The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 167

167. It Rains (3)

-1204, Rouen-

Knowledgeable intellectuals anticipated that Prince John, who had briefly visited Aquitaine to celebrate the birth of his grandson, would take some kind of action after returning to Rouen with Duchess Mary.

This was because Prince John’s actions as Chancellor had been too insignificant thus far.

Astute individuals predicted that Prince John, having returned from a brief sabbatical, would clearly define his political stance as Chancellor and as Richard I’s successor. This prediction came true.

John’s faction raised the issue of corruption among tax collectors.

Or rather, they spearheaded executions, not just raising issues.

‘All sins must be eradicated at their roots. Do you truly believe that tax collectors committed such heinous treason alone? I do not need any Zacchaeuses [referring to the biblical tax collector who repented] in my England.’

Zacchaeus was a notorious tax collector from the Bible who, upon meeting Jesus Christ, repented and was saved.

Following that day, there was a massive investigation into corrupt officials who had amassed wealth.

Simultaneously, the ‘Order of the Black Lion’ was formed.

Knights wearing uniforms emblazoned with roaring black lions hunted down those in England who had illicitly accumulated wealth.

Hiding bronze badges with a black lion emblem in their pockets.

The Knights of the Black Lion revealed their identities only when all the evidence was gathered.

They ruthlessly exposed and dragged away corrupt officials who had been exploiting the people.

Parading them with a wooden sign that read [I am a corrupt tax collector. I will face the people’s judgment] written in Angevin [the dialect spoken by the Angevin rulers of England].

Among those arrested, the most egregious offenders were immediately sentenced to death and publicly executed before the people.

“Execute them!”

The execution tool was the axe, a long-standing English tradition.

The relatively merciful beheading sword was considered an honor, so Safe Zone never allowed it.

Except for the tax collectors whose crimes were relatively minor.

[I will give half of my wealth to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone, I will pay back four times the amount.]

Using Zacchaeus’s promise to Jesus Christ in the Bible, ‘half of their wealth’ was confiscated by the kingdom and placed in the national treasury, while the individuals involved were exiled.

Swish.

It didn’t rain as often in Normandy as it did in London, but today it rained.

It was a red rain with a fishy smell, spurting from severed necks.

Not only the tax collectors of Rouen but also those connected to them.

All those related to those whom John had condemned as ‘greedy tax collectors’ died together.

Merchants, judges, and lower-ranking nobles who had crossed the line also died.

Blood continued to flow in the capital, Rouen.

“Spare me!”

“Those who betray their country once can never be trusted again. Execute them!”

Thus, the judgment began.

It was the beginning of a reign of terror known as the Lion’s Fury.

However, John knew well that a country could not be properly governed solely through fear.

There were rewards for honest tax collectors. Bonuses were given using the confiscated assets of those who had been punished. Modest rewards were also provided to clean officials and middle- and lower-ranking nobles who did their part.

John began to fill the vacated positions with his own people.

As if he had been planning it for a long time.

The moment vigilance and fear were etched into the people’s minds, John himself was becoming disillusioned with England.

* * *

-Rouen, Normandy Duke’s Residence-

Rouen was the capital of Normandy, in other words, Richard’s territory. So, even I couldn’t thoroughly investigate it. Rouen was also the capital of England, as designated by the King.

Before launching a major purge.

I could only plant my people in Rouen; I couldn’t touch the information in Rouen.

If I wanted to, I could dig up information, but gathering information in the capital of a country was like touching the King’s sore spot, so recklessly collecting information was out of the question.

However, I consistently argued for reforms to prepare for the Mongols, telling Richard that it was necessary to understand Rouen’s information.

‘I will allow it, so take a look.’

Richard allowed me to lift the veil and see the state of Rouen.

And I was surprised.

I never imagined that there would be such corrupt individuals in the capital, like corrupt officials from the Joseon Dynasty [Korean kingdom from 1392 to 1897].

I judged the first and second groups of those involved, but there were also third groups involved. It was like an ant tunnel; the more I dug, the more they kept coming.

“To think that there are still people like this. I truly didn’t know that there would be such corruption hidden beneath the surface of the capital.”

“Indeed.”

Peter and I were truly disappointed by the people who were embezzling to such an extent. Or rather, should I say I was disappointed in the state of England?

Goodness.

Our English tax collector friends were as corrupt as South Korean public officials just before World War III.

Those who were collecting taxes on behalf of the King were taking the lead in embezzling taxes.

If corruption hadn’t ceased in the 21st century, how could it not exist in the 13th century?

So, I had no choice but to inform Richard that a purge was necessary.

“Ha… Even thinking about it now, corruption is truly astonishing.”

I had lifted the veil of Rouen and seen the abyss.

“Still, the nobles we are watching only have minor offenses.”

“Those individuals are capable of building power even without stealing national funds.”

Interestingly, the real ‘capable’ individuals like the Earl of Oxford, the Earl of Champagne, and William Marshal were exempt from this issue. They were nobles who did not take undue advantage. Paradoxically, their power was maintained because of their abilities.

“Anyway, we need to properly incinerate them. It’s truly unacceptable to have such vermin in the era of our great Majesty Richard I.”

I am not a dreamer who wants to completely eliminate corruption from the kingdom. Looking at any history, there have always been rats stealing national funds.

However, I need to set a proper example by burning them thoroughly. I really wanted to accuse them of witchcraft and burn them at the stake, but I ended up being merciful and ending it with beheading.

“Your Highness, this is still an opportunity.”

Hearing Peter’s words, I nodded and said.

“Yes, if we turn it into an opportunity, we can use it as is.”

The time has come for the youngest sons of noble families, one of my power bases. Those who were born into noble families but are administrative officials from the Third Estate [commoners] who cannot inherit the estate.

“Peter, we need to distribute official positions to our people. Well, since there is a power vacuum due to those morons, there’s no need to be mindful of anyone, right?”

“That is correct, Your Highness.”

With that, Peter left.

I went to find Mary.

“John, you seem to be busy these days?”

“I’m suffering from those satanic officials.”

“It’s unbelievable. That there are such foolish people.”

“Are you adjusting to Rouen?”

“Yes, it’s a very nice place. It’s not extravagant, but there are many things to see.”

“How much have you found out?”

“Just that the noble ladies are not normal?”

“It hasn’t been long since it became the capital, so there are many strange people.”

I know very well what those sights are.

Just as Richard had allowed me to understand Rouen, my sister-in-law Sybil had also given permission to my wife Mary to investigate the noble ladies in Rouen.

After telling her how smelly and trashy Rouen was.

Mary changed the subject.

“What do you think of the Eastern Roman Empire?”

Here, what my wife is referring to as the Eastern Roman Empire is the Emperor.

“A troublesome friend?”

Human Safe Zone is fond of Alexios II, but powerful Safe Zone considers Alexios II troublesome.

“So, there’s something I want to show you.”

Clap.

As Mary clapped her hands, a man wearing the attire of the Eastern Roman Empire brought a large wooden box.

Inside were glittering gold coins.

“What is this?”

“It’s a gift from the friend you find troublesome.”

“I can’t understand my brother-in-law’s intentions.”

* * *

-Oxford Earl’s Residence-

The cautious faction that follows the Earl of Oxford gathered.

The cautious faction, to be precise, refers to the noble forces that follow the Earl of Oxford.

Unlike the existing nobles, they were the ones who knew the terror of Safe Zone the best, and therefore, they did not suffer much damage in this purge.

Rather, they were cursing the dead.

Even if the tax collectors were like that, nobles who colluded with the tax collectors and embezzled the King’s taxes were an eyesore.

“To think that there were such detestable people in our England. Good riddance.”

The Earl of Oxford was a noble who usually didn’t show his emotions. But today, he showed his emotions. That’s how pathetic the dead were.

The downfall of the tax collectors who were ignorant of the world and embezzled, and the nobles who colluded with them and stole the taxes that should have gone to the King, showed that there was a ‘level’ even among the same powerful people.

Still, just in case, the Earl of Oxford said to those around him.

“There wouldn’t be any foolish people among our people, right?”

“How could there be? Don’t you hate that sort of thing, Your Excellency?”

“I’m a late child, so I received a good upbringing.”

Earl Robert of Oxford is a late child. To those who don’t know, there was such a big age gap that they would mistake him for being in a grandparent-grandchild relationship with the previous Earl of Oxford.

The large age difference with his father is not a good thing.

The previous Earl of Oxford knew that his lifespan was short, so he educated his son even more strictly.

News came that the [Kingdom Council] would be held.

“Our French and Spanish friends are barking up the wrong tree [making a futile attempt]. They think I’ll betray France for power.”

The Middle Ages is an era where nobles can betray the kingdom for their territory, and it’s not uncommon for nobles to collude with foreign countries for their own safety.

So, foreigners approached the new Earl of Oxford, tempting him to become people who help each other if they hate John.

‘I love England. The conflict with the Duke of Normandy and treason are different matters.’

But they are barking up the wrong tree. The Earl of Oxford is not someone who is swayed by such things.

“Your Excellency, what will you do in the future?”

“We must listen to the words of our prophet. For now.”

Prophet.

That is one of the titles the Earl of Oxford uses to refer to Prince John.

From some point on, John began to assert the threat from the East. He created the novel and play The Three Musketeers and contacted Poland.

At first, the nobles didn’t believe it either. How much of a threat could a Nestorian heretic [follower of a Christian sect deemed heretical] from the East be?

But gradually, the number of slaves from the East entering Anjou is increasing.

The Earl of Oxford had a bad feeling.

* * *

-November, 1204-

“Is it today?”

“Yes, Brother.”

Even I think Richard I was a truly great person.

The autumn of 1204 is coming to an end. The weather outside was chilly.

England is known as the father of European parliamentary politics in the future, but there is no time to wait for that.

The Kingdom Council is my creation.

The reason why I deliberately omitted the name ‘Advisory Council’ as Chancellor was to improve upon the existing temporary political body called the Royal Advisory Council.

The Angevins I want are people who obey the King.

But the nobles of Anjou are trying to resemble France. The nobles are mistaken in thinking that they are the masters of the kingdom.

The nobles I think of are vassals who move within the framework set by the King. The King must not be swayed by the vassals.

So, it was necessary to suppress their spirit while I could.

There is much to do in order to create new positions and prepare for a ‘wartime system.’

Because the true threat to the world has not yet arrived.

So, I urgently summoned the ministers.

“From now on, we will proceed with a merit system. Positions, land, pensions, and allowances will be paid to the nobles according to their merits.”

The Earl of Champagne asked me.

“Why are you doing this to such an extent?”

To the Earl of Champagne’s question of why I, who had been trying to crack down on the nobles through the tax issue, was suddenly giving benefits to the nobles, I said plainly.

“Nobles are commanders; their help is needed now.”

“What kind of help are you referring to?”

This time, as the Earl of Oxford asked with an interesting face, I replied briefly.