Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party that Traveled to Another World
Chapter 23 Financial Crisis
"Your Majesty, this is the expenditure and tax situation for this quarter." Director Ford, who is in charge of the territory's political affairs, handed over a roll of parchment with both hands.
Paul unfolded it quickly, glanced over it and asked, "Are there any questions?" He was not interested in things like statements.
"Uh... there is indeed a 'problem'. The situation is not optimistic." Manager Ford frowned slightly. He looked at Butler Phillip who was sitting opposite him and quietly winked.
Butler Philip was responsible for managing the treasury of the Lord's Mansion and said, "Sir, if this continues, our financial situation will become beyond our means."
"Scare—did pirate activities affect tax revenue?"
"Yes, during the days after the old count was called by the Lord, in addition to the pirates who landed, there were also some lawless people who took the opportunity to fish in troubled waters. The activities of the Roadhog pirates caused the traffic in some villages and towns to be cut off. The tax officers we sent Several have been humiliated and deported."
"Especially Fulan Port, although some property is extorted by pirates every year, it is still our largest source of tax revenue. Now the Shark Gang has occupied it and will not move." Manager Ford was at a loss when he thought of this.
"Does this mean we can't make ends meet?"
Butler Philip explained: "The recent expansion and training of the army have cost a lot of money and food. In the past, we only provided food and drink for the soldiers, and let them go home after the war. Now we have to pay them military salaries and customize uniforms... "
"There are also purchasing raw materials for making new weapons, recruiting craftsmen... During the last meeting, we decided to build a ship..."
Paul's head grew more and more dizzy as he listened. He unfolded the scroll again and read it carefully.
Some measures really need to be taken.
…
After the last military meeting, Huxin Town originally wanted to continue to "retreat" for a month. After completing the training of two complete infantry battalions, it would wipe out the pirates in the territory. Unexpectedly, Cecil, the chief intelligence officer, made a great contribution as soon as he took office and found out an important piece of news: Shark had annexed the remnants of Quick's escaped army. In order to avenge and establish his new brother's authority, he sent 500 troops to give Paul a little show. . It seems that killing an earl made the pirate leader a lot more inflated.
The army's morale was high after winning the battle, and the people who didn't need sharks went all the way to Lake Town. With the help of Cecil's intelligence, the old knight Schroeder led the army and some courageous fishermen to kill the gang on the way. The pirates stopped him.
Schroeder used a small force to lure the pirates ashore, gradually moving away from the ship, and then led the main force to quickly insert between the pirates and the river bank to cut off their retreat.
The two sides set up their positions and engaged in a melee. With the huge advantages brought by discipline and firearms, and the fact that the soldiers at this time had long been reborn after a victory, the Huxin Town army won another great victory.
The pirates lost more than 400 people, including casualties and captures. Now the Shark Gang became honest and resorted to shrinking tactics, hiding in Fulan Port and unable to come out.
The Huxin Town army pursued them all the way to Fulan Port. They found that the city wall of Fulan Port was taller than before, and the various fortifications were also increased a lot. They did not dare to attack rashly, but stationed nearby to keep an eye on the pirates and prevent them. Then run out and plunder.
"It's like this, and they haven't retreated to the sea?" Paul was surprised. It seemed that these pirates really wanted to occupy Fulan Port for a long time.
Forget it, sooner or later they will be the meat on their own chopping board.
He issued instructions to the officers, with the two newly formed infantry companies as the main force, and the internal guard troops as the supplement, to wipe out the road tyrants and water bandits in various places, training and fighting at the same time. It may be difficult for the new recruits to deal with pirates, but against these newly gathered soldiers, The gangsters are very easy to do.
With the progress of the "cracking down on crime", Huxin Town gradually regained control over the entire earldom except Fulan Port. However, many villages and towns were plundered by pirates and bandits. In the face of two tearful public opinion representatives, , after all, the Earl could not bring himself to scrape another layer of oil from these poor people. He ordered that some villages and towns be exempted from taxes for two quarters.
With the gradual recovery of transportation in various places, taxes have been collected to some extent, which has temporarily alleviated the current financial crisis and allowed the top management of Huxin Town to breathe a temporary sigh of relief.
However, this is only a temporary relief. If we want to truly solve the financial crisis, we must immediately launch some easy-to-fund projects.
…
That afternoon, Paul summoned a group of Ford executives.
"Everyone, what do you think of this thing I made?"
Everyone was given a "paper".
Manager Ford held a piece of hard stuff and asked doubtfully: "Is this 'paper'?"
"Ahem...this is just a trial product, but it will definitely have great potential once it's ready."
This is "paper" that Paul made based on his own understanding of papermaking. He made a pile of bark, wood, and bamboo and steamed it in a pot. After cooking, he pounded it into a pulp with a stone mortar, and finally spread the pulp out in the sun. After drying it, I finally got a piece of... uh... crispy cardboard.
"What's the use of this kind of thing?"
"Replace the parchment currently in use."
The material used for writing in today's world is basically parchment, and the production process is extremely complicated. The entire leather needs to be treated with lime, then dehaired, degreased and fleshed, stretched, scraped multiple times, polished with pumice, and finally dried. And the output is not high. A piece of sheepskin looks quite big, but the parchment paper obtained after processing is less than 1 square meter. This leads to the extremely high price of parchment paper. It is no wonder that there are illiterates everywhere. Common people can’t even write. Neither can afford it.
There is no mistake, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one 619, one book, one, one, one, one, one, one, a book!
"But, this thing ..." The Ford was slightly stubborn, and the paper in his hand was broken and speechless.
"Cough ..." Seeing that everyone was a little disdainful of their great inventions. The Earl cleared his throat and said, "As long as it is fake, I have confidence to make them softer and thinner. When I was born, they were all questioned, but no matter how many doubts could not stop the wheels of history.
"Look at the current sheepskin paper, how expensive the price, even some little nobles dare not buy more, let alone civilians. Take the church as an example, I asked Rev. Anderson, even if you don't consider all kinds of failures and accidents, They copied a "Holy Ceremony" and also needed more than 300 heads.
"And this 'paper' in your hands, its raw materials are just inconspicuous things such as bark and bamboo. As long as the craftsmanship is mature, a lot of effort can be made. If we can turn it into it Soft, thinner, don't be so crispy, this is definitely an epoch -making, subverting the world. "
After a generous speech, everyone couldn't help but feel fascinated.
"If you can really improve what adults say, then it is a weapon for wealth." Ford, who was troubled by fiscal problems, thought of this first.
"Exactly!" Paul clapped his hand hard. "Although the early product may not be as durable as sheepskin paper, the raw materials are sufficient and the production is simple. At that time, we will focus on the characteristics of‘ cheap ’.
"Moreover, in addition to writing, it has another wonderful use." The mysterious smile appeared on the face of the Earl.
"Oh? Dare to ask the adult ..."
"Liberate your ass."
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