Old Sword Master

300 50 years ago, the conquest of Constantinople was their peak. In the next 200 50 years, Venice replaced Rome and Constantinople as one of the centers of Mediterranean and even human civilization.

“Why is the waterway so neat here?” Santalali suddenly realized that the waterway they were on was as orderly and straight as a carriageway on the sea.

“This is not the sea, but the canal.” Vernell answered Santaalali’s question. His voice was very low and his face was full of inexplicable emotions.

“Your Excellency Vernell, everything seems to be fine here.” Wood knew the other person’s thoughts, and he pointed to the building in front of him. “This customs building is much stronger than the best court in Gandia City.”

Vernell glanced at the well-maintained canals and buildings, then looked at the merchant ship beside him, nodded, the witness of the last glory of the Republic of Venice, and then said as if sighed in relief: “It is true that everything is fine.”

Although the hegemony and independence of Venice have ended with the Austrian land bridges between the islands and the mainland, this batch of German Barbarian Races relied on the support of the Lord of Earth Element, Gu Lamba, to complete the unfinished business of their ancestors, but The traces of the glorious years not at all disappear completely.

This batch of Germanic Barbarian Races has learned not to scavenge. Not only will they not rob private property, they will not collect excessive taxes. They even pretend to preserve the system of the Republic of Venice.

When they entered the port, they encountered a group of warships with the flag of the Golden Land double-headed eagle, but for a long time after entering the port of Venice, they were all the flags of the San Marco Flying Lion, and they did not see a flag indicating the existence of the Habsburg family.

The level of their tax collectors is also very high.

“No goods?” The tax officer on the dock was very serious. She was a red-haired woman. She had never seen the merchant in front of her. “The Port of Venice collects taxes according to the tonnage, length and width of the vessel. Taxes are paid if there is no goods. .”

“We encountered an attack by an Ottoman slave ship at sea. We defeated the enemy. In order to save the slave, all the cargo on the ship was thrown into the sea.” Wood said, pointing to the slaves on the deck.

The tax officer looked at the slaves on the deck, and the expression on his face gradually turned calm. These slaves are Ukrainians at first sight, but his voice is still harsh and mean: “Amazing behavior. In this case, you can apply for tax exemption. , But you still have to pay taxes here, but you can go to the special advisory office and apply for a tax refund.”

Wood obediently and honestly paid the tax, after all he had seen the fleet when he entered the port.

Then the tax officer gave Wood a book that was not too thick: “This is the catalog and summary of the “Interim Administration Measures for Import and Export Tax Rebates of the Great Austria Duchy and the Republic of Venice”. You can go to the library to read the full text.”

Wood has been on the boat for several days and has been controlling his intake of tranquilizers, so he didn’t understand the situation for a while. After getting the manual, he eagerly checked how to refund the tax, but even with his intelligence, he couldn’t understand the provisions here. This is definitely not just because he felt dizzy after paying 500 talers.

Your Excellency Wood is a major event person who wants to rebuild the Empire of Storms, not to mention 500 talers, 5000 talers, he will not care.

“But I think you can’t go wrong with saving slaves. You can go to the Chamber of Commerce to go through the slave liberation procedures. The bonus is also collected in that building. The first registration fee for the vessel is 5 talers. I can help. You are free.” Hill continued.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much.” Wood felt that the dizziness disappeared a lot.

“There are also 500 talers that can be paid with a draft from Machiavelli Bank or the Bank of Vienna.” Hill continued, which is almost a 50 taler discount!

Wood suddenly realized that he hadn’t noticed that the other person’s red head was very beautiful. It was Wood’s favorite color. He quickly made friends with this female mage named Hill.

After getting a small pot of tea, she also explained how to operate the tax refund, but until the next ship entered the port, Wood still had no clue.

Then Wood gave two talers’ living allowance to the crew, and let the crew take turns to land ashore.

And he himself took 2 mage to the Chamber of Commerce in the city.

“When I get back to Gandia, I will pay you Silver Tale.” Wood walked, thanking Vernell.

“I’ve taken some more tranquilizers this time.” Vernell shook his head. “I’m also in the safest position this time.”

“There is no safe place on the battlefield,” Wood insisted. “In any case, please (Yunyǔn) allow me to bring you a good tea bag.”

“Okay, okay.” Vernell finally accepted the offer.

They then continued to study booklets.

The various citations, special cases, principles, and detailed rules in this manual are too complicated.

After looking at it, Santalali and Vernell also said whether there is mysterious magic or something hidden in this thing. The former said it was more difficult than the “acceleration technique”, and the latter said it was more difficult than the “crowd transformation technique”.

Until the gate of Lit Chamber of Commerce, these three mages or big bosses who can be mages are always out of their way. Santaalali is already in front of him, and even secretly wondering if he is innate talent limited?

The three of them groggy underground in the carriage, and suddenly discovered that the building in front of them was magnificent and magnificent. The three-story building had eight gilt characters on the top with the words “Aowei and Prosperity Together.

From the front, you can’t see how big it is. There is a section that stretches out of the water and extends directly to the sea behind, like a covered bridge.

There is a sentry box on the front, and there are more than a dozen tall soldiers with good mental outlook standing guard, but they will not check the entrants.

“Li Te Chamber of Commerce Headquarters and Venice Special Counsel Office Joint Office Building.”

“Earth Element Church, Venice Main Hall.”

“Venice Committee of Ten Three.”

“The residence of the Austrian Grand Duchy Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Venice.”

There are several very white and bright wooden boards hanging in front of the door, all of which are written in beautiful Latin and the handwriting is flamboyant.

Passing through the guard post and the front yard, there is a lounge at the entrance of the building. A dozen well-dressed businessmen are sitting in it, chatting over wine and biscuits while waiting for a meeting.

After explaining the situation to the receptionist Young Lady, and taking out the documents of several business deals with Ah Huang, Wood and the others were not arranged to go to the lounge, and followed a waiter in, and then walked through a corridor full of sculptures , And then they went outside again.

There is also an atrium on the inside of the building. In the atrium, there are 4 flower fields separated by paths, which are planted with 4 colors of red, red, purple, magenta and purple flowers. The colors gradually change clockwise, charming and mysterious.

Among the 4 flower fields is a 2-meter-high base with a marble sculpture. A man who has not yet reached middle age holds the hand of another man who seems to be a little younger. The former is dressed in red-clothed Archbishop, and the latter is from It seems to be a druid outside of the skin.

Then they moved on and came to the large office facing the atrium. Inside was a woman with brown hair, dressed in the same color as Wood cloak, and in a mage gown with red ground and gold threads.

She also wears a crown of exaggerated style on her head, which is entirely made of gold, with a platinum two-tailed lion holding a black gemstone on top.