Your Majesty, the Spectacle Has Missed the Country!

population……

There is no coming back...

When he heard the first half of the sentence, Viscount Conte suddenly felt a painful feeling in his heart. He felt as if he was holding a breath and there was a dull pain in his chest.

That's one-third of the population of Conte!

It's just like this, just say it's gone!

but,

When Viscount Conte heard Bruno claiming that these lost taxes could be made up for in other ways, he instantly became energetic.

Population and other things are secondary. Those dirty and unruly people will leave as long as their taxes are still there and as long as those golden and heavy gold coins are still there, then everything is easy to discuss!

Besides, population reduction is not without its benefits.

For example... the sanitary environment in Moorish City (the location of the lord's castle in the Conte Territory) is obviously much better than before!

Although it is still far less clean and tidy than Idar City, the stinky smell has also been reduced a lot.

Before this, Viscount Conte didn't feel any disgust at the stench floating in the territory. After all... everyone's territory looked like this.

However, after living in the Idar territory for a week, Viscount Conte actually felt a little disgusted with his Moorish city.

then……

Viscount Conte had an epiphany!

It turns out that a clean and orderly urban environment is such a prestigious thing!

This is the dignity of a true noble!

However, Viscount Conte really couldn't figure out why his territory was cleaner with fewer people, while the Idar Territory was cleaner with more people?

Could it be that... the Idar people keep their excrement in their own homes and don't spill it on the streets?

Viscount Conte shook his head helplessly. He really couldn't understand...

"My Lord Count...I don't know how to recover the lost money?" Viscount Conte asked doubtfully.

"Although I don't want to do this, but...the people who came to Idar Territory can never be brought back no matter what..." Bruno said solemnly.

"As for the loss of population, the biggest loss suffered by the Conte Territory is the rent paid by the common people for cultivating the land, and then there is the firewood tax paid by the common people for heating in winter, as well as the mill user fee and forest tax. As well as a small amount of commercial taxes, these are a small proportion but a wide variety of taxes.”

"In that case, why don't Viscount Conte do a business with me!" Bruno said enthusiastically.

"Huh? Doing business?"

Although the nobility of this era did not reject merchants,

but,

If you have to do business in person, it would be a bit inconsistent with your status. Most of the time it would be a steward or a confidant who would come forward to discuss it on the table like this.

"What do you think, Lord Viscount... of this bottle of spirit called 'whiskey'?" Bruno pointed to the empty bottle and asked.

Viscount Conte licked his lips, thought about it secretly, and then praised: "This strong wine... When you first take it into your mouth, you just feel it is extra spicy, but if you taste it carefully, it also has a different flavor from beer. The flavor of wine, although everyone has different preferences, is... but I personally have a special liking for this kind of strong wine from Idarling!"

"The business I'm talking about is this strong wine!" Bruno nodded and then said.

"Strong liquor? Could it be that the Earl wants to use strong liquor in exchange for civilians to compensate for the loss of taxes in Conte?" Viscount Conte asked thoughtfully.

actually……

In the view of Viscount Conte, this is not a bad idea!

After all, although Bruno has started selling spirits in Idarland and has also tried to open the market of the Kingdom of Basel with spirits, the spirits have not been sold to the areas west or north of Idarland.

Therefore, Viscount Conte naturally felt extremely fresh about this kind of spirit.

Even if you don't drink it yourself, you should be able to make a lot of money by reselling these spirits!

"no."

Bruno opened a new bottle of whiskey and poured it for the two of them himself.

"I plan to work with you to make spirits together."

Before Viscount Conte came to his senses, Bruno changed the topic and said suddenly.

"Wine wine together?"

Viscount Conte was stunned and murmured.

"That's right!"

When Bruno heard that Viscount Conte had arrived, he naturally focused on Viscount Conte!

Although the Moore River Valley where Conte is located is located in the hinterland and does not have the high income brought by the salt industry, it does have its own unique source of wealth, and that is grapes!

Suitable climatic conditions and geographical environment make the grapes grown in the Moore River Valley exceptionally sweet and plump, ranking among the best even within the Norman Empire!

Although the profits brought by growing grapes are far less generous than that of sun-salted salt, it can still bring more than a thousand gold coins to Viscount Conte every year!

Using high-quality grapes to brew brandy with a mellow taste and unique flavor has naturally become one of Bruno's choices for making spirits.

after all……

Although Idarland can make spirits such as whiskey from grain, but... that requires consuming grain after all!

It would be fine in normal times, but the Norman Empire is currently at war!

Food is an extremely valuable strategic resource!

Therefore, it is certainly impossible for Bruno to use too much grain reserves to brew spirits, but... the benefits brought by spirits also make Bruno extremely greedy.

Therefore, brewing fruit wine like brandy naturally became Bruno's best choice to expand his income.

"You mean... such a sweet and strong liquor can also be made from grapes?"

"That's natural. In addition, I call the high-strength wine made from grapes brandy." Bruno nodded.

"Brandy?" Viscount Conte pondered for a moment, and then couldn't help but praise: "What a good name! This name sounds particularly refreshing and noble!"

"So, Lord Viscount has agreed?" Bruno asked.

"If the best grapes produced in the Moore River Valley can be used to make brandy, then there is no reason not to agree, but... I don't know how to divide the specific operation and the final profit?"

"As for the profit... we will split it into 28%, 80% for me and 20% for you. I wonder what Viscount Conte wants?" Bruno said calmly. UU Reading ｗww.uukanshu.net

"What?" Viscount Conte almost jumped up from his seat.

"Your Majesty, Earl, this ratio is a bit... too exaggerated, isn't it?"

Of course Bruno also knows that this ratio is a bit exaggerated, but... isn't negotiation just about asking for high prices and paying back the money?

"But... Sir Viscount, you have to know that the technology for brewing high-strength wine is only owned by Idarland. This means that there will be almost no competitors for the brandy brewed in the future!"

"Besides...it's a hooligan to talk about sharing without talking about investment! What you are responsible for is just planting grapes from the land, such as the brewing of brandy, later sales and packaging, all of these investments do not require Idar Take it and bear it.”

"but……"

Friendship is friendship, business is business.

After a lot of wrangling, Bruno and Viscount Conte finally finalized the share ratio and many matters of this cooperation.