The next day.
Everything in the Land of Fire went on as usual, quiet as a still lake.
During this time, a sudden piece of news spread from the royal palace of the Land of Fire.
A minor official abruptly won the Daimyō's favor and was promoted three ranks in a single day.
The news instantly drew attention. Every move of the Daimyō was closely watched, and nothing drew more eyes than personnel appointments.
Everyone serving in the Land of Fire wants to move up. How did an ordinary, unremarkable clerk with no illustrious family soar overnight and gain three ranks?
As for the nobles, to secure key information at crucial moments, they maintained long-standing friendly relations with the attendants near the Daimyō. A meeting often began with a gold nugget. How could the relationship not be close?
The story of the Daimyō spending a fortune on tulips spread at once.
"Oh, so it was because of tulips."
"So the Daimyō loves tulips."
To get the tulip name to break out quickly, the Daimyō even hosted a grand banquet, gathering the nobles of the Land of Fire for a feast.
After wine and food, the Daimyō produced a rare tulip and praised it lavishly before the crowd.
"Look at it. How vivid this flower is.
"Only a cultured, tasteful noble can recognize its beauty.
"You there—do you find it beautiful?"
The pointed-at noble answered at once. "Your Highness, I have never seen a flower so beautiful in my life."
"Since you have taste, how many tulips do you keep at home?"
The Daimyō pressed on. The noble looked embarrassed.
"Your Highness, I… do not keep tulips at home."
He had just declared himself a man of taste who recognized the beauty before him, but he had never cared much for flowers.
"Hmph. No tulips…"
Before the crowd, the Daimyō's expression turned mocking. At that moment another noble sprang out, face alight with excitement.
"Your Highness, my home is filled with tulips. Only people of our taste and station can appreciate their beauty."
Until now tulips had been a niche trend within a small circle of nobles, their name not yet echoing through the whole aristocracy. A niche track. Now that a niche passion had won the Daimyō's favor, they had to seize the moment.
The atmosphere heated at once.
The Daimyō hurried to clasp that noble's hand and admire the tulip with him. The nobles around chimed in one after another, laying on cascading praise.
The earlier unfortunate man was tacitly pushed to the fringes by everyone.
A tasteless noble no longer deserved to belong to their circle.
Among those present, whose home did not have a roomful of tulips? They looked certain of it.
In a single night, the tulip name broke out swiftly, and like a virus it spread through the Land of Fire and across aristocratic circles throughout the shinobi world.
The tulip bubble began to inflate.
At the same time—
Konoha, the office.
Senju Tobirama sat in the chair.
It ought to have been Senju Hashirama's chair, but Hashirama was a hands-off leader. Tobirama handled the village's daily affairs.
As for Hashirama, he was either hanging off Uchiha Madara all day and not coming home at night—earning Tobirama a scolding from Uzumaki Mito—or sneaking to the gambling hall to play the money-losing god of fortune, still not coming home until he'd lost everything, then borrowing from Madara, who "reluctantly" lent to him, after which the two stuck together again and Hashirama again didn't come home, and Tobirama went back only to have Mito point at his nose and scold, "What kind of little brother are you?"
Over time, Tobirama nursed complaints.
No one wants to work all day in the office and then be scolded by sister-in-law at night, blamed for not keeping an eye on his big brother. What was so good about that innately evil Uchiha Madara?
Faced with Tobirama's grumbling, Hashirama admitted fault but never changed it. He would play with Madara.
Even so, it was pain mixed with pleasure for Tobirama.
If big brother was idle every day and Madara idle every day, then that innately evil Madara was being tied down by big brother. Excellent.
The village's actual decision-maker was Senju Tobirama.
"I'll use this chance to slowly split the Uchiha, make Madara lose his clan's trust—so they know only the village and not Uchiha Madara.
"Madara is still too dangerous. If he suddenly goes mad one day, the Uchiha cannot go mad with him.
"The situation my brother built must not be ruined."
So he thought, already forming a series of plans. He would use his authority to win the Uchiha hearts.
And the village's condition grew better by the day, thriving and vigorous.
It was the fruit of Tobirama's sleepless toil; he hadn't even had time for his beloved research.
If only for himself, Tobirama would defend the village's hard-won state.
Knock, knock.
He looked up. "Come in."
The door creaked open and four people entered.
"Sasuke, Shima, you're here."
"Lord Tobirama."
He smiled at the visitors.
Sarutobi Sasuke and Shimura Shima, clan heads of the Sarutobi and Shimura respectively, had decided their clans would join Konoha.
After a round of greetings, the two stated their purpose.
Their clans would soon relocate to Konoha.
"That is excellent.
"Do you need anything from me?"
The plan was for the clan heads to lead their people to Konoha, passing by the capital of the Land of Fire and purchasing supplies in bulk nearby.
The Shimura situation was similar.
As for help, it would be best if the village could provide some funds. The more they bought in bulk, the better the price.
Tobirama nodded. Money was not the problem.
Funds were tight, but they could still scrape together some to win over the first clans to side with Konoha. It carried symbolic weight.
And the village's stores were low. They could join the Sarutobi and Shimura in bulk purchases. With the economy tight, buying in bulk was cheaper; any savings helped.
"Wait. Did you say you'll pass the capital of the Land of Fire?"
"Yes, Lord Tobirama."
At the mention of the capital, Tobirama pricked up his ears. The village funds were tight; with the Daimyō's support, things would improve.
But he had already sent two letters to the Daimyō. The replies were always the same.
First, gracious thanks for writing, then:
"Under consideration."
"Actively under consideration."
He decided to use this chance to write another letter and hand it off. If the third did not work, he would send his big brother to meet the Daimyō in person.
"Oh, a small matter.
"Let Hiruzen deliver the letter. He's already a shinobi who can handle things alone."
Sarutobi Sasuke said it.
Beside him, Shimura Shima was a beat slower, much like the future Danzō.
"Danzō can go along as well."
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