Shizune looked at Tsunade's carefree sleeping face, then lowered her head to look at the item in her hand.
She sighed helplessly, putting the item away. Regardless, with this title and treatment, they wouldn't have to worry about sake and money.
But the subtle sense of unease in her heart never dissipated.
Hokage-sama personally visited, spoke kindly, and tempted with fine sake, just to give a nominal title to a 'Sannin' who was almost forgotten by everyone? And he even offered Kage-advisor level treatment and an almost unlimited supply of fine sake?
What exactly was he planning? Shizune couldn't figure it out, but looking at Lady Tsunade's defenseless sleeping face, she could only suppress her doubts.
The next afternoon, two Anbu indeed appeared outside the small courtyard.
They respectfully presented an ebony scroll box sealed with a vivid red'Secret' wax seal.
At the same time, a whole box of exquisitely packaged wine jars, exuding a rich aroma, was delivered. The jars were labeled with famous wines from various regions, some of which Shizune had only heard of.
Tsunade had just been difficultly woken from her nap by Shizune, her hair messy like straw.
She yawned widely, tears still lingering in the corners of her sleepy eyes, and impatiently took the heavy scroll box, casually waving off the Anbu.
"They really sent it..." she mumbled, opening the item.
Inside were neatly stacked, densely packed scrolls, at least twenty or thirty by a rough count, filling the box completely.
She casually grabbed the top few scrolls and fanned them open, glancing through them.
The content was indeed varied and trivial.
Reports on personnel rotation and equipment loss for the Third Patrol Squad of the Eastern Border, inventory lists of 常备药材 and bandages for Konoha Hospital and major clinics, and some sample reports from various Family intelligence analysis teams.
Public panic index and rumor spread trends for ordinary villagers, results of recent secondary identity checks for people entering the Village... "Tsk," Tsunade pursed her lips and picked up a brush to write.
She wrote with bold, flowing strokes in the blank space of the scroll, her handwriting wild and unrestrained.
"Investigate! Thoroughly investigate the shift records, handover situations, and key points for personnel on duty during this period! If there is dereliction of duty or embezzlement, those involved will have their monthly allowance docked, and the team leader will have their salary withheld for three months!"
After writing, she stared at the numbers and annotations, laughing out loud to herself, then looked at the other scrolls.
It mentioned public panic... main rumors included Sasuke wanting to kill all the high-ranking officials, the Village being besieged by great nations, food prices rising, suggesting strengthening positive propaganda, organizing Jonin to give street lectures, and appeasing the public... The more Tsunade read, the tighter her brows furrowed, finally rolling her eyes.
Nonsense, the Village is messed up every day, the patrol teams are more numerous than people in the market, everyone can see it, anyone would panic.
And strengthen positive propaganda? Let the Old Man or those stern-faced Elders shout every day on the street that Konoha is great, Konoha is safe? Only a ghost would believe that! It's better to do something practical!
She made a bold stroke, drawing several lines next to the suggestion column and writing.
"Suggestion invalid! Empty words are not as good as actual benefits. Give money, give money, give money! Say important things three times!"
Shizune's eye twitched as she watched. Lady Tsunade... truly was a Lord Clear Soup.
About an hour later, the thick stack of scrolls had all been 'graced' by her.
She stuffed these scrolls, filled with colorful drawings and various incomprehensible remarks, back into the ebony box, closed the lid, and waved to the Anbu who had been waiting outside the courtyard gate.
"Take them away quickly, take them away quickly."
The Anbu Ninja said nothing, respectfully took the box, bowed slightly, and left.
Tsunade stretched luxuriously, walked to the box of fine sake, and sniffed like a cat smelling fish.
Picking up a jar, she didn't bother with a cup, tilting her head back and taking a large gulp directly from the mouth of the jar.
"Ha—how refreshing!" The cool liquor slid down her throat, leaving a fiery aftertaste. She narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, raising the sake jar to the evening glow in the sky.
"Reading reports... heh."
These scrolls were returned to the Hokage Office in the Hokage Building at the fastest speed.
Sandaime Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi dismissed the Anbu and sat alone behind his large desk.
When he saw the flamboyant, ink-splattered annotations on the scrolls inside, he was first stunned, then a smile mixed with helplessness and a hint of 'I knew it' appeared on his face.
He carefully read through these items. Although Tsunade was erratic, some of her points were still valid.
"These, do as she wrote," the Sandaime instructed, pointing to a few places.
Shikaku leaned closer, his mouth twitching slightly. Lady Tsunade's handwriting was truly unique.
"Yes, I will attend to it immediately," he said, taking the scrolls and quickly withdrawing.
Thus, a few days later, villagers in certain areas of Konoha, which showed high panic levels in rumor investigations, received welfare compensation from the Village.
At the same time, Tsunade's identity was announced, and it was made known that these matters were all her instructions. As a result, the situation indeed improved somewhat.
Tsunade heard these rumors from Shizune while she was soaking in the water.
The warm water reached her shoulders, her cheeks were flushed from the steam, and she held a small jar of strong sake, said to be brewed from mountain springs near Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning, which had just arrived today, drinking until her eyes were blurry with intoxication.
Shizune gently rubbed her back while cautiously relaying the rumors she had heard outside.
The sake jar Tsunade held to her lips paused. Her hazy, drunken eyes blinked, seeming to take a few seconds to process Shizune's words.
Then, with a "poof," she spat out the sake in her mouth, followed by a hearty, unrestrained laugh that almost lifted the roof.
"Hahahahaha! The Old Man actually listened?! I just wrote it down casually! It was all nonsense!" She laughed, bending over backward, splashing water everywhere.
"It seems being an Advisor isn't entirely boring, it's quite interesting."
She was completely immersed in the absurd and mischievous pleasure of her nonsense actually being taken seriously and implemented.
She didn't notice that the content of the scrolls was quietly changing.
By the window of the Hokage Office, Sandaime Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the Konoha streets, gradually lighting up in the twilight, seeming to have a bit more Life Qi than a few days ago, a smile appearing on his aged face.
Outside the window, the faces of the past Hokage on the Hokage Rock appeared particularly solemn in the afterglow of the setting sun.
"Slowly, Tsunade..." he murmured to himself, his voice audible only to him, filled with infinite anticipation and a hint of unspeakable weariness.
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