Chapter 127: Competing with the People for Profit?
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Recently at the Ninja Academy, Sasuke and Naruto's small group was thriving like wildfire.
They called themselves the Seven Star Society. The entire group consisted of seven people, led by Sasuke and Naruto, plus Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and Akimichi Choji. Add Nara Shikamaru and Hyuga Neji, who might not have wanted such a chuunibyou-esque name but were forcefully dragged in by Naruto. The buddies quickly achieved the grand feat of dominating the Ninja Academy, defeating even many senior students about to graduate.
This wasn't surprising. The buddies all belonged to ninja clans with deep family traditions. Even Naruto, though still lagging behind in theoretical scores at the Academy, had become quite formidable after learning the simple taijutsu Kakashi taught him, relying on his body's recovery ability and massive chakra reserves far exceeding his peers.
Ordinary senior students were truly no match for them.
If it were just normal challenges and spars, the Academy teachers wouldn't intervene. After all, the Ninja Academy was fundamentally a place for training ninjas. But these buddies gathering together to skip class and play all day became a significant problem. Iruka had been suffering severe headaches during this period, especially since six members of the Seven Star Society were from his class.
However, the parents of these children didn't seem too concerned. For these ninja clan children sent to the Ninja Academy for cultivation, most were important descendants of their families. The purpose of attending the Academy, more than learning, was to make friends and form lifelong bonds.
Now that these buddies played together all day, the parents from the several families couldn't be happier.
As for Fugaku, after Uchiha Itachi's death, he had reflected on his past parenting methods and no longer demanded genius-level performance from Sasuke. Now that Sasuke behaved like a normal, playful child, he only felt gratified.
So, the parents at the drinking table all burst into laughter upon hearing about this.
...
Days passed one by one, and half a year went by in the blink of an eye. Uchiha Douhuan's Eternal Eye was successfully born in the summer of Konoha Year 57.
During this half year, the village also experienced tremendous development. In just six months, Konoha Village had already taken on the appearance befitting the capital city of the Land of Fire. For all this, Konoha's master architect, Yamato, deserved immense credit. In this half year alone, just by helping the nobles in the village build their residences, he had made a fortune.
However, this fellow was quite sensible. He clearly knew why he had his current life, so after getting the money, he proactively handed over seventy percent of his income to the village for its financial planning.
Additionally, the entire village's atmosphere was refreshed under the reformation of the Samcheong Education program. The villagers who were released one after another after completing their 'reformation' fully understood whose village this truly was and dared not cause trouble again. The chronic problem of illegal street vending within the village saw significant improvement. More importantly, the troublesome citizens of the village gradually abandoned their bad habit of spreading rumors randomly. Mainly because the prices in the village now were indeed becoming increasingly outrageous. Previously, working four or five hours could feed the whole family for a day, but now these villagers had to work with all their might every day just to earn money for food, naturally leaving no time for such pointless activities.
However, continuing like this was indeed not a sustainable solution. Protests regarding the excessively high prices within the village had appeared multiple times on Uchiha Douhuan's Hokage desk. This indicated that the current prices in the village were becoming unacceptable not only to the villagers but even to some ninjas.
Regarding this, Uchiha Douhuan also specifically raised this issue at the court assembly in his capacity as Grand Minister of State.
However, the civil ministers in the court assembly were dismissive.
"Grand Minister of State, you are mistaken," Miura Kazuo said. "Where are the prices high? The prices in the capital city have always been like this. As the new capital of our Land of Fire, it's normal for Konoha's prices to be a bit higher."
"Is that so?" Uchiha Douhuan looked expressionlessly at Miura Kazuo. This old fellow had been quite successful over the past half year. His greatest political enemy was dead, and at the same time, Uchiha Douhuan, to commend his contributions to the capital relocation, had promoted him to the position of Minister of the Left. On days when Uchiha Douhuan didn't attend the court assembly, he was the head of the civil officials.
And the merchants who flooded into Konoha during this period naturally showered him with endless gifts.
It was only because this old fellow still had some sense and knew there were things he shouldn't touch, constantly restraining his subordinates from extending their hands into the village's ninja forces, that Uchiha Douhuan hadn't dealt with him already.
However, over the past six months, Uchiha Douhuan's main focus hadn't been on the court side. This also gave the old fellow the illusion that he had some kind of tacit understanding with Uchiha Douhuan: court trifles were his responsibility, while Uchiha Douhuan controlled military and political power.
"Yes, Your Excellency Grand Minister of State, these are all normal economic phenomena. The market will regulate itself," a civil official under Miura Kazuo stepped forward and said.
"So this is a normal economic phenomenon?" Uchiha Douhuan nodded with a half-smile. "Then it seems I was worrying unnecessarily. However, since those merchants have earned money, shouldn't they give back to the country? For example, investing in industries, providing job opportunities for the populace, things like that?"
"Grand Minister of State, you are mistaken," Miura Kazuo countered. "These merchants pay a considerable amount in taxes each year. Our Land of Fire owes its current development largely to their contributions."
"I understand." Uchiha Douhuan nodded with a cold smile. It was clear this group of old things had received quite a few benefits; otherwise, they wouldn't be beating the drum so hard for these merchants.
"However, I feel the taxes they pay are a bit too low," Uchiha Douhuan said frostily. "It was the nation that gave them the opportunity to make money, so they were able to earn it. Therefore, I believe repaying the nation is their bounden duty."
Uchiha Douhuan's chilling voice made these ministers involuntarily recall that night in the Fire Capital half a year ago.
Miura Kazuo swallowed hard and asked tremblingly, "Then, what amount does the Grand Minister of State feel they should pay?"
"I think the figure of seventy percent is quite suitable. Don't you agree?" Uchiha Douhuan said unhurriedly.
"Seventy percent?" Uchiha Douhuan's words caused an uproar in the court hall.
"Grand Minister of State, our Land of Fire's business tax has historically always been one-tenth! If you suddenly collect seventy percent, most merchants in Konoha won't be able to survive!" a civil official spoke up at this moment.
"Was I talking about vendors?" Uchiha Douhuan turned and glared at the speaker. These civil officials were most skilled at playing this game of substituting concepts. However, Uchiha Douhuan, holding the knife now, had absolutely no desire to play these political games with them. If they didn't obey, just kill them and be done with it. It would conveniently free up positions for Uchiha Douhuan's upcoming ninja transformation plan anyway.
"Normally operating shops and small vendors will naturally continue under the previous tax policy. This new tax law is mainly aimed at those large merchants," Uchiha Douhuan stated.
"This... this is competing with the people for profit!" another civil official stepped forward and exclaimed.
"Competing with the people for profit?" Uchiha Douhuan chuckled, looking at the speaker. "Murayama Takuu, native of the Fire Capital, entered court service ten years ago. Over ten years, using the convenience of his position, received bribes totaling 1,343,964,000 Ryo. Just yesterday, a piece of your calligraphy was bought by a grain merchant at the high price of 30,000,000 Ryo."
Uchiha Douhuan stated expressionlessly, simultaneously taking out a scroll painting from a sealing scroll on his person.
"I am a rough man, ignorant of the way of calligraphy. Would any minister be willing to help me appraise why this piece of calligraphy is worth thirty million?" Uchiha Douhuan flicked his hand, and a calligraphy scroll painting bearing the four large characters 'Liánjié Wèi Gōng' (Integrity for the Public) unfurled.
"Grand Minister of State... I..." Cold sweat poured down Murayama Takuu's forehead.
"Competing with the people for profit?" Uchiha Douhuan said with a cold smile. "I think it's competing with you lords for profit, isn't it?"
The court hall instantly fell into an eerie silence. No one dared to be the nail that sticks out. After Abe Taiichi's faction was wiped out, there wasn't a single person standing in the court currently whose backside was clean.
"Miura Kazuo," Uchiha Douhuan suddenly started calling names.
"Your servant is here," Miura Kazuo stood out, drenched in sweat. The things Murayama Takuu committed might cost him his life at most, but if the things *he* had done were uncovered by Uchiha Douhuan, his entire clan could go down to keep Abe Taiichi company.
"Don't be nervous, I'm just asking." A warm smile appeared on Uchiha Douhuan's face. "I am unfamiliar with the laws of our Land of Fire. How should this matter of Murayama Takuu be handled? Can the Minister of the Left enlighten me?"
"Murayama Takuu... corruption... perverting the law... according to the law... should be executed," Miura Kazuo stammered.
"Then what are you waiting for? Do I, the Hokage, have to personally mobilize the village's ninjas to take action?" Uchiha Douhuan's expression turned cold. "Attendants!"
Two samurai guards stationed outside the palace hall entered and grabbed Murayama Takuu, who was already trembling like chaff in a sieve.
"Your Excellency Grand Minister of State, spare my life! Your Excellency Grand Minister of State, spare my life!" Murayama Takuu quickly cried out.
However, Uchiha Douhuan just waved his hand expressionlessly, and the two samurai dragged him away.
"Do any of you lords have further opinions on my new tax law?" After a moment, Uchiha Douhuan asked unhurriedly.
"Your Excellency Grand Minister of State, this measure is a good policy beneficial to the country and the people!" Miura Kazuo said, wiping the sweat from his head.
"Yes, yes, Your Excellency is correct. It was the nation that gave them the opportunity to make money. Since they earned money, they naturally must repay the nation. This is their bounden duty," another civil official stepped forward and echoed.
"But the convention of our Land of Fire's business tax?" Uchiha Douhuan raised an eyebrow.
"This rule was established over a hundred years ago. It is naturally no longer suitable for the country's current development. Our Land of Fire relocating its capital to Konoha is precisely the opportunity for bold reforms," Miura Kazuo said with an accompanying smile.
(End of Chapter)
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