Chapter 245
"Who are you going to let through?"
Late at night in the Hokage's office building, Orochimaru asked after hearing Lu Nie's decision.
"You need to have a high status and seniority, be able to control the situation, and have strength. It would be best if you can have a good relationship with the older generation of the Sand Village and be able to have a heart-to-heart talk with them."
Lu Nie counted on his fingers and listed the conditions one by one. By the end, Orochimaru even rolled his eyes.
The accumulated direction of these conditions is too obvious!
Apart from the three of them, the only people in the village who can meet this condition are the four people of the older generation.
Orochimaru actually wanted to send Shimura Danzo over there. Because with Danzo's personality, once he left the village's supervision, he would definitely cause some trouble. If he caused trouble in the Sand Village, causing the Sand Village to "accidentally" deal with him, the relationship between the two villages would still be affected.
Although he does things unscrupulously, the Sand Village still has some weight to Konoha, and in the future it can be gradually assimilated into an inseparable union. There is no need to send Danzo, a trouble maker, over there to affect the relationship between the two villages.
As the Hokage, he thought about it and had to suppress this idea which was somewhat tempting to him.
Danzo, who is under supervision, cannot be released, and Sarutobi Hiruzen, as his teacher, naturally cannot leave the village easily. He is now working hard in the Ninja School, immersed in training the next generation.
That leaves only the top two consultants who have retreated to the second line.
The other party's influence in the village is still great enough. If the teacher had not forced them to make room for him, Orochimaru's various decrees would not have been implemented so smoothly.
However, as long as these two people are still in the village, they can always influence some things through some channels.
"Notify the two elders, Utane Koharu and Mitokado En, to come over." Orochimaru summoned an Anbu and gave him an order.
Seeing that Orochimaru was unwilling to even act, Lu Ni simply kept silent. This was originally a kind of tacit understanding between the two.
Not long after, the door of the Hokage's office was pushed open, and two Konoha elders, Mito Kado En, walked in.
"What's the matter that requires you to come to us two old men and women in the middle of the night?"
After entering the room, Utane and Koharu asked Orochimaru questions. Orochimaru had been on the throne for so long, and except for the period just after he took the throne, he was eager to clear the influence of the old generation of elders from the interior of this building.
There was no major matter involving them, and Orochimaru had not summoned them urgently like this for a long time.
"There is a very important task that requires the opinions of the two elders."
Orochimaru, wearing the Hokage robe, stood up and repeated in a sincere tone what Luna and Maki had discussed.
"This is a good thing." After hearing what Orochimaru said, Utane and Koharu glanced at Kane standing next to them, and nodded in agreement in unison.
"It is necessary to maintain the alliance with the Sand Village and deepen the relationship. If we can make the Sand Village inseparable from the influence of Konoha, it will be a good thing for the future of Konoha."
Mitomon En expressed his opinion.
Although the Sand Village is not strong, it is still a big ninja village supported by one of the five major countries. The quality and strength of the ninjas in the village are the best in the ninja world. If it can really achieve what Orochimaru planned, and subtly bind the interests of the two ninja villages together, it will be a good thing for the future of Konoha.
Otherwise, every time there was a Ninja World War, Konoha would have to fight one against three or four, without even a truly powerful and reliable ally. It would be too tragic.
"What do we need to do?"
Utatane Koharu asked directly. Based on her understanding of Orochimaru, if he invited them over and acted so politely, there must be something difficult for them to do. And it would be difficult for them to refuse this.
Instead of beating around the bush, it’s better to ask directly and agree to it.
Although the two were somewhat dissatisfied with the significant reduction in their power, they had nothing to say as there was a precedent of three generations who retired cleanly.
Apart from helping Orochimaru stabilize the top management in the early stages and allowing him to successfully place people to control the operation of the village, the Third Generation almost never appeared in the Hokage Building again.
He has now regarded the Ninja School as his new office, and he spends his days at home and at school. As long as it does not affect the interests of the village, he will never interfere in any of Orochimaru's political affairs.
"Konoha needs two highly respected and distinguished people to stay in the Sand Village for a long time to serve as a bridge of communication between Konoha and the Sand Ninja high-level officials." Orochimaru spread his hands and said, "I think the most suitable candidates for the village at the moment are only the two elders."
Utane Koharu and Mitokado En looked at each other and saw the look of expectedness in each other's eyes.
"No problem. When do we set off?" Mizuto Menyan asked.
"There is still some time left. You two can decide on the personnel to bring with you and select some juniors from the ninja school to go to the Sand Village."
Orochimaru showed a hint of surprise at the two's decisiveness, but he quickly concealed it. His tone became gentler and he offered relaxed conditions, allowing the two to choose the people they would bring and the students who would go to the Sand Village for further study.
The children who are sent to the Sand Village to learn puppetry are most likely from civilian families, because the children of the ninja clan mostly have their own heritage, and their parents may not be willing to let their children leave the family for a long time.
"Just notify us when the time comes. We can go there and catch up with the Chiyo siblings." said Utane Koharu.
"We know that you, Orochimaru, feel that we are an eyesore and that we are affecting your administration, but the duty of an advisor is to find out the shortcomings and fix the gaps for the Hokage and maintain the stability of the village.
As long as it is beneficial to the village, we old guys are willing to do our best for the village. Just like Danzo, although his reputation in the village has fallen to the bottom and his personality is not suitable for being a Hokage, he still loves the village. At least, he did what Hiruzen did not do and hoped that someone else could do. He acted as a knife very well! When Hiruzen became Hokage, he assisted him to sit firmly on the position of Hokage and eliminated many external enemies for the village. "
As Mitomon En left, he turned around and said to Orochimaru seriously.
"Let's tell Maki from the Sand Village everything tomorrow." After Orochimaru and the other two Konoha elders left, he rubbed his forehead and said to Kane who had watched everything.
"I will." Lu Ni nodded.
"Also, Kushina is about to give birth. How's the making of your spirit-suppressing stone going?"
(End of this chapter)