Chapter 375: The New Tax Law

"Does anyone else have any concerns? Feel free to voice them; I'm not unreasonable," Muria said, seemingly still hearing the echoes of the pleas for mercy in the council hall, his expression warm and smiling. "Just point out the issues, and I'll resolve them."

Hearing Muria's words, a cold sweat broke out on the foreheads and backs of the dignitaries in the council hall. Was he talking about resolving the issues raised or resolving those who raised them? Given the Regent Duke's approach, it seemed more likely the latter. Better to heed his words—after all, their lives were at stake, and the greatest losses were not theirs but belonged to those most affluent and powerful nobles.

"Nobody has any objections?" Seeing the silence below, Muria nodded in satisfaction. "Then let's discuss the reformation of the tax laws."

"I believe the tax laws of the Lockman Kingdom are highly unreasonable and desperately in need of reform. We should not tax based on the number of people but based on individual income, with taxes phased in accordingly."

"Please elaborate, Your Grace," a noble bowed and said, showing interest in Muria's proposed new tax law.

"My idea is this: first, calculate how much money a family of five needs per month to maintain a basic standard of living. That amount will set the standard. Only the income exceeding this amount after deductions should be taxable."

"And if it doesn't exceed?"

"Tax-exempt." Muria's gaze was clear as he uttered two words that no ruler of this world would normally say. He was essentially transplanting the concept of personal income tax from his previous life.

Those too poor do not qualify to pay taxes; only those with higher incomes should be taxed. Indeed, the higher the income, the more taxes paid.

After hearing about the new tax law that Muria intended to implement, the nobles and ministers were baffled but each had their own thoughts.

"Duke Muria, according to your idea, the wealthier people will pay more taxes, and the very poor commoners will be tax-exempt?"

"Yes, exactly," Muria nodded. "I really don't understand what there is to gain by squeezing those who barely survive by tilling the soil. It makes more sense to tax the wealthy merchants; that's the right way."

"Your wisdom is profound," a group of nobles quickly flattered him.

"Your Grace, this new tax law sounds good, but if the lords no longer have the right to set their own taxes, what will they use for income? Many lords depend on tax collection for their livelihood."

"Useless!" Muria muttered under his breath, then raised his head. "I am removing their right to set their own tax laws, but I'm not taking away their right to collect taxes. They can levy taxes according to the new law, submitting half of the collected taxes to the royal treasury, and they can keep the other half."

"Half? Isn't that too much?"

"What does it matter to you? You're not one of the powerful nobles; why worry unnecessarily?"

"My daughter is about to marry a powerful noble; of course, I have to care."

After clarifying Muria's plans, many nobles and dignitaries discussed among themselves, and another dignitary presented their concern to Muria:

"Duke Muria, if a lord's lands are too poor, resulting in most of his subjects being too impoverished to meet the new tax standards, then wouldn't that lord have very little income?"

"Correct!" Muria nodded.

"For such cases, shouldn't we set some special conditions to lower the tax threshold?"

"No need. If the subjects are too poor to be taxed, then that noble should find ways to enrich his subjects, instead of waiting for me to legislate special conditions."

After nearly a day and a night of discussions, pooling ideas, and data collected by the secret intelligence agency left by Belradien, the new tax laws of the Lockman Kingdom were finally reformulated over two days and nights.

The new tax laws were then rapidly printed in the palace and, along with the decrees stripping the nobility of their legislative and tax-setting powers, were dispatched throughout the kingdom via the established transport system.

When the noble lords of the Lockman Kingdom received the communications from the capital, most were dumbfounded, then discontent and even resentful.

They were among those who saw their subjects as less than human, and the reforms of the new tax law severely infringed on their exploitation, as under their oppressive rule, nearly no household met the new tax standards.

If the new tax law was truly enforced, they would hardly collect a single copper in taxes, an intolerable situation for these tyrannical lords. However, having witnessed Muria's coronation, they dared not openly rebel.

Instead, they resorted to passive resistance, treating the decrees sent via teleportation as if they were non-existent, continuing to enforce

 the old laws as if they had never seen the new ones.

...

Back in the palace, Muria, refreshed and clear-headed, summoned the head of the secret agency left by Belradien to issue his orders:

"Monitor the entire country, focusing on those with fiefdoms to see if they are complying with my decrees and the new tax law. Also, monitor the officials to ensure they are properly implementing my new tax law. Submit a list of all non-compliers from each department; I want to see who dares to ignore my commands."

"As you command, Duke Muria." All the heads of the secret agencies acknowledged and withdrew, leaving only a suave, black-haired middle-aged gentleman.

"How is the integration of evil creatures within Scarlet progressing?" Muria, busy with administrative work and without looking up, inquired.

"With the intelligence and support provided by colleagues, most of the evil creatures within the royal city have been integrated. Next, I plan to integrate those around the fortified cities surrounding the capital."

"Good. You should know which creatures to integrate and which to eliminate."

"Understood."

"You may leave."

As Muria awaited the reactions of the powerful nobles to his decrees and the new tax law, and the response from across the Lockman Kingdom, the giant reconnaissance corps sent to explore the vast cloud islands off the western coasts of the kingdom returned. Somewhat surprisingly to Muria, they had not only suffered no casualties but had also returned with over a hundred cloud giants, natives from those islands.

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