In the next meeting, Hudson did not say a word with a gloomy face throughout the whole meeting, like a wronged teenager who held back his anger.

It wasn't until he got into the carriage that a mocking smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

Deep down, Hudson couldn't help but sigh: Earl Pierce was really a good man!

Originally, he was still worried. This time I became a bird, and I violated the interests of a group of old aristocrats, how should I end up next.

At the critical moment, Earl Pierce came out in time to stab him and directly helped him tide over the difficulties.

Now everyone is busy gloating and watching him laugh, and even if the resentment in his heart is not completely gone, it is estimated that there is not much left.

By the way, he also sold a wave of misery to the king, and he fell to this point, but it was caused by doing things for the king.

If it weren't for Hudson's previous performance being too active, which caused the dissatisfaction of the old nobles, Earl Pierce's action would not have been so easy to succeed.

The only pity is that the new nobles are too cowardly, even if Hudson is the first bird, others dare not follow suit.

Realizing this, Hudson, who originally wanted to establish himself in the kingdom as the spokesperson of the emerging aristocracy, instantly dispelled this idea.

It's good to be the boss, but when you are the boss of this kind of unreliable group, it's better to save it!

If you don't have this boss, you don't have to break these relationships. On the contrary, Hudson continued to deepen his relationship with the emerging aristocracy.

Cowardice in the present does not mean that you will be cowardly in the future.

In essence, the political weakness of these people is due to their own lack of strength.

Including Hudson himself, if it weren't for the military strength in his hands, no matter how high Caesar III's bid was, he would not dare to wade into this troubled water.

Even if the strength in his hands is not weak, in the face of the general trend, he still has to admit it when he should coax.

Of course, the main thing is that the consequences seem to be serious, but the actual damage is not great.

The "repayment tax" seems to be a huge number, but the Alpha Kingdom has thirty-two provinces, and even if the newly recovered seven northern provinces are excluded, there are still twenty-five provinces to share together.

No matter how arrogant the Earl of Pierce is, it is impossible for him to act as a wronged leader and collect all the taxes on the southeastern provinces.

According to traditional practice, the wealthy southeastern provinces have to bear a share of tax revenue of 10 to 15 percent at most.

So many nobles in the province shared it, and judging from many factors such as the area of the fief and the economic development, what finally fell on the head of the Coslow family was nothing more than one-tenth to one-eighth of the provincial tax.

Before the carriage could leave the palace, it was stopped halfway.

"Your Excellency, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, please come over and discuss the matter!"

The maid's crisp voice interrupted Hudson's plan.

Perhaps Caesar III is really about to hold on, and in recent days, the crown prince has been particularly active.

Today I will invite this great nobleman, and tomorrow I will invite that great nobleman. Even a group of middle-class nobles, he did not forget to woo and show goodwill.

"Lead the way!"

Hudson said in a surging voice.

……

Back at home, Earl Pierce suddenly restrained his smile. Obviously, he, the winner, is not as excited as the outside world imagined.

In order to interrupt the development of the Coslow family, the means used today are not honorable. At least in the eyes of the nobles in the southeastern provinces, he was incompetent as the boss.

The war bond in the tax is easy to settle, and the Dalton family eats it in one bite. It's considered a financial investment, and it's a principal-protected transaction anyway.

There are only hundreds of thousands of gold coins left and right, and it is undoubtedly worth paying such a small price in order to win people's hearts.

The trouble is the repayment tax. With him, the boss, taking the initiative to put it forward, it is certain that the share of the southeastern provinces will definitely not be low.

Of the fifteen counties in the province, there is only one county of Lat, which is completely controlled by the Coslow family, which is the result of a large-scale exchange of fiefdoms.

There is a lot of newly cultivated land, but unfortunately it is not on the records of the kingdom. Counting on Hudson to cooperate with the inventory is almost impossible.

Even if Laite County is a large county, the share that needs to be borne is very limited, and the rest of the share has to be borne by the nobles in the province.

The Dalton family naturally has to bear the lion's share, but the younger brothers are inevitably following the ruin. It is almost inevitable that everyone will complain in their hearts.

In the past, the Dalton family was the dominant family, and when this kind of thing happened, everyone could only endure it.

Now the situation has changed slightly. Although such a small thing is not enough to make everyone take the risk of jumping back in favor of the Coslow family, there must be some reassurance.

Especially the neutral camp with the largest number of people needs to be paid attention to, and it must not be allowed to be co-opted by the Coslow family.

However, considering the financial resources of the Coslow family, Count Pierce instantly put down his hanging heart.

The family background is thin, and they are still engaged in infrastructure construction, and now they have been drawn blood again, and the pressure on the Coslow family can be imagined.

It is difficult to patronize yourself, where is the spare energy to win people's hearts?

Even if the Coslow family suspends some of the projects and forcibly squeezes out a sum of money, they must first bail out the existing younger brothers, rather than trying to win over the neutrals by holding on to face.

When everyone's financial resources are scarce, who else in the entire Southeast Province will have the spare strength to help the small nobles except for the Dalton family?

It is important to know that the "repayment tax" is not levied for one year, but for many years, and the amount collected is still more and more year by year.

The southeastern provinces are indeed rich, but they can't afford to toss one after another. The little nobles who have just breathed a sigh of relief from the war are likely to have a hard life in the future.

It is estimated that more than one-third of the minor nobles in the province will have more or less financial problems. Either cut your day-to-day expenses or go into debt.

"Master, but the plan succeeded?"

The old butler Gadri asked with concern.

"The plan failed, and at the same time it succeeded!

Hudson was still too young after all, and he lost himself after being touted for a few words, and he really regarded himself as a spokesman for the military.

The plan to cut military spending was shattered by his agitation, and even I was convinced.

But he also paid a terrible price for this, and our backup proposal passed.

The Coslow family had little foundation and could not help financially. Now it's up to Hudson to see how much he benefited from the war.

Send someone to keep an eye on the Coslow family, and once the finances are in trouble, Hudson is likely to risk some shady loot.

Gather the evidence first, and wait for the Warcraft Legion to complete the plan, and then find an opportunity to attack them.

Of course, it could also be a bargaining chip. As long as the Coslow family is willing to move their base camp out of the southeastern province, everyone can continue to be friends! ”

Earl Pierce said with a smile on his chest.

It is almost an open secret that the combat troops divide up the spoils that can be taken away. As the commander of the army, taking the biggest piece of cake is also an unspoken rule.

However, this is limited to some ordinary loot, or ownerless loot, and there are also some loot that need to be returned.

It is obvious that it will be returned to the owner, and this is only ideal. The armies that participated in the war were not so "honest", and they were basically divided up in private.

Everyone does this, as long as they don't take out some items that have special significance, or can prove the identity of the original owner, and sell them publicly.

This is also the reason why after the war, Hudson's carts and trolleys were brought home to pull trophies. It's not that there is no way to sell, but that they dare not sell.

If the news leaks and the owner finds out that he is suspicious, he will make trouble regardless of it, and his aristocratic reputation will be over.

The best choice is to take it home and collect it first, and when the turmoil is over, you can either find an opportunity to sell it in batches, or directly replenish your own inventory.

The strong family foundation of the great nobles has been slowly accumulated in this way. Something that cannot see the light now does not mean that it will not be able to see light in the future.

Time can wash everything, even if it is an owner's object, under the baptism of time, it will become an ownerless thing.

Even if you make up a reason to resell the item to the original owner, it is not impossible.

"Sir, according to the information we have gathered, Earl Hudson has scooped up at least four million gold coins worth of loot in this war.

About a third of it was cash, and the other third was large war bonds.

It is mainly based on the bonds of the Principality of Moxi, at least more than a million, and the kingdom's war bonds are also hundreds of thousands.

Judging from all the circumstances, Earl Hudson must have cashed out a part of the war bonds in private, otherwise the cash in his hand alone would not be able to support the current expenses of the mountain lords.

It is said that he has a good relationship with the major chambers of commerce, and the remaining part of the loot that cannot be realized in time is likely to be realized overseas through the channels of these people.

In a short period of time, the finances of the mountain territory should still be able to support.

Due to the fact that the Demon Beast breeding base is in the mountain territory, many of our means of consuming his financial resources are inconvenient to display.

Now we can only wait for the impact of the repayment tax to further ferment and consume the last financial resources of the Coslow family, and then take further action to continue to put pressure on them! ”

Hearing the old butler's answer, Earl Pierce frowned.

It is clear that Gadri is opposed to a direct showdown with the Coslow family, and instead advocates boiling frogs in warm water to force this rival away by economic means.

"Butler, although Hudson is a little radical in the construction of his territory, he is still very frugal in life.

In normal times, I don't like to hold banquets, and I don't like to be obsessed with various events.

The only money spent was probably magic experiments, but as a magician, there wasn't much to say about being passionate about magical research.

Up and down, the current Coslow family does not show the face of an upstart. The living standards of most of the clansmen are not much different from ordinary aristocratic families.

If you want to further consume their financial resources, I'm afraid it's not easy to start! ”

Earl Pierce said with a headache.

If it weren't for this information, which had been verified by many parties, Earl Pierce would not have believed that Hudson could make so much money.

It's not terrible to just be able to make money, the key is that he not only doesn't spend money indiscriminately, but also restricts his clansmen to be thrifty together.

Judging from the information gathered by the Dalton family, it is true that the cash of the mountain collar is not much, but the most expensive project has been completed.

Even if the next fiscal deficit is still in deficit, relying on the dividends brought by the Warcraft breeding base, as long as the progress of various projects in the territory is slowed down, it can barely achieve a balance.

The question of repayment tax, with the sale of loot, how can it be supported for several years.

With a few more years of buffer, the Coslow family has gained a foothold, and it will be difficult to get them out of here.

"Master, no matter how frugal the Coslow family is, some necessary expenses are still indispensable.

You may seem to have forgotten that their relatives are all over the province. With so many relatives, there are always a few who can't hold on.

The nobles of the neutral faction can be left alone, but the relatives and friends who support them can't also be abandoned, right?

It is too risky to use tactics directly against the Coslow family, but it is much easier to set up a game against these minor nobles. ”

After speaking, the two looked at each other and smiled.

The ability of the little nobles to resist risks is already low, and if someone deliberately sets up a situation, it will be difficult to think of problems.

For these small characters, the Dalton family doesn't even need to take action personally, just a hint that is within the rules can make them lose a lot.

In the past, they didn't do this, because they had enough advantages, and there was no need to lose the bottom line like this.

In addition, there is Caesar III staring at it, and if you are not careful, you will not be able to eat and walk around.

The critically ill king's deterrent power to everyone has been greatly reduced, and some of the methods that he did not dare to use before can now be used.

……

"Your Royal Highness, I have lost a lot of money in this transaction, and you must sell a few senior craftsmen to me as compensation!"

Even if he knew that the repayment tax could not be avoided if the Alpha Kingdom did not default, this did not affect Hudson's complaints.

In any case, the extra repayment tax this time was all brought out for the royal family.

If it had not been for this turmoil, the Earl of Pierce would not have taken the initiative to take responsibility, and the southeastern provinces would not have been required to bear excess obligations.

Even if you still can't avoid the repayment tax, when it is distributed to the Coslow family, you can give less than 20,000 or 30,000 gold coins every year.

It's just a year or two, and the key is that it's continuous, until the debt is paid off.

"Your Excellency the Earl, rest assured, the royal family's promise will definitely be fulfilled. Experienced craftsmen and shipwrights in the shipyard, we will not transfer any of them, and we will definitely be able to satisfy you! ”

Crown Prince Caesar said with a smile.

It's just that the faint disdain between his eyebrows still reveals his deep contempt for Hudson.

A few craftsmen have to be brought up separately, and the strong family atmosphere is really difficult for him to look at.

With shipyards and sailors, you want to be involved in the maritime trade?

It's pure dreaming!

In Crown Prince Caesar's view, shipbuilding is very simple, and the difficult thing is to carve a defensive magic array for the ship.

Without these things, once you encounter the monster at sea, it will be the fate of the ship's destruction and death in an instant.

The team of magicians of the Coslow family obviously does not have the strength to carve a high-level magic array for the ship, and they will inevitably ask for the Magic Association when the time comes.

It's just a matter of being ripped off, and the guys in the Mage Association are still very chicken thieves, and if they don't come up with precious magic materials, they won't depict a high-level defensive magic array at all.

The script is all written.

Crown Prince Caesar was ready, and after Hudson ran into a wall everywhere, he turned back to the royal family for help and took the opportunity to take in a younger brother.

"Then thank Your Highness for taking care of you!

It's just that I don't know which shipyard the royal family sells and what is the price? ”

It's not that Hudson can't hold his breath, it's that it's in a seller's market. To be called a large shipyard, it must not only be able to build large merchant ships, but also have the production capacity of warships.

Normally, these are not for sale. As long as someone is willing to sell, even if there is a pit in the back, Hudson can only jump into it.

Who made the shipbuilding technology of the mountain collar so far ahead of the canoe?

It is certainly no problem to build a three-board ship, and hard work can also build a five-board ship. As for ocean-going merchant ships and warships, they may be able to figure it out after another 100 years of hard work.

"Haha......"

"Since Your Excellency the Earl is your own, then I will not open my mouth. The shipyard that the royal family wants to sell is in the southeastern province, which is just right for you to relocate.

I guess you've heard of the name. Originally, I was in charge of naval logistics, but you should know better than me what happened later.

The shipyard was worth 800,000 gold coins, and the shipyard's 1,700 workers and craftsmen and 300 sailors, together with their families, were more than 6,800 people. ”

Hearing Crown Prince Caesar's offer, Hudson very much wanted to say: just giveaways.

Unfortunately, this is impossible, and if you do, you will have no friends.

After hesitating for a moment, he still didn't open his mouth to bargain.

In Hudson's view, the price is very fair, and it can even be said to be generous. The shipyard in the mouth of Crown Prince Caesar is the famous Berkshire Shipyard in the southeastern province.

At its peak, it was one of the three major shipyards of the kingdom. It was only with the strategic shift of the kingdom to the mainland that the importance of coastal defense continued to decline, and the naval order had to turn to the civilian market after it ran out.

In recent decades, the Dalton family's seafaring business has grown by leaps and bounds, gradually monopolizing most of the overseas trade in the southeastern provinces, and by the way, building its own shipyard.

Berkshire Shipyard, which has lost a large number of orders, is getting worse day by day. If it weren't for the power of the royal family, it would have been squeezed out of the bankruptcy by the Dalton family.

Survived on scattered orders, but Berkshire's performance was very impressive.

From the peak of a year of more than 100,000 gold coins, to the current 10,000 or 20,000 gold coins a year, there will be losses in a bad year.

If this continues, it is only a matter of time before Berkshire Shipyard goes bankrupt.

Choosing to sell to Hudson at this juncture, in addition to political transactions, there is also concern that during the period of succession of the throne, the new king will not be able to deter the local nobles and dispose of risky assets in advance.

"Just do it at Your Highness's price!

However, the amount of funds involved in this transaction is too large, and I can't take out so much money for a while, I wonder if the royal family can accept the in-kind offset? ”

Since you have decided to act, you must act in a full set. The front foot only released a signal of lack of money, and the back foot made a big purchase of shipyards, and everyone knew that there was a problem.

At such a critical moment, Hudson didn't want to make a moth.

The Dalton family thinks that there is a problem with the finances of the mountain territory, so they continue to lead them to this point, so that they don't have to do things behind their backs and sabotage the deal.

"Your Excellency, rest assured, the royal family is not unreasonable. We have always taken good care of our own people.

If you do have financial difficulties, you can naturally offset them with physical goods. But the items that come out to offset must be what we need! ”

……