Chapter 486 Where do people come from? Where does money come from?
People and money are indeed two very critical issues.

First of all, according to the current system, the only areas where Horn can collect taxes are Hongfeng Township and Yibei Township.

There will probably be 13 priestly orders and 2 rural orders in the two places.

按照人员配置，霍恩需要100到150名巡游修士，60到90名事务官，200到300名修士助理，30到40名拜圣父会是记录僧侣。

The reliable manpower Horn currently has can only meet the needs of Hongfeng Township at most, while Yibei Township in the south is almost self-governed by the centurions.

Where will the remaining half of the staff come from?
"Isn't the problem of people difficult to solve?" Horn's voice was not loud but very clear amid the sound of rain outside the window. "We have monks from the Blago Monastery, we have various night schools and literacy classes, and the Magdi Chamber of Commerce can also provide a group of reliable talents.

The miracle priests can also take up the position, and we can also promote some centurions from within our ranks to become itinerant monks.

These guys are more than enough to fill our vacancies.”

The greatest wealth that Juanno left to Horn and his people was not reputation or land, but ideas and people.

One of the main reasons Horn wooed Catherine was that she was seen as Juanno's second heir.

Even though the witch’s identity was exposed, didn’t Horn canonize her right away?

This was to maintain Catherine's influence within the Juano faction.

Thousands of priests in the Blago Monastery have experience in local governance under the influence of Juanno's pragmatic thinking.

Although this sacrificed the church's rule in Cassia County, it trained a large number of monks and priests with grassroots experience and even military experience.

And because of the church's act of burning Juanno, all Juano factions are staunch opponents of the church.

It's not just the Juano faction, the wizards, the Magdi Chamber of Commerce, the bullied artisans, the citizens and farmers, the low-level monks who were oppressed by the senior bishops...

Thanks to the church's open source, Horn was able to find a group of qualified and reliable people to fill administrative vacancies without much effort.

When the Empire and Prince Condé were enemies, it was absolutely impossible for them to betray.

Although Horn will be met with great hostility from the church the moment they raise the banner against the church, once they gain some results against the church, they will immediately become a gathering place for opponents of the church.

When the Juano faction expanded its influence, it absorbed a large number of people who were dissatisfied with the church.

After the Battle of Rapid City, a large number of defectors poured into the borders of the Papal State of Savior.

They all came here with desperate blood feuds, and their only purpose was to rebel against the Church.

This convergence effect currently only occurs in the Thousand River Valley. If one day Horn can make his name known throughout the empire.

Then Qianhe Valley will become a gathering place for rebels like Black Snake Bay.

"At the end of the month, the abbot of Blago Monastery will personally lead fifty monks to visit." Catherine spoke at the right time and claimed the credit.

"There are also low-level monks fleeing from various monasteries in our territory and seeking refuge here. There are more than ten to twenty of them every month," Armand continued.

Madeleine then said, "As for the assistant positions, they will be filled automatically by accountants and ordinary citizens who can't find work. A few days ago, Sid, the head of the Notaries' Guild, complained to me that he couldn't find a job."

In this way, the human problem is basically solved, and the only problem left is money.

"In that case, we have to talk about how to collect our new taxes."

Hearing Horn's words, everyone pricked up their ears, even the dozing officers raised their heads.

This means that they cannot be careless with next year's military expenditure.

"The new tax system will completely overturn the old tax system and abolish all tributes and miscellaneous taxes. It will be collectively called the Piety Tax." Horn opened the booklet in his hand and said, "Please turn to page 29 of the Plan."

The so-called piety tax is a uniform 25% tax levied based on the area of ​​the land.

Of this 25%, 10% will be converted into monetary taxes and submitted to the Imperial Conference of Cardinals, and the remaining 15% will be deposited in the warehouse of the local order.

Before paying taxes, the Imperial Council would give a grain guide price, and then purchase a batch of grain at the guide price. After that, grain merchants could not purchase grain at a price lower than the guide price.

Ideally, assuming each convent had 75 centuries, each with 4000 acres of land, it would produce 36 pounds of grain.

Each centurion would then have to hand over 9 pounds of grain to the priestly order, of which 36000 pounds would have to be converted into monetary taxes.

The guide price for grain at that time was half a dinar per gallon (9 pounds), which was 2000 dinars.

The cost of 75 centuries for a priestly order was 15 dinars, or 1250 gold pounds.

The Imperial Council of Cardinals will then ask the abbot of Red Maple Township for taxes from seven priestly orders, totaling 7 gold pounds in cash.

As for the remaining taxes and grain, they all went into the township order’s own small treasury.

If the priory operates well and the collected grain is turned into more currency, then the excess will belong to the priory.

In other words, the Imperial Conference of Cardinals only wanted monetary taxes, not taxes in kind.

"This is just the part related to grain tax, right?" Sissi adjusted her gold-rimmed crystal glasses, took the glasses handed to her by Catherine, and glanced at the part circled in red. "What about orchards, fish ponds, cash crops, small mines, etc.?"

Horn couldn't help but smile when he saw Sissi and Catherine's little tricks, but he didn't expose them.

He knew that Catherine had just joined, and although her status was higher than Sissi's, her say was actually less than Sissi's.

There are some things that Sissi can say directly, but she can't.

Even if what she said was right, the big question was how many people were willing to listen.

Until she makes some real achievements, she can only vote more and talk less.

Catherine was more of a tycoon than a businessman, and she had a clear understanding of some of the political divides.

"It's simple. The cost of collecting these taxes is not enough to cover our administrative costs, so we give them to the local governments as a treasury." Horn explained with a smile.

"Holy Treasury?" Xixi looked up in surprise. He hadn't heard this word for a long time.

The original Holy Treasury system was only a wartime system that forcibly eliminated private wealth and collected all the spoils without distinction.

This played a big role in their escape.

However, after Qiumu Island was established, this system was tacitly abandoned by everyone.

In fact, apart from playing a propaganda role in "The Expedition of Shengsun", it has basically no other function.

But now, Horn is ready to pass on the holy gene and revive the holy treasury system.

Specifically, if the income from local taxes that are difficult for the central government to supervise is not enough to cover the central government's administrative costs, then the taxes will be handed over to the local governments.

As the saying goes, a county magistrate is not as good as the current manager. It is much easier for the abbot and centurions to collect these taxes than for the cardinal conference in front of the emperor.

After all, it all counts as one's own disposable fiscal income, so one will definitely be more proactive in collecting it.

Taxes that are difficult for the central government to supervise, including taxes on local cash crop output, small rural workshops, orchards, fish ponds, and other 100-household areas, one-tenth of which is taken into the Holy Treasury.

After all, the centurions and the chief monks know exactly what is produced in each centurion area and who is engaged in what industry.

In addition, since this part of the tax collected directly by the local government comes from industries other than agricultural mining, the elder monks will definitely be happy to develop it. After all, it can increase their own fiscal revenue, so why not do it?

"But if that's the case, wouldn't the income of the Imperial Council of Cardinals be a little too little?" Mitternich, who had just joined, couldn't help but ask.

Compared to those from the Gulag who focus on the military, those from the Magdi Chamber of Commerce are more enthusiastic about the economy.

(End of this chapter)