Chapter 480 Tax Increase

After all, there are still two months left before he has to participate in a new counter-insurgency campaign. What if he doesn't prepare well.

"Sir, do you have any plans?" Asuna rode a war horse and walked side by side with Field.

Field nodded slightly and waved his hand domineeringly: "After returning to the Night Territory, we will start the Western Expedition."

"You mean, Morning Veil Leader?"

"Yes, our control in the Night Territory is enough to control the territory. Most of the remaining gray fog is forests, mountains and lakes. The plain areas have been completely controlled. The rest is just the work of water mills."

"It's time to expand our territory and gain a second territory." Field extended his hand to hold it.

"Very good!"

Ashina was also interested in opening up new territories, her eyes flashed with excitement, and she leaned over unconsciously: "We don't seem to have a claim to the Morning Veil Leader. If the Queen asks for it in the future, it will be a waste of money for them."

In the Griffin Empire, claims and etiquette are very important. A piece of land does not belong to you by force.

This is not difficult to understand.

He is the dominant tyrant in the village and can occupy the land at the head of the village by force, but is it useful? As long as the province wants to take it back, no, even as long as the town takes action, no matter how hegemonic he is, he can't stand it.

"Yes, I originally wanted to buy it, but after careful consideration, I rejected the purchase."

Field said coldly: "The nobles have a very keen sense of smell. As long as I spend a lot of money to buy worthless land, they will definitely come up curiously and create trouble for us like crazy."

Besides, I became increasingly dissatisfied with the Queen.

When one day I can no longer hide it anymore, I will slap her and make any declarations about etiquette. When I turn from a bandit to a great warlord, all declarations will be useless.

After three days, Field returned to Starry Night Manor.

Asuna looked around, and almost every time she came back, the town would see big changes.

The paper mill in the industrial zone was built, with several towering "earth towers" standing, billowing black smoke, and a large number of workers constantly working back and forth.

What surprised her the most was that the residential area that had been under construction for several months was finally completed. The one-and-a-half-story brick and stone houses with independent courtyards are neatly located in the south of the city hall. From a distance, they look very majestic.

“It finally feels like a small city.”

Field nodded with satisfaction. The previous residents were all rotten wooden houses and mud huts, just like the slums.

The current house is like the Feng Mansion in Snowrun City in "The Elder Scrolls", a proper mansion.

"How much do these houses cost?" Even though Ashina lived in a castle, she couldn't help but ask.

"I haven't thought about it," Field said bluntly, "Five gold coins, it seems too expensive. Maybe three gold coins and eighty silver coins would be a good idea."

If it is five gold coins, the monthly salary of a night worker is usually 15-25 silver coins. Excluding food, drinks and taxes, it is estimated that it will take three years to afford a house.

This goes against his plan to quickly improve people's livelihood.

Freedmen outside the Night Territory would not be able to afford it. For example, the monthly salary of residents of the Bull Territory is generally 3-10 silver coins.

"Cheap!"

Asuna gritted her teeth: "Five hundred gold coins is the right price for such a beautiful house. My parents have lived in caves all their lives. If they live in such a good house, they will definitely be very happy."

"Very good, you already have the bad conscience you should have in doing business." Field laughed, "It's not cheap anymore. The residents need to pay water and electricity... er, water fees, fixed asset taxes, annual land taxes, long-term The expenses are not small.”

Moreover, my future goal is to build commercial housing made of reinforced concrete, and small brick houses are just a transitional one.

Asheina pouted: "There won't be many, right?"

"With a stable home, they will have more children, invest in education, buy products, and defend their territory." Field said with a smile, "Slow water is the way to go, greed is borrowing, and it will always pass through incredible things. Way to force repayment.”

"oh oh."

Although she didn't understand what Field said, Asheina still nodded and said: "Listen to you."

"Sir, you are back! Thank you for your hard work~"

Not long after entering the city, Kaa came up to me with a smile on his face.

"Want to buy a private residence? You are very rich, old boy." Field saw through it at a glance. After all, it was rare to see this old man.

Kaa rubbed his palms and said with a funny face: "I saved a little gold coins, all of which are hard-earned money."

"Okay, go and do something for me first, raise taxes!"

"Did the goddess kiss my ear today? My lord, you have finally awakened the blood in your heart." Kaa jumped up excitedly, tears streaming down his face. "Finally, we are about to start extorting money. It's great. Qualified nobles will do it." so."

Field wiped his sweat and said, "It's the Queen's order. Please let me know: The Queen requires Nightfall to invest 200,000 gold coins, and the taxes of everyone in the territory will be increased by 10% for one year."

"ah?"

Kaa was stunned, and started writing in red at a speed visible to the naked eye: "I protest, dear Baron, the Queen cannot do this! She sold the night collar, it is not worth 200,000 gold coins!"

"This is an order from Her Majesty the Queen."

Field showed the conscription order and said very sternly: "Remember, you personally lead people to inform everyone that it is an order from Her Majesty the Queen, and everyone needs to pay her. In the end, the tax gap of 200,000 will be borne by me personally. Pay the bill."

"This...this."

After holding it in for a long time, Kaa beat the queen to death countless times in his heart, and finally left angrily.

Ashina came up and asked curiously: "Sir, didn't you say that you have a solution for these 200,000 gold coins? Why did you suddenly collect taxes?"

"I didn't intend to give it to the Queen at all, but I wanted to plant a seed for everyone."

The seeds of dissatisfaction with the Queen.

Field smiled wilfully, if one day he really reached the point of no where to go. These seeds will explode the accumulated dissatisfaction.

If she had to shoulder the responsibility silently, the people would probably think that the Queen was some kind of benevolent person, full of illusions.

"The taxes collected will be distributed under a different name as public welfare."

Field took out a paper and pen: "Give subsidies to the families of the soldiers who died, and provide nutritious food to the children in the territory. Winter will come in the second half of the year, so we will buy quilts and try not to freeze anyone to death in the winter."

"Sir, you are truly the most unique nobleman."

Asheena was deeply moved.

Other nobles would just pile money into the treasury, even if the gold coins piled up in mountains.

"I'm not a saint, and I won't use money to play with things. I will be rewarded in the future." Field waved his hands indifferently, "Leave this matter to the little angel to supervise. She has strong credibility in handling affairs."

"Oh, by the way, we need to put the mermaids into the pool so they don't get choked up."