I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 541: Money or Principles
Their words immediately aroused the dissatisfaction of several nobles around them.

Someone looked at them and rebuked them: "Gentlemen, you should be ashamed of your nonsense! I go to the Louvre Square almost every day recently, and all I see there are only hateful tax farmers, and no decent people."

Another person, obviously influenced by Rousseau's idea of ​​equality, continued: "The entire French people should not be called untouchables. At least when called by God, there is no difference between nobles and common people."

"Well, I think those tax farmers deserved to be humiliated. Your Highness did the right thing. Look at Mr. Viannal, he was almost killed by those guys in the San Antonio district."

"I see, you are sympathizing with those tax farmers? Oh, they have overcharged me hundreds of francs in the past few years..."

Although those who were dissatisfied with the execution method were forced to retreat, they still protested in a low voice: "I don't like those guys either, but maybe one day the dignity of other nobles will be deprived..."

"That's a rule after all, and it shouldn't be changed at will."

Seeing that the two groups were about to quarrel, a middle-aged man stepped forward and advised: "Gentlemen, calm down, please calm down.

"Well, you are right. They are all condemned prisoners who have committed many evil deeds. What difference does it make whether they are commoners or nobles? All the nobles who are responsible have maintained their proper dignity.

"Oh, I'm not saying that rules shouldn't be respected. In fact, didn't you notice that His Majesty took care of the status of the punished nobles in another way?"

"Oh? How do you say that?"

"It's the newly opened guillotine." The middle-aged man blinked, "Although it's quite neat and it's over in a snap, it doesn't have the slightest sense of ceremony.

“Now if you want to hire an executioner to carry out the execution, you have to pay them separately.

"They will execute the person in front of a cold guillotine. Before they do it, they will recite an oath, display the beheading sword that has been passed down for generations, and even chat with the person about to die. This traditional and ritualistic execution method is reserved for the nobles. Oh, the common people can't afford to hire an executioner."

Upon hearing this, several nobles' eyes lit up: "Yes, that's right. No wonder His Majesty invented the guillotine, it's a thing used to deal with the common people!"

"Long live His Majesty! His Majesty has devoted so much energy to maintaining the dignity of the nobles."

"Only a majestic executioner is worthy of the nobles' heads!"

Joseph never imagined that his father's guillotine would soon give rise to a unique "execution economics".

In order to show their status, the nobles would even buy gorgeous uniforms for the executioners, ask them to recite short farewell poems, and hire their assistants to sprinkle flower petals on their shed blood.

After the executions in the Louvre Square lasted for half a month, the price of these operations had risen to 500 to 800 francs per executioner, becoming one of the core sources of income for the court.

Second floor of the Tuileries Palace.

Joseph looked at the documents submitted by the State Administration of Taxation and couldn't help but frown slightly.

After this massive purge of tax farmers, a large amount of illegal income was uncovered, which, together with fines, increased the national treasury by a total of 6 million francs.

You know, this is completely different from government bonds and loans that require repayment of principal and interest; this is pure income!

However, it was already January 1791, and even with the funds he had raised previously, there was still a gap of more than 1 million to meet the minimum funding needs for government spending.

This was far from what he had initially expected. According to Robespierre's report, after knowing that they could not escape the blame, the big tax farmers chose to transfer their property to leave it to their families.

In this era, cash is still king - as long as you bury the silver coins or banknotes in a secluded place, it will be difficult for either the tax bureau or the intelligence agency to find them.

Only the money that the tax farmers had in the bank was collected. There were also things that could not be hidden, such as real estate, but compared to their total wealth, there was still a lot missing.

For example, Borrol had huge shares in more than a dozen tax farms. According to Robespierre's estimation, the tax revenue he collected last year should have been as much as 1 million francs.

However, only 9 million francs of his property was confiscated and fined this time, and the rest was nowhere to be found.

Joseph slammed the report on the table and let out a long sigh. It seemed that he would have to borrow a high-interest loan.

The total amount is 4 million francs, with an interest rate of 16%, so it should be possible to raise it quickly.

He was about to ask Emand to call Brian to discuss the loan plan, but he heard Emand say outside the door: "Your Highness, Archbishop Brian is here."

Huh? Brian changed his last name to Cao?
"Please ask him to come in."

Brian entered the room and bowed, then handed a box containing something unknown to Emandre, and then said to Joseph: "Your Highness, Ford came to see me not long ago on behalf of the General Association of Tax Farmers. They gave me a benefit of 1 million francs."

"Such a big deal?" Joseph smiled, but he was very satisfied with Brian's frankness, so he asked, "What do they want you to do?"

Since tax farmers such as Ford usually keep a distance from their subordinates, the illegal activities of the tax farms have not been traced back to them yet. Therefore, except for a few who are more excited, such as Pellier and Borore, many other giants have not been arrested yet.

However, Joseph was sure that with such a large amount of money involved, he would catch them sooner or later.

Brian said hurriedly, "Your Highness, they want to negotiate with you. Let me persuade you. Oh, that is the gift they gave you. It is said to be worth nearly 3 million francs."

Emman opened the box and Joseph saw that it was a pair of silver-white bracelets inlaid with diamonds, which were extremely luxurious.

Brian continued: "What Ford meant was that he and the members of the General Association of Tax Farmers could pay a sum of money in exchange for amnesty."

"They are self-aware and know that they can't escape." Joseph had already ordered the tax bureau and the intelligence bureau to keep an eye on these people, and banned them from leaving France on the grounds that the financial accounts of the General Association of Tax Farmers were unclear.

He was ready to refuse immediately. According to his plan, once he found evidence of the crimes of these tax farmers, he would send them to be killed.

However, he suddenly remembered the funding gap of more than 3 million yuan.

If these guys were killed, it would indeed uphold justice and fairness, but it would probably lead to a huge amount of wealth being lost, just like what happened to Borore.

That's France's wealth!

When these people die, their descendants will change their identities and continue to squander the money, while France has to pay the high-interest loan interest.

Joseph couldn't help but fall into deep thought: Perhaps, the right choice is to make the most of them and seek the greatest benefits for France.

(End of this chapter)