章 64: Job Change: CEO!
Alright, here's a small question for all of you. What do you think is the best business for me to create in order to overpower the entirety of Hashidate's economy?
a. Fast-food stall.
b. Transportation service.
c. Insurance company.
Do you have an answer now? Alrighty, the right answer is C or Insurance company.
As wild as it may sound, this fairly modern concept of insurance service is the one business that I found to be the best for what we will be doing in the city. So instead of boring you to hell and back with an explanation, let me just show you how everything went for us in just the span of two weeks.
"Huh? Are you sure about this?"
"Yes sir! If you will avail for our insurance offer, if some disaster or unfortunate accident happens to your property, we will give you financial support to start everything over again."
"W-wow… so if my ramen shop catches fire…"
"Depending on your contributions and the distance between your prepaid period from your normalcy period, our support can range from 10,000 Kan to 70,000 Kan. Of course, let me remind you that this payout will depend on what insurance set you took and the number of contributions you pay every week."
"Hrm… so it's like the depositing in the bank but even when I pay a little, I can get a good payout if something happens…"
"Of course, let me remind you that investigations will be held to ensure that it really is an accident rather than a man-made event. We won't be tolerating cheaters, you know?"
"Ahaha! I get it! I'm in, young man. Let me sign up for this."
"Thank you for availing to Miyazaki Insurance services. You will be in good hands."
It all started like this. The Yutaka clan backed up our group by letting us use one of their buildings in their area rent-free and even lending some of their men to help us get our name around the city's businessmen.
Of course, there are a few setbacks along the way.
"Insurance? Hmm… This is pretty dubious. I'm not taking it."
There are those who doubted out business.
"You'll give me money if my store gets destroyed? Screw you! I'm not a beggar to ask for alms!"
Ones who are too prideful to give the service a chance.
"I already met a lot of shady people like you! Get out before I call the city guards!"
And overly paranoid people who I can't really blame for not trusting us.
"E-Eh? So that was real?!"
"Of course, sir. We're a business and you've contracted our service. It would shame our business to not fulfill our agreement. Here is the Banknote from our office. Claim the money at the main office of Houjun Central bank. Again, our condolences for your store, may fires stay away from your new business in the future…"
"T-thank you… Wait, 15,000 Kan?!"
"Father! This is more than enough for us to start our tailor shop again!"
"Thank the heavens! We can stand up again!"
If it's not already obvious, let me word out our business strategy.
As you've already seen before, Hashidate is a tightly packed city. So crowded that, a single-story, 60 square meter building in the central market area can cost more than 10,000 Kan. However, this brings up a certain problem that many people here know about but not many people are aware enough to not think twice about buying them.
Hashidate's buildings are old. Made up of creaking bamboo or termite-infested pinewood, it only takes a single overturned candle or a piece of live coal that fell on the floor for the houses and stores to become a sight from hell.
Because of this, I thought… "Why don't we try to be kind little angels, and help out in their misfortune while also profiting from it?"
And so, Miyazaki Insurance services was born. Seemingly in service of the businesses availing in it, but in truth, is a company whose goal is to topple the economic monopolies in the city.
"Investment? Wow… I didn't think that your company also supports businesses like this."
"The owner just decided about this at our last meeting. He said that it would be for the profit of both sides if we can support the businesses that we provide security for."
"Hmm… I guess that is true. Well then, I'll put up a notice in the stock exchange. I'll inform them that we sold a percentage of the stocks of our new seconds store."
"Got it. Thank you for your patronage."
The concept is easy. I even divided it into 4 easy steps.
1. Support the small businesses and gain their trust so they continue to avail for our services.
2. Invest in them, owning percentage by percentage of their growing business.
3. Work with the Houjun Central Bank by providing soft loans when the business owner wants to borrow money to expand their business more.
4. Rinse and repeat until you partially own a growing conglomerate.
This 4-step plan is supposed to bear fruit after a few months. But one thing I forgot and didn't expect about Hashidate is that the growth of business here and the flow of money is like a cancer hellbent on growing bigger and bigger until it basically makes a clone of its host… Sorry, as disgusting as it may sound, that analogy is the only one I can think of as a doctor.
Going back to the point, only a month after we started, we now handle 15 businesses that are starting to become a thorn on the side of the other big enterprises.
"Iwasawa- I mean, Shachou-sama. Here are the reports from our auditors."
"Shachou, huh? I didn't expect to be called "Boss" ever in my life."
"Well, we have to hide our identities…"
"Fair enough."
I took the folder from Minori's hand and opened it to see numbers that put a smile on my face.
"Now that's what I call as profit."
"I've already handled the payout from our holdings. The Yutaka twins has already deposited the money we gained onto their bank."
"I guess that proves the old woman wrong, huh? I knew she won't be too supportive of my plan since I basically bashed her face in when we last met. But with our success, she's sure to stick with us as long as she can."
"I won't say no to that."
To prove my point that we're hurting the competing monopolies in Hashidate, let me read a line in the list inside the folder.
"Eastern Iwaki farmstead, 60% stock holdings. Net worth: 850,000 Kan."
"That, huh? The Isayama clan sure bit our Produce Insurance offer when they sniffed it from our agents."
"In this country where the price of products can fluctuate in the span of a few days, having a company that will ensure that they will buy your produce regardless of its price is something that you'll thank the heavens for."
"We had to sacrifice some money to buy their grains during the temporary rise in the price, but due to our connections in Fuku that is still rebuilding, the demand in food there let us sell it as soon as it came."
"Oh yeah, we also have some stock holdings at the ship trading service, don't we?"
"Yes sir. Kashima Seafaring corporation. 20% Stock holdings. Net worth: 1.4 million Kan."
"Man, I can live with just enough of it, but I do love to hear that we now have so much money."
"Likewise."
What was that? How much is our company worth now?
"Miyazaki Conglomerate. Sole ownership of Miyazaki Hiro. Net worth including subsidiary businesses: 18.5 Million Kan."
That is what I call, a successful business model.
"…"
"…Is no one going to talk? I know I'm new here, but please don't treat me like I didn't deserve this position."
Also, following the massive, uppercut success of my business, I became one of Hashidate's Consuls. I replaced the Consul of the Isayama clan who relegated the position to me after I basically owned their entire rice business.
It was a fair trade, though. Now that they don't have to participate in politics, the Isayama clan can now focus on their business and expand their product coverage. To add to that, remember the merchants that I met and kind-of swindled back in our siege in Shime city? They apparently made it big in Hashidate because of our red wine and the demand has outdone their ability to go back to Kiko's border trade city of Tohou and back to Hashidate to sell their wares.
What did I do when I heard this? Simple, I contacted the Akebono Winery in Kiko to send me some red grapes, planted them in the drier parts of the Isayama clan's farmstead and are currently waiting for them to bear fruit to be processed into red wine. While waiting for the domestic produce, I also pulled some strings to open secret trade with my own province. Red wine in exclusively produced in Kiko's Akebono Winery, so it is a product of Kiko. In order to not gather the attention of our enemies due to our identities, I made them send the products to our Embassy in Shinka where I "officially bought them". In short, I didn't make contact with Kiko, I simply bought products in Shinka that originally came from Kiko.
This is why Miyazaki Insurance services is now Miyazaki Conglomerate. We now hold lots of businesses that each have their own massive financial growth in the present and the future.
"You're too arrogant, outsider. I don't know the devil that you sold your soul to be this successful in just a short amount of time, but I'm sure that you won't be keeping your position for long."
"Why Yamada-dono? Will some "unfortunate accident" happen to one of my businesses "again"? I don't think the heavens would be too harsh to do something like that. Unless, of course, if it's not their fault."
"What are you trying to say, you brat?"
"Nothing. It's just a brat's rambling, that is."
"Tch!"
This old man sitting in front of me whose name is Yamada Youji, is the clan leader of the Yamada clan, consul of Hashidate and the man who will become my last opponent if I want to change this province. His personal net worth is 37 million Kan.
"Now, now, Youji-sama… Don't look too sour in front of the lad."
"I don't want to hear anything from you, Houshou. You're one to talk."
"Oh please, oh please… Humor an old war veteran, would you? I simply wished to be friendly to the young man. Of course, if he will not return the favor, I will have no qualms to be fierce as well…"
The next to speak is another old man who wears a fox mask on the upper half of his face. Due to our distance and the information told to me by the twins, I knew that he is wearing the mask as the upper half of his face has become unsightly due to scars and badly sewn flesh from an old battle wound.
Regardless, he is the General Manager of the Houseki Minting Group. Houshou Hajime. Personal Net worth: 28.3 million Kan.
"Bah! You old farts are too harsh! Just cuz he's young doesn't mean he's any less of us."
"Shut up when adults are talking!"
"You shut up, arrogant fart. Your wealth means no shit in the council room. Both of us are consuls so don't overrule me."
"Tch! Another meddlesome twerp…"
Meanwhile, this loud and impolite guy beside me is the Consul sent by the Kashima Merchant Alliance. His hostility towards the Yamada Consul seems to be rooted to the fact that it was his fault why their business group went into debt with the Yamada clan and ended up handing over the Kashima Seafaring corporation as a collateral. His name is Edogawa Gin, his net worth is 21.7 million Kan.
"Hehe! Listen, you numbskulls! Anyone who will be rude to my best bro won't live in peace anymore! Ya'll got that?!"
"""Y-Yes…"""
By the way, after a few meetings over red wine and tender steaks, we became close friends. He's the reason why I am slowly buying shares in the sea trading company to acquire the "majority shareholder" position. He asked me to do that in exchange of letting my businesses to use their land routes to trade inside and outside of Hashidate without any toll.
In short, I have acquired a trustable friend in this place.
"I have nothing to say. I know this lad enough. He's sure to be of use for Hashidate."
Meanwhile, the last consul whom I already met before spoke plainly and drank her tea. The old woman who represented the Houjun Monetary services, Yutaka Ui, kept her business support a secret like always. Her net worth is a commendable 12.4 million Kan.
Both of us sure have personal issues with each other. I didn't like her disposition towards retaliatory murder of the offspring of the person who hurt you and she didn't like my opinion too. But with her business booming due to my actions and my business built with her bank as the backbone, both of us set aside our differences and worked together for our own good.
"Now then, where shall we start?"
Let me lay down a simple chart for all of you who are reading this.
I already said before that Hashidate's government is centered around an oligopolistic consulate supported by a semi-elective congress that votes for the motions set by the consuls. The Taka clan, the daimyo family of Hashidate, is just a symbolic head of the land, a decoration to at least keep up appearances in the national scale.
But for my plan to succeed, all of this has to go.
"My motion is the same. I wish for my proposed law revision to be set in stone and applied in the entirety of Hashidate."
Hearing this, the old consul from the Yamada clan chuckled to himself which attracted our attentions.
"The hell ya giggling for, you old turd?"
"Che! Did you actually read the law that you wrote? You imbecile! No businessman in Hashidate will accept your terms!"
I sighed lightly and extended my hand to signal someone to our circular table.
"""Yes sir."""
One by one, a number of servants went down from the aisles between the raised seats of the congressmen and placed a thick wad of papers in front of the four other consuls.
"What the…"
"Ho, ho… another one, huh?"
"Yo! What's with this, Hiro-kun?"
"…"
I smiled at them and spoke with confidence.
"My new proposal for the revision of Hashidate's economic policy, workplace regulations and labor force alignment. That, and the blood stamp and signature of 31 out of 50 congressmen of Hashidate."
"What?!"
"Ohoho! This is sure to be something!"
"Hahaha! Just what I expect from my best bud!"
"Hah… You really are amazing, aren't you?"
I am supposed to bid my time as we gain more power and precedence over Hashidate through our business. But since I don't intend to stay here for too long, I tried to keep on pushing for reforms in the law as soon as I became a consul of the province.
"I heard that so long as a motion reaches a majority vote from the congress, it must immediately be put into action."
"Hold on! You're not following the standard procedure! The congress might have approved of this, but us other consuls are-"
"I approve of this, of course!"
"I support it."
"Wha-?!"
Just before he can raise a complaint, Gin-kun and Granny Ui spoke up their approval.
"What are you two talking about?! You haven't read it all yet!"
"I already read it before he brought it out. I have no complaints about it and I stand to gain from it."
The old woman spoke before drinking her tea as the other supporter spoke up.
"Haha! I trust my best bud! I don't hafta read nothing to support it! Hahaha!!!"
Meanwhile, staying true to his haphazard, everything-goes attitude, Gin loudly declared his approval before laughing heartily.
"I guess that does it. Majority from the congress and consulship. I believe I followed the standard procedure now?"
"Grrrr!!!"
With that, I have achieved the first part of my promise to those three.
A few weeks later, there was a visible change in Hashidate's market areas, trade routes and even the Stock exchange building.
"Wha? How did rice and barley become this stable for a week already?"
"Haha! If this keeps up, I can definitely profit without feeling guilty."
"I guess I should open up my warehouse too. It would be good to sell while the price is fair."
First of all, the product price chart in the Stock exchange bulletin board has been almost untouched for an entire week. Grain products, the main produce of the province, has been stabilized following the opening of imported grains from other provinces.
This is good in many ways. First, Hashidate's local rice specie belongs to a genus that produce more grains with shorter lengths and weigh less in the scales. Basically, by adding more rice species in the consumer option, it allows people to enjoy more fulfilling meals. Another way that this helps is to remove the power of hoarders and withholders to affect the market prices. They can hold onto the grains they bought, but more merchants that comes in with imported grains will supplant or even overpower the amount that they are hiding somewhere.
Basically, this new law removed the power of the abusive merchants who profit from the suffering of the consumers.
Second, guaranteed employee benefits and fixed wages per profession.
Another sickness of Hashidate is its predatory and slave-like work conditions. The "predatory" part comes from the futility of laboring in this land. It's common sense that if you don't work, you can't eat. So, this was abused by employers who knows that their workers would hold onto their jobs as much as they can since it is the only way for them to provide for their needs. The "slave-like work conditions" part is the one that hurts more. Because the employers know that their laborers will desperately hold their jobs, they would rarely give them their salaries, only giving enough every now and then in order to ensure that they will be fed just enough to not die.
I changed that too and even sprinkled some of my own personal dispositions into the law. The new labor rights act states the following:
1. An employer must give the due wages of his/her employee according to their profession. For the wages, refer to the chart in the Stock exchange bulletin or ask an agent for the sheet.
2. An employer must answer to workplace accidents where their worker is aggrieved. He/she must pay their medical bills and provide financial support for the individual or the individual's family during the employee's hospitalization.
3. Unless stated in an employment contract, an employee has the right to leave his/her workplace after 30 days of official service to their employer. This resignation must be made known 5 working days before the official leave. If the employee is unable to do this, he/she will officially remain in the service of their employer for a total of 30 days, after which, they will be considered as officially fired and able to work full-time again in another employer.
4. The employer must be officially recognized by Hashidate's business consulate through the business registry and is a member of the Hashidate Stock exchange institution. Only through this way can they hire workers. Inability to do so will mark the business as an illegal one subject to immediate disbandment. This law does not apply to family microbusinesses whose workers and owners are related by family. Any family microbusiness whose net worth exceeds 10,000 Kan must state their family member working in the business to ensure official records.
Lastly, I fixed the one thing that made all of the congressmen of Hashidate who signed my proposed laws to give me their full support.
"Starting from now on, there shall be no more slaves in Hashidate. Those who wish to return to their homelands are free to do so. Those who desire to stay will be given full citizenship and financial and medical support as a sign of reimbursement for their past labors."
Quite the humanitarian guy, aren't I?
So, what happened to Hashidate's monopoly businessmen?
"Shachou, we've acquired majority shareholding in Kashima Seafaring corporation. It's now 55% with a net worth of 6.2 million Kan."
"Shachou, the Isayama clan has sent the property title of Eastern Iwaki farmstead. We now own the entirety of the farmland. Its total net worth is now 1.2 million Kan. In exchange, they desire to happily work under us as the managing fief of the lands."
"Shachou, this is the updated Net worth of our company. The Stock Exchange has sent their congratulatory remarks and General Manager Ikehara sent an invitation to his estate to celebrate the stabilization of the economy."
As my men came to my office each bearing a letter and an announcement, Minori spoke up and handed me two envelopes. One was from the stock exchange and another one from its manager.
I first opened the invitation letter and it was a short message by the general manager thanking me for my previous actions regarding the laws I set in action.
"Let's see… Oh, seems like Ikehara-dono is thanking me for letting him have a vacation after so many years. Gather up the other 10, we'll go as a group."
"As you wish."
I opened the second letter, and it contained a whole sheet of paper filled with charts and numerical representation of my company's business holdings. But the one at the bottommost part made me smile the most to the point that I wanted to laugh in joy.
"Miyazaki Conglomerate. Sole ownership of Miyazaki Hiro. Net worth including subsidiary businesses: 40.3 million Kan."
"Just in the span of 3 months. Iwasawa-sama sure has a knack for making impossible things possible."
Now that I have set the playing field to a fair tilt, let's begin the true trade wars.
First in line, making the Houseki Mint a public institution.
"Shall we start, Shachou?"
"Yeah. I can't wait for it!"
クリエイターの想い 
Ephraim_Chronia
Ephraim_Chronia Trust me everyone. This is still in the feudal era of Japan. Just keep that in mind.
-Author Rai
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