Shipyard
Throughout the rest of the meeting, Hudson remained silent with a gloomy face, like a wronged teenager simmering with anger.
Only after he boarded the carriage did a mocking smile appear on his lips.
Deep down, Hudson couldn't help but exclaim: Count Pierce is such a good man!
He was already worried. This time, he had become the scapegoat and offended the interests of a group of old-established nobles. How would he handle the situation?
At the critical moment, Count Pierce stepped in and stabbed him in the back, directly helping him through the crisis.
Now everyone is busy gloating and watching him make a fool of himself. Even if the resentment in their hearts hasn't completely disappeared, it's estimated that not much is left.
He also took the opportunity to play the victim to the King, claiming that his current predicament was due to his service to the King.
If Hudson hadn't been so overly active earlier, provoking the discontent of the old nobles, Count Pierce's actions wouldn't have been so easy to succeed.
The only regret is that the newly emerging nobles were too timid. Even though Hudson took the lead, the others dared not follow suit.
Realizing this, Hudson, who had originally intended to establish himself in the kingdom as a representative of the emerging nobility, immediately abandoned the idea.
Being a leader is certainly good, but being the leader of such an unreliable group is something you should probably forget about!
Stepping down as the leader didn't mean severing these relationships. On the contrary, Hudson intended to further deepen his ties with the emerging aristocratic class.
Being timid now does not mean you will be timid in the future.
Essentially, the political weakness of these people stems from their own lack of strength.
Even Hudson himself, if not for his considerable military strength, would not have dared to get involved in this mess, no matter how high the price offered by Caesar III.
Even if you have considerable strength, you still have to back down when faced with overwhelming odds.
Of course, the most important thing is that although the consequences seem serious, the actual damage is not that great.
The "repayment tax" may seem like a huge amount, but the Alpha Kingdom has 32 provinces. Even if you exclude the Northern Seven Provinces, there are still 25 provinces sharing the burden.
No matter how generous Count Pierce was, he would never be a sucker and take all the tax revenue onto the Southeast Province.
According to traditional practices, the wealthy Southeast Province would have to bear at most 10% to 15% of the tax revenue.
With so many nobles in the province sharing the tax burden, considering factors such as the size of their fiefdoms and the state of their economic development, the Coslo Family would ultimately receive only one-tenth to one-eighth of the province's tax revenue.
The carriage was stopped halfway before it could even leave the palace.
"Your Excellency, His Highness the Crown Prince requests your presence for a meeting!"
The maid's clear voice interrupted Hudson's plan.
Perhaps Caesar III is really nearing his breaking point, because the Crown Prince has been unusually active lately.
Today he hosts a banquet for this great nobleman, tomorrow he invites that great nobleman. He doesn't even forget to curry favor with the middle-ranking nobles.
"Lead the way!"
Hudson said casually.
Back home, Count Pierce's smile vanished instantly. Clearly, this victor wasn't as excited as outsiders imagined... The methods he used today to disrupt the Coslo Family's development were far from honorable. At least in the eyes of the nobles of the Southeast Province, he was an incompetent leader.
War bonds included in the tax burden are easy to resolve; at worst, the Dalton Family can simply absorb them. Treat it as a financial investment; after all, it's a guaranteed return.
It's only a few hundred thousand gold coins, and paying such a small price to win people's hearts is undoubtedly worthwhile.
The problem lies in the repayment tax. Since he, as the eldest son, has brought it up, it's safe to say that the Southeast Province's share will be substantial.
Of the fifteen counties in the province, only one, Laite County, was completely controlled by the Coslo Family, and that was only after a large-scale exchange of fiefdoms.
There has been a considerable amount of newly reclaimed land, but unfortunately, none of it is recorded in the kingdom's records. Hoping for Hudson's cooperation in the investigation is virtually impossible.
Even though Laite County is a large county, its share of the burden is very limited, and the remaining share must be borne by the nobles within the province.
The Dalton Family naturally had to bear the largest share, but their younger brothers also inevitably suffered financial losses. It was almost inevitable that they would harbor resentment.
In the past, the Dalton Family held absolute power, and when something like this happened, everyone could only tolerate it.
The situation has changed slightly. Although this is a minor matter, not enough to make everyone risk turning against the Coslo Family, some reassurance is still necessary.
The neutral faction, which has the largest number of members, needs special attention and must not be allowed to be lured away by the Coslo Family.
However, considering the wealth of the Coslo Family, Count Pierce immediately felt relieved.
The family was already poor, yet they were still investing heavily in infrastructure. Now, they've been drained of resources again, and the pressure on the Coslo Family is unimaginable.
It's difficult enough to take care of oneself, let alone have the energy to win people's hearts.
Even if the Coslo Family suspends some projects and forcibly squeezes out some funds, they should first help their existing subordinates, rather than trying to win over neutral parties to save face.
When everyone's finances are exhausted, who else in the entire Southeast Province, besides the Dalton Family, will have the resources to help the minor nobles?
It's important to know that the "mortgage repayment tax" isn't levied for just one year, but rather for many years, and the amount levied increases year by year.
The Southeast Province were indeed wealthy, but they couldn't withstand repeated upheavals. The minor nobles, who had just recovered from the war, were likely to face hardship from now on.
It's estimated that more than a third of the minor nobles in the province are experiencing some degree of financial problems. They're either cutting back on daily expenses or living on borrowed money.
"Sir, did the plan succeed?"
The old butler Gadley, asked with concern.
"The plan failed, but it also succeeded!"
Hudson was ultimately too young; he lost himself after being flattered and actually began to see himself as a spokesperson for the military.
The plan to cut military spending fell apart due to his meddling, and even I was persuaded.
However, he paid a heavy price for this, and our backup proposal was successfully passed.
The Coslo Family had little financial foundation and could offer little financial assistance. The rest depended on how much Hudson had profited from the war... It was advisable to keep an eye on the Coslo Family; if they faced financial difficulties, Hudson might risk disposing of some illicit war spoils.
First, gather the evidence, and then find an opportunity to attack them after the Warcraft Legion's plan is completed.
Of course, it could also be a bargaining chip. As long as the Coslo Family is willing to move their headquarters out of the Southeast Province, we can still remain friends!
I am confident Count Pierce said.
It's an open secret that combat units divide up the spoils they can take with them. Similarly, it's an unspoken rule that the commander-in-chief takes the largest slice of the pie.
However, this only applies to ordinary loot or unclaimed loot; there are also some loot items that need to be returned.
It's obvious that returning the items to their rightful owners is just an ideal scenario. The various armies involved in the conflict weren't so "honest"; they were basically divided up in secret.
Everyone does it this way. As long as you don't publicly sell items that have special significance or can prove the original owner's identity, it's not a problem.
This is why, after the war, Hudson was hauling home loads of war spoils in carts and wagons. It wasn't that he couldn't sell them, but rather that he dared not.
If word gets out and the owner discovers something amiss and starts making a scene, his noble reputation will be ruined.
The best option is to take them home and keep them as collectibles, and then either sell them in batches when the storm is over, or directly replenish your own inventory.
The immense wealth of great noble families is accumulated slowly in this way. Items that cannot be exposed to the light now do not necessarily mean they will never be exposed to the light of day.
Time can wash everything away; even items that have an owner will become ownerless under the passage of time.
Even if you make up a reason to resell the item to the original owner, it's not impossible.
"My lord, according to the intelligence we have gathered, Count Hudson has amassed at least four million gold coins in spoils during this war."
About one-third of it was cash, and the other third was a large amount of war bonds.
The majority of the bonds are from the Moxi Duchy, amounting to at least a million, while the kingdom's war bonds also amount to several hundred thousand.
Judging from all the circumstances, Count Hudson must have privately liquidated some of the war bonds; otherwise, the cash on hand alone would not be enough to support the current expenses of the Mountain Territory.
It is said that he has good relationships with major chambers of commerce, and it is very likely that the remaining spoils that cannot be converted into cash in time will be obtained overseas and converted into cash through these people's channels.
In the short term, the Mountain Territory's finances should be able to sustain itself.
Because the monster breeding base is located in the Mountain Territory, many of our methods of draining his resources are inconvenient to use.
Now we can only wait for the impact of the debt repayment tax to further unfold and deplete the Coslo Family's last remaining financial resources before taking further action to continue putting pressure on them!
Upon hearing the old butler's reply, Count Pierce frowned.
Clearly, Gadley opposed a direct confrontation with the Coslo Family, instead advocating a gradual, insidious approach, using economic means to force out their competitor.
"Butler, although Hudson is somewhat radical in developing the territory, he is very frugal in his daily life... In normal times, he neither likes to hold banquets nor is he obsessed with various activities."
The only expense was probably in magical experiments, but as a Magus, there's nothing wrong with being passionate about magical research.
Following the example set by their superiors, the Coslo Family today does not exhibit the characteristics of nouveau riche. The living standards of most family members are not much different from those of ordinary noble families.
It won't be easy to further deplete their resources!
"I have a headache, "Count Pierce said with a headache.
If this intelligence hadn't been verified by multiple sources, Count Pierce wouldn't have believed that Hudson was so good at making money.
It's not that he can make money; the key is that he not only doesn't squander money himself, but also restrains his clansmen from being frugal.
According to intelligence gathered by the Dalton Family, the Mountain Territory does not have much cash, but the most expensive projects have been completed.
Even if the budget deficit continues, the profits from the monster breeding base will allow for a near-balance by slowing down the progress of various projects in the territory.
The issue of repayment taxes can be addressed by selling spoils of war, which should sustain the business for several years.
With a few more years to recover, the Coslo Family was able to establish themselves firmly, making it difficult to get rid of them.
"Sir, no matter how frugal the Coslo Family is, some essential expenses are still unavoidable."
You seem to have forgotten that their relatives are all over the province. With so many relatives, there are bound to be a few who can't handle it all.
They can ignore the neutral nobles, but they can't just abandon their friends and family who support them, can they?
Directly targeting the Coslo Family is too risky, but setting traps for these minor nobles is much simpler.
After saying that, the two looked at each other and smiled.
Minor nobles are inherently less resilient to risks, so if someone deliberately sets a trap, it's hard to imagine that problems won't arise.
The Dalton Family doesn't even need to personally intervene against these minor figures; a mere hint within the rules is enough to inflict heavy losses on them.
They didn't do this in the past because they had enough advantages and there was no need for them to lower their standards like this.
With Caesar III watching from above, if one is not careful and the King finds something wrong with them, they will be in deep trouble.
The King's intimidation factor has greatly diminished due to his critical illness, and some methods that were previously unthinkable can now be used.
"Crown Prince Highness, I've suffered a huge loss in this transaction. You must sell me several high-level craftsmen as compensation!"
Even knowing that repayment taxes were unavoidable if the Alpha Kingdom did not default, Hudson still complained.
In any case, this extra tax payment was caused by those who worked for the royal family.
If it weren't for this incident, and if Count Pierce hadn't taken the initiative to assume responsibility, the Southeast Province wouldn't have had to bear excessive obligations.
Even if they still can't escape the repayment tax, when it's distributed to the Coslo Family, they can still get 20,000 to 30,000 gold coins less each year.
One or two years would be fine, but the problem is that this is ongoing, continuing until the debt is paid off.
"Your Excellency, rest assured, the royal promise will certainly be kept. We will not transfer any of the shipyard's experienced craftsmen and shipwrights; we will absolutely satisfy you!"... Crown Prince Caesar said with a smile.
However, the hint of disdain that lingered between his brows still betrayed his deep-seated contempt for Hudson.
The fact that he singled out just a few craftsmen shows a strong sense of pettiness and makes it hard for him to take notice.
Having shipyards and sailors, does that mean they want to participate in maritime trade?
That's pure fantasy!
In Crown Prince Caesar's view, shipbuilding was very simple; the difficulty lay in carving defensive Magic Array on the ships.
Without these things, if we encounter monsters at sea, our ships will be destroyed and we will all perish in an instant.
The Coslo Family's magic team clearly lacks the ability to inscribe advanced Magic Array on ships, so they will inevitably have to seek help from the Magic Association.
Being ripped off is bad enough, but those guys from the Mage Association are also very cunning. They won't inscribe a high-level defensive Magic Array unless you bring out precious magical materials.
The script is all written.
Crown Prince Caesar was ready, just waiting for Hudson to run into obstacles everywhere and turn back to the royal family for help, so he could take the opportunity to recruit a subordinate.
"Then thank you very much for your care, Your Highness!"
I just wonder which shipyard the royal family sold, and at what price?
It's not that Hudson is impatient; it's just that we're currently in a seller's market. To be considered a large shipyard, one must not only be able to build large merchant ships but also have the capacity to produce warships.
Normally, these are not for sale. But if someone is willing to sell them, even if there are hidden pitfalls, Hudson has no choice but to jump in.
Why is it that the Mountain Territory's shipbuilding technology is only slightly more advanced than that of canoes?
Building three-plank ships is definitely not a problem; with some effort, we could even build five-plank ships. As for ocean-going merchant ships and warships, we might be able to figure them out in another hundred years.
"Ha ha..."
"Since Your Excellency is one of us, I won't ask for an exorbitant price. The shipyard the royal family is selling is located in the Southeast Province, which will be convenient for your relocation."
As for his name, I'm sure you've heard of him. He was originally in charge of naval logistics, and you probably know more about what happened after that than I do.
The shipyard was valued at 800,000 gold coins, and its 1,700 workers, craftsmen, and 300 sailors, along with their families totaling over 6,800, were essentially included as a bonus.
Upon hearing Crown Prince Caesar's offer, Hudson really wanted to say, "Just take the freebie."
Unfortunately, that's impossible; if you did that, you'd have no friends.
After hesitating for a moment, he ultimately decided not to try to bargain.
In Hudson's view, the price was very fair, even generous. The shipyard that Crown Prince Caesar mentioned was the renowned Berkshire Shipyard in the Southeast Province.
At its peak, it was one of the kingdom's three major shipyards. However, as the kingdom's strategy shifted towards the continent, the importance of naval defense continued to decline, and after losing naval orders, it had to turn to the civilian market.
However, in recent decades, the Dalton Family's maritime business has made rapid progress, gradually monopolizing most of the overseas trade in the Southeast Province, and incidentally also establishing its own shipyard.
Berkshire Shipyard, having lost a large number of orders, is going from bad to worse. If it weren't for the power of the royal family, it would have been driven into bankruptcy by the Dalton Family long ago.
Berkshire Shipyard survived on sporadic orders, but its performance was quite impressive.
From a peak of over 100,000 gold coins in profit per year, it has plummeted to only 10,000 to 20,000 gold coins per year now, and losses may occur in bad years.
If this situation continues, it's only a matter of time before Berkshire Shipyard goes bankrupt.
The decision to sell to the Hudson at this critical juncture, besides being a political transaction, also reflects concerns that the new king might not be able to control the local nobles during the transition of the throne, and thus a proactive measure to dispose of risky assets.
"We'll proceed according to Your Highness's price!"
However, this transaction involves a very large sum of money, and I cannot come up with that much capital in a short time. I wonder if the royal family can accept in-kind payment?
Since they've decided to act, they have to go all the way. They've just given off a signal of needing money, and then they make a big-money acquisition of a shipyard—everyone knows something's wrong.
At this crucial moment, Hudson didn't want to cause any trouble.
The Dalton Family believed that the Mountain Territory was in financial trouble, so they continued to steer the issue in that direction to prevent them from causing trouble behind the scenes and sabotaging the deal.
"Your Excellency, rest assured, the royal family is not unreasonable. We have always taken good care of our own people."
If you are indeed experiencing financial difficulties, you can certainly use goods as collateral. However, the items used as collateral must be items we need!