Chapter 712, Too Expensive
"Premier Xu, what are you saying? Do you understand what you're saying?"
Luo Fei questioned him sternly.
However, compared to Xu Fuzhen's series of words, she seemed somewhat fierce on the outside but weak on the inside.
"Of course I understand what I'm talking about." Xu Fuzhen's tone was anything but polite. "I'm talking about a financial issue of 20 trillion over ten years, an expenditure that will affect the stability of the entire empire."
"According to your plan, we might lose more than just 20 trillion on the surface. If the Inquisition doesn't deal with the corruption of one more hive world, could it lead to the destruction of that world? If Solaria loses a large amount of spending and can't suppress the region, could more worlds be shrouded in darkness again after ten years of turmoil and break away from the rule of the Imperial Central Government? I'm afraid there will be many similar situations."
"How much are all these losses if you add them all up? I don't know how to assess them. But I'm sure you'll give me a figure when I tell the Grand Inquisitor that the central government's cumulative funding over the past ten years will be reduced by 3 trillion; and the Executive Yuan, the Navy, and the Star Force can also give me an answer regarding the turmoil in Solaria."
"How can you calculate it like that?" Luo Fei's voice became even more strained.
Xu Fuzhen scoffed, "Why not? That's what you always said when you asked me for funding before. You'd ask for hundreds of billions at the drop of a hat, saying that if we didn't give it to you now, we'd have to give you an extra trillion in the future; that if we gave it to you now, the tax department would get so much more revenue..."
Luo Fei was a little embarrassed: "But they all came true... uh... most of them can be achieved..."
"Quite a few things haven't been achieved," Xu Fuzhen said. "So now, if we're going to reduce funding, why are you saying we can't calculate it this way?"
This argument didn't hold water, so Luo Fei changed the subject: "In terms of money, think about the Ironclad War again. Our total cumulative investment has already exceeded fifty trillion, and that's just the direct expenditure of Holy Terra. It doesn't even include the debt we have to pay to local troops, fleets, and warbands after they've been deployed to various places... What if the Alliance rebels again? What if it starts a rebellion on a scale even larger than the Ironclad War? Don't let the twenty trillion of ten years lead to the loss of two hundred trillion in the next few years for war!"
That makes some sense.
But Xu Fuzhen wasn't scared at all.
She continued, "What makes you think Gu Hang will definitely rebel? Has Holy Terra done anything wrong to Gu Hang that would force him to rebel? Or has the Alliance behaved in any way in the past that makes you think he will rebel?"
"He pays his taxes, and in full, directly to Holy Terra. I think he'll not only not rebel, but he'll be the most loyal local official in the empire. If every local official in the empire were like Gu Hang, the empire would become incredibly powerful!"
After a pause, Xu Fuzhen presented her own proposal: "According to my proposal, the Alliance should be reserved for him; he should also be given the chairmanship of the Spiderweb Universe. But in its place, the imperial tax of the entire Spiderweb Universe should be paid in the manner he previously promised."
"Next year, the league will pay 500 billion instead of 300 billion; ten years from now, it will not be a stable 1.3 trillion, but 2.1 trillion."
"Over the course of ten years, he will have to pay a total of 13 trillion."
"As long as he provides enough money, we can allow the alliance to exist; we can even allow the alliance to expand in the Spiderweb Space."
"Why not? If he pays 2.1 trillion every year, how much money will he have left?"
"For an ordinary space domain, a total annual tax revenue of one trillion is about right; two trillion is for space domains that are developing well and have less turmoil."
"Moreover, all other local governments, including those at the star and cosmic levels, have to retain 60% of their tax revenue, and there are also significant tax losses. The money we receive may only be one or two hundred billion."
"Currently, we can collect two trillion in net revenue annually; the Alliance cannot, like a typical imperial local government, retain 60% of its tax revenue for its own development."
"Under these circumstances, what leverage does he have to rebel?"
"On the contrary, with such a large increase in revenue for the central government, how many more legions can we build, and how many more battle groups loyal to the central government can we develop?"
"We can also combine it with the 'Alliance Plan' personally written by Gu Hang, which includes monitoring the military scale of the alliance and conducting regular checks on the alliance's development. As long as the development level increases, the tax rate should also be increased."
"Even with all these methods combined, would the alliance still have enough power to rebel?"
"As long as we drain the alliance dry, rendering them incapable of rebellion; as long as we give Gu Hang enough respect, keeping him from rebelling; then, the future alliance will be the empire's most important single source of tax revenue! It will be the cornerstone of the empire!"
"Whether to make the alliance a destabilizing factor or to make it the engine of the empire is just a matter of a single thought."
As she finished speaking, Xu Fuzhen, facing Prime Minister Qi Bodu, added, "Please think about it carefully, Prime Minister!"
...
"...That was the situation at the time!"
During the call, Gallardo was vividly describing the contents of the meeting.
Logically, the contents of the Supreme Council should be kept secret from the outside world.
But in reality, it's normal for the meeting content to spread everywhere the moment it ends.
No one will hold anyone accountable anymore.
After listening, Gu Hang also found it quite interesting.
He asked:
"So you mean it's finally approved? That I'll simultaneously serve as the chairman of the Spiderweb Universe and maintain the alliance's existence?"
"No, that's not it." Gallardo smacked his lips and said with some regret, "The argument got so bad that even Zipper stopped it. He didn't let it proceed to the voting stage on the spot, saying that the matter would be discussed next time."
"So in other words, do I have a very good chance?"
"No, are you serious?" Galardo said earnestly. "Didn't I just tell you? Don't just think you can get the Spider Web Domain! You have to consider how much money you'll have to pay!"
"You think that Xu Fuzhen is that good to you? 2.1 trillion a year, how could she even think of that!"
"Over ten years, you'll have to pay so much money! How will you afford it?"
"Even if we could afford it, with so much money, who knows how many things we could do!"
Towards the end, Gallardo even swore.
"You're really not going to succeed by doing things this way. Listen to me, let go of the Alliance, and just be the chairman of the Spiderweb Universe. I can really get you into the High Council. Why bother working for the Tax Department?"
"It's really too dark," Gu Hang also cursed.
But Gallardo couldn't see that he still had a smile on his face.