Life of Being a Crown Prince in France-Chapter 642 - 551: The New Atmosphere in France
Chapter 642: Chapter 551: The New Atmosphere in France
Northwest France, Rouen City.
Having just returned to the city hall, Baner’s first task was to produce notices about the cessation of city entry taxes and the removal of toll booths on the three main roads leading into and out of Rouen.
He looked at the administrative document signed and sealed by the municipal commissioner, somewhat surprised, and turned to his supervisor, “Mr. Dupain, why are we stopping the collection of the entry tax?!”
“Oh, I mean, won’t this cause financial strain for the city hall?”
Although he had studied related courses at the Administration College, faced with practical issues, he still instinctively reflected based on experience.
The assistant to the municipal commissioner spread his hands helplessly, “It’s a decision made by Baron Vayon. I expressed my disapproval, but he insisted on doing it, claiming it was an experience he learned at the Administration College in Paris, which would lead to better development for Rouen…”
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Indeed, municipal commissioner Vayon was also a recent graduate of the Administration College—a “trainee” whose grades were even better than Baner’s.
Moreover, he was very astute and, upon returning to Rouen, noticed that many city hall officials had been sent to the building across from the city hall to become “auxiliary administrators.”
He set out to learn about the so-called auxiliary administration duties and found they only received a basic salary and had nothing significant to do. Simply put, they were removed from the power center.
After much contemplation, Baron Vayon quickly identified a commonality among those people—they had all expressed dissatisfaction with the new policies recently planned by the Palace of Versailles while at the Administration College.
He immediately began to mitigate risks, such as swiftly implementing policies recommended by the Palace of Versailles like abolishing entry taxes and tolls, and allowing craftsmen from other regions to enter.
These policies had been promoted by the Cabinet for many years but had faced various forms of resistance or delays from local governments—these were significant sources of local revenue, and no one wanted to see their financial income sharply reduced.
But this time was different.
The most conservative and traditional officials had been kicked to the old building across the street, and their replacements were younger officials more open to new ideas. Due to the limited number of graduates from the Administration College, many positions were even still vacant.
However, this was enough to significantly reduce the resistance to new policies. At the same time, Vayon also worried about being moved to that old building across the street, so he quickly signed off on these policies.
Of course, it was also because this time the Palace of Versailles had allotted more than two hundred thousand francs to Rouen, and the newly established Rouen Tax Bureau’s collected taxes would also be provided to the city hall.
This money was basically enough to maintain city hall operations, so the cancellation of entry taxes was not unmanageable.
Baner then recalled the knowledge he learned in the Administration College and nodded, “It seems it could increase the circulation of goods from various places and stimulate trade.”
Rouen City’s second in command, Mr. Dupain, sighed, “I heard that soon even local tariffs and the merchandise certification system will be abolished. If that happens, Mr. Danier will probably go insane.”
Danier was the financial officer of Rouen.
Dupain then threw up his hands, “Sigh, I am going to further my studies at the Administration College next month. I leave the matters of Rouen in your hands. May Jesus bless Rouen.”
While on their way to the office, Baner explained to his superior, “You see, if all cities abolish entry taxes and tariffs, although foreign goods will flood into Rouen, our products could also be sold more to other places. ‘Goods tax’ would considerably increase.
“Now that there are no Tax Farmers, these taxes will stay in Rouen…”
In the southeast outskirts of Rouen.
The manager of the “Ruby” mirror workshop, Shabban, looked out the carriage window toward Evreux and felt elated, and couldn’t help but hum quietly, “Ah! All will be well, all will be well…”
No wonder he was so happy. On this trip to deliver goods to Evreux, he only encountered one toll collection—which was at a small town outside a bend in the Seine River—saving him a significant amount of money.
Even upon entering Evreux City, no one collected the entry tax!
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The entire trade process went very smoothly; he delivered a cartload of mirrors to the ordering shop, paying only 4 francs in tariffs and 9 sous in stamp tax.
You should know, in the past, for the same business, he had to pay various tolls and a mess of taxes totaling over 13 francs!
Following this trend, the “Ruby” workshop would earn nearly 50 francs more each month.
Moreover, according to that customer, even tariffs might be canceled starting next month!
Life was simply full of hope. Shabban’s smile deepened, and his quiet humming turned into full-throated singing, “Robespierre and Dibor sing in the café. Ah! All will be well…”
The carriage’s fellow worker and driver were infected by his cheerful mood and joined in the singing, “…All will be well, all will be well! Let us look forward to the good days that are coming!”
After finishing the song, Shabban couldn’t help but shout out the window, “Thank you to the great Crown Prince! Oh, and Count Fulco, Mr. Robespierre! Long live the Tax Bureau!”
As the carriage soon entered Rouen City, approaching Big Clock Street, a commotion could be heard ahead, “No, you are taking too much!”
“Right! We didn’t make much money, no way we’re paying the tax!”
“Just go back, you won’t take a penny from us today…”
As the carriage moved closer, Shabban finally saw clearly: several dozen vendors on this street were confronting four tax officers.
Big Clock Street was Rouen’s busiest commercial area and an important site for market taxes.
“Look at these guys,” remarked Shabban’s companion disdainfully, “when those from the Tax Farming Bureau came with sticks and whips to collect taxes, they were meek as lambs.”
Shabban glanced at the pistols on the tax officers’ belts and shook his head, “You can’t be too polite with these deceitful traders, but the tax officials rarely resort to violence…”
“Now the tax rate is much lower than before. If you ask me, they deserve a good beating! See if they’ll still refuse to pay taxes!”
Robespierre was also being a bit too corrective. In his efforts to forge a completely different image for the Tax Bureau from the previous tax officers, he instructed his subordinates to speak kindly and avoid violence as much as possible.
This earned nationwide praise for the Tax Bureau, but at the same time, some cunning businessmen and ruffians no longer feared them, starting to openly act shamelessly.
As Shabban finally returned to his own workshop, before he even got off, the workshop’s accountant hurried over to him and whispered, “Manager, I just saw the tax officers’ carriage on Juleman Street, they should be here soon.
