Rise of Rurik

The wooden table placed by the wall was moved back to the hall, and Rurik ordered his mercenaries to retreat and ordered them to wash their bodies with linen soap before returning to the dormitory to rest.

The box full of silver coins was placed on the table. Under the dim oil lamp, the silver coins reflected the intoxicating silver light.

Now, Otto wouldn't be agitated when looking at them, he had already seen too much, too much money, and a little numb.

"Rurik, where did your money come from?" he asked quietly.

With a look of flowers blooming, Rurik stood there, holding these Roman silver coins and Carolingian silver coins in very good color in his hand.

"Dad, this is a brand new tax that I charge."

"Tax? You..." Otto's mind was spinning frantically, and he thought this scene was absurd. "Those immigrants with wheat may have just planted seeds. How do you collect taxes? You say this is a real tax? Is it a tax for you?!"

"It's the merchants!" Rurik said bluntly.

"Businessman? Taxes?"

Looking at his father's suspicious face, Rurik understood for a moment that his father still doesn't understand tax. It seems that you still need some explanation of your own?

Do not! There is no need to explain too much, and Rurik guesses that Dad didn't have the time to listen to his own explanation. Anyway, the money is here, and it is the last word to make money.

Commercial taxes must be collected, and not just commercial taxes.

There are also very important tariffs.

The three taxation systems of the Rus tribe: agricultural tax, business operation tax and customs duty. These three very critical taxes must be established.

Of course, Rurik feels that his tribe will only need these three core taxes to cover the tribe's finances for a long period of time in the future. As for the head tax and stamp duty, they are not needed for the time being.

Especially the poll tax, Rurik doesn't think it is necessary. Even this poll tax, in the eyes of the feudal lords of the Frankish kingdom, is a natural tax, and it is one of the most important sources of wealth.

Regarding the concept of a feudal country and the Rus tribe in a state of tribal alliance, even the concept of "taxation" must be a little difficult for everyone to accept.

At this stage, Rurik dare not ask his native people to pay any taxes. Don't even think about it. If you want the people to take the money "for no reason", don't even think about it!

A relatively complete tax system must be established. Lurik does not expect his native people to quickly accept it, but those who live in the country must immediately accept the business tax.

Merchants, as Gould said, are generally very resistant, and may even have an adverse effect on the future business of the Roths.

Rurik knew that those small merchants who lacked strength would lose out. If there are big obedient merchants, what's the problem?

Those small businessmen had better cooperate. Rurik acquiesced that they generally resisted. This requires Otto, as the big leader, to bring the soldiers to come forward and collect taxes with arms! Especially taking advantage of this ice-covered occasion, while the sea ice has not melted, the small businessmen can't run away by boating and take the opportunity to collect taxes.

They understand that love will come or not, anyway they can run, and the leftover house will be taken over by Rose.

In fact, Rurik is also more worried. For his new servants, such as the "Arrow Archer" Telavis, who has moved to his new camp of the Grey Squirrel Tribe, those Corvin tribesmen still live in tents for the time being. This is not appropriate!

Therefore, the houses left by the stray merchants are just the temporary dormitories for the new servants in the future.

Rurik pointed to the suitcase and said bluntly: "This may be regarded as my new invention. I talked a lot with the big businessman Gould today. Starting from this year's trade season, he has to pay me a tax every year. As long as he does business in our Roseburg, he must pay a sum of money every year. Not only Gould, I have decided that from this year onwards, all guest merchants must pay!"

"Huh?" At this time, Otto had been the leader for more than ten years, and he had never thought about it.

"You...you asked them for money, and you succeeded? You...you are such a genius! Why didn't I think about it!"

Otto's answer also surprised Rurik. and many more? Could it be that the old man himself wanted to make money, he didn't collect "commercial tax" but just lacked a little imagination?

Otto couldn't help pursing his lips, but he drank all the strong alcohol on the table.

He rapped on the table enthusiastically, making the box full of silver coins tremble.

Rurik felt that he, an old man who had burned a lot of his beard, was happy today like a monkey holding a banana.

But when Otto calmed down a little bit, he suddenly questioned: "Rurik, you said we just ask for money like this, they will give it?"

Rurik shrugged, he knew that Otto had given a very clear answer-this business tax must be collected.

"We must collect money. They must pay. If they refuse, Dad, you can expel them and let them walk into the ice sea alone. As for whether they will be frozen to death, it depends on God's attitude."

"What about God's attitude?" Otto asked cautiously, "Did you notice some good omens?"

Rurik was startled and wondered if Otto was really superstitious. Anyway, the mouth is on his head anyway, so I can say it all by myself.

"Good omen!"

"Really? That's good! When shall we collect the money?!"

"This..." What surprised Rurik was whether it was because the old man was bored with a bottle of strong wine, and his emotions became very excited and direct. Youdao speaks truth after drinking, this old guy loves money in the final analysis!

Actually, everyone loves money, and they all yearn to sleep on a bed made of gold and silver. It is best to lie in a ship-shaped tomb and cover the whole body with silver coins after death.

Arik wants to use brutal means to fight for strong war dividends and to reproduce the huge victory before. Otto is even more restrained. He is older and more willing to use relatively peaceful means to earn money.

Undoubtedly, Rurik’s determination is simply to invent a new means of accumulating money, and as the rule maker, this is naturally more controlled by the chief family than money.

Otto just told the truth after drinking, and he didn't even want to lie to his son.

Otto needed time to act, and now the problem was returned to Rurik.

"You ask me when to act? This matter...maybe..."

"Make up your mind! Our time is very tight, otherwise the ice and snow will melt!" Otto urged.

"Then two days later!" Rurik slapped his thigh and stood up. "We must first gather all the merchants and let the merchants send people to the meeting. In order to ensure that they take the money obediently, we must ensure the threat of force. They are. It’s best to cooperate. If they don’t, force them to cooperate."

"I think it's okay." After all, Otto didn't care about anything and laughed.

Anyway, the money is not aimed at the Rus people, but at the merchants who live as guests. Ottos didn't doubt whether Rurik's decision would have a bad effect, anyway, for so many years, those guests occupying the site of Roseburg, at least have to pay a little rent.

Early the next morning, Otto, with his son's plan in mind, immediately called a meeting of the chief honourable men of the tribe. The topic is no longer about war revenge, the topic is how to make money. Although some people have strong suspicions, since most people are very supportive of this decision, the minority obeys the majority.

I never thought that someone was eavesdropping, or some participants had unreliable mouths, or just that the wooden walls of the meeting room were not thick enough.

Even, some of Gould's men, for various purposes, revealed that the leader felt that the business tax was collected, and revealed that Gould had paid 10,000 silver coins.

It was this "ten thousand silver coins" news that, through the mouths of the disseminators, completely turned into a heavy tax of 10,000 silver coins charged by the Ross people to all the merchants in residence, each household.

Most people didn't believe it at first, but the three became tigers.

The merchants whose population is at a disadvantage, they have always felt that they have a very stable alliance with the Rus people for decades, and they are also in the same tribal alliance. How can they suddenly become like this?

However, the sea is frozen, the snow on the land and even the submerged waist, the ship being pushed ashore has no possibility of sailing.

Escape with goods and cash box? That's crazy!

Of course, there are merchant families who took advantage of the night to clean up the valuables. They pulled the sleigh and quietly escaped from Roseburg, leaving behind the empty wooden houses and some less valuable things.

Most businessmen, they are dizzy by bad news. Run away? Before selling a large amount of goods, the silver coins in hand are gone. The family is waiting to make a fortune by selling the leather obtained by the Ross people. If you give up these goods, the family is really on the verge of bankruptcy. Let's talk about fleeing, risking fleeing in the cold winter is inherently dangerous.

When it was almost evening, Otto realized that these merchants obviously had a strong feeling of not wanting to take money because of these wind noises.

This sentiment has seriously interfered with the normal transactions between tribal people and merchants.

Those merchants were accusing the Ross people of being insensitive and just planning to sell the merchants fresh seal meat and cod meat to the winter fishermen. They simply stopped doing business after being inexplicably criticized.

The rumors were fermenting, and Rurik and Otto couldn't think of who had spread the tax.

As far as the news the two heard, it was obviously a misunderstanding of tax collection.

"Ten thousand silver coins? If I can squeeze ten thousand silver coins from house to house, I can build a mountain with silver coins!"

Rurik urged his father to send someone to think about the business people's decision to promote the leader. The so-called business tax is necessary, but it is not the amount of 10,000 silver coins.

Don't have ten thousand silver coins? That amount is definitely a lot. Since the Ross warrior with the sword was personally explaining the matter, it can only show that the situation is serious.

Some people ran away at night, some people waited and watched in numbness and hesitation. There were only a small number of businessmen who believed that Chief Ross was not a bogus.

Everyone got an order from the leader.

That is, tomorrow morning, various businessmen need to send their heads to gather to the now frozen beach to listen to specific matters about tax collection.

Go to the beach? Of course I want to. If you don't go, who can guarantee that the Ross people will not wait on them with iron fist?

After all, these guys conquered the "Eastern Land", and it is said that 300 people beheaded and killed 800 people without being injured. The guest merchants have a large number of commercial old fritters. They have dealt with many warriors. They understand that once such warriors fall into a manic state, they really don't recognize them. It is ridiculous to talk to them about contracts, and they can only show obedience for their own safety.

At the very least, the purpose of the Ross disclosure tax is not to harm business people.

Everyone has some illusions about the Ross people. For this night, most of the business people who decided to stay and watch the changes kept their family members sleepless.

The appointed day has finally arrived.

The cold wind from the Arctic still pours into the bay. Although it is April, the weather is still terrible.

What's the use of sunny weather? The climate is really cold. The merchants who gather on the frozen beach, although they are wearing gorgeous furs, decorating their furry snow fox hats with gold threads, and dyed wool felt boots, they are restraining their waists with calfskin belts.

They dress luxuriantly and decently, and their dress itself is normalized, just to show their financial identity as a businessman.

And this gorgeous outfit, to those warriors ordered by Otto to hold short spears and sharp swords, they looked like a large group of fat sheep that could be blackmailed.

The merchants couldn't help feeling nervous when they saw a large number of soldiers standing on the beach.

You Dao is starting to kill with a weapon in his heart. The merchants really feel that they have suddenly become lambs to be slaughtered. The ghost knows what the Ross people want to do.

But Otto really didn't plan to move rough first.

The idea of ​​collecting business taxes was proposed by Rurik. As the destined next-generation chief, he explained publicly and ordered merchants to pay taxes.

The beach was very lively, and a large number of men and women from the tribes gathered to watch a rare drama.

Under the attention of all kinds of people, Rurik and Otto have a fantastic way of debut.

There are more than fifty young soldiers, most of whom are just twenty years old.

They were shirtless, their tendons ignoring the Arctic wind. They shouted chants, pulled fifty ropes, and then pulled Otto's own long ship with the monster bow carved into it to the beach, as if a big ship was sailing on the ice.

Rurik and Otto, the glorious father and son stood on the bow.

The dragon head warship carried a strong sense of pressure, it was sliding on the ice and snow, causing the merchants to retreat one after another.

The Ross people were cheering, and the merchants were silent.

Under the gaze of more than four hundred businessmen, Otto finally spoke with a deep and domineering voice.

Otto is simple and straightforward. He asks for money.

"You businessmen, live in my Roseburg for a long time! Starting this year, you will have to pay a tax every year. This is the rent you must pay and the price you must pay for doing business in Roseburg. I Tell you! Every merchant must come up with fifty silver coins today! Listen well! Fifty silver coins! That's the amount.

If you take out the money, you will be protected by our Ross people this year. If you don't take the money, don't think about going home today! "

It is indeed beyond the business people's expectations. Compared with the tax of 10,000 silver coins, 50 silver coins can actually be afforded by everyone. Even if some merchants can't take out the money for a time, there is no obstacle at all to take out goods of equal value to deduct tax.

The businessman was discussing, and Rurik squinted his eyes to observe. He felt that the cloud on the brows of these well-dressed guys had disappeared.

Rurik still had something to say.

He was picked up directly by Otto and let him ride on his neck.

Rurik was in an extremely high position, as if sitting on the shoulders of a giant.

He yelled in a childish voice: "All merchants! Listen to me! This is the command of the leader! Starting this year, every one of your merchant ships entering our Roseburg will have to pay ten silver coins to enter the port.

You have no reason to refuse. As long as you do business with us, you must pay this amount again.

As long as you pay ten silver coins to enter the port, your ship will be protected by our Rus people. If anyone dares to destroy your ship, it will definitely be beheaded.

Remember, starting this autumn, merchant ships entering our fjord will have to pay this port entry fee. "

The so-called entry fee, Lurik prefers to call it tariffs.

At the beginning, Rurik had the idea to talk to them about the purpose of taxation. After all, it was a bit cold outdoors. Rurik didn't want to waste time. He also felt that it was a waste of words. I need to be as decisive as my father, just to give the business people two options: cooperation is protected, refused to get out now.

But Rurik still underestimated the old man's methods.

Otto raised his arms and ordered: "You are going to take the money now. I will notify your family members to bring in silver coins or goods of equal value. You can leave when I receive the money and things."

This……

Why is taxation a bit of blackmail? ! Rurik is a little dizzy. Since the old man insists, it seems that this can be very quick to collect the money, so let's do it! Although a little contrary to his own idea.

Rurik hoped to collect business taxes in a very peaceful way, but Otto assumed that the merchants were all iron **** and needed iron tongs to pull out the iron feathers. So why is this happening?

The reason is also simple. At least ten merchants ran away overnight, which had a negative impact. Otto thought of the commotion of the merchants yesterday, he had completely lost his patience.

As far as the result is concerned, Otto's method is simple, straightforward!

Even if the trapped merchants have thick clothes, they are on the beach where the cold wind blows, and they will inevitably feel cold after standing for a long time.

Out of concern for and reliance on the family in charge, the merchant’s wives and concubines obeyed the messenger’s request and rushed to the beach with their own money or tax-deductible goods.

The number of guest residents is 3,000, and the actual guest households do not reach 500. Most of them are family workshop laborers engaged in processing various materials. They are also businessmen themselves. In a sense, they are mostly "self-employed" and "mom-and-pop shops". Among them, there are a large number of leather processors, while the number of pure second-hand dealers is very small.

The main reason is that a large amount of money flows into Roseburg, causing this limited market to rapidly become inflationary.

Once upon a time, it was normal for guest families to earn ten or twenty silver coins in a single winter, but now many families’ income has increased tenfold!

The Ross people are letting go. If you don’t take the money to pay taxes immediately, your husband and master will freeze to death, and your property will be confiscated. But if you pay the money, you will be safe and your business activities will be perfectly protected.

More than a thousand people gathered on the beach. Almost all the visitors were women. Otherwise, after a businessman became rich, he would first dress up his own women. The women are also more dressy. In order to save the heads of the family, they readily paid the money.

As long as the tax of fifty silver coins is paid, the matter is over.

The Ross soldier in the state of the human wall was ordered to let go of a small opening, and only one person could pass at a time. The wife and concubine paid the money, and a businessman was released.

Rurik, who was still standing on the bow of the warship, was paying attention to all this. At this moment, he had to admire the old man's methods, and as expected, Jiang was still hot. Of course, those businessmen are eager to get out of the encirclement immediately, and those women will not allow family accidents out of reliance. They took the money to settle the problem in the first place, and it was surprisingly refreshing.

On this day alone, the collection of commercial taxes was completed in a very efficient manner!

With the addition of tax-deductible goods, there are as many as 430 merchants paying taxes, which is more than 20,000 silver coins and equivalent materials.

Otto paid the fractional part of the tax with the acquiescence of Liurik as a reward to all the fighters who "maintain order".

The remaining 20,000 silver coins and equivalent goods go to the leader's warehouse.

Didn't anyone stand up and tell the leader that as a member of the Ross tribe, he should have a share?

No. Not at all.

The clansmen praised the leader's family as noble and extraordinary, and it was so easy for the merchants to get the money. Compared with the actions of the chief family, they feel more and more insignificant. They saw that the soldiers were just standing in front of a wall, and each of them received a reward of silver coins afterwards.

The people of the tribe are more envious of those fighters who get the money, that's all.

Ordinary people, they don't have the guts, and they don't even think about making demands on the leader. They only hope to win the battle with the leader Otto, or to make money for the future leader Rülik.

It's all right now, and 30,000 silver coins are credited to the account. This amount of money is actually very large, and the tax collection has made such a large fortune. Otto was shocked, and his thoughts of cruising the Gotland people to grab the money suddenly faded a little.

Making money has become such a field! Why do you have to fight your way to a decisive battle with an outsider who is as effective as yourself? Otto knew that the purpose of the war was to plunder and avenge the enemy.

Otto asked Rurik about his thoughts: "Do you want to use this tax?"

Rurik didn’t even want to give his answer: “I collect taxes to build ~www.readwn.com~ I will use the money to buy the labor of our people, and let them go to the northern mines to establish camps and the eastern branch. The literati settlements will build our fortress and build our Silla Fort. All the money will be spent, and our tribe will earn these 30,000 silver coins. Finally, they will build a stronger settlement for our tribe. .

When our people become richer, our tribes can become stronger, so that I can collect more taxes and build better settlements.

We will be stronger every year, just like rolling a small snowball, our strength is like this snowball, rolling bigger and bigger. "

Although Otto still doesn't quite understand, large-scale infrastructure construction will have a very long-term positive development for the tribe. He could at least feel the vigor in Rurik's words.

Also, Otto knows his people best. The people of the tribe have had enough of poverty and their living conditions have improved in the past two years. There is no doubt that the child Rurik has made a lot of contributions

The people of the tribe are to obtain more materials and more silver coins.

They are eager for more wealth. It would be great if they could sell their labor to earn a lot of money.