Chapter 615: 525 Arrest

Chapter 615: Chapter 525 Arrest

The leading Tax Officer stepped forward, his face devoid of any expression, “You are Jacques Ethor de Boka from Turaine, aren’t you?”

Turaine was Boka’s hometown. He immediately nodded, “Yes, I am Boka.”

Then the Tax Officer pulled out a copper badge and showed it to him, “I am Pierre Gaspar Shommet, an inspector from the Reims tax office. You are now suspected of illegal taxation, intentional harm, fraud…”

“Ah, there are quite a few charges, we’ll discuss these in detail later. Oh, and your ID number is 1037083123, right?”

Thanks to the relentless efforts of the Minister of Civil Registry, every part of France, except for the most remote areas, had now universally adopted ID cards.

Boka’s expression darkened as he nodded, “Yes.”

...

He could tell that the Tax Office was serious this time. So, he decided to first drive away the Tax Officers, and then immediately seek protection from Viscount Borolei.

Shommet’s Tax Officers stepped forward to push aside those tax collectors but were staggered by a shove from the opposition.

As more tax collectors arrived, their numbers quickly grew to nearly 20, surrounding Shommet and his men.

A loud “bang” made all of Boka’s men flinch.

Shommet lowered his raised right hand, blew the gun smoke away from the muzzle, and told the Tax Officers, “In cases of a mob attack on Tax Officers, you are authorized to shoot to kill immediately!”

His men immediately formed a circle back-to-back, with the muzzles of their flintlock guns pointed at the thugs.

Boka turned and ran towards the courtyard, shouting at the same time, “Don’t worry, anyone who gets caught, I’ll certainly bail you out!”

Pierre Gaspar Shommet drew another pistol and aimed at the chest of the tax collector who was the most arrogant a moment ago, “Step aside.”

When the man remained unmoved, Shommet did not hesitate to pull the trigger.

Another blast, the villain was blown backwards, his chest a bloody mess.

The remaining tax collectors suddenly recalled stories they had heard of Tax Officers killing attackers in the streets, and they immediately associated the feared reputation of the Tax Officers with these men before them.

A few of them trembled as they reached toward their waists. They too had pistols, and with the advantage in numbers, if a real fight were to break out, these Tax Officers would surely be no match.

Seeing this, Shommet immediately bellowed, “Fire!”

Although the six Tax Officers were extremely nervous, they still carried out the command, their flintlock guns spitting flames simultaneously. At a distance of only five or six steps, they instantly struck down six tax collectors.

“Prepare bayonets!” commanded Shommet, as he drew his own sword.

The ten or so remaining tax collectors, looking at the bodies on the ground, felt their legs go weak. They no longer had the courage to draw their weapons and fight, and they turned to run in terror.

“Everyone stop!” Shommet roared, “Or be shot dead immediately!”

Those tax collectors, usually so imperious, had even forgotten that the Tax Officers’ guns were not yet reloaded. They froze right there, some raising their hands in surrender.

Shommet personally led one of his subordinates crashing into Boka’s villa. In no time at all, he came out with a pistol at Boka and his butler’s backs.

The tax farmers had already heard the gunshots, and now seeing the bodies on the ground, they were so frightened that they fell to their knees, their trousers soaked with a foul-smelling liquid…

Meanwhile, in Stian Town.

ed it back to Robespierre, “You have done well. Let’s begin the trials, then. Oh, those who violently attacked the Tax Officers, can be tried together to save time.”

He eventually did not fully emulate the Jacobins’ method from history.

Current France was still maintaining good order; there was no need to destroy it out of anger. Trials were still necessary.

It was just that the courts would probably be burdened for a while. However, most cases had clear evidence—the tax farmers’ accounts, tax documents, and so on, were all in the hands of the Tax Offices, making it easy to verify whether there were any discrepancies.