This was Gu Hang's eighth month on the planet's surface.
Even without the matter of offsetting the Imperial Tax with the Troops of the Star Realm, paying 2.5 million Tax Currency in one year and four months wouldn't be a problem.
Admittedly, a tax yield of two million Tax Currency per year definitely can't all go to taxes, as people need to eat and drink. But who's to say that productivity won't continue to rise?
After all, the current main production capacity of the Union still lies with the population of about 1.6 million in the Twin Cities. The remaining population of over 3.3 million, most of whom are in extreme poverty, contribute very little to productivity.
However, given that Gu Hang was able to construct an industrial center like Weixing City in just eight months, he certainly has the capacity to create another one. Those over three million impoverished people have enormous potential for productive growth.
Given a year, he was absolutely confident in boosting the current annual output of two million by more than 500%.
Paying a year's Imperial Tax for a single city, no problem at all.
Not to mention, he was still expanding.
Gu Hang was no longer worried about the Imperial Tax at all, not the first phase, and even less so for the subsequent phases. He already had too many ways to deal with tax issues, and the pressure brought by Imperial levies would become lighter and lighter with development and expansion.
Besides, there was always someone to extort.
In the sky, the Beautiful Lady was doing business with Blackbird Heavy Industries.
As the Planetary Governor, Gu Hang approved the request of Blackbird Heavy Industries to engage in interstellar trade with the Beautiful Lady on the condition that they pay the current tax, as well as the past two incomplete tax periods, totaling seven million Tax Currency.
It was a reasonable demand. Blackbird Heavy Industries, entrenched in the Western World of Rage Owl Star, controlled a population of over ten million directly or indirectly. Based on a tithe tax standard, collecting two million in taxes per period was no issue. Adding the past dues, seven million Tax Currency was actually on the low side.
A month ago, the envoy from Blackbird Heavy Industries had already arrived at Revival City and met with Gu Hang.
The two parties had several rounds of negotiations on this matter.
In the end, Gu Hang couldn't stick to the seven million and refuse to budge.
Clearly, Blackbird Heavy Industries couldn't agree to the seven million price tag.
First of all, they didn't have that much money; secondly, even if they did, they wouldn't give it, as the value brought by this interstellar trade might not even be worth that much. Why should they give so much to the Governor?
Gu Hang didn't want to push too hard either.
He could have declared Blackbird Heavy Industries as traitors for not paying taxes, but he didn't have the power to quell a rebellion thousands of miles away. He could also block the interstellar trade of Blackbird Heavy Industries, making not only this deal fail but also preventing any legitimate future interstellar trade.
But if things really went that far, nobody would benefit.
Blackbird Heavy Industries could smuggle, although they would have to face the threat of starships. But after all, starships are only so large and have to run circles in planetary orbits. If the smugglers flew to the other side of the planet, using small ships to enter the atmosphere and fly at low altitudes to evade detection...
Although it's troublesome and risky, it's not completely impossible to conduct business.
And if Blackbird Heavy Industries was hit, what good would that do Gu Hang right now? Nothing at all.
It was better to negotiate a reasonable price and secure the deal.
If they didn't agree to seven million, then negotiations would continue, with Gu Hang's bottom line being two million.
In the end, they settled on a price of around three million five hundred thousand.
Just this amount of money alone was enough to pay the taxes in one year and four months and still have a surplus.
Indeed, Gu Hang was not worried about the Imperial Tax, having complete confidence.
However, not everyone was happy with the negotiations between Gu Hang and Blackbird Heavy Industries.
This chapter is also 6000