I Am the Crown Prince in France

Chapter 509 Desperate Charles

Charles looked at the Crown Prince in confusion and protested: "Your Highness, this is all legal business. How can I fund the rebels?"

"Please turn to the last page."

Joseph gestured to the document in his hand: "Heroes Steel Company is responsible for transporting weapons from the Netherlands for the rebels and repairing firearms.

"The Ghent City Hall has been under the management of the rebel parliament for a long time and has provided a large amount of logistical supplies to the rebels.

"Mr. Culliford in the back has been working for the rebels..."

Charles's face changed greatly, and he hurriedly defended: "Your Highness, I don't know their relationship with the rebels at all. My bank is just making normal loans."

Joseph naturally knew that he should have nothing to do with the Brabant Uprising, but at that time Van der Nott's forces had controlled most of the Southern Netherlands, and Charles had three banks in the Southern Netherlands, so it was difficult to avoid contact with them. Financial transactions occur.

The result was indeed as he expected. The Intelligence Bureau quickly discovered some connections between the banks under Charles' name and the rebels. Now that the Southern Netherlands has returned to Austrian rule, and the Walloon region is under French management, I think... It’s not hard to check these things out.

In fact, for Charles, the transactions on the document were all money losses. For example, the Herlos Steel Company went bankrupt after the rebellion failed, and the tens of thousands of livres in loans were wasted.

But the loan was indeed given to Herlos Steel Company, and that could serve as a leverage against Charles.

"I am willing to believe you." Joseph seemed to be comforting Charles. "As long as you really don't know, the High Court will soon lift the seizure of your assets."

"Thank you for your trust, Your Highness." Charles stood up and bowed, then nervously asked, "How long will this take?"

"It depends on the progress of the Intelligence Bureau's investigation. If it's quick, maybe you can prove your innocence in a month or two. However, those rebels destroyed a lot of information before surrendering. It's possible that they won't be able to find out for half a year or even longer. result."

Charles almost cried: "Your Highness, you must help me prove that I really have nothing to do with the rebels!"

Although he started his business in the Southern Netherlands, he later focused his business on France. After all, the market here was larger and the profits were higher.

And a full 60% of his assets are money entrusted to him by other nobles for management, and interest must be paid on this money at any time. Not to mention not being able to use funds for half a year, even two months would make him suffer from liver pain.

In addition, he also has to take into account the situation of the bank under his name. Once the news about his assets being seized spreads, it will inevitably lead to a run on depositors - who knows if the owner of Charles Bolton Bank has committed any serious crime, it is definitely safer to withdraw the money first.

The last thing anyone who opens a bank wants to encounter is a run, which almost means bankruptcy.

Joseph said calmly: "You have to trust the Intelligence Agency, or you can pray for them to find evidence as soon as possible."

"No, please help me..."

"Sorry, there's really nothing I can do about it." Joseph said, standing up and making a farewell gesture, "That's all for today, Mr. Charles. I'm still busy with tax reform."

When Charles heard this, his heart tightened. He couldn't understand why he was being targeted by the intelligence agency——

Tax collectors always try their best to hinder the government's tax reform. They and Morel even pretended to provide Brian with a loan to delay the government's raising of funds. Now that the French government has obtained enough funds to maintain operations in the first half of next year, it has the confidence to punish itself.

He hurriedly turned to Joseph, lowered his head and said: "Your Highness, the government is about to carry out tax reform, and during this period there is likely to be insufficient funds.

"While the intelligence agency is investigating, it would be a waste to leave my assets like this, or they could be loaned to the chancellor to help him get through the tax changes better."

Joseph looked unconcerned and waved his hand: "I have read Archbishop Brian's report. Sufficient funds have been raised for tax reform, so you don't need to worry."

Charles said anxiously: "Your Highness, unexpected situations will inevitably arise in the tax reform. Archbishop Brian has more funds in his hands and can deal with them more easily.

"I am willing to provide a low-interest loan of 12 million francs to contribute to the government's tax reform. This can also prove that I have nothing to do with the Southern Netherlands rebels. I only hope that the Intelligence Bureau's investigation can progress a little faster. Some."

Joseph breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Then I'll ask Archbishop Brian to see if he still needs a loan."

He had previously asked the Intelligence Bureau to investigate. Charles's annual tax package was only about 10 million francs, plus 2 million francs, which was basically all the funds this person could get.

Charles, on the other hand, felt as if he had been granted amnesty and quickly bowed to express his thanks: "Thank you, Your Highness. I will ask Archbishop Brian to come..."

…

Lance.

At 6:30 pm, two young tax officers walked out of the tax bureau and prepared to return to their residence.

However, as soon as they rounded the corner of the street, two black figures quickly followed behind them.

The taller tax official seemed to notice the movement. He turned around and saw a wooden stick hitting his head.

He hurriedly grabbed his companion and tried his best to dodge backwards, but he was still a little slow. The stick hit him hard on the cheek, knocking him to the ground and causing him to feel dizzy.

On the other side, the shorter tax officer was pulled sideways by him, and the wooden stick he was attacking brushed past his ear and hit his shoulder.

The attacker with a hood covering his face immediately swung the stick and chased him, saying viciously: "Leave the tax office, or I will interrupt your..."

However, a sudden explosion overwhelmed all the sounds.

The attacker's body was like being hit by a giant hammer, and he flew backwards in an instant.

The other attacker was about to continue beating the tall tax officer, but was also startled by the loud noise. He turned around and saw his accomplice's chest was bloody and he was lying on the ground motionless. It was obvious that he was shot.

He then saw the pistol in the short tax officer's hand, and was so scared that he threw away the stick, turned around and ran, with a trembling voice in his throat: "You, you killed him..."

The tax officer endured the pain in his shoulder, threw away the empty pistol, and then pulled out another one from his right waist, flipped the safety, pulled the flint clip, aimed at the fleeing attacker and pulled the trigger.

There was another roar, and the hooded man who was fleeing had blood on his back. He fell forward suddenly, his eyes full of disbelief - he just hit him with a club, but the man actually shot directly...

The short tax officer lowered the muzzle of the gun and said coldly: "According to the law, those who attack tax officers can be shot on the spot!"