Chapter 228: New Rules

That night after seeing Su Baluomo off, Wang Kai summoned Wang Tie to the cabin.

"The Sanfoqi matter is settled." Wang Kai said, "Next, we need to re-establish the rules."

"Redefine?" Wang Tie frowned, "Isn't the current rule fine? One hundred taels per ship, simple and clear."

"Too simple." Wang Kai shook his head, "A small fishing boat pays one hundred taels, and a large merchant ship laden with spices also pays one hundred taels. Do you think that's fair?"

Wang Tie stared.

"You mean..."

"Charge according to cargo value." Wang Kai said, "The higher the value, the more we collect; the lower the value, the less we collect. That's what fairness is."

"One percent tax." He raised a finger, "For cargo worth one thousand taels, collect ten taels; for ten thousand taels, collect one hundred taels, and so on."

Wang Tie sucked in a breath of cold air.

"This... won't it be too harsh?"

"Harsh?" Wang Kai sneered, "Taking the Strait of Malacca saves them half a month compared to detouring. That half month's worth of crew wages, food, and losses adds up to more than this one percent tax."

"Besides, this money isn't taken for nothing." He stood up and walked to the sea chart, "The Strait of Malacca—we've only charted the main route. Around it lie countless reefs, small islands, and possibly other channels."

"These places all need exploration. Exploration needs ships, people, and money."

"Plus these two forts, nine warships, and hundreds of brothers. Their food, drink, and necessities—nothing comes free."

Wang Tie nodded.

"So all this money will be at our disposal?"

"Right." Wang Kai said, "The elder brother left us here to expand our territory. The Strait of Malacca is just the first step; afterward we will continue south and west, exploring more routes."

"These tolls will be our capital."

Wang Tie's eyes lit up.

"You mean we won't have to ask the elder brother for money anymore?"

"Not only will we not need to ask, we can also send money back to the family." Wang Kai said with a smile.

"By making money here, we can ease the family's burden."

Wang Tie slapped his thigh: "Good! Let's do it!"

"But..." he suddenly thought of something, "Will the merchants agree? What if they refuse to tell the truth and falsify their cargo value?"

"So we need to inspect." Wang Kai said, "Every ship entering the Strait of Malacca must register—what cargo it carries, how many crates, how many loads, all recorded."

"Then we send people aboard for spot checks. If fraud is found, they must not only make up the shortfall but also pay a fine—triple the amount."

"Triple?" Wang Tie sucked in a breath of cold air, "Those merchants will curse us to death."

"Let them curse." Wang Kai waved his hand indifferently, "Once the rule is set, if they want to use the Strait of Malacca, they must follow it. If they don't want to, they can turn back and detour."

"Besides, we're not unreasonable. Those who honestly declare their cargo value, we'll honestly collect from; those who don't, can't blame us for being harsh."

Wang Tie thought it over and nodded.

"Alright, let's start tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Wang Kai shook his head, "Too hasty. We need to post the notice first, giving merchants time to prepare. We'll enforce it officially in ten days."

"Ten days?"

"Right." Wang Kai said, "Give them ten days to spread the word. That way, even ships that haven't reached the Strait yet can learn of the rule change in advance."

"That'll prevent trouble later."

The next day, a new notice was posted on the Malacca dock.

The notice was long, but its core was a single sentence: Starting in ten days, the toll will be changed to the one percent tax, collected according to cargo value.

As soon as the notice appeared, the dock exploded in an uproar.

"What? One percent tax?"

"My ship's cargo is worth ten thousand taels! Isn't that a hundred taels to pay?"

"Before it was only a hundred taels total! Now it's doubled!"

"This is too dark! It's outright robbery!"

But some people did the math and found it wasn't right.

"Wait, my ship only carries some earthenware jars and cloth, worth less than a thousand taels. According to the one percent tax, that's only ten taels?"

"Ten taels? Then I'd actually be making a profit?"

On the dock, merchants chattered in all directions.

Some were happy, some were worried.

The large merchant ships carrying valuable cargo naturally weren't willing. Before they only paid a hundred taels; now they might have to pay several hundred, even up to a thousand taels.

But the small merchant ships were overjoyed. Before, a hundred taels was a sizable expense for them; now they only need to pay ten or twenty taels, much easier.

In the crowd, the bearded merchant stared at the notice, his brow furrowed.

His ship carried a cargo of silk and porcelain, worth at least twenty thousand taels.

According to the one percent tax, that would be two hundred taels.

He gritted his teeth and turned to leave the dock.

That night, he came again to the Wang Family garrison.

"Sir," he bowed, "I have a request."

Wang Kai glanced at him.

"Speak."

"Could this one percent tax rule be... flexible?" the merchant said with a placating smile, "My ship's cargo isn't actually that valuable. The declared figure is somewhat exaggerated…"

"Exaggerated?" Wang Kai sneered, "You mean you want to falsify the cargo value?"

The merchant's face changed.

I dare not, I dare not! I'm just……

"Just what?" Wang Tie walked over from the side, "Just trying to pay less money?"

The foreign merchant broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead.

"Sir, please see clearly……"

"All right." Wang Kai waved his hand, "Rules are rules. If you report honestly, we'll collect honestly. If you're not honest, don't blame us for being impolite."

"Triple fine, did you hear that clearly?"

The foreign merchant trembled all over.

"I heard…… I heard clearly."

"Then go back." Wang Kai waved his hand.

The foreign merchant left in a dejected manner.

Leaving the garrison, he let out a long sigh.

Looks like this money can't be saved.

But he soon figured it out.

Although he paid an extra hundred taels, at least the ship could pass safely through Maliujia. Compared to the extra time and cost of taking a detour, those hundred taels were still worth it.

Ten days later, the new regulations were officially enforced.

The first ship to enter the port was a small merchant vessel from Tianzhu.

The ship's owner was a skinny Tianzhu person, walking tremblingly to the registration desk.

"What cargo do you have on board?" asked the Wang Family's registrar.

"Incense…… incense." the Tianzhu person stammered, "and some cotton cloth."

"How much?"

Ten piculs of incense, thirty bolts of cotton cloth.

The registrar noted it down, then asked: "What is the value of the goods?"

The Tianzhu person swallowed saliva.

"About…… about eight hundred taels."

The registrar nodded and wrote the number in the ledger.

Eight hundred taels, one percent tax, pay eight taels of silver.

The Tianzhu person was stunned.

"Eight taels?"

"Yes."

The Tianzhu person simply couldn't believe his ears.

Before, one had to pay a hundred taels, now only eight taels?

He hurriedly took out the silver and presented it with both hands.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"

After receiving the clearance token, he almost ran back to the ship.

"Hurry! Hurry up and set sail! Before they change their minds!"