In this era, the yearning of the tenant farmers for their own land and the status of a free citizen, or, in any era, the yearning of the lower class for the upper class is the same.
With an example and a clear system, the combat effectiveness of Wu Ming's gang of militiamen is completely beyond imagination.
In just one month, they almost swept through the bandit groups, wild folk settlements, and wild beast colonies around the Tucker Mountains, and sent a steady stream of spoils to Carlos Manor.
Of course, even with Wu Ming's leadership and taking the lead, casualties were inevitable. However, keeping them within five people and going through rest and rotation did not dampen the enthusiasm of the militiamen at all.
But at this time, Wu Ming chose to return to the army for training.
After all, all the worthwhile targets around have been taken out, and the next sweep will not be worth the candle.
Moreover, through this military training, he has thoroughly promoted his authority, and obtained a militia squad that can be called an elite in this era, which is enough!
"Oh my God!"
However, when he returned to the manor, what he saw was Amelia's broken face: "My master, do you know how many people you sent here?"
She said in a tone that almost screamed from the dead: "Five hundred and seventy-two people! A total of five hundred and seventy-two serfs, including a bunch of women and children, are you going to sell them all? Then Better hurry, because they're almost done with our food reserves!"
"Sorry! My beautiful lady housekeeper!"
Wu Ming shook his head and said with a smile: "Actually, I'm not going to sell any of them, but I want them all to work for me!"
"Are you serious, sir?"
Amelia stared at him like a fool: "Where can we find so much land to house these serfs, they are almost twice as many as our leaders!"
In fact, if he wanted to resettle serfs according to the current standard, Wu Ming had to double his territory first.
This is almost the size of a barony, and even for Baron Terry, it is a big trouble to take over so many serfs.
"I'm going to let some of them cultivate my private fields, or the land of those tenant farmers, and liberate them from the land. After all, compared to these wild people, I still trust them a little bit more …”
Wu Ming feels that now he can explain his plan to the steward a little bit: "I already have a plan for the future of the territory. First of all... I am going to formulate a policy. Pay to buy back the land they farmed! I know they don't have the money, but it's okay, I accept installments, years or even decades, and when they pay it off completely and buy the land, I will Recognize them as free citizens!"
"But... if you do this, the wheat on the land..."
Amelia asked stupidly, and immediately blushed under Wu Ming's smiling gaze, and asked a stupid question.
"The farm work on the land is naturally undertaken by these wild people. Of course, doing so can only digest part of it... So, I plan to build many workshops to purify salt, make glass, and a steel factory!"
The population that agriculture can absorb is too small, and the real big head is industry! A large factory that accommodates thousands or tens of thousands of people is a piece of cake.
Of course, Wu Ming still can't afford that kind of large-scale construction, but even the most ordinary handicraft workshop, as long as it becomes a large-scale industry, it is more than enough to accommodate his hundreds of people.
"Salt, glass, steel?"
Amelia seemed to grasp something faintly: "How many workshops are you going to open? Will these slaves work for you?"
"It's almost the same. I have explored a few technologies, which should bring us a lot of profits!"
Now, when one has acquired identity and a certain amount of power, and can resist coveting, the things from the previous life can be brought out.
Do whatever you are in, this is the principle that luck and personality match.
"But building a workshop requires a lot of raw materials and manpower..."
Amelia was a little dizzy and couldn't keep up with Wu Ming's train of thought.
"Manpower, aren't these slaves ready-made candidates? You give them black bread and vegetable soup every day, but don't let them work. It's easy to cause big problems!"
Wu Ming glanced at Amelia reproachfully: "They must be made to work from morning to night, exhausting their strength and exhausting their spirit, so that such slaves will not have time to think about other things!"
"As for the initial start-up capital, I still have some savings here, and don't underestimate our sharecroppers... In the face of the temptation to acquire land and free people, I believe they will explode with enthusiasm that will amaze you! "
Among other things, just for this attack, dozens of militiamen under Wu Ming's command and those who were later exchanged for support all got a lot of spoils and bonuses.
Now through the redemption of the land, the money will continue to fall into Wu Ming's hands, becoming his first pot of gold to promote industrial development in the territory.
"And... through labor, distinguish the lazy from the hard-working slaves, and prepare for the future separation and differential treatment!"
…
Following Wu Ming's suggestions one by one, Amelia's expression was more than simply amazed.
She could never have imagined that William, a guy who won the title by force, also had such ideas in business.
"It's really... really..."
She thought about it for a long time, but she couldn't think of any suitable words to describe Wu Ming. At the end, she sighed: "My master, if you are in business, you will definitely be the most successful profiteer!"
"Haha... you are wrong!"
Wu Ming smiled and said: "A truly successful businessman invests in the monarch and the kingdom, and uses the power of money to manipulate the entire noble class!"
…
Snapped!
The next day, under the whip and stick, Wu Ming swept away the wildling slaves he brought from the surrounding area, and began to work hard.
Although not fully ready to start construction, Wu Ming has inspected the territory long ago and marked out a special industrial area, leveling the foundation and repairing the roads. Such trivial matters can already be started.
And after he promulgated new laws in the territory, the entire Carross Territory's citizens boiled up.
"As long as you buy the land we leased and planted, can you become a free citizen?"
An old man held Qiao Fu's hand tightly: "You didn't lie to me?"
"That's what the proclamation at the Manor Court says!"
Qiao Fu smiled bitterly: "If you don't believe me, you can also ask Dean and the others. Because of their bravery, these young men have been granted the status of free citizens by the lord, and even the land has been given to them."
"In that case..."
The old man gritted his teeth: "I want to send my little grandson to join the army, and go to the lord to buy that piece of farmland!"
"Yo!"
Qiao Fu was a little surprised. According to his calculation, it would take at least ten years for those tenant farmers to buy their land.
But I didn't expect this old man to be so rich.
'Is it lucky to dig up some treasure, or inherit some property? It's really well hidden, I haven't heard any news before...'
He sighed in his heart, and said in a mysterious tone: "Actually... the battlefield is quite dangerous. If it's just to obtain the status of a free citizen, I have a better way."
"any solution?"
The old man's interest was suddenly aroused, and he couldn't help but promised to treat Qiao Fu to a good drink.
After getting this guarantee, Qiao Fu mysteriously said: "Do you know what those slaves are doing?"
"It seems to be planning to build some kind of building, it should be Lord Jazz's castle, right?"
The old man guessed somewhat uncertainly.
"Wrong, Lord Jazz has no intention of building a castle, he plans to build many workshops! Priority is given to recruiting people to work, and they will be paid monthly!"
Qiao Fu blinked: "I think you can send your little grandson to the workshop, at least you can learn a craft, and it will be useful even in other big cities in the future."
"Being a craftsman?"
The old man blinked. For his family of sharecroppers in the era, a craftsman with the status of a freeman is already a very decent person.
And there was not much danger, which immediately tempted him. After thanking Qiaofu several times, he left.
Qiao Fu watched him leave, and walked casually in the territory, and cheers could be heard from time to time.
I don't know how many families are secretly planning their family fortunes, preparing to redeem their land and freeman status from the lord.
There is a kind of vitality in the whole territory.
Yes, it is vitality!
Geoff chewed a grass stalk, thinking silently.
He originally had resistance to the arrival of Sir William, but the facts proved that the other party brought a new kind of vitality to the Carlos Territory.
The opponent is brave, powerful, a good lord who can protect the people, and is also very kind. This time, the militiamen have subsidies and care regardless of their injuries. As for those who died in battle, the family members immediately received condolence money and freedom identity of.
To be able to follow such a lord, even if you die in battle, is it worth it
The corners of Qiaofu's eyes suddenly became moist, and he prayed devoutly to all the gods: "The omnipotent gods, please bless our Lord Jazz! Let him lead us all the way to a bright future!"
…
A few days later, with the arrival of various materials and tools, the construction of the workshop officially began.
Wu Ming patrolled around, with subtlety in his eyes.
Don't underestimate the traverser's farming ability, as long as he is given time, he is sure to turn the Carlos Territory into a commercial pearl in the entire Fengying Plain and even the Searle Continent within a few years.
Of course, at that time, my own knighthood will definitely not be able to be suppressed.
"I'm really looking forward to it... the change after accumulating strength!"
Wu Ming's eyes were deep, and he seemed to have seen through everything: "And, from the moment I sell the goods, what name will those jealous people give me? Salt Knight? Glass Knight? Or Merchant Knight?"