Chapter 342 The big fish eats the small fish
In the early morning, mist shrouded the Bailu District of the Holy City, and there was a hint of chill in the air. Several carriages, surrounded by riders, stopped at the gate of Old Thain's farm.
The leader, Baron Ralph Devore, dismounted gracefully, handed the reins to the servant, and then crossed the threshold of the farm surrounded by lawyers, regional priests and district court judges who also got off the horse.
This place used to be a rich land, but a series of extreme weather conditions at the end of the year left the barns here empty, and the staggered fields were filled with withered and yellow crop stubbles.
However, it was this dry land that made Ralph feel confident and confident in taking over this land.
"It seems that even Saint Sith is on our side." The lawyer's eyebrows were raised slightly, and he couldn't help but feel happy.
Ralph was about to talk to him when a vigorous figure crossed the field and stepped on the withered crops.
"Father! Can I go for a walk here?"
Frey, who was riding on a tall war horse and holding the reins, was filled with excitement.
His face was flushed, half from excitement and half from the cold wind.
After his persuasion, his father finally agreed to buy him the war horse under his crotch.
Hitchh Riding on that tall war horse, Frey felt as if he had become a real knight. He led his beloved horse wherever he went, and he wished he could even lead it to the toilet.
Looking at Frey on the horse, Ralph had a soft smile on his face, as if he saw himself in his youth.
"Go, child, this place will be yours from now on."
Frey was waiting for these words, and with an excited "drive" sound, he galloped his horse into the wilderness, leaving behind a young and vigorous figure for all the gentlemen.
"Your young master is still so active." The priest smiled softly and said with kind eyes.
Hhearing the priest's words, Ralph grinned and said with narrowed eyes like an eagle.
"Young people are like this, unlike me, they are already old."
The judge on the side joked.
"Baron, you are joking. If you are old, wouldn't Priest Cassit and I have to go to see Saint Sith?"
The lawyer who was following Ralph also wanted to intervene in the conversation, especially to establish a good relationship with the judge of the district court, but unfortunately the latter, although very polite to him, ignored him.
The group of people arrived at the door of the dilapidated barn.
Farmer Thain had been standing in front of the door early, his burlap clothes stained with mud, and his face looking haggard due to anxiety.
In the eyes of the farmers, he can already be called a master with hundreds of acres of land.
However, he knew in his heart that he was not a master. In front of the real master, he was just a fat sheep.
They were the first to be hit by the pessimistic times.
The lawyer who had a bad encounter with Mr. Judge had a sulky face and looked at Thain like he was looking at a punching bag.
In order to show his importance, he walked forward with a cold face, took out the draft deed from the parchment roll he carried with him, and pressed the honest farmer with the sound of flipping through the documents.
The regional priests and magistrates stood aside, waiting with some reserve.
"Good morning, Mr. Thain." Baron Devore had a kind smile on his face, but the raised nostrils revealed the condescension hidden behind the smile. "It seems that this year's harvest is not very good. Thank you for your hard work."
"Thank you, Lord Baron. "Concern, this year's harvest... is indeed not very good, mainly because of the storm on the vast ocean. No one expected that it would bring winter ahead of time."
"That's why I'm here, I think this is also the meaning of Saint Sis, the kind Lord sent me to save you from the dire straits..."
The corners of Ralph's mouth slightly raised, not only did he not have any sympathy in his heart, but there was a trace of sarcasm hidden behind that polite expression.
Looking at Thain, who had hope in his eyes, he continued in a polite voice.
"You know, I am a magnanimous person. 1,000 gold coins is enough to help you pay off the bank's debt, and also allows you to leave easily and completely get rid of this heavy burden."
The moment he heard these words, Thain's face turned pale, and the light of hope gradually disappeared from his eyes.
He didn’t know how this master knew about his debt, and the exposure of his trump card undoubtedly made his newly straightened waist bend an inch.
"Sir, sir, 1,200 gold coins is barely enough to repay the debt and the dowry for my daughter... Our ancestors have been farming this land for generations, and the money invested is not three thousand gold coins, but two thousand gold coins. Do yourself a favor and at least give me this amount!"
Ralph's expression was still smiling, but the smile gradually turned cold.
200 gold coins.
This guy really dares to speak!
It’s a shame it’s near the Holy City, otherwise this muddy land wouldn’t even be worth 1,200 silver coins!
The lawyer who was eager to show off coughed at the right moment, stopped flipping through the documents, and said with a serious expression.
“Mr. Thain, we understand that this is not the first time your loan has been extended. If you don’t repay it this month, not only will your interest increase by one point, but the land will also be at risk of being auctioned. I can tell you the auction process. We will hang a sign at the door of your farm and open the bidding... But by then, you will not be able to decide what price you can sell it for.”
The priest also coughed slightly, seemingly trying to smooth things over, but in fact he was trying to get away from it.
"Mr. Thain, I have to tell you, you can't count the money you spend on buying seeds every year as the cost of the land? If you calculate it that way, the Devore family's contribution to this land is more than tens of thousands of gold coins? I'm afraid it's hundreds of thousands."
Thain looked at the majestic visitors with fear. He wanted to fight for something more for himself, but he could not open his mouth. He could only defend in vain: "But sir, no matter how bad this land is, it is more than this price... 1,000 gold coins is really too little. If I sell it to you at this price, not to mention that I have worked for so many years in vain, even my father -"
Ralph took off his leather gloves and raised his hand lightly. He stroked the horse's neck and said nonchalantly: "Sean, what I bought is not only the land, but also the kindness to help you pay off your debt. If you are unwilling to accept it, I think things will soon become less beautiful."
Sean's face became even more gloomy when he heard this. He knew that he had no choice, and his voice gradually lowered: "Please consider my grandfather who once cultivated this land, please be more lenient..."
"There is a limit to kindness, Thain." Devore smiled gloomily and stared at the farmer with sharp eyes like a hawk. "The price cannot exceed 1,000 gold coins."
This matter indeed has nothing to do with them, they are just witnesses to this transaction.
At this moment, there was a sudden noise outside the farm behind Devore. It seemed that some uninvited guests had broken into the scene. Thain couldn't help but look in the direction of the sound.
The sound gradually grew closer, and three strangers from the city appeared on the path outside the farm.
They were riding thin ponies, looking excited but with a bit of speculator's unique cunning.
Those eyes were obviously full of interest in this land, and there was a hint of impatience in the eyebrows.
Sain's face regained hope.
However, just when his hope was just aroused, the baron's servant became alert.
A tall male servant stepped forward, reached out and grabbed the reins of the leader's horse, and shouted: "Stop! This is private property, not a place you can break into at will!"
I didn't expect these country people to be so rude, and the citizens of the Holy City were also shocked.
However, when he saw that the other party had no weapons, he couldn't help but become more courageous, and glared back in a pretentious manner.
"Private land? Has this been sold? I see the sign hanging at the door has not changed yet."
"Yes, we just heard that there is a farm here for transfer, so we came to take a look." The visitor obviously did not expect to be treated so harshly and was a little unhappy, "Why, don't we even have the qualifications to take a look?"
The servant standing next to him sneered, without saying a word, and suddenly whipped the whip in his hand.
The three packhorses were not of good breed either. They were so frightened that they took several steps back, almost knocking the owners on their backs to the ground.
Looking at the three embarrassed citizens, several servants laughed wildly.
"Haha! A guy who can't even ride a horse can dare to come here and run wild!"
"Go home and find your old mother! While she is still alive, while you can still walk out intact!"
Several silent guards have already drawn their daggers.
They would not kill people for this matter, but killing two horses is not a big deal. Even if the city defense army arrests them, Mr. Devore will take care of their families for them.
They have lived in Baron Devore's manor for generations. If they break the law for Baron Devore, their relatives will not be ashamed, but will be proud of them.
The three citizens who lived at the emperor's feet had never seen this. Their faces suddenly turned pale, and they turned their horses' heads and left without saying a word, not daring to stay here any longer.
They are here to seek wealth, not to risk their lives. If his life is lost, what will happen if he wins the lawsuit?
Hence, you can't complain before Saint Sis...
Looking at the three young men who fled, Thain's face became even paler, and he looked desperately at the judge next to him.
However, this respected gentleman just shook his head and expressed his dissatisfaction with those rude servants with just one sentence: "Holy Saint Sis...".
Saint Sisi is above...
He can also read this slogan, and he has said it ten thousand times, but is it of any use?
"You country bumpkins! You do not follow the rules! You will be punished sooner or later!"
"Go to hell, you all!"
There were one or two angry curses in the distance, and the three young men retreated to a safe distance and finally dared to speak.
However, when they saw a servant taking out a crossbow from the back of the carriage, they immediately ran away with pale faces and left this land of right and wrong in embarrassment.
They really shouldn't be here.
· Purchasing land in Bailu District is not as simple as on Zhongcheng Street - you pay the money and the land is delivered, and you can declare your ownership of the land with a stamped tax bill.
Nobles, clergy or courts, they must first get one of them, and then get the other two to acquiesce.
Otherwise, anyone who questions the legality of the transaction and takes out a piece of parchment that looks old will be in trouble.
This is mostly the case in the final stages of land annexation. The intricate local order will be squeezed together like a spring squeezed by a fist, and then the big fish will eat the small fish.
Looking at the outstanding performance of the servants, Baron Devore smiled with satisfaction, turned to look at Thain again, and his tone became more stern and cold: "Mr. Thain, I hope you don't have any illusions that you shouldn't have. Maybe I should let you recall my title, and then remind you... You are not negotiating a business, but using your land in exchange for your lord's forgiveness of your debt. Do you understand what I mean?"
Shan wanted to say that he didn't understand because the sentence was too convoluted, but he was so pale that he couldn't say a word.
Although his family has been cultivating this land for many years, they are only slightly larger landowners after all. They can barely be called gentlemen, chatting and laughing with wealthy citizens, and cannot be considered true aristocrats.
Naturally, he did not understand the tortuous rules set by the nobles.
He had vaguely heard that if a freeman's land is also on a noble's manor, then if the freeman wants to transfer the land to another freeman, in addition to paying deed tax, he must also pay a "fief fee" to the local lord.
Such a rule does exist in the Os Empire, but this so-called "fief fee" is more like a "notary fee", which does not explain the affiliation between him and the lord... Moreover, the title of Baron Devore does not include this land, and claiming to be a lord is a real threat.
When he began to feel fear, he was already overwhelmed by the authority of the other party.
But——
While the priests and judges are pretending to turn a blind eye, what's the use of having a stiff neck?
Baron Devore has just opened his toolbox, and there are too many methods that have not been used yet.
Just when Thain was almost falling into despair, Devore's wife Mira slowly walked over from the carriage with a gentle smile.
She held a cup of hot tea in her hand and handed it to Thain elegantly: "Mr. Thain, don't be nervous. My husband is just thinking about you, but he is not very good at expressing it."
"Well, why don't we each take a step back, how about 1,100 gold coins? To show our sincerity, we will donate an additional 5 gold coins to the church, and we will pray for your family and your daughter who is about to get married."
Mila's words were gentle and full of kindness. Although Thain knew in his heart that this was just false kindness, he still felt like grabbing a life-saving straw.
1100 gold coins... is not bad.
It's just that the house the young couple is interested in may have to move to a remote urban area.
He lowered his head helplessly, trying hard to suppress the trembling of the hand holding the teacup.
"Thank you... thank you, madam... I will do as you say."
A triumphant smile appeared in Ralph's eyes, and he gave his wife an appreciative look, and then motioned to the lawyer: "Draw up the deed, and we will sign it here. The local priest and Mr. Judge are both here. I don't want to trouble the two respected gentlemen to make another trip with me for this matter."
The lawyer nodded quickly.
by Law of the People's Republic of China |
The lawyer took out the formal deed from the paper tube he carried with him, unfolded it and laid it flat on the table, reading every detail on it carefully and clearly:
"...The agreed area of the land here is 7 acres, and the four boundary markers are the river bend in the south, the main road in Bailu District in the north, the oak forest in the east, and the boundary of Thain Farm in the west. The buyer, Baron Ralph Devore, promised to pay the seller, Mr. Thain, a total of 1,100 gold coins. The buyer also donated an additional five gold coins to the church in Bailu District and paid the tax on the land transfer..."
Thain looked lonely and confused, and nodded silently.
The local priest meticulously recorded the location and scope of the land on paper in detail, while the local judge took out his private seal with a serious face and solemnly stamped it at the bottom of the deed.
After finishing the matter, the lawyer took out a small and exquisite silver box from his sleeve, took out the blue sticker with the stamp duty amount, and carefully pasted it on the deed.
Then he respectfully rolled up the contract, tied it with a ribbon, and carefully handed it to Baron de Vol.
Ralph took the contract, just weighed it, and then threw it to his butler.
In fact, generally speaking, purchasing land does not need to be so troublesome. As long as one of the church, the local court or the local nobles witnesses, it is enough... and he himself is one of them.
However, his next "opponent" is after all a behemoth like the Colin family. He had to be more cautious and make things flawless so that the other party could not find any problems.
The court, the church, and the lords... and the tax-paid stamps, all the details are perfect.
After confirming that there were no omissions, the group turned and left. Only Thain, who was standing at the door of the barn, seemed to have had his soul ripped out of him, looking at the land that no longer belonged to him in despair.
The only thing he can count on now is his daughter.
·I hope that for the sake of a generous dowry, the young man who promises to make his daughter happy will be able to live in peace and leave a place for himself in the city.
Otherwise, he could only go back to his hometown to try his luck...
The only good thing is that the debt he owed and the interest were paid off together, and he felt relieved.
On the other side, Ralph shook hands with the judges and priests and said goodbye, then walked to the field like a victorious general and shouted at Frey who was having fun in the distance.
"Frey! What are you doing there? Come back, we are going home!"
Hearing his father's call, Frey excitedly turned his horse's head and galloped over, his eyes flashing with excitement and anticipation.
"Father, have you finished talking? This farm... really belongs to us?"
Another hundred acres of land!
In the past few days, the land of the Devore family has been expanding at a speed visible to the naked eye!
As the future master of the Devore family, he was very satisfied with his father's performance.
Although this Lao Deng is usually quiet, he is still very capable at critical times!
Ralph laughed loudly, unable to hide the pride in his eyes any longer, and boasted in front of his son.
"Of course, this will be our winery from now on! I plan to plant grapes here!"
The baroness standing aside looked at him with a smile and said jokingly.
“Are you willing to plant grapes here?”
said Ralph with a beaming expression.
"It doesn't have to be grapes, it also depends on what His Highness Colin likes."
It is certainly a good idea to sell it directly to His Highness Colin, but it doesn't matter if His Highness doesn't like this land.
He is very happy to be a neighbor of that distinguished gentleman. Anyway, when the investment of millions of gold coins comes in, the price of this land will rise no matter what.
No matter what happens, he can still sell it to the citizens he drove away before. Obviously he is not the only one who wants to be neighbors with His Highness Colin.
Frey was overjoyed when he heard this and couldn't help but cheered.
"How about changing it to grass! I can also practice equestrian skills here!"
"Haha, you brat! You use such a good land to grow grass, you're a waste of money!" Ralph scolded with a smile.
Just as the father and son were excitedly thinking about their future wealth and glory, there was suddenly another commotion outside the farm.
In the distance, dust and smoke billowed, and a group of horse-drawn carriages decorated with silver badges sped towards them.
The man in charge was well dressed and looked anxious and gloomy.
That is their old neighbor, Baron Wilson Ludd... This guy is also a vulture who eats people without spitting out bones. He is even more stingy than the Devore family.
As soon as he arrived at the gate of the farm, he realized something was wrong, especially when he saw the deed in the hands of Butler Ralph, his face suddenly darkened.
"Ralph, you are very quick," Wilson forced a smile, but the coldness in his tone was not concealed at all, "I just heard yesterday that the farm here is for sale, and you have already taken it today?"
Ralph took the contract from the butler's hand unhurriedly, shook it, and threw it back into the butler's hand, with a false and arrogant smile on his face.
"Mr. Ludd, opportunities always belong to those with precise vision and quick action. Unfortunately, you always seem to be a little slow."
Wilson looked at him deeply, without getting angry or arguing, he just said coldly.
"Very good, Ralph, it seems you have won another round. I hope this business is worth your investment."
After saying that, Wilson waved his hand and walked away with a group of servants, leaving only the dust rolling on the road.
Shan stared dumbly at the short but tit-for-tat contest in front of him, speechless for a moment.
There were three waves of buyers in one day, and there was almost a fight in the first two waves... His farm has never been so lively!
It is a pity that he does not have his own butler who can transport the latest newspapers from the city to the suburbs fifty kilometers away on time every morning and dinner, and carefully cut out useful news to put on his dining table or desk.
The last time he read the newspaper was last month - the issue when Prince Colin was to return to the Holy City to hold his father's funeral.
He has never heard of what happened in Bailu District recently, even though he lives here.
At this moment, he finally realized that he had suffered a big loss.
It's a pity that the land under his feet has nothing to do with him anymore...