Tax collection is an ancient skill.

In different eras, ancient and modern times, how to collect taxes smoothly has always been a major concern for all masters.

The nature of taxation varies in different countries.

But in the feudal period, the essence of taxation was very simple.

Vulnerable groups pay protection fees to violent groups,

Violent groups perform protection functions, as well as little management functions.

This is an exchange of interests, but the "exchange" between the two parties is extremely unequal in some aspects.

It is precisely because of extreme asymmetry that the tax collection of vulnerable groups with normal minds (leaders) against violent groups (nobles/priests) is naturally resistant.

‘Bah! Why should I hand over the food and money I have earned to the master in the castle?’

‘It’s not because there are soldiers holding daggers standing beside the tax collector!’

People have subjective initiative.

When a person doesn't want to give money, he will rack his brains to try to hold his wallet tightly.

However, if you reverse your thinking.

People have subjective initiative.

When a person is eager to spend money, no one can stop him from throwing coins.

How to achieve it?

Is fraud? Brainwashing?

No, no, that's too low.

True and reasonable exchange of interests is enough.

Compared to confrontation,

Cooperation will always have longer-term benefits.

......

In the study, ten candles burned luxuriously, providing sufficient lighting for the lord and the butler.

Chuyang sat behind the desk and was reading a thick book.

Li Jiashu took a look and the title was "A Brief Biography of Family Glory in the Territories of the Kingdom".

The housekeeper stood aside, with a bitter face and holding a bundle of parchment (account book).

Seeing that the devil messenger finally arrived late, the butler spoke first without waiting for the lord to look up.

"Ah, my messenger, you are finally here." The butler Ator nodded and bowed, brought a chair to the desk, and asked Li Jiashu to sit down.

Chu Yang put the bookmarks together, closed the thick book, looked at the devil, nodded and said, "Thank you for your hard work today, Lord Li."

"Well, it's not that I'm asking you for something, but that Ator feels he needs to talk to you."

Chuyang pointed to the butler and handed the devil a cup of honey water.

The boy is very smart and knows that when encountering troubles, the devil will say a lot, conduct some analysis, and make decisions for himself.

Probably, honey is needed to moisten your throat.

"Oh, Ator is looking for me, what's the matter?" Li Jiashu took off his mask, crossed his legs, took the teacup, and asked comfortably.

A "embarrassing and polite" smile was forced to be squeezed out on the butler's bitter face.

"Sir, this is true. Our master fully supports you in the reconstruction of the castle, and you also see it."

"Um."

"But our territory is not rich. When the former lord was alive, he was too lazy to increase the new taxes, and he also spent a lot of money to buy rare ores in the land of the kingdom..."

"Hurry up and talk less nonsense."

"Sir! The expenses of our castle have soared, the bank treasury is almost empty, and the grain storage is in danger!" The housekeeper was shocked and said loudly.

"Oh, so?" Li Jiashu took a sip of honey water.

The housekeeper looked at the expressionless young lord, and then at the devil who was drinking tea with pleasure.

Gripping his teeth, he gently patted the parchment paper on his hand on the table.

"Sir! Master! We have to increase our new taxes!"

"Otherwise we will have no money and food!"

Li Jiashu sighed slightly.

It's only been three days, and I'm almost out of money and food?

Chuyang, Chuyang, it should mean that your territory is too poor.

Or is your father obsessed with alchemy and was too lazy to even plunder the people’s fat and ointment?

Infrastructure has not yet been completed and production activities have not yet accelerated. The healthy development of internal and external dual circulation cannot be started for the time being.

The first step in strategy was when crisis came to knock on the door.

What should I do when a feudal lord is here?

Taxes are required.

But just collected taxes for this quarter last month?

New taxes will be increased.

The average feudal lord would probably think so.

But Li Jiashu was not a feudal lord, so he had other ideas.

The so-called crisis,

Danger and opportunity coexist.

"Well, Ator, you can continue talking first." The devil crossed his legs and signaled the butler to continue his performance.

The middle-aged butler with a small black beard took a piece of parchment from the table and pointed at it and said, "The grain must be collected, and the money must be collected."

"Mr. Envoy, we spent a lot of money to buy back the slaves, and it was another money to buy all kinds of equipment from the craftsmen. Oh, like today, you ordered 300 pounds of wood ash and 50 pounds of broken pottery from the stonemasons in the city. Those greedy stonemasons actually asked for 1 gold coin and 15 silver coin. It was really against them! Uh..."

The devil glared at the butler, and a trace of flame spurted out from his nose.

"Atol, large quantities of wood ash and crushed ceratops, the castle cannot be produced efficiently here. Only the stonemasons in the town know how to organize their hands and quickly and efficiently produce these civil materials."

"My construction team has limited energy, so it takes up all day to learn how to lay foundations and process wood and make structural parts. It is impossible to take care of other building materials alone by castles. It is necessary to rely on the production of other leaders in Gus City."

"If we don't give money, or give less money, the stonemasons in the city will definitely be passive and delay delivery, and then our construction period will be delayed."

"What can you do if the stonemasons are unhappy? Kill one or two people to shock?"

"With them, the supply of raw materials cannot be raised, and the project cannot be advanced."

Chuyang listened on the side, looked at the butler, and blinked.

"And, money is not saved, it is earned!" Li Jiashu snapped his fingers, "Those copper plates, silver coins, and gold, you don't need to pile them in the warehouse. Will you make money by yourself?"

Well, in this low-demon feudal world, the banking industry has not yet developed due to environmental factors, so there is no evil magic to make money for the time being.

"Yes, yes, sir, you are right." The housekeeper laughed dryly, and then continued to preach: "As for food, there was an increase of 83 at once. Oh, no, 82 mouths..."

"Sir, you insist on adding eggs, parsley and ginger to their three meals. It takes time to plant and harvest the manor, but the stock of wheat flour and vegetables in the warehouse will probably not last three weeks."

The butler said in a slight complaining tone.

At the same time, Chu Yang pinched a small piece of cheese from the silver plate on the table, dipped it in honey, and threw it into his mouth.

Chew~chew~chew~chew~

"So, Ator, what do you suggest Chuyang do? And the purpose of calling me?" Li Jiashu also took a small piece of cheese and enjoyed it with honey.

The butler looked at the master and the devil with helpless look on his face.

"We just collected the poll and agricultural tax for the quarter last month. The next time we collect it will take two months. We will have to temporarily increase the number of new taxes."

The housekeeper explained a few more words, which roughly means,

If the castle wants to temporarily increase new taxes,

must,

I have to ask people from all walks of life in Gus City to come to the castle to talk to the lord.

Tax collection is a complicated thing.

Especially the new tax on increasing income, it cannot be collected by the lord and the lord slapped his head and said it would be collected.

Don't deal with those things,

Wouldn’t the people below just evade taxes and resist taxes, making it extremely difficult for tax collectors to start their work?

With soldiers and swords, you can collect some taxes, but the effect is definitely not good.
To be continued...