Chapter 639: How to Sell Slaves

Before Yu could raise their own questions, Baifeng continued, "A twenty-year term is already long enough. It is entirely sufficient for a Slave to create wealth equivalent to their own value for the master who bought them through their labor. After they grow old, the master's family won't want to support them, and that is fine; the state will take over. What we take over is an old person with only a few years of labor left, but we also take over a family that can continue to work."

"This is profitable for both sides, isn't it? And for the Slaves, there is hope in life. We can allow Slaves to marry and have children. They are Slaves, but they can still marry and reproduce. Of course, a new set of regulations will need to be drafted for this—specifically how Slaves marry, how the children born are settled, and what their status will be; all of this must have clear provisions."

Yu understood at this point that Baifeng simply wanted to let the wealthy families profit so that they would support the population for the state for twenty years. During this time, the wealth created by this population would belong to them. After twenty years—or perhaps even sooner—Huaxia would be able to function, with enough space and land to support these Slaves.

Thus, Yu strode toward their desk, picked up a notebook and pen, and began to record rapidly, while asking Baifeng, "King, will this Slave trade be the same as the last one? Letting those who want to purchase them choose as they please?"

Baifeng toyed with the pen in his hand. He felt that the restrictions and policies regarding Slaves should be more detailed and perfected. Currently, Slaves were still under the household registration system, just with their status column filled in as 'Slave'; in other aspects, there was no obvious difference from ordinary people.

Moreover, Baifeng wanted to take this opportunity to maximize the value of the Slaves, to extract more grain from those wealthy people, and to make them do so willingly.

Baifeng quickly came up with a corresponding plan, so he beckoned Yu over and told them to sit opposite him to take careful notes.

"For this sale of Slaves, we must make some changes; it must be different from the last one, and future ones can be handled this way as well."

Yu hurriedly began to write.

Baifeng continued, "First, after the Slaves are delivered, keep them outside the city for now. Concentrate them outside the city and set up Tents. The food doesn't have to be very good, but make sure they are fed. Once they are full, they naturally won't think about escaping, and management won't be too troublesome."

"Then, perform registration: name, age, and gender. If anyone has skills, they can be brought forward directly and then assigned to various factories or suitable places. As for their status, it depends on their ability. As long as they are above the level of an Apprentice, they will be given the status of a tenant farmer. If they are even more capable, have the various departments report them to me; I will approve it, allocate housing and land, and let them settle down in Huaxia."

At this point, Yu's pen paused: "King, wouldn't that be too casual? Our Huaxia's housing and land should not be so easily obtained by them, especially since they still have the status of Slaves."

Baifeng waved his hand indifferently: "You are overthinking it. You know the Artisan levels in Huaxia. An ordinary person has to study and work for how many years before they can pass the Apprentice exam? Those technical levels are harder to pass one by one. How many Third-grade Workers do we have in Huaxia? Do you think people coming from their situation will have such great skills? If they do, what is the harm in giving them some land and housing? With their abilities, they will soon earn it back for Huaxia."

Yu nodded repeatedly upon hearing this. That was right; it was because they didn't understand the affairs of the Ministry of Works that they thought this way. A tribe of ten thousand people probably couldn't produce a single Third-grade Worker by Huaxia's standards. Perhaps the Stonemasons and Carpenters they considered very impressive were only at an Apprentice level in Huaxia. The experience of the Xuanyuan Tribe had already proven this.

Seeing that Yu had finished writing, Baifeng continued: "For those left over after selection, divide them into first, second, and third grades based on their physique and appearance. Those who are too ugly will be sold off directly, letting them farm and work for wealthy families."

"For those who are good-looking and have good physiques, I will send the Slaves I have trained to train them according to my standards. When the time comes, those who fail will be sold off early, and those who pass will be trained into Slaves like the ones I have."

Baifeng pointed with his finger at the two servants who had been standing and waiting not far away. The servants kept their heads slightly lowered, standing very straight and motionless. As for everything Baifeng and Yu said, the two of them acted as if they had heard nothing.

Only then did Yu look closely at the two servants. To be honest, apart from their lowly status, their demeanor, according to the standards of the Ministry of Rites, could be considered that of a Noble. Yu also just realized that the servants Baifeng trained were indeed quite extraordinary.

Baifeng smiled and said, "How about it? My servants are very well-behaved, have good etiquette, and some even know how to read. In the future, I will also have them learn some music and dance. Do you think such servants are of very high value? If it were you, even if one of them cost the price of ten ordinary Slaves, would you be willing to buy them?"

Yu looked at the two servants again and sighed: "If that is the case, they really should be bought. It wouldn't matter if the price were higher; their abilities are completely worth ten ordinary Slaves. Of course, for farming, they would be very cost-ineffective."

However, Yu raised another point that they felt was inappropriate: "But King, I don't think other people's households should use the same kind of servants as you have. They are not worthy of using them. I feel this diminishes your majesty; what the King uses should be the best."

Baifeng stared at Yu and smiled with satisfaction: "Hmm, not bad, not bad. Your thinking is still very thorough. You don't need to worry about this point; this should be part of the Slave status reform. Slaves like these can only be purchased and used by families with Nobility."

"Furthermore, a brand should be burned onto the arms of these servants to prove that these servants belong to their family. However, those of the Royal Family do not need to be branded."

Yu was somewhat puzzled: "King, what is a brand?"

Baifeng explained: "It is taking a special pattern—for example, a certain character—and making it into an Iron pattern, then heating it until it is red, and branding it onto a person's body. The scar left behind is the brand. This thing, unless you cut off your arm, will never disappear for the rest of your life."

Yu felt a numbness in the soles of their feet just hearing it; it sounded extremely painful. And those two servants, although there was no change on their faces, clenched their hands tightly. Fortunately, they were servants of the Royal Family and did not have to endure that; otherwise, they felt they would have nightmares at night.