Chapter 272: The Somewhat Familiar Blonde Youth

"Brother Hashirama, are you facing some kind of difficulty?"

Uchiha Gin familiarly pulled out a chair and sat down brazenly, crossing his legs at the same time. He glanced at the bright red numbers on the desk, a look of realization dawning in his slightly narrowed, dead-fish eyes.

From the undisguised look of distress on Hashirama Senju's face, he had likely already guessed what kind of trouble this brother, who had just taken on the role of village head, had encountered.

"Ah, this..."

If the person who had come was Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju might have spoken his mind freely, crying and complaining with snot and tears, and then swindled a sum of non-refundable angel investment. But since the person was Uchiha Gin, it made him feel a bit embarrassed to open his mouth.

After all, Uchiha Gin was a good friend of Toka. If it weren't for the fact that his own son's hair was very soft and his eyes were bright and spirited, he would have almost suspected what the motive was behind the other party giving red envelopes during the holidays.

"Big Brother, let me say it."

The village is paramount. You, Hashirama Senju, may be too embarrassed to offend people, but I, Tobirama Senju, do not care about these social niceties.

He immediately turned his head to look at Uchiha Gin, who was sitting there looking calm and composed, and handed over the planning and financial report in his hand. After his scarlet eyes lingered for a moment on the other man's fluffy curly hair, he continued to speak, his tone unusually less rigid.

"According to the preliminary plan, the basic infrastructure of the village is basically complete, but there are still several important locations that have encountered problems and cannot start construction smoothly..."

"Uh, let me see... No way, you don't even have the money to build the Hokage Building?"

From Tobirama Senju's words, Uchiha Gin had already vaguely sensed that something was wrong. He reached out to take the financial report, and upon closer inspection, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"Why did you add so many residential areas?"

Uchiha Gin pointed to the subsequently added, and quite massive, residential areas in the financial report and asked with a frown.

"Well~ it's all Big Brother's..."

Hearing Uchiha Gin hit the nail on the head with his soul-searching question, Tobirama Senju covered his face, looking ashamed to be seen, and sold out the culprit, Hashirama Senju, completely.

"Haha, who told so many ninja clans to submit applications to us? We can't just leave them with nowhere to live when they arrive, right?"

As the initiator of the fiscal deficit, Hashirama Senju gave an awkward smile, rubbed his own big head, and argued for his actions.

"If they want to join, let them come and build it themselves. Why are you in such a rush?"

Not expecting that the future pillars of Konoha were already starting to gather, Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow and continued.

"It is our Konoha that provides them with peaceful shelter. It's already generous enough not to ask them for money, and you're even covering their food and housing?"

"Exactly, Big Brother, what you're doing is really lowering your own status."

It was rare for Tobirama Senju to agree with the Uchiha's opinion. His scarlet eyes looked at his older brother, and the sense of reproach in them was visible to the naked eye.

"Sigh~ now that the wood is already carved into a boat, the residential areas are already built. It's too late to say anything now!"

Even as the person in charge of Konoha, Hashirama Senju still had no authority in front of these two. He was seen hanging his head timidly, muttering in a very defeatist tone.

"So, you two are looking for your cousin because you want to borrow money?"

Throwing the financial report aside, Uchiha Gin looked at the Senju brothers before him, sighed helplessly, and asked.

"Hehe, you really have a good eye for people~"

Hashirama Senju smiled upon hearing this, stepped forward with great enthusiasm, and placed his large hand on Uchiha Gin's shoulder, kneading it vigorously. Those bright, spirited eyes were now narrowed into slits, revealing a light called craftiness.

Tsk! It's so heartbreaking. Look at you guys, what has power done to men?

"This... Brother Hashirama, although I have the heart to help, alas, even a landlord's family has no surplus grain."

Facing the attentive Hashirama Senju, Uchiha Gin showed a look of difficulty, and then spoke about the current situation of the Uchiha clan.

"You don't know the cost of living until you run a household. The Uchiha clan is not as wealthy and large as you Senju. Every cent of our money is spent where it counts. Aside from material costs, the construction of our clan grounds was all built brick by brick with the selfless help of our clansmen~"

"Clansmen? But how come I heard that your Uchiha clan hired high-priced construction masters from other countries to design and build your clan grounds?"

Tobirama Senju, who was standing to the side, frowned immediately after hearing Uchiha Gin's complaints and mercilessly exposed the curly-haired man's blatant lie.

The Land of Waves was famous for its expertise in construction and infrastructure. For this construction of the clan grounds, Uchiha Gin had specifically contacted Tian Dao to have him send a large number of construction teams from the Land of Waves to help build the Uchiha clan grounds. Among them, besides the craftsmen from the Land of Waves, many Uchiha clansmen who wanted to come home to visit were also mixed in.

"Hey~ you're talking about those masters from the Land of Waves, right? Actually, it's like this..."

He didn't expect this brat Tobirama Senju to keep such a close eye on the Uchiha clan. He had just pulled some experts over from his uncle's side, and this guy had already discovered it. But fortunately, he hadn't been exposed. Uchiha Gin rolled his eyes, and a countermeasure formed in his mind.

"We signed a contract with the Land of Waves. The Uchiha clan paid a small portion of the remuneration as a down payment. After the clan grounds are built, we will pay back the remaining balance to the Land of Waves annually, with interest, according to a set ratio."

"There's such a good deal?"

Hearing about this overly advanced contract, Hashirama Senju's eyes lit up. In this day and age, there was such a good deal as getting on the bus first and buying the ticket later?

"With interest? What is the interest rate?"

Compared to his simple-minded older brother, Tobirama Senju, as the younger brother, was concerned about the interest rate. If the Land of Waves was really that easy to talk to, then their Senju clan could also sign a contract with them. In that case, the village's construction would be guaranteed for the time being.

"Uh, it's quite high, thirty-five percent?"

Uchiha Gin felt a tightness in his heart. Why did this white-haired guy have such an inquisitive expression? Worried that the other party would investigate, he stated what he considered a high interest rate. This was only one point lower than the standard for loan sharks, and he just wanted to make this kid retreat in the face of difficulty.

But he didn't expect that he had underestimated the lending standards of the ninja world.

"Quick! Give me the contact information for the Land of Waves."

Just as his words fell, Tobirama Senju, with an impatient expression, instantly flashed in front of Uchiha Gin, grabbed his shoulders, and urged him.

"Huh? It's thirty-five percent, didn't you hear clearly?"

This shake left Uchiha Gin bewildered. This was a thirty-five percent interest rate; anyone would shake their head at it. Why was this kid in such a rush?

"I heard it loud and clear. Your Uchiha clan hides things so deeply; you actually kept such a good deal all to yourselves."

"Ha???"

In the end, under Tobirama Senju's pestering, Uchiha Gin had no choice but to bite the bullet and leave behind the contact information for the Land of Waves. Finally, having lost his utility, he was kicked out by Tobirama Senju.

"Tsk, how strange. Happy small loan?"

After leaving Hashirama Senju's temporary office building, Uchiha Gin went straight back to the clan grounds under construction. Looking at the bustling construction site, he casually stopped a craftsman he didn't recognize.

"Brother, where is your leader?"

"Huh? Who are you?"

The craftsman who had been stopped by Uchiha Gin was still holding tools in his hand. Facing the strange curly-haired man who was delaying his work, he didn't have a pleasant expression, so he brushed off the other man's hand and said impatiently.

"I'm your employer, I suppose. Brother, do me a favor~"

Uchiha Gin was not angry at the other party's impolite behavior. Instead, he looked curiously at the strand of golden hair peeking out from under the craftsman's hard hat and explained in a calm tone.

"Oh, so you're the boss. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it was my rudeness~"

Once the young craftsman heard it was the employer, he performed a face-change on the spot. His smile was as bright as the sun, and he bowed very respectfully to Uchiha Gin.

"It's fine, I was the one who interrupted your work first. Brother, are you from the Land of Waves?"

"That's right, I'm a native of the Land of Waves."

Hearing Uchiha Gin's question, the young man did not hide it, his blue eyes filled with sincerity.

"How do you find the Land of Fire?"

Staring unblinkingly at the young man's familiar face, Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow and asked.

"It's quite good. Compared to the Land of Waves, the climate is much better. If I have the chance, I'd really like to settle down here~"

"Welcome, welcome~"

After chatting with this blonde craftsman for a few words, Uchiha Gin followed his directions and found the leader of the craftsmen from the Land of Waves.

"Lord Gin!"

Upon seeing the leader of the craftsmen from the Land of Waves, before Uchiha Gin could even speak, the other party bowed respectfully to him first. While he was puzzled, the other party performed hand seals, and as a puff of smoke dissipated, the strange craftsman turned into an Uchiha clansman with black hair and black eyes.

"Uh, you're also back to visit relatives?"

Knowing that many clansmen had mixed in among the craftsmen to visit their families, he just didn't expect this leader to also be a member of the Uchiha clan, so he asked curiously.

"Reporting to you, my lord, I was sent by the old clan head to be the liaison officer specifically responsible for contact."

Hearing Uchiha Gin's question, the clansman shook his head immediately and informed Uchiha Gin of his identity as a liaison.

"The clan head has ordered that I only contact you, and I will not recognize anyone else."

"My uncle is quite cautious. Since you're one of our own, let me tell you something."

He had originally intended to coordinate with the craftsmen from the Land of Waves regarding the fabricated loan for building the clan grounds. Now that it was all his own people, things would be much easier.

Thus, Uchiha Gin told this clansman the whole story about borrowing money to build the clan grounds, and finally instructed him that if the Senju clan came to find them, they should sign the contract at that interest rate before doing the work for them.

"Ah? Thirty-five percent?"

After hearing Uchiha Gin's arrangements, the clansman looked at him with a strange expression, his tone filled with deep confusion as he confirmed again.

"Lord Gin, are you sure it's thirty-five percent, and not three hundred and fifty?"

(End of chapter)