Sophia stood on the balcony of the Harbour Villa and looked at the harbor city in the distance, the warm sea breeze blowing in her face, and it was already a sunny afternoon outside.

Breathing in the fresh air, Sophia's mood also became active, and she turned to look inside the house.

The young prophet was holding a pen and calculating some data on a piece of paper, and it seemed that it would not be finished for a while.

The bold and lively Sophia didn't care so much, and walked in and urged directly: "Master, why are you so busy?" Isn't it good for us to go out for a walk? ”

Lawrence looked up at Sophia and smiled, "Wait for me for half an hour, it's almost enough." ”

Sophia was satisfied with the exact time, and quickly stepped aside and sat down, her hands on the armrests of the chair and her legs folded in boredom.

Her legs were in one position at a second, and she looked a little unable to sit still.

"Master, what have you been up to lately? Is it for the sake of war? ”

Hearing Sophia's inquiry, Lawrence replied while doing his own thing: "It's still the same thing as before, calculating the approximate ration consumption and determining the wages of all walks of life." ”

Sophia wondered, "Wasn't that a long time ago?" I remember that I was busy with this in the spring, and it wasn't over yet, huh? ”

Lawrence looked down and thought about the data, but answered Sophia's question casually.

In terms of knowledge, Lawrence has always been happy to share and very willing to tell others how important what he does, but most of the time Sophia and the women around her are not interested in this kind of thing.

All the women, including Sariel and Catherine, have a lack of interest in this aspect of things.

"I've said it all, it's all walks of life." Lawrence smiled, "Not only the shield maids and maids around us, but also serfs, hired farmers, tenant farmers, guards, rangers, dock workers, sailors, warriors, coachmen, cooks, and so on from all over the region. ”

"It's a lot of data, and it's important to us, so I'll have to spend a little bit more time working on it."

Lawrence didn't feel tired and added: "Kassandra has helped me a lot, I have so many things that I sometimes forget myself, so I have to look at Kassandra every night, she can remember and quickly find the corresponding data for me to check when I need it." ”

When the numbers are enormous, Kassandra's ability to stock up on data is crucial.

Her ability is like a computer, which can quickly record and store all kinds of information.

Especially now, when there is a shortage of paper and books, and there is a lack of staff and civil servants, this ability is becoming more and more important.

Sophia was not interested in this kind of thing, and grumbled: "Why pay them? Aren't they our slaves? ”

Lawrence said, "Slaves have to eat, too." ”

Sophia said as a matter of course: "Yes, I am the master's slave, and I must eat to eat, but why should I give them wages?" ”

Lawrence stopped calculating the data, discussed the matter with Sophia, and said: "I give you a lot, you eat every day, and you have pocket money and luxury money every month, and you are receiving a salary." ”

"It's different!" Sophia said seriously: "What the master gave me was given to me by the master, and those people are obviously our slaves, but they want to take money and food from us every month, this is not a thing!" ”

Lawrence shook his head, even after living together for more than ten years, there are still many differences in the thinking and cognition of the two sides.

If it is an extraordinary person from the outside, then the difference is even greater, and many times they can't speak together, and they can't communicate if they can understand each other's language.

People in civilized and slave societies are human beings, and there is not much difference in nature.

There are some mentally handicapped fools, there are also people whose brains can't react, and of course there is no shortage of geniuses.

It is for people to eat, and eating is the core thing that runs through all civilizations and developments.

Lawrence observed for more than a month, from young girls to sturdy dock workers to young men and veterans who ate and drank at military academies.

Whether rich or poor, people's physical fitness and basic needs are there.

It is not that people in the civilized world eat less, nor are the peasants of feudal times eating wild vegetables and bark all day long.

No matter how awesome the ideology is, the physical fitness is there, and if you can't eat enough, you will be hungry and have no strength.

Whether it is a working laborer or a slave, if people are not fed for a long time, they will soon be abolished.

In the past, the life of the Pumixiu people was not bad, and they couldn't eat meat for a meal, but they could basically eat enough.

You can't eat delicate bread, but you can still eat hard bread with multigrains.

Because of Andrew's strong relationship, Sariel can often eat meat, and she can also eat pure wheat bread without knocking her teeth.

The pirates often went out to do business, and with the small population and abundant marine resources, they could have enough to eat to a certain extent.

On the contrary, the people in the West next door have been in a state of malnutrition for a long time, and they often revolt every once in a while to do things.

If you don't have enough to eat, you will rebel, that's a sure thing.

Now that food production has risen, Lawrence, although he continues to use the term slave, never treats people as slaves.

It may seem to the outside world that the country of the stars is a slave system, but from the inside, there is only one slave owner in this country.

Is a country with only one slave owner considered slavery?

Moreover, human sacrifice and human trafficking, the two standard elements of slavery, have been outlawed, and now Lawrence wants to not only feed people, but also promote the enthusiasm of some talented people.

The brutal system of slavery was certain to be overthrown, and Lawrence was not in a hurry to free slavery immediately, but he was always doing things little by little.

Lawrence also understands the logic of the witches, who don't think that there are many people underneath, and these people are right.

The Land of the Stars was founded as a combination of supernatural strength and local savages, and it was the masters of the witches who created the kingdom and made it a land of abundance.

That group of people came from outside like parasites, and they had to suck blood and ask for money within a few years of living there?

Sophia didn't understand why she was giving her things to those who worked for her, who had been here to provide them with protection.

Slaves were supposed to work, and now the witches were not averse to treating the likes of Fryth and Salavon, but they did not understand why they were to be treated for those who were not impressed.

What did they do? What else did you do besides farming?

The Land of the Stars was not built on the strength of the serfs, but on the strength of witches and barbarian warriors, especially Lawrence, who conquered the surrounding areas.

Slaves were forcibly or semi-forcibly gathered in the land as spoils of conquest, and were treated so well that those outside risked their lives across the sea.

In the past, when the time was not ripe, productivity was not enough, and if wages were paid when everyone did not have enough to eat, it would only affect production.

Now that they are almost settled, the people below must have a certain amount of savings before slavery is lifted, so that they do not continue to be slaves.

If the following group of people are people who have no surplus food and daily necessities, even if they announce the abolition of slavery, all they get from these people is confusion and panic.

It will take at least a few more years to slowly accumulate wealth.

At the very least, the people of the peasant family should be allowed to reclaim the land that can support the family, otherwise it will still be a work for others.

In addition, in the past few years, every family has dragged their families with their families, and the abolition of slavery at this time will only cause turmoil for the residents of the Star Country, who do not want to rebel against slavery at all, as if they are depriving them of their legal status to survive in this land.

People from the outside world start with slaves, slaves are a derogatory term in the outside world, but not here in the country of stars, especially Heidi and Sophia, who are key figures who start from slave girls and slowly rise up.

There were also slave-born nobles like Seravin and Beoff.

The status of a slave did not bother everyone, but rather protected most of the people in this land.

Instead of always caring about whether a slave is a slave or not, it is better to give them more money and let them have some savings.

That's what Lawrence thinks, that's what makes everyone fed and have money to spare, rather than titles and systems, is the real act of kindness.

The people below don't care whether they are slaves or tenant farmers at all, and slaves are not all qualified to call their masters.

Even if Lawrence didn't care, the surrounding barbarians would educate this rude person with unforgettable pain, or even kill him directly.

Before the barbarians learned to respect life, the status of slaves was the best protection for those who were weak, they were Lawrence's slaves, whether they were men or women, and if others dared to kill them, they would destroy Lawrence's private property.

Without this identity, what is obtained is the so-called freedom.

This freedom, in the eyes of most people, is as harsh and cold punishment as expulsion and exile.

Despite the opposition and incomprehension of many people, Lawrence was able to set the ration wages for all walks of life smoothly.

The wages were mainly grain, and only the warriors and craftsmen, as well as Lawrence's Holy Legion, could receive money directly.

This grain is not only for the people who work, but also for them to support their families, even the kind of farmers who farm at home can supplement the family's food accumulation, or can eat more assured and wealthy.

Without this ration salary, many people would have to spare a part of it in addition to paying taxes and daily consumption, exchanging supplies, buying salt, firewood, clothes, and briquettes for the winter.

Now the productivity of agriculture has been greatly improved, and the output of the land is enough for everyone to eat until next year.

The most critical problem is that after the land area is doubled, there will be some areas that will have reduced production or even no harvest due to weather disasters.

At this time, you need to get through the difficulties with the food you usually accumulate, and if you don't save enough, you need to sell your children, daughters, and wives and houses to survive.

Save money, save food.

This kind of thing doesn't need Lawrence to teach them, these people are not stupid, they may not understand what a civilized society is, what a slave society is, a feudal society, but they definitely know how to deal with tomorrow and next year.

***

At the monastery, Bull promulgated the will of the prophet while leading a group of nuns in prayer.

"According to the Prophet's command, each of our sisters will receive the Prophet's reward as warriors and shieldmaidens in the future."

"The great prophet knows our dedication and loyalty, and we need not complain or compare ourselves with others, and we should be grateful for the amount that the prophet has given us."

Bull actually felt that this was very bad, as a nun should not receive a fixed monthly ration salary, and the convent was not without food.

If food and money are distributed every month, then what is the difference between being a nun and those soldiers outside?

Paid Christians?

Despite his opposition to such a payroll, Lawrence's decision was an order in this area, more absolute than any divine decree.

Bull could only tell the nuns about it unpleasantly.

The senior nuns under him also did not understand this kind of thing.

"Lord Boer, we have already given our dowry when we came to the monastery, and as prophets and servants of God, we have always eaten and lodging here, why do you still give us food?"

Bull looked at the nuns, and the nuns they questioned were princesses of the Kocako Kingdom, belonging to the noblewomen who were close to the area.

These people have no worries about food and clothing, and when they come in, they also contribute a lot of money and assets, and after living in the monastery, they are pampered every day, and they do not need to do chores, let alone worry about eating.

And now they suddenly said that they would be given wheat and grain, and they were only afraid.

"I don't know much about the will of the prophets." Bull honestly revealed his heart, "But I think it must have the intention of a prophet, a great wise and merciful prophet who will guide us." ”

"Whether it is God's direction or the prophet's command, it makes no difference to us, and we just accept it with gratitude."

A group of aristocratic nuns looked at each other, all looking helpless.

It really can't be helped.

Whether it's good or bad, all you can do is accept.

For most people, the issue of ration wages is a very bad thing, which makes people feel scared and worried.

If you receive a ration salary, you won't be able to eat in the canteen in the future, right?

Suddenly you want to give a bag of food, is it time to let people go out to war?

Or do you want to go further afield to open up the wasteland...... This kind of thing is even more terrifying!!

Many people who are eligible for ration wages would rather die here than go out to open up wasteland.

While the rest of the people were worried about the future, the little nuns of the convent were excited.

Driven by the daily routine of the little nuns, several other little girls in the convent who do chores are also looking forward to the distribution of rations.

Lawrence didn't pay everyone rations, he still gave priority to his own people, first from the team of early entrepreneurs, then to the Artisan District and the Military District, as well as several areas around Oak City.

This food comes from last year's reserves, as well as from a steady stream of cheap food from all over the world.

The Lawrence family's warehouse couldn't fit it.

There was now not enough room for gold, silver, and jewelry, and the granary cellars were very much occupied, so Lawrence did not let the grain continue to mold in the dark cellars, despite the opposition of many. (End of chapter)