Chapter 272 Punishment

Landlord Baden was brought to the lobby of the lord's mansion.

This is a middle-aged man with a plump figure, with two small green bean eyes on his round face. Although he tried hard to pretend to be in trouble, he still had a few greedy eyes from time to time.

After entering the lobby, he performed the etiquette of a commoner meeting the lord in a proper manner.

"Respected and great Earl Graman, Baden, your loyal subject, has come to you at your call."

The young lord was sitting on the main seat in the hall. After hearing his words, he said nothing, just stared at him straightly and expressionlessly.

Baden's heart tightened, and he felt a little bit bad: It's bad, could it be that the lord knew about the [War Tax]?

The hall was quiet, and only the ticking of the floor clock could be heard. Paul didn't speak, and Baden could only stand there, waiting awkwardly.

"Are you Baden?"

The lord finally spoke, but Baden's legs almost went weak and he collapsed to the ground. For a person like him who has been pampered for a long time, standing for a long time is very tiring.

"Yes, respected Earl Graman, I am Baden."

"Where have you been some time ago? Have you returned home after the riots subsided?"

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Earl. I was hiding in a hidden farmhouse in the field before. I have returned home...ah, my home is really terrible, everything has been robbed, and several honest and loyal servants have died."

When it comes to the riots, Baden's face becomes more miserable, and he keeps accusing the salt people of their atrocities.

Paul did not stop him and let Baden continue.

"…It's all the fault of those damn poor bastards, Earl Graman, you must uphold the justice and strictness of the lord and hang all these lawless beasts. They are a group of living beasts!"

Seeing that the lord did not react at all, Baden, who was accusing, became increasingly quiet.

"Ahem… Respected Earl Graman, please give justice to us kind people and bring peace to the land of Arda."

Baden ended with this sentence, and the hall finally returned to its previous silence.

Paul then asked, "Then tell me what the so-called [war tax] is?"

"War tax? What war tax? I haven't heard of it."

"Oh? Didn't you collect war tax from the salt people?"

Baden looked wronged and said aggrievedly, "My Lord, please don't listen to the lies of the mob. In order to reduce their crimes and win your sympathy, they can make up any lies. For these poor ghosts, shame, honor and disgrace do not exist."

Paul sneered, "But Baden, it's not just the salt people who said you have collected war taxes. Bring the people up!"

As soon as the voice fell, the guards brought a few people into the hall.

Baden looked at them and almost fainted. Aren't these the thugs he sent to collect taxes? Why haven't they died yet? Shouldn't they have been killed by the mob long ago?

These thugs hung their heads one by one, and everyone's face was bruised and swollen. It seems that they have suffered a lot at the hands of the salt people.

Paul smiled and asked, "Baden, do you know them?"

Baden hurriedly replied, "No... I don't know them! Lord Earl, I don't know these people."

Paul cast his eyes on the thugs: "Baden said he doesn't know you, then do you know him?"

The man standing in the front said, "Lord, he is our former master Baden."

Baden hurriedly defended himself, "Nonsense! Lord, don't believe them!"

Paul glared at him with a stern look, "Enough, speak when I tell you to!" The landlord was so scared that his fat body trembled.

He asked the thugs again: "Then tell me, did Baden send you to collect war taxes in addition to the head tax?"

The man just now glanced at Baden and answered honestly: "Yes, a group of people had been sent to collect head taxes and war taxes before us, but they were driven back, and then Master Baden sent us to go and let us teach the salt people a lesson."

Paul looked at Baden coldly: "What else do you have to say?"

Baden was sweating and twitching all over, but he still defended himself: "They...they...they have been bought by the mob, they are already in the same group."

"So you did lie to me just now? These people are really your former subordinates?"

"I...I...Lord, please understand!"

Paul laughed: "I have some people here for you to see, bring them up!"

The guards led another group of people in, all dressed as ordinary villagers.

Paul asked: "Maybe Baden has collected [war taxes] from you?"

As soon as the lord spoke, the emotions of the villagers suddenly became excited.

"Lord Graman, you are right. He did force us to pay war taxes."

"When your father and grandfather were in power, we never heard of war taxes."

"Our income was not much to begin with, and with Baden messing around like this, our lives have become even more difficult."

The villagers complained one after another. They already knew that Baden was cheating them, and they were full of resentment.

Looking at Baden, whose face was pale, Paul slowly picked up the water cup and took a sip.

"Baden, this is the residents of several villages in the area you are responsible for, but are good people who have not participated in riots. What else do you say now?"

Baden's lips stunned: "I ... I ..."

There is no mistake, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one 619, one book, one, one, one, one, one, one, a book!

He suddenly opened his eyes, and his eyes emerged with both eyes.

"Oh? Why did you suddenly pull him?"

Baden seemed to be out of accused: "The damn Jingyao guy, what kind of land flows, and the good land of my family has been replaced by him. Relying on the lord's house, he holds the feathers. Our honest and diligent landlords are miserable. "

"You and you? In addition to you, are others dissatisfied with him?"

"Yes, Lord Graman." Baden said anxiously: "Many people are dissatisfied with him, and we call him [Barber Baron] in our back. Agricultural director of personnel, calm everyone's resentment. "

In the process of land replacement, it is inevitable that it is inevitable to change the land. Under the entanglement of the two factors of quality and area, no one can hold it just right, and the big landlords such as Baden Baden are the matter. The benefit is much greater than the loss. Now his arable land has become a large area, which is more conducive to launching large -scale planting and water conservancy operations. He bought several units alone. But most people care about the part where they lose, and the part they get is considered taken for granted.

Moreover, Baden's resentment for Hanssel was actually concentrated in another thing: During the process of investigating the land, his large public land occupied by his family was checked. This caused Baden to lose a lot of money and blockbuster. He thought he should belong to his own real estate. But this incident also knows that he is illegal first. Isn't it not long to say at this time? So just point the finger to the land.

There was a hint of hard -notch on Paul's face, and continued to ask: "What does this have to do with your private war taxation?"

Baden said "aggrieved": "Because I lost a lot when I was in the land replacement, I came up with this faint trick and thought about how much I could make up."

"Ah ... no right! This faint trick is not I want to come out, all blame my housekeeper, it is the idea he thought!"

Baden suddenly remembered something and quickly changed his mouth.

"Your steward? Where is he?"

"He hid in the farmhouse with me in the field of farmhouses. After going out to find out the news, I never returned. I am afraid I have been killed by the mob ..."

Paul is thoughtful: "Butler? Missing? It's a bit interesting!"

He remembered the interrogation intelligence by Cecil. When the salt people surrounded the Mansion of the Baden family, the housekeeper first sarcastic, and then let the people attack it with a stone latch, which will intensify the contradiction.

"Well, Baden, I don't have time to talk nonsense with you! In any case, it has violated the law with the lord's private collection of war taxes, and this riots are also for you."

Paul stood up and saw the final decision.

Baden knelt down: "Lord, the Grandan family is known for its kindness!"

Paul ignored his begging and continued: "It should have given you extremely severe punishment, but given that your family has served for generations, I announced-" I announced- "" I announced- "

"First, deprive you of the identity of the taxpayer, the area you was responsible for taxation before, and the tax officer will be collected by the government officer in the future!"

"Second, the family property without you half of your home property, make up for the losses caused by the riots -of course not including your own losses!"

As soon as Paul's voice fell, Baden under the order turned his eyes white, and he collapsed on the ground.

The guard hurried forward to check, and saw that his eyes narrowed into a seam. He could only see white eyes and white foam in the gap.

It seems that the two punishments have hit him too much.