Chapter 35: Red Envelopes

Ever since Uchiha Douhuan became the clan head and assumed the role of Deputy Captain of the Military Police Force, the lack of time had resulted in him being assigned a spartan office, containing little more than a desk and a document rack.

Taking advantage of his recent absence during a mission, the department had given his office a minor renovation.

Not only were the desk and chair replaced with new ones, but the filing cabinets had also been meticulously organized. On either side of the office stood a display shelf; one held a complete set of tea service, clearly the work of a master craftsman, accompanied by several varieties of premium, high-value tea leaves. On the other side was an antique-style sword rack, currently empty, waiting for Douhuan's blade, "Swift Thunder."

Douhuan placed his ninja sword on the rack and turned his gaze to the wall behind his chair—this was the detail that pleased him most. The blank wall bore no complex decorations, only a single scroll featuring four bold, elegant characters: "Clear Governance, Harmonious People."

Shortly after Douhuan took his seat, Fugaku sent over a summary of the complaints received during his absence. Douhuan reviewed the list, selected the officers with the highest volume of complaints, and had them and their squad leaders summoned to his office.

Before long, the office was crowded.

Douhuan looked over the individuals who had been singled out for complaints. Most were young, having graduated from the Ninja Academy only a few years prior—some were even younger than Douhuan himself. It made sense; the older officers had learned the art of self-preservation, but these fresh graduates were still filled with the "Will of Fire." Naturally, they were blunt and uncompromising in their duties, making it no surprise that they were targeted by the local troublemakers who felt slighted if they didn't get their way.

The squad leaders—members of the Uchiha clan responsible for overseeing these patrols—looked weary. Since Douhuan had taken charge, they had emphasized "polite enforcement" before every shift. Their subordinates had followed orders, yet the complaint rate remained stubbornly high, leaving them at a loss.

Douhuan laid the complaint files out before them.

"Deputy Captain Douhuan, it really isn't their fault," one squad leader stepped forward to explain. "They were upholding the law impartially, and they strictly adhered to the 'polite enforcement' policy throughout. These can only be described as malicious complaints."

"I know. I have reviewed every one of your enforcement logs," Douhuan replied. "I did not call you here to reprimand you."

Douhuan turned his attention to the civilian ninjas behind the squad leaders. "How have you found working at the Military Police Force these past few days?"

"Reporting, Deputy Captain! The work has gone very smoothly. We are deeply honored to serve in the Military Police Force!" A bold youth puffed out his chest and replied.

"Aranosuke Tamura," Douhuan said, glancing at the file. "Very good. Within three days of taking office, you handled three incidents of illegal street vending and apprehended seven villagers for public intoxication and disorderly conduct."

"That is only my duty!" Tamura said proudly.

"However, your complaint rate..."

Before Douhuan could finish, Tamura’s head drooped, his enthusiasm visibly deflating.

"Why the long face?" Douhuan suddenly chuckled. "In our department, the complaint rate is not a metric used for performance evaluations."

"Huh?" Tamura looked up, dazed. To be honest, he had been prepared for a scolding. With a monthly salary of 80,000 ryo, benefits, and having received a powerful C-rank jutsu on his first day—something he had never dared to dream of—a scolding seemed a small price to pay. He was stunned by Douhuan’s words: the Deputy Captain hadn't summoned them to berate them?

"While our position is destined to be misunderstood by the villagers, suffering a few grievances for the sake of serving Konoha is expected. We must always remember the teachings of the Will of Fire; have faith, for we are doing something great." Douhuan patted Tamura on the shoulder as he spoke.

With that, Douhuan pulled a thick red envelope from his pocket and pressed it into the young man's hand. "Well done. This is a reward for your hard work these past few days!"

One by one, Douhuan handed out red envelopes to everyone in the room.

After distributing the bonuses, Douhuan returned to his desk. "I hope all of you will continue to work hard and strive together to create an even better Konoha Village!"

The civilian ninjas were overwhelmed with emotion. Tamura raised his hand in a salute: "Salute to the Deputy Captain! Loyalty! Integrity!"

"Loyalty! Integrity!" Douhuan returned the salute.

Once they left, Douhuan repeated the process with the next group.

By the end of the morning, everyone in the force had received a red envelope. The Uchiha clansmen were accustomed to their new leader's generosity, but the civilian ninjas were electrified, their frustration over the high complaint rate wiped away instantly.

With the task complete, Douhuan finally relaxed and brewed some tea.

The total cost—20,000 ryo for squad captains, 10,000 for team leaders, and 5,000 for regular members—amounted to less than three million ryo, a pittance for the currently well-funded Uchiha. Douhuan understood that this money would only temporarily stabilize the morale of the department and raise the threshold of their tolerance for the villagers' provocations. To truly solve the problem, he needed a catalyst that would allow them to vent the frustration caused by these malicious reports.

As for the villagers' satisfaction? Douhuan had never cared about that. "Polite enforcement" and the complaint boxes were merely a facade for the public. If the villagers were unhappy? A few whacks with a baton would soon make them behave.

"I hope those two old relics don't make me wait too long," Douhuan mused, sipping his tea.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in."

As the door opened, Douhuan looked at the visitor and smiled. "Shisui, you've come at the perfect time. I was just about to look for you. Take this red envelope—everyone in the force gets one."