Chapter 155 The President’s Income
In Raven’s opinion, the documents sent by the merchants were very much in the style of Meng’en City.
A document made of three pieces of parchment, with a page of honorifics on the front, two lines of text on the middle page, and praise on the last page.
You are handsome, smart, courageous, courageous, smart, young and promising, etc., and the way and key points of praise are not repeated in each family.
To be honest, it is quite interesting to read.
Raven finally understood why so many emperors liked to read congratulatory lists, and some even read them all night long.
But three or five copies are okay. Now hundreds of merchants, large and small, in the entire Lower Town of Meng'en City have sent letters. They are all made of parchment. When stacked together, they are taller than any person. If he really read it one by one, Raven could see that he was vomiting blood.
However, one of the benefits of being a noble is that you can mobilize many people at any time, so this burden falls on Manseni's shoulders.
Now the former vice president of the Silver Hand Brotherhood and current deputy commander of the "Protective Hand Legion" is burying his head in a pile of paper.
She is wearing an imperial military uniform today. It is light red and made of wool. She wears a sail hat on her head. She has a cool and neat temperament. Her eyes are focused on the paper, and her wrists will be exposed with every move. Black tattoo on top.
Sensing Raven's gaze, Manseni put down her pen helplessly and turned back: "Lord Baron, what can I do for you?"
"I'm just curious, what tattoo is on your arm?" What?" Raven asked.
Manseni suppressed the desire to roll her eyes and lowered her head again.
Raven's words immediately took away a lot of the aura belonging to the Baron and reminded her of Raven who was once a "little bee".
Maybe I am too happy.
But Manseni also had to admit that Raven should be happy and had every right to be happy.
Just like the gift list she is currently proofreading and transcribing, just reading it once makes her feel a little dizzy.
Those who are eligible to join the Chamber of Commerce are not small businessmen. There are various gift orders of more than 400, and at least one of them has sent hundreds of gold coins. People who run different industries have also sent different gifts, such as enchanted equipment and alchemy. Potions, magic cores, magic crystals, jewelry and so on.
Coupled with the "sincerity" sent by the Silver Hand Brotherhood and the Bloody Harpoon before, as well as the legacy after the destruction of the Split Tooth War Gang, the gold coins Raven received during this trip are enough. There are more than 80,000, and the value of other props and items is only more than gold coins, not less.
These are the profits of at least 200,000 gold coins!
Damn it, when the Silver Hand Brotherhood collected protection fees, why weren't these merchants so happy? ?
The benefits don’t end there.
Looking out from the window where Manseni is sitting now is the street where the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce is located, called "Chamber of Commerce Street".
This is the most prosperous area in the entire Xiacheng District. Every inch of land is valuable. It is not only the commercial center of Xiacheng District, but also celebrities from Shangcheng District will come here to spend time.
It is no exaggeration to say that the value of this street is even higher than that of many baronies.
But now, it could be renamed "Raven Street" or "Griffith Avenue".
Because there are a total of nineteen pieces of land along the street, eighteen of which, together with the buildings on them, are all under Raven's name. The only remaining piece is where the Chamber of Commerce building is located - this was originally Raven's. .
Thinking of this and looking at Raven's performance, Manseni felt it was very reasonable, and even began to admire his calmness.
We are in another place. If Manseni got these things by herself, she would definitely go crazy with joy!
Now she is also a little crazy.
On the one hand... she was somewhat envious. You must know that just a year ago, Raven was just an inconspicuous gangster on the streets of Meng City. Now he has become a baron. Not only does he actually control the land far beyond that of the viscount, Also made huge profits.
On the other hand, it was the way Raven looked at her, as if his eyes were trying to burrow into her sleeves.
A year ago, Raven would have dug out her eyes and thrown them into the ditch. But now Raven has become her immediate boss, a being who cannot be disobeyed at all!
This is so damning, especially when you think about Raven's nickname "Little Bee".
She pulled her cuffs to cover the tattoo, lowered her head and continued to check the numbers.
It wasn't until the sky turned dark that she finally completed the verification work. She raised her head and said, "Lord Baron, I...?"
She stopped mid-sentence because she found that she was the only one left in the entire office. Alone.
When did Raven leave?
Looking at the thick pile of documents she had sorted out, Manseni felt a little speechless.
Leaven, I was working for you and I didn’t eat anything for a whole day. It’s okay if you don’t look at it. Why don’t you tell me when you leave quietly?
After placing the arranged gift list on the table, Manseni walked towards the door, but she bumped into Raven.
Mannis explained: "The gift list has been finished."
"It's pretty fast." Raven smiled and put a box into Mannis's hands: "Take it."
Manseni subconsciously caught it: "Is this...?"
Lei Wen said: "Full dress, there is a dance coming soon, I need a female companion, please help me. ”
"Ah?" Manseni's face turned pale: "But, um, I..."
Lord of Light, even though she has grown so big, she has never worn women's clothing before. !
Manseni still wanted to argue: "Baron Raven, I don't look good in women's clothing."
"Don't shirk it, the situation is urgent." Raven raised her voice slightly: "I said 'Kuaishou Manson', don't you dare?"
With almost no thought, Mansoni blurted out: "Then why don't you dare?"
"Then hurry up, I'll give you thirty minutes, no, one hour!" With that, Raven closed the door with a bang.
Manseni was suddenly discouraged, sitting on a chair and beating her head.
Why did you agree on impulse? !
Looking down at the dress in her hand, Manseni's face became extremely complicated and she bit her lip.
She knew that Raven had no good intentions when he asked her to come over.
This is her revenge for wanting Raven!
But the matter has been agreed upon and must be done.
Forget it, women's clothing is just women's clothing. I am a fast-handed "Manson" and an upright man, can I still be stumped by this?
Manseni stood up, walked to the door and locked it, then turned back and picked up the skirt.
Rubbing the soft fabric in her hands, Manseni made up her mind: "Wear it!"
And Raven really looks down on herself so much, does she really think of me as a woman? It doesn’t take half an hour to put on these things!
However, it turns out that when faced with unfamiliar things, it is best not to make judgments easily.
Manseni encountered many unexpected problems.
For example, how to fasten the straps of underwear, and in what order should multiple layers of skirts be worn.
The thing that drove her craziest was the waistband. After the third failed attempt at wearing it, she had the urge to rush to the inventor and greet his family.
When she finally finished dressing, sweat began to flow from her forehead, and her eyes were full of disgust!
This outfit really hinders movement!
"Okay, do you need me to find some women to help you?" Raven's voice came from outside the door.
"No need!" Manseni said decisively, then took a deep breath, tightened her skirt, and walked out of the door.
Raven's eyes suddenly lit up and he stared at Manseni in a daze.
Manseni was extremely uncomfortable being looked at and tugged at her collar in embarrassment: "... Just say it if it's ugly!"
"No, that's good!" Raven smiled.
To be honest, Lamanthani's role as dance partner today was purely a temporary move.
This dance is a welcome dance organized by members of the Chamber of Commerce. The occasion is formal, and Raven needs to bring his female companion there.
Corax is a priest after all and is not suitable to attend such an occasion; if he randomly finds a singer or dancer, it will damage Raven's own image.
He was born in Men'en City, and his nickname of "Little Bee" was well-known to everyone. It was almost impossible to cut him off. Now if he finds that kind of woman, he will throw dirty water on his reputation.
So Manseni became the best choice. Her origins were "mysterious" and her appearance was decent. As for her dancing skills - Raven had no intention of actually dancing with her.
But Manseni, now wearing women's clothing, really surprised Raven. The long gloves covered the tattoo, which made Raven a little regretful, but Manseni has practiced martial arts all year round, and has a well-proportioned and slender figure. The black silk dress fully reflects this, especially the curve between the waist and legs. Although the size is Not big, but very tall and perfect.
She had no makeup on her face and took off her iconic earrings. Apart from the coiled wig on her head, she only wore the elf-style headdress that Raven had prepared for her. She is quite cold, and combined with her short hair, her overall temperament does not show the weakness of ordinary women, nor is she deliberately pretending to be cold. It makes Raven feel like...
Rogue!
Putting up his elbows, Raven said with a smile: "Please, Miss Manseni."
Seeing this gesture, Manseni wanted to grab Raven's shoulders and come directly. He threw his hand over his shoulder, but he still held it back and stepped forward to hug Raven's arm.
As for going further, she couldn't do it anyway. She straightened her back and kept a firm distance from Raven.
The dance was held at a nearby opera house called "Elven Song", which is now regarded as Raven's own property.
As the protagonist of the ball, Raven was the last one to arrive and immediately attracted everyone's attention as soon as he entered the hall.
The participants' eyes first fell on Raven, then were attracted to Manseni, and finally fell back on Raven.
Nowadays, heavy makeup and heavy makeup are popular in Meng En City. Manseni’s makeup and unique wild temperament suppressed the brilliance of all the women present.
But even so, she couldn't overpower Raven's aura.
If she is a female leopard, then Raven is a male lion.
The guest of honor arrives, melodious music sounds, and the dance officially begins.
However, neither Raven nor Manseni had the intention to dance, and many businessmen were not focused on the dance steps. They all looked for opportunities to start talking to Raven.
Although the contents are relatively obscure, the core is the same: I hope Baron Raven will take care of me.
For this reason, they reminded Raven openly and secretly that they also gave gifts, and they were heavy gifts!
As for Manseni, she found a corner and sat down by herself.
At first, she was a little worried about whether someone would come up to talk to her, or whether someone would pursue her identity.
But no, in fact, except for a few cowardly guys who dared to look at her secretly, most men turned a blind eye to her. On the contrary, it was the women who looked at her, either out of curiosity or jealousy. look.
This reassured her - fortunately, no one recognized her.
Her worries are unnecessary.
The fact that Lei Wen could bring a female companion here was enough to give these businessmen face, so how could they dare to do anything else?
Manseni's attention fell on Raven again.
Manseni has seen most of the businessmen surrounding Raven. They are all well-known big businessmen in the lower city, and they all have more or less entangled interests with gangsters.
For example, the old guy with a goatee named Hu En. His "Hu En Chamber of Commerce" specializes in jewelry and was once an important "partner" of the Silver Hand Brotherhood.
During usual communication, even when facing Manseni's father, although his attitude was gentle, Manseni was able to capture the disdain and contempt in his every move.
But now facing Raven, his attitude can be called flattering. He will follow wherever Raven goes. He will nod hurriedly when Raven says a word, and someone even tells a joke. You have to look at Raven's reaction first before you decide to laugh or not.
They seemed to be discussing something, and Raven nodded as if he couldn't put it down.
The music stopped and Raven stood on the center of the stage: "It was originally just a dance, but since everyone is so enthusiastic, I will say a few words."
"First of all, everyone is worried Generally speaking, I will not make any changes to the personnel issues, but some subsequent adjustments are inevitable, especially in the port part.”
The port is the place with the largest cargo throughput in the entire Xiacheng District, and is also the economy of Xiacheng District. Source of vitality.
A most basic example: Meng En City has a population of nearly half a million, and 90% of the food they eat comes from waterways.
Any Chamber of Commerce president with a brain will never let go of control of the port.
“Secondly, there are specific business issues. I also grew up in Meng’en City, and I know many twists and turns better than you. Now the Silver Hand Brotherhood and Bloody Harpoon have been reorganized. Previously, There are many shady businesses, and you also Let’s stop.”
“We are all businessmen, and we make money by being friendly. I don’t want to deal with you the same way as thugs.”
This sentence was said plainly, but it was actually a little bit. The noisy hall fell silent.
The red color of the Munn River has not faded yet, and the chimney of the crematorium in the southwest of Munn City has never stopped, let alone the Honduran corpse hanging at the city gate.
Everything that was happening, coupled with these words, made the businessmen represented by Hu En clearly realize that Raven was definitely not joking.
Having said this, Raven showed a smile: "Of course, I am not unreasonable. I set rules for you, and of course I won't let you pay in vain."
" I have applied to Earl Tyrone and Archbishop Thomas, as This time the Order of the Hand of Death has caused great damage to Xiacheng District. In the next three years, the Xiacheng District Chamber of Commerce will not have to pay either regular taxes or tithes!”
The audience suddenly burst into enthusiasm! applause, looking at Raven with fiery eyes!
The most important thing for businessmen is profit, and the tax rate in Meng'en City is high. For every ten gold coins earned, three gold coins must be paid, and a tithe of one gold coin is required.
Now a tax exemption has directly increased their profits by more than 80%!
Although it is only three years of tax exemption, since Lei Wen can strive for three years, the next three years are not impossible!
After the speech, Raven walked off the stage. A businessman named Perry moved his fat body and squeezed in front: "Lord Baron, your speech was really wonderful. With your leadership, our business will definitely be better." It will get better and better!”
Leaven remembered him. Not only did this guy give him two thousand gold coins, he also gave him an additional attachment. Magic Cloak: "As long as Mr. Perry can be a decent businessman."
"Of course, of course!" Perry nodded repeatedly: "Lord Baron, outstanding young people like you are the best for us in Meng'en City. My youngest son admires you very much and hopes to study with you. You see..."
As soon as he started, businessmen including Hu En came forward one after another and began to make similar requests, even going so far as to belittle each other for it.
Sending one's children to work as clerks and servants with nobles is an unwritten custom on the continent of Middles. On the one hand, it can strengthen the relationship between merchants and lords, and on the other hand, it can also allow lords to deal with the people under their rule. Businessmen feel more reassured.
Moon City is ruled by the Slater family, and all channels for contacting the Slater family are controlled by wealthy businessmen in the upper city. Now that Raven is a genuine noble and the president of the Lower City Chamber of Commerce, of course they must Be enthusiastic.
There is another factor.
If there was still some speculation before, now, these businessmen are completely sure that Raven can talk to Earl Tyrone and Archbishop Thomas, and it will be useful!
This shows that Raven is on the same level as the Earl, and the gap is not too big.
Furthermore, Raven is only in his early twenties, and his future is limitless. Maybe one day he will be on an equal footing with Earl Tyrone.
Raiwen did not immediately agree to this, but he also did not reject them all, but maintained an ambiguous attitude.
After all, Raven knows better than anyone the depth of water in Men'en City. A clear plan is needed for who to accept and who not to accept.
The business was done, and Raven did not stay at the dance for too long before leaving with Manseni.
Returning to the office at the Chamber of Commerce headquarters, Manseni sat back on the chair and breathed a long sigh of relief: "...Phew, it's finally over."
"Not used to it?" Raven asked.
“It’s weird if you get used to it!” Manseni kicked off her high heels: “These shoes are too difficult to wear, who designed them?”
Lei Wen couldn’t help laughing: “ Don’t worry, you can only wear women’s clothing once and countless times. You will get used to it in the future.”
Manseni was about to refute, but she was afraid of stimulating Raven’s “rebellious psychology”, so she could only turn her head and say nothing. hair.
Raven didn't dwell on this, took the documents Manseni had compiled and turned around to leave.
Staring at the closed door, Manseni stepped barefoot on the ground, threw away her gloves, unbuttoned her back, and dropped her skirt to the ground, letting the air blow on her sweaty skin. Stretched a lot.
At this moment, the door opened: "I still have..."
Having finished speaking, Raven was already stunned, and his eyes quickly glanced at Manseni's body. : "It turns out to be a snake!"
Then before Manseni got angry, she slammed the door.
"Raven——!"
Manceni's voice echoed in the night sky.
……
(End of this chapter)