harleyscars Chapter 497 Chuanzhong
Chapter 497 Chuanzhong
The land of rivers is long and narrow, with significant differences between the north and south. The town sandwiched in the middle connects the north and south geographically, serving as a bridge between the two sides.
Kawanaka City is located in the very center of the north-south line of the land of rivers. Due to its advantageous location, it has become an essential route for communication between the north and south, so its commerce is very prosperous and it has been making money year-round by collecting tolls.
Considering it wasn't convenient to directly overturn the table yet, businesses in southern Sichuan that could operate openly had always honestly passed through here. Of course, they weren't just passing through; they used their trading networks to build their own connections, and then, as usual, during drinking and heart-to-heart talks, they would "occasionally" say a few honest words, complaining about how difficult the business environment was in northern Sichuan, how many miscellaneous taxes were excessive, how poor the infrastructure was, how difficult the roads were, how robbery was a frequent occurrence, and how reporting to the authorities several times hadn't solved the problem—it was completely inferior to southern Sichuan.
Hui selects people whose backgrounds have been investigated. They know who can be moved and who is like a stubborn rock, impossible to shake unless their living environment is completely disrupted.
Meanwhile, the best academy in the entire Kingdom of Chuan is also located in Chuanzhong City. This long-suffering country is situated at the crossroads of three major powers in the far north, making it vulnerable to the effects of war. However, the closer to the crossroads, the more lucrative the trade, so their economic center has always been in the north, and their capital is also located in the far north. Because of this precarious situation, the ruler dared not put all his eggs in one basket, and thus placed the focus of education in Chuanzhong.
It's important to understand that the vast majority of people who can attend school in such a small country are children of nobles, high-ranking officials, and wealthy merchants—the future rulers and officials of the nation. This arrangement also takes into account that in the event of the worst-case scenario, the land of rivers wouldn't suddenly become another country.
However, this kind of education that doesn't prioritize the well-being of future generations always has loopholes. Before "Hui" arrived, the atmosphere at this academy wasn't very good. Buying and selling grades? That was commonplace. Although there was a recommendation letter admission system, if someone really wanted to find a loophole, it was not impossible to send someone in to gain prestige.
Hui accomplished this in about a year, sending three of his own children to school. While these three weren't particularly talented at being ninjas, they complemented each other wonderfully. One was the team's technical core, excelling at exams and writing essays, though he was somewhat socially awkward and quiet. Another was the team's diplomat, quickly building connections in several classes; his only flaw was his inability to focus on academic subjects. The third was quite versatile, perfectly balancing the team's atmosphere while also firmly believing in Hui's future.
The three of them were indeed enough to form a small faction, thriving at school while also giving these spoiled rich kids a vivid lesson in basic human rights. The young people, not yet excessively corrupted by worldly affairs, were shocked by what they heard, because teachers would never discuss such things with them. Others, however, remained unmoved, displaying a cold indifference that needed to be tempered by reality.
Regardless, this small branch did indeed successfully complete its mission, gathering as many supporters as possible who were deeply drawn to the "Hui" ideology.
The infiltration within the city proceeded steadily, and those outside were not far behind. Merchant caravans from northern Sichuan were no match for those from southern Sichuan; they were never stingy with ordinary people, promoting high-quality seeds and planting concepts while acquiring goods. Ordinary farmers relied on their small plots of land for a living and rarely made new attempts, but some dared to take that step. The products of "Hui" were of absolutely guaranteed quality; if just one household won the gamble, the entire village would be practically under their control.
As for why they haven't yet taken action against the landowners and officials in this region, it's because Sichuan is extremely important to the king; taking action against Sichuan would be tantamount to a formal declaration of war.
Not long after news of the impending Fourth Shinobi World War reached the Land of Rivers, the decision to requisition war materials and increase taxes was made overnight. This decision was very sudden, just like countless times before, giving the people no time to adjust.
Some villages closer to central Sichuan brought their own vegetables and fruits to the city as usual, only to be told at the city gate that their goods would be confiscated and they would have to deliver them to a designated location inside the city themselves, otherwise they would not receive the compensation. This was because, from the moment they entered the city, their goods no longer belonged to them.
Hearing that war was imminent, these people who depended on the weather for their livelihood dared not resist. Having some money was better than having none, so they could only be escorted by soldiers to the grain collection point. However, these small business owners had no idea about the intricacies of the system. The prices they quoted were already very low, but the collection fee was less than half of what they would normally receive. Wasn't this just a death sentence for them?
However, the rows of armored warriors deterred them, and they could only sigh and return home with their meager earnings. As a result, when they left the city, they were stopped again as usual, because there was a toll to pass through the city.
Normally, this fee is charged as a percentage of income, which is quite a high amount. But this time, they even invoked the king's order, demanding that they hand over 30 percent of their income as wartime tax.
"Sir, this is just a small business. My family depends on this income to make a living. If you take it away, my newborn child will go hungry."
"This is the king's order, and it cannot be disobeyed. If you want to blame someone, blame the ninjas for fighting in the first place."
This one and only war, not for the sake of daimyo and national interests, but for the preservation of the world's future, has become an excuse for the upper class to exploit the lower class, and has been so easily used as a tool to divert attention from internal conflicts, instilled in ordinary people who do not need to suffer this hardship.
Ordinary people may be fooled in this way, but there are always people who can see through the truth.
"This is the only time the five great powers have joined forces against an enemy. It shouldn't turn into a protracted war like before; it might even be over in a day or two. But the orders issued by the king are far too harsh. Isn't this undermining the morale of the people?"
"In addition to collecting grain in the city, they also have to go down to the villages to collect grain... The summer harvest has just ended, and each household's grain should have gone through taxation and sales once, leaving only their own food for sustenance. But this time, the grain is being collected at 50%... Is this going to cause a man-made food shortage?"
"This cannot be done! I will write home immediately and have my father report this to the king!"
"What if it doesn't work?"
"Then I'll ride as fast as I can to the capital and kneel before the King's Palace, refusing to get up!"
"Ha... You still want to kneel? Why should you kneel before a ruler who disregards the lives of his people?"
"That's a bit too extreme. After the war, the king might return the grain that hasn't been used yet."
"Do you think this is the first time? He did this at least twice during his tenure. During the Third Shinobi World War, the Land of Rivers wasn't even a major battlefield, yet the people were still suffering. Why do you think that was? Because even if the collected grain couldn't be used up and rotted in the warehouses, he refused to open the granaries and release the grain. Instead, he forced the people to pay for it! The taxes collected only fueled his life of luxury, his summer palace, and his treasure trove!"
"A ruler who does not consider the well-being of his people is unworthy of being a king!"
"We cannot kneel down; we must stand up and make him fall down to live the life of an ordinary citizen!"