Chapter 218: A brand new era

"He just left like this..."

At the port of Lei Ming City, Baron Ge Si, sitting in the carriage, stared blankly at the port, his face full of regret.

Hearing the news of Mr. Kelin's return to his territory, he had intended to see this noble person off and thank him properly, but he didn't expect to miss it in the end.

Lifting the hem of her ruffled skirt and getting off the carriage, Lady Marina, with light makeup on her face, also carried regret.

Although Mr. Kelin didn't stay in her manor for long, that period of time was the happiest days she had had in these years, returning to when she was still a young girl, and that kind of pure and simple throbbing sprouted in her heart again.

She actually knew in her heart that it was impossible for the two of them, but she still wanted to say goodbye to him properly, but as a result, even her last wish could not be satisfied.

Looking at the face that made her feel increasingly bored, she complained with resentment held back.

"It's all your fault, fiddling with those gold coins all day, even missing such an important farewell! Where did you put the honor of the nobility? He is your savior!"

Ge Si was choked by this sentence until his face turned red, and he couldn't help but retort.

"You blame me? If you hadn't fiddled with those accessories and smeared that powder on your face, would we have been late?"

Saint Xisi is above.

How come he didn't find this guy so fond of dressing up before!

Hearing her husband's rebuttal, Marina's face flushed red, and her lips trembled slightly with anger.

"What are you talking about? Are you blaming me? You think... who was I doing this for..."

When she said this, she actually only had half the confidence.

However, some people are like this; the less confident they are in their hearts, the more they like to ask back and lose their temper.

Seeing his wife's angry reaction, Ge Si immediately regretted it, but for a moment he didn't know how to take back the water that had been splashed out, so he could only stand there stiffly with a tight face.

The two children sitting in the carriage couldn't watch it anymore. His eldest son, George, who was only ten years old, said with a serious face, like a little adult, in a serious manner.

"Father, you shouldn't say that to Mother. Tidy appearance is the decency of the nobility. You always teach me that."

Isabelle, who was only nine years old, also nodded her little head and said softly.

"Yes, Father, Mr. Kelin is so beautiful, it's normal for Mother to want to dress up. I also dressed up for quite a while."

Marina hurriedly glared at her daughter, but soon realized that the child might not have thought so much, just simply expressing her feelings; it was she who was too sensitive.

Fortunately, Ge Si didn't realize any problems either; after all, nothing had happened in the first place. If thinking about it in his heart counted as cheating, then he would have crossed the line countless times in his heart and body.

The expression on his face gradually softened, Ge Si hugged his wife's shoulder and comforted her.

"Sorry, dear, I shouldn't have blamed you..."

Seeing the other party bow his head first, Marina threw off his hand with a cold face, and her tone was even colder.

"Don't touch me."

Ge Si withdrew his hand awkwardly, smiling to accompany her, trying to appease his wife's emotions.

However, he didn't know that for someone who didn't love him, his subservience and unreasonable admission of mistakes could only be exchanged for the other party's annoyance and feeling that he had no attraction at all.

Marina looked at him with her chin raised, holding back the anger in her heart, and poured out the complaints she had suppressed for a long time.

"Look at whether you have a bit of the appearance of a noble. Besides the title and land left by your father, what else do you have? The purest Highland warhorse was ridden by you into a donkey, and you can't use a sword, you can only hold a broken musket to support the scene... Even if these don't matter, it would be good if you could make more friends at the banquet, but what was the result? You are almost becoming a clown! We are getting further and further away from the circle of the nobility. Saint Xisi is above, have you done one thing a baron should do?"

The passing pedestrians on the street looked frequently, and the harsh whispers made Ge Si feel more and more suffocated in his heart.

He even had a feeling that even the seagulls in the sky were laughing at him.

"Enough, I know I was wrong. Can we talk about these things when we get home?"

Looking at her husband who was begging for mercy, Marina took a deep breath, calmed her emotions, and returned to the carriage with her skirt lifted.

She was, after all, a person who wanted face, and it was impossible to curse without decency like the village women in Silver Pine Town.

Moreover, she also realized that she was not quite right today; she clearly wouldn't be like this usually.

What on earth is wrong with me?

Looking at his wife who had calmed down, Ge Si finally breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, gave a warning look to the coachman who didn't dare to breathe, and then returned to the carriage.

"You are right, dear, we are too far from the circle of the nobility... How about this? We buy a house at the port of Lei Ming City, at least in terms of location, we can be closer to the upper class, and when you are free, you can hold balls and tea parties."

Marina's eyebrows relaxed slightly, although she still had a tight face, she was not as stiff as just now.

Ge Si steadied his mind and shouted to the front of the carriage.

"Aulier, what are you sitting there stupidly for? Watching my joke? Hurry up and move, go to the real estate trading hall!"

"Yes! Yes, master!"

The butler and coachman sitting in front of the carriage was startled by this voice, and hurriedly waved the reins in his hand, driving the carriage forward.

The land in Lei Ming City is all royal land, and house trading is actually a troublesome thing. In addition to reaching an agreement between the buyer and the seller, it originally required the nod of the Governor's Mansion.

However, with the introduction of Edward's new policy recently, this situation has changed.

All citizens of Lei Ming City automatically obtained 100-year use rights for the land under their feet.

This power is guaranteed by the royal family, and transfer and trading no longer require the approval of the owner.

The transaction originally involving three parties became a registration after both parties agreed.

Affected by this, house prices in Lei Ming City also rose, and the trading hall was crowded with people, and the sound of asking prices was very lively.

Baron Ge Si, who got off the carriage, spent a lot of effort to squeeze to the counter of the trading hall.

In order to show his capable side in front of his wife, he did not use his servants, but chose to go out in person.

"Are there any houses listed for trading in the Queen's District? I mean the kind with three floors, don't push the broken ones that are old to me, I am a baron of the Principality!"

Few nobles would come to buy houses in person, and the lady sitting behind the counter was also startled, and hurriedly flipped through the booklet in her hand to help him check.

"There is one mansion left that matches your status, located on the north side of the Queen's District, with a building area of 300 square meters, and according to your requirements, it has three floors and a rooftop terrace garden. The owner who consigned it is a lumber merchant from the Leimusa Chamber of Commerce Union, and the decoration style is quite tasteful..."

Ge Si knocked on the table and said.

"I want this one, how much?"

"Let me help you check... a flat price of 20,000 gold coins!"

"How much?!" Ge Si widened his eyes.

20,000 gold coins!

If it were more expensive, he could buy a hotel!

The lady sitting behind the counter looked at him nervously, fearing that she would make this noble feel disrespected.

"20,000 gold coins... sir, because of His Majesty's new policy, house prices in Lei Ming City have been rising recently, and this situation has lasted for a month."

In fact, this house only cost 8,000 gold coins a month ago, but it couldn't stand the current market being hot and the supply of housing being in short supply.

Seeing so many people wanting to buy, the owner immediately doubled the price and then added a little.

Looking at the noble gentleman who was distressed, she whispered and continued.

"Or... I recommend the Knight Road next to it to you. There are also many houses that meet your requirements, and those who live locally are also the new nobles of Lei Ming City. Then there is the area near the Andi Si family manor, but there are no detached western-style buildings there, they are all manors with a large area, and because they are not listed, you may have to wait for someone willing to sell."

As soon as he heard this, Baron Ge Si's face turned black, and his hand knocked on the table.

"What kind of talk is this? Do you think I can't afford it?"

"No... I didn't mean that..." the girl behind the counter said trembling.

However, Ge Si was too lazy to pursue the rudeness of a servant, found his face, and said loudly with his chin raised.

"20,000 gold coins, right? Just this one! Take me to see the house now. If there is no problem, we will sign the contract immediately!"

20,000 gold coins is not a difficult thing for him, especially since he recently made a fortune on Kelin Mining stocks.

Everyone around cast surprised gazes at him, whispering in low voices.

Although they were also here to buy houses, most of them bought houses for only a few thousand or a few hundred gold coins.

Bathing in the envious gazes, Baron Ge Si's vanity was greatly satisfied.

In the past, he let his servants do these things, but he didn't expect that low-level hobbies were so interesting, so much so that the embarrassment and awkwardness he felt at the port earlier were made up for at this moment.

"Yes, yes! I will arrange it for you..." the lady behind the counter nodded in surprise, and then quickly contacted her colleague and arranged for a salesman in a formal suit to run over.

Ge Si waited impatiently while taking a sip of warm tea from the teacup on the counter.

Looking at the endless stream of people, a thought suddenly arose in his heart—

House prices have risen by more than double in just one month, why not buy more while it's still now?

Anyway, His Majesty Edward's new policy won't end tomorrow.

With the determination shown by that gentleman, he will definitely push the reform to the end!

Thinking of this, Ge Si felt a fire in his heart, ordered the salesman who rushed to his side to follow him, and then hurried back to the carriage.

Without waiting for Marina to ask how things were going, he said happily.

"Dear, I have a brilliant idea! Now house prices in the whole Lei Ming City are rising, since it rises so fast, why don't we buy more? This is clearly gold rolling on the ground, Saint Xisi sending money to us for nothing!"

The salesman who climbed to the front of the carriage and sat down responded, turned his head and flattered with a smile.

"Master, you have a good eye! To tell you the truth, guests with the same status as you have already started to layout, and the houses on this street next to us were all bought by a certain Earl... of course, I can't say who it is."

There are only three Earls in the Campbell Principality, and it doesn't make any difference whether it is South Creek Valley or Spinol, which are closer to Lei Ming County.

Ge Si looked at his wife with a beaming face, raised his eyebrows, and showed off his vision.

However, looking at her husband with fiery eyes, Marina couldn't help but roll her eyes, groaned and complained.

"You miser, you really drilled into the eyes of money!"

Ge Si laughed, but didn't care, just stared at both sides of the street with fiery eyes, as if looking at a small mountain of gold.

"If you say so! I am also doing this for our family! George will go to the Academy for further studies in the future, learning powerful magic, just like the respected Mr. Kelin... for his future, I have to prepare some in advance!"

He missed the IPO of Kelin Mining stocks and didn't get the fattest piece of meat, but fortunately Saint Xisi favored him and let him catch up with Grand Duke Edward's new policy.

He won't run a factory, but buying a house has no technical content, as long as he has money!

He can't miss this opportunity to make a fortune again!

... The real estate market in Lei Ming City revealed a hot trend, and all this seems to be attributed to the respected His Majesty Edward, and for a time the prestige of the royal family rose to an unprecedented height.

If Kelin Mining Company's stocks only "benefited" a small group of people, then this round of general rise in house prices made even the civilians living in the suburbs taste the sweetness.

The citizens of Lei Ming City have never loved their Majesty so much, so much so that those merchants who were complaining about the royal family's tax increase early last year have also changed their original views.

However, some sensible people can see that Edward's new policy can at most be regarded as the spark that ignited people's enthusiasm for buying houses, and the real push for house prices in Lei Ming City is the funds pouring in through the port of Lei Ming City.

What initially attracted them here was the diamonds in Mr. Kelin's hands, then the stocks of Kelin Mining Company, and then the colonies of the Austrian Continent and the myths about endless wealth...

From the charity banquet at the beginning, this series of events together arranged a carefully set trap.

This trap achieved not only Mr. Kelin himself, but also a batch after batch of rich people including Andor and Baron Ge Si.

Under the phenomenon of the money-making effect, countless people walked in willingly and actively became pawns on the stage.

Even if the leader has already left the stage, these chess pieces who are good at dancing still act according to the rules, and continue to push this stage play to a higher climax in the increasingly impassioned accompaniment.

And everything is just the beginning...

(Content not to be skipped!)

Just when Baron Ge Si was waving tens of thousands of gold coins into a blue ocean real estate market, the distant Silver Pine Town was a scene of peace and tranquility.

Since Princess Ailin came here, spring seemed to have arrived following the footsteps of that beautiful lady.

Adventurers began to step into the labyrinth to explore the treasures of the underground world, and the farmers in the small town also carried hoes to the fields one after another.

The originally frozen stream began to flow again, and the air in the fields was not only filled with the humidity after the end of the cold winter, but also mixed with a fragrance of grass.

Old Abel stood by the field, clumsily rubbing his frozen red fingers, looking at the fields where the snow was melting, his heart full of expectation.

According to his experience, after heavy snow, it will often be a fat year.

Perhaps this year he could pickle more cucumbers to sell in the city, exchanging them for more copper coins from the citizens, so he wouldn't have to scrape by on others' leftovers every time he went to the tavern.

Of course, all this premise must be that he must do his job well.

That is to take care of the lord's fields.

The reason why the respected Master Ge Si turned a blind eye to the vegetable gardens they opened up between the fields was all based on the premise of the bumper harvest of wheat in Silver Pine Town.

But then again, he recently heard from the adventurers in the tavern that the kind His Majesty Edward promulgated a new decree, using royal power as a guarantee, allowing lords to sell the land use rights in their hands, and the right is not infringed by the lord.

When he saves enough money, perhaps he can buy this piece of land under his feet forever.

By that time, what he wants to plant will be entirely up to him. As long as he is happy, he can even plant it all into cucumbers, and then make them into pickled cucumbers.

Thinking of what a huge wealth that is, he couldn't close his mouth with joy.

Maybe he can also save money to buy a house for his eldest son in the suburbs of Lei Ming City, and send his youngest son to the church school there.

Old Abel's neighbors gathered in twos and threes, and they all looked forward to the entrance of the small town, chatting and waiting for the lord's servants to send the seeds for spring plowing.

It was always this time in previous years, and the master's servants should be almost there.

However, what no one expected was that they waited for the stars and the moon, but what they waited for was a group of sheep.

The sound of horse hooves came from the main road, and the rider wearing light armor paced to the front of the crowd.

Looking at the tenant farmers with confused faces, the soldier looked arrogant, and his voice was sharp and ruthless.

"Listen! The respected Baron Victor Ge Si decided to expand the pasture of Silver Pine Town! This land needs to be replanned and used for raising sheep! From now until the beginning of next month, you must move away from here! As compensation for you, you can take away anything on this land at will, whether it is farm tools or iron pots, those broken things belong to you!"

The tenant farmers who were looking forward to it were in an uproar, and the faces that were full of expectation instantly turned into confusion and despair after coming back to their senses.

Especially Old Abel.

He seemed to have been struck by lightning, his whole person was stunned, frozen on the spot, and the fingers he rubbed hot became cold again.

He didn't dare to meet the soldier's eyes, and could only look back helplessly, his gaze sweeping to the neighbors beside him—

The widow Kasha who had just lost her husband, the lame carpenter Tom, and the young Billy... he looked like he was looking in a mirror, seeing his own expression on their faces.

Shock.

Despair.

And helplessness.

Whispering sounds spread in the crowd, and then turned into protests and sobbing.

A sturdy man stood out, but crawled on the ground, his eyes fearful and said.

"Please wait a moment! Master, you want to change this into a pasture, but... but what should we do?"

The soldier on the horse looked down at him and said.

"You are free, you can go to the places you like, whether it is being an adventurer or going to the city, as long as you don't beg in the town, you can do whatever you want."

Tenant farmers are the assets of the lord, but now the lord here doesn't need so much land.

It sounds nice to return freedom to them, but it sounds bad to let them fend for themselves.

Anyway, isn't there a kind Princess Ailin in Lei Ming City?

She can even tolerate and take in the displaced people from the Twilight Province, presumably she won't ignore her own people.

The soldier's face was written with mockery.

Although more than a month had passed, he didn't forget that these farmers abandoned Master Ge Si and fled when they turned around.

The man kneeling on the ground had despair in his eyes, but he couldn't do anything, and could only say with a choked voice.

"Master, we don't want freedom... please let us continue to serve you! We can do other work, and taking care of these sheep is fine, as long as you give us a bite to eat, don't drive us away from here..."

"Yes, Master!"

"Please, Master!"

Others also knelt on the ground and begged, and Abel also knelt down unconsciously, although he instinctively felt that this was actually of no use. Those cavalry wearing armor were clearly not here to negotiate with them.

And just as he thought, the soldier on the horse just sneered and said with full humiliation.

"Want to continue to serve the master? Are you worthy? When you abandoned him and fled, you should have thought that there would be today. Thank him for his kindness, he at least didn't hang you in the square, just like those goblins!"

Ge Si actually forgot about this long ago. Raising sheep was just to make more money. After all, the textile industry in Lei Ming City has been booming recently, and wool has been in short supply for a long time.

However, although he was too lazy to remember the affairs of a group of servants, it did not prevent his subordinates from remembering the shame at that time, and always remembering to find this shame back from these tenant farmers.

Those who dare to draw their swords at the strong are brave, but those present are clearly not such people.

Looking at the tenant farmers who looked like they had lost their souls, the soldier curled his lips and mocked.

"Of course, if you can grow wool on your body, you can also stay."

The surrounding soldiers laughed, and even the horses they were riding snorted, as if they had laughed out loud.

Old Abel lowered his head, like a dead person, unable to speak, his brain blank.

He can raise cows, he can raise pigs, but he has never raised sheep.

Actually, what if he can?

Taking care of animals requires people, but it doesn't need so many people. In the end, the opportunity will still be left to young people who are quick-handed and quick-witted...

Moreover, the wise Baron Ge Si would not do things so sloppily, especially about money.

When that master imported these sheep from the kingdom in the east, he specially bought a few slaves who knew how to herd sheep.

Those few slaves didn't cost much money, which is the cost of a few sheep...

After announcing the lord's order, the soldiers on the horses drove the crowd together.

Actually, they didn't need them to drive.

The seeds for spring plowing were not sent, and these tenant farmers couldn't do anything by waiting here, so they could only stare at the land.

At this moment, Abel finally vaguely realized who His Majesty Edward's law was protecting.

His eyes were blurred, as if he saw the familiar fields being fenced in, the sheep replacing the crops, all the hard work turned into nothing... including the vegetable gardens he secretly opened up.

In the end, he didn't know how he returned home.

Until his wife, who was full of sorrow, grabbed his arm with rough hands and spoke to him in a crying voice, did he wake up from the dream full of pickled cucumbers.

"Abel, what should we do? If we don't have land, where can we go?"

"I... don't know."

Abel held a breath in his chest, and finally spit it out powerlessly, and said with a wry smile.

"Maybe go to Lei Ming City to find a job? The adventurers in the town said there are plenty of jobs there. As long as you are willing to work hard, you won't be unable to survive..."

He had been there a few times, it was a good place, but everything needed money, and it was not cheap.

His wife seemed not to have heard, just grabbed his arm and chattered, as if he were the villain.

"How can they do this?! My father, my grandfather... our family has been farming for the Ge Si family for generations, how can they say they don't want us if they don't want us..."

Abel patted his wife's shoulder gently and comforted.

"At least... the master left these farm tools to us, as well as those pots and pans. He said we can dispose of the things on the land at will as compensation for us."

He didn't know how much that could be sold for, but it should be able to sell for some copper coins.

At least Master Ge Si didn't take these things away too.

"Who wants these broken things!" his wife screamed hysterically, howling like a wounded beast.

The children in the house didn't dare to make a sound, all closed their mouths, just peeking at their father who had suddenly aged a lot.

They didn't know what happened, just felt that suddenly, the whole sky had collapsed...

——

(Thanks to "Northern Dog" for the alliance leader reward!!!)

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 219 =====