Uchiha Yan had just returned to Konoha. Before he could even enter his home, the wicked Senju Tobirama had caught his scent and come over.
"Uchiha Yan." Senju Tobirama got straight to the point. "I need one billion for research funding."
"What? One billion?" Uchiha Yan frowned. "No. I'll allocate at most one hundred million for your research."
That wicked old Senju was making an outrageous demand, opening with a request for one billion in research funding. Who didn't know that all his research, this and that, was ultimately meant to deal with the Uchiha?
In the story from his previous life, Impure World Reincarnation, Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags, Flying Thunder God... Which one wasn't aimed at the Uchiha? Now that he was Minister of Finance and managed Konoha's entire purse, he had to rein in the old man when it came to funding.
"Uchiha Yan, you're targeting me!" Senju Tobirama's expression darkened. His eyes, already blood-red, grew even redder, as if he were about to activate his Sharingan.
Uchiha Yan wasn't intimidated in the slightest. He straightened his back and retorted, enunciating every word. "I'm Konoha's Minister of Finance, not you! Hundreds of thousands of people in Konoha need to survive, develop, find work, and eat. I'm the one responsible for all of that, not you!"
"The Six Ministries have only just been established. Which one of them doesn't need money? You open your mouth and ask for one billion in research funding—" Uchiha Yan sneered. "Tobirama, you're not the Hokage yet. Even if you were, you couldn't invent excuses to siphon off the village's funds."
Senju Tobirama's face turned pale, then flushed red.
Invent excuses? Siphon off funds?
Heaven knew, Senju Tobirama really did want to research ways to deal with the Uchiha, but was that inventing an excuse? At most, it was a well-intentioned lie—to keep the village safe and prepare in advance in case the Uchiha ever turned against them. What was wrong with building up some technical reserves?
"Tobirama, I'm the Minister of Finance."
"Bang—" Senju Tobirama slammed his hand on the table. "Uchiha Yan, you'll regret this!"
One hundred billion might have seemed like a lot, but Konoha needed money for every aspect of village life. In the early days of the village's founding, there were holes to fill everywhere. Ten billion for a single research project? Dream on.
That afternoon, in the People's Conference Room of the Hokage office building—the Konoha White Palace.
At the head of the room sat the Hokage, Uchiha Madara, wearing his white Hokage robes. Senju Hashirama sat to his right, while Uchiha Yan sat to Madara's left, with thick account books and documents spread out before him.
Next came the secretaries of the Three Departments: Chief Secretary Nara Shikato, Deputy Secretary Senju Tobirama, and Chief Minister Hyuga Tennin.
The ministers of the Six Ministries took their seats in turn: Minister of Medicine Aburame Shikuroo, Minister of Rites Sarutobi Sasuke, Minister of Justice Senju Momoka, and Minister of Works Shimura Yuno. The post of Minister of War was temporarily vacant and managed directly by the Hokage. The clan heads were also present as observers.
Uchiha Yan stood up.
"Everyone." His voice rang through the conference room. "The daimyo of the Land of Fire understands the hardships Konoha faces in its early days and has provided the village with ten billion in funding."
As soon as he finished speaking, the conference room erupted.
"One hundred billion?"
"That much?"
Everyone knew that Uchiha Yan had gone to see the daimyo to ask for money, but they also knew the daimyo wouldn't have been willing to part with it. They had thought fifty billion would be the most they could get. They never expected Uchiha Yan to secure one hundred billion—twice as much.
Quite a few clan heads looked at Uchiha Yan differently. The man wasn't just good at fighting and planning; he was also first-rate at getting money.
Senju Tobirama snorted and turned his head away.
"After discussions between the Hokage, the secretaries of the Three Departments, and the ministers, the funds have been divided into four main categories." He opened the account book in front of him and read through the allocations one by one.
"The first category is public welfare. Ten billion has been allocated, with Chief Minister Hyuga Tennin and Minister of Works Shimura Yuno in charge."
Hyuga Tennin and Shimura Yuno both sat up straight.
"Your task is to get Konoha's public infrastructure repaired as soon as possible, especially the commercial district and farmland." Uchiha Yan's gaze settled on Shimura Yuno. "Our next step is to attract investment as quickly as possible. This is a top priority. To build a prosperous village, we must improve the investment climate. Public welfare is the foundation of Konoha's development."
"Understood."
The Hyuga Clan was wealthy and influential, so ten billion wasn't enough to excite Hyuga Tennin too much.
A glint flashed in Shimura Yuno's eyes. The Hyuga Clan might not care about ten billion, but the Shimura Clan badly needed it. Infrastructure projects needed workers and management everywhere. He could make appropriate plans for the Shimura Clan, so long as he didn't violate any principles.
"Yes. The Shimura Clan will do everything in its power."
"The second category is healthcare. Five billion has been allocated, and Minister of Medicine Aburame Shikuroo will be fully responsible. The task is to train as many medical ninja as possible in a short time and develop medical equipment."
Aburame Shikuroo nodded slightly. Five billion was an enormous sum, enough to build a proper Konoha Hospital and train a group of qualified medical ninja.
Uchiha Yan paused, then glanced at Senju Tobirama.
"In view of Deputy Secretary Senju Tobirama's research capabilities, two billion has been allocated for him to work with the Minister of Medicine and achieve results as soon as possible."
In the world of Naruto, there were many prodigies in combat, but only two could be called technical geniuses: Senju Tobirama and Orochimaru. Tobirama's research abilities were beyond question. From Flying Thunder God to Shadow Clone, from Impure World Reincarnation to Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags, and even human experimentation. But for now, he could stick to studying medicine.
The muscles in Senju Tobirama's face twitched.
He had originally asked for one billion, but the amount had been cut to one hundred million, making him so furious that he'd stormed out. Now Uchiha Yan had raised it to two billion. It was still far below the ten billion he'd originally budgeted, but at least it was one billion more than before.
"Hmph." Senju Tobirama snorted, his displeasure plain. He suddenly felt that Uchiha Yan didn't seem quite so detestable after all—though only for a moment. The next second, he was already calculating how to use the two billion to fund a few extra studies.
"The third category is education. Another five billion has been allocated, under the responsibility of Minister of Rites Sarutobi Sasuke."
"It takes ten years to grow a tree, but a hundred years to nurture a person. Education is the foundation of a century-long plan." Uchiha Yan's gaze fell on Sarutobi Sasuke, and his tone was especially solemn. "The next generation of Konoha will decide its future. How to build schools, hire teachers, and design the curriculum—all of that is up to you."
Sarutobi Sasuke nodded firmly. Ever since he'd become Minister of Rites, the other ninja clans had been talking about him behind his back. They said he'd gotten the post through his son, that he'd simply clung to the Uchiha's coattails. Those words had stung like needles.
Now his chance had come.
He would use this opportunity to prove himself. He would show everyone that he had become Minister of Rites through his own ability, not his son.
Seeing the determination in Sarutobi Sasuke's eyes, Uchiha Yan nodded slightly. In the original story, Sarutobi Hiruzen had liked slipping in his own agenda, constantly filling the children's heads with his Will of Fire. Now that the Sarutobi Clan was a direct subordinate of the Uchiha, if anyone was going to slip in their own agenda, it would be Uchiha propaganda.
"Here, I want to stress one thing in particular."
Uchiha Yan's voice suddenly rose, and the entire conference room fell silent.
Facing everyone present, he recited, word by word—
"When the young are wise, the village will be wise; when the young are wealthy, the village will be wealthy;
when the young are strong, the village will be strong; when the young are independent, the village will be independent;
when the young are free, the village will be free; when the young make progress, the village will make progress;
when the young surpass the Land of Fire, the village will surpass the Land of Fire;
when the young stand strong in the Shinobi World, the village will stand strong in the Shinobi World."
Senju Hashirama exclaimed excitedly, "Well said... So well said..."
Uchiha Madara said nothing, but his hand had unconsciously clenched into a fist.
Even Senju Tobirama fell silent. He kept his mouth shut, not saying a word, but a complex expression flashed through his eyes.
Uchiha Yan looked at Sarutobi Sasuke, his gaze sharp. "Minister of Rites, you have a heavy responsibility. Konoha's hopes rest on your shoulders. I hope you won't let the village down."
Sarutobi Sasuke sprang to his feet and snapped to attention with a sharp "Smack!" "Yes! The Sarutobi Clan will give everything it has and will not let the Hokage down!"
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