Two days later, Randall led Lord Nelson, the head of the First Legion, Linda, the sheriff, Munk, the sheriff, George, the village chief, and Lilia, the head of the family, all to appear in the study of Silvermoon Manor to be questioned by Victor, Nicole, and Sylvia.

"My dear, I am only a listener. ”

Sylvia's gaze swept over everyone, and she smiled softly at Victor, her white hand holding the silver spoon and gently stirring the coffee that Nicole presented.

Everyone's hearts were awe-inspiring, and the atmosphere in the study was almost frozen.

Sylvia sits in the Rose Manor, and she lives in seclusion on weekdays, and even the upper echelons of the York family are easily unable to see her, let alone members of the Randall family. Only Nelson and Lilia knew that Sylvia was one of the three Golden Knights of Gambis, and the others only knew that this stunning lady was extremely noble, possibly the modern Duchess of York.

That's enough!

The York family was the Randall's biggest supporter, and the two sides had close political, military, and economic ties. The middle and senior management of the Randall family have the most intuitive understanding of this. Back then, they were all outcasts from the bottom of Castle Black, and later, when the ant tide swept through Randall's territory, they were sheltered by the Yorks.

The upper echelons of the Randall family had to be cautious in front of Nicole, let alone the Duchess of York?

Nothing involving the Pope or the First Paladin is no small matter!

Nelson knows and won't say it. With Victor in charge, he doesn't have to worry about it.

At this time, Victor was staring at the two items on the desk, stunned.

A yellow-green piece of paper, square and coarse, with squashed wheat stalks visible on it. Although its quality is poor, it is indeed a piece of straw paper.

Victor sighed when he saw the paper again. This is almost the only physical evidence of him as a time-traveler, and will have a profound impact on the other world.

Extraordinary forces have divided the human race in the other world, and the vast majority of ordinary people are attached to the transcendental, while a few transcendent beings dominate the process of human civilization. However, whether they are the Chosen One, the Knights, or the clergy of the Church, they hold the dominion of the human kingdom, but they only want to obtain greater supernatural powers, and have little incentive to promote the development of mortal society.

To take the simplest example, animal skin paper is expensive, but the extraordinary can afford it, and naturally they do not need to invent low-cost straw paper.

On Earth, paper is the most common carrier of information. With the invention of printing, expensive books have also entered ordinary people's homes, thus laying the foundation for the vigorous development of human civilization.

The papyrus on the table has the same meaning for otherworldly human society.

There is no essential difference between the wisdom of ordinary people and the transcendental, and they can also create great civilizational wonders. It is only because they are limited by material conditions that they appear to be ignorant. For example, an ordinary farmer discovers that bee pollination can make the fruit grow, and wants to further study the rules, but he is too busy to make a living and does not have enough time to conduct systematic experiments and records. If he had paper, he could record his thoughts, experiments, and observations and let them go on to complete the pollination experiment.

It can be said that paper has greatly increased the width and thickness of mortal civilization. Victor can even imagine that someone in the future will also say something like "I am standing on the shoulders of giants".

This paper will open a new era!

Of course, the current straw paper can only be used to wipe the butt. But the papyrus is already there, will the blank paper be far away?

"My dear, this is straw made of straw...... Specifically to get people to solve the sanitation problem? What price are you going to set for it?"

Nicole was wearing a light green tunic dress, and her pretty face was full of curious expressions, and she was actually asking: Are the homeless hirers willing to spend money to wipe their butts?

No one understands why Victor even cares about the problem of his people wiping their butts.

Who cares what the common people wipe their butts with?

If it weren't for the purpose of opening up the wisdom of the people, improving the power of the human kingdom, and dealing with unknown invaders, Victor would not be able to make paper, let alone engage in any mercenary system. In fact, having been a leisurely aristocratic lord, hunting, fishing, and trysts with beautiful lovers were more in line with his fantasies.

"Habits can be cultivated. Victor put down the straw paper and said with a smile: "Pastor David made soap for washing from pig pancreas and kidney bean flour, and it was not popular at first, but now it is not very popular? ”

Nicole took the straw paper, looked at it for a moment, and muttered, "It's dry, light, and neat, and it's easy to store and transport....... I know! When we developed the southern continent, the efficiency and cost of transportation and storage of straw paper were far lower than that of wheat straw. She looked at Victor with affection and said admiringly, "Honey, you are so smart!"

Sylvia gave Nicole an appreciative look. The others were immediately in awe of the lord's foresight, and if it were a different occasion, they would never give up the opportunity to make a sycophant.

Well, it's not mechanized production, straw paper is really used to wipe the butt...... Victor coughed dryly, picked up the two purple gold coins on the table, and gently shook them twice.

The two Purple Gold Coins were only half the size of the Noble Purple Gold Coins, and their dull color indicated that they contained a pitiful amount of Adamantite gold, but they were also minted by the Royal House of Gambis, used by ordinary vassals, and could be exchanged for 100 gold soles.

Victor once ridiculed the Augustian family for not understanding the national debt, which was obviously a mistake. The Noble Purple and Vassal Purple Coins bypassed the restriction of coin issued by the church and the lord, and were guaranteed by the credit of the royal family, and had the dual function of currency and national debt.

Victor is particularly eager to have the right to issue currency, based on the reality of Randall's realm.

The Randalls paid tens of thousands of hired laborers in large quantities, and trading in the realm became more and more frequent, and the existing monetary system could no longer meet the actual needs of the market. Take goose eggs as an example, a copper coin can buy 8 raw goose eggs, or 6 cooked goose eggs, and it is impossible to buy a goose egg alone.

Don't underestimate the business of a goose egg, which represents countless miscarriages behind it, simply because there is no smaller currency in circulation. If Randall had a small amount of money, there would be all sorts of small traders and vendors in the market, selling spiced goose eggs, small toys, soap, and vegetables...... They will enrich Randall's business activities and raise Randall's tax revenues.

Unlike the other lords, Victor levied taxes on trades, while the other lords charged shop rents and goods transit fees, and they agreed to offset the goods, and barter was common in the market.

How can barter be taxed? If no tax is collected, how can mercenary legions be raised?

The reality is that Randall's merchants have to barter to a certain extent during the transaction, otherwise they can't make change. Not to mention the mess of the transaction accounts, the taxes on the goods also include goods. Therefore, the tax officer often runs around the street with some goose eggs, goose feathers, cured meat, lizard skins and other things.

As soon as the weather was hot, these "taxes" were donated to the church.......

Anyone can cast copper soles, the problem is that copper is currently the cheapest metal, cheaper than iron, and copper sol has the same purchasing power as its actual value.

Issuing banknotes? Victor didn't even have to think about it. It's not because of papermaking and printing technology, it's that it's too easy to copy.

Under the same conditions, what you can make, others can make. The Americans invented the atomic bomb, but don't other countries have it? The technological monopoly of the time-travelers is simply a fool's dream! Even if the Alchemy Empire's Thorium equipment comes out, it won't take many years for other major forces to build the Thorsilver equipment.

Victor's issuance of paper money would only bring down the Randall family, not to mention that the church and the lord would not allow him to issue new currency. Victor only wanted the support of the church to mint smaller and thinner copper coins that only circulated in Randall's territory, like the vassal purple gold in front of him.

Papermaking is a scientific research and education issue, and currency is a trade finance issue, and they are not imminent problems.

What Victor needs to solve urgently now is Randall's legal problem.

"This is the purple gold coin that Sid used to buy the Robert family?" he asked with interest.

"Yes. The sheriff, Munke, bowed and replied, "Sid's fourth son, Kali, has set a trap, and he wants to borrow from other methods of artificial paper, and deliberately rents a paper workshop. The third son of the Robert family, Severin, had a breakthrough and refused to leave the workshop. Cali wanted to use the money to buy him, but Severin was adamant that he wouldn't agree. The two pulled each other, and Severin accidentally fell into the slurry pool, which triggered the rest of the matter. ”

Victor nodded and asked again. "Are you sure there are no dead people?"

"There are no dead people. Father Miller happened to be collecting medicine nearby, and he used his magic to save three of the wounded, and everyone except the boar was unconscious. The perpetrator, Marcy, is currently being held in the dungeon of the Vigilante. ”

"So ......"

Victor's eyes flashed with an inexplicable glint as he knocked on the table and asked, "Can anyone tell me why this matter is making such a fuss, even the people of Barony Fenicos are talking about it?!"

"Miracles!" Nicole said bluntly, "The priest of the church preached miracles to the people, and secretly led the people to discuss this matter, and now everyone is waiting for our verdict." ”

The main messenger behind it must be His Majesty the Pope, why did he add fuel to the fire and force me to make a statement? Fortunately, Miller saved those three people, otherwise I would have been cornered, and now that there are no dead people, I have more choices...... No, if the dead man is more in line with the Pope's wishes, why didn't he stop Miller? Or did Miller not dump the Pope at all? uh...... It must be like this, Miller even dared to tell me the secret of the Holy Power Pool, and it is estimated that he is not even afraid of the Pope...... Well, that's what a pious priest does, and Old Man Miller is so cute....... Victor retracts his thoughts and returns to the case itself.

"Munk, I'd like to hear your opinion. He asked.

The sheriff bowed slightly and said, "Marcy's murder was a misunderstanding, but it is also true, if it were not for Father Miller, Cali and the boar would have died at that time." Therefore, I propose that Marcy be hanged, and that the Robert family has no right to receive a reward for making paper. Cali set a trap and almost caused Severin's death, acting despicably, but he did not mean to hurt Severin, and could have ordered the Sid family to compensate the Robert family with 200 gold soles, and Cali was also not entitled to a paper making reward. ”

"Hmph! You took Sid's black money. ”

Nelson had always looked at the monkey unpleasantly, and he thought that the monkey did not share the hardships with everyone and did not deserve to climb on the head of the family under the division system. At this time, he jumped out and accused: "Don't think I don't know, not only do you collect black money from vendors, but also pay you tribute from gray towels and human traffickers." ”

"Your Excellency, the Ombudsman knows about my money. The monkey replied lightly: "I don't take the money alone, the soldiers of the security station have a share, including your old subordinates." It is the rule that the police will collect money, and if I don't collect it, the businessmen and gangsters will not feel at ease. Collecting money is also a rein on their hand, and as long as I raise the money, these people have to be honest. I don't have to shout at them, and my master doesn't have to be pointed at by Father Miller. ”

"Also, the traffickers are just brokers, and they introduce jobs to homeless people and women to singles. You should know that it is normal for homeless men and women to be divided and combined, and homeless women also want to live a good life, give a little money to their men, and let those men let them go, so that the bachelors led by Randall have the opportunity to marry a wife and have children, and settle down and fall behind. These are all things that you and I want, how can brokers be considered human traffickers? Without these brokers, there would be Randall to lead the peace. ”

Monkey is a smart man, he knows very well that he is only responsible for Victor and cannot look at anyone's face, so his relationship with other people has always been cold. Victor didn't give the monkey any fief, he only received 200 gold soles for the year, so Victor allowed him to collect money.

The money is both the sheriff's reins around the necks of merchants and gangsters, and Victor's reins around the sheriff's neck, and if the monkey behaves honestly and doesn't show any tricks, Victor will replace him instead.

"Alright. Nelson. Tell me your opinion. Victor raised his hand and motioned for Nelson to stop.

Nelson exclaimed, "My lord, I don't care about papermaking. Marcy shouldn't have done the murder, but she was only there to protect her family, and if the people of Randall didn't even have the courage to protect their families, what could we expect them to be good soldiers? Executing Marcy would only turn the people into a bunch of rabbits! I think Marcy must be acquitted!"

"That makes sense. Victor smiled and asked Linda, "What do you mean, Ombudsman?"

"My lord, I don't give any opinion, because I don't know who is right and who is wrong. Linda stepped forward and said, "But there are some situations that I have to explain. ”

"First of all, Robert's eldest son, Sebins, found Centurion Ritter, who came to Nelson with 100 gold soles, who was our old subordinate of the Bears, and Nelson promised to help Sabins, but did not ask for Ritter's money. ”

"Linda, you ......"

Nelson stared at him in a hurry, but Linda ignored it and continued: "Sid took 1,000 gold sol to ask Lord Munk for help, and Lord Munk accepted it. ”

"Sid's family has so much money?" asked Victor in surprise.

"The money was actually put together by all 82 merchants. They promised to give me 1,000 gold soles when it was done. The monkey explained.

"Why?"

"Because they can't afford to build a house. Lilia said: "Whether the Sid family can get the reward for papermaking has nothing to do with the merchants. They don't want this to affect their own house. So, these merchants threw money around and begged me. ”

"I see...... It seems that our Randall collar is still somewhat attractive. Victor smug and chuckled, "George, what about you?"

The village chief George was a little uneasy and said: "Sid sent me 400 gold soles, I didn't ask for it! However, this incident has caused public outrage, and the residents of the eastern, northern, and western districts of the village are very dissatisfied with Sid's deception, and Sid is not as capable as so many villagers. I have no right to intervene in Marcy's murder, but I think the reward for making paper should go to the Roberts. ”

Victor was noncommittal, his gaze turned to Lilia, "Your opinion, dear. ”

Sylvia and Nicole were there, Lilia didn't dare to be coquettish, she said calmly, "My lord, I hope you can pardon Marcy's capital crime...... I want a female bodyguard. My parents died early, and when the outcasts and bandits attacked the mercenary station, Aunt Lucy was killed by the bandits in order to save me, and I saw the shadow of Aunt Lucy in Marcy......"

Linda's eyes immediately turned red, and Nelson knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice, "My lord, please forgive Marcy." I don't ask for anything else. ”

Victor turned to Nicole and asked, "Honey, what is your opinion?"

"I don't usually bother with this kind of thing, just leave it to the sheriff and the priest. Nicole frowned, pursed her lips and smiled: "Since you asked my opinion, then it is better to do this, the paper reward is divided equally between the two families, and Cali inadvertently pushed Severin into the pulp pool, but Severin did not die, and Cali deserved 20 lashes." The boar saved people, without merit, Marcy was guilty of murder, and the boar also did not die, but was unconscious...... But he was a fool after all...... Marcy was spared the hanging and sentenced to 20 years of hard labor by Lilia's sister's side. ”

"It was very much to my heart. Victor nodded and ordered: "That's it, and in addition, open 200 places for homeless families to build houses." ”

George hesitated for a moment, then asked weakly, "My lord, what about the ....... Wright and Tunan? They are the ones who invented paper, and I am afraid that Father David will have something to say." ”

"Let's all go down. Victor waved his hand, but thought to himself, "I am the inventor of paper, and His Majesty the Pope is standing on my shoulder." ”

When Nelson and the others left the study, Victor asked Sylvia for advice: "My dear, why did His Majesty the Pope make a big deal about it? What kind of verdict would he like to see?"

Sylvia put down her coffee cup and shook her head, "It doesn't matter how you decide, who decides does." Clement just wants to see if you're going to judge in person. ”

"If you take this case to the sheriff, it's nothing to the church. But if you judge it yourself, Clement will have to weigh it carefully. ”

"Madame, what does His Majesty have to weigh up?" asked Nicole nervously, "Does it have any effect on Victor?" ”

Sylvia bowed her jaw and said, "There will still be some impact, and the worst result is that the priest calls on the people to refuse to join the Randall family's mercenary group." ”

Victor stood up and asked, "Why?"

Sylvia looked at her lover and smiled, "Honey, don't you realize it, you have touched the bottom of the church, weakened the faith of the outcasts, and your personal judgment shows your determination to continue......!

"But that could be a bad thing, and it's more likely a good thing...... But you have to convince me first!"