Prince Kōda Jin spoke calmly as Ranmaru listened intently: "Father, please proceed."
"In the village of Konoha, there is a girl who is the granddaughter of the First Hokage. She isn't much younger than you, and I want you to get closer to her."
(Author's Note: There won't be any controversial events; this character is just a minor one, and her fate will be similar to a character who dies due to an exploding tag.)
The implication of these words was very clear. Ranmaru, who had grown up in an extremely luxurious environment, did not value ninja, even though his father had previously warned him to be cautious of them. Ranmaru looked down on ninja, considering them nothing more than country folk.
He pointed to himself in shock and disbelief: "What? You want me to marry a country girl? Father, are you joking with me?"
But before he could finish his words, Prince Kōda Jin slapped him without hesitation, delivering a lesson that Ranmaru would not soon forget: "I don't want to hear such words from your mouth ever again."
"Father..." Ranmaru said, holding his severely swollen cheek, his voice filled with grievance. Never before had his father been as harsh with him as he was today.
Prince Kōda Jin said seriously: "I hurt you so that you will remember this lesson well. There is a saying: 'Walls have ears.' You never know how your words might spread and lead to irreversible consequences."
"I've taught you this before. The best way to avoid such issues is to control your tongue."
"As a future political leader, you must be able to control your words and actions continuously, so as not to give others the opportunity to bring you down."
Ranmaru bowed his head and replied: "Yes, Father."
Prince Kōda Jin continued his teaching: "The Senju clan is one of the two most powerful clans in the world today, and they are known for their immense physical abilities."
"This girl is the direct granddaughter of the legendary ninja, Senju Hashirama. Marrying her could greatly enhance the abilities of our descendants. Over the generations, our clan could gain the strength of the Senju clan."
"And when that happens, we will be able to overcome our current weakness as aristocrats who lack physical power, and we will be able to control the world forever."
"In this world, wealth and power are secondary; they can be regained if lost. But strength is different. Throughout the ages, those who possess strength hold the right. With strength, wealth, fame, and status come easily."
"Sometimes, I find it ironic with the ninja. Despite their immense power, they are content with merely earning some money from missions, working as dogs for others. If I were in their position, I would seize the throne and replace all the aristocrats and daimyo."
"But fortunately, these fools lack vision. If it weren't for that, we aristocrats wouldn't have any role today."
After this teaching, Ranmaru responded seriously: "I understand. I will meet the expectations you have placed on me."
Seeing that his son had finally grasped the situation, Prince Kōda Jin felt relieved: "In due time, I will send you information about this girl to your room. You must study it carefully. After a while, I will send you to Konoha. I will use my connections to create opportunities for you two. This girl recently lost her grandfather, and she is in a fragile emotional state, so you must seize this opportunity to win her heart and gain her love."
"Remember, you must act quickly. I am confident that I am not the only one with this idea. There are likely people within Konoha who will send their sons to get close to Hashirama's granddaughter."
"Regardless of other aspects, marrying her will give you immense support in becoming Hokage and gaining great power."
Ranmaru replied seriously: "Understood."
Prince Kōda Jin nodded slightly and prepared to leave: "Alright, I will go now to see if the new Hokage is enjoying himself."
.....
After the event, Hiruzen held his head in his hands, full of regret: "What foolishness have I done?"
Prince Kōda Jin angrily scolded the two kneeling dancers: "You wretches! How dare you commit such a heinous crime while the Hokage was dead drunk!"
The two dancers pleaded for their lives, sobbing and claiming that they were overcome by the Hokage's striking appearance and couldn't resist his charm, leading to this disaster.
Prince Kōda Jin responded, "I don't want to hear it! Guards, take them away..."
"Wait! This is my fault," Hiruzen interjected, filled with regret. "Do not punish the innocent. If I hadn't been drunk, none of this would have happened. From today onwards, I vow to quit drinking."
"Hokage-sama, your compassion is truly remarkable. Even in such a situation, you're still thinking of others. Such a noble character is truly admirable. Please, allow me to bow to you."
Prince Kōda Jin bowed deeply, but Hiruzen quickly tried to stop him, saying, "Please, there's no need for that."
Hiruzen sighed in shame: "Alas, it doesn't matter for me, but I've ruined the purity of these two women."
Prince Kōda Jin, sensing an opportunity, said, "Well then, how about I arrange for you to marry them both?"
In these times, there wasn't a strict requirement for monogamy, and wealthy men taking multiple wives was common, although this was usually due to the significant power imbalance between men and women.
Knowing Hiruzen's weakness for women, Kōda Jin thought this offer would appeal to him. Of course, giving women directly wouldn't work; after all, Hiruzen was the Hokage and cared about his reputation in the village.
So, Kōda Jin quickly continued before Hiruzen could refuse: "Since ancient times, beauties have always been paired with heroes. Hokage-sama, please don't refuse. Besides, it's not your fault. You were drinking for the sake of the village's prosperity. I'm sure everyone would understand your circumstances."
"But..."
"Don't worry, this won't bring you any embarrassment. I will take care of these women. I'll arrange a house in the city for your two concubines, with regular monthly stipends. You can visit them whenever you have time. What do you think?"
"But..."
"Hokage-sama, don't refuse. If not for yourself, think of these two women. Having lost their honor, it will be difficult for them to marry into good families. You don't want them to live their lives under constant scrutiny, do you?"
Hiruzen let out a long sigh, clearly reluctant: "Very well."
Prince Kōda Jin, satisfied with the outcome, glanced at the two dancers: "What are you waiting for? Thank Hokage-sama for pleading on your behalf. If not for him, after committing such vile acts, do you think you'd still be alive?"
The two dancers, moved to tears, expressed their gratitude: "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen sighed again, seemingly resigned to the situation.
After this pretense of negotiation, Hiruzen weakly brought up the real issue: "Um, Prince Kōda Jin, regarding the village's budget, could you possibly increase it a little...?"
"Oh my!" Prince Kōda Jin slapped his forehead and said loudly, "It's all my fault. I drank too much today and mistakenly recorded this year's income, missing a zero."
Hiruzen's face lit up: "So, you're saying...?"
"How about I increase this year's budget for Konoha tenfold?" Prince Kōda Jin smiled. "With this money, Hokage-sama can quickly stabilize the situation after the unfortunate passing of the Second Hokage."
Hiruzen grinned from ear to ear: "Then, on behalf of Konoha Village, I thank you, Prince Kōda Jin."
With this money, his position as Hokage would be truly unshakable.
(End of Chapter)
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