I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 233: Auditing and Absolute Power (7)

The Duke of Visconti greeted me warmly.

"You've had a long journey. How was the financial situation of the Visconti Estate?"

The Duke said this with a slight smirk, as if he was mocking me.

He probably thinks that I’ve caught a lot of the corrupt officials using the most advanced cleaning tools, like a super vacuum cleaner.

If he wasn’t mentally preparing for the huge shock he was about to face... he wouldn’t act like that.

But, as they say, good medicine tastes bitter, and cruel facts are always hard to hear.

The job I have to do now is to tell the truth, no matter how unpleasant it might be.

"According to the accountants, about 20% of the collected taxes have been embezzled. Furthermore, they created various absurd taxes to satisfy their personal greed and didn’t record the newly created taxes in the books, continuing to deceive Your Grace."

When the Duke heard that about 20% of the taxes had been embezzled, he maintained a calm expression.

It seemed like he had expected something like this.

In fact, he probably suspected that his subordinates were embezzling exactly this much.

'The salaries of the officials and administrators are unreasonably low.'

However, when he heard about the made-up taxes being collected, he erupted in anger.

"I could tolerate them embezzling a few coins, but creating all sorts of arbitrary taxes? I can't tolerate that. I've allowed some corruption, but now they dare to go over my head?!"

In the medieval fantasy Tuscany Empire, what we consider common sense doesn't apply.

Just a few months ago, a guild was formed to monopolize production in the markets, and that activity was actively supported.

The roles of judges and prosecutors are hereditary.

When registering a birth, bribes are given, and when registering a death, bribes are given as well. This is the norm here.

‘This is why embezzling taxes has become somewhat of a norm for the subordinates.’

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But creating new tax items outside of what the Duke had approved is a different matter.

Making entirely new taxes means the subordinates were acting independently and completely ignoring the Duke’s directives.

This is tantamount to insubordination.

"These damn bastards! If it weren’t for my grandson-in-law, they would have been living without even realizing their own necks were on the line."

In today's world, with IFRS and computerized accounting, it's unimaginable to impose taxes for purposes other than those that are predetermined. But in the Tuscany Empire, where there are no proper accounting standards or tax laws...

The high-ranking officials can create all sorts of strange taxes.

There’s the "Window Tax" that’s unique to Florence, and in the Visconti Estate, a "First Night Tax" is forcibly collected from newlyweds.

I don’t remember which estate it was, but in one region, taxes were even levied based on the number of dishes a household owned.

In a system like this, where everything is chaotic, the nobility, compared to merchants, lack the ability to read financial statements properly.

They’re too busy attending political functions and social gatherings to keep track of all the details in the accounting books.

"Here in the estate, I know that the death tax is about ten coins, and in return, the village priest is responsible for conducting memorial services and burials. However, corrupt officials have been collecting cattle in place of the death tax," I continued.

"A cow?" The Duke replied with disbelief. "The serfs must have cried not because their fathers died, but because their entire fortune was wiped out. Madness."

The property of serfs is usually minimal.

An old, crumbling hut, maybe a cow (but most likely none), and some rights to cultivate land passed down through generations.

But every time a person dies, they take a cow?

Since they can’t afford a cow, they have to go into debt to pay the tax, and inevitably, they end up selling their daughters or doing whatever it takes to pay it off.

From the Duke’s perspective, this was undermining the estate’s capacity.

In a world where the leader has no concept of empathizing with the people’s suffering, it makes sense that taxes are so brutal.

‘In this respect, Confucianism was better.’

At least during the civil service exam preparations, there would be a sense drilled into the head that the leader should empathize with the people and create a world where they can live comfortably.

That’s why Joseon had the lowest tax rates in East Asia—perhaps even in the world—until the end of the Joseon dynasty.

"I'd like to get rid of these bastards, but that would ruin the estate. No..." The Duke trailed off.

"Please calm down, Your Grace."

"This isn’t something to calm down about," he sighed deeply.

"At least now we know how corrupt they really are."

Ah, he didn’t ask me to calm down because the issue was resolved.

There's still much more to discuss, so you’ll have to hear everything I have to say.

"The finance minister has been collaborating with the Sforza faction. And quite actively, I might add."

The Duke’s temper flared up when he heard this.

"If you're lying, even I won’t let you get away with it."

Suspecting the Duke’s vassals is tantamount to asking for my own execution.

Of course, if I show irrefutable evidence, it’ll be a different matter.

So, I handed over all the evidence I had gathered to the Duke and explained everything.

At first, the Duke looked skeptical and shook his head.

But when he saw the undeniable proof of betrayal, he could no longer speak.

"Cotina... he really betrayed me?"

"He has been leaking information about you and your father-in-law. Everything from personal scandals to matters that could be politically damaging."

Honestly, as I investigated this, I was a bit shocked.

I could imagine a Duke sponsoring bandits to eliminate those who didn’t follow his commands or paying gang leaders to maintain order in the slums.

But the Duke trying to marry his cousin’s daughter?

That’s pretty risky.

Even though she’s technically a cousin, according to Albanian continent standards, this is considered ‘incest.’

Of course, in certain cases, high-ranking individuals may allow incest for diplomatic reasons or to address succession crises, but...

To marry a cousin just to fulfill personal desires?

‘This is a bit much.’

And to think he had even gone as far as to complete a process to falsify her identity.

I knew the average standard of behavior around here was low, but this was truly shocking.

"I’ll keep quiet about this," I said.

The Duke gripped my shoulder tightly.

"I hear your wife is soon due to give birth."

"Yes, that’s right."

The Duke placed his second finger to his lips and made a shushing sound.

"With others, I’d just threaten them, but if I do that to you, the consequences might be too much to handle. So, instead of a threat, I’ll make a deal."

The Duke didn’t have to say it explicitly; I already knew.

If I were to speak out and get caught, I would be in far more trouble than I wanted to face.

The man before me was essentially a mogul who privately owned a city as large as Busan or Incheon.

"If your wife gives birth to a daughter, I’ll ensure she’s sent to a family of noble rank, even though that’s not the usual practice. If it’s a son, I’ll make sure the title of the lawfully defined noble family will continue."

If this were to leak, the Duke would be in trouble, but he was going all in.

Alright, I wouldn’t go around blabbing and risk my life.

"This matter is known only to the finance minister, me, and Your Grace. And I’ll make sure it’s erased from my mind."

"That’s my son-in-law," the Duke said, looking at me with a proud expression. "I’ll cherish your child as my great-grandchild."

That’s why you have to listen carefully to those below you.

Even Cao Cao, who was so infatuated with his wife, ended up losing his generals and son when he made the wrong move, didn’t he?

"Thank you."

The Duke, hearing what he wanted, looked at me with a satisfied expression.

"By the way, now I plan to tighten the discipline of our family’s vassals with this material and evidence. What do you think?"

It would be good to tighten discipline.

But there’s a serious problem.

‘Eradicating corruption without a plan is worse than doing nothing.’

"Tightening discipline is fine, but let’s find a better solution."