Chapter 128: The First Naka River Underwater Swimming Competition
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"Since you all put it that way, then let's settle on the new tax law. Also, don't say I'm not giving those large merchants a way to live. As long as they are willing to invest in building factories around Konoha and provide employment opportunities for the populace, then we can also offer tax reduction policies. This way, the populace gains jobs, they earn money, and we receive tax revenue. This is a win-win-win situation," Uchiha Douhuan said unhurriedly.
"The Grand Minister of State's measure is well-considered. We are full of admiration," Miura Kazuo said.
"Also, the price issue I mentioned earlier – you all need to take it seriously," Uchiha Douhuan scanned the court officials. "I'm giving you only one month. The prices of various daily necessities must return to normal levels. I do not wish to see reports that even ninjas in the village can barely afford to eat appearing on my Hokage desk again. Whoever dares to manipulate grain prices, I dare to take their head. Understood?"
"Understood," the officials quickly nodded.
"Don't take these words lightly," Uchiha Douhuan reminded them coldly. "If commoners can't afford food, they might just leave their homes. But if ninjas can't afford food, they will kill."
Uchiha Douhuan's words made the court officials' hair stand on end.
"Furthermore, I don't care what you all did before. Now that you are in the Hidden Leaf Village, you had all better restrain yourselves somewhat. Don't think your actions are very secretive. Your tricks are worthless in front of ninjas," Uchiha Douhuan said.
The court officials, especially those from Miura Kazuo's faction, deeply lowered their heads upon hearing Uchiha Douhuan's words, not daring to attract Uchiha Douhuan's attention in the slightest. The incident where Uchiha Douhuan casually produced evidence of Murayama Takuu's corruption earlier made them understand that Uchiha Douhuan was definitely not bluffing.
Their previous methods of raking in money were naturally fine back in the Fire Capital, but now, Konoha was filled with ninjas engaged in intelligence work. It could be said that their every move was completely under Uchiha Douhuan's watch.
After reprimanding the officials during the court session, Uchiha Douhuan also returned to his own Hokage office.
Soon, the events that transpired in the court that morning spread throughout the entire village.
Regarding Uchiha Douhuan's policies, even the most unruly troublesome citizens in the village couldn't find fault, as these were genuinely policies aimed at improving people's livelihoods. Even some troublesome citizens who had just been released from the Samcheong Education Corps, who could only bury their dissatisfaction with Uchiha Douhuan deep in their hearts after suffering greatly, could only pinch their noses and say, regarding this matter, "Uchiha Douhuan finally did something human."
Under Uchiha Douhuan's iron-fisted policy, the phenomenon of soaring prices within the village was quickly curbed. Grain prices, in particular, had completely returned to normal levels. Those grain merchants who wanted to hoard goods and wait for high prices initially tried to unite and resist. After all, most of the grain in Konoha was currently in their hands. If they refused to sell, the village would be completely without food.
However, less than half an hour after the major grain stores in the village hung out their "closed for business" signs, Kakashi arrived at their doors with Security Department ninjas.
Before long, these grain merchants, who had just gathered the previous night to conspire against the price reduction policy, were reunited by the banks of the Naka River.
By the Naka River, these grain merchants, formerly extraordinarily wealthy in the Fire Capital, were now bound hand and foot, kneeling neatly in a row beside the Naka River.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hatake Kakashi, Captain of the Konoha Security Department. You all have quite some nerve, daring to even defy the orders of His Excellency the Grand Minister of State. You were told to lower prices, and you dared to unite and close your doors," Kakashi looked at this row of grain merchants with a smile that didn't reach his eyes and spoke.
"Lord Kakashi, we've been wronged!" one of the grain merchants quickly exclaimed. "The grain stores in our homes are truly insufficient!"
"Insufficient stores?" Kakashi unhurriedly took out a small booklet, flipped through it, and found the information on the person who just spoke. "Kawakami Naoto, correct? That granary on the northeast side of Konoha should be yours, right? The grain inside is piled up like mountains. If this is called insufficient stores, then how should we account for the homes of those citizens in Konoha who cannot afford your high-priced grain?"
"Lord Kakashi, the price of the grain we sell is the normal price! Where is there talk of high-priced grain?" another grain merchant spoke up.
"You call grain that's nearly 40 Ryo per jin a normal price? The price of grain in the village previously never exceeded 6 Ryo per jin," Kakashi stated.
"Today's Konoha is already the capital of our Land of Fire; the price naturally cannot be calculated the same way," just then, another grain merchant spoke up, starting to lecture Kakashi on economic theories such as the large influx of population into Konoha leading to demand exceeding supply which naturally causes price increases, and the invisible hand naturally adjusting prices to appropriate levels.
Kakashi listened, nodding repeatedly. Seeing an opportunity, this grain merchant spoke even more fervently.
"Therefore, the current grain prices are the result of natural market development! Your Excellency cannot wrong us."
"Yes, yes," the others quickly chimed in upon seeing this.
"So this is a normal economic choice?" Kakashi said. "Your words have truly enlightened me. It seems you gentlemen are quite knowledgeable about economics."
"Yes, yes, in my opinion, this is all a misunderstanding. We failed to explain clearly to Lord Kakashi beforehand. In a few days, we will definitely pay a visit to apologize," Kawakami Naoto spoke up at this point.
"I truly don't understand economics as well as you gentlemen. However, as a ninja, I also know some things that you might not understand. As repayment for helping me resolve my confusion, let me also exchange some information with you," Kakashi said with a cold smile. "Zaito."
Uchiha Zaito came to Kakashi's side.
"These wealthy gentlemen have enlightened us on economic principles. As repayment, let's also allow them to understand our ninja interrogation methods," Kakashi said.
"Yes!" Uchiha Zaito nodded, then waved his hand.
At this, several Security Department members behind him walked over to the few who had spoken most fervently earlier, grabbed them one by one, and threw them into the Naka River.
The Naka River, as Konoha's mother river, wasn't very deep, nor was its current very strong. It could be said that anyone who knew even a little swimming wouldn't be in danger if they fell in. But at this moment, these people thrown into the water had their hands and feet bound and were tossed in unexpectedly. Thus, upon entering the water, they immediately began to struggle violently.
"You... what are you trying to do? Let me remind you, we all have nobles from the Land of Fire behind us! Don't go too far!" a person on the bank shouted sternly.
"Is that so? So nobles are involved too. Could you tell me which noble family is behind you?" Kakashi chuckled.
"You..." The person who had just spoken faltered. They did indeed have noble backing; most of the money they earned went into the pockets of those nobles. However, at this moment, he didn't dare expose the identity of the nobles behind them.
"Let me see." Kakashi unhurriedly pulled out another booklet. "Your name is Shimizu Rensuke, correct? Both parents were household slaves in the mansion of Princess Chi'na, the elder sister of the previous Land of Fire Daimyo. Because you showed some talent in business, you were sent out by the Princess's mansion to manage the family's businesses."
"It's good that you know," Shimizu Rensuke said. "Even the Daimyo has to show some respect to Her Highness the Princess. If you act like this, once the Princess gets angry, you absolutely cannot withstand her wrath!"
"Is that so?" Kakashi put away the intelligence report and said, "Men, this one's head doesn't seem very clear. Let him wash his brain in the Naka River."
As soon as Kakashi's words fell, a Security Department member stepped forward and kicked him into the Naka River.
The remaining people on the bank were also subsequently kicked into the Naka River.
The originally calm Naka River became chaotic with the entry of these people; they struggled violently, splashing large amounts of water.
Kakashi, meanwhile, sat on his chair, unhurriedly took out his beloved Icha Icha Paradise, and began reading leisurely.
After a while, the first batch of people thrown into the river figured out the trick, struggling to raise their heads above the water, gasping for the precious fresh air.
However, just then, Kakashi put down his book and turned to look at the Security Department members behind him.
"The ninjutsu the Security Department issued recently, how's your practice coming along?" Kakashi asked.
"Reporting to the Chief Captain! We have already mastered the ninjutsu issued by the Security Department!" a Security Department member stepped forward and reported.
"Is that so?" Kakashi chuckled. "Then, demonstrate it here. Although our Security Department doesn't face powerful enemies as often as the Anbu, we cannot let our own strength fall behind. You go first."
"Yes!" The person singled out came to the riverbank, quickly formed hand seals, and puffed out his cheeks.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
This person violently spewed out a massive fireball, which shot across the surface of the Naka River towards the opposite bank, subsequently exploding in the center of the river.
The intense heat wave from above directly startled the grain merchants who had poked their heads out of the river to breathe.
"Very good. Do it a few more times," Kakashi clapped, then said to the other Security Department members, "You too. Let these friends who tirelessly answered economic questions for everyone just now also witness the strength of us Konoha ninjas!"
Soon, these dozens of Security Department members stepped forward one by one, performing various ninjutsu by the riverbank.
In an instant, various elemental jutsus exploded continuously across the surface of the Naka River like colorful fireworks. The scene by the Naka River became even more lively, though this only added to the suffering of the swimming champions struggling bitterly in the river at that moment.
Now, every time they extended their heads above the water to gasp for air, they faced mortal danger.
Half an hour later, Kakashi finally ordered the members to stop the ninjutsu demonstration and pulled the people out of the Naka River.
After getting back ashore, these major merchants were one by one on the verge of death. A few whose swimming skills were slightly poorer were directly close to death's door.
At this point, the Security Department's medical-nin stepped forward. If before they were teaching them ninja interrogation methods, now they were demonstrating military medic rescue techniques.
These few medical-nin stepped forward sequentially, directly stepping on the merchants' corpulent bellies to assist in inducing vomiting. For those near death, they disregarded whether forcibly stimulating cell energy would shorten their lifespan and directly used the Mystical Palm Technique. Before long, these individuals had all regained consciousness.
"Now, what level do you all feel the village's grain price should be set at?" Kakashi sat on his chair, a kunai flipping up and down in his hand like a fluttering butterfly.
By this point, these merchants no longer dared to try fooling Kakashi with the 'invisible hand' nonsense. After all, the invisible hand they spoke of was unseen, but the tangible kunai in Kakashi's hand could truly take their lives!
"Ten Ryo! Including transportation costs, the lowest we can reduce the grain price to is ten Ryo per jin," the merchants' representative hurriedly stated.
"You don't really think we ninjas don't understand economics, do you?" Kakashi said coldly. "Men, send this one back down to cool off again."
"Eight Ryo! Eight Ryo! This really is the lowest price!" Seeing the Security Department members approaching again, this person said amidst snot and tears.
"Now that's more like it," Kakashi said, then turned to look at the merchants dealing in meat and other daily necessities.
Soon, these people all gave a reasonable price.
After Kakashi recorded the prices they each offered, he finally let them go. Having dealt with these matters, Kakashi made another trip to the Hokage Building.
"How did it go, did those guys behave?" Uchiha Douhuan asked after Kakashi arrived, pouring him a cup of tea.
"Those guys have indeed become much more obedient. However, their high profits were likely mostly sent to those nobles. Among their noble backers, the one with the greatest influence is Her Highness Princess Chi'na, whose fiefdom is in the northeast of the Land of Fire," Kakashi reported.
"Princess Chi'na? The Daimyo's paternal aunt?" Uchiha Douhuan took Kakashi's report, read it through, then raised an eyebrow. "Then I'll trouble you to make another trip. Go tell that old woman that in the current Land of Fire, the Minamoto family doesn't call the shots anymore."
"Eh, why do I feel like I'm even busier now following you than when I was in the Anbu," Kakashi said casually after draining the tea in his cup.
"You've worked hard," Uchiha Douhuan said. "I wouldn't trust anyone else to handle this matter."
"Alright then," Kakashi said. "By the way, you still have one spot left for your direct disciple, right? How about I have Naruto become your student?"
"Of course, you can. I was just about to talk to you about this," Uchiha Douhuan nodded.
(End of Chapter)
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