Black Sail
Chapter 542 - 171. Green tea must be tasted

Chapter 542: 171. Green tea must be tasted

Aran, the capital of Cast Province, Duguli.

The trade representatives appointed by Liszt, who once extorted at Heaven Port along with the deceased archer Fisher and Nishi, have already arrived in Duguli.

As a city whose economic standing is in the top 5 and being the world’s art capital, financial activities are frequent and external speculative capitals require station points.

Although the "Lord’s Bill" has rendered all old nobles of Aran intellectually disabled, sovereignty remains while jurisdiction is transferred, the radiation power of the Royal Court is immense, but old nobles can still rely on land to establish privatized systems, earning money like printing cash.

Aran imposes terrifyingly escalated exit taxes on a ladder-system basis, and these lords need to strip the flesh from their bones before they can run away and return it to the Royal Court.

As long as local finances pay the taxes required by the constitution, the Royal Court won’t trouble you, but if any small actions are discovered, the Witch Hunting Secret Department, often called the mini Tax Army, specifically targets anti-imperialists; it’s not as simple as killing your whole family under joint liability.

Compared to the Tax Army, Stasi seems like new recruits, the game between anti-imperialists and the Royal Court is like a layer upon layer of espionage.

Under the guidance of Duguli’s lord, the city government has also set up many office locations for foreign companies, mainly for merchants west of the Narrow Sea, and the CBD is lined with office buildings.

With the cost higher than the glass curtain wall buildings, the dozens of floors are traditional brick-and-stone frames with vintage flying buttress columns.

Many foreign companies rent a floor for office use.

The route from Heaven Port to Kersuna Island to the Red Tree Bay Shore, by way of the Great Wetland into Duguli, has been completely opened up.

Crafts from Iron Soul Island are continuously transported here.

But Black Sail is not a legitimate foreign company, renting just one floor of an office building—this is a slap in Liszt’s face. What class of people are you? East Sea’s number one boss uses a whole building.

Heaven Port’s funding is naturally quite generous, enough for the two women to rent a fairly classy small estate of eighty acres in a good suburban area.

Although there is some distance from the CBD, transportation by Land Bird taxis is still convenient.

Ben.

The leader of the Four Heavenly Kings of Digital Monsters.

In front of him, that person in Gotham City is a complete winner in life, living a fairy tale-happy life, and is famous and revered by many.

Originally upgraded to trade representative status, he has reached the pinnacle of his life, with his means and information disparity, it would be a breeze for him to establish a presence here.

Violet with her hot tanned wheat-colored skin and tattooed arms, and the bewitching, seductive, stepmother-like Nishi.

Enjoying the blessing of having two beauties, lived a more comfortable life than the Shadow Messenger.

After negotiating with the Heavenly Eye Society, being a semi-official organized crime syndicate deeply rooted in Duguli, it might have some minor officials fronting, but powerful anti-imperialists are controlling from behind.

In other words, it’s not something Liszt can handle easily.

No matter how much money East Sea’s crafts make, protection money must be paid—30%.

Though Liszt had previously said that if the Heavenly Eye Society could truly protect him, 30% would be no problem. But Ben still wanted to act tough, cutting 10% off would be a major victory.

But it backfired. With relations between Aran and East Sea already tense, and the Heavenly Eye Society controlling this region, they increased it instead—40%. Either pay up or have your business shut down.

Ben really wants to flee, Diaz no longer trusts him, he messed up with Black Sail, considers slipping west of the Narrow Sea and quitting while he can.

But damn it...

Liszt once befriended a nouveau riche in Duguli, but after a series of notorious incidents like train heists and East Sea’s dominance struggles, they became plastic friends. Helping out with little things is fine, but starting a business together? Not a chance. He’s concerned about getting dragged down and losing his brother’s official cap.

In the big city of Duguli, albeit having a lord and a city hall guided by the lord, an economically vital city can’t be monopolized by a single entity. Besides the lord, quite a few Earls who are not dependent on the lord are involved in municipal work.

Apart from these local old nobles, there is also the Royal Court-appointed supervisory group. The lord may still have the ultimate decision-making power, but the supervisory group can influence the lord’s decisions to some extent, even though they mostly just loaf around.

The nouveau riche’s success was entirely due to his brother’s competence in the supervisory group—the smallest official from the Royal Court can command significant authority locally, they grasp information disparity firmly.

Before the "Continent Transportation Law" draft was even ready and before the Imperial City’s railway to Chenxi Port began construction, his brother received news from higher-ups in the Royal Court, advising him to quickly help his family, sell all immovable assets, and invest all in inferior metals, domestic and foreign, even taking loans to do so.

The nouveau riche followed suit. Would his own brother deceive him? Success hinges on this bet. He borrowed from banks, even criminal organizations like the Thief Guild took loans.

Now, if not soaring, they’re skyrocketing like a warp drive to Alpha Centauri.

Let’s put it this way, out of the materials for railway construction by Mulong, he owns about 0.2-0.3%. Then there’s the foreign market and various inferior metal demands outside of railways.

Last year, encountering Liszt and just becoming rich, he was ridiculed in some occasions, greatly displeased by the barons and Earls, considering them worth nothing, old nobles clowns, they could be crushed with a finger.

But a person must progress, a conversation with Liszt enlightened him, making Liszt his Great Sage and Master.

Indeed, highly admired.

But now, admiration can’t help, partnering with you risks losing everything, and ancestral joint liability might strip his brother’s official cap.

However.

Liszt made a brilliant decision, sending ultimate emissary Nishi to Duguli as a trade representative, unlike an Enchanting Demon restoring power when being investigated, Nishi was purely avoiding excessive taxes.

The nouveau riche has a college-aged son, handsome and quite talented, studying at Duguli Higher Arts Academy.

Everyone knows that art students are generally not highly intelligent, those in performing, vocal, or dance mostly rely on looks, while those in directing, drama, or fine arts are a bit more solid, needing basic principles, with intelligence above average but not too high.

The nouveau riche’s son studied architectural art, one of the highest IQ disciplines.

The nouveau riche’s misfortune was grabbing lottery tickets; he only started rising last year, and his son had no idea of his father’s newfound prominence. Despite his good looks and some womanizing, Duguli has no shortage of rich men, and working-studying female students from the ground up still prefer men with money; he had no edge.

Many noble daughters refining their statuses at college also showed no interest, a rather miserable situation, vowing to earn a hundred Golden Dragons.

This innocent Xiao Chunan was easily swayed by a wink from Nishi, dragged onto the bandit’s ship, and taught how to swindle money from his father.

Moreover, an adventurer of Heroic Level, not some charlatan but a top magician academy graduate, an Arcane Academy alumnus, far superior to an Art Academy.

Nishi’s current script practically writes her into a wealthy marriage.

The nouveau riche couldn’t help it, publicly appearing numerous times with Nishi couldn’t escape, had to back her up.

Successfully cutting Heavenly Eye Society to 18%, Black Sail’s business continued unhindered.

In Black Sail’s rented estate in Duguli.

"Violet, Nishi’s wealthy marriage must leave you discontent. We two living well is more important than anything."

Ben said pitifully.

But Violet, chewing betel nut, didn’t respond, just glanced at him and casually spat out bright red juice from the betel nut.

"I need to organize accounts, weekly reports must be sent to Heaven Port. If you have nothing to do, put your head on the tracks."

Violet had no feelings for Ben, aside from that one adult, Heaven Port’s second most disliked person. Following Fisher to East Sea was a good choice; compared to roaming dangerous areas, the stability and sedentary salaried working in a big city was ideal—less work, all clerical, more earnings, very comforting.

Ben was on the verge of tears.

Swan suddenly slipped in through the window, with blood on his shoulder.

"What happened to you?"

Violet stood up, concerned, unlike the ultimate joker Ben, this Tiger-man was a founding core member of Black Sail, ordering pirates to fetch the emergency kit right away.

"Nothing, just a minor injury. We need to inform Liszt, the people from the Navy side couldn’t hold the line, two naval officers were dealt with, they decided to capture the ringleader first, Zahak...has already set out for Mulong."