Urban Sims

Chapter 623
Reward the kid with money?

shook his head.

No need, that kid holds 30% of the shares of the pharmaceutical production factory, and recently earned more than 300 million gold coins. He is a local tyrant and does not need money rewards.

beautiful?

Why don't you give a concubine or royal family daughter to be the kid's daughter-in-law, and use beautiful women to trap the kid?

King James had touched on this idea and consulted the kid's opinion, but he didn't expect that the kid was not interested. He said that he was still young, and his parents were not around, so he couldn't get their blessing, so he didn't want to get married yet.

"What does that kid mean...wish me to pardon his family?"

King James understood what Leylin meant, and he himself had this idea. In the recent court meeting, he even mentioned this issue many times, and got the support of a group of nobles, who all believed that the Leylin family should be pardoned... For the first time, King Jaime had some support for him at the court meeting.

but……

These voices are still too weak for the time being.

The three dukes controlled most of the power of the nobles. Under the joint opposition of the three dukes, King Jaime's pardon proposal still failed.

At least for now, it is not very realistic to pardon the Leylin family, unless the power of the "Royal Loyal Party" grows stronger.

There is no need to think about sending a beauty for the time being.

"The only thing we can do is give him an official position and title, and let him be promoted from a commoner to a nobleman." Roberts suggested.

King Jaime nodded and granted the title to the lord. This is where the king's power lies. Whether it is a duke, marquess, earl, viscount, or baron, the king can grant titles at all levels, unlike low-level nobles. Not to mention the restrictions, the conferring of higher-ranking titles still requires the permission of the upper-level nobles.

The king is not restricted, as long as the reason is justified, the king can grant almost unlimited titles.

"What title should be awarded to the boy? Earl or Viscount?"

King James asked, with that kid's merits, it is not an exaggeration to give a duke, 1000 million gold coins, if anyone can send so many gold coins to the royal family, it is really not an exaggeration to make him a duke.

"It's better to give him a viscount. The title given to him at once is too high. If he makes any contribution next time, what reward should the royal family give him?"

Roberts said that he had a vague premonition in his heart: With that kid's ability, he would not be limited to setting up a pharmaceutical production plant, he might also do other major things.

"Viscount?"

King James hesitated: "Isn't this reward a bit light... Is it a landed viscount or a landless viscount?"

A field viscount refers to a viscount with a fief, and a landless viscount naturally refers to a viscount without a fief...there is a big difference between the two.

"Except for the swamp in the south, there is land in the kingdom, so it can only be a landless viscount."

"This... the reward is too light, isn't it? I'm afraid someone will take advantage of this loophole and win that kid away!"

King James hesitated. He was usually a stingy person, but after being a king for so many years, he had basic political wisdom. If the reward was too light and the heroes were dissatisfied, someone would definitely take advantage of it.

"Then give him a bigger official position."

"What official position?"

"Treasurer of the Kingdom."

"The chief financial officer whose power is second only to the palace minister? If he is given such a high position, will he be able to do it?"

"I don't know, that kid told me that as long as he is given the position of treasurer, he can make the royal family never be short of money."

"What did that kid say?"

King Jaime's eyes widened in wonder.

It was a waste of time for him to feel emotionally. It turned out that the boy had already fixed his own reward for him, and even aimed at a high position - the chief financial officer.

Should this position be given to him?

"Let the royal family never be short of money. If he can really do this, the position of treasurer is not that he can't work for a few days..."

King James' mind became alive.

Moreover, he also felt that the current treasurer, Old Ford, was too old. Not only did he always say that the treasury had no money, but he often reached into the royal treasury and asked the king for money. Recently, he heard that the royal family had made a fortune. After a large sum of money, he opened his mouth and asked for 300 million gold coins, as if the royal family's money was blown by a strong wind.

Thinking of this, King James decided: let Old Ford be laid off first!
……

the next day.

Zhou Ming was called into the palace and attended today's court meeting.

At this meeting, King Jaime announced his reward: he was awarded the title of Viscount and encouraged him to make persistent efforts.

Many nobles expressed their support for this reward from the king and congratulated Zhou Ming.

Although the three dukes and their followers were somewhat critical, a landless viscount hadn't crossed the line in their hearts, so they didn't say anything.

Duke Rudolph was even moved in his heart: The king's reward is so light, the kid must be dissatisfied, doesn't he have a chance to take advantage of it?
After he decided to go back, he would send someone to send an invitation to talk to this kid again, say something bad about the king, and win him over... He estimated that he had a [-] to [-]% chance of success.

However, the two things the king announced next made Duke Rudolph's narrowed eyes suddenly widen, and the plans in his heart were swept away.

First of all, the king fired Lao Fude, the chief financial officer, on the grounds that the kingdom's finances have been in deficit for years, and there must be major problems.

Then it was announced that the new viscount, Viscount Lemorton Leylin, would be the new treasurer of the kingdom to reorganize the kingdom's finances and solve the increasingly severe financial problems.

Then, King Jaime squinted his eyes and began to watch the show.

Not bad!

King Jaime was going to give the kid a hard time... rewarding him for his calculations.

You must know that Old Ford, who has been the treasurer for more than 40 years (longer than King James), is not an easy person to provoke. He is even the second in the kingdom, except Duke Rudolph, who dares to take the king A person whose face is full of spittle.

Now that the king fired him and replaced him with a 17-year-old kid, how could Old Ford bear it?

Sure enough, less than two seconds after the king's appointment decision was announced, Old Ford exploded.

Like a raging male lion, he rushed to Zhou Ming in three steps at a time, raised the crutch in his hand, and was about to hit him.

"What?"

Zhou Ming grabbed the end of his crutch, with a puzzled look on his face: "Why did you beat someone?"

"It was you who hit!"

Old Ford's eyes were red, and his chest heaved violently: "I have worked hard for the kingdom for decades, tearing down the east wall and repairing the west wall, and finally maintained this kingdom. Without me, old Ford, this kingdom would have ended long ago!"

"What are you bastard boy? You just set up a factory and helped the king earn some money. Do you have as much contribution as me? Do you know how much effort I have put in? You bastard boy, I will kill you !"

Old Ford became more and more angry, dropped his crutches, waved his old fists, and beat Zhou Ming.

"Mr. Ford played well!"

Duke Rudolph applauded loudly, and even wanted to step forward to help, but also punched the kid twice.

Today's palace meeting suddenly became extremely chaotic, like a farce.

"enough!"

Zhou Ming roared and stopped the old Ford who lost his mind.

Pointing at him:

"Old Ford, I have appraised the value of various properties under your name. It is about 1000 million gold coins. Everyone knows that you are a famous miser. There are only four old servants in your family. Just 1800 gold coins, but may I ask, how did you get all kinds of treasures worth 800 million gold coins hidden in the cellar of your castle? The kingdom’s three frontier regiments, with more than 300 million shi of military rations each year, are mixed with hundreds of thousands of shi What about sand and sawdust? Don't let me say any more?"

He said to the old Ford whose face changed greatly: "When you go back, recruit a few more warriors to guard the house. There is not a single guard. I really think that others can't find where your treasure is hidden?"

Boom~
Hearing Zhou Ming's revelation, everyone was shocked and looked at Old Ford.

Old Ford, who claims to be the poorest of the nobles, the miser of the kingdom, and dedicated his life to the kingdom, is actually a big rat?

That's amazing, isn't it?

King James asked with an even more ugly face, "Ford, do you really have 800 million treasures hidden in your house?"

He felt unbelievable. For a long time, he didn’t believe any of the officials in the palace. He only believed in Lao Fu, and often rewarded him with some property and servants, asking him to improve his life. I was moved a few times... But I didn't expect that Old Ford had been acting all the time, and he had 800 million hidden in his home!
"No! Really not!"

Old Ford knelt down and pointed at Zhou Ming: "Your Majesty, this kid is wronging me!"

Zhou Ming clasped his hands and said, "Old Mr. Ford, it's better to retreat decently, don't force me to continue breaking the news."

He said to King James again: "Your Majesty, you don't need to track down old Mr. Ford anymore. The money he is greedy for is just small money. Don't worry too much about it. Tell him to retire in peace."

Everyone stared at King Jaime again, to see what decision he would make?
If the king is determined to investigate, he can send a team of soldiers to Old Ford's house, and he will get 800 million treasures.

If the king misses the old love and let the old Ford go, the old Ford who is over [-] years old can live his old age well.

King Jaime's face changed for a while.

Looking at the shivering old Ford who was kneeling on the ground repeatedly screaming for grievances, he was almost sure: what that boy Leylin said was true.

After thinking about it again, he waved his hand irritably: "You go!"

As if being pardoned, Lao Fude left the palace with the help of others.

Now everyone looked at Zhou Ming differently.

This includes King Jaime as well.

They all had a question in their minds: How did Leylin see through the old Earl Ford, and how did he get the news?

Of course Zhou Ming would not tell them, what are the characteristics of a miser?What is the psychology of corrupt officials?What is the daily behavior of a corrupt official pretending to be an honest official?These people don't understand these things in the field of behavioral psychology.

In short, after learning about the upper-level structure of the Yadude Kingdom and the personality traits of the main officials from the old fox, Zhou Ming decided at first sight: Old Ford is a big rat!

Then I took some time to go around Old Ford's house, and I found a pleasant surprise.

It just happened to come in handy today.

Get old Ford off stage.

but……

This does not mean that Zhou Ming will be able to secure the position of the Kingdom's chief financial officer.

The three dukes haven't nodded yet.

The three duke's henchmen, who accounted for most of the court officials, hadn't nodded yet.

The chief financial officer of the kingdom, how could he get such a crucial and important position?
In order to gain support, Zhou Ming said three more sentences:
"The day I take the position of chief financial officer, the salaries and salaries of all officials will double!"

Support rate increased to 50%.

"On the day I take the position of Chief Financial Officer, all tribute taxes that have to be paid by fiefdom nobles will be reduced by [-]%!"

Support rate increased to 80%.

"The day I take the position of Chief Financial Officer, the royal family's expenses will no longer be linked to the treasury, and no more gold coins will be withdrawn from the treasury!"

Support rate increased to 100%.

Now there is only one opponent left - King James who originally proposed to let Zhou Ming be the treasurer.

"No! Absolutely not, messing with my kingdom like this will mess things up!"

but……

The king's objection was ineffective, facing the strong support of all noble officials, 360-degree rolling support, and death-defying support... King James could only blush his old face, and looked at this project amidst the cheers of his officials. Appointment passed.

At this moment, King James really wants to kill people.

(End of this chapter)