The terrain of Laoag is flat, covering an area of one hundred and two square kilometers, and the scenery is very beautiful, but the population is not very large, less than 10,000 people.

And at this time, Laoag was not the tourist attraction of later generations, its biggest role was to provide supplies and rest trading functions for merchants from all over the Ming Dynasty and Fusang, and now Laoag is a fief of Lagan (prince) called Kalu.

As a transit point for merchants from Fusang, Daming and surrounding countries in Nanyang, Laoag receives a lot of commercial taxes from these merchants every year, and Karui also stationed an army of more than 300 soldiers here, led by an officer named Perrault, who also served as the tax collector of Laoag.

After breakfast this morning, Perrault, as usual, went to the docks, surrounded by dozens of soldiers, and began his day's work, and his job was simple, which was to collect the so-called port entry tax on every ship on the docks.

Please note that this tax is charged on the basis of the tonnage of the merchant vessel.

What the...... Is your ship empty?

I'm sorry, that's none of my business, if you don't want to pay it, you can take the boat away, we won't stop it.

Yes, it's so domineering, who told you to anchor here.

Since Laoag is the closest to Daming here, most of the merchant ships going to Daming and Fusang have to be replenished and repaired here, so even if Laoag's taxes are a little ruthless, merchants from various countries have endured it.

However, in recent years, Luzon has set off a very bad trend, that is, the commercial tax levied on the merchant ships from the Ming Dynasty is extremely high.

Usually, the merchant ships docked here from all over the country levied a commercial tax ranging from 100 taels of silver to 500 taels according to the size of the ship, but since half a year ago, the commercial tax levied by Laoag on merchant ships from Daming has increased by three or four times, and now the merchants from Daming are a little unbearable.

Many merchants protested, they found Perot and asked for a reduction in the commercial tax, but Perot's answer to them was only three words "impossible", if you don't pay, it's okay, seeing that the soldiers behind me don't, they will use the knives and guns in their hands to discuss with you.

In the face of the strong and unreasonable Perrault, the merchants of the Ming Dynasty can only swallow their anger, no way, Laoag is the best transit place in this area, because after years of operation, it has become the largest material distribution center in the South Seas, where can you go if you don't come here.

Looking at the Ming businessmen who nodded at him, the comfort in Perrault's heart was indescribable. Don't look at him as a small sheriff, but he gets a lot of oil and water from here every month.

Especially those businessmen from the Ming Dynasty, in the past few months, he has made no less than two or three thousand taels of silver from those Ming businessmen, Perot calculated, as long as he does half a year, he can earn the pension money for the rest of his life.

"Shopkeeper, that black-hearted ghost is here again."

On one of the largest merchant ships in the docks, the men who were busy on the deck saw Perrault walking towards their merchant ship with more than a dozen soldiers, and hurried to the cabin to find their owner.

The ship's keeper was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a swarthy face and a dusty face, a face accustomed to running by sea.

After hearing the guy's words, his brows were furrowed, in the past six months, these Luzon people have become more and more greedy, and the most infuriating thing is that these Luzon people are treating Ming merchants like this, which is obviously slaughtering Ming merchants as pigs.

It's just that the ghosts are angry, but because the profits of running Nanyang are too big, they are really reluctant to give up.

The shopkeeper walked briskly towards the deck, and when he reached the deck, he saw Perrault, dressed in a long gown made of green silk, swaggering onto the deck.

After seeing the shopkeeper, Perrault grinned, showed a mouthful of yellow teeth, and said in a stiff Chinese: "Shopkeeper Li, you have made a fortune this time in Laoag, but don't forget to pay taxes." ”

Although he was very dissatisfied, Shopkeeper Li still squeezed out a smile: "General Perrault is smiling, we are just eating together, and we can't talk about getting rich." But don't worry, we will definitely pay the tax that should be paid, or give it to you according to the amount last time, a total of 1,000 taels of silver, and I will send someone to you immediately. ”

"No, no, no......"

Perrault's head shook like a rattle.

"The price has increased this time, one thousand taels of silver is not enough, this time it will cost three thousand taels of silver!"

"What...... Three thousand taels? ”

Shopkeeper Li almost jumped up, "A boat costs three thousand taels of silver, why don't you go and grab it!" ”

"No, no...... How can this be said to be robbery? ”

The smile on Perrault's face remained the same.

"How can it be said to be a robbery, as you know, Mr. Fernand Gonzalez, the Spanish governor in Luzon, has just issued an order to increase taxes on all ships entering the port, and I have no choice but to do so."

Shopkeeper Li held back his anger and pointed to the merchant ships around the dock and asked, "What about them, do they also collect taxes like this?" ”

"They're ......"

Perrault's eyes rolled several times and he laughed dryly.

"Their situation is quite special, and the goods they pull are not very profitable, so they can't compare with you."

Fuck, that's too bullying.

Rao is the shopkeeper Li, who has always pursued harmony and making money, couldn't help but be so angry that his face turned a little pale.

It is an indisputable fact that doing business at sea can indeed make a lot of money, but the corresponding sea business is also very risky, whether it is a storm or pirates on the vast sea, they will be destroyed overnight, so people begging for food at sea have always regarded storms and pirates as the number one enemy.

But Shopkeeper Li found out today that in addition to storms and pirates, there is another thing comparable to them, that is, this Perrault, this guy's greed seems to be endless, since half a year ago, these Luzon people have been increasing taxes on these Ming merchants, and put on a posture of not scavenging them clean.

Today is even more excessive, if they really want to give three thousand taels of silver, their business will be in vain.

Shopkeeper Li said decisively: "I'm sorry, if you really want three thousand taels of silver, then we won't stop at this pier." ”

"Don't stop?"

Perrault's face, which was originally smiling, turned cold.

"You can not stop, pay the tax first, and we won't care where you want to go."

"We haven't landed yet, what kind of tax do we pay!" Shopkeeper Li's attitude also became tougher, and he turned his head to the guy behind him and said, "Liangzi, tell the brothers, raise the sails...... Get ready to go back! ”

"Okay!" A man's voice sounded from the side.

"It seems that you are toasting and not eating and drinking."

As soon as Perrault waved his hand, dozens of soldiers behind him surrounded him, and the weapons in their hands were pointed at Shopkeeper Li and those guys.