What is the issue that Hunter Ackerman is submitting? Hunter seems to be the most "shrewd" of Reid's three sons, and he thought of a possibility in advance. If Aesop really has some tricks to make the citizens' meeting rule that he is Aesop Ackerman, then the house Hetianzhuang was about to be taken away, and their family's plan to buy a merchant ship had to go to waste.
In order to prevent this "worst" situation, he made a request to the Citizens' Assembly. If Aesop's identity was confirmed, he would rule on another matter-the compensation for keeping the house and the farm for sixty years.
Aesop's father, Sains Ackerman, died in an accident. The farm and the house would be abandoned if left unattended. What's more, the house has been renovated several times before it can be preserved until now, and the operation and maintenance of the farm has not been done in recent years. Earning money was a burden in war-torn times, otherwise their family would not have thought of selling their house and farm to engage in more profitable trade.
If Hunter really made such a request, Aesop could also refute it. For example, the Reid family once lived in a house, and the income from running the farm these years should also be able to cover the cost of storage, or owe neither. This matter is complicated, but from a rational point of view, Aesop can still get his father's assets when he returns sixty years later. The Red family has contributed a lot. If he is rich, it is not a bad idea to make appropriate compensation. No.
So Hunter wanted to take advantage of the opportunity of the city-state citizen representative meeting to apply for a ruling—should Aesop compensate the Red family
But the result of the matter was beyond Hunter's expectations. Aesop did get back the farm and the house, which belonged to him, but Aesop did not come here to fight for property, and gave the three brothers such a precious gift in public , far more valuable than farms and houses. If the second proposal was thrown out in public, Hunter would become the joke of the entire Midori city-state, so he quickly withdrew his request.
Now that Hunter gave up his request, Thales didn't say what the second proposal was in public, and Aesop was able to guess it like a mirror, but he didn't ask anything. After the citizen representative meeting was over and the relatives met, Aesop lived in his hometown. He got along very well with his cousin and three nephews, and it was a pleasure to come and go frequently.
Aesop lived in the old house, and Reid often invited his brother to his house to get together, and the three nephews often visited his uncle at Aesop's house. Aesop is a kind elder and treats his three nephews very well.
Red's eldest son is an officer with a bad temper and impulsiveness. Aesop often told him about marching and fighting, telling him that war strategy and judgment of the battle situation are far more important to a commander than passion. Red's second son was a businessman, and he was the one who set up the business of buying ships. Doing business is Aesop's old line of business, so I often talk with him about how to do business, not blindly calculating is the real benefit.
As for the youngest nephew, Weir, he is only sixteen years old this year, which happens to be the age when Aesop left his hometown, and his appearance is exactly like Aesop's when he was a teenager. He is Aesop's favorite junior. He even told his cousin to let Weir come to him when he was free, live with him and help him manage the shop. The implication is that Weir will be his heir in the future. Of course Red was happy, and Weir liked to run to his uncle.
Aesop took back the farm and the house, why are there still shops? This matter is also related to Weir, and it is not for nothing that Aesop likes him the most. In the property left by Aesop's father, there is also a shop in Midori City. Aesop's father was originally a businessman. Later, the shop was inherited by Reid, who sold his assets to buy a ship to start a business. The shop was the first to be sold, and Aesop didn't mention it again.
However, Weir took the initiative to tell Aesop that besides the house and the farm, the property he should inherit also included a shop in the city, not far from the house, which had been sold not long ago. When Weir told his uncle, he bought the store back with his own money, and returned it to Aesop with his uncle's name written on the deed.
Aesop accepted the "gift" from his little nephew, and handed over the store to Weil. Some of Hunter's products will also be sold in Midori City, and of course they are all handed over to this shop. Aesop's life was very leisurely, and he went to the city-state square to chat with people when he had nothing to do, and became a good friend with the sage named Thales.
Aesop also often goes to the shop and sits, watching the counter to do business like an ordinary guy. It was his old business decades ago, and now he feels very kind and happy to return to his old business.
Of course, the old house was refurbished, and it was very comfortable to live in. Amon brought the craftsmen he hired to renovate it by himself. Needless to say, the craftsmanship of the gods, but even the craftsmen who worked with Amon didn't find anything. Abnormal, I just feel that this coachman is very hardworking and capable, and Master Aesop really knows how to hire a man!
When renovating the house, Amonte asked Aesop deliberately, the original symbol of the patron saint had been exposed, should the symbol be hidden again? Aesop said no, so the original steps in front of the door did not move, but the stone slab was restored to its original state. The stone slab with the Hermes scepter engraved on the back was still in place, and there were no other guards hidden in the newly built house. God symbol.
Aesop believed in Amon as the only god. In his opinion, the power stick engraved on the stone slab was just a traditional hidden decoration, which was kept in place as a memory, but he did not believe in Hermes , there is no need to do anything redundant.
With Aesop's age and experience, he has reached the stage where he doesn't have to be tempted by everything, he can do whatever he wants and be at ease. He knew who Amon was, but he still watched Amon repair the house for him like an ordinary craftsman. It was Amon himself who asked to do so, so he would not interfere. Anyway, someone just needs someone to repair the house. Aesop doesn't care whether the person who repairs the house is a god or not, as long as Amon is a qualified craftsman.
If an insider saw this scene, he might think that Aesop was disrespectful to the gods, but Aesop knew how to get along with the gods. Amon must seek proof when he comes to the world. Since he has done so, it is the process of seeking proof. Aesop didn't know what he could do for the gods, and this was his help to the gods.
After the house was repaired, Aesop didn't need to take a carriage to live in the city, so Amon, the "coach driver", was "unemployed". But he made another request to Aesop, hoping to take care of the farm. Aesop asked privately: "My God, why do you want to take care of my farm?"
Amon said with a smile: "It seems that I was destined to be a blacksmith and a miner when I was born. If it weren't for the later accidents, I might have been for the rest of my life. But then I became a hunter in the mountains, a guard of the temple, a general who commanded the army, you a charioteer, but never a farmer."
Aesop didn't say any more, and directly handed over the farm to Amon for full management. He just told Amon how he wanted to run the farm and what crops he wanted to grow. In the eyes of others, Aesop treated the old man who followed him back to his hometown with generosity and trust. When he didn't need the driver, he handed over the farm to Amon.
Amon is still called Amon, and no one would think that he is the main god of Aiju, but just treat him as a mortal with the same name as a certain foreign god. There are many things to worry about when running a farm. Aesop’s farm is half-flat and half-sloping land. Most of the crops originally planted are olives. Olive oil is the most important product and export commodity of the city-states of the Yalun Alliance.
But Aesop changed the crops, planted grapes on the slopes to make wine, built a wine cellar in the farm, and planted wheat on the flat land. The area of the fertile plains near the city-state of Midori is limited, and the yield of wheat grain planted on a lot of land is not high. People would rather import wheat grain than grow it themselves, but Aesop did the opposite.
It will take at least one or two years to replant crops to see a good harvest. Medanzuo also asked Amon privately: "My god, you escorted Aesop back to his homeland, and now fulfill his wish. Stay here, Do you want to accompany Aesop to the end of your life?"
Amon shook his head and said, "It's not for Aesop. He is accompanied by his relatives in his hometown and has a good life. This is exactly what he asked for, not what the gods gave. If there is no me, he can also invite better ones." The farmer came to take care of the farm. As the god he believes in, I don't need to stay here, even if I am far away in the kingdom of heaven, I can still hear his prayers and calls.
When I come to the world, I have my own proof. I deal with people here, observe what the world thinks and thinks, and all things are handled by me personally and happen naturally. This is different from looking at the world from afar in the kingdom of heaven. The experience along the way, including the drama we saw in Yalun City and what Aesop did, are all inspiring to me. "
Since Amon said so, Medan Zuo naturally stayed at Aesop's house, and neither the gods nor the ninth-level angels would care about one or two years. In the eyes of others, both Medanzuo and Amon are Aesop's entourage brought back to his hometown. Medanzuo is a handsome and majestic warrior who can escort Aesop thousands of miles back to Midori. Obviously, his methods are not weak and even possible Is a great samurai. With him around, no one would dare to trouble Aesop.
After Aesop handed over the farm to Amon, he didn't bother about it anymore. Every day, he went to the city square to find Thales or chat with everyone, and he talked with Weir in the shop about the world. Weir didn't quite understand one thing, and asked specifically: "Dear uncle, running a farm naturally doesn't make money from doing business, but it doesn't matter if you like it, after all, you keep the land of your ancestors. If you grow grapes to make wine, if the wine It’s a good deal if it’s good, but growing wheat grains is obviously not as good as growing olives.”
Aesop smiled and said: "Just wait and see, it won't take long to understand. Now the conflict between the Yalun League and the Kibata League on the Heaton Peninsula is becoming more and more fierce, and the Macedonian Kingdom in the north is rising. But the Potts Empire is still unwilling to fail. Under this situation, can the Yalun Alliance maintain its commercial supremacy for a long time
Once the sea line of communication is cut off, or the business center is transferred, what will happen to the Midori city-state that lacks products? Your second brother is in business, whose money will he be able to earn by then? Everyone is growing olives. If the olive oil cannot be shipped out due to the war, what will happen? I have talked to your eldest brother about the recent strategic situation, which is mainly military, but I am still a farmer, so I will naturally have my own considerations. "
When Aesop was talking to his little nephew, a young man walked into the shop. He was very handsome in his short-sleeved tunic and holding a willow branch. Aesop stood up and greeted, "Sir, do you want to buy something?"
The young man smiled and shook his head: "I just went to the city to find a grocery store, and came in to see what I needed."
Aesop waved his hand: "Then you can look at it as you like."
Looking at the products on the shelf, the young man suddenly pointed at the god statue on the most delicate shelf at the back of the store and asked, "May I ask how much Zeus sells for you?"
Aesop replied very politely: "It's not Zeus, but the statue of Zeus. The one you are referring to sells for two silver coins."
The young man asked back with a half-smile: "The great Zeus is the father of the gods of Olympus. Can this solemn statue be sold on the shelves like ordinary commodities? Belief in gods can also be bought and sold." Do you use money to trade? This shopkeeper, please answer this question, otherwise why would you sell idols and earn your benefits in the name of gods?"
The young man's question was interesting and sounded like finding fault. But this is the territory of the city-state of the Allen Alliance, and there are often various sages or wise men having similar debates in the city-state temple square, so Aesop is not surprised. It seemed that the young man was a wandering sage who was passing by, but he asked the owner of the shop selling the idols.
Aesop replied unhurriedly: "I have been to many countries in the Tianshu Continent. For example, in Eju, statues cannot be bought and sold openly, otherwise they will be regarded as blasphemy against the gods. But the statues don't fall from the sky. The official or If the folks want to build statues of gods, they must also ask craftsmen to chisel and depict them, which is calculated for remuneration.
The belief here is more tolerant, and people's feelings towards the gods are closer. Your willingness to pay for the statue, rather than go to the tavern with the money, proves that you are willing to pay the price for your faith. And this money is not earned by the gods, but paid to the craftsmen who carved the statues, the grooms who transported the statues, and the shops that sold the statues.
If you think you're buying gods, two silver coins are indeed blasphemy, and you can charge Zeus yourself a price, when in fact no one can afford it! All we have is the starry sky above our heads and the belief in our hearts. Things outside of us are a way of expression, so I would like to ask you, how much do you want to bid for such a statue? "
The young man was slightly taken aback, as if he did not expect such an answer from Aesop, changed the subject, pointed at the statue of Hera next to Zeus and said, "Then how much does this statue sell for?"
Hera is the wife of Zeus in myths and legends. Her statue is a stone sculpture with colorful paintings, wearing a corolla decorated with peacock feathers, and wearing a bright long skirt. She has a plump body and a dignified appearance. Aesop replied: "Four silver coins are needed."
The young man was surprised: "The two statues have the same material and the same size, why is the statue of Hera twice as expensive as the statue of the father of the gods?"
Aesop explained calmly: "This is a statue of a goddess. The corolla and clothing are much more complicated. The craftsmen have to spend twice as much time carefully carving and painting. If you don't pay attention, it will be easily damaged, and the whole stone will be useless." , so it will be more expensive.”
The young man nodded, then pointed to the bottom of the wooden frame and asked: "Then the statue of Hermes, the patron saint of the city-state of Midori and also the patron saint of merchants, is about the same size as the two statues just now, and the carving is also very fine." It’s exquisite, I like it very much, how much do you plan to sell it for?”
At this moment, Amon's voice suddenly sounded in Aesop's soul: "The young man in front of you is the god Hermes himself. Walked down from the altar of the city-state temple."
Amon was far away in the vineyard outside the city, but he noticed the situation here in time and secretly reminded Aesop. Aesop didn't show any strange expression when he heard Amon's voice, and said to Hermes calmly: "Are you talking about this statue? If you paid six silver coins to buy the two statues just now, this one is considered Add a head, this store will give you a discount for free."
Hermes' smile froze for a moment, and then asked again: "I think this statue is not bad, don't you plan to sell it more expensive?"
Aesop still smiled and said: "It's just a statue that's worth so much money. It's genuine. I don't want to deceive you."
Hermes frowned slightly: "Old man, do you know who I am?"
Aesop replied: "You are the customer who came to ask the price, and I am the owner of the shop."
The young man turned and walked out of the shop without saying a word. Weil, who had been standing by the side, felt a little puzzled, and Amon's voice sounded in Aesop's soul again: "Aesop, I want to say thank you! You have given me the best inspiration for thinking about the problem."
…
Why should Amon thank Aesop? Perhaps only the god knows it himself. And what is the purpose of Hermes? I am afraid that only the god can understand it in his heart.
In the city-state citizen representative meeting, Hermes once issued an oracle at the request of the people-"People of Midori, the old man in front of you has returned from a foreign land, where he has not received the light of the gods, and the gods will not To prove his identity, he needs to prove himself."
And Aesop's way to prove his identity is to uncover the hidden Hermes scepter mark in the old house, and when the house was rebuilt, he put the stone slab back intact. Hermes knew Aesop's beliefs, and Aesop expressed his beliefs, a silent dialogue between gods and mortals.
When Hermes came to the world and appeared in front of Aesop in person, Aesop would treat him as a guest who came to ask the price no matter whether he said his name and identity or not. How should the goods in the store be sold or how should they be sold? Aesop did not disrespect this guest. And Amon watched this scene from the sidelines, understood the cause and effect, and also had his own insights.
…
Autumn is coming to an end, and winter is approaching. The newly planted grapes need to be removed from the trellises, branches pressed, and buried in the soil, and the farmers in the farm are busy with the wheat fields, and there is no manpower available. So Amon came to the road outside the farm, ready to hire short-term labor.