Starting from the Planetary Governor

Chapter 1262: Chapter 714

Gu Hang was, of course, still keeping an eye on matters on Holy Terra.

However, it was no longer the most important thing.

Gu Hang had already decided to accept the plan proposed by Prime Minister Xu of the Department of Taxation.

Of course, it wasn’t going to be right now, immediately.

There are still many details that need to be discussed.

For example, the location of tax settlements, the Alliance’s plan mentions that the Five Major Star Domains will fully pay taxes to the Empire, but with Gu Hang becoming the Cosmic Domain Chair of the Spiderweb Domain, without allowing the Alliance to expand, should the other nine Star Domains leave 30% with the Star Domain Government and 20% with the Space Domain Government?

After all, these nine Star Domains are not Alliance territories and do not need to comply with the Alliance Plan.

Of course, in exchange, while the government agencies in the Cosmos Domain can be organized by Gu Hang as the Cosmic Domain Chair, the appointment of the Star Domain Head and the bureaucracies of the two levels of Space Domain and Star Domain Governments are subject to the right of interference by the Administrative Institute. Besides the government, there are also vertical administrative structures like the two-level Military Affairs Department, Tax Department, and Legal Department, which are also subject to the vertical leadership of the Central Military Department of the Empire, the Imperial Central Tax Department, and the Legal Department.

Needless to say, the Tribunal, Star Realm Army, and Navy need to be equipped, and all are subject to restrictions.

And the construction of the Star Realm Army, the Navy, and the activities of the Tribunal require funding. Not to mention directly applying to the Department of Taxation for funds, these departments, agencies, and military units will need their superior departments to allocate funds.

In exchange, these units such as the constructed Star Realm Army, Navy, and government departments have to listen not only to the Cosmic Domain Chair but also accept top-down leadership.

This is a political arena.

The key is whether the superior’s funding is more substantial or the Space Domain Government’s funding; it’s about the contest for personnel rights. The ultimate outcome is that these departments, in executing the will of the Cosmic Domain Chair, Star Domain Head, and the Central Empire, sway back and forth, coupled with their departments’ interests and the personal interests of departmental bureaucrats…

There are already so many interest entanglements, not to mention corruption? What about claims? Political ideals?

Just thinking about it makes one’s head spin.

How can efficiency be improved in such a situation? How to execute those ’salvation plans’ that Gu Hang previously envisioned for the worlds of the Spiderweb Domain?

Gu Hang is actually, in essence, unwilling to see the Alliance completely restricted in its expansion and for his rule over the Spiderweb Domain to only rely on the conventional local government institutions of the Empire. The set of Cosmos Domain, Star Domain, Star Sector, and Planet is too slow and prone to red tape.

However, despite his reluctance, Gu Hang does not hesitate to use this matter for negotiations.

The point is, if you don’t let the Alliance expand, then the Alliance Plan won’t include the other areas of the Spiderweb Domain, which means that those areas’ tax revenue cannot be guaranteed, and you cannot get an additional 800 billion in taxes beyond 1.3 billion; it should be based on the regular Empire local government taxation scenario.

That would mean not only leaving more than half of the tax revenue for local governments, but the Alliance also won’t guarantee low losses.

Taking everything into account, the tax revenue that the Central Empire might receive could be just five billion?

A tenfold difference.

If you don’t let the Alliance expand, I’ll pay you more taxes;

If you don’t let the Alliance expand, there will be no money.

Gu Hang’s intention is quite clear: the Department of Taxation needs to put in more effort.

Moreover, even if expansion is allowed, it would require some good bargaining.

The nine Star Domains that have been devastated by intense wars over the past decade may be large, but they are in such a ruined state. Eight hundred billion is really not worth it, and it needs to be negotiated down.

In addition to using money to continue to hold the Imperial Central Tax Department at bay, Gu Hang also needs to apply pressure on the Department of Political Affairs.

Since it’s not under the Alliance’s system nor in the Alliance Plan, should the Central Star Realm Army Headquarters and Navy Headquarters provide funding for the construction of Star Realm Army and Navy in these areas?

Should the Administrative Institute provide funding for government construction for planetary rebuilding?

Should the Department of Taxation allocate funds to build the Tax Fleet? Otherwise, how to collect taxes? Surely the Alliance can’t be the one to collect them, as it has nothing to do with the Alliance; you’re not letting the Alliance intervene externally.

The same applies to other Space Domain and Star Domain matters.

When summed up, aside from the Alliance-controlled areas, the Spider Web Domain Empire may not even think about pulling in five billion a year, adding in these funds, the Central Empire might end up having to pay money back to Gu Hang.

Deal with it as you see fit.

These matters are not things that can be finalized quickly.

Let’s take it slow in negotiations.

The Alliance’s ambassador dispatched to Holy Terra is quite high-ranking. Salihoovich used to be an important figure in the Alliance Foreign Affairs Department. As the Alliance’s scale grew larger, external relations, particularly with Holy Terra, became crucial, thus requiring the most important person to take on the role of ambassador.

Gu Hang has a great deal of confidence in Salihoovich.

Needless to say, this person is now at Level 8, and all of his upgraded traits are related to diplomacy, negotiation, and charisma—he is the most talented person in the Alliance in this regard.

Of course, as the saying goes, what you can’t get on the battlefield, you can’t get at the negotiating table. Salihoovich can speak well, read the room, and make people like him, holding firm when needed, but he can’t turn black into white or secure excessive interests.

Ultimately, it’s about setting the right plan and having a strong Gu Hang and a strong Alliance behind him to let Salihoovich’s skills be utilized to the fullest.

The good news is that Salihoovich can still get support from Galaraldo.

Having a High Lord lend a hand is very effective.

On one hand, it’s possible to obtain information that couldn’t be obtained through normal channels. Otherwise, even the most capable intelligence department within the Alliance would struggle to get the latest info on what’s being discussed in the Supreme Council.

Finding out on the second round isn’t an issue because there are leaks everywhere.

On the other hand, there are strategies where Galaraldo can help by voicing support in the Supreme Council.

Let’s take it slowly.

However, it won’t drag on for too long.

The time for the next tax collection period needs to be set.

Whether to implement the Alliance Plan or to come up with other methods will become clear in just a month or two.

…