Blood tax

Chapter 412 We are a little bit rotten, but Byyelan is rotten!
The hopeless meeting lasted from morning to noon, and finally, the representatives of the three meetings broke up with a full stomach and did not eat lunch.As they left the venue, the disappointed citizen representatives shouted in unison in the direction of the throne:
"Reorganize the parliament!"

"Establish the Broadest National Assembly!"

Speaker Mas de Ayme asked the representatives of the citizens to leave. His Majesty Aurelius watched everyone with a gentle smile without making any statement.The unwilling citizen representatives jumped at the exit of the palace and shouted:
“We will be back!”

……

The all-important winter meeting seems to have fizzled out after the first morning.The Senate and the Arcane Council do not want to discuss with ordinary people in industry and commerce, and the next meeting will organize their own proposals.

"The merchants will not rest," Lana said, taking Fiona by the hand, leading her down the long steps of the palace, "but, with the army in the hands of the king and the senate, what will happen next is nothing more than the year 1 A repeat of that month."

"It's better to be careful," Griffith, who has been receiving hints and hints these days, hastily reminded everyone, "Your Majesty hasn't made a statement yet. He is the commander (Imperator) and controls the government. Even without the support of the Senate, he can pass Administrative measures support business owners. The imperial meeting held in the afternoon may let us know the attitude of the royal family."

"Your Majesty is about to fall asleep!" Fiona stood by Lana's side and said something disrespectful, "Even the king has no choice, fighting against the elders will cause a civil war, that's what madmen do. Well, at least this king doesn't."

……

His Majesty Aurelius seems to have other matters to deal with, and the prince will preside over the imperial meeting in the afternoon.Before Griffith and Sonia came to the door of the conference hall, they heard a familiar voice from afar.

"If you can stop arguing and restricting each other, stop arguing and fighting each other for self-interest, even if it is only for a week, our career will be completely different.

"The legions and Extraordinary on the front line are plagued by manpower shortages and insufficient supplies every day, but the navy has occupied 10,000+ manpower all year round. In 1427, this force was only 3, and by 1441 it had expanded to 15. But the battleship The amount of inventory has only doubled. Such a huge redundancy of manpower is either tied up in the port or on an incomprehensible number of transport ships. Even the Ministry of the Navy still has enough power to form four Marine Corps to participate in ground battles. You must know that the field and garrison regiments on the front line are not fully staffed most of the time, and the defense line is riddled with holes. With so many rich manpower, why not replenish them to the front line?
"The vast majority of Beyonders are under the jurisdiction of the Arcane Council and the military, and tens of thousands of Extraordinary potions are traded and circulated every year. Even if the elderly, children, and women who are not suitable for combat are deducted, we still have at least a few Thousands of Beyonders. But why are the Beyonder teams in various regions still overwhelmed?"

Many cabinet officials, nobles, generals, and senators who were present gathered around, listening to the prince's words in silence.

Prince Commodus said while patting the table with a quill:

"When I was on the front line, there was not a day when the troops did not apply for armor and artillery. The army of Atana's general attack was even equipped with bronze armor that had been eliminated long ago. The warehouses in various places were emptied, and the needs of the Eastern Legion could not be guaranteed. The situation of insufficient equipment never seems to get better. You see, the production capacity of the military industry in the summer and autumn of this year has continued to decrease, and the investment in civilian use has actually increased. Holy Light, September and October are the critical stages of the Battle of Odessa. The legion of the army can't get the new artillery!"

"Your Highness, we are working hard to improve these problems," said an official. "In just the past three years, the Senate has quadrupled its investment in weapons procurement. Despite the enormous financial pressure, we still... "

"Wait a minute!" the prince interrupted the official who spoke, "Since the investment has quadrupled. The money has been spent, what about the weapons? It stands to reason that the Bayeran army should be able to gather several times more troops than it did three years ago." right!"

The prince's voice became louder and louder, completely refusing to show mercy to the big shots attending the meeting.

Griffith could only wait on the distant sofa with Sonia to wait for the debate to end.The countess listened for a while, pulled her knight's arm, and whispered in his ear: "I understand that the expansion of investment in a short period of time will cause material squeeze. It takes a long time for orders and materials to enter production."

Griffith thought for a while: "Sonia, do you know the Vernal Equinox on the Broken Sea?"

"That magical fast boat?" The Countess nodded repeatedly, "I have seen it, and I plan to take her to the south for vacation. She is many times larger than other sea ships, and much faster. The new metal pipes and components promoted by Earl Roland It makes the cabin more tidy and comfortable, no less than the Feiye.”

"It's true, the last time I was in Neopolis I rode the Equinox and it was impressive," Griffiths said. separated from each other, extending from the bottom of the boat to the living quarters."

"Hmm~" Sonia's blue eyes sparkled, "Let's go to the south! We'll be at sea for a week, and we'll pass by those beautiful islands, I want to go!"

"The fish there are all preserved in ice, transported from the mountains in the south, and stored in the cellar," Griffith naturally skipped the travel plan, "Sonia, look, such a rich It stands to reason that there shouldn’t be a shortage of equipment on the front line.”

"You're talking about this~" The countess thought for a while, her eyes became serious, "You mean that the funds and materials were not fully invested in the war, but were scattered to other fields."

Griffith nodded slightly, and put forward his own idea: "The investment in military industry is a lot of money. Such a huge order investment is definitely not something that the original suppliers and production system can handle. They need to subcontract two or three times to make different The products and links are handed over to other people. The expansion of investment scale leads to a huge loss of funds in the production link. Of course, everyone also earns money.

"If there is no prosperous private market and no profit, how can businessmen who invest in the south need comfortable sea boats, and they can make do without ice when eating raw fish.

"As long as there is money, even if the front line lacks equipment, there will still be countless people who will use steel and transport capacity to meet the needs of the rear."

The two chatted in low voices.On the other side of the meeting room, Prince Commodus' tone became more and more severe:

"This morning, you demanded taxation, taxation on seaborne trade everywhere, a new grain bill, and trade protection. My father looked at you, and my heart was about to break. The great Bayeran has become what it is today, and I It's heartbreaking.

"I can't share my father's worries, I am ashamed of the Seven Gods, I am guilty of all the people, I can't wait to dethrone myself!
"And you, one mouthful of 'Mein Fuhrer', all standing on the dry shore, are you so clean? I know, leaving this conference room, some of you will run to the pillars of the Empty Kingdom!

"Let me advise you all to turn out your heart, lungs and intestines, wash them, dry them in the sun, and tidy them up! I am now more and more aware that Bai Yelan's heart trouble is not outside, but in this Sanssouci Palace! Among you adults.

"Didn't the Admiralty's report say that I didn't know that you used the Navy's people and ships to smuggle? The Senate approved the Tariff and Grain Bill, and your lords can't find a way to send your cargo to the ends of the world." ?
"Which of you senators, earls, scholars, and generals in Bayeran doesn't want to earn the last centimetre?
"If we are a bit rotten, Bayeran is rotten! If you are all rotten, the whole world will rise up and let us die without a place to die! Just think about it, you will drive those gentry and factory owners from the provinces to rebel Oh, it’s only been ten years since the late king Hadrian died in battle on the steps of the throne, forget it!

"Bayelan's disease cannot be solved by taxing someone today and robbing a few rich men tomorrow. As future kings, I ask all the adults to think about the future of this great kingdom.

"This is the historical responsibility of me and everyone."

(End of this chapter)