Chapter 214: The Master of the Principality

"Mr. Prince Kelin!"

In Baron Guss's manor, Luo Yan, who was drinking tea and had just sent away the resentful Baroness, was rushed over by the owner of this manor.

"What happened again, Mr. Guss." Although he had guessed the reason, Luo Yan still asked.

Sure enough.

With that face full of surprise rushing into the tea room, the noisy voice also rushed in.

"Good news, great good news! Your company's stock price has risen again! And it has turned 20 times in one day! My servant wrote to me, saying that the citizens of Thunder City are crazy, and the price per share has been bought to 20 gold coins by them! Saint Saint Xisi is above, this is too crazy, you can't let those pieces of paper be more expensive than diamonds!"

Watching Baron Guss's exaggerated expression and body language, Luo Yan couldn't help but smile and put down the teacup in his hand.

"I don't care much about that kind of thing... However, I am glad to bring you a good mood today."

"Haha, my mood is indeed great now!" Baron Guss was flushed with excitement, his breathing rapid, as if he had run a lap.

The servant on the side looked at him nervously, fearing that the old master would faint if he couldn't catch his breath.

Luo Yan smiled and watched the Baron in front of him, just like watching a funny comedy, and at the same time, his faith power grew silently in the flattery that did not skimp on praise.

Surprising.

This guy, who lacked exercise and hadn't even awakened his transcendent power, actually had a Bai Yin-tier soul!

What a waste.

At this moment, a majestic voice suddenly came from outside the door.

"Baron Guss, what kind of good thing made you so happy, tell me about it, and let me be happy too."

The person who came from outside the door was Grand Duke Edward.

The servants in the tea room immediately saluted the noble monarch, including Baron Guss, who was in high spirits, and also quickly restrained that presumptuous smile and bowed respectfully.

"Your Majesty, it's the stock of Prince Kelin Mining Company! Now the price per share has risen to 20 gold coins! You might not know what this means, simply put, there is a company in Thunder City now, and its value is 2 billion gold coins!"

When he first heard 20 gold coins, Edward didn't take it seriously, until he heard the back, he almost choked on a mouthful of saliva.

"2 billion gold coins?! Did you get the unit wrong?"

Watching the Majesty with wide eyes, Baron Guss showed a confident smile on his face and said firmly.

"Your Majesty, I can swear to Saint Saint Xisi! Every word I say is true! If you don't believe it, when you go to Thunder City, you will know at a glance."

Edward looked at Prince Kelin sitting not far away for verification, hoping to get a more reliable answer from the latter.

Noticing the Grand Duke's gaze, Luo Yan smiled faintly and said calmly.

"Baron Guss doesn't quite understand the concept of market value, but it roughly means this. Currently, Prince Kelin Mining Company has only publicly issued one-tenth of the stocks, equivalent to 10 million shares, and the recognized value of these stocks is 200 million gold coins. As for the remaining stocks, they have not been issued as publicly circulating tickets... After all, the funds raised so far are enough for us to do many things, and we don't need more for the time being."

"That's right! Mr. Prince Kelin explains it clearly!" Baron Guss nodded quickly, with a bright smile on his face.

Edward was dazed for a long time, then immediately asked the question he cared about most.

"Then who has the gold? Who has the gold?"

After all, that's 2 billion gold coins!

Equivalent to 2,000 tons of gold!

Let alone the national treasury of the Campbell Principality, even the national treasury of the Kingdom of Laine might not have so much money!

Watching his monkey-anxious appearance, Luo Yan smiled and said.

"Of course, in the bank of Thunder City."

Hearing this, Edward finally breathed a sigh of relief, at least no big ship had transported this gold to other places.

Otherwise, the wealth accumulated by the Campbell Principality for over a hundred years would be robbed overnight.

But think about it.

Even if he felt from the bottom of his heart that the ordinary citizens of Thunder City were a bunch of idiots, Mr. Andes, who worked for him, was a smart man, and would definitely not let people cheat away real gold and silver with a few pieces of paper.

However, think about it.

Even if he felt from the bottom of his heart that the ordinary citizens of Thunder City were a bunch of idiots, Mr. Andes, who worked for him, was a smart man, and would definitely not let people cheat away real gold and silver with a few pieces of paper.

But think about it.

Even if he felt from the bottom of his heart that the ordinary citizens of Thunder City were a bunch of idiots, Mr. Andes, who worked for him, was a smart man, and would definitely not let people cheat away real gold and silver with a few pieces of paper.

Watching Edward, who finally felt at ease, Luo Yan took a sip of tea.

These feudal lords mostly think about problems directly, nothing more than land and gold.

Edward is actually a bit smarter than them, having realized the importance of industry, but still hasn't jumped out of his own limitations and doesn't have an accurate concept of finance.

But this can't blame him.

Even the smartest people can't imagine things they haven't seen out of thin air, and can only rely on intuition.

That stiff smile softened at a speed visible to the naked eye, just like the melting snow in the Bai Yin Pine Forest.

Restoring noble decency and elegance, Edward walked to the opposite side of Luo Yan and sat down, saying with enthusiasm in his eyes.

"Mr. Prince Kelin, what do you plan to do with so much money? I don't mean to pry into your privacy, just out of curiosity, if it's inconvenient, please pretend I didn't ask."

Anyway, he is the master of this country, and he can know it by sending someone to the bank later.

Luo Yan naturally wouldn't fail to see the thoughts already written on his face, and smiled faintly.

"Most of it is used to develop the colonies of the Kao Continent. I will use this money to purchase some industrial products and transport them to the New World to exchange for resources there, such as textiles and steel tools that are urgently needed locally. Besides that, this money will also be used for local prospecting and mining, further expanding resource production, especially searching for high-value diamond mines. Not only that, I will also place orders with the shipyards of the Campbell Principality to build the largest ocean-going trade fleet in the Whirlpool Sea, open up trade routes from the northeast coast of the Whirlpool Sea to the New World, and expand the trade volume between the two sides."

Although he was bragging, Luo Yan didn't lie. He did plan to do this, and even started arranging for people to do it.

The citizens of Thunder City would soon see relevant news in the "Thunder City Daily," he just picked out these nice words in advance, and it just so happened that these words were exactly what Grand Duke Edward loved to hear.

And not just Grand Duke Edward, Baron Guss, standing on the side, also felt his heart burning.

Textiles and steel tools!

Although there was no iron mine in his territory, there was plenty of land, whether it was cultivated land or uncultivated land!

If some land were transformed into pastures to produce wool, it would definitely be much more profitable than farming!

Just when Baron Guss was calculating in his heart, Grand Duke Edward was also having similar ideas.

It's just that his pattern was much larger than the Baron's, seeing not just that little wool industry, but the ocean outside Thunder City.

Listening to the grand blueprint displayed in front of him by Mr. Prince Kelin, his eyes were full of enthusiastic light, and his spirit was excited.

"... That's really great! The timber of the Kingdom of Laine is the highest quality in the entire Aus Continent! Not only that, we also have the most advanced power machinery factory, even the Imperial Royal Shipyard has to place orders with us."

"What I fancy is precisely this point," Luo Yan's face carried a smile, and he continued calmly. "To tell you the truth, when I first came to Thunder City, I was shocked by the industrial foundation here, and this is also what makes me feel most regrettable."

"Regrettable?" Edward was slightly stunned, and subconsciously opened his mouth. "Is there any place that makes you dissatisfied?"

"You misunderstood, I don't have any dissatisfaction, I just feel sorry for you."

Luo Yan shook his head gently, looked at the Grand Duke Edward who was puzzled, and said in a voice with a trace of melancholy.

"You have the most advanced power machinery factory and rich natural resources, and even according to my understanding, the spark of industry was the first to burn on your land. However, in the years I studied in the Academic State, I only heard of the prestige of the Imperial Royal Shipyard, but never heard the name of the Thunder City Shipyard, until I stepped on the land of the Kingdom of Laine did I hear of it."

This was not his regret, but it was indeed the regret in Grand Duke Edward's heart.

The latter was silent for a long time and sighed.

"There's no way, after all, the northeast coast of the Whirlpool Sea is too far from the New World, and the share we can get from the Empire's ocean trade is limited. And nobles like you, I'm sure, would rather invest in the Empire's ports, we are ultimately just friendly nations to you."

Luo Yan shook his head and continued.

"I don't think this is the core reason. The nobles of the Empire don't dislike investing in friendly nations, we are all servants serving Saint Saint Xisi, and we should not be divided."

Edward asked curiously.

"Oh? Then what do you think is the reason?"

Luo Yan smiled and said.

"According to my humble opinion on the road of study, I found that any territory where people are forced to rely on land for a living is mostly struggling on the line of food and clothing, and often a large piece of land can only support one or two wealthy classes. But on the contrary, those city-states that do not rely on land, their days are mostly good, and often there are rich people wearing brocade and silk everywhere on a street."

Edward pondered for a long time and said.

"Such a situation does exist, but I think it's too far-fetched to relate the reasons for people's poverty to land."

"Your Majesty, you misunderstood, I don't mean that the reason for people's poverty is land," Luo Yan shook his head gently and continued. "What I want to say is that the same person, if he is a self-sufficient farmer, the things he produces in a year may only be enough for his own food and clothing, and then waste the rest of his time in the tavern, listening to adventurers bragging. But if he is a citizen of Thunder City, the value he produces can not only satisfy his own food and clothing but also support one-third of a professional soldier."

"If we can liberate those farmers from the fields from their idle lives, drive them from the farmland to the factories in the suburbs, you can imagine what a terrifying force this is. They will be as cheap as self-sufficient farmers, but only consume products that are just enough for food and clothing, and then produce huge wealth for your Principality."

"The handicraftsmen of the Empire will not be your opponents at all, and even the poor ghosts of the colonies will not be. After all, since they are willing to take a boat to sea, it shows that they have a little pursuit of life, and it is very difficult for us to persuade them to give up the butter on their bread for the glory of the Prince Kelin family. But those tenant farmers, I bet most of them don't even know what butter is, because the tenant farmers of the Empire are the same. They will become an invincible army, led by those factory owners, to sweep the entire market of the Empire!"

"As long as you are willing to make a small change first."

Watching this blueprint slowly unfolding in front of him, Edward couldn't help but hold his breath.

If others told him the same words, he probably wouldn't take it to heart, but this was Mr. Prince Kelin, whom he had long admired.

Even if it was just for the sake of 200 million gold coins, he had to consider the weight of these words carefully.

That might be true.

At least it was worth listening to.

"Then Mr. Prince Kelin... what exactly is the change you mentioned? We can't drive those people into the city."

"That's too rough," Luo Yan shook his head and said with a smile. "We have more elegant methods, for example... you can modify the tax law of land tax, changing the clause of paying tax by the nominal owner to paying tax by the actual user."

Edward shook his head and said.

"These are meaningless, those tenant farmers don't have any money in their pockets, and in the end, it's still borne by the nobles."

No content missed!

Although he looked down on those mud-legged people from the bottom of his heart, it didn't mean he didn't understand them.

On the contrary, he not only understood them but also knew exactly how many copper coins they had in their pockets.

Luo Yan had already guessed he would say this, so he continued with a smile.

"So this small change won't cause any opposition, right? Because for the nobles who actually use the land, there is no difference."

Edward showed an interested look.

"And then? You definitely wouldn't do a meaningless thing."

"Yes," Luo Yan nodded with a smile and continued happily. "The first bill is just paving the way for what we are going to do next. Since the person paying tax is the user of the land, then next we will allow the nobles to voluntarily abandon this obligation. For example, allow nobles to sell the actual right to use the land while retaining their titles, and the laws of the Principality will guarantee the rights and interests of the actual users, not to be infringed upon by the owner."

When he heard this sentence, Edward fell into deep thought. 【214-

In most countries on the Aus continent, land is tied to titles.

The reason why the citizens of Lei Ming City can own their own property is actually just borrowing the royal family's land.

It is precisely because of this that this city has the position of Viceroy, whose status is equivalent to the royal family's butler.

On these lands, although the royal family's authority is infinite, it is too far away from ordinary people; for example, Edward himself, even if he is short of money, reaches out to the Andes family, and it is impossible for him to send tax collectors to knock on doors one by one.

But nobles are different; their titles have infinite power in law, and it is impossible for the royal family to set up an additional property right that overrides infinite power.

If he did this, it would definitely be a mess in the end.

Those nobles would sell the land to wealthy merchants like the Andes family without hesitation, and then take back the original promises in the name of Saint Saint Xisi like a fart, or attach various unreasonable terms to blackmail those rich people.

In the end, the only one whose dignity is swept away is himself.

But of course Edward couldn't say that.

After pondering for a moment, his index finger tapped on the table, and he said obscurely.

"This will affect the interests of the nobles."

Luo Yan nodded slightly, acknowledging his concerns, but put forward different insights.

"Generally speaking, yes, but not for the Campbell Principality. For example, an excellent noble like Baron Gess can see the benefits of money, and his vision is not limited to land. And the most critical thing is the accumulation of Lei Ming City for hundreds of years, and the foundation of the royal family's management of this land, which gives him the conditions to no longer rely on land."

"And what we have to do is just give them a chance to free themselves from traditional obligations while retaining their glory."

Under the traditional feudal system, nobles have the obligation to provide livelihood security for farmers, which does not contradict their exploitation. Just like humans have to eat meat, they have the obligation to raise sheep.

And dismantling this ancient contract is the first step he wants to take.

The sheep of the Campbell Principality will become a man-eating animal.

Not expecting Mr. Prince Kelin to praise himself in front of the Grand Duke, Baron Gess, who was confused, suddenly showed a happy expression on his face, as if he understood.

Edward didn't understand at first, but after thinking for a moment, a hint of realization gradually rose in his eyes.

So that's it.

Even rural nobles with vision know where the real benefits are, how could merchants who have been in business for generations like the Andes family not know?

Grand Duke Edward's own sister had a hard time building a refugee camp outside Lei Ming City because of land issues, let alone them without an army.

They are not stupid, even very shrewd, naturally knowing that the royal family's majesty might not work well after going to the countryside, so they wouldn't rent the land in the hands of those nobles at all, and those lands can't make money anyway.

Only two types of people will rent.

One is fools who dream of returning to the countryside to live a pastoral life, and the other is merchants raised by the nobles themselves.

The former are not worth pitying, and the latter are the nobles' own business.

In this way, no one's interests will be damaged, and instead, the nobles' feudal obligations will be liberated from the land, allowing them to more actively occupy land that is in the name of their titles but unclaimed, and expel the self-sufficient farmers living on it.

After a brief chaos, a new order will be formed on the land of the Campbell Principality.

And Lei Ming City will enjoy infinite prosperity!

The most critical thing is that the land there belongs to the royal family!

Edward felt his palms burning slightly, and even sweated nervously.

Just right!

He was worried about not finding a chance to weaken the disobedient nobles under his command, and as a result, this knife was handed to him!

Saint Saint Xisi above!

This respected Mr. Prince Kelin even considered the glory of the nobles that gave him the biggest headache!

Separating the right to own and the right to use is simply a genius method!

He couldn't help but think that it was Saint Saint Xisi who saw his piety and sent this respected gentleman to him to punish those greedy guys.

"I probably understand what you mean... as long as the nobles of the Campbell Principality can share the dividends of change, they will actively cooperate with us to push the tenant farmers in their hands to the city?"

Looking at Grand Duke Edward who had finally understood, Luo Yan nodded with a smile.

"That's right."

He likes chatting with smart people, which is also the reason why he is not very willing to talk more with Baron Gess.

That guy is full of gold coins and can't see what's behind them at all.

But buying off such people is the simplest.

For example, when buying off this guy, he just stared into his eyes and patted him on the shoulder.

Edward coughed, signaled the servant beside him to hand over a towel, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

After struggling for a long time, he looked at Luo Yan and said.

"I want to know if the Empire does the same?"

Luo Yan laughed when he heard this.

"Your Majesty, the Empire is so big that even this continent is named after it, and even the land under my feet is part of the Empire... where exactly in the Empire are you referring to? I don't know about the Old Continent, but in the Prince Kelin Principality, we do indeed do this."

When saying this, Luo Yan took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.

He actually didn't know what the situation was in the Prince Kelin Principality, nor had he been there.

But that place is hell, and presumably the Grand Duke, who is far away on the northeast coast of the Vortex Sea, must not have been there either...

And, he bet that the humans there lived even worse, after all, it is the kingdom of vampires.

And just as he expected, Grand Duke Edward was finally moved... even if the Grand Duke hid it well.

He waved his hand, pinched his eyebrows, and made a tired look.

"... This kind of thing is too big a span for us, I have to discuss it with my staff."

Looking at Grand Duke Edward who was trying to cover up, Luo Yan nodded with a smile.

"Of course, that is also my suggestion, we are just drinking tea and chatting today. If you changed your mind because of my personal opinion, I would feel uneasy instead."

After a pause, he continued.

"You are the master of this Principality, and I am just your guest."

That's what he said, but Luo Yan could even guess who he planned to discuss with, nothing more than the person who put the diamond on his crown.

And that guy had already been bought off by him.

(End of chapter)