Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 714

Chapter 712: Too Expensive

“Prime Minister Xu, what are you saying? Do you understand what you’re talking about?”

Luo Fei demanded sharply.

But after Xu Fuzhen’s previous remarks, he seemed a bit harsh.

“Of course I understand what I’m talking about,” Xu Fuzhen said bluntly. “I’m talking about a 20 trillion yuan financial issue over ten years, an expenditure that will affect the stability of the entire Empire.”

“According to your plan, our apparent losses could be far greater than just 20 trillion yuan. If the Inquisition doesn’t deal with the corruption of one Hive World, will that lead to the destruction of that world? If Solaria doesn’t have a significant expenditure to suppress that region, won’t more worlds be shrouded in darkness again after ten years of turmoil, breaking away from the rule of the Imperial Center? Similar situations are likely to occur.”

“How much do all these losses add up? I don’t know how to estimate it. But I’m sure you’ll give me a number when I tell the Grand Inquisitor that the cumulative central government funding will be reduced by 3 trillion yuan over the next ten years. And I’m sure the Executive Yuan, the Navy, and the Astra Militarum can also provide an answer to the turmoil in Solaria.”

“How can you even calculate that?” Luo Fei’s voice grew more reluctant.

Xu Fuzhen scoffed, “Why not? Isn’t that what you always said when you asked me for funding? You always asked for hundreds of billions, saying if you didn’t give it now, you’d have to give an extra trillion in the future; saying if you gave it now, the tax department would be able to collect so much more in the future…”

Luo Fei was a little embarrassed: “Hasn’t that all been achieved… uh… most of them can be achieved…”

“There are quite a few that haven’t been achieved,” Xu Fuzhen said. “So now, when you want to reduce the funding, why are you saying we can’t calculate it that way?”

This didn’t make sense, so Luo Fei changed the subject: “Use money. Think about this Iron Armor War. Our total cumulative investment has exceeded 50 trillion, and that’s just Holy Terra’s direct expenditure. That’s not even counting the debts we have to pay to local troops, fleets, and regiments after sending troops from various places… What if the Alliance rebels again? What if they start a rebellion even larger than the Iron Armor War? Don’t let 200 trillion be lost on war in the next few years just because of 20 trillion in 10 years!”

There seemed to be some truth to what she said.

But Xu Fuzhen was not afraid at all.

She continued to ask, “Why do you think Gu Hang will definitely rebel? Has Holy Terra treated Gu Hang badly in any way that forced him to rebel? Or has the Alliance behaved in some way in the past that makes you think he will rebel?”

“He will pay taxes, and in full, and pay them directly to Holy Terra. I think, not only will he not rebel, he will also be the most loyal local governor of the empire. If every local governor in the empire can be like Gu Hang, then the empire will become incomparably powerful!”

After a pause, Xu Fuzhen came up with a plan of her own: “According to my plan, the Alliance will be left to him; the chairmanship of the Spider Web Universe will also be given to him. But instead, the imperial tax for the entire Spider Web Universe must be paid in the way he promised before.”

“Next year, the Alliance will no longer have to pay 300 billion, but 500 billion; ten years later, it will no longer be the stable 1.3 trillion, but 2.1 trillion.”

“Over the past ten years, he will have to pay a total of 13 trillion.”

“As long as he gives enough money, we can allow the Alliance to exist; we can even allow the Alliance to expand in the Spider Web Universe.”

“Why not? In the future, if he pays 2.1 trillion every year, how much money will he have left?”

“For ordinary cosmic domains, a total tax revenue of one trillion a year is enough; two trillion is for cosmic domains with better development and less unrest.”

“What’s more, all other local governments, including star domains and cosmic domains, have to retain 60% of taxes, and there are also huge tax losses. The money we receive may only be one or two hundred billion.”

“Now, we can only collect a net of two trillion a year; the Alliance cannot retain 60% of taxes for its own development like ordinary imperial local governments.”

“In this case, what capital does he have to rebel?”

“On the contrary, with such a large amount of income for the central government, how many legions can we build and how many loyal war groups can we develop?”

“We can also combine this with the ‘Alliance Plan’ Gu Hang personally wrote, which monitors the size of the Alliance’s military and conducts regular audits of its development. As its development progresses, taxes will also increase.”

“With all these measures combined, will the Alliance still have enough strength to rebel?”

“If we squeeze the Alliance dry, rendering them powerless to rebel; if we give Gu Hang enough respect, rendering him unwilling to rebel, then the Alliance will become the Empire’s most important single source of tax revenue! It’s the cornerstone of the Empire!”

“Whether to make the Alliance a destabilizing factor or the engine of the Empire is a matter of a single thought.”

As Xu Fuzhen spoke to Prime Minister Qi Bodu, she added, “Prime Minister, please reconsider!”

…

“…That’s what happened!”

During the call, Gallardo was vividly describing the meeting.

Normally, the Supreme Council’s proceedings should be kept secret.

But in reality, the minutes after the meeting ended, their contents were widely disseminated. This was normal.

No one would hold anyone accountable.

After listening to it, Gu Hang also found it quite interesting.

He asked:

“So, what you mean is that it was finally passed? That I can serve as the chairman of the Spider Web Universe at the same time and maintain the existence of the alliance?”

“That’s not the case.” Gallardo smacked his lips and said with some regret, “The argument got so bad that Qi Bo even stopped it. He didn’t even let us enter the voting stage on the spot, saying that the matter would be discussed next time.”

“In other words, do I have a good chance?”

“No, are you serious?” Gallardo said earnestly, “Didn’t I tell you just now? Don’t just look at whether you can get the Spider Web Universe! Look at how much money you have to pay!”

“Do you think that woman Xu Fuzhen is so good to you? 2.1 trillion a year, she can’t believe she can come up with that!”

“You’ll have to pay so much money in ten years! How can you afford it?”

“Even if you can afford it, I don’t know how much you can do with so much money!”

Gallardo even cursed at the end of his speech.

“You’re really not going to get anywhere with this. Listen to me, let go of the alliance and be a good chairman of the Spider Web Universe. I can really help you advance the Supreme Council. Why do you have to work for the Taxation Department?”

“It’s really too shady.” Gu Hang also cursed.

But what Gallardo couldn’t see was that he still had a smile on his face.

(End of this chapter)