"One hundred, one hundred and seventy-eight thousand six hundred and fifty-three, Your Highness."

Thales frowned and changed his words:

"Very good, then after we repay this debt totaling 1,178,653..."

"Part of the debt, Your Highness," a financial officer reminded, "is only the largest part of it."

Thales took a deep breath and spoke again:

"Then, after we repay this part, the total debt will be 1,178,653..."

"And it's just the upfront debt..."

"If you count the total..."

"boom!"

Unable to bear it, Thales slapped the table hard, startling everyone.

"That's enough," His Highness the Prince gritted his teeth, and the officials lowered their heads, "Just tell me directly, how much money will be left in the Emerald City after that?"

The officials exchanged glances with each other, looking left and right, as if they had doubts.

Marius and Strauss also looked at each other.

Until an old accounting officer trembled:

"In fact, Your Highness, we have no left-"

Mailakhovich observed what was happening and quickly stopped his subordinates: "I wonder how much do you want to leave, Your Highness?"

Thales breathed out.

Well, there are still people who know the ropes.

He scratched his chin and sniffed his nose like a cat that smelled something fishy:

"If, just if, if the kingdom is about to go to war, and Emerald City wants to show its desire to serve the country, for example, update the Fury Guards of Kingdom's Wrath, repair their equipment, change their horses, and buy him a pair to increase his height.

Boots, or equip the Broken Dragon Fortress with twenty magic guns, reinforce the city walls, and get a batch of imported tobacco for the Flower of the Fortress..."

Or help a certain king who loves his people like his son and his country like his family to gather a new standing army that can conquer and fight well?

Including Melakhovich, the expressions of the finance and taxation officials changed, and they all shrank back, not daring to look up or reply.

Thales looked hopeful at first, but gradually, his smile became stiffer and awkward.

Isn't it?

"Your Highness," Melahovich finally said cautiously, "I wonder what kind of tobacco Lady Sonia of Broken Dragon Fortress likes?"

Looking at his look, Thales understood.

"I understand……"

Thales took a deep breath and stared at the accounting report on the table with a bad expression.

Therefore, Emerald City can still barely operate and support itself, which is pretty good...

If the debts still need to be repaid, Kongming Palace will not be able to dig out extra money to give to a certain supreme king with great talents and strategies.

But unfortunately, one of the conditions he used to convince King Kessel V to allow him to let go and participate in the chess game was...

Thales swallowed.

Not good.

Pretty bad.

unless……

Thales said quietly:

"You think the royal family shouldn't have any saying that 'the Canxing family must repay its debts', right?"

Mallos frowned:

"What?"

Thales reacted and smiled again:

"It's nothing, don't worry about it, it's just slang from the northern countryside."

He quickly cheered up and tried:

"So, if, gentlemen, or what if, if we don't pay back the 1.17 million due to various force majeure reasons, what will happen?"

As soon as the words came out, the officials were all stunned and looked at each other.

Steward Melakhovich coughed:

"Your Highness, the creditors of most of the debts are prominent figures inside and outside the Nan'an Territory who can influence the Emerald City: industrial owners of several major guilds, big businessmen, several vassal families with a long history, and big foreign donors.

Oh, yes, even Wangjia Bank..."

"Of course, of course, they are all big shots and rich men, but," Thales waved his hand, "but what if I tell them 'more grace'? They can't force me to pay my debts, right? For example, they can send an army to attack me.

'The creditor will not die as the old debtor'?"

The financial officials were speechless. They looked at each other again, as if they were meeting such a ruler for the first time.

"They, they...but our credit..." Director Melakhovich was a little unable to react.

Seeing the other party's reaction, Thales rolled his eyes.

"They can't force you, Your Highness," Mallos coughed, interrupting the conversation. "After all, they have no army and no authority. They can't do anything about your breach of contract. And I remember that in the history of the kingdom, it is not without exception.

Such a precedent..."

Thales' momentum changed and he nodded solemnly: "Then we might as well study it-"

Hugo Fubi, the flag-bearer, interjected coldly:

"The last person to do this was Red King John."

Thales' expression froze on his face.

"Yes, he borrowed money to raise an army to launch a coup. After he successfully came to power, he sent all his creditors to prison as a king and threatened them to postpone, reduce or even cancel their debts," Mallos added softly, "Those who don't want to, just

Let Mi Ke Luo Zhi be accused of being a traitor, his house confiscated and beheaded. In this way, the debts of the Red King will naturally be written off."

The finance and taxation officials' expressions tightened and they hesitated to speak.

Thales frowned tightly.

Mallos picked up the teacup and took a calm sip of tea.

"Why don't you continue to ask questions?"

Mallos turned his head in surprise: "Your Highness?"

"Go on, according to your usual habit, you should ask me," Thales looked unhappy, "'Guess, Your Highness Thales, what happened to the Red King after that?'"

Mallos froze.

After a few seconds, he gently raised the tea cup towards the prince and smiled apologetically.

"Okay, I understand what you mean," Thales didn't wait for him to answer. He covered his face with his hands and sighed, "The iron bank cannot afford to default."

Everyone present looked at each other, confused.

"It's nothing, it's just a folk saying in the Western Wilderness... So now, yes, pay back the money..." Thales came back to his senses, looked at the numbers on the account, and felt uncomfortable all over.

"Actually, Your Highness," Chief Mailahovich reminded worriedly, "if it becomes a fact that we default on the contract after the deadline, there is no need to worry. We still have other solutions, and we don't have to go to the step of... the Red King."

"Oh?" Thales perked up as soon as he heard this.

The manager nodded:

"According to the loan contract and following the old practices left from the era of the Xianjun, when we borrowed the loan, we mortgaged the future tax revenue of the Emerald City and even the South Bank..."

“Future taxes?”

Thales was stunned: "What ones are there?"

"There are many kinds, Your Highness," another tax official mused, "In addition to the traditional land rent of the fiefdom directly under the Emerald City, as well as the territorial tax, agricultural and forestry land tax, and servant tax paid by the vassals, we

The levies also include transaction taxes, real estate taxes, property taxes, public security taxes, land and water toll taxes, customs duties, franchise taxes, deed taxes, notary fees, recognition fees all over the South Bank... There are a total of thirteen major taxes, which are divided into different categories.

There are forty-four sub-tax items, and each tax item is divided into detailed categories..."

"Enough, enough!" Thales' ears hurt when he heard it, "Oh my god, I will never understand finance."

But when he reacted, his expression changed again!

"Wait a minute, are you saying that if we breach the contract, we will have to hand over the income of Nan'an Territory for the next few quarters or even years in the future?"

"It's not all, Your Highness, no," the old accountant said tremblingly. "Based on the amount of the debt principal, the degree of default and late payment, and the level of penalties for each debt contract, the mortgage tax also has a rough proportion.

…”

"Approximate proportion? How much?"

"Not much, Your Highness, after all, the Emerald City is the capital of a country..." The Financial Controller looked heroic and waved his hand.
To be continued...