That said, because of their strained relations with the village, the Uchiha compound often felt eerily quiet.
But today was different. Today, the entire Uchiha district was buzzing with life. Decorations adorned the streets, red lanterns hanging everywhere as the clan prepared for their leader's wedding.
"I still don't understand why I have to be here," Tsunade grumbled as she walked alongside Xin. "I'm still single myself, and yet here I am, attending someone else's wedding. It's miserable."
Xin chuckled, knowing exactly what was bothering her. "Because you're part of Konoha's leadership. You're the 'Princess of Konoha,' as named by the daimyo. If no one else wants to show up, it falls on you and the Hokage to represent the village."
Fugaku's wedding didn't absolutely require Tsunade's presence, but given her high status, she couldn't just skip it. And with the likes of Danzo and the other Elders opting out, it left her as one of the village's top representatives.
Hiruzen had done quite a bit of convincing to get Tsunade to agree to come, and now here she was, reluctantly accompanying Xin into the Uchiha compound.
"I still can't believe the Uchiha and Hyuga both changed clan heads around the same time," Tsunade mused. "Thank god they didn't get married at the same time too, or I'd be stuck running back and forth."
Xin chuckled. "Which would you prefer, Uchiha or Hyuga?"
Tsunade shot him a glare. "Is that even a question?"
There was no way she'd willingly choose to hang around the Hyuga. Their endless rules and strict traditions made every interaction feel like a minefield. One wrong word, and they'd claim you were disrespecting their entire clan.
The Uchiha may have had a reputation for being difficult, but the Hyuga weren't much better. The only difference was that the village wasn't targeting the Hyuga the way they were targeting the Uchiha.
Xin found himself wondering how the Hyuga even managed to compete with the Uchiha.
The Uchiha clan had nearly twice as many jōnin, more ninja overall, and far more wealth. In nearly every aspect, the Uchiha outclassed the Hyuga.
.
What's the point of the Hyuga even trying to compete with the Uchiha when they're not on the same level in any way?
Xin couldn't wrap his head around it.
"This way, Tsunade-sama, Xin-sama," A member of the Uchiha clan respectfully guided them to the clan leader's estate before leaving.
Despite it being the wedding of the clan leader, the atmosphere at the estate was less lively than Xin had imagined. Not many Uchiha were allowed into the estate, and after glancing at a few of the annoying elders, Xin handed over his gift and found a place to sit.
Tsunade wasn't shy about following his lead, plopping down next to him and immediately grabbing one of the bottles of sake on the table, taking big swigs without a care.
Her lack of manners went unchecked-no one dared to stop her.