Chapter 386 [Family Hazards and Playboy's Carriage]

In the morning, it was just dawn, and on the south side of the gate of the northwest fortress, there were already a large crowd of people in the originally huge square.

The convoy parked in the square was so crowded that it was lined up for miles. When the city gate was opened, there were defenders coming in line, holding swords and fully armed with isolation walls. On the wall, there were also archers on guard and patrolling the crowds under their feet with alert eyes.

According to the rules of the Northwest Fortress, today is the day when the doors are opened and closed.

The ones ranked at the best position at the front of the square are naturally large chambers of commerce or groups with extraordinary energy.

The Northwest Fortress is an important channel for the empire's borders to exit the border, especially in the northwest, which is also the only trading channel to the orc kingdom.

Every once in a while, the border troops would open the city gates and release some caravans, allowing them to go north to trade with orcs - of course, the most preferred one is naturally the Tulip family's own caravan.

As early as before the switching day, the chambers of commerce had submitted applications to the military at the Northwest Fortress, and brought the goods they had taken out of the customs and submitted them for review. All prohibited items were naturally gone on the list - what is the actual situation? It's hard to say.

Every once in a while, the caravans gathered to wait for the tide to leave the customs, just like a tide when the sluice gate was opened to release the flood.

Even though the Northwest Fortress is a powerful pass in the empire, the city gate is wide, it is also blocked. The army guarding the city gate is sweating profusely. A chamber of commerce convoy is waiting to leave the customs. Before leaving the customs, the official documents obtained in advance from the independent division must be submitted to the city gate officer for review. At the same time, soldiers will also conduct random inspections of the cargo of the transport convoy.

Every time on the switch day, I encounter some private life, so there are already fully armed soldiers waiting for the battle to prevent anyone from violently resisting the law.

For one morning, the city gates were flowing continuously, but the convoy waiting in the square seemed to have not decreased much.

Just south of the square, in an unknown chamber of commerce team, Dickson and Captain Hook, who had been dressed in ordinary business clothes, were sitting in a truck, with thick round wooden barrels underneath their butts.

"Have you calculated?" Dixon wore a straw hat and held a dry straw in his mouth. He sat there, his trouser legs rolled up, looking no different from an ordinary merchant. He tilted his head and said to Huknu beside him. He smiled and said, "It's been a morning... How many caravans have passed? How much caravans have passed? How much goods are worth when the Northwest Fortress has to pass this day? This is just a switch day. If it is calculated in one year, what an amazing number will the transaction volume pass here."

Captain Hook was hanging a pipe in his mouth, swallowing clouds and fog, and his face was solemn.

Dixon whispered: "I came here once a few years ago - don't look at me like that. I bought some Warcraft materials with the logistics of the academy. At that time, the switch day of the Northwest Fortress was far less than that of the current convoy. In the past two years, I heard that the place is getting bigger and bigger, and even many convoys that originally passed through the central fortress would rather go around thousands of miles and come here to leave the country."

Captain Hook took off his pipe from his mouth and said coldly: "Why?"

Dixon smiled slightly: "You have already thought of the answer in your heart, why bother asking me again?"

"Does the defenders here dare to openly shelter the smuggling caravan?!" Captain Hook's eyes were gloomy, he sighed softly, gritted his teeth and said coldly: "The Tulip family has entrusted the important task of the Northwest Fortress to Sylvester. How dare he do such a reckless act!"

After pausing, Hook frowned and pondered for a while, and said, "It is said that Sylvester is a smart and capable person. How could he do such a thing that makes people foolish? A person who is so optimistic about the previous duke will actually be so arrogant because of his greed for money..."

"As far as I know, Sylvester's life is very simple." Dixon shook his head and said, "I heard that he has been in the military camp for many years. His daily necessities are no different from other officers in the army."

Hook was stunned: "This...is strange."

By noon, although the defenders at the city gate had been busy for a whole morning, they did not look relaxed at all. Even the soldiers who were fully armed and shocked by the surrounding troops still stood up straight and the team was not in chaos at all!

Hook saw it, and although he had complaints about Sylvester in his heart, he still couldn't help but admit: This guy is indeed very strict in the military administration!

Although he was waiting behind, Hook kept secretly observing the process of the defenders under the city gate to inspect the barriers.

He found that the defenders under the city gate did not look like they were "fulfilling their own pockets" and "collusion between officials and businessmen" as they expected.

When the defenders checked the goods of the convoy, they were very strict and the inspection was very strict, and there was no sign of open release of water.

He told Dixon this question, and Dixon smiled slightly: "This is natural. If you just let people see it casually, how can this business last?"

He pulled Rahook and smiled, "All the tricks are on the documents submitted by the leaders of the clearance caravans when they clearance."

"oh?"

"These customs clearance documents must be filed with the border army in advance. They are allowed to leave the border army after they are issued. However, there are many tricks in it... you don't know."

Hook was energetic and touched Dixon: "How do you know?"

Dixon smiled bitterly: "I suffered a lot in the past two years."

Suffering?

Hook was stunned.

According to Dixon, he came here two years ago as a magician from the logistics department of the Magic Academy. What kind of organization is the Magic Academy? It has a strong background, a strong backstage, and has a different relationship with the Tulip family!

Will you still suffer here? This is also the territory of Tulips.

Dixon snorted: "Two years ago, my senior brother from the academy and I came here to do business. According to the requirements of the academy, we purchased a batch of materials for Warcraft here - you know, there are many magicians in the academy, and the research they conduct requires some special materials. Many of them are not easy to see the light. In order to meet these needs, the academy sometimes has to do some shameful transactions.

When I came here, I thought this job was easy to do - with the Magic Academy brand, would I be afraid of not being able to eat anywhere? But in this Northwest Fortress, I had a nail. If there was not a senior brother who was a veteran, I would have made a fool of myself that time."

As he said that, Dixon told him about his experience back then.

It turned out that Dixon and another logistics deacon in the academy came here together. They went out of seclusion and went to the orc territory to buy some special "materials". If you want to trade with orcs, it is natural that you can't use the gold coins of the empire, so you can only bring some things to exchange with orcs.

And when I was preparing to bring goods out of customs here, I encountered trouble.

The truck from the Magic Academy was actually detained by the defenders!!

Dixon was very surprised and was very annoyed - there was still someone in the world who dared to seize things from the Magic Academy? Not to mention the Northwest Army! Even the defenders of the Tulips Loulan City! The city guards of the imperial capital! Even the imperial guards, even the imperial guards, can't do such things!

But this independent division was made!

However, after the Independent Division took down Dickson's goods, they did not break up. Instead, they politely invited Dickson to the Northwest Fortress barracks as guests.

Then, Dixon got a... a charge list!

"Price...list?!" Hook's eyes widened.

"It's the charging list." Dixon sneered, "The list was meticulous and meticulous. I was amazed after reading it once, and almost all the possible goods that could be imagined were listed in it. Daily necessities, civilian supplies, military supplies, and suspected military supplies, of course, many prohibited items prohibited by imperial laws. Everything was listed in that list - after each type of goods, a number was marked. According to the person who negotiated with me in the Independent Division, this was called... tariffs."

"Extremely ridiculous!!!"

If it weren't for hiding his identity, Hook would almost jump up and roar!

He immediately lowered his voice, but his tone was full of anger: "Tariffs? What a joke! Only the official of the Empire is qualified to collect tariffs! Moreover, I have not been in the Tulip House! The Tulip House has never said anything so-called tariffs! Even at the checkpoints leading to the grasslands in the northwest, there has never been such a move to ask for money!"

"There is not there on the grassland, there is it here." Dixon said calmly, "The Independent Division has done this, and it has been doing this all the time."

"...No one cares!" Hook's breathing was a little rapid.

"When I came here two years ago, it was said that the Independent Division had just begun to impose 'tariff'. This kind of thing was not resisted by merchants, but it was very popular! It was just because on that list, many sensitive materials were included in the scope of tariff collection. That is to say, as long as you pay the tariff, you can transport those sensitive things out for sale, and you don't have to worry that the border troops of the Independent Division would seize you."

"This...this...this...this is simply open...this bold!!!" Hook couldn't believe it: "I believe this could never be the decision of the Tulips family! This...this must be the selfish behavior of the independent division! Is it really unattended?!"

Dickson said coldly: "People? How do you do it?"

As he said that, he sighed softly: "Two years ago, the young lady was just established as the leader of the family. The previous duke had just left, and the whole family was panicked... But this new patriarch is a young girl! Women are in power, and naturally have a kind of weakness. Because the young lady is a woman, she is not like the previous generations of heirs, she has been practicing in the army since she was young. The previous generations of heirs, who will train in the army, and will form a group of their own teams, and they will establish prestige in the army. When they succeed to the throne, they will naturally be more convenient and the people's hearts will naturally be comforted. But this generation, the clan

He is a young girl. Even if the big bosses among the retainers are still loyal to the family, they want everyone to willingly obey the orders of a young girl. How many people don’t say anything about it? What’s more, Sylvester’s status is very subtle, and he has been in the Northwest Fortress for many years... He came here at the age of 25, and he was thirty-three this year, and has been here for eight years! He has not moved his butt for eight years, and has been fully supported by the previous duke. Eight years have passed... To put it bluntly, it is enough to make this border army 'true'!"

What a true name?

Hook was stunned at first, then suddenly woke up!

Independent division...

independent!

...

"Silvester is very smart. Although he makes money and even openly covers up smuggling, he is not too out of the ordinary. At least those important weapons and equipment have not been exported. He just let go of some iron and medicines. Secondly, his actions have received support from many chambers of commerce... You know, those big chambers of commerce have the shadow of the empire and the wealthy families behind such things. It is too late for those wealthy families to support them.

However, he made a group of "good friends" for Sylvester. The most important thing is the third one! Although this guy has made so much money, he is not greedy. His daily expenses have never increased, but he will hand over half of the money he makes to the family every year! As a general in the army, he is leading the army. He can also pay a large amount of income to the family every year, which makes many people unable to speak. In addition, Sylvester himself does not swallow the remaining money.

No, it was established in the army. It is said that the money made officers at all levels of the army grateful to him. Especially the lower-level military soldiers! Do you know? The Independent Division has a financial system that is completely different from the other Tulips armies! In addition to the military pay and salary paid by the family to the soldiers, the Independent Division gives all the military soldiers in its army, even the auxiliary army and the minion army, according to the head, the rank, and the contribution to the army.

To distinguish, everyone will receive an additional ‘subsidy’. This subsidy will not be redeemed immediately. Instead, a considerable holiday fee will be paid during festivals and holidays. Most of the subsidies will be included in the accounts of the logistics camp. Once soldiers or officers have retired, they can withdraw this subsidy at any time and return to their hometown to live in a grand manner! This money is enough to buy a good piece of land in their hometown. Although they cannot be rich and prosperous, a well-off family will never be able to escape."

Hook was shocked!!

Win people's hearts! Wolf ambition!!

This Sylvester did this way, simply...

He simply turned the family's independent division into his own private army!!

"From top to bottom, there is almost no one who is dissatisfied with this commander... From officers to soldiers, everyone is grateful to the commander and supports him very much! After all, the eldest lady has only been in power for two years. All aspects of the family, various relationships, and factions have to straighten out her relationships and settle them one by one. The independent division has been run by Sylvester for eight years! He has been deeply rooted here. Even if the eldest lady wants to touch him, she will not be able to make a big fight for a while. Otherwise, if she had just come to power and her position has not yet been stable, she will rashly attack an elite army that has left the family territory for many years and lived outside... If something mutiny or something happened..."

"So... the Duke didn't know Sylvester's actions, nor did he not move him, but he just couldn't move for the time being?"

"You have to wait for the eldest lady to straighten out the family's internal relationships, hold all kinds of power firmly in her hands, sit firmly in her position, and master the strength, so that she can attack him. Moreover, if you are not a forceful thing, you will be too hasty, you may cause chaos."

Hook fell silent.

After a while, the captain suddenly shook his head: "This Sylvester is dead."

Dixon smiled: "You don't think about his future?"

Hook sneered: "Even if he does something cunning, he can make money in this way... the empire center is not easy to interfere with him due to the prestige of the Tulip family. However, the Tulip family cannot shake him for the time being... But in the long run, he is still dead! After all, the family is in power. Although the Duke still can't move him for the time being, the eldest lady is also a powerful character. Give her some time, and there will always be a time to sit firmly! Once you wait for the Duke.

After taking a firm position, straightening out the power of the family and the relationship between all parties, he can always free up his hands to deal with him! By that time, even if Sylvester is more popular in this independent division, these soldiers are the disciples of the Tulips territory after all. If they support him, they may not be willing to follow him to raise a flag to rebel. A mere independent division with only 20,000 or 30,000 people, if you really dare to challenge the family... This Sylvester will never end well!"

Dixon chuckled. He looked at the crowded caravans in the square and whispered: "It's not surprising that you said... In fact, I know that many people from the Chamber of Commerce support Sylvester's actions in this Northwest Fortress - after all, what he did made these Chambers rich. But after all, it is said that in private, many of the Chamber of Commerce's bosses are not optimistic about Sylvester's future. It is similar to your opinion. When the Duchess of the Tulips are freed up, the days of Sylvester will come to an end."

Speaking of this, Dixon suddenly changed his tone: "But... I don't think so."

"Oh?" Hook looked at the young magician with some surprise: "What do you think?"

Dixon smiled bitterly, "I... don't know."

"have no idea?"

Dixon's face was complicated. He thought about it and shook his head, "I just met Sylvester. I was invited to the army two years ago. This Sylvester met me in person. He was very polite to me, but he was very determined to ask for tariffs and refused to let go. But he told me privately that he just needed to borrow the signature of the Magic Academy to perform a play. As long as he announced to the public, even the caravans of the Magic Academy followed the rules of the game he set, then other big and small chambers of commerce would have no worries. In fact, afterwards, he sent someone to quietly return the tariffs we paid. It was just that this matter was done secretly and people outside didn't know it."

Speaking of this, Dixon whispered: "I just raised it. Based on my contact with him, I think this person is definitely not the kind of arrogant and greedy person I imagined. This person is actually very careful and smart in doing things... Such a person will never be unaware of his own situation and future hidden dangers. So... Although I don't know what he has to rely on, I think this person is definitely not as simple as everyone sees. In the future... the Duchess of the Tulips' family may not be so easy to touch him."

After chatting for so long, they finally lined up to the caravan where they were.
To be continued...