Canglan City, Emerald Palace.

The grand celebration banquet started again, but the guests' attention was not on the banquet, and they all looked preoccupied.

The ladies and ladies who were active in the past flashed to the side very interestingly at the moment, leaving the space out.

It was no secret to the great aristocracy that the wave of reform was rising again.

At this juncture, inviting everyone over in the name of a celebration banquet is obviously a cover.

The expedition to help the allies defeat the invaders is of great significance in international politics, but it is nothing if it is left within the Alpha Kingdom.

Celebration banquets can be had, but the specifications should not be so high.

Prior to this, the celebration banquet for the kingdom's army to defeat the Inner Earth Race was much lower than this.

For vested interests, reform is tantamount to cutting meat.

The previous reform of the kingdom has already touched everyone's interests.

It's just that due to the needs of reality, the big ship of the kingdom cannot be sunk, and everyone can only make concessions.

The situation is different now, although the royal government is very poor, but the combat effectiveness of the army is constantly improving.

The existential problem has been solved, and the threat of foreign enemies has been greatly reduced.

For the surrounding alien races, the Alpha Kingdom is already thankful that it doesn't go to their trouble.

Invading the Alpha Kingdom, such a terrible thought, normal minds will not have.

Against this background, the noble bloc of the kingdom was directly divided into two factions.

The emerging aristocracy, led by Hudson, and some of the nobles who relied on foreign trade, chose to side with the reformers for their own interests.

The traditional old aristocracy, who did not want to toss and feared that their interests would be damaged in the reform process, chose to support the conservatives.

If you add the power of the royal family, then the military strength of the two camps at this moment is exactly the same.

Judging from the number of provinces that support the two major provinces, it is the reformers who have the upper hand.

It's just that the newly canonized nobles have not yet gained a firm foothold, the governor and the county guard are all vacant, and Hudson is temporarily in charge of military and political affairs.

Caesar IV was in a hurry to install cronies in the army, but in fact he was forced to do so, and Hudson's hand was indeed a little long.

However, these powers were given to him by the royal government.

The orcs were not given for nothing, and if someone else used to take care of these areas, it would have to happen twice in three days.

Without security, expanding territory is a joke.

From this point of view, Caesar IV was also in a hurry to promote reforms, and he was also forced to do so.

Inserting cronies in the army is a drop in the bucket, and if you want to really play a role of checks and balances, it is by no means something that a few middle and high-level officers can do.

Unwilling to see a situation in which the lord was weak and the minister was strong, Caesar IV had to find a way to increase his prestige.

Of course, he could also choose to jump to support the conservatives, using the power of the old aristocracy to form a counterweight to Hudson.

However, it would be disastrous for the long-term development of the kingdom.

You cherish your own country, and you can't ignore future generations for the sake of a momentary refreshment.

After all, news had just come out of the palace that the queen was pregnant again.

Looking at the grade of the banquet, you can know that all kinds of spices are openly served. If it weren't for His Majesty's good mood, he would never have been so extravagant.

Of course, this has something to do with the new round of dividends of the Development Bank of the Near East.

Large sums of cash were also distributed, along with a number of luxury goods, including spices, which had been affected by the war.

The guests who attended the banquet discussed international affairs in groups, which directly changed the flavor of the banquet.

As the core figure, Hudson naturally surrounded a group of people around him, and began to point out the country around the topic of reform.

In this context, the banquet naturally ended early.

Caesar IV did not have an appetite, and as soon as the celebration banquet was over, he summoned the ministers of the court and a group of governors to convene a court meeting.

……

"Prime Minister, let's introduce me first!"

As soon as Caesar IV's words landed, everyone's eyes converged on the prime minister, Marquis delgado.

After being puzzled for so long, it was finally time to solve the mystery.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, the theme of today's meeting is reform, and I think you all guessed it.

The international situation is changing, and except for the elven races, there are no major moves on the mainland, and all the races have launched a movement to change the law and reform.

The same is true within the Terrans, and even the most powerful Frankish Empire is also undergoing internal reforms.

In order to increase their strength, the major forces have moved, and the situation does not allow the kingdom to sit still.

Over the past decade, under the auspices of Field Marshal Hudson, we have completed military reforms, and only then did we have today's Alpha Kingdom.

However, the kingdom has once again encountered a bottleneck in its development.

The poor financial situation and weak economy have become the biggest drawbacks restricting the upward development of the kingdom.

In order to change all this, the Royal Government has made many efforts, including agricultural reform, economic reform, tax reform, political reform, but these are still not enough.

We formulated the policy, and when it came time to implement it below, it was completely different.

In the case of tax reform, for example, the law on the harmonization of tariffs has been in place for so long, and very few provinces have been able to implement it.

Due to the lack of implementation, the fiscal revenue of the Royal Government fell last year.

In the long run, the kingdom will inevitably follow in the footsteps of the Mossi.

They are just a small country, and it would be good if the finances were bankrupt, but we can't!

As the third power of the Terran race and the head of the Five-Nation Alliance, you know how terrible the consequences will be once the royal government goes bankrupt. ”

The Prime Minister, Marquis Delgado, spoke earnestly, causing the governors present to frown.

When the tax system was abolished, people did not jump out to oppose it vehemently, because they knew that the royal government could not collect taxes at all.

As a matter of fact, the provinces that have tried to carry out tax reform have seen their revenues shrink sharply last year.

The conservatives did not take any further action, on the one hand, because they did not want to exacerbate the contradictions, and on the other hand, they wanted the reformers to retreat in the face of difficulties.

The effect was very obvious, and after the failure of the trial, the voice of opposition to the reform in China suddenly became louder.

Under the pressure of public opinion, the reformers were tossed and burned.

If it weren't for Hudson's intervention to pull the southeastern province into the reformist camp, I am afraid that the reformist camp would have chosen to compromise long ago.

Everyone is an aristocrat, and even if it is reformed, it is an improvement within the aristocratic group.

Far from the point where it is necessary to play with their lives, the real position of the reformers is not as tough as it appears.

Passing the most dangerous moment does not mean that the reformers will be able to make a difference.

If the local lords do not cooperate, there is not much that the central government can do.

Enforcement does not exist!

No one can afford to provoke a civil war.

If it really develops to that point, the good situation of the kingdom will be completely ruined.

The game between the two factions is essentially a political struggle, and the test is the art of mutual compromise.

If it weren't for the outbreak of the reform wave on the mainland, which stimulated the reformers in China, then the two camps would most likely have compromised in the game.

The Marquis delgado's goal was clear: to take advantage of the wave of international reforms and force conservatives to make concessions.

"Prime Minister, the problem is not as serious as you say.

The financial difficulties of the royal government are largely due to the fact that the northern Xinjiang, the Near East, and the many provinces of Xueyue Lake are in the development stage.

When these provinces are developed, the royal government's revenues will be doubled, and the present difficulties will be temporary.

Let's hold on a little longer, live a few days of hard life, and the follow-up will soon get better.

On the contrary, the risk of abolishing the tax system and undermining the established system that had been in place for centuries in the kingdom could lead to greater risks.

The establishment of a unified tax system is by no means something that can be accomplished in a day or two. We can't believe in the discipline of the bureaucrats.

The hasty replacement of a group of uncontrollable tax collectors will cause unimaginable damage to the kingdom.

The central government can only set tax rates, but the power to verify the specific assessment is in the hands of the tax collector.

The exact value is entirely up to the tax officer.

Even if all these bureaucrats are incorruptible, they always have to be professional.

Is there so much expertise in the Department of Revenue? ”

Duke Beckett replied with a smile.

There was not a single word of opposition to reform in the audience, but every reason he listed hit the soft underbelly of the reformers.

Who has the ability to guarantee the discipline of the bureaucracy.

The professional quality of tax officials is a big problem.

With such a large number of commodities and a constant change in price, it must be a big trouble to collect.

The smooth implementation of the tax package system is due to the chaotic tariff system, which restricts the circulation of goods.

Most of the commercial trade was between a few noble lords in the vicinity, and only a small part of the goods were able to circulate throughout the country.

Once this barrier is broken, the speed and breadth of economic circulation will be greatly improved.

"Duke Beckett, the problems you raised do exist, but they can all be solved.

If people are not worried about the bureaucracy's discipline, then we will supervise their behavior.

If the professional quality of the tax officer is not good, then organize training first, and then take up the post.

We can't tie our hands and feet just because there is a problem.

Across the continent of Aslanth, our revenues are at the bottom of the list of kingdoms.

Even the Falcon Kingdom, which is isolated overseas, has three times as much revenue as ours.

Compared to the Frankish Empire and the Ibrid Kingdom, the gap is even greater.

The main reason for this is the massive outflow of wealth due to the perennial wars, but our tax system and economic system are also one of the reasons that restrict the growth of the kingdom's finances. ”

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Earl Francis, immediately retorted.

For this meeting, the reformers have been planning for a long time, and it is by no means possible to be defeated by some difficulties.

All kinds of difficulties, they have prepared words to deal with. Regardless of whether it can be done or not, it will definitely not lose the war of words anyway.

No matter what the opposition comes up with, they will strongly refute it.

If we can't take advantage of the general trend and force the conservatives to make concessions, then we will really have to wait for the provinces of Northern Xinjiang, the Near East, and Xueyue Lake to pay taxes.

Relatively speaking, the tax-free period in northern Xinjiang is relatively short, and everyone may still wait.

The tax-free period of the provinces of the Near East and Xueyue Lake is as high as 30 years, which is a proper lifetime series.

Even if King Caesar IV can wait, the ministers in the court can't wait, and the probability of holding power for twenty or thirty years without moving the nest is too low.

Unless the reform is successful, and with a lot of political achievements, it is estimated that it is possible to stay in office.

If the reform fails, they will immediately pack up and leave.

"Count Francis, the solution you have proposed exists only in theory.

Even if it were implemented, would the kingdom's revenues increase?

Don't use the future as an excuse, no one can predict what doesn't happen.

We are different from all the countries on the continent!

The kingdom has a large population and a vast territory, but this does not mean that our domestic market is also very large.

I think everyone has conducted a census of their own jurisdiction, and they know the population composition of the kingdom.

Commerce is not suitable for the kingdom, we only need to develop agriculture and military to be able to stand on the top of the continent.

The paper data of financial revenue are all illusory data, only the knight's gun in his hand is real!

After the completion of the agricultural reform, the kingdom's grain production capacity has increased dramatically, and our overall national strength has been greatly increased.

After three or five years of recuperation, we have accumulated enough food and built enough armor, and we will have the capital to go east again.

As long as we destroy the Orc Empire and swallow the Orc Savannah, we can replace the Frankish Empire and become the first power of the human race, or the continent.

The development route is so clear, why bother.

If the reform is successful, the government will increase some taxes, but it will not be able to produce more food, and it will not be so strong for the growth of the kingdom's strength! ”

As soon as Duke Richard's words were finished, the atmosphere in the hall instantly became polarized.

The best weapon against reform has been found, conservatives rejoice, and some of the governors, who had been inclined to reform, have changed their positions.

To be able to let the kingdom go to the top of the continent without harming its own interests, who wants to continue to cut meat!

The reformist members on the side had a bad face.

I wanted to open my mouth to refute, but the words came to my mouth and I swallowed it back.

After seeing this scene, Hudson's face also became gloomy.

All other problems can be refuted, but this set of "unique theories of farming and warfare" is very difficult to break down.

"Emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce" was a common method used by feudal dynasties, and for an agricultural country, as long as agriculture and military affairs were well developed, everything else was a minor problem.

At least in terms of the strategy of destroying the Orc Empire, it is definitely the most effortless to implement according to this set of theories.

No matter what kind of system reform is carried out, it will take time to accumulate. With the size of the Alpha Kingdom, it may not take ten years to complete internal reforms.

The time period of enriching the country and strengthening the army, and the destruction of the orc empire will be longer.

This alone is something that many nobles cannot tolerate.

At a glance, Hudson knew that the reformists were fundamentally in disarray.

The enthusiasm of the new aristocracy for reform has been extinguished, Caesar IV's position has also been shaken, and the governor of Pierce, who was pulled by him, has also begun to wander the world.

In the blink of an eye, the local real power faction that supported the reform was actually the only seedling left.

The defection of powerful people can only be shouted by a few people in the central government.

Of course, it is more likely that even the ability to shout will be lost.

The political struggle was brutal, and the real power aristocracy like Hudson could get out of it all together, but the rest of the core members of the reform faction were not so happy.

Reforms that touch the core interests of all parties are too hateful.

Since ancient times, few politicians who have initiated reforms have come to a good end.

"Your Majesty, it's not too early, so it's better to get here for today's meeting first!"

Hudson interrupted the meeting with a decisive repercussion.

The failure of the reformists at today's conference will soon turn into a political reckoning between the conservatives and the reformists.

The reformers, who lack the support of the powerful faction, will not be able to parry at all.

Hudson was powerless to return to the situation, and all he could do now was to delay this political reckoning.

Immediately afterwards, a group of emerging nobles spoke up one after another.

Betraying political allies for the sake of their own interests is dishonorable in itself, and Hudson opened his mouth to renew the life of the reformers, and everyone is happy to save their own image.

"Hmmm!

Everyone has worked hard, go back and rest first, and then we will find time to discuss it later. ”

Caesar IV said slowly.

Today's meeting was so unexpected that it directly broke his entire plan.

Now that the decline of the reformers is a foregone conclusion, there will be a major reshuffle in the court. Even if you are a king, he can't reverse the tide.

In order to strengthen the momentum of the reformers, the six ministers who were in high positions were single-handedly promoted by him to the reformers, and now the end of the backlash is also annihilation.

It seems that he broke his wrist and abandoned the reformers in time to get rid of the impact of the failure of the reform, but in fact he, the king, was also a big political loser.

Not only has the authority of the monarch been severely damaged, and so much power has been lost at once, but the subsequent control of the court will inevitably decline.