Chapter 400: Persuasion


    TL: Etude


    In February of the year 1994 of the holy calendar, the lords of Alda, Baylding, Portry, Lanaka, and Marltz once again gathered in Lakeheart Town.


    Soon after, a joint statement from the five lords spread throughout the surroundingnds—the Northwestern Customs Union was established.


    ording to the statement, the purposes behind the establishment of the Union were to promote trade development among the member territories and tobat foreign goods in order to protect the burgeoning manufacturing industry in the northwestern region.


    The lords pledged to gradually reduce and eventually eliminate tolls between theirnds and adopt a unified tax policy against external entities. The tariffs collected would serve as public funds for the Union and be distributed reasonably.


    Once the deration was made, it quickly stirred up considerable controversy in the northwesternnds of the Kingdom of Ordo.


    The content of the statement was not limited to the establishment of the Northwestern Customs Union. It included:


    First, the abolition of the widely existing tax farming system, with taxes to be paid directly to the respective lords;


    Second, all local knights and gentry estate owners were forbidden from restricting the freedom of movement of peasants (including serfs) on theirnds, allowing them to migrate between viges and towns;Third, the prohibition of private punishment, the abolition of private civilian courts, with all cases, big and small, to be tried by judicial officers appointed by their respective lords.


    “This is outrageous, inhumane, and the lords are unsympathetic to their subjects”—this was the unanimous sentiment among the local gentry.


    Aside from the Customs Union, which was a longstanding issue, the other three measures in the statement were also uneptable to them.


    Abolish the tax farming system?


    “Our families have served the lords diligently for hundreds of years. Aren’t all the taxes they eat, drink, and use collected by us? Who takes the trouble to go house to house to collect taxes? It’s us! Who gets cursed as bloodsuckers and bears the brunt of the peasants’ resentment on behalf of the lords? It’s us!”@@novelbin@@


    With such hard work and me, why shouldn’t they keep a little money as a reward? Wasn’t that fair?


    Disallow restricting the freedom of movement of the peasants? “Do the lords understand firmly that the only thing ensuring their positions is because we prevent them from conspiring and uniting against us? If all the peasants go off to work in the cities, who will tend the farms? Will we all be left to the mercy of the winds?”


    Prohibit private execution? “Without the power to punish the peasants, what’s the point of being a lord? Won’t the Northwest be thrown into chaos immediately?”


    In short, whether shaking heads or stamping feet, everyone agreed that these were disastrous policies.


    As expected by Paul, it didn’t take long before people came to remonstrate with him.


    “Is this what you gentlemen wish to discuss? Please, have a seat.”


    Paul weed them with a smile, instructing his servants to bring chairs.


    “Thank you, Count.”


    After giving a bow, the two men sat down cautiously.


    These two men—one named Fergus and the other called Eldo—had just presented a long list of sound reasons to Paul.


    Fergus was a ‘knight’ who had previously served the Grayman family and had even apanied him on expeditions against pirates, earning his merits. However, after Paul improved the military system and discipline, Fergus, feeling out of ce, returned to his rural estate for a leisurely life.


    As for Eldo, although he was an estate owner, his estate was technically under the Grayman family, with Eldo’s family merely ‘managing’ it. Generations before, having earned the favor of the then-lord, the estate was ‘half-given’ to his ancestors, with only a certain portion of the proceeds required to be handed over each year, the rest going to Eldo’s family. There were quite a fewndlords like him in Alda, with thend nominally belonging to the lord but effectively controlled by the lord’s servants.


    In other words, they were both closely connected to the Grayman family, one a family knight and the other a family servant.


    “Count, please do not be swayed by the nderous words of the malicious. Such measures will seriously injure the loyalty of your subjects.”


    After sitting, Fergus continued to persuade with a look of sincerity on his face, not appearing to be deceitful.


    “Yes, indeed, what Knight Fergus speaks is reasonable. Treating the subjects with such severity will lead to dissatisfaction.”


    Compared to the knight with his bold eyebrows and robust physique, Eldo did not look particrly endearing, often just echoing Fergus.


    It looked like these two were the ones chosen by thendlords toe and remonstrate with him, Paul thought to himself.


    To his intuition, Fergus wasn’t wholly self-interested but more beholden to the ethics and morals of a bygone era, while Eldo was mostly motivated by personal gain since he always seemed timid and hesitant to meet Paul’s gaze.


    But who could understand what truly lies in the hearts of others?


    “I will seriously consider your words and discuss them in detail with the other lords,” Paul replied after making a show of listening to their grievances intently.


    Seeing the count’s reaction, Fergus and Eldo’s faces brightened, evidently relieved that the young lord was receptive to their words.


    Paul arranged a feast to entertain the two men and saw them off after they had their fill.


    A weekter, the five great lords once again gathered in Lakeheart Town, and after a brief discussion, they dispersed just as quickly.


    Subsequently, each lord announced that they would suspend certain measures from the previous statement.


    In the case of Alda and Baylding, for example:


    The tax farming system would remain unchanged;


    The freedom of movement for farmers was suspended, except for those with family members in the military, whose relocation would not be restricted;


    Private punishment was still upheld, but if a family had a member serving in the military, they must be turned over to the lord’s court for trials.


    However, the establishment of the Customs Union remained as part of the decisions upheld by all five lords.


    Thus, most people heaved a sigh of relief.


    In the estate of the esteemed gentleman Valen, the localndlords gathered again.


    Old Valen spoke grimly, “This is a strategy. The count is taking a step back only to move forwardter. We must find a way to thwart the Customs Union as well.”


    “Watch your tone, remember your status,” Fergus immediately opposed. “Repealing newly issued decrees entirely would be dishonorable for the count. His willingness topromise this much is already not easy; we should be considerate of Lord Grayman. Besides, this also involves the other four counts and the great Duke of the Northwest; how should we defy five lords?”


    “Yes, yes, ultimately we are his subjects; it’s not right to pressure the lord like this.”


    Baden, Eldo, and others agreed with Fergus, content with the count’s concessions.


    “Hmph, I’m afraid that if the count steps back today, he may advance two steps tomorrow. Remember my words, when everything you hold is taken away, I wonder if you’ll still be able to feel relieved.”


    Old Valen downed his drink in one gulp, a glint of deep dissatisfaction in his eyes.


    “This…”


    “Surely not…”


    The people in attendance exchanged uneasy nces.


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