Chapter 765: Cancers Within I
CH765 Cancers Within I
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The meeting continued as other topics regarding the territory’s condition were brought up.
"We need to holistically revamp the domain’s fiscal policies."
Zora pointed out one of the largest elephants in the room. However, since Alex had made it clear that he did not want to dwell excessively on the failures of previous administrations, she quickly moved on to her proposed solution.
"To begin drafting a comprehensive framework to address and guide the domain’s fiscal responsibilities, we first need comprehensive data on the people living within our territory.
"We need to conduct a census as soon as possible," she said.
Alex nodded in agreement.
"I would also like to take advantage of the census programme to simultaneously create a citizens’ register. In many ways, the register would be even more useful than the census figures themselves," he said.
After careful consideration, Alex had decided to deploy a Runic Server to manage the domain’s information and administrative records.
It would make many of the immediate administrative tasks significantly easier in the short term.
And in the long term, it would help ease the population’s eventual transition into a digital age.
"For the register, I will provide an artefact that can be used to record the information of every citizen. As long as we collect each person’s data through this artefact, we will be able to efficiently retrieve any additional information we require in the future," Alex explained.
Milton nodded in acceptance.
If the domain lord was willing to provide an artefact that made life easier for him and the rest of the administrative staff, he had no reason to object.
"After the census, we will need to begin plugging the tax and revenue leaks throughout the domain. We will also need to prevent individual settlements from operating outside the oversight of the domain administration. Other issues such as corruption and smuggling must likewise be dealt with before they become entrenched," Zora added.
She looked intently between Alex and Milton.
It was clear that she had something serious—perhaps even controversial—to bring up.
"What is it?" Alex asked.
"I know you said not to dwell on the fiscal actions of previous administrations, but there is one matter that I cannot help but raise," Zora said.
"By any chance, is Madam referring to Castin Town?" Milton seemed to sense where the conversation was headed.
"I am." Zora nodded. "It is the biggest drain on the domain. Every issue I have mentioned—poor census records, missing taxes, smuggling, and corruption—is at its worst in Castin Town.
"On top of that, I came across reports stating that several strongmen have declared themselves the rulers of the town, and taxes that should be paid to the domain magistrate are instead being paid to them.
"Not only did previous administrations fail to address the problem, but they effectively allowed it to continue because apparently it can be traced back to a decision made by a former domain lord, which eventually evolved into the magistrate’s official fiscal stance regarding the town."
Alex frowned upon hearing this.
This was the first time he had learned of the matter, as it had not been included among the documents he had reviewed throughout the night.
Still, he wasn’t quick to jump to conclusions.
Instead, he turned to Milton.
"Can you explain what this is about?" Alex asked.
Milton nodded.
"The domain lord Madam Zora mentioned was the first ruler of the Frontier March, Count Fonterra," Milton revealed.
"In order to establish the domain, Count Fonterra was given those whom the empire and its noble houses considered undesirable elements of society. This included a mixture of destitute commoners and outlaws.
"Count Fonterra feared that the outlaws would negatively influence the unfortunate commoners, so he decided to separate the two groups. The poor destitute commoners laid the foundations of Fonterra Bastide, while the outlaws formed the bulk of Castin Town.
"In order to convince the outlaws to willingly relocate to Castin, Count Fonterra presented the plan as a recruitment drive for a new town garrison. He promised three thousand square metres of farmland to the family members of each of the three hundred guards who joined the garrison."
Milton paused, clenching his fists in anger.
"The Count had obviously intended the promise to apply only to the immediate family members of the guards.
"However, after the Count’s death and the appointment of a new magistrate, members of the Castin Town garrison claimed that the Count had meant their entire family—down to nine generations.
"Since the magistrate administration could provide no evidence to refute their claim, while there was documented proof that the Count had indeed promised the garrison that land and fulfilled the agreement, the magistrate ultimately sided with the garrison," Milton revealed.
"The magistrate didn’t want to be seen as opposing a Count who had willingly come to this place at the height of the fear surrounding the Great Berserk Beast Forest?" Alex commented.
"Exactly." Milton nodded. "However, that decision set the domain on a flawed path. The garrison members married and had children without restraint. In both cases, they added more people to their families and, consequently, laid claim to more land."
"Even their in-laws were granted land?" Eleanore asked in disbelief.
"Yes. They argued that they were ’family’ and therefore entitled to the land," Milton replied wryly. "With the precedent established by the first magistrate’s ruling, there was little the administration could do except comply."
Alex, Eleanore, and Zora exchanged frowns.
Milton continued.
"This continued until a few decades ago, shortly before the penultimate major beast tide, when much of the farmland became unusable because crops grown on it were no longer safe for consumption. The worst affected was naturally Castin Town, which possessed the largest population and the greatest amount of farmland in the domain.
"Using both the threat of the approaching beast tide and the planned actions of the Stronghold as leverage, the domain lord at the time negotiated an agreement with the major powers within the town, which had by then consolidated into five dominant clans controlling most of the population and land.
"The agreement placed a cap on farmland allocations, limiting them to only second-generation family members of serving garrison personnel. In exchange, the domain permanently capped all taxes within the town at ten percent."
"What?!" Alex and his wives exclaimed simultaneously.
Initially, they had thought the domain lord had shown some wisdom by finally establishing clear limits on which family members were entitled to the promised land.
However, hearing that he had done so at the cost of permanently capping the town’s tax rate at ten percent left them stunned.
It had to be understood that, depending on the domain and the activity being taxed, peasants like those living within a domain like the Frontier March could face tax rates as high as fifty percent—or even seventy percent in extreme cases.
Not only was taxation one of the primary ways nobles accumulated their wealth, but more importantly, it was one of the key mechanisms through which they maintained authority over their territories.
Such authority was even more important when dealing with a group like the inhabitants of Castin Town, who had clearly harboured ambitions of rising beyond the authority of the domain magistrate.
Granting them such favourable terms was no different from nurturing their ambitions.
***