There is a large stone-wood structure in the west area of Kaubicius Port. This is the meeting hall of the Nikancha people in the Tiersim direct territory. Basically, if there is a conflict between the Nikancha people in the direct territory, they will convene.
The elders and leaders of each settlement negotiated and settled matters in this meeting hall. The main reason why the governors and admirals of the former direct territories tolerated the Nikancha people owning this meeting hall was to facilitate them in dispatching labor and collecting poll taxes.
"What you mean is that in the past, the Nikancha people in the direct jurisdiction were not registered. Every time a poll tax was collected, tax collectors were sent here to inform the leaders and elders of the Nikancha people how much they would charge, and they were left to their own devices.
Distribute them to each settlement or replace them with various materials?"
Claude got off the carriage and looked at this rough and crude shed with great interest. Standing next to him was the old man who was the envoy sent by the governor and admirals to persuade Claude to be loyal to Prince Hansback.
To Claude's surprise, when the officers and soldiers who commanded the Thunder Legion from three direct jurisdictions were arresting officials and local people who had signed the oath of allegiance to the prince, the old man who was the envoy actually refused to sign the oath of allegiance.
And escaped capture.
Claude was very surprised. He originally thought that the old man who was the messenger was a confidant of the governor of Tirsim, but after asking, he found out that the old man was just a helper, hanging around the governor just to earn some money for running errands to support his family.
He and the governor were classmates in junior high school, but they immigrated to the territory very early and did not do well. He could only rely on his eloquence to help people settle accounts to earn a living. Two years ago, he went to the dock area to look for work.
Shen collided with the governor's carriage and was almost beaten. Fortunately, the governor recognized that he was a junior high school classmate and was spared a whipping.
There is nothing to say. They are all junior high school graduates, one is prosperous, and the other is poor. The governor was very compassionate and allowed him to run errands in the government. He clung to the governor's thigh for his own personal gain. Because this mouth is relatively sharp,
The flattery and humor made people feel comfortable, so the governor gave him the task of persuading the other generals in the theater.
As a result, he had the misfortune to meet Claude, was slapped three times by the big man Gemi and lost a tooth, and saw how vulnerable the local defense forces of the three demesne were. Then he was tied to a horse and followed the march until they arrived at Kaubichu.
Under the walls of the inner city of Port Siport, he also became a messenger for Claude to deliver ultimatums to the governor and admirals.
After the governors and admirals of the three territories were arrested, the old man lost his livelihood and came to Claude directly because he knew some secrets about the territories. Claude really lacked a local snake like this.
In addition, the old man could speak, so I temporarily kept him by his side to help. This time, I summoned the elders and leaders of the Nikancha people settlements in the three direct-administered areas to discuss matters. Thanks to the old man running around, he worked for a month.
Finish.
"Yes, General, it is indeed like this." The old man replied very respectfully: "The kingdom's head tax collection is actually insignificant to the kingdom residents. A kingdom resident only pays one sunar a year.
However, each of these Nikancha people has to pay about one riyaso every year. Because there is no population registration, the three directly governed territories are calculated as one million people.
You have to hand over one million riaso or its equivalent..."
"How much did you say? One million riaso?" Claude was simply dumbfounded. The head tax had increased tenfold. One million riaso was equivalent to one hundred thousand silver thalers and twenty thousand gold crowns. These were not worth mentioning.
How can the policeman afford to pay this huge sum of money?
"No, I see in the tax registration that the income from the head tax of the three direct jurisdictions is only about two thousand gold crowns. How can such a large amount of tax money come from?" Claude felt that this amount was very unreliable.
"Your Excellency General, these Nikancha people are actually very wealthy, but you don't know it. Otherwise, why would those local garrison forces be so keen on raiding Nikancha settlements in the past, mainly because they can earn extra money?" the old man explained.
: "Most of the Nikancha people here in Kaubicius Port are indeed poor people. They eat one meal without finishing a meal and just live day by day. The rich ones are the elders and leaders of the settlements. They use the money of their settlements to
The young men who work in the dock area take commissions, and they get more than the young men who do the work, so the head tax falls on them...
On the surface, the elders and leaders of these settlements have to pay a head tax of one riyaso per person for the people in their settlements once a year, but every month they can get three or four sunars from the people in their settlements. In total,
They overturned. The Nikancha settlements scattered throughout the direct territory were wealthier than the settlements gathered in the outer city of Kaupicius Port. They had their own territories where they could hunt, fish, plant, herd, and collect herbs.
Excavating mineral resources. The former governor and admiral had always suspected that these Nikancha people had several small gold and silver mines in their hands, but unfortunately they could not find out.
The year before last and last year, these Nikancha settlements took a lot of gold and silver ore as head tax, worth nearly 3,000 gold crowns. However, the tax collector only mortgaged 2,000 gold crowns to them. The governor and admiral
They all sent people to inquire about where these gold and silver ores came from. The elders and leaders of the Nikancha people said that they exchanged materials with the indigenous Etat tribe in the Obenmuk Mountains in order to pay the poll tax.
.I heard that it was the Etat tribe from the Obanmuk Mountains, so the governor and admiral lost interest.
In addition, regarding the head tax collected from these Nikancha people, the actual amount paid by the three direct territories was about two thousand gold crowns, which was also paid according to the head tax of one sunar for the residents of the kingdom. The rest was divided into two parts
, the large share is divided equally among the governors and admirals of the three direct jurisdictions. Each of them can receive 2,500 gold crowns a year. The smaller share is distributed to the officials below, each of whom is assigned according to the ability of the junior position.
The income is more than a dozen gold crowns, and those with high official positions can receive dozens or even a hundred gold crowns."
Claude suddenly felt a little pity. If these Nikancha people were sent to the Nikancha country north of Vibato Port, then there would be no head tax in the future. But think about it and these Nikancha people
Compared with the trouble caused by people, it is better to send them all out for 20,000 gold crowns to keep these three million Nikancha people and become a hidden danger to the three direct territories.
"By the way, what are you doing?" Claude pointed at the old man and said.
"General, my name is Zach Karassen." The old man's eyes filled with tears. The respected general finally remembered to call me by my name. Although he only remembered the word "Zha", he has made a lot of progress. He usually calls me "hey" or "that one".
...
"Okay, Zacharasen, are all the elders and leaders of the three Nikancha settlements here under direct jurisdiction?" Claude asked.
The old man replied respectfully: "Your Excellency General, it is impossible for all the elders and leaders of the Nikancha settlements in the three direct jurisdictions to come here. We have only notified twenty-seven settlements with more than 3,000 people.
Leaders and elders. You don’t know that there are hundreds of Nikancha settlements in the three directly-administered territories, with a population of less than a thousand and about a hundred. If all the elders and leaders of these settlements come, there will be no room for them here.
In fact, we only need to notify these twenty-seven large settlements of Nikancha people with more than 3,000 people. They will naturally help us notify the small settlements that vassal them. Just like they allocate taxes, a large settlement will be allocated
Five or six thousand gold crowns, they will distribute this amount to their vassal settlements after they return. Those vassal settlements will be divided into tens to hundreds of gold crowns according to the number of people, and they will be able to collect taxes quickly..."
"Since the elders and leaders of the twenty-seven Nikancha settlements you mentioned have arrived, let's go in." Claude nodded.
"Please come first, Your Majesty General, Chief McJack has already checked the surroundings and set up a cordon." Old man Zachary Rason respectfully stretched out his hand and bent down, asking Claude to go first.
Four guards had been posted in front of the large wooden door of the meeting hall. Seeing Claude approaching, they hurriedly saluted and opened the large wooden door. Noisy sounds suddenly came from inside.
The inside of this meeting hall is not as big as it looks from the outside, probably because there are some small rooms separated inside. Claude thinks that this hall is only as big as two or three tavern halls, and can barely accommodate nearly a hundred people. Inside the hall
It's a bit dark, because the lighting performance of the building is not very good. There are several fire pots lit in the middle. There are many people surrounding the fire pots, some are talking and laughing loudly, some are grilling meat, and the smell is a bit weird.
"General Claude is here! Silence!" Old man Zacharasen took two steps forward and shouted loudly to the elders and leaders of the Nikancha settlement who were crowded around the brazier.
The crowd suddenly fell silent, and everyone's eyes turned to Claude. Old man Zachariassen dragged a chair from nowhere, wiped it with his sleeve, and asked Claude to sit down.
Claude waved his hand, and then looked at the elders and leaders of the Nikancha settlement. The light in the room was not very good, especially under the flickering light of the fire burning in the brazier. Claude felt that the brown-red colors in front of him were
The faces of the Nikancha people all look the same, except for their different beards, so it's really hard to tell who is who.
"I am the deputy commander-in-chief of the overseas territorial theater, Lieutenant General Claude Hanfield, Viscount of the Kingdom." Claude introduced himself first. Old man Zacharasen said that Nikancha people respect officials very much.
The older they get, the more honest and obedient they are. Sure enough, as soon as Claude reported his position, there were no more whispers below.
"Now the three direct territories of Mormali, Tilsim, and Arturas have been placed under the jurisdiction of our war zone, which means that the Nikancha people in these three direct territories must accept the control of our war zone!
Today I have summoned the elders and leaders of the three largest Nikancha settlements under your direct jurisdiction here, mainly because I have something to inform you..."
"General, do you want to collect taxes? Just tell me how much you want to charge..." someone asked below.
"Uh..." Claude was a little stunned by the question, and then he became angry. Does labor and management look like tax collectors? It makes no sense!
"Asshole! Shut up, do you think the General is here to collect money from you? Just open your ears and listen to what the General has to say. Why are you interrupting!" Old man Zach Karassen jumped up next to him and pointed at the crowd and yelled.
.
Claude looked at old man Zacharson, and the old man quickly smiled and closed his mouth.
"He is right. I am not here to collect taxes from you. Tax collection is not my responsibility." Claude continued: "What I want to tell you is that in the northern part of our direct jurisdiction of Vibato Port
In the coastal mountainous area, your Nikancha compatriots have established an independent country there. They are currently conquering the six inner colonies of the Hicks Kingdom and occupying a large area..."
With a "boom", the elders and leaders of the Nikancha people sitting together below almost jumped up. This news was so shocking. The Nikancha people have always wanted to establish their own country, but in overseas directly administered territories
, they have no chance or possibility to realize this wish.
Although the Nikancha people in the north have established their country for a long time, nearly two years, due to the separation of war zones, the Nikancha people in these three jurisdictions have not received any news at all. Even in Amphiston
The Nikancha people who work as miners in the direct territory do not know that there is a newly independent Nikancha country in the north of Vibato Port.
This is mainly because the war zone did not take the Nikancha country seriously at all. Claude originally encouraged the Nikancha people to start armed rebellion and establish their own country just to cause chaos to the Kingdom of Hicks. In addition, let the Nikancha people go
It is better to annex the six inner colonies of the Kingdom of Hicks than to send troops to sweep them away in the war zone. Because the total area of the six inner colonies of the Kingdom of Hicks is as large as more than four overseas territories, and it is basically wilderness and hilly areas.
, there is really no way to waste troops and time in a war zone.
After capturing the Colonial County of Port Vibato and making it the eighth overseas territory under the kingdom, the war zone decided to make the Nikancha country in the north a barrier to the overseas territory. At the same time, the Nikancha people were allowed to capture Greece.
The inner colonies of the Kingdom of Kes, then the war zone will only have to deal with threats from the sea in the future. This will be of great help and convenience to the war zone in maintaining the security of overseas territories...
"General, is this news true?" an old Nikancha man with a gray beard asked Claude excitedly.
"This is the elder of the Luo Luo Bird settlement, called Chali. There are more than 4,000 people in their settlement, living on the river beach to the west of Manledo Town." Old man Zacharasen introduced Claude from the side.
"Elder Chari, this news is true." Claude said to the old Nikan very kindly: "You don't know that mainly because of the war, there is no one in the Cromwell and Beringana territories.
The Nikancha settlement can still remain there, so the news has been isolated to the north of the Dolinibara River.
But now this Nikancha country has made a request for assistance to our war zone, and hopes to move all the Nikancha settlements in overseas directly administered territories to them. They said that the Nikancha country they established is the only country in which all the Nikancha people have settled.
The hometown of the Kamchat people, where any Nikancha people can live a free and happy life.
Our war zone has agreed to their request. In half a month, their envoys will be here, hoping to persuade you to move the Nikancha settlement to their country. If you have any questions at that time, just ask them directly.
envoys, and our theater will help you relocate and use sea ships to transport you from offshore for free, which can reduce the journey by half."
Sometimes Claude really admired the brains of his young companion Bokhar. He sent a message to General Albert, who was sitting in Vibato Port, asking about the three million ni from the three direct territories.
Will there be any bad influence if the Kamchas are sent to the Nikancha country in the north? As a result, Albert left this matter to Bokoar, who was doing arms deals with the Nikancha country.
Then Claude received the falcon message from Bokoal. When he opened it, Claude was shocked. Bokoar actually used these three million Nikancha people as business chips to exchange a large amount of money from the Nikancha country.
Mineral resources and gold and silver reserves.
In his letter, Bokoal explained the reason why he did this. It turned out that the total number of people in the northern Nikancha country was less than two million. When attacking the inner colonies of the Kingdom of Hicks, he suffered nearly 10,000 casualties. After all,
Most of the six inner colonies of the Kingdom of Hicks are mining companies, and there are many extremely vicious people working here, as well as the private slaves and slaves of the nobles who protect the mines.
There was no problem for the newly established Nikancha country to defeat the minority with the masses, but the Nikancha people who had just learned how to use muskets still paid a heavy price in casualties. So far, they have only occupied one-third of the inner 6 colonies.
There is some lack of stamina and there is no way to continue the attack. They desperately need follow-up troops and more people, as well as supply support of weapons, ammunition, equipment and food.
Therefore, there were no problems in the talks between Bokoar and the Nikancha people. They were overjoyed when they heard that the war zone was willing to allow the Nikancha settlements in the direct jurisdiction to move to their country. Bokoar took the opportunity to ask for a large amount of mineral resources and gold and silver.
As a reward for abandoning these Nikancha settlements in the war zone, the Nikancha state was allowed to send envoys to persuade the Nikancha settlements in the three directly-administered territories to move north.