Lord of Industrialization

"You're back?"

"I'm back."

Psyche pointed to the refrigerator and said, "Get the drinks yourself."

Frederick opened the refrigerator and found a lot of trial products of drinks that were not available on the market. He took a bottle of grape-flavored Ponda and drank it.

"It tastes good." He was very satisfied with the new drink. "What's the news recently?"

He left in the summer of 1036 and came back in the spring of 1037. Many things must have happened during this period that he didn't know about, so he ran to Psyche's office as soon as he came back.

Psyche leaned back in the chair, pushed a strand of brown hair by her ear to the back of her head, and stared at him seriously with her light brown eyes, saying, "Starting this year, the Duchy of Mainz and the Duchy of Bavaria promulgated a policy of self-redemption of serfs, and a large number of nobles followed suit. More than half of the serfs became free citizens after paying the freedom money."

"This means that you are now a boulder rolling down from the top of the mountain, and there is no turning back."

Frederick was mentally prepared for this news, but the number exceeded expectations.

"More than half?" He was a little surprised. "Where did the money come from for those serfs?"

He still knew about the living conditions of the serfs. Not to mention that they had no extra money, some even had little firewood, and the whole family froze to death in winter.

When discussing this matter with the Grand Duke of Mainz and the Grand Duke of Bain in the south, this point was also taken into consideration. It was believed that only a few people could redeem their freedom at the beginning.

Now more than half of them, where did the money come from?

Psyche said seriously: "Of course it's your money."

Frederick was confused and asked: "I haven't approved such a sum of money. Has anyone picked up a bill of exchange?"

The principality and he himself have budgets every year. Although they are not in the country, the overall items will basically not change. If the extra money is to be added, he must sign.

Of course, Psyche can also sign on behalf of him.

Psyche spread her hands and said: "I didn't approve this money for you."

"Also, don't underestimate the heroes of the world."

Frederick was full of question marks and waited for her to explain.

Psyche told him a story that she got after sending someone to investigate recently.

There is a privileged group in the Duchy of Wessen - retired veterans.

In these days, there are wars everywhere, and Frederick has improved their treatment in all aspects, otherwise no one will help you fight.

One of their advantages is that the loan amount is higher than others.

These veterans have their own taverns for gatherings, and serfs have become a hot topic since the redemption of serfs.

Many of them are from the Black Forest mercenaries. They followed their fathers and brothers to become mercenaries as soon as they grew up, and later joined the Wessen Army.

Lütpold is in his twenties. He has been to many places with his father's mercenary team since he was a child. Later, his father joined the Wessen Army. He came to Wessenburg to study. After graduation, he also joined the army and soon participated in the battle to recover Constantinople.

In that war, his left leg was severely burned when he attacked the position in Gallienne, and his lower leg was amputated. After retiring, he drove an elevator in a luxury hotel. He often boasted that Fatih, the emperor of the Ghazi Empire, had invited him to drink and had a very beautiful maid serve him.

He was discussing the topic of serfs' self-redemption with someone that day. After drinking a few glasses of beer, he suddenly said, "I think pulling people from the Black Forest to fight is similar to pulling people to work in factories."

The people around him just laughed. It was indeed quite similar.

Lütpold also laughed at first.

After the pub closed, he walked on the street, and the cold wind blew and woke him up.

He didn't sleep well that night. He tossed and turned in bed, and his mind was full of the words he had just said unintentionally.

A new day came. Lütpold put on his prosthesis, put on his clothes, combed his short hair, took a deep breath, and went to the hotel where he worked.

A few days later, he appeared in a chicken farm.

Spike and Lütpold met by chance outside the football field.

At that time, the fans of the two teams were fighting. Lütpold took off his prosthetic leg as a weapon to fight against the crowd alone, and everyone around him - including the police who came to maintain order - was dumbfounded.

However, this did not prevent the police from arresting him and locking him up for a night. Spike was locked up with him for the same reason.

Spike had just finished his work and came to the reception room to wait for him and asked, "Don't you have to go to work today? How come you have time to come here?"

Lütpold said, "I resigned yesterday."

Spike asked in surprise, "Did you hit someone with your leg again?"

Lütpold waved his hand and said, "No, I resigned on my own initiative."

Spike nodded and asked, "Did you pick up money or were you kept by some noble lady?"

Lütpold made a move to remove his leg, and Spike pretended to hide behind.

"No kidding." Lütpold said, "I found a new business opportunity and decided to do a big one. Can you give me some ideas?"

Spike became serious and waited for his next words.

Lütpold asked him, "Have you heard about the redemption of serfs?"

Spike nodded.

Lütpold continued, "I know what those serfs are like. They basically have no money to redeem themselves."

"Didn't you say before that you wanted to open a new chicken farm, but it's hard to find a place in the Duchy of Wessen, and it's hard to find manpower outside."

Spike understood what he meant and said, "You mean, I pay to redeem the serfs and let them work for me?"

"But I can't afford that much money. It takes a lot of money to build facilities, and I don't have money to give to their lords."

Lütpold shook his head and said, "I will pay the ransom money, and I will sign a contract with the redeemed serfs. They will work for me and I will pay them."

"I will introduce you to the lord to invest in a chicken farm there, but you have to sign an employment contract with me. The wages will be paid directly to me and I will pay the workers."

Spike understood and said, "You are just like the gangsters at the docks before. The gangsters asked the porters to work and took the captain's money, and then deducted a part of it and gave it to the porters."

Lütpold did not take this up, and continued, "I have a lot of things to do. Those serfs can't work in the factory from the beginning, so I have to find them to train, so that you will be willing to use them, right?"

Spike fully understood what he meant, thought about it, and said, "If you can provide qualified workers, I don't mind recruiting from you."

"But you also have risks. Not everyone can become a worker."

In recent years, many people have come to the Principality of Wessen to work in factories, but some people, for various reasons, really can't be workers and can only do other jobs.

Lütpold nodded and said, "Indeed, this is one of the risks."

"I plan to start from the Black Forest. In order to get young people there to work in the Principality of Wessen, a vocational education school has been built in recent years. My father knows people there."

Spike remembered something and said, "I remember hearing you say that there is a military school there, and your father works there."

Lütpold nodded. The Black Forest is one of the sources of soldiers for the Wessen Army, but his father is just a dormitory manager, so there is no need to talk about such things.

He continued, "So I plan to send the redeemed serfs there first, let them master the appropriate skills, and then talk to the factory."

Spike thought for a while after listening, and said with some concern, "You have to pay the freedom money, support people first, and help them pay tuition."

"If you want to get enough workers, you need a large base, which means higher start-up capital."

Lütpold nodded and said, "Yes, we have to keep thinking of ways."

"I want to ask you for a favor. Don't you have a salon for small factory owners? Can you take me there next time?"