Chapter 543: Subduing the Dharma (Seeking Comparison)
As Joseph spoke in a demonic whisper, Fuld and other tax collectors all trembled all over, and the hair on their backs stood up.
However, Joseph continued: "I heard that after the skinless ball of flesh emerges from the ground, it is usually still alive, and can even run around in pain on the ground."
"Please, please stop talking..." Morel was so frightened by the torture that he closed his eyes and begged in a trembling voice.
Joseph nodded, and when he saw several people breathing a sigh of relief, he suddenly patted his forehead: "Oh, I almost forgot, they talked about the last step, which is to pour a bucket of boiling water on the meat ball!"
"Ah -" Morel was immediately frightened and fell to the ground, with water stains on his crotch.
Several other people also looked like their souls were about to leave their bodies, or they were stroking their chests as if they were vomiting.
Of course, the thing Joseph mentioned was not something he heard from the Intelligence Bureau - the most they could do was to do "tricks" such as smashing fingers and piercing the calf with a wooden awl.
This is the best one "selected" from thousands of years of torture in "The Deer and the Cauldron". It will definitely make people fall into endless purgatory after just listening to it once, and experience the despair and fear from the depths of the soul.
When Joseph saw that several people had entered the state, he immediately said sternly: "If you think you are strict enough and can keep the secrets of ill-gotten gains, you can try it."
No one answered, most of them were still sweating or struggling with a queasy feeling in their stomachs.
Finally, Fuld managed to regain his composure and said with great reluctance: "If you force me like this, I will commit suicide! No one will be able to live well!"
Joseph raised his eyelids and said slowly: "If you pay the fine and accept the trial of the court, I can allow your descendants to inherit the title and the remaining property.
"Your family, your name will still live on."
Seeing that several people were still silent, he continued: "Oh, by the way, in addition to Bolore who ordered the attack and killed the tax officer, and Barlow and De Cantre who incited the caravan to disrupt the country's trade, there are also There are people like Antonel who have been involved in many murders in tax farming. For others, especially those with less illegal records, the High Court may not sentence them to death."
Apply maximum pressure, then give a little hope, and at the same time differentiate as much as possible. This is always the best strategy to deal with a group of resisting opponents.
Morel made a quick comparison, and surprise suddenly flashed in his eyes. He obviously belonged to the last category of people mentioned by the crown prince.
Since you can save your life, why bother being tied to a guy like Bolore who is bound to die?
He has a family fortune of more than 14 million yuan. After paying the fine and deducting various recent expenses, he should be able to leave about 2 million yuan for his family and children.
Maybe after a few years in jail, he could be released on bail.
Thinking of this, he took a deep breath, took two steps forward with his cold legs, lowered his head and said: "Your Highness, I am willing to pay the fine. Please keep your promise..."
Joseph nodded: "You made the right decision. This is the attitude a penitent should have."
Fuld looked at Morel desperately, feeling a little envious in his heart. He is the president of the Taxpayers Association, and he presided over many things in this confrontation with the government. Naturally, it is impossible for him to receive a light sentence.
But he hesitated for a long time, and finally he could only express his acceptance of the crown prince's solution.
He knew very well that the Crown Prince had just said that his family and descendants could inherit the title and property, but he actually had to listen to the opposite of what he said. Even if he is sentenced to death by beheading by the court, at least these things can be guaranteed.
Moreover, Morel and others had compromised, and even if he wanted to continue to resist, there was no hope of winning. What's more, it would also give him the possibility of "experience" the terrifying mercury peeling - he swore that no matter what he was asked to do, he would never want to have anything to do with this thing!
Soon, the other two tax collectors involved in the negotiations also accepted Joseph's proposal. As if all their strength had been drained, several people left the Tuileries Palace with numb expressions to convey the results of the negotiations to other tax collectors.
Just as Fuld and others were going out, two carriages drove out of the Dutch Embassy in France.
The Intelligence Bureau agent who was watching at the front door of the embassy looked at the tax bureau investigator under the tree opposite, gestured to each other, and the tax bureau personnel chased after them on horseback.
They were here to spy on Hope.
The Dutch banker was apparently worried about being arrested by the tax authorities - the recent crowds of tax collectors and their minions had frightened him - so he hid in the Dutch embassy a week ago.
Suddenly, the people from the tax bureau heard someone from the embassy shouting: "Mr. Weisghoff, have a nice trip. Remember to tell my wife that I am fine in Paris."
The investigator turned around and saw Hope standing in front of the window on the second floor of the embassy, waving to the two carriages.
Someone in the car also poked his head out and waved in greeting.
However, the investigators cautiously followed the two cars on horseback, and that night, after the people in the cars checked into the hotel, they carefully observed the group in secret - for diplomats, they did not have the right to directly stop the cars for inspection. , so this method can only be used.
They were all from the embassy, and Hope was not found. Yes, he should still be in the embassy.
As a result, the two investigators rushed back to Paris overnight and continued to guard the embassy.
What the two did not expect was that just half an hour after they left, the Dutch diplomats slipped out and used tools to remove the roof of the carriage. Hope immediately poked his head out of the mezzanine.
In another car, Fankiewicz also complained and jumped off the roof, but because his legs had been curled up, they were already numb, and he immediately fell heavily to the ground.
Early the next morning, the two men put on makeup and blended into a caravan. Two days later, they boarded a ship on the Picardy coast and sailed towards the nearest British port...
More than half a month later.
The Paris High Court made a verdict against the big tax collector Bolore - on 16 counts of murdering a tax official, murdering five other civilians, kidnapping, and smuggling, he was sentenced to death and an additional fine of 10 million francs was added. Huge fines.
Although a large number of tax collectors have been tried before and have even become "brainless", their influence is far less than that of Bolore.
He is an extremely famous loan shark, controlling more than one-third of the loan shark market in northwest France, and is extremely influential in politics and business.
However, this time he was sentenced to death cleanly!
At the same time, the court's verdict also disclosed a large number of his crimes. Even because of his downfall, even the largest smuggling gang in northwest France was dug out.
(End of chapter)