harleyscars Chapter 114 Immigration Policy Begins
Chapter 114 Immigration Policy Begins
When news of the Land of Grass's victory over Konoha reached their homeland, the first reaction of the nobles and wealthy merchants was not jubilation, but fear—a fear that made them tremble all over.
Because they know Konoha's true strength all too well!
Konoha has never before launched a military campaign against a small country, and suffered heavy losses. It is said that only three people escaped, while 1000 perished here, including the head of the Hyuga clan.
Looking at their Land of Grass, although they held their ground in the first wave, it was a Pyrrhic victory, with a huge number of ninja casualties, totaling less than two hundred.
How can such a team withstand the second impact of the Hokage?
Therefore, this victory is more like a lucky nightmare, and after the nightmare, there is often an even crueler reality.
Revenge, annihilation of the nation, reckoning... all sorts of thoughts popped into their minds, relentlessly eroding their remaining rationality.
So, on the night the news arrived, countless mansions were brightly lit, servants were busy, gold and silver valuables were hastily packed, and treasures from the cellars were loaded onto carriages one by one.
The first thought in the minds of these nobles and wealthy merchants was to leave the Land of Grass and seek refuge in the Land of Fire. After all, that rich and stable land was a place many people longed for, and even some daimyo of small countries regarded it as a beacon.
However, the Fire Country Daimyo's ban came even faster: those entering the country had to surrender 30% of their wealth. It's important to understand that at this time, those who chose to bring their families to the Fire Country were almost exclusively nobles from the Grass Country.
Otherwise, who would give up their life as a local tyrant and come to the Land of Fire? You see, the Land of Fire has no shortage of nobles and wealthy merchants. Their wealth, their bloodline, their status—they mean nothing here.
Even if their living conditions were poor in the past, everyone doted on them. The psychological pleasure and emotional value of that was immeasurable by money or living conditions.
But once they arrive in the Land of Fire, they become subservient and fawn over others, but they have no choice but to do so in order to survive.
Some people gritted their teeth and prepared to pay this life-saving fee.
Coincidentally, that very night, ninjas from Takigakure knocked on their door.
They were polite; they weren't there to rob or threaten, but to sell their business.
The ninjas wearing Takigakure headbands stood at the door and asked in a calm tone, "Do you need an escort service? Takigakure and Kusa are allies, and we promise to deliver you safely."
They handed over the documents and patiently explained: Now that the daimyo of the two countries have concluded a cooperation agreement, citizens of the Grass Country who move to the Waterfall Country only need to pay 10% of the taxes; those with noble status can be granted land; those without noble status but with substantial assets can also exchange investments for titles.
As for when Daimyo agreed?
The authenticity of the agreement—when the two leaders met and when it was signed—is no longer important.
For these astute wealthy individuals, the rise of the Land of Waterfall in recent years is no secret—its economy is vibrant, its security is stable, and its ninja villages are powerful. More importantly, not only are there pathways to upward mobility there, but there aren't many wealthy and powerful nobles above them who oppress them.
Aside from the current slightly backward living environment, it is much better than the Land of Fire, but it is almost no different from the Land of Grass, or even better.
As the saying goes, it's better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix, so some people immediately decided to turn around. Since they were leaving anyway, they might as well go to the Land of Waterfalls, especially since they could pay 20% less.
Of course, not all noble merchants changed their minds. A few staunch believers in the Land of Fire, holding it as a beacon, the strongest ninja in the world, and an indelible part of their faith. Even if it meant squandering their entire fortune, even if they had to crawl, they would still go there.
While this may be somewhat exaggerated, a small group of extreme believers have made it a reality.
Thus, the first wave of migrant convoys set off before dawn. Kakuzu stood at the bridgehead, personally counting the toll fees, his smile never fading.
He knew exactly what was inside those carriages: not only jewelry and currency, but also the commercial lifeline that the Grass Kingdom had accumulated over decades.
Of course, besides that, he hadn't forgotten the main business. Relocating the nobles was only the first step. Once all the nobles were gone, order would be lost the next day, and that would be the start of the recruitment for the factories in Taki no Kyu.
Sometimes, Kakuzu wondered: Was Aburame Shisei's purpose in starting this war really just to take revenge on Konoha, or to shift the blame eastward?
He thought the deeper meaning might be that they wanted to use this war to disrupt the situation in the Land of Grass and turn it into an extremely dangerous place. Then, they would drain the human and material resources of a country to fill the Land of Waterfall. It can only be said that, apart from not wanting the land, what difference is there between this and annexing the Land of Grass?
Three days later, the departure of the nobles and wealthy merchants was like the removal of the pillars supporting the roof.
Towns collapsed first. Markets were deserted, shops closed, and food prices soared three times a day. Remote villages were still able to be self-sufficient, but people living near the cities were beginning to panic.
Although they had money, they couldn't buy grain because the nobles had already taken it away.
Even those who had stored grain at home were panicked, fearing that their friends and neighbors would come and rob them. Of course, they were even more afraid that Konoha's army might launch a surprise attack one day.
Will the ninjas of Kusagakure seize their remaining food in order to collect grain? In just a few days, chaos began to emerge, with robberies and murders occurring in the streets in many places, and even many young women being abducted in the street.
Fortunately, the leader of Kusagakure Village, Nobukatsu no Nakamaru, had a plan in place. In reality, it was Aburame Shisei who was devising the strategy behind the scenes.
Even before those merchants and nobles were ready to leave, they issued a mobilization order in the name of their lord, first mobilizing the villages and towns near the border.
They were advised to relocate to the Land of Waterfalls as soon as possible, or at the very least, to move their belongings to the city center. They even spread rumors that the surrounding areas were no longer safe. Of course, this wasn't a rumor, but a fact.
Although the Land of Grass won, there are still many who covet this land. Moreover, in Aburame Shisei's plan, he never intended to keep this land.
Unfortunately, no one was willing to listen to the transfer order. There were many who did not want to leave their homeland, especially the elderly. They were conservative and believed that if they lost their land, they would become rootless duckweed and might even become slaves.
Aburame Zhicheng didn't force them; he already knew that people's minds were difficult to change, so he changed his approach. He used money to buy their time and labor.
As the saying goes, "The world is bustling with activity, driven by profit."
They just didn't see the future.