African Nationhood

Chapter 20 Contract Farmers

Seeing everyone so enthusiastic, Shi Jintang laughed and announced loudly in Chinese: "We are all Chinese compatriots, so naturally we should treat each other with sincerity.

I recruited you by recruiting guards before. It is not easy for you to come here across the ocean, so I will give you 2 months' salary as your reward so far.

As for the farm matter, it is another matter that we need to talk about again. Do you agree? "

Everyone was very satisfied when they heard this. Boss Shi was really trustworthy.

"Yes, we are willing."

Hearing the Chinese talking loudly, more than a dozen white people were a little depressed. What are these yellow-skinned monkeys talking about?
  Shi Jintang noticed that the white guard's face was filled with confusion. He pressed his hands and everyone fell silent.

He began to repeat in English what he had said to the Chinese before, and then asked the white guard for his opinion.

Some of the white people became mercenaries because they were too poor and had no other options. Immediately, several white people shouted "Yes".

Seeing that everyone understood, Shi Jintang continued to announce first in Chinese and then in English: "If you want to take over a ready-made farm, you can harvest ready-made crops in a month, and I will be given 80% of the harvest by then. This is considered as getting it." Partial rent of the farm.

After the new season's crops are planted, next year you will give me 7% of the harvest as land rent.
  Give me 60% the next year, and then reduce it by 10% every year until it is reduced to 10% a year.

Then this land becomes yours, and the 10% rent becomes a permanent rule. "

After saying this, everyone's excitement just disappeared, and everyone was thinking about Shi Jintang's words.

A white man with a good brain asked directly: "Does this mean that this land will be ours in seven years?"

Shi Jintang nodded, "Yes, this is a normal transaction. After all, what you are getting is mature land that has been cultivated for many years, and you can get a harvest if you take over it.

As long as you are willing to endure hardships, life will definitely get better and better in the future, and if this land becomes yours, you can pass it on to future generations.

You left your hometown just to earn a way to survive. Now that you have a way, do you want it? "

After listening to Shi Jintang's explanation, a Chinese guard felt that this method was feasible.

It was just that I had to work hard for a few years. Later, when the land came into my own name, the land rent was very low at that time, so I could do it.

The white man who asked the question felt that the yellow-skinned boss was too greedy. He continued, "I don't think it's appropriate for the boss to say what you said."

Shi Jintang laughed and said to the tall and thin white man: "If you think it's not suitable, you can choose another option.

That is to cultivate the land that has not yet been cultivated. In that case, after harvesting, you will pay 4% in the first year, 3% in the second year, and so on. The land will be yours after the % rent. "

After hearing this plan, the white guard immediately became excited, "This is okay, I am willing to accept it."

The Chinese guard next to him snickered secretly, could this fool be the same when he was born and cooked?

It takes at least 3 years of cultivation for raw land to catch up with the harvest of mature land.

Of course, everyone has different ideas. They meet a good boss and can get land in exchange for a few years of harvest. Such good things are rare.

It's just that this kind of land must be large in amount to be cost-effective. One or two acres of land cannot even support oneself, no matter how good it is.

"Boss, can we sign a contract?"

The white guard who asked the question just now continued to ask.

“Of course, a contract has to be signed.

Once it's written down in black and white, I won't be able to regret it if I want to, right? "

After hearing this, all the guards felt more at ease and shouted "Yes!"

Seeing everyone's enthusiasm rising, Shi Jintang smiled, lowered his hand and continued: "There is another issue to be clarified, whether it is taking over an existing farm or reclaiming new land, there is a limit.

You cannot occupy more land without limit. One person is limited to 50 acres (1 acre = 6 acres of land). Do you understand? "

After hearing this, these guards all felt that they understood. 50 acres was already a large amount, especially the Chinese guards who felt that they had earned more.

If 50 acres were converted into Han acres, it would be more than acres of land. This area is a bit too much.

They have been working for generations, and the most they think about is having a few acres of heirloom land. Having a paddy field would be a great virtue for the ancestors.

Now all this can be easily achieved in a foreign country, and it is a ready-made place.

There are many rivers around, and with a little improvement, it can become a good paddy field.

And it’s still a few hundred acres of land, and he suddenly became a big landowner!
  It’s like a dream!
  Once you have land, marry a woman and have a few children, your life will be extremely comfortable.

When the children grow up and have grandchildren, a new family will be formed, and the inheritance will be established, which will also spread the branches and leaves of the ancestors.

Thanking Buddha and the Jade Emperor are not as good as thanking boss Shi Jintang!
  Thinking of this, a Chinese guard took the lead and bowed to Shi Jintang, "Thank you, Boss Shi."

One of the Chinese guards took the lead and the other Chinese guards followed suit and made long bows one after another, "Thank you, Boss Shi."

"Boss Shi is good at charity, and he will live a long life." "Boss Shi is kind and righteous, and he will be a prince for generations to come!"

"Bodhisattva Shi Bodhisattva has a kind heart and will be rewarded with blessings!"

……

"Okay, everyone, be quiet for a moment. I have something to say. There are many of us, and I don't know who wants to plant mature land and who wants to cultivate new land, so those who accept mature land and those who cultivate new land will stand in separate lines later.

If there are too many people who want to take over the land, then for the sake of fairness, everyone will draw lots to decide who can take over the land.

No objection to this? "

Everyone nodded in approval, "No problem, we agree."

After everyone calmed down, Shi Jintang continued to announce: "Don't be afraid if you are reclaiming raw land. I will provide you with seed farming tools. These are fringe benefits of reclaiming raw land. You should have no objections."

Everyone was overjoyed when they heard it. This was really an unexpected surprise. Some people were originally wondering whether they should go to the new land if they were unlucky and couldn't draw the familiar land.

Now I feel relieved. Land must be opened. After three or four years of hard work, hundreds of acres of land can be obtained in vain. No fool would not do such a good thing.

"no comment!"

"Okay, let me continue. I will provide you with planting tools, but I cannot provide you with the cattle and horses for farming. After all, these are not two horses.

I suggest that two or three of you join forces to buy a few animals to work on first, and then purchase cattle and horses on your own later when you have more money.

And I can also provide you with interest-free loans, with a one-year limit of $100 per person, which is 20 pounds. If you need it, just come to me to sign up. "

Everyone felt more at ease upon hearing this. Boss Shi was so considerate!

"Thank you, Boss Shi."

"Boss Shi Renyi!"

"BOSS, wonderful!"

……

Everyone's emotions were completely high. Seeing how excited everyone was, Shi Jintang pressed his hands and said seriously: "Although everyone is very happy, I must pour some cold water on everyone.

Although this is inland, we are not afraid of wild beast attacks, but foreigners cannot be trusted. Therefore, even if we become farmers, we cannot lose our security work.

You must form a militia team, train collectively during leisure time, and always be prepared for attacks by foreigners. "

After hearing this, everyone immediately raised their Remington rifles and said, "Whoever dares to come will depend on the steel gun in my hand."

"Yes, we are not afraid, we are united and open to the outside world as one!"

"Unite as one and act as one to the outside world!"

……

When everyone calmed down, Shi Jintang spoke seriously again: "You can hire black indigenous people for farming, but you must not treat them as slaves.

Not to mention raping female indigenous people. If I find out about it, not only will the land be taken back, but the land will also be severely punished! "

After hearing this strict order, everyone had different thoughts.

Most Chinese have had the experience of being enslaved and bullied, so they can all accept Boss Shi's rules, and they also understand the stupidity of the black natives.

As for raping the natives, it is very difficult for them psychologically.

Of course, there are also those who are careless, but with Boss Shi's strict order, they will also consider it.

White people, on the other hand, don't care. You, Boss Shi, are also human. I am secretly playing on the farm. What do you know?
  Shi Jintang naturally knows that verbal restraint has limited effectiveness. The so-called "killing without teaching is called abuse."

Therefore, he will clearly write it down in the signed contract, so that if he violates his rules in the future, he will be able to speak out.

In addition, he also retained a hand. The leased land belonged to the lessee, but the mineral deposits under the land belonged to his boss Shi.

Once minerals are discovered under the land, Boss Shi will replace the land with the lessee and compensate for some losses. The specific amount will be negotiated later.

When everyone signed the contract, they must have never imagined that they were growing crops on a pile of gold. If they knew it, their emotions would be extremely complicated.

In the next few days, Shi Jintang was busy allocating farms to everyone and distributing food seeds and tools.

When everything was ready, Shi Jintang and the remaining dozen guards began to inspect the land under his name. The purpose of this inspection was to eliminate hidden dangers.

In his plan, he would never allow the Rand gold mine to be revealed before he was fully fledged.

The only way to explode is that there are gold mines on his land in Southwest Africa. There will never be gold in the land he bought here.

(End of this chapter)