At the end of February, the people of Randall's lead ushered in the annual three-day carnival. The fierce sun could not stop the enthusiasm in the hearts of the people, and tens of thousands of people poured into Pinghu Town, filling the streets and alleys of the town, and the joyful atmosphere filled this young town.

In fact, this year's Randall Carnival is only the second year, the same age as the town of Lake Peace. Many people are speculating about the real purpose of the Randall family spending real money to let the inferior people revel. It is even believed that the Randall Carnival was just a whim of Viscount Randall and could not have existed forever. But the people of Randall will proudly tell them that the carnival will go on forever, because the noble Viscount Randall himself said:

The people watered this town with their sweat, and it was bound to bring joy and joy to the people.

I've sweated for this town, I've watched her grow day by day, she makes me happy, this is my town, my home...... The lively atmosphere of the carnival ignites a sense of belonging and accomplishment hidden deep within them.

This sentiment is incomprehensible to outsiders, and the people of Randall can't explain it clearly. But they were really happy.

During the carnival, the merchants of Randall's collar prepared enough goods in advance, and the price was only half of the usual price, the inn and wine were prepared with abundant and cheap food and wine, and the government department invited more than 20 song and dance troupes and circuses to Pinghu Town for a public tour. The women shopped at the market, the men hung out in the taverns and inns, drank wine and talked, and the children watched the rare show, juggling and taming animals for free, standing on their toes or riding on the necks of adults, screaming and laughing, and their little hands clapping red without any pain.

However, the most talked about topic this year is not how cheap the goods and drinks are, how wonderful the troupe's performances are, or the damn fish-man wars, but the mutual aid society, the mutual aid vouchers, and the three shit luck guys.

"Did you hear about it? Three jackpots exploded today, and the guy named Mike bought two mutual aid coupons with the same number, and one person took 4,000 copper soles!"

"4,000 copper soles?

"I saw it with my own eyes! The three of them received the prize on the high platform, each carrying a bag full of silver coins......

"I know Mike's boy, we were the same people who got into Randall. I was assigned to George's Village, and he went to the south to build the fort...... When he accepted the award, I called him from under the stage, and he didn't hear it...... There were too many people at the scene, and it was even more noisy than a goose shed. ”

"Haha, he pretended not to hear it when he heard it, he must be afraid that you would borrow money from him......"

"I have a wife, will I borrow money from him? If he can win the jackpot, I can win too...... There are too many people buying mutual aid vouchers today, and I will go back to Georgetown tomorrow to buy them, and I have all the numbers in mind. ”

"Did you win this issue?"

"Win the smallest 3 consecutive numbers and exchange it for 6 copper soles...... I should have bought a few more copies, but my wife was too stingy and only let me buy one. ”

Sykes walks into the tavern and hears a deafening noise, but the content of the drinkers' discussions is related to "mutual aid vouchers" and "winning the lottery".

Business was booming in this tavern, the small space was divided into two levels, crammed into two dozen tables, each table was full, and there was a circle of customers standing around who could not find a place.

Perhaps because of Sykes's unusual attire, he wore a long-sleeved thin linen shirt, while the drinkers inside were all dressed in sleeveless vests, revealing their strong, shaggy arms. Among the vulgar strong men, Sykes appeared decent and unusual, and immediately caught the attention of the tavernkeeper.

"Come, show the boldness of Randall's people, and make way for this handsome outland lad. The tavern owner tugged at the gray towel around his neck and beckoned the two strong men in front of the bar to give way.

Sykes squeezed through the crowd and stood in front of the bar, and before he could speak, the tavern owner poured him a small glass of fuchsia drink.

"This cup was given for free. ”

The sweet and sour taste immediately conquered Sykes's taste buds, and he put down his glass and said politely, "Thank you, can you bring me another glass?" ”

"3 copper soles in a large cup, 1 copper sol 5 pence in a medium cup, 7 pence in such a small cup...... I still have two vintages of purple cane here, and the price has doubled, which one do you want?" asked the tavern keeper attentively.

Sykes hesitated and smiled shyly, "I'm not good at drinking...... Bring me a small glass of two-year-old purple cane wine. ”

"I can't drink much, what are you doing in the tavern?"

Next to him, an ugly-looking strong man looked at Sykes with the gaze of a vulture. This little white face, the more he looked at it, the more he hated it.

"You're an actor in the cabaret troupe, and you were kicked out by the girls in the troupe, right?" the tavern keeper smiled as he handed Sykes a small glass of purple cane wine and took the two copper soles from his hand.

Sykes lowered his head and took a sip of purple cane wine, hiding his embarrassment. The ugly man turned to the tavern owner and asked, "How do you know that this little white face was kicked out by the girl in the troupe?"

"I don't know the dirt buns, the beautiful girls in the troupe have to do business at night, and it is inconvenient for outsiders to be present. The tavern keeper gave the ugly man a disdainful look.

"Doing business at night? It's inconvenient for outsiders to be present......"

The ugly strong man suddenly realized, put his arms around Sykes's neck, and asked with a provocative smile: "Are you from that troupe? How many girls are there in your troupe......? I'm going to sleep with a girl in your troupe, too. ”

"It's a solo performance. Sykes whispered in pleading, looking at the tavernkeeper with a pleading look.

"Take your dirty hands away from my guests. ”

The tavernkeeper ripped off the gray towel around his neck and counted seven copper pennies for Sykes. The ugly man looked frightened, let go of Sykes, and muttered, "I'm your guest too......"

"You miser, I never saw you take care of that tavern's business before the copperpenny came into circulation. Now every time I come to drink, I only order a small glass of purple cane wine for 4 pence, and I am reluctant to spend an extra copper sol. The tavern owner scolded.

The ugly man's face became more ugly, and the drinkers at the bar laughed, while some laughed unnaturally. The tavernkeeper realized that his words had offended the group, and remedied it with a pleasant face: "Do you know how much it costs for the girl to sleep for a night? at least 20 silver coins...... Is that what makes people like us happy? If you have money, save it, and it's the right thing to do if you get a wife. ”

The drinkers nodded one after another, and some people said with a sad face: "Now the persuasion to buy a woman has risen again...... Wildwillow City reported 15 gold soles. I don't eat or drink now, and I have to save 12 years' wages to be enough. ”

"You're beautiful...... People with wives and children don't want to lead us Randall by themselves? The persuasion to buy a woman from Wild Willow City will only get more and more expensive!"

The ugly strong man slammed the table with an empty wine glass and shouted: "I have figured it out now, I should eat, I should drink, I will buy every mutual aid coupon, in case I win a few jackpots, I will ask the deacon to help me find a wife in Randall, if not, I should help others marry first...... I really can't do it, I signed up for the Swamp Scout, and after three years of doing it, I have everything...... Anyway, there is a mutual aid association, even if it is abolished, there are people who take care of me. ”

"Help each other, help each other. ”

"Boss, have another drink!" the ugly man took out four copper pennies and slapped them heavily on the bar.

The tavernkeeper quickly put away the copper penny and raised the jug to fill the ugly man's small glass. Although the business was small and could not hold a large amount, the tavern did not have so many customers before.

The others did the same, and each of them "boldly" took out copper pennies, and the tavern owner immediately smiled.

Sykes took the 6 copper pennies in the palm of his hand and looked at them carefully, then looked up and asked, "Boss, this is the first time I've seen a copper penny...... How does this money come into exchange? Can it be used anywhere else?"

"Ten copper pennies for one copper sol, you can exchange any shop in Pinghu Town and Yeliu City for you. ”

Sykes nodded, and asked weakly, "Why do I ask for 7 copper pence for a small glass of purple cane wine, and they only need 4?"

The people around laughed, and the ugly man patted the young man of the troupe on the shoulder, and said proudly: "Because you are a foreigner, not from our Randall family, our carnival is not discounted for you." ”

"For the sake of our noble hosts, for our Randall family, for our Pinghu Town, we are here to party!" the ugly strong man raised his glass and shouted loudly, and the guests in the tavern responded one after another, and the atmosphere in the tavern was instantly pushed to a climax.

When the tavern owner and his fellows had finished refilling each table of wine and returned to the bar, Sykes wasted no time in asking, "Boss, what about the mutual aid association and the mutual aid vouchers?"

The tavern owner said with a smile on his face: "Help each other, help each other! We buy mutual aid coupons from the mutual aid association, and the mutual aid association uses the money to help the old, weak, sick and disabled ......."

"Mutual aid vouchers can win the jackpot, that is the reward of the Supreme Lord for our self-salvation!"

"There are also small and medium prizes for mutual aid vouchers, which are also a gift from the Most High Lord!"

"Mutual aid coupons have 3 copper soles for one number, and the minimum grand prize is 2000 copper soles, and there is no upper limit on ......"

Everyone rushed to introduce them, and Sykes gradually understood, and he pointed to his nose and asked, "Can a foreigner like me buy a mutual aid voucher?"

The tavern owner and the drinkers looked at each other and said hesitantly, "This...... I really don't know. ”

"Yes, I can!," exclaimed one of the drinkers, "the Supreme Bishop has taught us that every believer should redeem himself...... As long as you are a believer in the Lord, you can buy mutual aid vouchers!"

"Yes, I can buy it, praise the Most High. ”

"Praise be to the Most High. Sykes painted the Holy Emblem in vain, looked up and asked, "If I win the prize, how can I claim the prize?"

"Well...... the tavern owner touched the back of his head and said in a deep voice, "The mutual aid ticket is held once a week, and if you stay here until the weekend, you will naturally be able to claim the prize." ”

As for whether the song and dance troupe can stay in Pinghu Town for a week, he doesn't think about it.

The young actor smiled and said, "Then I'll also go buy a mutual aid coupon tomorrow and try my luck." ”

The next day, Sykes squeezed the long line next to the church on the West Side of Pinghu Town to buy a mutual aid ticket. He pinched the black piece of paper, a smile hooked at the corner of his lips, his eyes were warm, and he whispered to himself: "Magical Pinghu Town, magical Lord Randall, magical mutual aid coupon ......"

Three days later, the cabaret troupe and circus troupe that participated in the Pinghu Town Carnival all left Randall's Territory. They spread the wonders of Randall's territory to the kingdoms.

Four months later, the voucher that Sykes had bought appeared on the desk of the Regent of Gambis.

Williams August put down the report paper compiled by the night owl agent, picked up the black piece of paper, and swept his gaze over Princess Roland, Marquis Golon, Queen Catherine, and finally landed on the new Marquis Ludwissi, the new palace minister, and said with a smile: "Just five days ago, a lucky person in Yeliu City won the 21 mutual aid coupon jackpot in a row, and won a prize of 60,000 copper soles, and Pinghu Town paid the full amount...... On the second day, more than 2,000 people bought mutual aid vouchers in Wildwillows, on the third day, more than 4,000 people, and on the fourth day, the gangs of Vestok approached Wildwillow's lame John and wanted to participate in Randall's mutual aid vouchers through his channels...... By the way, Cripple John was Viscount Randall's agent in Wildwillow...... Just yesterday, Jin Shuicheng invited Bishop Pero to discuss the matter of mutual aid associations and mutual aid vouchers. ”

"Viscount Randall used a small piece of paper to pry unimaginable wealth and power, and the scope and speed of the impact were breathtaking. Williams leaned back in his chair and shook his head and sighed, then raised his head, grinned, showed his snow-white and neat teeth, and said with a bright smile:

"We need to discuss in depth Victor's initiatives regarding tenants and mutual aid associations!"