Chapter 45 Discussion on Serfs

Teacher Qiao Xiu and everyone present showed relaxed smiles. Only Luther's father, the contemporary Pompeii knight sitting on the main seat, Old Sol twitched the corner of his mouth.

I couldn't help but cursed secretly in my heart.

"Luther, this kid, said that I had prepared gold coins. He looked relaxed. I don't know how determined I was before I asked the old guys to borrow money. I have never borrowed money before. ”

That's right.

According to the original financial resources of the Pompeii family, it was simply impossible to support such a huge plan as Luther. Although Pompeii wine sales were large, hiring knights and scholars already cost a lot of gold coins.

The monthly salary of each junior knight is ten gold coins, while the monthly salary of the intermediate knight Ston and Pompeii is one hundred gold coins.

The total number of guard knights currently employed in Pompeii is one intermediate knight and thirteen junior knights.

Old Saul and Luther had no money to take.

You need to pay two hundred and thirty gold coins every month.

The original population of the Pompeii family was only about 2,000, but now it is necessary to introduce 10,000 people, which is equivalent to five times the original population.

In addition to the later rations to feed the serfs, cattle, farm tools, seeds, etc.

Even if Old Sol is sold, it's not worth the price. In such a situation, borrowing money becomes the first choice. This time it was not Luther who was borrowing money from Old Saul or Madam Sophie.

Instead, Old Sol borrowed money from the other five major families. It can be said that he gave up his old face.

God knows Old Sol has never borrowed money in his life. Fortunately, his reputation as Old Sol was quite useful, and he borrowed a total of five thousand gold coins for the family.

Otherwise, it would not be able to support such a huge plan.

This is the big thing in this meeting. Now that it has been decided, there is nothing else to say. Next, Luther selected several knights for Pompeii as assistants, and some scholars to serve as accountants and bookkeepers.

And fifty guards were allocated.

It was arranged for Stone, Pompei and others to take action.

Afterwards, the meeting was disbanded, and Luther talked with Lelouch alone for a while. Because the introduction of the population is just the beginning, the later logistics still need to be done.

For example, buying food, building houses, etc.

But the things involved are not just that simple.

Because Luther and Lelouch were the only two people who knew that Luther had noble ambitions to win the title.

The place where the conversation took place was in Lelouch's mayor's office, a large but rather simple office.

After arriving at the office, Lelouch asked Luther if he wanted tea. Luther shook his head. Then Lelouch sat in the mayor's seat. Luther pulled out his chair and sat casually on the desk. ahead.

"The plan is being advanced little by little. I am watching the construction of Pompeii. Luther, I can assure you that when those free people and serfs come in, I will not let anyone starve or freeze to death. But other than cutting down forests and adding farmland, do you have plans for building a city?"

Lelouch asked.

It was clear to both men that Luther needed not just a town but a city.

Pompeii.

The development of a town and the development of a city are two completely different concepts. Construction has just begun, but it is necessary to plan a city.

Luther had actually vaguely planned this in his heart. Now while Lelouch is bringing it up, Luther might as well explain it.

After pondering for a moment, Luther said to Lelouch: "My plan is to use the Pompeii Castle as the center to abandon agriculture and build houses on the fields that originally belonged to the Pompeii family. These houses can be given to the current Pompeii family. The vassals and officials are selling the rest. Of course, these houses cannot be sold for a while. After all, Pompeii is still a countryside in the countryside and cannot attract free people to settle. But they can stay there and wait. Once the city develops, people will naturally come to settle there. Then I will build a city wall on the outside. This is my current plan. When the population further increases, the original town can be expanded into an inner city. The place served as an outer city and became a veritable town of Pompeii.”

After hearing this, a smile flashed in Lelouch's eyes, and he nodded: "It's similar to my idea, just build it bit by bit. When Pompeii really becomes Pompeii City, and the Pompeii family has strong financial resources, , we will attack the House of Lords, get rid of the control of the Barton family, and become the king's vassal, a real noble."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

Two careerists who cherish each other are about to make great achievements.

"Building a city is your business as Mayor of Pompeii. I won't interrupt here, but there is one thing I have some ideas about."

After laughing, Luther said.

He crossed his right leg and placed it on his left leg, leaning back on the chair and assuming a more comfortable posture.

"What do you think?" Lelouch felt a little hot, stood up and opened the window wider, and asked by the way.

"Concerning serfs, I think serfs are a class that does not need to exist in this world." Luther said something shocking easily.

Lelouch felt extremely shocked. He suddenly turned his head to look at Luther, showing an extremely surprised expression.

"Why do you think so?"

The so-called serfs are slaves who belong directly to the family. It was not only lords who could use serfs, but also big landowners and wealthy businessmen.

This is officially legal human trafficking.

There are many sources. Children born by serfs are still serfs. The captured population in the war with the empire can also become serfs.

There are also people who deceived free people and abducted them to become serfs.

The advantage of serfs is that they work for free without being paid.

Just like the more benevolent noble lords like the Pompeii family, they treat serfs in the same way. Every year, the serfs work hard, and when the harvest comes, all the grain is handed over.

Then every month, only the rations necessary for life and daily necessities are issued to prevent the serfs from starving to death.

In this case, as long as there is land and serfs, wealth can be generated continuously.

Because of this huge profit, many cruel nobles also harmed the free people in the territory, trying every means to take back the fields and let the serfs plant them instead.

Then they squandered their wealth unscrupulously.

It can be said that the existence of serfs is a class that serves the entire nobility, big landowners, and big businessmen. No noble would dislike serfs.

And Luther now said that serfs are an unnecessary class, how could this not surprise Lelouch.

Facing Lelouch's surprise, Luther smiled slightly.

As a modern man, do you have some kind of pity for serfs?

As a modern man, do you have a kind of contempt for the system of serfs?

Maybe there are some factors, but it is definitely not the case.

Because Luther, as the heir of a knight lord, the next generation of Pompeii knights, is in the privileged class. Standing in the privileged class, he is not hostile to the current system of the Kingdom of Prussia, but a natural ally.

To continue to maintain privileges, you must naturally maintain the system.

So the nobles all hate rebels, and Luther also hates rebels.

And Luther's opposition to the serf system actually has his own considerations.