Advances in textile technology have affected the supply of meat in Haaland's territory, causing some people to become rich through hunting and breeding.

For such small things, Richard does not pay too much attention. He was not the stingy lord who forbade his people to hunt and cut down trees, and was eager to grab all the coins in his hands.

Heading into April, Rogge approached Richard and decided to talk to him about taxes.

Generally speaking, the Haaland Territory temporarily implements a light tax policy, and the freedmen's land tax is only about 30%.

Although it is far less than the 30 taxes of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, the Haaland territory does not collect Ding taxes, does not require free people to serve in conscription, and there are no messy miscellaneous taxes, and the actual living standard has exceeded that of the people of the Han Dynasty during the Wen Dynasty.

The freedmen of Haaland's realm are already richer than the citizens of the royal capital.

Because the tax was set relatively low, and the type of tax was very simple, from 14,000 free people, 3,500 gold coins could be collected every year.

This money is far from enough for the expenses of the territory.

The main income of Haaland's territory is not taxes, but the commercial income of various monopoly goods. Together with the income from the exploitation of indentured slaves, these two incomes were the bulk of the territory's finances.

Rogge is the civil magistrate of Harland's domain, he carefully studied the expenses of the territory, and felt that the tax policy of the territory could not go on like this, so he came to talk to Richard, hoping to persuade the lord to formulate a new tax.

According to the laws of the Kingdom of Grant, noble lords were not required to pay taxes to the kingdom, but they were obliged to organize armies and fight on behalf of the kingdom.

Although he did not pay taxes to the king, he was required to pay tithes to the Church of the Seven.

It's okay if you don't pay it, but there are no pastors of the Seven Gods in the territory, and there are no church pastors in the army to fight with them.

Without the priest's healing, the lord's army was greatly reduced in combat effectiveness. In conflict with other nobles, they are often not opponents.

In addition, if you don't pay tithes, you will be blacklisted by the church, and the pastor will not help if you have an injury or illness that needs to be treated.

Therefore, the vast majority of lords paid tithes.

The situation in northern Xinjiang is special, and wars break out every three to five years.

Because of the perennial war and the pressure of raising troops, most of the lords have a great financial burden and are really unable to pay taxes to the Church of the Seven Gods.

But in the war between humans and orcs, the Church of the Seven must also help.

Orcs don't believe in the Seven Gods.

If a large area of territory is annexed by orcs, the power of faith will be weakened a lot, and not only will the income and influence of the church be reduced, but it will also affect the recovery of the gods' injuries.

After the seven gods fell into a deep sleep, the operation of the kingdom of God and the artifact was maintained by the power of faith.

Resisting the invasion of the Orc Empire is another responsibility that the Church of the Seven Gods must bear.

So wherever there was a war zone with the orcs, the church reduced the tithes.

Even the powerful Duke of Edward, Duke Jonathan, did not need to pay tithes to the church.

In the kingdom of Grant, the noble lords were very powerful, not only to train armies and make laws, but also to set taxes.

For this reason, there are often different tax rates within adjacent territories.

A qualified lord needs to formulate a tax policy that is in line with the development of the territory.

Rogge is Richard's eldest brother, and he talks more casually than ordinary officials, and when he found Richard, he got straight to the point and said: "I think it's time to expand the source of taxes and levy new taxes." ”

"What do you think?"

"There are now more than fourteen thousand freedmen in the territory, and last year's tax was three thousand five hundred gold coins, with an average of three silver coins per freeman. Compared to other lords, the tax burden was relatively light.

If the tax system is not changed, and the population is not increased, in a few years, when all the indentured slaves become freemen, the tax on the territory will only be about 15,000 gold coins.

Fifteen thousand gold coins, compared to the population of more than 60,000 in the territory, the tax is at a low level.

The territory's current income is heavily dependent on a variety of new products, which is dangerous and unstable.

I've heard that Viscount Cisse has started brewing baijiu, and a small amount of baijiu is on the market.

Once there is a serious problem in the sales of liquor and steel, it will be difficult to balance the income and expenditure of the territory. ”

Rogge's words touched Richard's heart, in fact, since this year, Richard has had the idea of tax reform.

In January of this year, the Viscount of Cisse stumbled upon the method of brewing liquor by sending spies, and in March, the Viscount of Cisse had begun to sell liquor to compete with the liquor produced by the Harland family.

Although Richard has set strict rules of secrecy, the process of distilling liquor is too simple, and there is already a mature fermentation technology in northern Xinjiang, and a distillation process can be added to make liquor.

The leakage of the liquor brewing process has become an inevitable thing. Richard thought that he could keep it secret for ten years and monopolize the income of liquor, but he didn't expect that something would go wrong in the third year.

The income from liquor is a very important profit in Haaland's territory, and the income of more than 10,000 gold coins per year is enough for Richard to provoke a war between the lords.

However, the Kingdom of Grant is still a stable kingdom, and the Viscountate of Richard and the Viscount of Cisse are in two provinces.

Even if Richard wanted to attack Viscount Cisse, he would have to pass through the lands of seven or eight lords along the way, and it would be very difficult to start a lord's war.

Since it was not a neighboring lord, it was difficult to violently destroy the Viscount of Cisse, and Richard could only face the liquor competition.

Because he has just started brewing liquor, the process is not as mature as Haaland's.

The liquor brewed by Viscount Cisse tastes average, and now it cannot compete with Haaland to lead the liquor market on a large scale, and the monopoly market of liquor can continue for a year or two.

In a year or two, Richard will choose to reduce the price of sales, reduce the profits of the alcohol industry, and sink the market.

As a result, the profits of the liquor business are likely to fall sharply.

The territory invented a hemostatic ointment, captured the flame spider, and the new industry could bring in 4,000 gold coins every year.

Once the profit of alcohol falls on a large scale, it may not be able to make up for this shortfall.

"How are you going to collect your taxes?"

"Since the lord has promised the freedmen to collect the Sannarita tax, we will not think of a way to increase the land tax, but will add a new tax, and I think the property tax is the most appropriate.

Now there were about 3,400 freemen in the territory, and the property tax was equal to the land tax by charging one gold coin per household. When all the indentured slaves become freemen, the property tax plus the land tax will be enough for us to maintain the balance of the territory. ”

Listening to Rogge's thoughts, Richard shook his head and said, "One gold coin is not enough, the burden is still too heavy." Besides, there are still some freedmen who are still paying their mortgages, and the taxes are so heavy that they are going to force people to death.

I think the property tax can be levied, and a house can be levied at the rate of ten copper coins.

The standard yard we built, with a total of three houses, levied one silver coin, which was neither light nor heavy for a family.

Although the property tax cannot make up for the shortfall, we can increase the fiscal situation in other ways, such as the salt and iron franchise. In addition, customs duties and business taxes can also be levied. A business tax of one gold coin is levied on each of the shops that are opened on the streets, and the customs duty is 10 percent of the value of the goods. ”

After listening to Richard's advice, Rogge calculated carefully and said, "If you calculate it in this way, you can only increase the tax collection of six or seven hundred gold coins this year." It's still a drop in the bucket. ”

"Wait a minute, the taxes will gradually get better."

(End of chapter)