Naruto: Starting from Eating the Gold Fruit

Chapter 60 Population Administration

It's actually quite normal for this to happen.

The first year of the cooperation between Konoha and several other Shadow Villages was worth one million, and at the beginning of the year, when the three parties' forces came to Konoha, Yuya directly offered a contract worth ten times that amount.

This year, Konoha needs to import at least thirty tons of fish from Kirigakure.

Similarly, at least thirty tons of various edible items would be needed to purchase goods from Iwagakure.

Sunagakure Village...

Hmm... It seems like desert chili peppers are the only reliable ones in your area. How about we send thirty tons of chili peppers?

The people of Iwagakure and Kirigakure happily agreed, but the people of Sunagakure looked troubled—we don't have that many to grow…

This stuff can't be eaten, so who would grow so much of it for no reason?

Yuya feigned a troubled expression and told the people from Sunagakure that this stuff was very popular in Konoha. He asked if Sunagakure could still plant it this year, and offered to pay 20% more than the market price. He also said that it would be best if they could bring in another ten or twenty tons, since the consumption of chili peppers is really staggering.

The people of Sunagakure suffered cardiac arrest and quickly assured him that it would be alright.

In the first year of their cooperation, it could only be described as a cautious test between the two parties, neither of them knowing whether the other was reliable or not.

With the foundation laid by the first year of cooperation, Youya stopped pretending.

In the first year, the things I bought from the three villages were basically used up in less than half a month.

With a basic understanding of the consumption, Youya had a better grasp of the situation. However, since the contract couldn't be signed today and amended tomorrow—at least Youya couldn't bring it up on his own initiative—Youya temporarily put it aside.

All three companies were delighted when they left after the talks.

Then the leaders of the three companies were in a dilemma.

Nothing else, I just suddenly realized I seem to have lost a lot of money...

Incidentally, the third leaders of Kirigakure and Iwagakure have been appointed, which has finally brought stability to the villages, unlike Kumogakure which is still embroiled in internal strife.

Then the Third Mizukage and the Third Tsuchikage looked at the report and the estimated revenue, and they were furious.

Simply put, if Kirigakure wants to enter Konoha by water, it will definitely have to pass through the Land of Whirlpools. The Land of Whirlpools charges a toll, and usually this is just a small amount. But for some reason, the Land of Whirlpools decided last year to charge a toll based on a certain percentage.

Not much, only about three percent.

Last year, Kirigakure realized that earning five million ryo per trip and giving 150,000 ryo to Uzushiogakure wasn't much and was still acceptable.

Then, after calculating this year, I realized I earned 50 million in one trip, so why should I give you 1.5 million?

If I earn 500 million in the future, won't you get 15 million?!

The Third Mizukage exploded instantly.

Similarly, the Third Tsuchikage discovered that between Iwagakure and Konoha were the Land of Grass, the Land of Waterfall, and the Land of Rain. The Land of Rain was relatively generous, not taking a cut, and paid 200,000 yen per trip without cheating anyone. Moreover, they had indeed put in the effort, using someone else's river and arranging the boats. The Third Tsuchikage felt that giving them this money was reasonable.

However, this doesn't apply to the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls.

The caravan's wagons belonged to Iwagakure, the supplies were guarded by Iwagakure ninjas, and the supplies were collected bit by bit by the people of Iwagakure.

What did you do?

They even take a cut?!

Of course, they didn't think that way last year. They made more than three million taels of silver from selling grain last year. The Land of Rain charged 200,000 taels as a toll, while the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfall took a cut, but one charged five percent and the other four percent.

This year, the Third Tsuchikage calculated the costs and, like the Third Mizukage, was furious. He sent someone to negotiate, and let's not even talk about the ratio. From now on, it will be like the Land of Rain, 200,000 per trip, fair and square, how about that?

Of course, the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls could not agree to this; how could they possibly give up something they had already got their hands on?

And so a fight broke out.

The Sand Village was astonished – was this even possible?

They didn't think much of it when the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain charged them tolls last year, but seeing this year, they realized that even their good brothers, the Hidden Stone Village, could do this, so there's nothing wrong with them following suit, right?

Forget about the Land of Rain, since it's all waterways, and taking it wouldn't be of much use. As for the canal in the Land of Wind that connects Sunagakure to the northern river, it's not even finished yet; only a fraction of it is complete. That's because they lack experience.

Once the repairs are completed, Sunagakure will find that its village's water supply depends entirely on the whims of the Daimyo of the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain, and it will probably be bombed again.

But now... Sunagakure will definitely target your Land of Rivers.

After taking over the Land of Rivers, we won't have to pay tolls anymore. How wonderful!

Basically, just like the previous siege of Konoha, this time these major powers are targeting the surrounding small countries for their own benefit.

He was just fooled by the Second Raikage before, for the sake of unseen and intangible benefits.

But this time it was a real victory, which could save millions of dollars a year.

After all, the transactions with Yuya are official, but there are also private transactions with merchants from Konoha.

That one is bigger and makes more money; of course, those bastards charge much higher tolls.

When Yuya heard the news, he was dozing off in the Hokage's office.

At the beginning of the 20th year of Konoha, the village was basically in a New Year's atmosphere throughout January.

Incidentally, in response to the policy proposed by You Ya, ordinary families also began to have children.

Of course, Youya didn't actually offer many benefits, just shopping vouchers at the end of the year and a pastry for each household based on the number of people in their household. One pastry per person.

This operation is actually quite normal. It's like giving out year-end bonuses. Youya has no reason to give money to ordinary people, but it can distribute supplies under the pretext of encouraging childbirth.

Then some ordinary people started doing some weird things. Before the New Year, they worked hard to have a baby. When they went door-to-door to hand out shopping vouchers and pastries during the New Year, they said with a straight face, "My wife is pregnant. Does that mean the baby in her belly isn't a member of Konoha? You have to give her an extra portion!"

What could You Ya say? Go ahead and give it to them. It's just some pastries. It perfectly matches his impression of ordinary people. It would be a fool not to take advantage of such a benefit.

Of course, it's not that people have children specifically for this one benefit.

After the reconstruction of Konoha, every household has a house, and the area is not small. They also have inner city residency and are not short of resources, so there is no pressure in life at all.

Unless you don't work.

It's only natural to have children when there's no pressure.

Anyway, having one child isn't stressful, having two is so-so, and having three is manageable, since the current family setup is that both parents go to work.

However, ordinary people are the most shrewd at budgeting. Having one child isn't a financial burden, and they even get welfare benefits at the end of each year—isn't that great?

Meanwhile, Youya also gained firsthand data.

Reaching ten million people in a short time is difficult, so let's set a small goal and start with one million.

However, after calculating this baby boom, the population still wouldn't reach a million a year later.

You Ya stroked his chin, wondering if he should continue to encourage the second one.

After thinking about it, Youya decided to let it go and just give him some encouragement. If he continued to encourage him, it would really cause problems.

In fact, Konoha is facing considerable problems now.

For example, some people among the tens of thousands of people in the outer city have already learned how to exploit bugs.

Normally, one needs to live in the outer city for five years before being allowed to enter the inner city.

However, if you marry into the inner city or become a son-in-law in the inner city, you won't have this problem. You can move into the inner city immediately and enjoy its comprehensive facilities and top-priority job opportunities.

At present, due to rapid economic development, many problems have been covered up, but that does not mean they do not exist.

If economic growth slows down one day, many problems will suddenly erupt.

You Ya's solution was to step on the gas and rush through before the problem could erupt.

As long as the people in Konoha's inner city can live well, or rather, live better than those in the outer city, then many problems will cease to be problems.

To manage these new residents, both inside and outside the city, a new administrative body is needed…

With that thought in mind, Konoha picked up his pen and wrote down the name of an organization: Population Management Bureau.

(End of this chapter)