The Founder of the Great Financial Family

Chapter 41 (1)

Monopolizing Goods #2(2)

The previous conversation about bartering beer and its ingredients had been interrupted.

There were several issues that Rockefeller and his two younger brothers had to consider before proceeding with the task.

Among them, the most significant problem was the issue of taxes.

"And we can easily avoid the tax issue since we're partnering with the church."

Inevitably, taxes were attached to all economic activities within the territory.

The territory was, in principle, owned by the lord, and since they were doing business on someone else's land, it was only natural to share a portion of the profits with the landowner.

"Rockefeller hyung, is it okay if we partner with the church?"

"Is the church different from Uncle Carter?"

Rockefeller nodded affirmatively in response to his younger brothers' questions.

"Of course, it's different. In principle, the church cannot be taxed. To tax the church would be no different than taxing God."

In the world that Rockefeller knew, the church held a high position.

The head of the church was in a higher position than the emperor, who was the most powerful person in the empire.

Perhaps that was why many territories within the empire did not impose taxes on the church.

The church's power was so formidable that even if they wanted to tax them, they dared not.

"If the church were taxed for its activities, there would be an uproar in the diocese and the Holy See. They would try to devour the lord here, saying that they had taxed God."

Rockefeller was still smiling.

"So, partnering with the church is a good thing for this matter. At the very least, we can avoid the tax issue for sure."

At that, Joshua muttered in a small voice.

"Why can't we just do it ourselves?"

Andrew, who had heard Joshua's muttering, had the same thought.

"Rockefeller, can't we just do it ourselves? If we work with the church, our profits will be reduced."

If they made a lot of money from bartering, no one would want to share their profits with others.

The two younger brothers showed a faint reluctance to work with the church because of this thought.

However, Rockefeller believed that reality should not be overlooked.

"I understand what you guys are thinking. But if we do that, we can't avoid the tax issue. If we don't share the profits generated by that business with the church, the lord here will take all the profits in the form of taxes."

The thoughts of the two younger brothers seemed adorable to Rockefeller.

"We just have to not get caught."

"Yeah, like when we secretly mined gold, we can do it secretly among ourselves."

Rockefeller couldn't help but smile faintly.

"You can't avoid getting caught, you know? If we barter something, people around us will inevitably find out. They're not fools."

Rockefeller continued.

"They have eyes and ears like us. The same goes for the lord. If we get caught secretly bartering beer, the lord could find various ways to harass us. You have to think about this beforehand."

The two younger brothers couldn't refute his words.

Rockefeller then said to them.

"Greed can be both a good and a bad thing. So, you need to know how to control your greed so it doesn't overflow."

Only then did the two younger brothers show signs of reflection.

They belatedly realized that their greed had been too great.

"You're right. We were too greedy, as Rockefeller hyung said. There's no way the people around us wouldn't know. Even I would be suspicious."

"We stopped mining gold halfway through. But if we get caught secretly doing this... it would be terrible."

Rockefeller was still smiling.

"And there are two more good things about partnering with the church this time."

"Two more?"

"What are they?"

Rockefeller continued to speak to his two younger brothers, who were looking at him with sparkling eyes.

"First, we can build a good relationship with the church."

If the church were to participate in an unexpected event and gain significant profits, they would naturally be pleased.

And it would be only natural for the Rothsmedici family, who proposed the idea, to gain the church's favor.

"Our family will be well-regarded by the church since they profited because of us, right?"

"Of course!"

"Yeah! They made money because of us."

After finishing his words, Rockefeller naturally turned his gaze to Leo, the fourth.

"And it'll also be a great opportunity for our Leo, who wants to become a priest."

Contrary to what the world knew, the church was not such a pure and clean place.

'Maybe it's entirely possible.'

"Because the church's favor towards our family will naturally extend to Leo."

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