landbeastnovel #596 - Constitutional Convention (Part 2)
#596 - Constitutional Convention (Part 2)
"A population census? I don't see the need for that, do you?" An old Earl from the Mountain County spoke with a thick accent, quickly glancing at Moriarty before lowering his head.
"Yes, yes," the other nobles chimed in agreement. "Isn't a population census just a rehash of land registration? Even if we were to reconsider it, it would have to wait until next year."
They couldn't help but object, because a population census and a land survey were almost the same thing.
They had barely managed to convince Patriarch Hohen to veto the 'Land Registration Act,' paying the price of abolishing the Death Hand Tax, and now, just two weeks later, it was being brought up again.
Are you two teaming up to play us for fools?
"No need, very well." Moriarty opened the ledger and cleared her throat. "According to my finance director, Lanfrank, the estimated expenditures for this year are as follows:
Repayments and interest to the Norn High Kings: 27,000 gold pounds. Because of our independence from the Kingdom of Leia, we need to rebuild 6 fortresses and 11 outposts along the border, totaling 35,000 gold pounds. Repairing the water conservancy facilities damaged by previous floods and wars: 18,000 gold pounds…"
In reality, these figures were already reduced. If it were to repair castles without mortar and alchemical priests, let alone doubling the cost, it was questionable whether it could be completed in two years.
The Holy Hammer Monastery of the Holy See charged a fixed price of 5,000 gold pounds for each fortress. Considering transportation and labor costs, the profit was quite meager, almost unprofitable.
But Moriarty needed to resist the war pressure from the Kingdom of Leia in the northern Hotham County, Upper River County, and North Mound County, so it was considered a transfer payment.
"…Therefore, 4,500 transcendent knights, according to pre-war promises, each receiving an estate of at least 1,500 acres and an annual pension of 10 gold pounds, would require an expenditure of 45,000 gold pounds.
To resist the Kingdom of Leia's attack, I have appointed Andrei as commander for the second half of this year, and following the example of the Salvation Army, I will expand the army by 4,500 men in Hotham County, using mercenary prisoners as recruits, which will cost 30,000 gold pounds, plus an estimated administrative expense of 7,000 gold pounds.
Adding some miscellaneous expenses, the total expenditure is around 172,000 gold pounds, which is the necessary tax revenue for this year."
"170,000 gold pounds, why is it so much?" An Earl from the Mountain County couldn't help but exclaim in dismay.
That was 170,000 gold pounds!
Thousand River Valley only gave a total of 150,000 gold pounds in tribute to the royal family and the Pope in a year, and this year there was actually an expenditure of 170,000 gold pounds.
They originally thought that if they drove away the royal family and the Pope, the taxes on their backs would be reduced, but why had they increased instead?
"We are facing an attack from the Kingdom of Leia, we need to expand the army, and it is a standing army, so naturally it costs money," Hohen stood up and helped Moriarty explain.
Earl Sampoli stood up: "But Your Holiness, we don't need so many standing troops at all. Our Thousand River Valley isn't that wealthy."
"If not a standing army, who else can we rely on?" Moriarty stared at Earl Sampoli with a blank expression.
"We nobles are standing by your side, we are all standing by your side, and the knights of Thousand River Valley can also serve you."
"Hahahaha." Moriarty laughed loudly. "Who do you think our enemies are? Nine Edict Companies already overwhelm us, how can you defend against 32 Edict Companies?"
The lecture hall, which had been noisy, immediately quieted down, and the joy of the previous war victory and constitutional convention was immediately diluted by the war clouds.
They were still arguing about legislation here, but the war had already consumed a large number of Thousand River Valley knights and nobles.
Moreover, they had expelled the clergy of the Church, so wouldn't they be at the mercy of the Church and the royal family without any support?
Although the Kingdom of Leia was currently in a civil war, they couldn't expect the civil war to never end.
Two royal dukes were already fighting at the gates of the new king's home, and the civil war in the Kingdom of Leia was on the verge of ending.
At the earliest two years, at the latest three years, they would attack Thousand River Valley.
Now they were sitting in neat seats, but in three years, their heads might be neatly stacked on carriages.
The heads of Prince Condé and Barney Foss were still displayed behind the Central Palace, watching them every day!
"Boom—"
After a thunderclap, the light of lightning illuminated everyone's faces with a pale light, and the rain pattered against the windows, reminding them of their overestimation of themselves.
"The Kingdom of Leia has lost a quarter of its Edict Companies and also has to defend the Kingdom of Fran in the south. It's impossible for them to send all 32 remaining Edict Companies at once," a Mountain Earl said uncertainly.
"Even if they only send half, 16 Edict Companies, that's 1,600 Edict Knights, plus 3,200 Transcendent Knights, not to mention the noble vassal armies and mercenary infantry accompanying them," Moriarty said emphatically. "You manor knights are no match for castle knights, and the guards are no match for territorial conscripts."
The so-called manor knights are fief knights or rural knights, with fixed fiefs, who are summoned to fight every year and are responsible for managing the territory in addition to military affairs.
Castle knights, on the other hand, are like the Niggersacks, Edict Companies, and Mountain Knights, whose fiefs are managed by specialists, who receive annual pensions with financial allocations every year, and who spend a lot of time in castles for military training and martial arts practice.
Castle knights are obviously stronger than manor knights, but the problem is that the cost is also higher.
Without efficient tax collection and a stable source of revenue, it is obviously impossible to raise an army of infantry and cavalry capable of fighting against the Kingdom of Leia.
"But…"
"But what? In the past, you nobles and knights were asked to resist the enemy, and that's why you were given these preferential treatments. Now you don't need to do that, I will protect you!" Moriarty slammed the ledger heavily on the table, making a dull thud. "My money, you get 20,000, and I only get 10,000, should I thank you?!"
The noble representatives were silent.
Among the noble and landlord representatives on the right, they were clearly divided into two categories according to political stance: one was the Mountain nobles, or Cush nobles, and the other was the Thousand River Valley nobles, or foreign nobles.
The Cush nobles were Moriarty's main supporters and the main victims after Thousand River Valley was incorporated into the rule of the Church.
The foreign nobles were collaborators of the Church. They did not suffer much persecution, but they could not tolerate Prince Condé's nonsense and had to turn to the fence-sitters under the circumstances.
After betraying Prince Condé for their lives, they were all blacklisted by the Church, and that's how they entered the central system of the Thousand River Valley Holy Monarch State, the Council of State.
In the Council of State, the Cush nobles were numerous but weak, but they had the support of the top decision-makers, while the plain nobles were small in number but powerful, but they had no one behind them and had to rely on Moriarty.
So in essence, there were contradictions within the nobles, but they were all ants on the same rope, and their fundamental interests were the same, that is, survival.
With Moriarty's tough statement, these nobles gradually understood her meaning.
That is, Moriarty used the central administrative power to exchange for the local administrative power in the hands of the nobles, and used the exemption from military obligations to exchange for financial income.
It seemed fair, but in fact, it required the nobles to give up the autonomy of taxation, judicial power, and military autonomy, and at the same time give up all inter-lord civil wars and claims, and could only obtain new territories through inheritance and noble courts.
The central position was good and had more power than the local power, but not every noble could get it, and the local power was deprived of a part of every noble.
The representatives on the right were whispering, but Moriarty could clearly feel that their noisy voices were gradually converging towards unity—compromise.
In peacetime, even if the nobles agreed with Moriarty's policies, they would not necessarily support her implementation.
It was nothing more than engaging in petty actions under the table, either excessively expanding it or engaging in formalism.
But now it was different. The Kingdom of Leia was a formidable enemy. If they didn't pay these prices, they might not be able to keep their existing power.
Besides compromise, there was no other way.
"Your Highness…" The old Earl who had raised the objection earlier stood up with a bitter face and said, "We are willing to pay more taxes, but the number of 170,000 is really too difficult."