Wolf King

Chapter 141 If you don't pay taxes, you can talk about anything!

Valentine, the second largest city in the Kingdom of Cronin, is the largest of the three ice-free ports in the north of the Southern Continent, with a permanent population of nearly one million, and the floating population cannot be estimated.

Since it is the largest northern port in the Southern Continent, the scale of the wharf is naturally extremely shocking - when Xiao Yun standing on the deck saw the coastline rising beyond the sea level, the first thing he saw was ships of all sizes that could not be seen at a glance.

"As expected of a natural deep-water port, isn't this port bigger than Yangshan Wharf?" After being shocked, Xiao Yun sighed... Dozens of ships can barely berth at Elven Port, and the coast of this place has a concave shape. The extensive deep water area is covered, and the pier can be repaired on both sides, and it is easy to handle thousands of ships of all sizes.

"Mr. Ayun, that's the dedicated pier for the Lamia Merchant Group." An official from the Transport Department of the Adventurers Association pointed to the west with envy.

"A lot of ships, such a big ship?!" Xiao Yun looked in the direction the person pointed, and was startled at the time—it's not that he hasn't seen a bigger ship, it's just that the shipbuilding technology tree in this world is not so good. However; the tonnage of the main ship of the Carlisle fleet is only more than 500 tons, and the displacement is about [-] tons. The main ship of the Transport Department of the Adventurer's Association is half the size of others. How many.

And compared with the main ship of Carlisle, who can be regarded as the little overlord of the inland sea, the ship of the Lamia merchant group can be called a giant - the difference between Yao Ming and Pan Changjiang can be seen with the naked eye!

"That's the fleet going to the Far East Continent and Bradrick Continent." The officials of the Ministry of Transportation said enviously, "Only Cronin can build such a large ship in the Bloomfield Continent, and they refuse to sell it. Ours Ships cannot cross the sea, and trade with Bradrick can only rely on airships, and sometimes they have to rent cargo from Lamia."

Xiao Yun nodded to express his understanding. The Inner Sea and Offshore Adventurers Association can still get some soup, but the Far Sea Association can only watch people eat meat. No wonder the Ministry of Transport has no status in the Adventurers Association... Cough cough.

As the strongest non-governmental organization, the Adventurer's Association also has its own pier in Valentine, but compared to the dedicated pier of the Lamia Merchant Group that I just saw, this place is very small... It's still the same as The public wharf is next to each other, and the wharf of the Lamia Merchant Group, which occupies a large area, is almost heaven and earth.

The snow wolves rented 600% of the transportation volume of five ships from the transportation department. The main ship and two small boats transported more than [-] tons of goods in total. The transportation department also kindly let the snow wolves borrow their warehouses for free; With the hard work and sweat of the adventurers, it took two days to move the goods to the warehouse for registration, and get the warehouse key from the transportation department. The next thing to do is to sell these goods.

This batch of goods mainly consist of vermicelli vermicelli, wool, vinegar, sealed canned non-staple food and other commodities in the low-end market. The Adventurer’s Association doesn’t have that many people to make money in the low-end market, otherwise Xiao Yun would have sold them to them directly. ...

"Mr. Ayun, do you need to contact some local businessmen for you?"

In the two-story self-built small building lent by the Ministry of Transport to the Snow Wolf Clan to temporarily live in, Margaret, an official who had already gotten to know Xiao Yun very well, came to inquire graciously after handing over supplies within the association.

"Thank you, Ms. Margaret, Mr. Sean has already gone to help us find a buyer." Xiao Yun was baking wheat cakes on the coal stove in the room, and after asking someone to sit down, he skillfully baked them until they were charred on the outside and tender on the inside. The middle of the wheat cake was broken, and a spoonful of spicy rabbit diced with bones was stuffed in and handed to the other party.

Margaret is a human female around 50 years old. The long-term travel life has blown her face full of wind and frost. She looks a little old, but she is very energetic and has an easy-going personality.

"It would be much easier if Mr. Xiao En came forward, and the city hall would give some preferential treatment." Margaret smiled.

Xiao Yun also laughed...without explaining.He didn't even want to pay the tax of the dark elves, so it would be a ghost if he was willing to pay the money to Valentine's City Hall.

There were two patriarchs and two human adventurer heads in the same room. Both patriarchs were devoting themselves to eating scones and bunny buns. The two human heads exchanged a knowing glance and silently lowered their eyes.

Anyway, they haven't seen anyone succeed in tax evasion in Valentine, but if it's Ayun from the snow wolf tribe...it's really hard to say.

Margaret ate a meal of cakes, and when she left, she took away a two-pound can of cold rabbit.After dismissing the official from the Ministry of Transport, Xiao Yun turned to look at the two regiment leaders, put away his smile, and said solemnly, "Let's talk about Valentine's underground forces."

As long as he doesn't smile, Isaac and Hannah's tense spirits will relax a lot. Immediately you talk to each other and tell them what they know.

After about half an hour.

"It seems that Valentine's water is very deep..." Xiao Yun stroked his chin and narrowed his eyes slightly, "The labor union in the lower city, the Brotherhood of Thieves, and the Red Carmen, if you want to recruit people locally, you can't get around these three local snakes— —What if you give up recruiting in the city and go directly to the surrounding towns and villages?"

"Uh..." Isaac hesitated to speak.

"It's okay, just tell me." Xiao Yun said.

"Valentin is a city of 'freedom'. As long as you abide by certain rules in this city, foreigners can avoid a lot of trouble. But if you go out of the city...Mr. Ayun, I think we'd better not do this Do it." Isaac said tactfully.

"How to say?" Xiao Yun asked strangely, "Don't worry, we are the only ones here."

Isaac hesitated for a moment, and said with a wry smile: "Mr. Ayun, the Southern Continent is not a grassland. If you don't care about the risks in the wild, you can go anywhere... Especially in the Cronin Kingdom, every inch of land here has an owner. The nobles According to the rules, the ... 'ownerless slaves' who enter their territory belong to them."

"..." Xiao Yun understood these words, and the corners of his mouth began to twitch, "Wait, what do you mean...?"

"Cronin's law stipulates that if a foreign race enters a certain noble's territory and there is no master by his side, the noble can decide on his own where the foreign race belongs." Isaac's wry smile deepened.

The grassroots patriarch hadn't understood yet, and the Li patriarch who understood was dumbfounded.

"How could there be such a nonsense rule? Then they also want to arrest foreign adventurers who pass through the territories of these nobles?" Xiao Yundan shattered to the ground.

"Hired alien adventurers and adventurers with teams are not included." Isaac wiped his sweat, "Just pay twice the toll of human adventurers."

"...I kind of understand why there is such an awesome natural deep-water port, but the economy of this place still can't grow." Xiao Yun stared at the fishy eyes, and developed and progressed like this. What a fart this port brings The dividends will not benefit the general public at all, let alone radiate to the surrounding areas of Fuze.

Hannah interjected sympathetically: "I'm also from Cronin, and today's regulations are the result of the hard work of this generation of royal family. I heard from my grandfather that when he was young, he didn't even allow local adventurers to leave. able to work locally.”

This point is not difficult for Xiao Yun to understand. The most common laziness of the feudal regime is reflected in this virtue. If it is difficult to manage the floating population, then simply prohibit the population flow. Of course, how convenient it is.

Considering that when Sean left, he specifically told the Snowwolves not to leave Valentine. It can be seen that Cronin, the human kingdom, is so closed and exclusive that there is no way to explain it. "In this way, we can only recruit workers in urban areas..." Xiao Yun frowned. To be honest, his recruitment target is focused on rural areas. It's not that the old fritters in urban areas cannot be used, but that it takes more time and cost to train them. .

But if he insisted on going to the countryside, he would probably waste more time fighting with the local nobles... It seemed even more uneconomical!

"Forget it, let's recruit from the urban area. Anyway, we only need a few hundred people, and if there is any bleeding, it will bleed." Xiao Yun made a decision by patting his thigh. It's over...

Valentine in this season is not as lively as it is in winter. The adventurers who come here every year for the winter are either fighting in the Far Eastern Continent, or in the Western Continent or the underground world. The number of people on the streets has decreased by at least one-third.

In Shangcheng District, in the neighborhood where rich and noble families live together, among the luxurious mansions, the City Lord's Mansion looks rather unattractive.

"Look who is here... Oh, Sean, you are a rare visitor, old friend, what wind brought you here as Valentine?" Step into the living room and open your arms to the guests.

"Didn't I come here two years ago, Philip." Sean stood up, smiled and hugged Philip, "This is... Laura? It's been a while since I last met, and she has grown into a big girl."

Lola, the granddaughter of Lord Philip, held up her skirt to salute with a smile, and then rushed forward and hugged Sean's waist: "Sean, when will you accept me as a disciple?"

"Of course it's time for our little Laura to stop jumping up and hugging young men." Xiao En patted the little girl's head with a smile.

"Lola, be more ladylike." Philip half blamed, half loved.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Philip asked the housekeeper to take Laura out, and when the door of the living room was closed, the old castellan didn't hide his emotions anymore, and asked with concern, "Sean, have you decided to 'come back'?"

Sean suppressed his smile and shook his head slowly: "You know me, Philip, I never change my decision."

Philip sighed in disappointment: "Sean, he really needs you—"

"Looking at our 30-year friendship, please don't mention people who will make us unhappy, okay." Sean said calmly.

Philip nodded regretfully, and changed the subject: "How long do you plan to stay in Valentine this time? If you don't mind, please stay. We should also cherish the time and catch up on the old days."

Sean was silent for a while, and said softly: "Among the young heroes I know, you have always been the most dazzling one, Philip, and it will be the same 30 years ago and 30 years later."

Philip couldn't help laughing: "You're not the kind of person who would praise others like that, Sean, don't say that you're sympathizing with my old age."

Sean shook his head and said: "No, I'm serious, Philip. Valentine 30 years ago was just a small city with no characteristics. It was you who made this city the second largest city in Cronin. You established Starting from a free trade dock and port, you have shouldered the pressure and made Valentin the only free city in Cronin. This achievement is beyond my reach, even if I can live more years than you can not complete."

Philip showed a proud smile from the bottom of his heart, and he couldn't even control his wrists—how many people in Bloomfield could do that to make "End of Illusion" Sean speak so highly of a person?

"Do you know Carlisle Harvey Ferdinand, the disciple of the sage Xavier?" Sean suddenly changed his subject.

"Oh, this year, no one has been more impressive than this Prince of Carlisle. For this prince, the noble council and the military have issued tax increases to Valentine three times within half a year. The wording, if I wasn't the owner of Valentine, I would have thought that [-]% of Valentine's income fell into my pocket." Philip got angry when he heard this, made an exaggerated gesture, and his tone was not without irony Truly, "It is said that the military needs to recruit [-] troops for food and grass this year. It's ridiculous. Is Cronin the only one who sends troops in the entire Federation? Or is it that we, Cronin, are so generous that we cover all the consumption of the entire Federation's expedition Is it down?"

Sean seemed to see the young Viscount Philip again, and couldn't help laughing: "You are not in control of Valentine's finances alone, and it's over with the Lamia Chamber of Commerce, or you can't help arguing with the noble council. Woke up?"

"Anyway, I've always been considered by the council as not aristocratic. Now that I'm at this age, it's nothing to be ridiculed again." Philip snorted angrily.

"The little-known Carlisle Harvey Ferdinand three years ago has disturbed Cronin's parliament and the military three years later. What do you think of this disciple of the sage Xavier, Philip? ?” Sean smiled and brought the topic back.

Philip thought for a while before saying: "I've heard about the series of measures he took in St. Bridges. If the Ferdinand family can be stronger...I think his future is limitless."

"Yes, St. Bridge's stage is too small, there is no room for this prince to display his talents." Xiao En nodded, and said, "However, what if His Royal Highness can unite the six southern countries?"

"In that case, I will only be able to remove my position as the Lord of Valentine. I can't stand the extortion from both sides of the parliament and the military. It's impossible for those guys to let go of such a good opportunity to make a fortune." Philip groaned again. , "Why did you specifically talk about this, Sean? The Federation won't give that Ferdinand kid a chance to develop, let alone he's just a prince, he doesn't have the time."

"It only took Carlisle three years to overthrow his eldest brother and gather nearly half of the nobles in the country to join him and gain the support of the people." Sean said calmly, "If he can transition smoothly from prince to king within this year, then maybe the federal army While still on the road, the other southern states have negotiated treaties with the prince."

"How is this possible? I remember that the king of St. Bridge is two years younger than me, right? Could it be that this prince is extremely... daring...?" Philip asked suspiciously.

Sean shook his head slowly: "This prince worshiped another teacher after Xavier. This teacher guided Carlisle from being an unknown second prince to where he is today in three years, and... taught him How to smoothly take over the throne without killing the father."

Philip stood up abruptly, too surprised to speak.

Sean smiled wryly: "I, like you, thought that Carlisle's achievements came from Xavier's teachings before I knew it... But think about it carefully, Xavier has accepted so many royal disciples, who can be as sharp as Carlisle?" ?”

Philip sat back slowly... Although Xiao En expressed it very tactfully, he also understood the meaning of this old friend, and sighed after a long silence: "It seems that I should go back to my hometown to retire... I can't wait until others get impatient with me." Only after sitting in this position can one become wise and interesting.”

Sean came here to remind Philip of this matter. Philip, who has a stubborn personality, has always been at odds with the noble council. If the two sides are torn apart, Philip will not be able to step down smoothly.Seeing that he could figure it out without persuading him himself, Xiao En was relieved, and turned to say: "Even so, you still can't relax. The original fiefdom of your family has been taken, right? You have to plan for future generations." One or two, Laura cannot marry without a dowry."

"Of course I know, Sean, but my son is really incompetent—I was too negligent in teaching him back then." Philip sighed long, and instantly looked as if he had aged several years.

Xiao En persuaded with a smile: "If you want to compare your son with yourself, he must be stupid in your opinion, but compared with other noble children, he is much more decent. Besides, Varen Ding has been turned into a big piece of fat by you, and anyone who sees it will be jealous, but the Bolton territory next door is impoverished, if you use the transfer of Valentine as a bargaining chip to ask for the Bolton territory, the noble council will not refuse."

"Bolton Territory?" Philip looked puzzled. Sean is also from Cronin, so he should know how bad Bolton Territory is - the only city is dilapidated, and several towns are so poor that even the local nobles live for a year. Can't afford a few sets of decent clothes.

Sean smiled mysteriously. This is his real purpose of coming here... Philip, who is dedicated to being a pioneer of the king and is disliked by the council, has not saved much money. He has to do something for his friends.

Xiao En, who has no good face to outsiders, is unforgiving, and even a little bit mean, is actually a very emotional person... If he hadn't moved to help an old friend, he would not have been able to wipe off his skin so quickly Admitting respect (kneeling) and admiration (licking) to Xiao Yun.

Xiao Yun's attitude towards Xiao En's careful thought was very clear: If you don't pay taxes, you can say anything!

When Sean sold Amway to Lord Philip... a group of adventurers & snow werewolves were rushing to the lower city with a rickshaw.

The city of Valentine is five or six kilometers away from the port. Because the road surface (compared to the road works in the tribe) is rotten, Xiao Yun turned the three cubs who couldn't rest into pack loads, and returned Since he didn't enter the lower city, he received a lot of attention...

"My God, such a big wolf?"

"God, is this a monster?!"

The residents of Valentine cannot be said to be ignorant, but most of them probably saw live snow wolves for the first time in their lives. The citizens who came in and out of the city on the dirt road in the process were all scared and shrank to the side of the road. , When others are far away, I can't help stretching my neck to look...

"Mr. Ayun, this is really amazing..." Isaac wiped off his sweat, trotted a few steps to catch up with Xiao Yun, and persuaded him tactfully.

"It's okay, Liberty City, whatever you want." Xiao Yun said indifferently, "We Snowwolves are not the only ones who can transform among orcs, so there's nothing to make a fuss about."

Isaac: "Uh..." People can change, but they won't parade in such an exaggerated way!

The three cubs didn't feel that they were being treated as aliens at all. They stuck out their tongues and looked around curiously while walking.

Lizi: "There are so many people, Sal, Sal, look, there are so many weak people like you!"

Thrall in the crowd: "..."

Several adventurers who followed: "..."

"Sar, isn't your hometown here? Do you have any relatives?" Moore excitedly.

"Speak, Sal!" Sunshine couldn't wait, and stretched out his tongue to lick Sal.

Thrall was startled, and hurriedly moved aside, dumbfounding: "My hometown is not here, and there are no relatives here."

"Are your relatives as weak as you?" Sunshine asked.

Thrall: "..."

The few adventurers who followed silently moved away from Thrall... If at first they were envious and jealous because this guy didn't need to train, then now they are quite sympathetic.

The closer to the downtown area, the more people on both sides of the dirt road (Xiao Yun would never admit that this kind of road ten times worse than the country road is a decent road) are dumbfounded, or stop and look around; After seeing the three huge snow wolves, the driver of the carriage slid and drove the carriage to the wild field beside the road...

"It's too careless!" Xiao Yun frowned, looked at the overturned carriage, and nodded to the grassroots patriarch.

The grassroots patriarch with a very helpful spirit immediately left the team and jumped off the embankment, stretched out his arms, exhaled and said "drink", turned the double carriage that weighed at least [-] kilograms, and put it on the right side. The two horses helped them up; they brought back the driver who fell dizzy and put him firmly on the side of the carriage, and then clapped his hands and returned to the team.

Passers-by on both sides of the road: "..."

Adventurers in the team: "..."

The coachman came back to his senses and realized that by the time he thanked them, the snow wolves had already left...

city ​​gate.

A whole team of more than a dozen defenders ran out, waiting for the snow wolf team to approach wherever they were going, as if they were facing a big enemy.

"How much is the entrance fee?" Xiao Yun turned to look at Isaac.

"People don't have to pay, but goods have to pay taxes, one silver coin per cart." Isaac's nerves were numb, and he said sternly.

"It's really expensive..." Xiao Yun took out the money with a displeased expression on his face.

Seeing his actions, the defenders who almost pulled out their weapons breathed a sigh of relief... If they were willing to pay the money, they were going to the city to do business seriously, and they didn't have to bite the bullet and feed the wolves.

"Wait!" Xiao Yun paused in taking out money.

The soldiers defending the city who had just breathed a sigh of relief became nervous again, and a few recruits couldn't help sneaking behind the veterans.

"The goods are paid for by car, so you don't have to pay for the things you carry, right?" Xiao Yun looked at the most expensive-looking armor among the group of city gate soldiers with piercing eyes.

"...No need." The city gate official said firmly.

"We belong to the Snow Wolf Clan, and the three carrying goods are the cubs of our Clan. According to your rules, you don't need to pay for the goods on them, right?" The cub pointed.

City Gate Officer: "..."

City guard soldier: "..."