The Daimyo Residence's pension evasion and the fiscal regulations' forceful counterattack
Inside Hokage's Office, the afternoon sunlight passes through the blinds and casts several parallel light strips on the smooth ground, cutting the interior into areas of alternating light and dark.
There are fine dust floating in the air.
Baishi sat behind the desk, unconsciously caressing the ornately decorated commendation order with his fingers. Scroll's silk texture was smooth and cold, but when touched in his hand, it had a different kind of weight.
His eyes fell on the thin attachment next to the commendation order.
"Supplementary Instructions on Implementing the Aftercare and Pension Work for Guardsmen who died in the line of duty".
Shikaku Nara stood on the other side of the desk, with his hands folded in front of him and a solemn expression. He had been standing here for ten full minutes without saying a word.
The office was so quiet that the only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the second hand of the clock on the wall, click, click, click. Each time was like a knock on the tense nerves.
"... Taking into account the temporary difficulties Capital has recently faced in its finances, as well as the good results achieved by Konoha's independent financial reform, it is recommended that Konoha advance the huge pensions for the Guards officers this time. After the subsequent financial conditions are sufficient, they will be uniformly allocated..."
Shikaku silently recited the text on the attachment in his heart, and every word revealed a natural arrogance.
This is a sap packaged in awards and dignity. Daimyo Residence used the ladder Konoha handed up, and the beautiful Earth Run got off the stage, and then conveniently took the ladder away, and planned to make Konoha pay a sky-high bill for this dignity.
"Lord Hokage," Shikaku finally broke the silence, his voice a little dry, "Daimyo Residence played it beautifully."
Baishi didn't raise his head, but just said "hmm" lightly.
"Three hundred and seventy-two Capital Internal Guard members will be compensated according to the highest standards, plus settlement expenses, Honorary Stipend... Preliminary estimates indicate that the total will not be less than 1.2 billion taels." Shikaku reported an astonishing figure.
This amount of money is enough to support Konoha in launching a medium-sized Battle.
"Moreover, this is just an 'advance payment'." Shikaku emphasized his tone, "No one can say what year or month the 'reappropriation' is. There is a high probability that this money will never be returned."
Baishi Pushed the accessory aside, leaned back on the chair, interlaced the fingers of his hands and placed them on his abdomen.
"He's anxious." Baishi said, his voice calm and calm.
Shikaku was slightly startled.
"First, Military Funds was withheld, and was pushed back by the Security Bonds we issued. Now they want to use the pension to absorb blood. This shows that Capital's finances are more tense than we imagined.." Baishi's eyes fell on Hokage Rock outside the window, "And we have just completed the first issue of bond raising, which is when we have the most abundant funds. He thinks that we are capable and should share his worries."
"But this is against the rules." Shikaku said immediately, "Every amount of Konoha's financial budget has a clear purpose. We have no obligation, and no regulatory support, to advance the pensions belonging to the guards directly under Daimyo Residence."
"Rules are set by people." Baishi turned his gaze back to the room and looked at Shikaku, "In Daimyo's view, he is the rule."
Shikaku is silent. This is an irrefutable fact. In Land of Fire's power system, Daimyo has the highest legal authority. No matter how strong Konoha is, it is still "one village", not "one country". Direct refusal is blatant disobedience.
"This matter requires a meeting." Baishi tapped his fingers on the table, "Let the top leaders of the Defense Department, Logistics Department, and Finance Department come over."
"Yes." Shikaku took the order and turned around to deliver the message.
"Wait a minute." Baishi called him, "Bring Scroll, the person who last talked to Capital, out of the archives."
Shikaku paused for a moment, a flash of understanding flashed in his eyes, then nodded and walked out quickly.
Twenty minutes later, the atmosphere inside Hokage's Office's little Meeting Room was depressing.
The successors of the Defense Department, Takahashi, Logistics Minister, Morita, and Finance Department, several core powerful figures of Konoha were sitting at attention. They had all seen the attachment from Daimyo Residence, and everyone looked ugly.
"Too much bullying!" Defense Department Chief Takahashi was the first to slap the table. He had just been raped by Shikaku 0 because of "Seventh Form" Explosive Tag had been beaten, and he was already angry, "Our people bled and sacrificed on the front line to clean up those monsters, but in the end we have to pay for the pensions of Capital's people? How can there be such a reason in the world!"
"Minister Takahashi, be careful." Shikaku reminded, "This is the instruction from Daimyo Residence."
"Instructions? This is clearly blackmail!" Takahashi was still angry.
Finance Department is a middle-aged man wearing glasses. He adjusted the frame of his glasses and spoke in a heavy tone, "Lord Hokage, everyone. From a financial point of view, the funds in our account were raised by Special Bonds and are designated for village security. Security system upgrade and infrastructure construction. If this money is forcibly misappropriated, it will not only send a very dangerous signal to the major families who subscribed for the bonds, destroying the village's financial credibility, but more importantly... this is not in line with the "Konoha Village Fiscal Budget Act" we have formulated."
He paused and looked at Baishi: "We use rules to restrain ourselves, but now we have to break the rules due to the 'suggestion' from our superiors. This... is difficult to handle."
In Meeting Room, everyone's eyes are focused on Baishi.
This is the most direct political and economic double suppression he has faced from Capital since he took office as Fifth Generation Head. Further, it may intensify the conflict with Daimyo Residence; if he takes a step back, the newly established Fiscal Independence system will become a laughing stock.
Baishi did not speak immediately. He just placed a black copy of Scroll gently in the center of the conference table.
On Scroll, there is Top Secret fire seal from General Staff Headquarters archives.
"Have you all finished reading?" Baishi looked around.
Everyone nodded.
"You all think this is a dead end?"
No one answered.
Baishi smiled, but there was no warmth in that smile. He stretched out his hand to unlock Scroll's seal and slowly unfolded it.
What is sealed in Scroll is not a confidential document, but an encrypted audio recorded with Chakra Crystal.
Baishi lightly knocked on the table, and a conversation came out from Crystal, and the sound was clearly audible.
That was the voice of Land of Fire Daimyo, with a bit of exhaustion and compromise. "...Lady Jiye's matter is over here. As for Konoha's financial problem, now that we have taken that step, Just follow your own rules. I only have one request. Okamura's guard must disappear completely from this world, leaving no traces involving Capital..."
This is the recording of the phone call from Daimyo through Top Secret Line that night.
Immediately afterwards, Baishi responded calmly, "Daimyo, don't worry, Konoha will handle all the aftermath and give Capital the most honorable explanation."
After the recording was played, there was still dead silence in Meeting Room. But this time, there was a different meaning in the dead silence.
The people present were all human beings, and they immediately understood Lord Hokage's intention.
"This is a 'political deal' we reached with Mr. Daimyo." Baishi said calmly, "We are responsible for 'cleaning up' and giving him dignity. He acquiesced to our 'financial independence'. Now, he wants to unilaterally tear up the agreement and only enjoy the rights without fulfilling the obligations."
"However, this is only a verbal agreement, and it is a private conversation, so there is no limit to what can be done." Chief Finance Department said in a low voice.
"It's not him who has the final say whether he can do it or not." Baishi's eyes fell on Shikaku.
Shikaku understood and took out another document from the briefcase and distributed it to everyone.
"This is the "Land of Fire Local Fiscal Independence Accounting Regulations." Shikaku explained, "Your Excellency Daimyo acquiesces to our financial independence. Day, we will join hands with the Finance Department and Legal Affairs Department to refine the relevant spirit and submit it to Daimyo Residence for filing in the form of an urgent official document from S-Rank."
He turned to a page of the document and pointed to a seal on it.
"Daimyo Residence Financial Audit Office, responded to the letter three days ago, expressing 'no objection in principle' to this regulation and stamped it with the official seal. From that moment on, this regulation has the legal effect of Highest Level."
The air in Meeting Room seemed to be ignited at this moment.
Minister Takahashi looked at the document in his hand, and then at the recording Crystal on the table. The anger on his face was swept away, replaced by a complex expression of shock and ecstasy.
Conspiracy.
This is a complete conspiracy.
Use the words that the leader himself has said and the rules he has set, and act accordingly, and manipulate the leader in the opposite direction.
Baishi did not expect Daimyo to keep his promise. As soon as he received the verbal permission, he immediately transformed it into a black and white, unshakable system.
"Then... how should we reply now?" Captain Finance Department asked excitedly.
Baishi looked at Shikaku.
Shikaku pushed up his glasses and said slowly, "We don't have to refuse directly. Foreign Affairs Department will draft an official letter. First, he will express his gratitude to His Excellency Daimyo for the award and express his condolences to the soldiers who died in the line of duty. Then, we will 'ask for instructions' regarding this pension. Regarding the advance payment of funds, which provision in the "Local Fiscal Independence Accounting Regulations" should be applied specifically. Because according to the general provisions of the regulations, any cross-regional financial allocation exceeding 100 million taels requires the top officials of both parties to jointly sign a special appropriation order and report to Joint Audit Committee half a month in advance."
"And this attachment obviously does not comply with the procedures."
After Shikaku finished speaking, the whole Meeting Room burst out into a burst of uncontrollable laughter.
The ball was kicked back in an extremely elegant and rogue way.
"That's it." Baishi made the final decision.
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the peaceful village outside.
"Daimyo Residence's money, we don't want any of it. And we can't give away any of our people."
At the end of the meeting, everyone left with an unprecedented excitement. Defeating the superiors by using the superiors' rules, this kind of victory is far more exciting than fighting on the battlefield.
Shikaku stayed.
"Lord Hokage, after this move, we may not even have the last bit of love between us and Capital."
"It doesn't matter." Baishi's tone was very calm, "From the moment they chose to intercept Military Funds, the feelings no longer existed."
At this moment, a member of ANBU knocked on the door and came in, looking a little excited.
"Chief Lord Hokage, Shikaku!"
"All the follow-up supplies for the 'Pulling the Snake's Fangs' operation have arrived at the east gate of the village!"
ANBU handed over a list.
"Orochimaru's all high-value Experimental Equipment, three-ton Chakra-Conductive Metal ingots at the 'Sea of Death' base, as well as... 572 copies of Hashirama Cell Culture Medium in different stages stored in cold storage, have all been handed over!"
Shikaku took the list, glanced at it, and his pupils suddenly shrank.
He knew very well that the value of this list even exceeded the pension of 1.2 billion taels.
And this batch of wealth, which is enough to make the entire Shinobi World go crazy, is quietly stopping at the gate of Konoha.
Shikaku It seems that I can already hear the excited roars of the dormant big families in the village after smelling the smell of blood.