tokumitsu continued, "By the way, the Gold Yuan will also be implemented across all industries under the United Corporation."

This is monetary policy...

Hatake Sakumo didn't know much about finance, and he hadn't even figured out the key advantages and disadvantages of the Nanka River Stock Exchange created by Uchiha Tokumitsu, so he didn't think much of it.

Is that all?

Sakumo Hatake asked tentatively.

He regretted it as soon as he finished speaking.

Isn't this a reminder for Uchiha Tokumitsu to make more demands?

"The rest has little to do with the village."

Uchiha Tokumitsu stroked his chin and said, "For example, establishing a joint settlement bank, setting up a joint reserve committee, and so on..."

"These matters are internal affairs of the clans and the allied ninja clans; the village has no right to interfere."

"I understand……"

Sakumo Hatake breathed a sigh of relief.

"I will return to the village after I finish dealing with matters in the north. As for the family, I will ask them to exercise restraint."