The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 302: Volume 4: Chaotic World - 21: Nicosia (2)_2

Chapter 302: Volume 4: Chaotic World Chapter 21: Nicosia (2)_2

"Tez, regarding the first issue, I believe Mathew will resolve it for us; as for the second issue, do you have a better way to resolve it?" Perhaps because he was only with his two most trusted ministers, the old man’s face gradually became somber, with a chill, and his way of questioning became more and more direct and blunt.

"Your Majesty, the problem of the Great Lords is not one that can be solved overnight. They occupy the most prosperous places within the kingdom. According to my investigations, the Great Lords and the minor lords who depend on them already control more than two-thirds of the kingdom’s land, and most of this land comprises the kingdom’s most fertile fields, forests, mines, ports, docks, and cities. Furthermore, the wealth these Great Lords extract from these lands far surpasses the kingdom’s treasury income. Yet, they still complain of poverty before Your Majesty, procrastinate in paying the taxes due to the kingdom’s treasury, and even resist the already-enacted Utrecht Regulation. Meanwhile, the central kingdom still has to pay a significant military expenditure to protect the kingdom’s territory from foreign invasion. Your Majesty, you could see for yourself how extravagantly the Great Lords and even some of the lords under them live. While we tighten our belts to raise military funds, while our soldiers fight in the bloody battles on the Northern Border, while our officials go hungry for months without their meager salaries, those scoundrels are indulging in lavish lifestyles of drunkenness and endless pleasure."

Realizing that His Majesty the King intended to use this opportunity to solve all the problems, the Minister of Internal Affairs spoke without the usual caution and prudence. Although using military means to solve the problem was not the best strategy, possessing strong military power would at least psychologically pose a significant threat to the Great Lords. In many cases, just having something often meant you didn’t need to actually use it to resolve issues satisfactorily, especially with those who appeared fierce but were timid at heart.

"Take a look at their behavior in Versailles. The night before last, Count Boninski lost 200,000 gold shields in a bet with Marquis Hataki and Viscount Solon, yet the next day, Count Boninski purchased a diamond necklace worth 60,000 gold shields for his new mistress, and spent an additional 23,000 gold shields on a mink coat made from black mink fur from the Mogan Wilderness for that strumpet; yesterday, Marquis Bremen lost 250,000 gold shields in a deer hunting contest with Duke Zellin, while Duke Zellin lost 400,000 gold shields betting on the wrong horse in a horse race." The Minister of Internal Affairs had a comprehensive grasp of the situation, and a shocking stream of figures spilled from his mouth, "That’s not all. Viscount Devon, Philip’s nephew, took a fancy to Baron Rom’s wife from the Evan Region and actually persuaded Baron Rom to allow her to accompany him to Lake Sinai for a vacation with the price of 50,000 gold shields."

Even though the elder was already aware of the corrupt and extravagant lifestyles of the kingdom’s Lords, he was still shocked by the detailed description provided by his Minister of Internal Affairs. The degree of decadence and debauchery of the Lords was so extreme that it was hard for him to believe that these were the same people who would cause endless trouble for his tax officers over a few tens or even thousands of gold shields, and yet they spared no expense on gambling and women, splurging without a second thought. This stark contrast left the elder momentarily at a loss for words to express his inner fury.

The Dressed Military Officer beside him was equally shocked by his colleague’s portrayal. The Central Kingdom’s prestige had evidently become worthless trash in the eyes of these nobles. They could squander huge sums of money without restraint but were unwilling to pay the taxes due for the soldiers defending against foreign invasions on the Northern Border, a behavior which was unquestionably a great desecration of the valiant acts of those soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the kingdom.

"Tez, can you confirm that what you’ve said is true?" The elder, gasping for air, looked exceptionally upset. The Minister of Internal Affairs’ words caused a great upheaval within him. These noble lords were not only corrupt and degraded, but some of their actions were so base that even he, who had a tolerant attitude toward private life, found them unacceptable. Actions such as publicly purchasing another noble’s wife’s chastity with money, if spread, would undoubtedly damage the common people’s respect and goodwill towards the noble class, and this was intolerable.

"Your Majesty, such phenomena have become commonplace for me; they occur every day and night, and many officials of the central kingdom are just as involved, living a life of drunken indulgence. However, I do not intend to discuss the private lives of the nobility further, as it is beyond my duties. The degree to which these lords spend their wealth shows their love for a luxurious lifestyle, and by contrast, how insignificant their contributions to the kingdom are. This situation must and should change." The Minister of Internal Affairs gradually regained his composure and became more targeted in his remarks, "However, I believe that relying solely on military means to resolve this issue is not the best way. The Great Lords have intricate ties of vested interest with the Central Kingdom, and pulling one thread would move the whole body. I prefer to use a comprehensive approach to gradually weaken the authority of these Great Lords, firstly by taking the control of their minor lords, gradually bringing the governance of these minor lords back to the kingdom, and then dealing with the Great Lords."