Chapter 287 – 67. Mission. (2)
The internal affairs of the empire only deteriorated as time passed and showed no sign of improvement. … The crisis has now reached its chin.
Of course, huge sums of money came in from all over the continent, not just from the capital, but most of the monthly income was spent paying interest and some principal on a mountain of debt. Even so, the reduced principal is really eye-watering.
Literally, the Huang family is on the verge of bankruptcy.
With nowhere else to borrow money, and no other solution, the emperor finally messed with the tax as a desperate measure.
When the ordinary taxes collected from the various cities, property tax, toll tax, transaction tax, defense tax, and many other taxes were drastically increased, the imperial people now even grew angry. In this situation where prices soared due to the already unstable situation on the continent, and livelihood was tight, it was really difficult to live on as taxes soared.
In addition, the empire not only sold titles for money, but also pardoned sins if a large sum of money was paid. Even murder! … Truly, more than a business venture.
As the country gradually went into chaos, the moral hazard of the nobles also became extreme. Moreover, as the prestige of the imperial palace declines, it is only natural that loyalty to the imperial family will gradually fade. In some places, even the theory of emperor replacement is openly emerging.
Since the palace’s treasury was empty, the salaries of the guards, capital defense forces, and standing guards who guarded the imperial family had been delayed for half a year.
As trust in the royal family disappeared, the belief in receiving money also disappeared. So, the regular army turned into an outlaw and started to commit all sorts of illegal things. It is basic to receive a large amount of bribes from the upper ranks and secretly help them evade taxes, and they have not been judged at all even though they have caught useless faults with the citizens and ripped off their money, and even raped their children. … The army that guarded the imperial family and the capital was now feared by citizens.
Around the time the capital city began rampaging, the number of processions leaving the capital increased rapidly. Due to the rise in prices caused by harsh taxes, the looting of the capital city, and the unstable situation, it is difficult for ordinary people to lead a life in the capital anymore. If you couldn’t eat it during the great famine, now you can’t eat it even if you have it.
And as the citizens and the upper ranks withdrew like that, the taxes collected from the imperial palace also decreased that much, and the taxes increased as much as the money that was lacking, so it was a vicious cycle.
– I heard the ruins of the country!
The situation reached its worst, to the extent that even the street worm openly spoke of the impossibility of reviving the empire.
Therefore.
The aristocrats from the imperial family, who could not bear to watch the country fall, stood up and gathered at the imperial palace. The group also included the murloc ball, once praised as the shield of the Empire.
– Please correct the wrongdoing, cut out the flatterers, and establish the prestige of the imperial family again.
– Organize some of the imperial family’s assets to manage urgent matters immediately, and select new servants to work for the country to focus on internal affairs.
– Your Majesty, the fate of the empire is coming!
However, the new emperor, whose eyes and ears had already been closed, rather angered those who gave such advice.
– Everything is running normally now. Isn’t it natural that there is pain while a wound is healing!
– The wounds of the empire must be dealt with by all the people of the empire. But what do the foolish and selfish citizens of the Empire know? So, it is right for us to lead them by force.
– Of course, there can be no flatterers, but I am also capable enough to sort them out.
– Rather, you who are trying to shake my decision, you are the saboteurs who shake the country that is going right!
– Leave immediately. And never set foot in the palace again!
Ah.
The emperor has already become a puppet of old monsters down to the marrow. Hearing his screams, they realized that there was no hope for the Empire anymore.
Among the aristocrats to whom the royal family owed huge amounts of money, most of them, with the exception of a few central aristocrats, had never received interest, let alone the principal. In particular, nobles in regions far from the capital were even looked down upon as villagers by the nobility who controlled the palace.
They endured and persevered somehow out of loyalty to the Empire, but even that had a limit.
The Empire was no longer on the side. Everyone is fighting over who comes out first.
Even in the meantime, the gaze of the imperial palace, which was looking for a corner to get money, finally reached Vermandois.
– In Vermandois, it is said that large sums of money do not pay taxes even for the five senses. Wouldn’t it be right to levy taxes there as well?
– Then do it.
The imperial palace, which had already imposed not only a head tax on the mercenary corps, but also an activity tax, now reached out to Vermandois with its desire.
Although Vermandois is called a mercenary city, strictly speaking, Vermandois was not a city institutionally because it had no walls and no rulers. Of course, it makes no sense to impose taxes on the basis of the city.
It wasn’t even that they didn’t pay taxes again. Building tax and residence tax are being paid to the empire every year.
However, the palace customs officer, who was suddenly dispatched to Vermandois, summoned all the top 10 single owners and decided to impose property tax and transaction tax. That’s a whopping 40% of the profit!
The four top 10 owners sitting at the negotiating table laughed as soon as they heard that. It’s funny to come here out of the blue and ask to pay taxes, but it’s absurd to hear that the tax rate is 40%.
“This is not an institutional city. Taxing the city the same way is nonsense. It’s 40% there… !”
“Isn’t this the imperial land? Then you must respect the emperor!”
The old tax collector pushed Hwang Myeong without logic and acted forcefully.
“There has never been anything like this in history. By that logic, a woman who sells bread and fruit in rural villages should also be taxed.”
“If you have to, you should.”
As the customs officer came out recklessly, the atmosphere became more and more threatening. The meaning behind the emperor’s order was no different from passing on the imperial palace’s debt to Vermandois.
… The emperor, after all, is now going to turn even Vermandois into an enemy…
Allen couldn’t help lamenting the new emperor’s foolishness. Why don’t they know that the moment the empire is hated even by mercenaries, that fate is completely over?
Grenzo Danju seemed to have decided to let go of this situation for now, and began to appease the tax collector.
“Please give me a grace period. If it happens suddenly and without warning, we will be in trouble too.”
“Hmmmm. Good give me two months But there is no tax rate adjustment. 40% unconditionally, 40%!”
After one-sided notification, the customs officer left the room. However, the harsh atmosphere that does not subside easily.
Gione Danju, a hot-tempered blood club, slammed his fists on the table and glared at the door the customs officer had left.
“Has the real country been ruined? You’re acting like a fuck.”
To be honest, everyone had the same idea.
Enemies are everywhere, but at least I would give a blow to the top 10 who are loyal to the imperial palace.
They seemed to somehow see the Emperor’s imminent end. … As much as it buys a lot of resentment, it probably won’t end well.
Allen Danju, the money ghost, took a quick look at the three top 10 sophomores present here.
The iron masked viola, the blood clubd Gione, and the fire-ghost Granzo.
“What should I do?”
“What the heck! How do you accept this ridiculous demand! What will they do if we don’t?”
Gione Danju, who is as greedy for money as Allen, immediately rejected it. Of course, the same goes for the viola solo.
The fiendish Grenzo sat silently and lit a cigarette. He didn’t say anything, but you could tell from his expression that he was also negative.
“But you cannot disobey the emperor. Can’t mercenaries like us do that?”
“Fuck! Money like my blood, you can’t wipe away the shit they made. It’s better to stick to one plate. There are four of the top 10 gathered here. There are as many mercenaries as there are dogs. What can I do to the emperor!”
Then, the fire-ghost Granzo coughed softly.
“You are talking too much, Jeone Danju. Who will listen.”
“… It’s like that after the heat. A fever broke out!”
… But in the end, the emperor was the emperor. As long as he sets foot on the imperial land, not his own, the moment he disobeys it, it is tantamount to an act of treason.
That was the weakness of Vermandois without a ruler. There is no fence to protect them from these ridiculous instructions.
“I can’t help it. Hwang Myung Oh … For now, you have to bend down.”
Jeone’s Danju, who was filled with anger, eventually left the seat.
To be honest, even Allen had no idea how to get through this situation. No matter how strong he is in the top 10 for flying and crawling, that can’t be a reason to disobey the emperor…
“Let’s take some time to think. Could you come up with a good idea?”
“Not so.”
The three also postponed their decision and parted ways to their respective hideouts.
Allen sat down at his desk, but his office work was out of hand. … To be honest, even if the tax rate is 1 or 2 percent, it would make me feel sick, but 4 percent is like saying we should go bankrupt.
… Days pass so bleakly.
Around that time, Allen, the money ghost, was repeatedly writing and deleting a letter to be sent to him, wondering if he could get advice from the Duke of Murloc.
A tremendous piece of news reached Allen’s hand.
The emperor, who went out to hunt deer near the capital, was attacked by an unknown group and died.
In addition, while the emperor was hunting her, the empress and her young children who were picnicking nearby were all killed.
Even though he is a clear source of information, Allen can’t believe that this is really a shocking incident.
… He felt, now for real, that the beginnings of mayhem had begun.
