Timeline Player

A group of guards parted the crowd and escorted an elderly man who was well-dressed and leaning on an ebony cane.

Someone in the crowd immediately recognized him: "It's the Duchess's butler, Mr. Fred!" "Excellent! He'll uphold justice!" "Please! Fred, teach them a lesson!"

Vincent told Chi Que, "This butler is an old man left behind by the former duke, and he values ​​local traditions very much."

He nodded and waited to see what would happen.

Fred walked to the cart, staring at the felled Moon Tear Lemon tree, his face expressionless. Yet, those around him instantly felt an invisible pressure: "Who gave you permission to sell this timber and fruit here?!"

The caravan leader stepped forward, bowed slightly, but showed no respect: "My esteemed sir, we found this wild tree in the forest. We just cut it down to exchange for some travel expenses. Is cutting down trees illegal?"

"Unclaimed?" Fred laughed coldly. "The Oak Forest has been the private property of the Yanar family since they were granted it three hundred years ago. Every tree, every leaf belongs to His Excellency the Duke!"

Was the local lord's surname Yanar?

Chi Que had always thought it was Bathory...

But why does this name sound so familiar?

Chi Que's heart stirred slightly.

"It was the former Duke's mercy!" the butler continued. "He granted his subjects permission to enter the forest to gather fruit to supplement their livelihood, but when was it permitted to cut down forests and destroy property on the territory?"

"Your actions have violated the laws of the kingdom!" the steward raised his voice. "Stealing noble property! According to the law, you should be flogged, have all your ill-gotten gains confiscated, and pay ten times the value of the stolen goods in compensation!"

Upon hearing this, the local residents who were watching nodded in agreement, showing expressions of satisfaction.

Vincent also whispered to Chi Que, "That's right, although few people remember, the Oak Forest has always been the Duke's private property."

Chi Que noticed, however, that the caravan leader's expression remained unchanged.

He bowed again: "Yes, Your Excellency, what you said is indeed the golden rule of the kingdom, but..."

He deliberately drew out his words: "As far as I know, Her Excellency Elizabeth, since inheriting the title, has had two noble daughters, but no male heir."

Upon hearing this, Fred's face instantly turned extremely gloomy.

The caravan leader said provocatively, "As far as I know, according to the ancient Salic succession law, the legal status of intermediate territories like Oak Forest... seems to be in the process of returning to the royal family?"

He continued, "Even if we concede, this oak forest is, at least until the Royal Justice Secretary makes a final ruling, temporarily unclaimed land, so how can it be considered theft?"

The crowd erupted in a frenzy of discussion.

Fred's face turned ashen, but he was unable to refute the argument, because this was precisely the most sensitive issue the Duchess was currently facing.

Just then, a young noblewoman stepped out from the steward's party.

Her long, golden hair cascaded casually over her shoulders, the strands fluttering and brushing against her exquisitely beautiful face.

Her eyes sparkled with a captivating light, yet carried a hint of detachment from the outside world, like a fairy stepping out of a painting.

She gave a graceful bow and spoke softly, "Yes, you're right, but haven't you forgotten—"

She gave a sly smile: "Selling goods within the duchy's territory is subject to taxation."

The crowd was silent for a moment, then erupted in huge cheers: "Good! Let's squeeze them dry!" "Let them be ruined, left with nothing!"

There are two things in a person's life that can never be avoided.

Death and taxes.

Inhaling costs you a tax, exhaling costs you a tax, holding your breath costs you a tax, and even stopping your breathing costs you a tax...

This is not ironic. Thanks to the taxation power of the fiefdom lords and the generally low moral standards of the nobility, these rather bizarre taxes did indeed exist in the history of the White Cuckoo Kingdom.

Although the royal family later revised the law to restrict it, the lords still enjoyed great taxation power and could arbitrarily set tax rates on goods within their territories, sometimes as high as 90%.

The caravan leader's expression changed instantly. He scanned the crowd with his eyes, and then his heart sank.

Chi Que also showed a strange expression at this moment.

It seems he didn't pay taxes either...

However, what surprised him even more was the solution proposed by the blonde girl.

It appears to be a victory for the duchess, but in reality, it amounts to acknowledging the legitimacy of the other party's actions.

Going even further, it is assumed that the oak forest is unclaimed land, no longer private property belonging to the duchy.

As a result of the transaction, not only would the caravan be heavily taxed, but the duchess would also lose the legitimacy of her territory.

Moreover, the local nobles were less likely to obtain lemon trees, and even the common people's demands were not met at all...

From beginning to end, there wasn't a single winner!

Oh, no, there was one. The royal family won, and inexplicably gained the legitimacy of the disputed territory.

The butler's face was also ashen, but his eyes were filled with fear as he looked at the girl, clearly not daring to say anything more.

'Amazing wisdom...' Chi Que thought to himself. 'This woman is pretty, but how come she's all brawn and no brains?'

"M-Master! Miss!" The leader knelt down.

"Damn bitch, I'll back down for now, but you'll regret this later!" the caravan leader cursed inwardly, using every filthy curse he could think of.

But outwardly, he still had to kneel down humbly and plead, "We are just poor merchants traveling from place to place, please spare us this time! We...we are willing to pay the taxes!"

Goods tax, as the name suggests, is the use of goods themselves to settle debts.

He knew that this was the only way out at this moment, and the other party could set the price of the Moon Tear Lemon Tree at an astronomical figure.

Their cash simply couldn't fill that bottomless pit.

Once accused of tax evasion, not only will all the goods be confiscated, but they will also be imprisoned in the local jail.

At that point, they would be at the mercy of the other side.

However, if this noble lady in front of me were to show leniency...

That's why he was weeping and flattering people so much that many onlookers felt sorry for him.

Good, very good. Even these unruly commoners have been fooled by me. How could I not give a little chance to live a noble lady like this, who is somewhat overflowing with sympathy?

They might even take pity on them and set a lower tax rate.

The caravan leader thought to himself with smug satisfaction.

"Oh? Is that so? That's really pitiful." The expected voice came, but before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, he noticed that the emotion in the voice was very strange.

It wasn't the sympathy he had imagined, but rather...amusing?

"However, unfortunately, I don't have that power." The girl shook her head, revealing a mischievous smile.

The chieftain looked up blankly, trying to find any trace of emotion on that refined face: "How could you not? Aren't you the Duchess's daughter? Of course you have the right..."

Before he could finish speaking, the girl interrupted him: "The daughter of the former duke? No, you misunderstand, I am not."

She lifted her skirt, slightly bent her knees, and performed a gesture that even the most strict old scholar could not find fault with.

However, this etiquette does not belong to the duchy.