Chapter 308： unify the market

The meeting for distributing the victory cake was over, and the lords left Center one after another. The winners were full of ambition and rushed back to receive the wealth and land they were about to get, while the losers were dejected, thinking about how to reduce their losses.

Many people just left without even bothering to say goodbye to the Duke's mansion. This shows how low the prestige of the new Duke Henry is, or because of this war, the prestige of the entire Ferdinand family in the Northwest Gulf will inevitably decline greatly. .

This is Henry's own business, and Paul does not intend to offer to help. Even in some respects, this situation is what Paul likes to see happen, and he doesn't want to confess another high-ranking master to restrain himself.

…

Hal Duke and his squire Arthur were leading the horse through Center Street.

"Unbelievable!" the attendant Arthur exclaimed: "There is no sign of a war that has just been experienced here. Are the soldiers in the Northwest Gulf all gentlemen? Sir, what do you think?"

"What do you think? Don't think of all the troops 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? It's too arrogant."

The young squire stuck out his tongue.

The two came to the gate of the Duke's mansion, and Sir Duke explained to the doorman his purpose.

"The deputy commander of the Watchmen Legion?"

The doorman looked at the name sticker and didn't dare to be negligent, but he said very apologetically, "My lord, the Duke has important guests to entertain, and it's inconvenient to see you now. Could you please choose another time to come?"

"Oh..." It seems that the new Duke is very busy, Duke is not surprised.

"Please be sure to tell the Duke that we have visited him."

"Sure, please rest assured."

Duke said his goodbyes and turned around, inadvertently seeing an acquaintance.

"Owen Schroeder? It's you old man!"

The visitor heard a familiar voice and took a closer look.

"Hal? How did you come to Center?"

Schroeder came up and had a bear hug with Duke, "Haha, I haven't seen each other for more than a year."

Duke also said with emotion: "Yes, it has been half a year since the last communication. Why are you here?"

Schroeder explained: "After I returned to my hometown, I served under Earl Greiman of Arda. My earl also participated in the war to overthrow the tyrant. Now I just finished talking with the lords about post-war affairs meeting, I haven't had time to go back yet."

"So that's how it is." Duke probably understood that the enthusiasm in his old friend's heart had not dissipated. When we parted, he kept saying that he would go back to the countryside.

"So..." Schroeder asked, "You are standing in front of the Duke's mansion for...?"

"Didn't the Northwest Duke ask you to change it..."

Schroeder immediately stretched out a finger in front of his mouth, "Shh-be careful."

Duke immediately changed his words: "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 Watchman Legion."

"Have you finished your visit?"

"Unfortunately, the Duke has a guest to see, and I don't have time to see me for now... Wait, you are also here at the Duke's mansion, you are not the important guest of the Duke, are you?"

"No, no!" Schroeder quickly waved his hand, "My lord duke saw my count, he has already gone in, and I came here just as a companion. Why don't you go in with me."

Duke was overjoyed: "If it is possible, then I will trouble you!"

So the two came to the gate with their attendant Arthur. The doorman recognized Schroeder and bowed to salute. Seeing the intimacy between Duke and Schroeder, you can tell that the relationship between the two is good, and they will no longer stop them.

In the hall of the Duke's Mansion, Paul was selling his plan to Mellon and Henry.

"We should establish a unified market in the Northwest Gulf. Only in this way can we better develop the economy here and make life better for all classes."

Henry asked with a little interest: "Unified market?"

"Yes!" Paul explained: "Right now, all the territories are basically living a self-sufficient life. For example, I learned that Manda produces a lot of fruits, and if they can't eat them all, they will just rot. And we Arda and Bayer Ding is rich in minerals and produces a lot of iron, which can only be digested by himself or exported to several neighboring territories. If a unified market is established, everyone will sell their inexhaustible things to other places and exchange what they need. With both money and benefits, won’t everyone’s life be better?”

"Well, that's true!" Henry became interested. The new official took office three times. He wanted to do some practical things as soon as possible to establish his prestige. "How to promote this [unified market]?"

Paul expressed his thoughts: "Of course, the first priority is to build roads. I rushed all the way from Fishtail Town to Center. The road conditions along the way are really unsatisfactory. When it rains, it becomes muddy and impassable. This is still under the rule of the Duke. One can imagine the other territories in the prosperous area. The transportation is so inconvenient, how can we communicate with each other.”

"The second is to reduce or even cancel the tariffs between the Northwest Territories. I investigated and found that there are more than 50 checkpoints in the Northwest Gulf. A businessman who sets off from Arda to Center will be banned even if he chooses the shortest route." Exploit ten times."

Paul touched a piece of paper on the table, "This piece of paper is produced by us in Alda But the price of one piece of paper in Center City can buy ten copies in Huxin Town."

"Lord of Light!" As a nobleman, Henry didn't care much about the prices of these daily necessities, and was very surprised after hearing this: "These businessmen really have no conscience, a bunch of vampires."

"No, my lord duke, you have wronged the merchants. They don't make more money in Center than in Huxin Town. Because of the miscellaneous expenses such as tolls, city entry taxes and transportation costs along the way, if they don't pay If the price is raised to this level, you will lose money."

Paul was heartbroken: "The numerous checkpoints have paralyzed the commercial traffic in the Northwest Gulf, which is tantamount to binding each of a person's hands and feet tightly, preventing the blood from any hand and foot from flowing to his hands and feet. This is more terrible than bad weather. .”

McLone and Henry nodded together, "Sounds reasonable...but according to what you mean, if you reduce or even cancel the tariffs between the lords, then the lords will lose a lot of income."

Paul retorted: "The reduced income can be made up from commercial taxes. The abolition of tariffs can attract more merchants to do business in the territory. Don't you worry about not being able to collect taxes? The more merchants sell, the more taxes they pay. A lot!"

"So I propose," Paul said of his intentions, "that we advocate for an organization together."

Henry and McLone looked at each other and asked Paul together, "What organization?"

"Customs Union!"