Chapter 290: Understand the spirit of the Xinmin Conference and implement the Holy Kingdom Edict

At this point, a small number of smart representatives began to understand the situation.

The lord's land was divided, and he didn't pay taxes for a year. The mountains, forests and lakes were opened up again. Then wasn't his position as centurion in vain?

Someone soon asked this question.

"It's not in vain." Horn waved his hand vigorously and said, "You get a subsidy every year, which is equivalent to the Salvation Army's salary in peacetime, about 3 gold pounds a year.

In addition, you can nominate a child under the age of 12 to study free of charge at the Jeanne d'Arc School or the Salvation Army's affiliated school.

In the future, if you do well, after passing the priest exam, you can become a parish priest or even a bishop."

Now even Grosien understood. Being a centurion would bring him a salary, the ability to provide shelter for his children, and even the opportunity to get a priesthood for free.

The fire of piety that had been extinguished in their hearts was burning again, and the representatives were eager to make progress.

After asking a few insignificant questions, some even meant to flatter, Horn once again heard a question that interested him from a citizen representative.

"Your Majesty, I would like to ask, is the standard for usury too low?" The citizen representative who stood up looked embarrassed, "You may not know that the bad debt rate of loans is not low.

If you set the maximum annual interest rate for private lending at 20% and do not allow the interest to exceed the principal, then our gains will not outweigh the risks.

In that case, no citizen would be willing to lend money to those in need.”

Seeing that Horn was still smiling, the citizen representative coughed and said, "Maybe we can relax the rate a little bit, to 36% or 40%? Or maybe increase the interest rate to twice the principal?"

Horn and other citizens have been waiting for a long time to inquire about the issue of usury.

The "Edict on Land of the Holy Nation" opened up the free trade of land in order to give farmers a sense of ownership over the land.

Only when they truly feel that the land is related to them and has surplus output will they dare to improve the soil and planting.

One of the reasons why agriculture in the ancient East was able to dominate the West for a long time was that it pointed out the free trade of land very early on.

Self-employed farmers have the willingness and ability to improve the soil and develop agriculture.

The feudal manor planned economy of the early and middle Middle Ages, which was based on sustainable exhaustion of resources, largely suppressed the development of agricultural productivity.

But this also brings disadvantages. For wealthy citizens, their wealth can be increased quickly and steadily through usury and land mergers. Who would be interested in investing in the real economy?

The problem is that the former model is a zero-sum game; it simply distributes wealth without creating it.

The latter’s profit margin and risk resistance may not be as high as the former’s, but it has actually created wealth and jobs and changed daily life.

Therefore, Horn had to block other outlets of the capital pool and leave only one outlet, which was to develop industry.

"We have all read the Gospels. The Lord and the Holy Father both hate usury, not to mention the sale of priesthood," the devout Horn said righteously. "I am merciful for not completely abolishing this cruel thing."

"Your Holiness, I know you hate usury, but this standard is too strict." At this point, Mayor Murat, the second largest lender in Suangua Town, finally couldn't hold back any longer, "If we don't lend to people in need, they might all die.

It is us who extend a helping hand at the critical moment. Who can guarantee that if we lend them money, they will be able to make a comeback?
Because of this, we have taken a huge risk. For such a big risk, there should be a corresponding income, right? "

Exhaling from his nose, Horn picked up the crutches beside the podium and walked to the front of the wooden platform, saying as he walked:
“I never said that you can’t make money. You can invest in workshops. I have seen many well-run workshops on the verge of bankruptcy due to the flood.

Or you can buy our Jihad Bonds, which have an annual interest rate of 10% and interest every year.

If you still think it is not enough, you can invest in the Holy Shovel Monastery and the Holy Scythe Monastery that the Senate will build.

The former's main business is land reclamation and breeding development, while the latter's main business is agricultural integration, agricultural and sideline products and farm operations.

If you are willing to invest, the investment amount can even be used as a tax deduction for the next ten years.

I can even give you the status of honorary elders. Is that too harsh?
If you want to do business, do business; if you want to do charity, do charity.

Doing business under the guise of charity is like being a prostitute in a nun's uniform, which requires both piety and money. Seeing Murat speechless, Horn chuckled and tried to return to the podium with his crutches.

"That doesn't make sense. With this interest rate, I'd rather the money rot in my house."

Although it was just a mumble, Horn still heard it. He paused in his movement to return and turned around again.

He didn't know who said it, but the citizens who just looked in that direction said calmly:
"Am I unreasonable? Am I unreasonable? Sometimes I even think I am too kind to you.

When I marched into Jeanne d'Arc, the crusaders who had been harmed by you begged me countless times to hang you all.

I think we should punish past mistakes to prevent future ones and cure the disease to save people, rather than cutting off the head when it hurts and cutting off the feet when it hurts.

So I only hanged some of them, leaving you a way to live!"

Horn's voice was quiet, but an invisible feeling of suffocation weighed on the citizens' backs, forcing them to bend over like boiled lobsters.

The citizen representatives present began to tremble like quails one after another.

Even the villagers around who had nothing to do with the matter changed their expressions because they faintly smelled a faint smell of blood.

The representatives finally realized that the young man wrapped in bandages before them was not a new priest who was easy to bully.

Instead, he was an executioner who killed thousands of enemy soldiers on the battlefield, executed hundreds of nobles, and personally beheaded the Duke's entire family, causing rivers of blood to flow.

If this guy is really pissed off, he will just wave his hand and start de-urbanization, hang all the citizens, and the rest of the people won't dare to say a word.

Do you really think Horn is an excellent student?

“Finally, as the Holy Grandson, the Pope, and the Eye of God, I sternly warn you: the days of lying on gold coins and enslaving the common people to make money without working are gone forever!
If you continue to persist on this path, you will be close to the devil!"

Seeing the trembling citizen representatives, Horn did not continue to put pressure on them. Instead, he looked far away and asked indifferently:
"Does anyone have any questions?"

Sitting next to the pale-faced citizen, Grothien's cousin looked around and stood up.

"Your Majesty, I would like to ask, how are the centurion and the centurion pastor of a centurion district appointed?"

Horn lowered his head, flipped two pages in the booklet, then raised his head and continued, "It is elected according to the Basic Law, and of course the opinions of the College of Cardinals are also important.

In the Holy War Special Zone, each centurion is not equipped with a centurion priest. The person who takes office as centurion only needs to obtain the signature and approval of the Salvation Army.

In the Pious District, centurions are selected and appointed based on the three priorities of the Guardians of the Church, representatives of public opinion, and ordinary people, and centurion pastors are monks of the Holy Fathers Society. "

"But we are not like knights, and we cannot defeat others, so how can we command them?"

Hearing someone ask the key question again, Horn's anger subsided a lot: "You can report to your superiors, and the Cheka will come to investigate and confirm the situation. If it is true, the gendarmerie will bring the black hats to visit you."

"Then Your Majesty, I also have a small question..."

The conversation lasted from noon to evening, and most of the issues had been covered, and Horn's throat was about to smoke.

Fortunately, after this day's meeting, this group of representatives with varying levels of education finally understood the spirit of the "Holy Country Land Edict" and are waiting to implement it.

After the mass believers' meeting, Horn started one-on-two and one-on-three consultation sessions.

After talking with representatives from each manor or town for about ten to fifteen minutes, Horn had someone take them to visit the ruins of the Blue Blood Orphanage before letting them leave.

After five full days, the dialogue between the new regime and the people finally came to an end.

Until this time, the flags of the Papal States and the Salvation Army were finally planted in the territory of Kush.

(End of this chapter)