Chapter 639: Midgard

"What about the bulk cargo? Is it strictly checked?" Holden seemed very interested in the smuggling business.

"Bulk goods usually don't go on the bridge. There is a special place for customs declaration of containers at the port, and then they are loaded on barges and transported into the city. As for whether you are strict with the inspection..." Hailaer smiled strangely, and said meaningfully, " Let me just say that in this metropolis with more than half a million residents, at least half of the residents have bought smuggled goods, and there are no less than 10,000 smugglers. The prosperity of Midgard City is mainly due to the prosperous commercial trade. And smuggling is an indispensable lubricant for trade activities, do you think the investigation is strict?"

Hearing what she said, Joan couldn't help feeling: "Isn't this just like Leiden Port!"

"Whether it's Midgard City or Layton Port, including New Avalon further north, in fact, the port towns on the east coast of the New World turn a blind eye to smuggling. Anyway, customs taxes are eventually turned over to the Meteor Ocean. On the opposite side of the mother country’s government, we colonial residents will not benefit from paying taxes according to the law, so we might as well save the money and stuff it into our own pockets, and anyone who can evade taxes will not do so!” Hailaer said confidently.

Joan made no sound. From a moral and legal point of view, he feels that blatant smuggling and tax evasion is not something to show off, but in terms of the current situation in the New World, as Hailaer said, this kind of thing is too common, and the law does not blame the public.

From the farmers in Delin Town to the merchants in major ports, tax resistance and tax evasion have become a common social trend. Even if he doesn't think so, he can't criticize it, otherwise he will be suspected of being close.

"Smuggling and evading taxes is not something to be proud of, but I fully support you Midgardians in resisting taxes to the end!" Holden smiled slyly, "The more you make trouble here, the more annoyed the imperial authorities will be, and sooner or later the local and overseas colonies will They will turn against each other because of tax resistance, and then the imperial authorities will not only be unable to collect taxes from the colonists, they may not even be able to keep the colonies themselves.”

Hyrule does not deny that Holden's malicious prophecy may come true, but he is very unhappy with his gloating attitude.

"Our colonial residents have fallen out with the mother country's government. What good will it do you? Why are you so happy!"

"Because I am a Canaanite." Holden replied eloquently, "My homeland and the Holy Ashean Empire are in international competition. If there is turmoil in the empire's colonies, the local power will also be weakened. The enemy's misfortune It is our blessing, and of course I have reason to gloat."

"If you are the heir to the Canaan royal family or a high-ranking nobleman, it is reasonable to have such a thought, but you are just an illegitimate child who ran away from home. Disputes between countries are your turn to worry about? The rise and fall of the empire and Canaan's national power, Do you have a copper coin relationship with a small person like you and me?" Hailar mocked bitterly, "From the tone of your voice, I thought you were the crown prince of Canaan who was visiting in disguise!"

Holden seemed to have been stabbed by a needle, twisted his neck in embarrassment, and didn't answer Hailar's words.

Hailar didn't want to irritate Holden too much, so he didn't continue this unpleasant topic, and instead introduced the scenery along the way to Joan.

The carriage was driving on the sea-crossing bridge connecting Minute Island and Midgard City. This "King's Bridge" adopts a suspension cable structure and is strengthened by magic. It is about 2,000 yards long, with a maximum span of 500 yards and a bridge width of 16 yards. It has three sets of two-way lanes. It is also a landmark building of the city.

The carriage crosses the "King's Bridge", and the bustling city is ahead. The entire city of Midgard can be divided into six major areas. The "dock area" connected to the bridge is also the commercial center of the city. There are many shops along the street. Judging from the bustling flow of people on the street, most of the businesses are quite prosperous.

Adjacent to the dock area is the military port where the colonial fleet is moored, including the nearby military camps, collectively referred to as the "military area", which is heavily guarded and no one is allowed to enter.

In addition to the docklands and military districts near the harbor, the city can also be subdivided into administrative districts, upper towns, lower towns, and college districts.

The administrative district is where Midgard City's city hall, governor's mansion and parliament building are located. Administrative functions at all levels, banks, stock exchanges and the headquarters of major companies are all located in this block.

"Shangcheng District" is a villa area where rich people live in the city. The roads are clean, the trees are shady, the public security is good, and the living environment is very comfortable. The three wealthy families of Midgard—the Laval family, the Livingston family, and the Schuyler family—all settled in Uptown.

Compared with the well-ordered "Upper Town", Midgard's "Lower Town" is synonymous with filth and chaos. Residents living here include both workers, small traders, low-level civil servants and poor students and other petty bourgeoisie. Naked bums and beggars.

The lower town's petty bourgeois lived mostly in cramped, furnished rental apartments, while beggars and bums lived in slums. Dark and dirty street corners are full of thieves and warblers. There must be a large group of hungry wild dogs gathered next to the trash can, staring at the passers-by with green eyes.

"The lower city is very chaotic and has the highest crime rate in the whole city. You are newcomers, you'd better not wander around here, so as not to be slaughtered as 'fat sheep'." When the carriage passed the lower city, Hailaer seriously warned Joan and Holden.

"Isn't it more chaotic than your hometown 'Freeport'?" Holden asked with a smile.

Hailaer choked on his words and was speechless for a while.

Joan also thinks that Holden is good in everything. The only bad thing is that he has an annoying mouth. explode. If Holden doesn't get rid of this problem, he will probably cause disaster because of his stinky mouth sooner or later.

The "College District" where Midgard University is located is located in the center of the city. It looks like a triangle from the map, and it happens to be surrounded by the Upper Town, the Lower Town and the Administrative District. It can be called the elite area of ​​the city. Considering the leading position of Midgard University in the education field of the whole New World, the young people studying here are also worthy of being the city's elite talents.

The carriage stopped in the neighborhood near Midgard University, Hailar paid the fare, and led Joan and Holden to visit the university campus.

As a private university, the campus management of Midgard University is stricter than that of Leiden College. Outsiders like Joan, even with the guarantee of Hailaer, a student at school, it took a lot of talk to persuade the guards to let them enter the campus. visit.