"For fairness," Fu Qiuyan explained. "If money earned after death can still be used after resurrection, it would lead to these reincarnated individuals becoming local magnates, severely disrupting social balance."
"Most crucially, ordinary people whose salaries barely cover daily expenses might commit suicide because of this. After all, consciousness bodies have no daily expenses. They can stay in the black box for hundreds of years, earning money through mental labor, then deposit it in banks to accrue interest, becoming wealthy like rolling a snowball. This would cause a severe social disaster. You wouldn't want the suicide rate on Jiang Ye Star to skyrocket thousands of times, would you?"
"Moreover, the number of reincarnation slots is limited. This method of confiscating all savings also compresses demand."
Fu Qiuyan finished explaining and looked at Jiang Ye with a "Do you understand?" expression.
"Who set this rule?" Jiang Ye asked.
Fu Qiuyan pointed to the ceiling with his finger. "Who else could it be?"
Jiang Ye felt a bit dejected.
"I also sent you a question about resistance from competitors," Jiang Ye said. "Those companies doing youth preservation and immortality through various technologies will likely obstruct the market for reincarnated individuals by any means necessary."
"This is actually quite easy to solve," Fu Qiuyan said. "Do you know the essence of industrial upgrading?"
"What?"
"For example, if a region relies entirely on candles for lighting, and then decides to upgrade its industry to light bulbs," Fu Qiuyan said. "If all candle factories are shut down and new light bulb factories are built, there will certainly be strong resistance. Candle factory owners will buy newspaper space to promote how light bulbs explode easily, and candle factory workers will buy rifles and clash with light bulb factory workers. The best solution is to have the candle factories produce light bulbs. This way, from owners to workers, they will not only not obstruct but will enthusiastically welcome it."
"You mean," Jiang Ye understood, "to have those companies doing immortality switch to reincarnation technology."
Fu Qiuyan smiled and nodded.
"But," Jiang Ye frowned, "rejuvenation and youth preservation surgeries cost billions, with extremely huge profits. Reincarnation technology, however, is similar to artificial human technology, completable for a few million. The profit difference between the two businesses is too vast. Will those companies, after mastering reincarnation technology, block this part of the business? Or will they raise the cost of reincarnation to billions?"
"We naturally anticipated this," Fu Qiuyan said. "But there are solutions."
Jiang Ye looked as if he was all ears.
"The higher-ups intend to set a minimum number of reincarnation slots each year based on the social conditions of various planets and the demands of the entire Galactic Empire, allocating them to different planets and companies. For those within the quota, relevant companies must complete them at a low price, tentatively set at two million for one reincarnation," Fu Qiuyan said. "The Empire will personally intervene in this market."
Jiang Ye nodded. With the Galactic Empire as a guarantor, there was nothing to worry about.
"As for the major companies, they have conducted market analysis and believe that consciousness body reincarnation will not have a significant impact on the youth preservation and immortality business, at most only minor fluctuations," Fu Qiuyan said.
Jiang Ye's expression was one of disbelief.
"How can there be no impact? The price difference is so huge!" Jiang Ye asked.
"But there is a gap in the customer base," Fu Qiuyan explained. "Customers who can afford youth preservation and immortality are people who are not short of money. Money is just a number to them. They often yearn for a stable, flowing life forward, and would not choose to die first, become a consciousness body, and then be resurrected through reincarnation just to save money."
Jiang Ye suddenly understood.
Indeed, people who could spend tens or hundreds of billions on immortality were generally indifferent to money.
The lives of these people were worth more than anything. As long as they lived, they would generate endless wealth.
For example, Jiang Ye himself belonged to this category. He controlled one planet and likely could control another. With a beautiful wife, a genius son, and a group of loyal subordinates, why would he choose to become a consciousness body in such a perfect life? What was the point of saving a few billion?
"All the major companies believe that consciousness body reincarnation technology is not an impact on the existing market, but an expansion of the companies' business scope. They are even grateful to you," Fu Qiuyan said. "I heard that the executives of these giant companies are discussing giving you a certain percentage of royalties as a thank you for proposing this idea."
"Did no one propose this before me?" Jiang Ye asked.
"Someone proposed it hundreds of years ago, but the technology was not mature at that time," Fu Qiuyan explained. "Perhaps many common people thought about this problem, but their opinions could not reach the highest levels. You are a general, and I am a planet governor; it's different."
"How much of a percentage will they... probably give me?" Jiang Ye was curious.
"Who knows? It shouldn't be too much, just symbolic. Because there are no relevant regulations, they could legally give you nothing," Fu Qiuyan said.
In the next few days, Jiang Ye's family continued to stay on Daughter Star, waiting for developments.
Jiang Ye took a rare break, and Cen Yemeng recommended hundreds of books to him, so he stayed in his hotel room reading from morning till night.
Cen Yemeng took Jiang Senlin out shopping, accompanied by plainclothes guards.
Jiang Senlin was quite popular. On the road, sisters and aunts would often come to hug him, pinch his cheeks, and kiss him.
Jiang Senlin soon developed an aversion to shopping.
"There are so many strange aunts on this planet," he said.
Soon, Fu Qiuyan sent another message.
The Galactic Empire's official document had been issued, officially permitting consciousness bodies to be reincarnated into artificial humans.
Jiang Ye was awarded the Golden Medal of "Imperial Progress" and the honorary title of "Social Advisor."
Jiang Ye reacted calmly to this. He did not value such honors highly. At his position, if he wanted to obtain various medals and titles, he could quickly accumulate a large number of them; they held no real meaning. He cared more about his reputation.
A few days later, news also came from the major related technology giants.
Led by Chen Zhao Technology Company, over forty companies followed suit and established Solaris Technology Company, specifically responsible for consciousness body reincarnation into artificial humans.
Furthermore, Solaris Technology Company would establish a branch company on Jiang Ye Star as a reward to Jiang Ye.
In addition, throughout the entire Galactic Empire, for every consciousness body revived as an artificial human, four cents would be drawn from millions in profit and directly deposited into Jiang Ye's account.
This large-scale commercial royalty, covering the entire Galactic Empire, was subject to taxes according to the law.
Therefore, the money Jiang Ye could actually receive was one yuan per reincarnated person.
One yuan sounded very little, but the Galactic Empire was vast.
The galaxy, spanning a hundred thousand light-years, with 400 billion stars, and trillions of planets and artificial planets.
Moreover, the Galactic Empire was expanding aggressively, with much of the universe being incorporated into its territory.
Within such a vast scope, one yuan per reincarnated person represented a terrifyingly large sum.
Jiang Ye never expected that the biggest windfall of his life to date would come so easily!