I Became A Black Merchant In Another World Chapter 373: Merchants Want to Become Politicians Too (2)

Lately, it felt like ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) unexpected visitors were showing up at my house far too often.

Why in the world was Princess Teresa visiting not just once, but twice?

Was my house so kind of secret gourt spot that only the emperor and the imperial family knew about?

"Your Highness, what brings you to my residence today?"

If she said it was for personal reasons, I would signal the butler outside to suddenly announce an urgent matter that required my imdiate departure.

Leaving abruptly due to an "ergency" in front of royalty was indeed a breach of etiquette.

But if rumors spread about and an unmarried imperial princess, that would be a far bigger problem.

An abrupt departure could be explained with a well-crafted excuse.

But gossip? That could spiral into absurd rumors like being the one who took the princess’s first experience.

"Either way, I'm dead. Better to choose the less painful death."

"I ca all the way to your estate to visit Erika, but Father told that since I was already coming, I should secretly ask for your thoughts on a matter of concern."

"I see, so that’s the reason."

"If I want to have a comfortable chat with my sister, I should take care of the urgent matters first, don’t you think?"

"When you have unfinished business looming over you, it’s hard to truly relax. I agree with Your Highness."

Princess Teresa claid she was only here to talk with Erika.

But that was just a front to avoid rumors.

Even I could tell the real reason she ca.

She must enjoy talking to , so she used the emperor’s request as an excuse to co personally.

"Is it because I'm the only one who understands soone who sees hundreds of years into the future?"

People naturally crave recognition and understanding from others.

That was why, in dramas and movies, characters in such situations often ended up falling in love.

But reality wasn’t so convenient.

There was a reason Roo and Juliet and all those forbidden noble romances in literature always ended in tragedy.

There was absolutely no way anything would ever happen between and the princess.

"The nobles spent massive sums trying to cultivate crops like potatoes and sweet potatoes, only to suffer huge losses. Now, they are struggling with financial difficulties."

"That is indeed unfortunate."

Watching soone lose a fortune and fall into despair was a pitiful sight.

But I didn’t feel guilty about it in the slightest.

It wasn’t like I advertised that planting potatoes would make them rich.

I didn’t hold a sword to their throats and force them to buy at inflated prices.

All I did was hire highly trained elite soldiers—who normally required a salary of six silver coins per month—to guard the potato fields.

They fooled themselves.

"His Majesty is worried that these struggling nobles will try to raise taxes on the commoners. Is there any way to resolve their financial troubles without shifting the burden onto the people?"

That was essentially asking to solve a budget crisis without raising taxes—like telling soone to develop new technology without spending any money.

Even I had no magic solution for that.

If such a thing were possible, then whoever could do it wouldn't be a person but a god.

"But if the only condition is to avoid burdening the commoners..."

There was a way.

"Why not tax rchants the sa way we tax corporations? They contribute far less in proportion to the wealth they accumulate."

"They would resist if we simply imposed taxes on them."

"Of course, we can’t just take without offering sothing in return. That would be nothing more than coercion."

When we think of watches, we think of Switzerland.

That’s because, in the 18th century, most skilled craftsn in France were Huguenots—Protestants.

But the French emperor at the ti was a staunch Catholic who persecuted the Huguenots, driving them to flee to Switzerland.

That mass exodus of artisans ford the foundation of the Swiss watch industry we know today.

If we strong-arm rchants with threats, what happens if they simply pack up and leave?

Who would deal with the aftermath?

"Duties should co with corresponding rights."

In ancient Greece and Ro, citizenship required military service.

Those who couldn’t fight due to disabilities were not shad, but they were never granted the sa status as those who bore the burden of war.

That was why military service was seen as both a privilege and an honor—an esteed duty that ca with the rights of being a Roman citizen.

"In the past, the heads of major guilds were granted seats in the city council. Though they were rchants, they operated essential industries for urban developnt, and nobles required their expertise."

"But after the guild system was abolished, rchants could only participate in politics by becoming accountants or bureaucrats."

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

"The guild system was an obstacle to the Empire’s growth, but the one unfortunate consequence was the loss of this tradition."

Had that system remained intact, I could have placed rchants under my influence in the city councils.

That would have allowed to manipulate urban policies, anticipate large-scale construction projects, and secure massive profits by controlling the supply chain.

Unfortunately, with the system gone, embedding my people into the councils had beco more difficult.

Which ant...

"It’s ti to restore this beautiful tradition properly."

"Are you suggesting we allow rchants to hold seats in the city councils—or even in the imperial parliant?"

"The imperial parliant is exclusive to the nobility. Is it necessary to introduce rchants there?"

"rchants should regain representation in city councils, as they once had. As for the imperial parliant, they could be granted advisory roles."

"Would the imperial parliant benefit from rchant advisors?"

Princess Teresa showed no resistance to the idea of new knowledge.

Had I suggested this to the emperor, he would have probably responded with:

"You want to let re rchants advise the imperial parliant? That’s absurd!"

Of course, he wasn’t completely unreasonable.

If I reminded him that rchants were one of the empire’s key pillars and that aside from myself, most nobles knew little about comrce, he would likely concede to accepting advisors.

But Teresa didn’t even object.

She simply asked why it was necessary.

"Previously, rchant taxation was arbitrary. However, today, nearly half of the Empire’s tax revenue cos from artisans and rchants, who make up only 4% of the population. Their economic importance has skyrocketed. In a way, they already are half of the Empire."

A nation's strength is determined by its tax revenue.

A country that collects 1 billion in taxes is not exactly ten tis stronger than one that collects 100 million...

But at the very least, it’s probably five tis stronger.

"Yet the Empire’s nobles—and even His Majesty—know nothing about them. They see rchants as money-grubbing opportunists, but they don’t understand how comrce truly works or how it should be managed."

"That is true."

"And ignorance is a cri. Imposing obligations on people without understanding them is no different."

Between a corrupt but competent leader and an honest but incompetent one...

If I were an employee, I’d rather work under a corrupt but competent boss.

Because even if he embezzled funds and spent company money on mistresses... at least he’d ensure our salaries were paid on ti.

But an honest yet incompetent boss?

He’d run the company into the ground, and I’d end up unemployed.

"If the imperial parliant enacts misguided policies due to ignorance about comrce, it will destabilize the Empire. That is why the great rchants must serve as parliantary advisors."

"So, the top rchants in the Empire would serve as advisors to the imperial parliant, while influential city rchants would gain seats in local councils? In exchange for these privileges and titles, they would accept higher taxes?"

"Precisely."

If they were granted political influence in return, rchants wouldn’t strongly resist taxation.

"And giving rchants power would benefit His Majesty as well."

Do you know what absolute monarchy was built upon?

It was the careful balancing act of keeping nobles and rchants in check, ensuring neither gained too much influence.

So yes, let’s restore that balance properly.