1,500 pounds, this amount of money in 19th century England, and even the world, can not be regarded as a small amount of money.

In London, 90 per cent of people earn less than £100 a year.

If you are engaged in high-income industries such as construction and machinery manufacturing, a diligent skilled worker can be paid about 60-100 pounds a year, depending on the type of work and technical ability.

For some jobs that require a certain level of knowledge, such as company employees, etc., you can also earn a stable income of more than 70 pounds per year.

And if you are engaged in a highly competitive and low-paying light manual labor industry such as the textile industry, then even a man in the prime of life who is free of disasters and diseases can only get paid about 30-50 pounds at most.

The low profit margins of the textile industry have also driven factory owners to employ large numbers of women and children.

According to them, the textile industry does not have a lot of labor, and it is a waste of labor to hire adult male workers.

But in fact, a glance at the wages reveals their intentions, and female workers are usually paid only half as much as male workers.

As for child labour, their price is less than one-third of that of adult male labourers.

Moreover, because of their lack of physical strength, child and female workers are easier to manage than adult male workers, and a single overseer with a whip can make the looms in the factory squeak and squeak.

But if they hire a group of adult men, then most textile factory owners will not dare to play this kind of 'hardcore management'.

Because most of them have vivid memories of the 'Luddite movement' that smashed their machines and burned down their factories more than a decade ago.

Because of this, the British textile factory in the 19th century can be said to prove with practical actions what kind of place is called "brother don't go, it's a black factory".

In other words, 1,500 pounds is equivalent to the income of a skilled master mechanic for 15 years, the income of a decent company employee for 20 years, the employment contract for 50 years with a skilled literate domestic maid, or the generous payment of a year's salary for a textile factory with 100 child laborers.

Arthur walked behind the real estate agent and Elder and the others, and he looked at the two bills in his hand, and after thinking about it carefully, he realized that he seemed to have become a great Greenwich tycoon in an instant.

Agareth leaned down to look at the two bills, and the Red Devil pushed his monocle as he said hehe.

"Arthur, how are you feeling? I told you earlier, it is better to have wealth than to have a conscience! Let's go, hurry, let's go buy a high-end cottage first, and then hire a housemaid to take care of your daily life, and don't forget to rent a high-end carriage with a well-dressed skilled coachman. Finally, remember to hire a good French cook, I don't want to eat cheap roadside food with all kinds of unknown toxins! ”

When Arthur heard this, he pinched his fingers and calculated, and couldn't help frowning.

"I don't know the house prices in London, but I do know that renting a high-end carriage costs at least £80 a year, and if you add a skilled coachman, that's a net expense of around £150 a year. The French cook and the housemaid in your mouth are estimated to be this number together. I guess it won't be long before I have to become poor again. ”

But the Red Devil apparently didn't care so much, and he persuaded, "My dear Arthur, how can you become poor? Aren't you already planning to become the underground king of London's East End?

A little scoundrel like Fred can afford to run a detective agency, and what about you taking his plate and getting two cooks and maids?

Arthur, look at me, don't look at me now, when I was in hell, it was also going out to follow countless people, with little brothers all over the street shouting five and six. Whoever I let eat will have it, and whoever I ask to move out tomorrow will have to move out.

If you are a big man, you should have the style of a big man! Arthur, listen to me, just this time, you have been busy for so long, shouldn't you enjoy it? ”

Arthur glanced at the Red Devil, and just by looking at the smile on this guy's face, he knew that he definitely didn't have any good water in his stomach.

He said, "Enjoy? I am noncommittal about your request. But you're right about one thing, if I had listened to you, I would have become a big man by now. ”

The Red Devil grinned and rubbed his hands: "Who says it's not?" So you figured it out? ”

Arthur took out his pocket and lit a cigarette: "Figured it out? If I had figured it out, my portrait would have been plastered all over the streets of Great Britain by this time, and there would have been a string of zeros under the portrait, and if anyone had caught me, he would have enjoyed it. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, Arthur raised his legs to follow in the footsteps of Elder and the others.

Seeing this, the Red Devil's eyes couldn't help but widen, and his swollen right eye was behind Arthur, the size of which was almost like a small villa.

He scolded, "Arthur! I don't care about you! Why haven't you figured it out? The reason for your poverty is not that you are not incompetent, but that you put the priority of earning money behind your conscience! ”

Everyone's footsteps stopped at the entrance of Central Street, the most expensive street in Greenwich, and the real estate agent walked up to Arthur with a smile on his face, nodding and introducing him.

"Mr. Hastings, I heard that your budget for this purchase is £1,500?"

When Arthur heard this, he was a little apprehensive, even though he thought that 1,500 pounds was a lot of money, but based on the painful memories of his previous life, he still had great doubts about whether he could buy the next good property.

Although Greenwich is a suburb of London, it is also a suburb of the capital region, so housing prices here should not be too low, right?

Arthur pretended to be calm and said, "You can look at the introduction for me, just get a small set." I need two rooms, one for me and the other for the fat gentleman next to me. ”

When the real estate agent heard this, he couldn't help laughing and said, "Sir, you're really joking." I can't find a £1,500 two-bedroom house in Greenwich, and if you're looking for the kind of home that's gorgeously furnished, I can show you to the City, Westminster or a couple of new locations in the West End.

There are a number of new stylish and spacious apartments in the West End. As for the houses in the City and Westminster, although they are a little smaller, after all, they are located there, and most of the people who live there are high-class gentlemen from the political and banking circles, which will definitely help to expand your social circle. ”

"Can I afford a house in Westminster and the City?"

"Of course!" As soon as the real estate agent finished speaking, he suddenly noticed a drop of water falling on his face, he hurriedly took out the umbrella he was carrying, opened it and stepped forward to cover Arthur's head: "Mr. Hastings, please come here." ”

"Ah...... Is that so? When Arthur heard this, he couldn't help but straighten his waist, he subconsciously straightened his collar, and then put his hands behind his back, with a look of leadership to inspect the countryside: "Then you tell me about this small house in Greenwich first." ”

When the real estate agent heard this, not only did he not introduce it, but politely stuffed the umbrella into the hand of Alexandre Dumas on the side.

He said embarrassedly, "Sir, please help me carry the umbrella for Mr. Hastings, and I will rummage something in my bag." ”

He took out a brand-new document from the small leather bag he was carrying, and then leaned over respectfully and said to Arthur, "Mr. Hastings, do you see this house with a gray chimney and a red roof at the entrance to the street?" ”

Arthur glanced at the house, a small two-story wooden building, which should have been renovated in the last two years, judging by the new white façade.

And judging by the number of windows, there should be at least four families living in it, not only Arthur and Dumas, but even Elder and Darwin can come in and rub a bed.

Arthur nodded: "Looks pretty good, let's go in and have a look?" ”

"No, no, don't worry." The real estate agent pointed to a three-story apartment building in front of him and said, "That building is also my agent, and it is also being put up for sale." ”

Arthur saw it, touched the stubble on his chin, and said, "I just want to buy a house to live in, an apartment or something, I haven't thought about it yet." I haven't decided whether to buy a house or not to collect rent. ”

Elder on the side was overwhelmed by the rain and squeezed under the umbrella, muttering, "That's right! The votes in London are not worth much, and if you want to invest in fixed real estate, it is better to go back to the countryside and get a farm. ”

When Arthur heard this, he just shook his head: "I didn't think about the votes at all, and the money for voting has nothing to do with me." ”

Elder couldn't help frowning when he heard this, and he slapped Arthur on the back of the head: "Are you stupid?" Why not give money for free? ”

"Of course I want the money for free." Arthur raised his eyebrows and said: "But according to the internal regulations of Scotland Yard, even if the police have money, they cannot obtain the right to vote and be elected, so the amount of real estate has no political value to me." ”

When the real estate agent heard this, he laughed and said, "So you are a police officer from Scotland Yard?" But that's nothing, even if you don't have voting rights, you can still rent out the property! Although the price of housing in London has been slow, the rate of return on renting out is not low at all. ”

"Really?" Arthur glanced at the three-story apartment in front of him, and seemed a little tempted: "Then let's go see the apartment first?" ”

He was just about to take a step when the real estate agent interrupted him again, and he said, "No, no, no, Mr. Hastings, you misunderstand me. ”

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to show us the apartment in front of us and the two-story detached house in front of us? ”

The real estate agent smiled and took out the document in his hand, he pointed to the apartment, and then pointed to the small detached house next to him.

"I mean, Mr. Hastings, if you're on a budget of £1,500, start with this two-story detached house next to you, and work your way up to the apartment in front of you, plus a grocery store sandwiched between them.

Well, even if I suffer a loss, these three houses will be sold to you for a total of £1,500.

If you think the price is good, then sign this document in my hand. At noon today, I went to negotiate the details with a few landlords, and we can go to the notary office in the afternoon to trade and transfer, and you can move in directly at night.

As for the apartment building, you don't have to worry about vacant rooms, the apartment building is now full, and you can just collect the rent as usual every month. What do you think? ”

(End of chapter)