Chapter 311 Unified Market
The meeting to distribute the victory cake was over. The lords left Center one after another. The victors were proud and eager to go back to receive the wealth and land they were about to receive. The losers were dejected. Thinking about how to reduce your losses.
Many people didn’t even bother to visit the Duke’s Palace to say goodbye and just left. This shows how low the prestige of Henry, the new Duke, was. In other words, because of this war, the entire Ferdinand family’s reputation in the Northwest Gulf was reduced. Prestige inevitably declined significantly.
This is Henry's own business, and Paul is not going to take the initiative to help. Even in some respects, this situation was something Paul was happy to see happen. He didn't want to offer up a superior figure to restrain himself.
……
Hal Duke and his squire Arthur were walking on the streets of Center, leading their horses.
“Incredible!” Arthur, the attendant, exclaimed: “There is no sign of a war that has just happened here. Are the soldiers in the Northwest Bay all gentlemen? Sir, what do you think?”
"What do you think? Don't think of all the armies in the world as bandits. This is the quality that a normal army should have. Do you think that only our Watcher Legion can do it? You are too arrogant."
The young attendant stuck out his tongue.
The two came to the gate of the Duke's mansion, and Sir Duke explained his purpose to the doorman.
"Deputy commander of the Watcher Corps?"
The doorman looked at the name sticker and did not dare to neglect, but he still said very sorry: "Sir, the Duke has important guests to entertain, and it is not convenient to see you now. Can you please choose another time to come?"
"Oh..." It seems that the new Duke is very busy, and Duke is not surprised.
“Please be sure to tell the Duke that we have visited him.”
“Yes, please rest assured.”
Duke said goodbye and turned around to ask for help, when he saw an acquaintance inadvertently.
"Owen Schroeder? It's you old guy!"
The visitor heard a familiar voice and took a closer look.
"Hal? Why are you here in Center?"
Schroeder came up and gave Duke a bear hug, "Haha, we haven't seen each other in more than a year, right? .”
Duke also sighed with emotion: "Yeah, it's been half a year since the last communication. Why are you here too?"
Schroeder explained: "After I returned to my hometown, I was in Glei, Alda. Serving under Earl Man, my Earl also participated in the war to overthrow the tyrant. Now he has just finished the meeting with the lords on post-war affairs and has not had time to go back."
"That's it." Duke probably understood that the passion in his old friend's heart had not faded away. When they parted, he kept saying that he wanted to go back to his hometown.
"So..." Schroeder asked: "You are standing in front of the Duke's Palace because...?"
"Didn't the Duke of Northwest ask you to change..."
Schroeder immediately put a finger in front of his mouth and said, "Shhh - be careful". Duke immediately changed his mind: "Oh, I said the wrong thing, don't blame me. The new Duke has succeeded to the throne, and I was entrusted by the Commander to confirm the new Duke's attitude towards our Watcher Legion."
"Have you finished your visit?"
"Unfortunately, the Duke has guests to meet, and he doesn't have time to see me for the time being... Wait, it looks like you are also here to see the Duke. You are an important guest of the Duke, are you?"
"No!" Schroeder waved his hand quickly, "The Duke is seeing my count. He has already gone in first. I'm coming over. Just for company. Why don't you come in with me?"
Duke was overjoyed: "If possible, I will trouble you!"
So the two of them took their attendant Arthur to the door. The doorman recognized Schroeder and bowed. Judging by the closeness between Duke and Schroeder, you can tell that the two have a good relationship and there is no need to stop them.
In the hall of the Duke's Palace, Paul is selling his plan to Myron and Henry.
“We should establish a unified market in the Northwest Bay. Only in this way can we better develop the economy here and make life better for all classes.”
Henry is a bit Asked with interest: "Unified market?"
"Yes!" Paul explained: "Now each territory is basically living a self-sufficient life. For example, I learned that Manda produces a lot of fruits, and if you can't eat them all, they will rot. And we Alda and Bayer Ding is rich in minerals and produces a lot of iron, but it can only digest it itself or export it to several neighboring territories. If a unified market is established, everyone will sell what they can't use to other places and exchange what they have. With both money and benefits, won’t everyone’s life get better?”
“Well, that’s true!” Henry became interested. He wanted to do something practical as soon as possible after taking office. While establishing his prestige, "How can we promote this [unified market]?"
Paul expressed his thoughts: "The first priority is of course building roads. I rushed all the way from Yuwei Town to Sensen. Especially, the condition of the roads along the way is really unsatisfactory. When it rains, it becomes muddy and impassable. This is still a prosperous area under the duke's rule. It is easy to imagine how the other territories can communicate with each other if they are so inconvenient."
< br> "The second is to reduce or even cancel the tariffs between the northwest territories. I did some research and found that there are more than fifty checkpoints in the northwest bay. A businessman traveling from Alda to Center, even if he chooses the shortest route. He will be exploited ten times. "
Paul touched a piece of paper on the table, "This paper is produced by us in Alda, but the money to buy a piece of paper in Center City can be bought in Lake Town. to ten points.”
"Lord of Light!" As a nobleman, Henry didn't care much about the prices of these daily necessities. He was very surprised after hearing this: "These businessmen are really unconscionable, a bunch of vampires."
"No, Duke Sir, you have wronged the merchants. They make no more money in Center than in Huxin Town because of miscellaneous expenses such as tolls, city entry taxes, and transportation fees. If they don't raise the price to this. "
Paul lamented: "The numerous checkpoints have paralyzed the commercial traffic in the northwest bay, which is tantamount to tying up each hand and foot of a person and preventing the blood from flowing to any hand or foot. It flows to their hands and feet. This is worse than bad weather."
Myron and Henry nodded together, "It sounds reasonable... But according to your wishes, reduce or even cancel the tariffs between the territories. , then the lords will lose a lot of income."
Paul retorted: "The reduced income can be made up from commercial taxes. The elimination of tariffs can attract more merchants to do business in the territory. There is no need to worry. Can’t collect taxes? The more things merchants sell, the more taxes they pay!”
"So I suggest," Paul said, "that we advocate the establishment of an organization."
Henry and Myron looked at each other and asked Paul: "What organization?"
"Customs Union!"
(End of Chapter)