Chapter 336 The opportunity to make a fortune is here!
In the Bailu District on the far outskirts of the Holy City, the morning light in Dewo Village is cold and moist.
The unique fragrance of earth exudes from the fields, intertwined with the crowing of chickens in the yard, and outlines a poetic pastoral scenery.
Old Han Magee sat on the steps in front of his house, smoking his cigarette slowly and squinting at the mist rising in the distance. His wife was hanging the newly washed clothes in the yard, while his youngest son was drawing random circles on the ground with branches and playing in the mud for fun.
He has three children. The eldest son became an adventurer and followed in the footsteps of Saint Sith. The second son became a soldier and is serving His Majesty the Emperor in the New World. The younger son, who is now 6 years old, is by his side.
Although the family lived in poverty, they were still contented.
Lao Ma Ji has never read a book and is illiterate, but he also has his own philosophy of life.
In his opinion, life is like the dry tobacco in his hand. It smells spicy and pungent at first, but when you taste it carefully, it has a taste that is not found in cigars.
Of course, he has never tasted what a cigar tastes like.
At this time, the sound of horse hooves broke the calm of the morning.
Several horses stopped at the gate of the courtyard. The people on the horses were wearing robes with the coat of arms of the Devore family painted on them. The head of the young man's face was squeezed into a ball, and he turned over and dismounted carelessly.
This guy is none other than Jonny, the servant of Baron Devore's family - a well-known bastard.
Johnny looked at the account book in his hand, casually tucked it under his arm, snorted and lazily walked into the yard.
"Ma Ji, you immortal thing, are you still alive? Why haven't you paid the taxes this month?"
"It's been paid, it's been paid." Maggie stood up quickly, with a flattering look on his face. With a charming smile, "I just handed it in the day before yesterday. Go to the town and ask, Mr. Lyon has records."
Disliked the smell of chicken manure in the yard, Johnny picked his ears impatiently, with disdain in his eyes.
"Are you paying the empire's tax, and what about the Baron's tax? What, are you planning to default on your debt?"
Maggie was stunned, and the smile on his face gradually stiffened: "Wha... what? Imperial tax, baron's tax... What, what's going on? I've never heard of it before!"
Johnny snorted, and his expression became more and more impatient: "That's because you have bad ears. Didn't you make it clear before? Did you? The one you handed over belongs to the empire, and the baron hasn’t handed it over yet!”
Bailu District is a direct administrative division of the empire and belongs to the Holy City. However, not all of this land belongs to the emperor, and some of it belongs to the emperor’s vassals, that is, those large and small barons.
The reason why this situation occurs is mainly due to issues left over from history. After all, the Holy City 1,000 years ago was not as big as it is now, with a population of only about 100,000. But now, there are more than 100,000 people in each administrative district, and the area is comparable to that of the earldom.
A system that has been running for thousands of years will inevitably have various problems if it does not iterate.
If a person lives in the barony of Bailu District at the same time, he probably has to abide by two sets of laws. One set is the laws of the empire, and the other set is the feudal laws of the nobles.
If a prodigal man like Ticci Kosia from more than ten years ago were put on the stand, there is a high probability that he would not be able to collect this money. But it's a pity that the person on Old Maggie's stall is the "shrewd one" Baron Devore.
Maggie was trembling with anger and her face turned red: "This, this is unfair! Where is the point of paying taxes twice? This was not the case when the Kosia family was the head of the family!"
"What did you say?!"
Johnny's eyes widened, and the look on his face instantly became fierce. He turned around and waved his hand at the thugs behind him.
"Smash it! This old guy actually dares to mention that unlucky guy's name in Corsia on the master's territory, you're so tired!"
Maji's face turned pale, and he immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing, but it was too late.
And Johnny also tried his best to show his loyalty to the master in order not to expose himself in front of other servants.
For a time, the yard was in a frenzy, and several strong thugs rushed in and started smashing the chicken coop, demolishing it.
"Don't, don't! That's a chicken that lays eggs!" The old woman in the distance was so anxious that she threw away her clothes and ran into the yard, begging them to stop, but she couldn't do anything to them.
Looking at the house that was suddenly smashed, the youngest son was so frightened that he cried out, and the sound attracted nearby neighbors.
Seeing that there were more people, Johnny couldn't continue to bully people, so he could only glare at everyone, then stared at Maggie and said.
"Remember, old man, tomorrow is the deadline. If you can't pay the money, you won't even be able to keep this shabby house!"
After finishing speaking, he winked at the thugs behind him, led them to get on their horses, caught a few old hens that were still flapping around, and left the messy yard in a majestic manner.
Although I didn't ask for any money, it would be nice to get an extra meal. Mr. Devore doesn't like these chickens anyway.
Looking at the messy home and the wailing old woman, Lao Maji stood there with a dead expression, as if all the strength in his body had been drained, and he didn't even have the energy to say a word.
For some reason, he remembered the old scalper that he took to the town and sold.
It is the asset of Baron Devore. He is quite sentimental about it, but it needs to be sold because it is too old.
Before parting, the old ox cried silently at him and made no sound. Now in a trance, the face in the memory became his own.
He didn't know what to do.
…
The estate of Baron Ralph de Wall.
The sun shines in the manor, and a country-style villa stands quietly. The beige exterior wall is covered with vines, and the red roof shines slightly in the sun. The garden is full of flowers and the artificially trimmed hedges are neat and beautiful, just like the scenery in a painting.
Johnny was carrying a heavy money box, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he slowly walked into the study with a flattering smile on his face. There was no trace of the previous arrogance, and there was only humility in his brows.
He carefully placed the money box on the carpet in front of the baron. After opening it, it was full of copper coins. Although it looked like a lot, it was actually not worth much.
Thirty kilograms of copper coins are only more than 5,000 coins, and only 50 silver coins.
It was even stained with mud and sweat. Baron Ralph Devore, who was sitting on the carved wooden chair, didn't even bother to look at it. He only felt that the smell of copper annoyed him, and said with a look of disgust.
"Johnny, I sent you to collect taxes, and you come back with this pile of scrap metal?"
Johnny quickly lowered his head and explained with a helpless smile on his face.
"Master Baron, this is not a bad thing for a villain. As you know, those mud-legged people really can't get much out of them. It's good to get this from this tax collection... We can't really demolish their houses, right? It won't do you any good, right?"
No good?
The benefits are great!
Hearing this, Ralph just sneered and said nothing.
If it were 1,000 years ago, the ancestors of the Devore family would never have done this kind of thing of killing the goose to obtain the eggs, but now it is more than 1,000 years ago in the Holy Calendar. The farmers on his land are not assets at all, but are completely a burden, like the moss growing behind the beams.
Because of the ancient feudal contract, as long as those guys are still breeding, his land has to be cut into pieces, and potatoes and wheat that cannot be sold for much money will be grown in an extremely low production method.
He has long been fed up with dealing with these dirty and smelly farmers all day long. He will never get rich relying on these guys in his life.
Just think about it, if he could bulldoze all those shabby houses, plan a large piece of land like a palette into a winery, and then hire professional breeders to plant grapes, not only would his income be far more than these copper coins, but his manor would also be filled with the fragrance of grape flowers!
At that time, there may be students from art schools coming here to sketch, and I can treat the children to taste the specialties of the winery like an elegant and tasteful gentleman.
That's right——
It’s not just money!
He will also gain real dignity!
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on his lips unconsciously, as if a beautiful life was right in front of him.
Unfortunately, the reality is full of regrets.
· The laws of the empire did not allow him to only enjoy rights and ignore obligations, nor did he allow him to deprive the peasants of their personal freedom and drive them away from their homes.
This is, after all, at the feet of the emperor, not a vassal state where nobles can do whatever they want, let alone a new continent where governors and soldiers have the final say.
Otherwise, there would be no need to go to such trouble. He would have asked Johnny to lead his people to drive out the entire Devore Village, and then happily start his new business.
He looked at the tea in the cup as if looking at his lifeless life.
His expression gradually became cold and sinister, and he spoke slowly.
"Go ahead and collect, Johnny, don't let me disappoint you. If you can't collect the money, tear down their beams, at least they can be used as firewood. Remember, this is an ancient and sacred obligation given to us by the empire. If you can't fulfill it for me, you don't have to come back."
He knew very well that the reason why he was able to show off his power in the village was entirely for the sake of Baron Devore.
And if he leaves the protection of the Devore family, he can only become an adventurer.
After Johnny left, Ralph put the tea cup back on the table, looked at the green fields outside the window with gloomy eyes, and murmured to himself.
"You'd better get out of here..."
The door closed, and Ralph's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
The tea was no longer enough to soothe the fatigue in his heart. He stood up and walked to the corner of the bookcase, took out a bottle of red wine that he had collected for a long time, and poured himself a glass.
Through the crystal clear glass, he stared at the bright wine in the glass, his eyes a little wandering.
Picking up the wine glass and taking a sip, Ralph returned to the desk and sat down. He picked up the latest issue of "Holy City Daily" on the table. His brows that had been relaxed for a while gradually turned into a deep furrow.
The front page of the newspaper reported the grand occasion of Prince Colin's arrival in the Holy City in a large space. The entire page of text was accompanied by Prince Colin's handsome and noble portrait. The writing was full of the citizens' enthusiastic pursuit and infinite admiration for this prince.
Looking at that gentle and confident face, Ralph's face did not show disgust, but instead showed a bit of envy and helplessness.
In fact, he does not hate such a big man as Prince Colin, he even admires him and admires his youth and potential from the bottom of his heart.
It's a pity that the status gap between the two is too far, and the high and mighty Prince will never notice such an insignificant person like him.
However, what worries Ralph is that there is another figure standing behind Prince Colin——
The man's name was Teach Kosia, and he knew the face even though it was burned to ashes.
There is also news about that guy in the newspaper, and it also comes with the title of Baron of Deadwood Port——
[Baron of Deadwood Port Teach Kosia has returned with great honor, and with him in triumph is the myth of the wealth of Janna continent! 】
Seeing this line of text, Ralph unconsciously tightened his fingers holding the newspaper, his eyes showing deep unwillingness and anxiety.
There is an old saying in the empire that there is nothing to fear from the Demon God, but the all-pervasive minions of the Demon God are to be feared.
If His Highness Colin is compared to the devil, then Baron Kosia is undoubtedly the former's minion.
There has been no news for a whole ten years. Ralph thought that the unlucky man had long been buried in the vast distant ocean, but he did not expect that not only did he survive, but he was also with Prince Colin, and now he has returned to the Holy City full of wealth and glory!
Tich Kosia...Baron of Deadwood Harbor!
This name seemed to be echoing in his mind with endless ridicule.
He could even imagine how the guy was standing proudly on the dock at this moment, enjoying the admiring eyes of the citizens and the flattery of those lowly reporters.
And what about yourself?
He is just a little baron in the countryside, full of ambition but has no chance to display it.
Thinking of this, Ralph gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with the flames of jealousy and resentment, but behind that was more fear and uneasiness.
After all, he stole the title of the Kosia family and even melted the title onto his own family crest.
For a noble, there is no greater shame than this, which is equivalent to erasing all traces of their existence.
Just when Ralph felt a headache for the ensuing troubles, the study door suddenly opened with a bang.
He was startled by the movement and thought it was Tiqi who came to the door, but when he saw that it was his son who came in, he breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help cursing at the same time.
"You little brat, you don't knock on the door! How many times have I told you that you must knock before entering my study!"
"Father, Father! Don't worry about the door for now!" Frey's eyes were shining, he waved the newspaper in his hand excitedly, and kept talking, "The Royal Arena is going to hold a knights meeting, and that is the coming-of-age ceremony prepared by Marshal Laco for his son! Do you know what that means?"
Does it mean that Marshal Laco's son is coming of age?
In addition to this matter, Ralph could not think of any other meaning, let alone that this matter had anything to do with him.
But Frey obviously doesn’t think so. What this idle boy loves most is to watch the excitement.
He had a flattering smile on his face and said with a hey.
"Dad, you know I've always wanted a knight. Knights from all over the empire will come to this kind of event! Can you sponsor me a little money and let me go and watch it?"
Ralph glanced at his son irritably, thinking There was another burst of anger, and he pointed to the cash box on the ground and said impatiently: "Take it yourself."
Frey quickly ran over happily, but the moment he opened the cash box, a look of disappointment suddenly appeared on his face.
“Why are they all these tattered copper coins...”
Silver coins are in line with the status of a noble, and he is too embarrassed to take out this kind of money.
Humbling upon hearing this, Ralph became even more angry. He immediately raised his head and cursed angrily: "If you had been more diligent, our family wouldn't be left with just these rags!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and he couldn't help but slap the table and roar.
"If you have any conscience, you should think about how much money I have spent on you? Send you to study in the city, take you to upper class banquets, what is the result? It's better for you to hang out with a group of idle second-rate people all day long!"
Frey immediately straightened his back unconvinced and retorted without showing any weakness. : "Father, I'm only sixteen years old! Shouldn't you be responsible for supporting this family? Besides, you want me to be frightened so much, why don't you give this family to me?" Hearing this, Ralph laughed angrily and sneered: "Give it to you? Ha, with your virtue, that hapless guy from the Coscia family is more reliable than you!"
As soon as these words came out of his mouth, Ralph was stunned for a moment, and then he remembered that Cosia was no longer the unlucky guy who lost all his family fortune back then, and it was really inappropriate to compare him to him.
Ralph rubbed his temples irritably, waved his hand, and neatly took out a bag of silver coins from the drawer and threw it to Frey, saying like he was shooing away flies.
"Get out of here, don't let me see you!"
That is his son after all, and the glory of the Devore family will ultimately belong to this bastard.
It would be nice to meet a few truly worthy friends at the knights' conference held by the marshal. It would be more reliable than hanging out with losers like Johnny, whom he raised.
Frey caught the money bag, said "Thank you, Dad!" with a smile, and ran out without looking back.
Before Ralph could breathe a sigh of relief, there were brisk footsteps outside the door again. A playful face stretched out first, and then the swaying skirt also swayed into the door following the brisk steps.
The person who came was none other than his precious daughter Kawenna.
Honestly, her cold face is much more likable than her current sweet smile.
Because according to Ralph's experience, whenever she shows this expression, she must be talking about money with him.
“Dad,” Kawenna said delicately, with unconcealed excitement in her voice, “My best friend who studies dance at the Imperial Academy of Arts told me that His Highness Colin is going to give lectures at their school, which is said to be the most cutting-edge genre in the art world... You know what I am interested in Painting is what interests me the most. Can I go and take a look? "
As she said this, she put her hands together on her chest, with a look of infatuation. Her expression didn't look like she was admiring any art, but more like her head was full of His Royal Highness from the vast ocean.
Ralph couldn't help but moan in his heart, what on earth is wrong with this world?
A prince who has been separated from the empire for five hundred years is now coming to the Royal Academy of Art in the empire to lecture on the most cutting-edge art...
Saint Sis, are all the people in this city crazy?
Ralph felt that he was too sober.
Although he felt that the world was full of sand dollars a long time ago, he had never felt that there were so many sand dollars as he did today, even his own daughter.
Logically speaking, this shouldn’t be the case.
It is impossible for a soul that is a human for the first time to be reincarnated into a noble family, even if his title is watered down, and even if his land as a baron is less than one-third of that of a baron in a remote area.
Halph glared at her and felt a headache. He simply opened the drawer and took out a bag of silver coins without saying anything more. He threw it on the table and said impatiently.
"That's it, take it. If it's not enough, go to your mother and ask for it. I don't have any here, so don't think about it anymore!"
If this little money can allow this little ancestor to roll onto His Highness Colin's bedsheets, it will be considered a successful investment. Even if he is an illegitimate child, he can still make Baron Kosia kneel in front of him and call him daddy.
It's a pity that after taking a look at the face in the newspaper and looking at his daughter, he really didn't dare to have any expectations, and even the slightest thought felt like an insult to His Highness.
Honestly speaking, his daughter is not ugly, but it is the Imperial Academy of Art, the place where the Holy Light nobles choose their concubines. Her best friend who studies dancing is probably quite ugly.
Kawenna happily grabbed the money bag and said sweetly: "Dad is the best!" Then she turned around and ran out briskly, even her posture was exactly the same as her son's.
There seems to be no reliable person in this family... except for myself who is struggling to support everything.
Ralph shook his head and sighed at the misfortune of his family. He made a cross on his chest and prayed, but before he finished drawing the cross, the door to the study room was pushed open again, and it was his wife Eura who came in.
That delicate face at this moment is full of excitement, like flowers blooming on a dead tree.
Halph saw her excitement, but he couldn't feel any joy. Instead, he nervously spoke first.
"You're not here to ask me for money, are you?"
Yura was stunned for a moment, and then he couldn't laugh or cry: "You want money? My dear, who is asking you for money? Wait, don't worry about this for now, take a look at this!"
As she spoke, she quickly walked to the desk, unfolded the newspaper in her hand and pushed it in front of her husband, pointed to a striking piece of news on it, and said excitedly.
"Sir Edmond Dantès met with the mayor of Bailu District yesterday to discuss the establishment of a sugar refinery and a large distillery in Bailu District. The investment amount will be up to 1 million gold coins, and it will involve the reconstruction and infrastructure construction of the entire city! Read this line quickly!"
The moment he saw this newspaper, Ralph was stunned for a moment, his eyes suddenly lit up, and his breathing became rapid.
Dantes?
Of course he knows this last name!
That Sir Dantès is a distant relative of the recently popular Prince Colin in the Holy City!
Not long ago, he sent someone to visit Dantès in an attempt to get closer to him, but he happened to be out of town, and a large group of people with the same purpose as himself gathered at the door, so his servant could only come back in despair.
But this is no longer important.
One million gold coins!
This amount is much higher than the tax revenue of the entire Bailu District for an entire year!
With such a large-scale investment entering Bailu District, land prices will inevitably skyrocket!
Even if this winery didn't open here, they could still make a lot of money just by sitting still!
Of course——
It would be better if this investment could be brought over. His land has the cheapest farmers in the Holy City!
“Honey, we are going to get rich!” Yura excitedly pulled her husband’s arm, her eyes filled with excitement.
Ralph was also completely awake at this moment. He picked up the newspaper with trembling hands and read it carefully over and over again. A greedy and excited light gradually appeared in his cautious pupils.
Yura put his right hand on his chest and continued chattering: "I thought it was strange yesterday. No one was interested in our farm the day before yesterday, but a lot of rent-seekers came all of a sudden yesterday. Fortunately, I kept an eye on it and asked them to go back and wait for two days, just in time to see this newspaper today... otherwise we would have suffered a big loss!"
Ralph stood up suddenly, slapped the table decisively and said.
"Inform the housekeeper and contact the newspaper immediately to withdraw the rental of GG! Now is definitely not the time to rent land, we have to find ways to get more land!"
He paced back and forth in the room, his chest heaving violently with excitement, as if he saw a huge gold mine in front of him.
Whether my family can turn over completely depends on this one!
Suddenly, he thought of a person.
That gentleman is the president of the Bailu District Branch of the Royal Bank of China. He exchanged business cards with himself at a cocktail party a few days ago, and patted his chest and told himself that if he needed funds, he could contact him.
Thinking of this, the corners of Ralph's mouth turned up uncontrollably, like a hyena smelling blood.
The opportunity to make a fortune is here!