When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 944: The Holy Union Village in 1453 (Part ) (Two chapters in one)

"Do you want to know why Enqing Market is called the crown of Shenglian Industry and Commerce?"

Seeing that Alexei was in high spirits, the lame old man also became interested.

He squinted at Alexei and said, "My mouth is dry. I don't feel like talking."

Alexei quickly called the guard and went to the store to buy a glass of farm beer. He asked the lame old man to rinse his mouth before he began to speak.

"If you want to know the answer to this question, you must first know where the financial revenue of the Priestly Congregation comes from. If you want to know where the financial revenue of the Priestly Congregation comes from, you must know where the financial revenue of the Hundred Household District comes from."

"Why so much nonsense?" The guard couldn't help but muttered.

The lame old man glared and said, "If others want to know, I won't tell them."

After rinsing his mouth with beer, the lame old man continued, "From 1450 to 1452, the villages did not pay taxes for three years in order to restore the decline caused by the war.

Of course, not paying taxes only means not paying taxes to priests and religious orders. A lot of grain is used in the public treasury of the hundred-household district because they use it for themselves.

Generally speaking, 10% of the grain in the public treasury of a hundred households is paid, and 10% is handed over to the priestly order.

Do you know how many tons of grain were transported from the Baihu District to the granary in Siduo Town?

Please note that this amount must be deducted from the food rations, because it is calculated from the surplus food outside the food rations."

"2 tons?"

"Two tons? Twenty tons!" The lame old man seemed to be too excited and coughed. "There are 2 hundred-household districts, with a total of 20 tons of barley and wheat, and countless beers."

In fact, with the combination of improved seeds and fertilizers, the yield of barley per acre exceeded 120 pounds, and the yield of wheat per acre exceeded 100 pounds.

It's just that the local per-acre yield is basically 110 pounds of barley and 90 pounds of wheat.

First, the mountain climate is indeed not very good, and second, most farmers use extensive farming methods.

It’s not that they don’t want to cultivate the land intensively, but there are too many fields and they can’t manage them all.

After experiencing a cycle of flood-war-flood-war, the population of Upper River County has only recovered to just over 15 this year.

When Horn was an accountant in Gaobao City, there were 12 people in Gaobao Township alone.

This year, there are two priestly orders with about 8 people under the jurisdiction of Gaobao Township.

When Hedge Township and Red Branch Township were merged, there was only one priestly congregation each, and Honey River Township also had only one priestly congregation.

The two townships together have a population of just over 7.

On average, almost every household has 130 acres of land, and everyone is a small landlord.

It is definitely impossible for a family of five to cultivate 130 acres of land. Even if they are forced to cultivate it, it would be a waste of land.

That is why villages and towns were merged to control the area of ​​grain farmland for a household's four-field rotation to around 100 mu.

The remaining 30 acres were basically used to grow various cash crops and raise cattle and sheep.

Of course, because of the convenience of valley water conservancy, in the four-field rotation in Upper River County, winter wheat can be planted after legumes in one year, autumn barley in the next year, and turnips in the third year.

This means that the proportion of grain planting out of 100 acres has increased from 50 acres to 66 acres.

Under the four-field rotation system, an average household in Upper River County can produce 2970 pounds of wheat and 3630 pounds of barley per year.

Excluding the food ration of 1500 pounds of wheat (tax reductions to attract population), each household paid a tithe of 147 pounds of wheat, 290 pounds of barley, and 10 gallons of beer.

The entire priestly congregation in the town of Laffort has a total of 7800 households, which means 570 tons of wheat, 1100 tons of barley, and 325 tons of beer.

The lame old man slapped his thigh and said, "With this number, how can we transport so much grain? How can we store so much grain beer?"

"Then collect the currency."

"The farmer has no currency."

"Then let the merchants buy it."

"Merchants will force down prices, which is equivalent to demanding more grain, and good governance will turn into bad governance."

"Then harvest the grain."

"...Are you awake?" Staring at the guard who had been arguing with him all the way, suspicion and self-doubt flashed in the eyes of the lame old man for the first time.

But Alexei quickly dispelled his doubts: "I understand. Let the Enqing Market collect grain and pay money... No, isn't it still collecting and transporting grain? And where does the currency come from?"

"It's different now. The reason is simple. The time to collect taxes is short and the money is light, while the time to buy and transport grain is long and the grain is heavy."

I have to say that Alexei is a very smart guy and he understands things very quickly.

In other words, the tax grain is kept at the farmer's home, and when there is a demand for grain, the Enqing Market will list it for purchase.

Either peddlers or centurions organized the crusaders to transport the food to the priestly towns.

The farmer received the money and then paid it to the centurion and the town hall during tax season.

And it's more flexible.

Because in addition to paying grain, they can also exchange beer and their own agricultural products for money.

For example, the oil mill in Siduo Town will sign a rapeseed purchasing agreement with some surrounding farmers.

In addition to grain, the Enqing Market also purchases large quantities of other products based on the needs of towns and higher-level markets.

For example, rapeseed oil, fresh vegetables, fresh meat from livestock, etc.

Although not all taxes are paid in cash, at least two-thirds of the taxes are paid in cash.

"It is equivalent to transferring part of the storage and transportation costs to the farmers... But in this way, the price of grain is easily affected by market fluctuations..."

“At the end of last year, the Divination Fathers of the Holy Alliance calculated the normal highest and lowest grain prices for the year.

Secondly, if people without a grain license collect and sell grain indiscriminately, it is a serious violation of the law and you will be imprisoned for at least two years.

Finally, the Enqing Market will build a poverty relief warehouse near the main traffic arteries in the Baihu District and purchase grain at a price slightly higher than the lowest market price.

During the harvest season, Enqing Market would also purchase a batch of relief grain and store it.

When the market price exceeds the normal range of the poor warehouse, the poor warehouse will open the warehouse to release grain or continue to purchase. "

"What if merchants continue to snipe and hoard goods?"

“The Cheka would come and shoot him for speculation and treason.”

Alexei opened his mouth wide: "Is this possible?"

The Holy Alliance does not force local orders to preserve tax grain, as long as they ensure that the stored grain is sufficient to withstand small-scale disasters.

"But what does this have to do with Enqing Market being the crown of industry and commerce?"

"I'm almost there." The lame old man suddenly looked outside several times, even waved his hands several times, before he started talking again.

"But there is a problem: where does the money come from? That is, how to make a profit."

When talking about happy things, the lame old man picked up a piece of charcoal and started writing and drawing on the ground.

The operating model of Enqing Market is to purchase grain, raw materials and agricultural and sideline products in the countryside.

For example, food, wood, wool, etc. were taken to towns and exchanged for farm tools and woolen cloth.

Next, some urban goods, such as oil lamps, farm tools, woolen cloth and even luxury goods (sugar, spices), were shipped back to the countryside to meet rural demand. Of course, these things were expensive, so it was reasonable for the market to increase prices slightly.

However, the Holy Grandson set a bottom line for the Favor Market: necessities (salt, peat, etc.) are priced uniformly by the Holy Union and are not allowed to be priced higher than this price.

As for daily necessities and luxury goods, let the invisible big hand take the stage.

Anyway, if there is any trouble, you can settle it yourself.

Now that the Enqing Market has made money by relying on the scissors gap, will it be content with the status quo?

It's impossible. There are targets for managers of local grace markets, and if they do a good job they can be promoted all the way to the Holy Equipment Court.

Moreover, the money from this gap has to subsidize the price difference between necessities and poor warehouses, and will also be taken away by priests and religious orders.

What's left may not be enough as start-up capital for next year.

Therefore, if we want this money to continue to make money, we need to find out market information everywhere to see what is lacking and what the upper-level market needs.

Based on these demands, a batch of local goods will be tendered and purchased, transported and sold by traveling merchants.

It is not limited to urban commodities, but also includes high-value rural products (oil, high-grade timber) transported to the county seat or other townships’ Enqing markets and sold on the spot.

That’s why there is a wide variety of goods in the Grace Department Store in the county seat, and purple eggs produced in Longsand County can be found in Upper River County restaurants.

The same is true for the Grace Market in the county seat.

The goods that the county seat gathers from the entire county and the goods produced by the county seat itself, in addition to being sold domestically, will be sold abroad through international merchants.

In this way, the county seat itself gets an income, pays an income to the Holy Court through the treasury (on the books), and then pays an income to the Holy Court through tariffs.

The income submitted on the books is only kept in the county government's books, in case His Holiness the Pope wants to use this money for a project one day.

It turned out that the county seat didn't have it, so they had to either take it from the county seat's own public treasury or wait for the Cheka to come.

In addition to international trade, a large amount of commodity exchanges within the Holy Union rely on the Grace Market transportation network built by Catherine.

"So do you know what the foundation of this transportation network is?" The lame security guard said with sweat on his forehead and satisfaction.

Alexei, who had filled a notebook with notes, looked up: "What?"

“When you came here, do you remember the road on the ground?”

Alexei suddenly realized.

This is the key point. Qianhe Valley has developed shipping, and several county seats can almost be connected by water.

From 1445 to 1449, Shenglian built a large number of township-level roads.

Due to the needs of war, a large number of transfer warehouses and freight docks were built along the river.

During the four years between 1450 and 1453, villagers spontaneously built gravel roads between the hundred-household districts, completing the construction of the last kilometer of the road.

Roads and rivers are the basis for Shenglian’s efficient commodity circulation.

"This is really, this is really, a miracle." Alexei couldn't help but applaud.

"Who said it wasn't?" Wiping the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief, the lame old man looked at Alexei and couldn't help but sigh, "Young people nowadays like the passion of military affairs and don't like to hear me talk about these cold numbers.

I haven't spoken so freely for a long time. It would be great if you were my student."

"I can be your student." Alexei had long realized the old man's extraordinary talent. "I will hire you as my tutor."

“Hahahaha, forget it.” The old man stood up with a cane and waved his hand, “I have something else to do. I’ll leave first.”

…………

Holding a notebook that was half full of notes, Alexei couldn't help but sigh: "The biggest gain of today's trip is listening to these words."

The guard next to him yawned: "Really? I just feel like he's too long-winded."

"Oh, you don't understand."

Alexei took out his notebook and was about to explain when he bumped into a solid chest.

He raised his head and saw a night watchman wearing a pointed helmet.

The man with the night watch blocked him and held the iron rod at his waist: "Someone reported you as a French spy, come with us."

"Who, who reported it?" Alexei subconsciously hid the notebook behind him, but it was snatched away by the night watchman.

The guard beside Alexei was about to move, but was instantly hit on the back of his head by a clockwork pistol: "Just try to move."

Alexei quickly said, "Don't move, it's okay, we are innocent."

"...and stole a lot of information." The night watchman flipped through the notes in his hand and his face darkened.

"No, I didn't steal it. Someone told me about it before." Seeing a lame figure emerging from the sunset, Alexei felt like he had seen a savior.

"That's the one."

Seeing the lame old man slowly approaching, several night watchmen became nervous.

It was not until the lame old man stood in front of him that the leading night watchman saluted and said, "General Manager Godan, we have captured the spy you reported."

"You, you..." Alexei was dumbfounded, "You are... I, I am not a spy..."

"You said you weren't, but look at how detailed you remember it." The leading night watchman sneered as he patted the notebook, "Do you know that this action is suspected of stealing the Holy Alliance's intelligence?"

Pointing at Alexei, he was almost mad: "He told me this, he framed me on purpose!"

"I framed you on purpose? Do you have a pass from the Road and Bridge Bureau?" Godan asked back.

Alexei didn't know what to say for a moment. He came here secretly, and Andrei gave him a red light, so of course he didn't have a pass.

"I have a letter of introduction from Monsieur Andre. I am going to school."

"Do you have any on you?"

Alexei struggled and said, "They are with my companions. They are just outside the town. I will take you to find them."

"And then outside the town, you were ambushed by your accomplices, right?" The night watchman at the side raised his stick and was about to hit him, but was stopped by Godan.

"Call a few militiamen and go check out the location he mentioned."

When the night watchman arrived in the town, he shouted, and seven or eight militiamen took out their clockwork guns from their homes, mounted the night watchman's horses, and rushed out of the town.

Standing in front of Alexei with his hands behind his back, Godan had a stern expression on his face, but he was scolding the night watchman: "If the head of the monastery hadn't sent me down for a secret patrol today, I wouldn't have noticed that you were so slack in your work and almost missed a Frank commercial spy.

This kid has delicate skin and tender flesh, a French face, and wears a rough leather jacket. Aren't you suspicious?

He walked around Xinmin Square dozens of times, asking about prices everywhere, drawing pictures with a notebook, and taking notes..."

"I'm here to study, so of course I have to record it!"

Godan looked at him with regret and helplessness and said, "When I told you those data, not only did you not avoid suspicion, you even took out a notebook to write it down. Am I blind?
Besides, what I say is so boring, who can listen to it except for corporate spies? "

Alexei was anxious and angry: "Why didn't you stop me when I was memorizing it?"

"Nonsense." Godan put on his tweed hat, "If you are really a French spy, but you didn't record these data, I just reported a spy who didn't have time to commit a crime.

Remember, I am the one who reported a high-risk spy who had committed a serious crime. Take him away!"

(End of this chapter)