Before the seventy or eighty people in the center of the hall could react, Luke waved a hand, and the soldiers immediately bound them and led them away separately.
Amid a clamor of excuses and demands for answers, everyone of status and influence in Middelburg was swept up in one net.
Cook skillfully arranged for his men to sort through and screen these people—he had done the same thing many times in other cities recently.
The senior officials and "uncooperative" wealthy merchants among them would be sent under guard to the prisons of Antwerp, the capital of the Flemish Republic.
The mid- and lower-ranking officials deemed "able to cooperate with the government" would be retained and assigned new posts.
The more cooperative merchants and bankers would also be released on parole after paying "bail."
In a few days, officials appointed by the Flemish Parliament would arrive to take over the administration of Middelburg.
At that time, the entire city would undergo another thorough purge. Everyone loyal to the Dutch Government, whether commoner or noble, would be sent to the western coast as slave laborers rowing oars.
With such a complete purge, the Flemish Parliament would be able to seize control of the three provinces in southern Netherlands in the shortest possible time.
At noon the next day, Lucca placed a ledger before Sean Hayes and said rather proudly, "Uncle, a total of 620,000 Dutch Guilders, along with 15 percent of the shares in each of two banks."
Sean Hayes casually flipped through it, then nodded. "Divide it according to the old rules."
"Rest assured, it's all been taken care of."
The so-called "old rules" were these—money obtained during the great purge would be divided into four portions. The Flemish Parliament and the Flemish military would each take one, Sean Hayes