No matter how low-key Sean may be, wartime policies have affected everyone.

Including Sean himself.

Kang's shipbuilding and Kang's power production are booming, but Kang's textile is in a dilemma. The latter, which mainly produced silk fabrics and high-end ready-to-wear garments, made a name for itself in the holy city, but unfortunately, when the war broke out, the people began to reduce unnecessary expenses due to pessimism about the future, so Kang's Textile had to turn to the workers in the mining areas to produce cheap and durable workwear.

This shift is a bit big.

Tea became a state monopoly, according to the normal market supply and demand, originally all the tea plantation owners in Genoa could make a profit this year, but it became a state monopoly, and the tea plantation owners or tea farmers had to sell tea to the state at a low price.

As the largest tea plantation owner, Sean lost a lot of money.

Compared with the farmers who grow grain, the situation of tea farmers is already good. Thanks to Genoa's local policies, the grain farmers have already greatly reduced their burdens, but this year they are burdened again, and even their food rations have been reduced again and again, because the surplus grain has been taken away by the state.

Not only that, but because Genoa will have to pay 20% more to the state next year, a considerable part of these taxes will eventually be passed on to the peasants.

Overnight, everyone was back in 1830. The same is true of the rich, who, although they are not left without food, are certain to lose a large sum of money.

In Cool Villa, Audrey is looking at the ledger.

She was calculating how much she would lose this year, and judging by her expression, she was distressed by the loss.

As one of the largest landowners in Genoa, her surplus grain was also on the list of tax collectors sent by the state.

The price that the government was willing to pay was the same as the market price of grain for the same period last year, and it was said that this was already a special favor for the aristocracy.

Most of the food in her hands was actually bought by Sean, because Sean was worried that the price of food would be more expensive in the coming year, and if necessary, he could use the food distribution instead of the metal currency issued to his more than 100,000 workers.

Sean didn't even want to spend the time to transport the food, so he sent someone to put a seal on the door of the Robinson family's warehouse with his family crest on it, claiming that it was the rations of the 101st Garrison Brigade or the future 101st Garrison Division.

The tax cops didn't even dare to trouble him.

Sean's bid was 10% more expensive than the national levy price, and the huge amount of food almost wiped out the funds that Sean had at his disposal.

But Sean still thinks it's worth it, because the food in Poitou has risen by 50%.

In Audrey's opinion, Sean is taking advantage of the fire to rob.

"I'm going to go bankrupt soon!" Audrey said exaggeratedly, putting down the pen in her hand.

"It's okay, I'll raise you. Sean smiled and said, "According to my experience, the more people who cry poor, the richer they actually are." ”

"Sean, what do you think?" asked Audrey.

"What do you think of your wealth? I still can't figure out how much wealth you have. Sean asked deliberately.

Audrey gave him a blank look: "I'm asking about wartime policy!"

"Audrey, this is only a temporary difficulty for the Empire, as a nobleman, I am willing to overcome the difficulties with the country. "Believe in the strength and valor of the Imperial army, the enemy will eventually succumb and Europa will be victorious." It's just that before victory comes, we must cut back and devote all our resources to war. ”

"Sean, you should be the prime minister!" Audrey said angrily, "at least you still have the ability to open your eyes and tell nonsense." ”

Her delicate eyebrows were very smart because she pretended to be angry, and in Sean's eyes, Audrey's smile made his heart move.

"I believe His Excellency Prime Minister Fidel-Caron would prefer to swap places with me. "I've heard that in a month, the windows of his house were smashed five times by unknown people, maybe more." ”

However, the more this happened, the more secure his position became. Audrey said, "That position, there shouldn't be a second person like it now." ”

"That's right, for Your Majesty, he's very competent, at least this humanoid shield is very useful. "He has blocked too many arrows and spears for His Majesty, because many people have put this policy on his head, and who calls him Prime Minister? ”

"Don't you have the slightest objection?" asked Audrey, "if I didn't know you, I would have thought you were an admirer of His Excellency the Prime Minister." ”

"Frankly, if I were Prime Minister, or from His Majesty's point of view, I would do the same. Sean said, "The empire's system and unequal tax policy should have been changed a long time ago." A peasant and a nobleman face a tax collector, there is natural inequality, the tax collector will bankrupt a peasant, but dare not treat a nobleman's steward roughly.

But such a radical wartime policy at this difficult time not only offends the interests of all, but also exacerbates this inequality. ”

Sean paced: "The empire is facing internal and external troubles, and this expedient measure must be adopted to maintain the survival of the country, but this requires a strong central government and a loyal army of officials to carry it out, to minimize its negative effects, and not to let some even profit from it."

Fortunately, our Genoese bankers were not very interested in land, otherwise they would have seized their last land under the pretext of providing loans, trapping the peasants on terms that they would never understand.

What I am worried about is that once the external troubles are alleviated or even disappeared, all the accumulated contradictions will erupt at one time, and then I am most worried about it. As for now, it's going to be over. ”

"Soon?" Audrey wondered.

"Yes, it will. Audrey, those civilians at the bottom, isn't that what their lives are? They also have dreams, but the pressure of life makes them always repeat yesterday's life, as long as they can live, they will live for the rest of their lives. Sean said, "The people's demands are as simple as that, as long as they are given a reason to live, they will always live, like weeds."

Just as you reduced the rents of the Robinson tenants, they were grateful to you and praised you as a goddess of goodness, but they never thought about why they had been tenants for generations. When they come to their senses, or are bewitched, it will cause a tsunami that will destroy everything. ”

"What do you want me to do? I can tell you're so scared. Audrey said worriedly.

"Lighten the burden on your tenants a little more, and you should be accumulating merit for the Robinson family. Sean Dao caressed her gorgeous face and kissed her gently, "Then wait and see what happens." ”

"Okay, I'll listen to you. ”

Sean's fears were not unfounded, as civilians fled from several provinces north of Mount Ott, facing oppression from the government and local nobles and landlords, unable to survive in their hometowns and had to flee their homeland.

The commander of the 101st Garrison Brigade, the commander of the Wells, was worried that there would not be enough soldiers to recruit because the Genoese natives were reluctant to serve as soldiers because they were still living a decent life.

Sean told him to wait, because when the homeless people couldn't find a way to make a living, serving as a soldier might be the only way out.

The Command Department did not stipulate that they had to recruit soldiers from the local population.

Troubled times are coming, Sean said silently.