Faced with the Count's tax problem, Leon summoned several key people to discuss countermeasures. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

The current tax rate has been increased by half, which is basically the same as the general tax rate of Xueman, and if it is maintained at this level, Lyon can still barely accept it. But there are doubts as to whether the Earl will stop there, and it is likely that it will rise again next time.

"Your Highness, it's better to cancel the cooperation directly, there are other places to choose from besides White Mist City. When York came back and heard about it, he was eager to go and get to the earl at once.

The Prince and Silas signed a cooperation agreement to directly link Ravenwood's economy to White Mist City, and now it seems that it is a wise decision to tear up the agreement and find a new partner.

In the periphery of the town, the nearest big city is White Fog City, there is another city to the south of White Fog City, even if you give up the city, there are still many towns to choose from, the things imported by the town are mainly grain, plus the small population of the town, several towns can be fully supplied.

"No, Silas as the president of the Chamber of Commerce, the people he works with will attract the attention of others, and if we break the contract, it will be difficult for others to believe in our integrity, and this must not happen at a critical time in the development of Ravenwood. Lyon disagreed.

After Silas cooperates with the town, the late-sighted merchants will definitely notice Ravenwood, and if the contract is broken and the cooperation is resumed, some small merchants and vendors will agree for the sake of profit, but the big merchants will get caught up in thinking.

It's okay for ordinary merchants to provide some daily necessities, but when it comes to buying and selling a lot of ore and iron ingots, they don't have the funds and channels to trade, and when the time comes, it will only make the town in trouble.

"Since we can't cancel the cooperation, let's find other people to join the cooperation. Chris agrees with the prince that he understands the importance of integrity as a former businessman.

Now the town is only working with Silas, but there is no agreement not to cooperate with anyone else. In the face of the unilateral tax adjustment in White Mist City, it is completely possible to find businessmen from other cities, on the one hand, they have not broken the contract and maintained their integrity, and on the other hand, they can reduce their own losses.

"Yes, but do we have anything else to trade?" York agreed only halfway.

The town's output is only ore, and now that the smelter has been built, due to manpower problems, the output of iron ingots is not much, and most of the income is still ore. In the absence of other trade products, there is no basis for cooperation.

"Of course, ore is our foundation. Leon agrees with Chris's proposal to find a third collaborator.

"But wasn't the ore sold to Silas?" York was a little confused, it was no different from breaking the contract.

"York, I've told you to sit in the Executive Hall a long time ago. Leon shook his head, he was completely mistaken.

When Silas came to town to talk about cooperation, the ore was sold to his rival Peel. Therefore, at the time of the agreement, the ore was omitted, and the trade product they cooperated with was iron ingots.

Peel then negotiated on behalf of the Count, but found nothing, and when he returned, he canceled trade with the town, which led to the sale of ore to Silas.

Therefore, the ore is not within the scope of cooperation, and it is still at Ravenwood's disposal.

"It's great that that's the case. York only now understands that this is the case, and that finding a new partner is basically no problem.

"Your Highness, there is still a problem. Chris remembered another key point.

The town does have ore to sell, but food and other things are provided by Silas.

The terms of the agreement are clear, Silas is the sole purchaser of the ingots and the sole supplier of the town's imports.

The ore can be sold to other people, but the imported things still have to go through White Mist City, so the losses are reduced, but the Count's targeting still affects the town.

Now the tax rate is not high, and the town can still make a net profit in trade. Even if the partner is changed, the ore will have to go according to the market price, and the income will basically be in a stable state, but it is difficult to say what can be imported, the higher the tax rate, the more gold coins will be paid, and eventually it will fall into the point where it will not be able to make ends meet, which is probably the situation that the Count is happy to see.

"Yes, that's something we need to figure out. Leon touched his chin and thought, if this is not to be done, the previous plan is just empty talk.

"What about reducing imports?" York made a point.

Leon shook his head, this can't be done.

The main things imported are necessities such as grain, salt, and cloth, and the rest can be saved, but these cannot be saved, unless everyone goes back to the hungry and cold past.

"Mr. Silas has operations elsewhere as well, and may allow him to bypass White Mist City. Chris had a new view that the great merchants had more or less operations in the surrounding towns, and that importing from these places seemed to avoid the count's separate taxes.

"This, the Count would surely have thought. "Leon doesn't underestimate the Earl, his family has been standing in White Mist City for so many years, how could there be no one behind him who came up with a plan, coming up with this plan must have been discussed by many people.

In addition, several surrounding towns are part of the Earl's domain, and a separate tax rate for Ravenwood is enforced.

Silas chose to take root in White Mist City because of the business conditions here, and the business was mainly distributed in the Earl's territory, after all, he couldn't enjoy the same treatment if he left here, and it was almost impossible to get around White Mist City.

"Otherwise, let Silas set up a business in Ravenwood, and then there would be no taxes at all. "York had a great idea.

"Silas wouldn't do that. "Leon still thinks the same as before, Silas is rooted in the White Mist City, and if he sets up a business here to make it clear that he is against the Earl, then his foundation will be destroyed.

There is no shortage of merchants in White Mist City, and if you lose one Silas, there are other people who can replace you, and the Earl can afford this loss in order to achieve his own goals.

"That means there's nothing we can do. York was distressed, and if this matter could be solved by force, he would be the first to rush forward.

Chris was also full of confusion, there is really no solution to this problem.

"Let's take a break. Leon stood up and decided to go outside to breathe, some problems could not be solved for a while, and after a while he might have an idea.

The snow was falling heavier and heavier, and the ground was already covered with a layer, and it was a clear footprint when you walked up.

The children played happily in the snow, ignoring the coldness of their wet clothes.

The children's mothers shouted for them to hurry home.

Hearing that there was a delicious broth, the children cheered and rushed back.

"The meat vendor should be satisfied. "Leon walked in the snow and remembered what he had seen yesterday.

"That's right. Leon suddenly realized that the solution was so simple.