"How is that possible?
The war zone actually owes a debt of nearly four million crowns?! "Viscount Arelink slammed his palm on the table angrily.
Skri looked at him mockingly. "Sir Envoy, how do you think the 130,000 men of our two corps were able to defeat the 700,000 strong Shiksan army?
You can take a look at the financial account book of our theater of operations. It clearly shows the detailed list of all expenditures.
We have clear financial records of the daily military expenses of the two corps, the consumption of ammunition for each battle, and the wartime subsidies for the soldiers.
Even the medical compensation for the wounded and the pensions for the martyrs who died in battle, we have very clear personal records of them.
You can look at every single one of them and investigate it yourself to see if we're lying. "
"I'm not interested in dead people!" Viscount Anklynk immediately interrupted General Skri's speech. His eyes were bloodshot.
He had thought that by taking down Bolonik and Skri and seizing control of the theatre, he would be able to earn some money for himself.
However, when they returned to the war zone's command center and checked the accounts, they discovered that the war zone's command center was actually an empty shell. Despite being so huge, the war zone's command center that managed eight colonies actually didn't have any financial reserves. This greatly disappointed the seven envoys of the kingdom who wanted to fill their pockets immediately.
(Note: The kingdom's envoys didn't consider the newly acquired colony of Loki Mountains to be a new colony of the kingdom.
That's because none of the kingdom's settlers there. It's all mountainous terrain and barren land.
On the other hand, General Skri had deliberately concealed the location of the 17 gold and silver mining bases. On the new map, there were only mountains and no large plains.
In the eyes of the people of this era, a mountainous region like that wouldn't make for a good colony.)
"Who knows if your financial records are real or fake?" Unchlink patted the neatly stacked logistic accounts and records beside him. "Since you said the theatre defeated the 700,000 strong Shiksan army, I'd like to know what happened to the spoils of war and the enemy's expenditure.
I don't think Shiks would send 700,000 empty and starving soldiers, would they?
Even though I don't know much about military affairs or war, I can think of one thing. 700,000 soldiers need food and clothing, and they have to be paid. That's not a small sum.
Since you were able to wipe out 700,000 enemies, you should've gotten something, right?
So where are all the treasures and spoils of war? "
"You really don't know much about military affairs or war, Sir Envoy," Skri mocked.
Skri mocked, "No army would carry their wallets full of gold on the battlefield. The same goes for the Shiksans.
Do you see the blue-covered account book over there?
It records the spoils of war we obtained from defeating the Shiksans.
Dozens of warehouses in the war zone were filled with Shiksan firearms and ammunition, as well as military uniforms, underwear, socks, gloves and boots. There was also dried meat and rations.
"As for Shiks' military expenditure, I can only say that you're overthinking it. The Shiksans didn't bring their gold and silver directly to our theatre to pay for our military expenditure.
We questioned many of the captured Shiksan logistics officers and found out that Shiks had opened an account with the Fochs Colony Union Bank. All purchases would be made through that account to complete the transaction.
Even if we're short on money, we can't attack a Fochs city and start a war. "
Baron Fugli strode to the stack of blue-covered ledgers and pulled one out. He was the most proficient in financial accounting among the envoys of the seven kingdoms.
After a while, he took out another one and read a few pages before tossing it on the table. He nodded at the four envoys in the meeting room to tell them that Skri was telling the truth.
Viscount Gregory, who had been sipping his tea, finally put down his cup. He was one of the two envoys who belonged to an old noble clan.
He raised his head and looked at General Skri, "I remember that the kingdom's trump card field corps only spends around 500,000 gold crowns a year. The two corps in the war theatre are second-line corps and belong to the local garrisons, so their annual military expenditure is only 300,000 crowns a year.
The military expenditure of the two corps was only 600,000 crowns a year, while the colonies had to pay 400,000 crowns in taxes before the war.
"The few colonies we've seen along the way aren't as bleak as we thought, so it's obvious that there's still room for more taxes.
Even if we can collect 500 thousand crowns a year in taxes, there's only a difference of 100 thousand crowns between the two corps. I'd like to know how the theatre incurred the 3.8 million crowns debt. "
"The reason can be found in the accounts, Sire Envoy," Skri replied coldly.
Skri replied coldly, "Ever since His Majesty Stellin XI ascended the throne, the colonies have lost support from the mainland. We have to deal with the Shiksan colony war on our own.
"Later on, Whitestag's Storm fleet rebelled and caused us to lose all contact with the kingdom.
"The viceroys and lieutenants of the three colonies are prepared to side with the first prince, so we have to send troops to quell the rebellion.
On the other hand, Shiks has rented Fochs Island's Cape Loducus colony and is preparing to send ten standing corps of seven hundred thousand soldiers to continue the colonial war. Our theatre is under great pressure and we need to prepare for war.
"Before the war, we need to build workshops to produce projectiles, fortify the frontlines, transport the ammunition, set up defensive lines along the coast to prevent the two Shiksan fleets from attacking from the sea, as well as establish local garrisons. All of that requires a huge amount of money.
"During the war, the movement of troops, the consumption of ammunition, and supplies will also need to be spent.
"Even after the war ends, our casualties will need to be treated, replenished, and the captives will need to be pacified. All of that will require a huge amount of military expenditure.
"Even Lanu, where you are now, was besieged by the Shiksans last year and reduced to rubble.
"We need to help the kingdom's citizens rebuild their homes so that they won't be homeless.
This is the reason why our colonies are in such a huge debt … "
"Hehe, you're really kind enough to build new houses for the peasants for no reason at all.
Who knows if you're involved in some shady business! "
Angelink sneered, "But let's put that aside for now. I'd like to ask you this. Why did you build a workshop to produce projectiles without the royal capital's permission?
Do you even care about His Majesty's orders?
I remember that His Majesty the King had clearly decreed that such a powerful military weapon like the Grenade can only be produced in the Kingdom's four major military industries … "
General Skri looked at the proud and self-righteous Viscount Angelink in shock. Before he could reply, Viscount Gregory coughed violently and said, "Cough, cough, don't mention this, Viscount Angelink, you don't know the inside story.
This projectile was invented by the war theatre before it was handed over to the kingdom for production. "
Viscount Angelink's face was covered in dirt from the ruckus.
Count Oribout closed the war theatre's ledger and calmly asked, "Then, what I want to know is, who is the owner of this huge debt of nearly four million crowns? How is the maintenance of the war theatre arranged?"
General Skri replied, "The debt of nearly four million crowns isn't owed to anyone. Instead, it's secured by the next ten years of tax revenue from the war theatre. The financial resources of the people of the colony were gathered to establish an overseas Minsheng Bank.
Banknotes were issued to replace gold and silver coins for commercial transactions, and the war theatre's credibility among the citizens was used as a guarantee for the banknotes.
Now that the colonial war has ended, the war theatre is preparing to vigorously develop commerce and production between the colonies. This way, the huge debt from the war will be paid off in less than ten years … "
"These are the banknotes?"
Viscount Oribut placed a few banknotes of different colors and denominations on the table. One could see that the denominations were one and five fennies, one sunar and five sunar, one riyas and five riyas, and the lowest denomination was five black pence.
General Skri nodded.
"You're quite clever …" Baron Fugli said as he picked up the banknotes on the table and examined them carefully. "Why don't you issue banknotes in silver and gold crowns?"
"Because there's no need for that," Skri replied.
"Anyone whose banknotes are worth one thale and gold crown can go to the overseas Minsheng Bank to exchange for one thale and gold crown in gold and silver coins.
Only then can the credibility of the banknotes be maintained and circulated among the people. "
Baron Fugli and Viscount Oribout looked at each other with a glint in their eyes.
Both of them were up-and-coming business nobles who were proficient in finance, so they naturally understood that there was a huge business opportunity in issuing banknotes to replace low-denomination copper and silver coins.
Perhaps they could do something about it when they returned to the kingdom and reap a large profit for their families. Thus, the two of them tacitly ignored the matter.
"How about this, we'll call it a day."
Viscount Oribout stood up. "Colonel Skri, although His Majesty has granted you an honorable retirement, there are still some matters in the war theatre that have yet to be handed over. You can only stay here for a while.
Once we've sorted out all the matters in the war theatre, we'll naturally let you and General Bolonik go.
However, His Majesty has another decree. He doesn't want to see you in the kingdom, so you can only spend the rest of your lives in the colonies.
Think about which colony you're going to live in in the future. Once you've decided, report to us so that we can find you at any time.
By the way, if you need anything, you can tell the guards outside … "
In another room of the war theatre's command center, Count Davanel and the other kingdom's envoy slammed the door and stormed out in exasperation.
"Preposterous!
That old man Bolonik is a stubborn old man. He actually refuses to obey His Majesty's decree and uses it to pressure us.
Things like the late king allowing the overseas colonies' taxes to be used in the war zone to prepare for the colonial war, and the late king's benevolence in exempting the overseas colonies from paying tribute, all of these had been announced and announced in the overseas colonies. All of the colony's citizens were aware of this …
If we do as he says, how can we complete the mission His Majesty gave us? His Majesty made it very clear that he wants to collect all the unpaid taxes and tributes in the colonies over the past few years, and then impose a fine of ten times the amount.
This old man only knows how to use the former king's decree to pressure us, and won't allow us to collect the taxes and tributes no matter what.
Moreover, the Dominion seemed to be well-off along the way, not as poor as we had imagined.
If we don't collect taxes and tributes, how are we supposed to earn a fortune?! "
For the sake of their future and finances, the seven envoys did their best to carry out Stellin XI's decree.
They held a meeting that very night to discuss what they saw and learned after taking over the war theatre as well as their future plans.
"Even though the war theatre owes such a huge debt, its financial situation is still quite good.
We did some calculations and found that the warehouses of the logistics department are filled with rations, weapons, equipment and all sorts of military supplies. If those were to be shipped back to the kingdom, the three ace corps would go crazy and fight over them.
Just the amount of supplies alone is enough to sustain the three ace corps for two years and fight a war between three or four corps. "
Orbut held the documents he had written down and gave the six envoys a preliminary summary of the financial situation. "In fact, the Shiksan armaments and ammunition we seized from the war theatre are worth two to three million crowns.
There's also the five hundred thousand Shiksan captives. They're all young and strong, but we don't have the means to convert them into cash at the moment.
If we can convert them into crowns, the war theatre's debt can be resolved.
But it's a pity that we can't find such a big customer in the colonies. We can only wait for the goods and captives to be transported back to the kingdom before slowly carrying out the transaction.
Of course, we will also need to transport our own stockpiles of weapons, ammunition, and other military supplies back. When the time comes, we can trade with the kingdom's three trump card field corps or form our own corps. It's all up to us.
That's all good news, but there's also bad news.
I really don't understand what's gotten into the five generals of the war theatre. On the surface, there are only two second-line corps of the kingdom, but they've also established twenty garrison lines.
At the same time, after seizing the Shiksan fleet, they've established an ocean patrol fleet for the war theatre. The war theatre now has a force of two hundred and fifty to sixty thousand soldiers. That's going to make it difficult for us to reduce the war theatre's forces. "
Viscount Gregory put down the cup of black tea in his hand. He was quite a tea addict and his hand almost never left his cup. "The situation in the war theatre is very complicated. Even though the war theatre is in the red financially and doesn't have any extra reserves, we can use the war theatre's reputation and trust as well as the taxes for the next few years to borrow a large sum of money from the civilian banks to support the daily expenses of the army.
"Even though we've taken over the war theatre, no one will be willing to trust us since we've just arrived.
What I regret the most is that we can't bring a folk from the kingdom over. That way, we could easily use force to suppress all opposition in the war theatre.
"It's a pity that we only brought a single marine battalion to protect them. I don't need to say it, but I'm sure they won't be of much use.
"So, what we need the most now is time. First, we need to find a way to take control of the two corps in the war theatre and demote the high-ranking officers with His Majesty's edict. Then, we'll pick reliable men from the low-ranking officers and the marines to take control of the troops.
Then, he would use these two legions to disband the 20 local garrison regiments, and finally reduce these two legions to local garrison forces.
"That way, it'll take at least half a year to complete the mission.
"In the process, we'll also have to pick those we can trust to form our trusted guards. Only with them can we make arrangements for taxes, fines, accounts and accountability.
"Of course, we'll also have to order the confiscation of firearms from the citizens of the colonies to prevent the peasants from taking risks and harming our men with their firearms."
Earl Davanel shook his head. He was the representative of the new merchant nobles, while Viscount Gregory was a member of an old noble family.
Even though they were both envoys of the kingdom, there was still some distance between them. Both of them looked down on each other. "Viscount Gregory is right. His words are wise and wise. According to him, we can take complete control of the colonies. It'll just take a little longer, a year or two.
"But he shouldn't forget that His Majesty only gave us half a year before we set off.
"If we subtract the time spent on the journey back and forth, we only have two months at most. In other words, we need to scrounge up a million crowns for His Majesty in two months and send it back to His Majesty to fill up his empty royal treasury.
"This is the real reason why the seven of us came to the colonies.
"We don't have the time to take it slow like Viscount Gregory said. Our top priority is to get the money His Majesty needs. That way, we can keep our jobs.
"I originally thought that the war theatre would have at least a hundred thousand crowns in reserve, if not a few hundred thousand crowns.
"I didn't expect it to be an empty shell with a huge debt on top of it.
"This makes it even more difficult for us to fulfill His Majesty's orders. We need to think of a way to get a million crowns first.
"Of course, it's not that there isn't any good news. The colonies are far wealthier than we imagined. I have to admit that the five generals of the war theatre did a good job. They developed the colonies' economy to the point where they can collect more than a million crowns in taxes every year.
"I remember that the kingdom's records of the colonies' taxes and tributes added up to only about 400,000 crowns. This means that the extra portion will be shared among the seven of us …
"Viscount Oribut, Baron Fogli, didn't you say that the war theatre's daily military expenses are taken from the overseas Minsheng Bank?
"Tomorrow, go to the bank and see if you can get the money we need from them.
If it's possible, it'll be a great help to us. We can be lenient with them in the future and perhaps even reach an agreement that's beneficial to us … "
"Very well," Viscount Oribut and Baron Folgli replied.
"I'll go take a look as well," Viscount Angelink said.