This wasn't even the most troublesome part. Your Senju clan lacked manpower, and the other ninja clans weren't united in their intentions. That's why Tsukuyo adopted a circuitous strategy.
In Tsukuyo's eyes, everyone who breathed was merely cattle and horses; kill one, and there's one less.
Cattle and horses need to eat and survive, giving value to food, clothing, housing, travel, and daily necessities. Cattle and horses need to work constantly to exchange for these basic living materials, and the large amount of surplus value they create will be reaped by Tsukuyo.
What Tsukuyo sought was sustainable glory, not a doomsday carnival of draining the pond to catch all the fish or killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. She still needed to temporarily keep the nobles to help manage the 'leeks'.
The nobles would be retained for now, but the ninja clans had to be unified.
Only after unifying the power of the ninja clans would Tsukuyo integrate all the forces these clans could utilize, further strengthening the shinobi populace.
At the same time, she would certainly establish an even closer relationship with the Land of Fire's Daimyo, manipulating the Daimyo's estate from behind the scenes and intervening in the entire Land of Fire's youth education initiatives.
Then, over several years, she would use education to spread knowledge among commoners, cultivate talented individuals from humble backgrounds, arm them with knowledge, and subtly dilute the ideological poisoning inflicted by the nobles.
Tsukuyo's most common ploy would definitely be to directly control the Daimyo's estate's decrees and national policies through marital alliances, ultimately gaining complete control of the Land of Fire.
In countless cycles, she had become extremely skilled at this. I've seen too many successful examples of her work; perhaps there were minor discrepancies in details, but the general direction remained unchanged.
Senju Wakama, listening to Brother Zetsu's lengthy discourse, couldn't help but murmur, "Control the government through marital alliances? Like the Fujiwara clan, the Regent 'Kanpaku' responsible for medical services before?"
Brother Zetsu chuckled softly, "To put it plainly, the Fujiwara clan's actions were essentially nepotism. And the Fujiwara clan only sought profit for their own family, maintaining their family's honor. As for the commoners under their rule, as long as they were obedient and willingly enslaved, that was fine. But Tsukuyo doesn't want that kind of outcome."
Senju Wakama nodded.
A few years ago, perhaps Senju Wakama wouldn't have understood, and his thinking would have remained at the level of the Fujiwara clan's current actions.
Reaching the pinnacle of power, it was natural to seek benefits for one's own clan.
Who would care about other commoners who had nothing to do with them?
Moreover, what if those commoners became too capable after being educated and overthrew their rule?
Surely, those in power would think this way?
However, after the Senju clan was transformed by Tsukuyo.
Senju Wakama deeply realized how important production technology was.
For the entire world to develop rapidly, the power of one person alone was insufficient.[GNT_PBUTTON]Someone as strong as Tsukuyo might be able to level the entire ninja world.
But what then?
Would she be left speechless and choked up, facing a world riddled with holes by her own hand?
Besides fighting, there was also life.
Most of it was life.
To make one's life better, military might alone was not enough.
To change the world was too difficult…
Yet, Tsukuyo tirelessly pursued it.
Perhaps, for Tsukuyo, this was already the only worthwhile entertainment activity in her boring life.
In a reality with low productivity.
Even if one had servants for food, clothing, housing, and travel, without convenient facilities, life was still incredibly difficult.
After experiencing convenient drainage and water supply systems, even though the Senju clan still maintained their old clan territory, few would genuinely wish to return.
Now, that old clan territory existed merely as a façade.
Convenient toilets meant people no longer wanted to return to the stinking pit latrines where one could drown.
Convenient bathrooms meant people no longer wanted to return to a state of utter destitution.
Convenient biogas meant everyone no longer had to endure cold meals due to lack of fuel.
Advanced agricultural production techniques allowed everyone to enjoy delicious hairless peaches, pears that looked like apples, grapes of various colors, seedless watermelons, and various exotic fruits.
This was a happiness that even the wealthiest and most powerful could not have enjoyed before.
However, to continue developing these things, a large number of talented individuals needed to work together.
The power of one person was still insufficient.
Talented individuals would not appear out of thin air.
Therefore, Tsukuyo was cultivating these forces, perhaps solely for the purpose of being able to eat the fruits and vegetables she desired.
Senju Wakama understood Tsukuyo; he would always support Tsukuyo.
Brother Zetsu's voice sounded again, "Once the ninja clans are integrated, and Tsukuyo begins to establish connections with the Land of Fire's Daimyo, the Fujiwara clan will be her proof of loyalty."
Upon hearing this, Senju Wakama's brow furrowed, "What does that mean?"
"To establish a temporarily firm connection with the Land of Fire's Daimyo, Tsukuyo will certainly help the Daimyo regain real power. The Fujiwara clan will be the first to face annihilation," Brother Zetsu scoffed. "They claim to be imperial relatives, but in reality, they are external officials, yet their power surpasses that of the Daimyo."
"Even if the Land of Fire's Daimyo wished to change something, the Fujiwara clan's power could easily obstruct it."
"How can one allow others to sleep soundly beside their bed? If given the chance, any Daimyo would find a way to eliminate the Fujiwara clan."
"And then?" Senju Wakama's expression grew increasingly complex.
"Heehee,' your imagination could be a bit richer," Brother Zetsu chuckled. "Tsukuyo will find a way to have the Daimyo's daughters marry into the Senju clan—no, after unifying the ninja clans, it won't just be princesses marrying into the Senju clan, but marrying into all possible ninja clans."
"What is the purpose of doing this?" Senju Wakama asked, full of confusion. "If princesses leave the Royal Capital Daimyo's Residence, they leave the Land of Fire's center of power. How does that benefit Tsukuyo?"
Brother Zetsu chuckled lightly and said, "First, stabilize the princesses with male charm. Then, when the time is right, kill all her brothers, wiping out the Daimyo's male heirs. Finally, support the princess who has become 'one of us,' letting her become the female Daimyo, and through her, completely control the Land of Fire."
"Once Tsukuyo obtains this power, she will completely involve herself in the Land of Fire's economic development and educational infrastructure, further controlling the prosperous Land of Fire."
"As for whether the Daimyo after the Daimyo's estate bears the Senju name, it's not important. What's important is that they carry the bloodline of 'our people,' and then we just need to support our own."
"And once they've witnessed Tsukuyo's abilities, at least in the ninja world, no one will be able to let go of them."
"By then, everyone in the Land of Fire will be considered part of the Senju clan. This move, we call it 'extinction strategy'…"
"Truly… insidious and despicable," Senju Wakama sighed.
"Stepping on the blood and flesh of some nobles to secure happiness for the majority of common people, and then obtaining what she desires through these common people," Brother Zetsu said softly. "She once said that most people in this world don't even know what they truly want."
"What we should do is create things, make people need them, make people unable to part with them. That is the outcome of mutual benefit and win-win."
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