Naruto: Uchiha Youngjo's Konoha Spring

Chapter 129 Competing with the people for profit?

Recently in the ninja school, a small group of Sasuke and Naruto has been in full swing.

They called themselves the Seven Stars Society. The entire small group consisted of seven people, led by Sasuke and Naruto, plus Inuzuka Kiba, Chino, and Choji. In addition, there were Shikamaru and Neji, who probably didn't want to bear such a childish title but were forcibly dragged in by Naruto. These brothers quickly accomplished the feat of dominating the ninja school, and even many senior students who were about to graduate from the ninja school became their defeated opponents.

This is not surprising, as the brothers are all ninjas from the ninja clan with a family background in ninja training. Even Naruto, although his theoretical performance in the ninja school was still at the bottom, became a very capable fighter after learning the simple physical techniques taught by Kakashi, relying on his body's recovery ability and a huge amount of chakra that far exceeded his peers.

Ordinary senior students are really no match for them.

If it was just a normal challenge, the teachers at the ninja school would not care about it. After all, the ninja school is ultimately a place to train ninjas. But it is a big problem if these guys get together and skip classes to play all day long. Iruka has been having a headache recently. After all, six of the Seven Stars Society are from his class.

However, the parents of these children don't care much about this. Most of the children of the ninja clan who are sent to the ninja school for training are important children in the family. The purpose of going to the ninja school is not to study, but to make friends and form a lifelong bond in the ninja school.

Now these brothers play together all day long, and their parents are all hoping for this.

As for Fugaku, after Uchiha Itachi's death, he also reflected on his past educational methods and no longer held Sasuke to the standards of a genius. Now that Sasuke behaves like a normal, playful child, he only feels relieved.

So, the parents at the table burst into laughter after hearing this.

……

The days passed one by one, and half a year passed in the blink of an eye. Uchiha Douguang's Eternal Eye was successfully born in a summer in the fifty-seventh year of Konoha.

During these six months, the village has also made tremendous progress. In just half a year, Konoha Village has already had the appearance of the capital of the Land of Fire. All of this is due to the contribution of Konoha's architectural master Yamato. During these six months, he made a lot of money just by helping the nobles in the village build mansions.

But this guy is quite sensible. He knows clearly why he can live the life he has today, so after getting the money, he took the initiative to hand over 70% of the income to the village as part of the village's financial planning.

In addition, the appearance of the entire village has been completely renewed under the transformation of Sanqing Education. The villagers who have been released after completing the transformation have fully realized whose village this is and dare not act rashly again. The previous problem of occupying the road for business in the village has been greatly improved. More importantly, the villagers in the village have gradually changed their bad habit of spreading rumors. The main reason is that the prices in the village are indeed getting more and more outrageous. In the past, working four or five hours would allow the whole family to have enough food for a day, but now these villagers have to work hard every day to make money and get food, so naturally they have no time to do these trivial things.

However, this is not a solution. Protests against high prices in the village have appeared on Uchiha Douguang's desk several times. This means that the current prices in the village are unacceptable to not only the villagers but also some ninjas.

In this regard, Uchiha Tokou also raised this issue specifically at the court meeting in his capacity as the Minister of State.

However, the civil officials in the court disagreed.

"The Grand Minister is wrong," said Miura Kazuo. "How are the prices expensive? Prices in the capital have always been like this. As the new capital of the Land of Fire, it's normal for Konoha to be a little more expensive."

"Really?" Uchiha Tokugawa looked at Miura Kazuo expressionlessly. The old guy had been in high spirits for the past six months. His biggest political enemy was dead. At the same time, in order to commend his contribution to the relocation of the capital, Uchiha Tokugawa promoted him to the position of Left Minister. On weekdays, when Uchiha Tokugawa was not at court meetings, he was the head of the civil officials.

During this period, the merchants who flocked to Konoha naturally gave him various gifts.

In other words, this old guy still has some sense and knows that some things cannot be touched. He has always restrained his subordinates from reaching out to the ninja team in the village, otherwise Uchiha Douguang would have taken action to deal with him long ago.

However, in the past six months, Uchiha Douguang's main energy has not been focused on the court, which has given the old man an illusion that he and Uchiha Douguang have some kind of tacit understanding. The trivial matters in the court are his responsibility, while Uchiha Douguang controls the military and political affairs.

"Yes, Your Excellency the Prime Minister, these are all normal economic phenomena, and the market will regulate itself." A civil servant under Miura Kazuo stood up and said.

"So this is a normal economic phenomenon?" Uchiha Douguang nodded with a half-smile. "It seems I was overthinking it. However, those businessmen who made money shouldn't give something back to the country? For example, by investing in industries and providing jobs for the people?"

"The Grand Minister is wrong," said Miura Kazuo. "These merchants pay a considerable amount of tax every year. They have made an indelible contribution to the development of the Fire Nation."

"I understand." Uchiha Douguang nodded with a sneer. It can be seen that these old guys have gained a lot of benefits, otherwise they would not have cheered so hard for these businessmen.

"However, I think the taxes they pay are a bit too little." Uchiha Douguang said coldly, "It is the country that gives them the opportunity to make money, so they can make money. Therefore, I think it is their obligation to repay the country."

Uchiha Douguang's cold voice reminded the ministers of that night in the Fire City half a year ago. Miura Kazuo swallowed and said tremblingly, "Then, I wonder how much the Minister of State thinks they should pay?"

"I think the number 70% is appropriate, don't you think?" Uchiha Douguang said slowly.

"Seventy percent?" Uchiha Douguang's words caused an uproar in the court.

"Minister Taijo, the commercial tax in our Land of Fire has always been only 10%. Now that you have collected 70%, most of the merchants in Konoha will have difficulty surviving." A civil official spoke at this time.

"Am I talking about the merchants?" Uchiha Douguang turned his head and glared at the person who spoke. These civil officials are best at playing the trick of replacing concepts. However, now with a knife in hand, Uchiha Douguang doesn't want to play this kind of political game with them at all. If they don't listen, just kill them. This will also make room for Uchiha Douguang's next ninja transformation plan.

"Of course, shops and vendors operating normally will continue to follow the previous tax policies. This new tax law is mainly aimed at big businessmen." Uchiha Douguang said.

"This... this is competing with the people for profit." Another civil official stood up and said.

"Competing with the people for profit?" Uchiha Douguang chuckled and looked at the person who had spoken. "Murayama Takuyu, a native of the Fire Capital, entered the court as an official ten years ago. Over the course of ten years, he took advantage of his position to accept bribes totaling 1.343 billion taels. Just yesterday, a grain merchant bought one of your paintings for a whopping 30 million taels."

Uchiha Douguang said this expressionlessly, and at the same time took out a scroll from the sealing scroll on his body.

"I am a rough man and don't know anything about calligraphy. I wonder which minister can help me appreciate why this calligraphy is worth 30 million?" Uchiha Douguang's hand trembled, and a calligraphy scroll with four big words "integrity and public service" written on it was opened.

"Grand Minister... I..." Murayama Takuya broke out in cold sweat.

"Competing with the people for profit?" Uchiha Douguang sneered, "I think you're competing with the gentlemen for profit, right?"

The court suddenly fell into a strange silence. No one dared to stand up and be the first to speak out. After the death of Abe Taiichi's faction, no one standing in the court had a clean bottom.

"Miura Kazuo." Uchiha Douguang suddenly started calling the roll.

"I'm here." Miura Kazuo stood up with sweat on his forehead. For what Murayama Takuya committed, at most he would be the only one to die, but if what he did was discovered by Uchiha Tokou, his entire clan would have to go down and accompany Abe Taiichi.

"Don't be nervous, I'm just asking." Uchiha Douguang showed a warm smile on his face. "I'm not very familiar with the laws of my Fire Country. I don't know how to deal with the case of Murayama Takuyu. Can the Left Minister help me solve this problem?"

"Murayama Takuya... is corrupt... he accepts bribes and perverts the law. According to the law... he should be executed." Miura Kazuo said tremblingly.

"Then what are you waiting for? Do you want me, the Hokage, to personally mobilize the ninjas in the village to take action?" Uchiha Douguang's expression turned cold, "Someone come!"

Two warriors guarding outside the palace came in and held down Murayama Takuya, who was shaking like a sieve.

"Your Excellency the Grand Minister, please spare me! Your Excellency the Grand Minister, please spare me!" Murayama Takuya shouted hurriedly.

However, Uchiha Douguang just waved his hand expressionlessly, and the two warriors dragged him away.

"I wonder if you all have any opinions on my new tax law?" After a while, Uchiha Douguang asked slowly.

"Your Excellency the Grand Minister's move is a good policy that benefits the country and the people." Miura Kazuo said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Yes, yes, your Excellency is right. It is the country that gives them the opportunity to make money. They should naturally repay the country after making money. This is their due responsibility." Another civil official stood up and said.

"But what about the commercial tax practices of our Fire Country?" Uchiha Douguang raised his eyebrows.

"This rule was established a hundred years ago, and it is naturally no longer suitable for the development of the country. The relocation of the capital of the Fire Nation to Konoha is an opportunity for major reforms." Miura Kazuo said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)