In Konoha, the Hyuga Branch Family was actually a very awkward group.
They were members of a powerful bloodline clan and enjoyed the treatment due to an elite shinobi family, yet because of the "Caged Bird Seal" on their foreheads, they also faced all manner of subtle exclusion.
Among the village's upper ranks, there was an unspoken rule.
That was, members of the Hyuga Branch Family were unsuited for overly sensitive positions and should not take part in overly confidential missions.
Because of the "Caged Bird," members of the Hyuga Branch Family essentially had no independent personhood. Everything about the branch family was controlled by the Main Branch, so to a certain extent, any posts held by branch family members in the village could be remotely controlled by the Main Branch head behind them.
Therefore, to prevent the Hyuga Main Branch head from becoming too influential and difficult to restrain, members of the Hyuga Branch Family were often subtly suppressed when it came to appointments such as commanders and captains, positions with actual command authority.
That was precisely why, upon learning that the Fifth Hokage was a member of the Hyuga Branch Family, even the Second Hokage, who was highly skilled in the art of checks and balances, was surprised. Even the thick-skinned First Hokage found it astonishing.
The Fourth Hokage explained, "The circumstances at the time were rather special. The Fifth Hokage's opponent was Uchiha Fugaku, who was then the Uchiha clan head, so the Third Hokage chose to support the Fifth Hokage."
"Outrageous!"
The Second Hokage snorted coldly.
The First Hokage was not too hung up on the matter. "Tobirama, since Hyuga Kagami was chosen as the Fifth Hokage by the village, we should trust him! Besides, we are already dead. We should no longer interfere in the