Although Ningyuan was telling a story, he was not merely telling a story.
Tsunade quickly understood. Ningyuan meant that the old Third was using righteousness to pressure her because neither the facts nor reason were on his side?
That did seem to be the case.
The fact was that allowing ordinary people into the Medical Ninja system truly benefited Konoha.
The reason was that anything benefiting Konoha should be implemented.
Both fact and reason stood with Tsunade, so Hiruzen Sarutobi invoked righteousness.
Then why did he invoke righteousness?
Tsunade thought of the previous concept Ningyuan had mentioned—interests!
Did allowing ordinary people into the Medical Ninja system harm Hiruzen Sarutobi's interests?
His interests were money and power. Ordinary people could never affect Hiruzen Sarutobi's authority.
Then it had to be money?
But how could this affect Hiruzen Sarutobi's money?
As Hokage, his monthly salary was fixed. Training ordinary people into Medical Ninjas used the village's money, not Hiruzen Sarutobi's. Why was he so anxious?
Could it be that the Daimyo's funding for Konoha was insufficient?
That was even more impossible. Only a few years had passed since the war ended, and Konoha's number of shinobi was still far below its former peak!
At its peak, there might have been two or three times as many shinobi as there were now. Konoha could sustain itself then, so how could it be short on money now?
She had not heard that the Daimyo had reduced the village's funding, either!
Unless...
Tsunade's face darkened as she thought of one possibility.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had skimmed a cut from the money the Daimyo gave the village!
Seeing the dawning realization on Tsunade's face, Ningyuan smiled.
Tsunade was certainly not stupid. A stupid person could not become the Number One Medical Ninja in the world.
She simply