The document Landon gave to Rowland was a scheme that Rowland called "genius promotion" and Landon called a marketing strategy. As a businessman, Rowland fully understood the value of this document; even if Landon didn't mention it, Rowland would beg for Landon's permission to use the methods inside.
According to Rowland's judgment, the few pages of text could help him revive a nearly bankrupt store, stand out among his competing siblings, and win the favor of their father. Therefore, when Landon mentioned cooperation, Rowland immediately agreed: "I'm more than happy to, having a store sponsored by the Duke would also be a promotional point..."
Landon coughed: "This can't be promoted; it has to be kept secret." After all, he was a noble. Nobles always liked to flaunt their family's heritage and believed that they were superior to others without producing anything. They could earn money by collecting taxes, so why would they ever enter the field themselves? It would be demeaning!
As for their investments, most of them were in artists, talented young people who could serve as retainers in the future. Investing in businessmen? Weren't businessmen supposed to give money to nobles for protection and credibility? What! So now a noble lord has to help you make money? Bold! Just get lost if you're useless, and don't try to stick around. If you can't give me money, there will be other merchants who can!
Landon, having lived in a socialist country in his previous life, didn't agree with the nobles' concept but did not plan to stand out from the crowd immediately after inheriting his title. He would first act covertly and observe the effects before considering other changes. Rowland understood Landon's concerns: "True, having this plan should be enough... But I feel a bit guilty that you're helping me while being so busy."
Landon cleared his throat: "It's not just for you... I'm considering financial matters as well." In peacetime, as a Duke with a fief, Landon's workload was not very heavy. Most matters were dealt with by the responsible people, and usually, after appointing them, a Duke's main responsibility was to focus on socializing, having fun, and hosting banquets.
If he was like his father, who was a homebody and did not like socializing, the wife might be even busier than the husband. However, even nobles couldn't have power without responsibility. For example, they had to train their knights, regularly clean out bandits, and supervise the borders for merchants who wanted to smuggle without paying taxes.
In an era without detailed laws, the lord also had to act as a judge on his territory, making fair judgments... sometimes even deciding between two people fighting over a pig. Despite being just a pig, making decisions that affected others' lives showcased their power, and many lords were very fond of this. Landon's father, on the other hand, had no interest in such matters. Landon even suspected that his father found these things annoying, so he simply let Helena handle everything instead.
These days, Landon had been reviewing Helena's historical judgments and found them fair. He planned to continue delegating this task to her, as she was very useful, and he wouldn't allow personal feelings to affect his judgment. Doing so would also prevent Helena from suddenly losing most of her power and turning to extremes. All he needed to do was to show up for significant events, such as mediating disputes between nobles or being a witness during their duels. Letting Helena deal with minor issues wasn't a big problem.
The most pressing issue for Landon right now was finance, which was also the part Helena thought he would struggle with. The main sources of income for the Stuart Duchy were taxes and the gemstone mine. However, after years of mining, the benefits from the gemstone mine had gradually decreased since a century ago.
Unfortunately, Landon's predecessors, except for his father, were all big spenders. Hosting banquets and extravagantly building castles, hunting grounds, and even wonders were their priorities. Such wonders brought doom to the country! The annual maintenance cost for these facilities alone was a significant burden, making Landon feel suffocated. He even considered digging up the ancestors' funeral items to fill this financial gap.Oh right, the funeral accompaniment was also a considerable expense.
But these aristocratic masters didn't find it a problem. If they really run out of money, they could mortgage something like export rights.
To maintain the noble's face even by borrowing money was a unique habit of the aristocracy. After all, even if they don't pay it back, those moneylenders would not dare to do anything unless they could buy the favor of the lord.
In any case, for the past ten years or so, as the revenue from the gem mines has almost dried up, Helena chose to continue the previous dukes' operations to ensure the fiscal numbers of Stuart duchy look better—at least on paper—by increasing taxes on the subjects and selling noble titles.
Landon looked at the new taxes that Helena had set and found that the taxes on merchants were particularly heavy.
Helena's reason was simple: "Because they have money, everyone used to do it like this."
The revenue couldn't be collected from those who were short of money, so of course, the rich were targeted.
In the eyes of the aristocrats, merchants were nothing but walking wallets.
The rationale was not wrong, but from Landon's 21st-century perspective, this operation had serious hidden danger.
At that time, Landon felt that to improve the financial situation of the Stuart family, it was necessary to start with business-related matters.
However, the Stuart family was too large for Landon to get involved directly, so he chose to cooperate with Rowland, who had business experience, to test the effectiveness of his ideas in this world.
The two quickly hit it off and started work with remarkable efficiency, making various preparations.
In order to save time, and since Landon felt that the "Committee's" job was not worth his energy, he returned the "judging power" back to Helena.
Helena, not knowing how much Landon despised the work, enjoyed the work that showcased her power, and thought that Landon must have been worried about not making a fair judgment, so he had to rely on her.
"I knew it; Landon can't make it without me."
Helena, looking at the stacks of files that were moved in, felt her anxiety released.
Look! Can other aristocratic daughters judge cases on behalf of the lord?
The benefits she brought to the Stuart family were undoubtedly greater than those of others.
She was irreplaceable.
After cheering up for a while, Helena asked her maid, "Where is Landon?"
The maid bowed and said, "The duke has gone out."
Helena's eyes gradually cooled: "Is he out with Rowland Tott again?"
"Yes."
Helena frowned slightly: "Just after becoming a duke, can't Landon behave for a while?"
There's no need to ask; Landon must have been unable to play during the funeral period, so he's finally unable to hold back and went out to play with his buddy.
Alas, he's really worrying. The Stuart family relying on Landon will definitely be ruined.
Fortunately, she's here now.
With their mother gone and their father gone too, only she could keep Landon in line.
Landon really can't make it without her.
Helena muttered this sentence in her heart, and a strange satisfaction rose in her heart.
She couldn't let Landon continue to wander outside anymore. Since he wouldn't listen to her now, she'd change her approach.
Landon thought that giving Helena work would make her quiet for a while, but that day he hadn't even finished a meal with Rowland when he saw his servant coming to pass her message.
"Duke, Miss Helena asks you to come back now."
Being interrupted at the climax of the conversation, Landon was not very happy, "I am busy now. Tell her that we will talk about it when I come back tonight."
The servant hesitated and said, "Miss Helena said if you don't return, she will directly cancel your leave."
"…Wait, what leave?"
Rowland couldn't help laughing.
"Of course, it's your funeral leave! Your sister is really capable. To prevent me from leading you astray, she plans to lock you back in school…Your sister is indeed terrifying."
