Xia Yan naturally could not refuse Shikaku Nara's request.
After all, this was the first real step in Konoha's foreign strategy, spearheaded by Xia Yan.
This step carried not only historical significance, but considerable political significance as well.
Having someone with a firm hand handle the matter could not have been better for Xia Yan.
Shikaku Nara might seem meek around Xia Yan, but that was because he respected Xia Yan as Hokage.
He treated the Hokage with the utmost respect and his colleagues in Konoha with great friendliness, but people from other villages were another matter entirely.
Back when Hiruzen Sarutobi was in office, he had led the ceasefire negotiations with Sunagakure and Iwagakure.
Those two negotiations had left him deeply displeased, and the one with Iwagakure in particular had left him utterly speechless.
But those had been Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders, and there had been nothing he could do.
After Xia Yan took office, however, his work with the Foreign Affairs Department in negotiating with Kumogakure had truly shown what he was capable of.
He had Kumogakure firmly under his thumb, and Konoha had reaped enormous benefits as a result.
With Shikaku Nara volunteering this time, Xia Yan naturally supported him, though he also required the Foreign Affairs Department to go along.
Shikaku Nara was practically an all-rounder in administrative affairs, but Xia Yan could not dump everything on him, could he?
Konoha needed a great deal of talent now, and he could certainly serve as a teacher, helping train people to some extent wherever Konoha needed them.
That would greatly ease his burden in the future, and Xia Yan would not have to worry about having no one available either.
With matters in Konoha arranged, all that remained was to wait for Nagato.
Xia Yan was not quite