A Tale of Strategies For the Throne

Somewhere in the royal city, there is a huge house made of magnificent bluestone.

Dozens of people were gathering deep inside the house.

Everyone who is qualified to participate in this party is a big businessman who owns a large trading house in the royal city.

The so-called large trading houses are places where large quantities of goods are purchased and sold.

As the center of the continent, the Royal City of Aaron Landis has extremely prosperous commerce, and the amount of goods handled every day is immeasurable.

Those small-scale caravans will go to the market to sell and buy goods, but medium-sized and large-sized caravans carry too many goods, and it is too time-consuming to sell or buy little by little in the market.

Therefore, these caravans go directly to trading houses that can eat a large amount of goods in one go and store large quantities of goods that can be sold.

In Gallan's words, it is actually the difference between the wholesale market and the retail market.

There has never been such a tax category as commercial tax on the mainland. What merchants need to pay are basically customs tax, city entry tax, and toll tax.

However, this does not mean that all their profits belong to themselves - they must share a large part of the profits in order to do business smoothly.

Because every time they go to a city to trade, they need to offer a large sum of money to the people in power here in exchange for the other party's asylum, so that they can ensure that their transactions can proceed smoothly.

If they are ignorant, those in power will find many ways to use various excuses to suppress and confiscate their goods, leaving them with nothing to lose.

If you encounter greedy powerful people, you may even have to give away more than half of the profits you earn.

At this moment, all the big businessmen gathered here have backers - or simply some powerful people secretly control the business.

Relying on the power of their backers, they deliberately purchased goods at low prices, and then sold them to merchants in the royal city at high prices as soon as they changed hands.

They don't need to work hard to travel around with caravans. They only need to sit in the business office, buy low and sell high, and once they change hands, they can comfortably earn a large sum of money from it.

If in order to save time, those caravans would be willing to sell large quantities of goods to them cheaply, but the problem is that those merchants have united to intercept the demand for goods in the entire royal city, and those large caravans have no channels and no way to directly sell them. Find people who need your products.

In addition, he did not dare to offend the powerful people behind these trading houses, so he could only swallow his anger and let these vampires share the profits he had worked so hard for.

Continuing to use Garlan's words, this is a commercial monopoly.

The consequence of this is that the price of goods in the royal city has remained high, and the large price difference has caused a large amount of wealth to flow to the big businessmen and the powerful people behind them, making them fat.

It is almost impossible to reverse and correct this deformed business model. It is like a piece of dead wood, the roots have rotted, and it is impossible to carve it anymore.

So after Garlan investigated the situation in the royal city, he decisively chose to find another way.

The hotbed over there is already rotten, so I simply don’t want it anymore.

I will re-build a nursery with fresh soil and open to the sun, and transplant the living trees and flowers to my side.

Although there may be some pains and troubles at the beginning, in the future it will surely grow with lush branches and leaves and flourish.

Thus the Trade and Industry Department was born.

Its existence is not only for Garlan to collect business taxes, but also to clean up the business environment of the royal city and block the greedy claws of the powerful.

These big businessmen have been immersed in commerce all year round, so as soon as the trade office in Garlan was set up, they immediately sensed something was wrong. After sending someone to inquire about the situation and gathering together to ponder it for a while, they understood the Young King's plan.

Once they understood this, of course they became anxious.

The Young King's approach is simply draining money from the bottom of the pot and will cut off their financial path.

Although they continue to do business honestly and can still make profits, it is definitely not enough compared to the huge profits obtained from monopoly - in the past, you could make a lot of money lying down, but now you have to get up and do things to make money. , the income earned is not as good as one-tenth of what it was before.

Of course they weren't happy.

Their backers are not happy to lose their money.

Therefore, with the support of their backers, they began to secretly add fuel to the flames, desperately publicizing the need to pay an extra tax to the Trade and Commerce Department, and hinting to the merchants that King Garlan wanted to collect taxes from them to supplement the finances. At the same time, he also tried his best to promote public discussion and publicize that a wise king should not increase taxes and fees.

In fact, they were not successful in the second point, because King Garlan ordered that merchants were not forced to go to the Trade and Commerce Office, and it was up to individual voluntariness, so this was not a compulsory tax collection.

It is precisely because of Garlan's order that although many merchants were dissatisfied with the tax collection rules and regulations of the Trade and Commerce Department, they just ignored it and could not respond to the proposals of those big merchants in the royal city to unite to boycott and demand abolition. Trade and Commerce Department or something.

Anyway, the king has said that as long as you don't go to the Trade and Commerce Office, you won't pay taxes, so it doesn't matter if it's there or not, why bother targeting it and angering King Garlan?

If you have this energy, you might as well make more money.

While the businessmen involved thought so, other people took it even less seriously.

Therefore, at the court meeting that day, the ministers they bribed deliberately exaggerated and said that the existence of the Trade and Commerce Department would have a negative impact on King Garlan's reputation. They were simply being alarmist.

It can even be said that they are just forcing Garlan to abolish the Trade and Commerce Department in the name of justice and wisdom.

And the results pleased them.

Sure enough, the Young King began to waver because he was worried about his reputation.

As long as they work harder and add fuel to the flames among ordinary people in the royal city while continuing to bribe the ministers in the royal court with large sums of money, their wish will soon be achieved.

"To tell you the truth, someone secretly contacted me yesterday and hinted that I should not get involved in this matter."

A big businessman said directly.

The others looked at each other, and then someone else said the same.

"Yesterday, someone came to my place, and their words suggested that I'd better just leave it at that."

"Someone also came to see me."

"Actually, I also..."

Among the dozens of big businessmen gathered here, four or five of them mentioned one after another that people had been coming to their door in the past few days, and their words were overtly and covertly telling them to restrain themselves.

There are also some people who have no one to visit them.

"It seems they are in a hurry."

"Yeah, I'm afraid it's impossible to think about."

"Speaking of which, there are indeed three people who did not come to this party. Are they shrinking because of this?"

Someone sneered.

"Chicken-hearted."

"Those cowardly guys are so stupid."

Another person said with a smile.

"You know, almost all the business in the royal city is in our hands. The young king will never dare to attack us easily. Without us, the business in the royal city will collapse immediately, and of course he will be afraid."

The old big businessman vowed,

"He sent people to find us secretly, but he had no other choice but to use force to force us to give in."

He said,

"Everyone, we must not back down at this time. We must advance and retreat together and persevere to make King Garlan give in, who wants to cut off our financial path."

The big businessmen here all said that they would never be like the three cowards who escaped from the battlefield and would persist in fighting to the end.

Recalling the young king's concession at the court meeting a few days ago, these dozens of big businessmen suddenly felt that together they could influence King Garlan's will, and they became more and more confident.

They had a good time, and then discussed their next action.

They all agreed that the next key was to continue to publicize the commercial tax among merchants to prevent them from going to the commerce and trade office.

It must remain deserted, deserted, and utterly desolate.

…………

At the same moment, in another luxurious stone house in the royal city, an old man with a wrinkled forehead sat there thoughtfully.

Although his eyes were looking forward, he was very blank, and his hand kept stroking the tea cup in his hand.

The tea in the cup was already cold, and he didn't take a sip.

A middle-aged man had been standing beside him for a long time, and finally couldn't help shouting.

"Father."

The old man came to his senses and looked at his son.

He sighed heavily and said: "From now on, we will close the door tightly and we will not receive anyone except relatives and friends."

After a pause, he continued.

"Transactions in commercial exchanges have also tightened. During this period, please do not conduct large transactions for the time being."

"Father, our losses will be great if this happens..."

"Yeah, the loss will be huge."

The old man sighed and took a sip of the already cold tea.

"But if you lose your life, no amount of money will be of any use."

He said,

"We have made a lot of money over the years, and we should know how to take it easy."

"Yes, Father."

…

There were two other big businessmen who made the same choice as this old big businessman.

After being warned by others, these three big businessmen all chose to close their doors, close down their business, stay at home, and no longer participate in the boycott of the Trade and Industry Department.

The other group of big businessmen continued to secretly add fuel to the flames, spreading large sums of money.

As a result, the calls for the abolition of the Trade and Commerce Department became louder and louder, but the door of the Trade and Commerce Department remained deserted.

Tal, who was constantly being ridiculed for his incompetence, looked uglier day by day. Every time he came to the palace to find Garlan with a frown on his face.

The boy king's attitude also changed from tough at the beginning to silence every time, obviously wavering and hesitating.

The big businessmen who were behind the scenes felt happily that if this continued, the king would soon be able to compromise, so they jumped up and down even harder.

After about ten days, they got together again.

"it's time."

The leading big businessman said,

"No one has been to the Trade and Commerce Department for a whole month, so now not only our people, but also other ministers are beginning to be dissatisfied with it, feeling that it is of no use at all and will only be a waste of manpower and material resources."

"In just two or three days, we encouraged the dissatisfied ministers to submit a request to the king to abolish the Trade and Commerce Department."

The young king who has begun to waver will definitely be unable to withstand the pressure and give in.

"Thanks to you for uniting everyone and advancing and retreating together, we can get to where we are today."

Someone complimented the leader who had the greatest influence and the greatest backer of the Commercial Office in the Royal City.

The old man who took the lead in planning this matter smiled lightly.

"That boy king is still too young. He just makes up his mind and doesn't consider the actual situation."

He chuckled in the tone of an elder.

"If he lives a few more years, he will know that some things are not so easy to do."

Everyone sitting here laughed.

Look, their power is already so huge.

They controlled the entire royal city's commerce.

Once they are left, the entire city's commerce will collapse.

They are already entrenched in this city and have their roots here.

Even the king was afraid of them and did not dare to take action easily.

This feeling made all the big businessmen present feel inflated for a moment.

And just when everyone was laughing and feeling satisfied, there was a sudden bang, and the door outside was slammed open.

Along with the chaotic and heavy footsteps, everyone was shocked to see a large group of soldiers filing in.

The dozens of guards here reflexively wanted to step forward to stop them. The leader of the group of soldiers, a dark-skinned and burly general, directly showed the golden token in his hand.

"I'm here to arrest people on the king's orders. Get out of here!"

Tewa shouted sharply.

The guard who was about to step forward immediately knelt down in fear and did not dare to move again.

Taking action before the king's token is tantamount to the crime of treason.

Tewa was too lazy to pay attention to them. With a wave of his hand, the subordinates behind him swarmed up, grabbed the group of businessmen without any effort, and dragged them straight outside.

The group of big businessmen who were dressed in fine clothes and sitting high in their mansions chatting and laughing happily just a second ago, and who were so proud because they were about to achieve their goals, all looked pale and panicked at this moment.

They looked bewildered and were pushed unceremoniously by the soldiers. They looked embarrassed and were dragged out of the house with stumbling steps.

They didn't even realize what was happening.

The old man in the lead was in disbelief at what happened suddenly.

How dare that young king arrest them in public without any cover-up?

Isn't he afraid that his reputation as a virtuous person will be ruined?

Isn't he afraid of being regarded as a tyrant who has his own way?

Isn't he worried that if he leaves those who make the business of the Royal City work, the business of the Royal City will be paralyzed and suffer heavy losses?

How could he——

Countless thoughts were spinning crazily in my heart, and in the end, they all turned into annoyance, regret, and fear of that king.

…………

The news that these big businessmen had been arrested spread throughout the royal city almost instantly.

The three big businessmen who were huddled up were all shocked when they heard the news, and then they were overjoyed.

Still in the spacious and tall stone house, the old man standing in the courtyard let out a long breath.

My heart, which had been hanging for more than ten days, finally relaxed at this moment.

"Those idiots have relied on the people behind them to pretend to be powerful. They have been praised by others for a long time. They really take themselves seriously and cannot recognize what they are."

The old man shook his head and sighed, talking to himself.

"He's just a businessman, but he dares to challenge the king."

I really risked my life just for money.

King Garlan.

With his beautiful appearance, his wise name, and his love for the people, it is easy for people to have the illusion that he is a gentle and benevolent king.

However, that's just one side of him.

When Aaron Landis almost perished, he turned the tide and fought his way out of the sea of ​​blood and corpses on the battlefield to save Aaron Landis.

He did not compromise at all with the city lords who had betrayed him on the battlefield, and brazenly sent out a large army to fight at will, causing those city lords to lose their cities and their families.

He firmly decided to build the road against all opinions, and no one dared to object.

Such a decisive king.

Where did those idiots get the confidence to think that King Garlan would not dare to be cruel to them because he was afraid of them and worried about his reputation?

Alas, in the end, it is still the most powerful thing.

Blinded by money.

It's your own fault...

…………

……………………

In the palace, Garlan just got up after a nap, and Shermuer on the side was reporting to him about the arrest of the businessmen according to his order.

"Things are as they are now. Do you have any other orders to give?"

"Um."

Garlan nodded.

He looked at Shermer and said, "It's hot, let those people go bankrupt."

Shermer: "???"

What nonsense?

Is Wang asleep?

"Don't you think my words are very domineering?"

Xie Muer: "Haha."

It seems that he is not sleepy, but sleepy.

he thought expressionlessly.

The author has something to say: Thank you little angels for voting for me~

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