Lord of Industrialization

The period after the Winter Spirit Festival until the arrival of the New Year is a day of rest for people who have been busy for a year. Even bandits and thieves will have a holiday, and only taverns will still work.

If chatting in the streets is an information exchange center for middle-aged and elderly women, then the pub is an information station for men.

Shortly after dinner time, Bryant opened the door of the tavern, and the cold wind that came in made the drinkers at the door shrink.

After he took off his coat and hat and shook off the snowflakes and hung them on the coat hooks on the wall, the tavern owner's daughter had already placed his usual order of wine and appetizers on his usual seat.

Taverns opened in residential areas are social places for men in the surrounding area, and they have their own underlying rules, such as which seats are reserved for regular customers, which ones are for occasional guests, etc.

Bryant sat down in his seat, and as soon as he picked up the wine glass and took a sip, a goatee at the table next to him asked him: "Are you sure about the crane team's game tomorrow?"

"Definitely." Bryant put down his glass and said confidently, "Although those working at the dock are fast, if we really want to kick them, we are still better!"

Now that the weather is getting colder, everyone has more time, and more and more people are coming out to play football.

Not only the city of Weissenburg, football fields have also been built in other places, and many villages and farms have also formed their own teams.

Compared with previous winters when there was nothing to do, everyone has more entertainment this year.

Goatee looked proud of "I have big news" and whispered to Bryant: "Have you heard that old Franz will retire next year?"

Bryant nodded slightly, it was no secret.

Goatee smoothed his beard and asked him slightly proudly: "Do you know what old Franz will do in the future?"

Bryant really didn't know this, so he grabbed some roasted broad beans with wine from his own plate and put them on his plate.

Goatee said mysteriously: "I heard that he will be in charge of things like football in the future, such as how to set the rules, organize everyone's competitions, and train referees."

"Oh?" Bryant became curious, "How do you organize a game?"

Goatee was eating roasted fava beans and said: "I heard that teams sign up and the competition is arranged on Sunday. In the end, there is a champion. The champion gets bonuses and so on. The final result will not be until next year."

Bryant became excited when he mentioned the bonus, but Goatee didn't find out any more information.

The two chatted for a while about this afternoon's game between the coachmen's wheel team and the fishhook team. At this time, a sturdy young man came to the tavern and sat at the same table as Bryant.

After sitting down, the young man ordered a glass of cider, then took out two bags and poured out the contents. One bag contained thin pieces of wood about the size of a finger, and the other strong bag contained several silver coins. Kreuz silver coins and a pile of large and small copper plates.

Bryant asked the young man curiously: "Bobo, where did you get so much money?"

Bobo looked up and replied: "These are my wages."

Bryant said in surprise: "You can actually save so much money."

Goatee smiled and said to Bryant, "He just started training this year. His mother was afraid that he would spend too much money, so she asked his master to give him all his wages at the end of the year."

Bryant understood, smiled and joked: "Good guy, you are getting an annual salary at a young age, and I am only getting a monthly salary."

Bobo replied with a few words in embarrassment.

The annual salary can only be received by the big shots. Among the wage earners, only outstanding craftsmen like clerks and Bryant are eligible to receive a monthly salary. Ordinary wage earners are paid daily.

Bobo laid out his salary on the table and arranged the pieces of wood.

Bryant asked him: "Are you not being paid less?"

Bobo calculated there: "A month has 30 days, excluding Sundays every month, which is 27 days. There are 12 months in a year, minus the 10 days of vacation now, that is 314 days. I earn 34 copper coins a day, that is have……"

He "had" there for half a day, which was obviously beyond the calculation capacity of his head.

"10,676 copper coins." In the end, the tavern owner at the bar not far away helped him figure it out.

"Thank you..." Bobo immediately thanked the boss, and then counted the money, including 5 Kreuz silver coins and large and small copper plates with a face value of 10,176 copper plates.

Bryant took a sip of beer and ate roasted fava beans and said: "A year is 5 florins, 6 Kreutzers and 76 coppers. The wages of a stonemason are not that much. When I first started my career like you, the salary was 7 florins a year." Rollin 17 Kreutz.”

"Our blacksmith shop will start work next year. An ordinary master will get 1 gold coin a month, and an apprentice will get 10 kreuz."

Bobo scratched his head, a little yearning for it, but there was nothing he could do, who could let himself be afraid of fire.

He began to divide the money into many cents.

Put aside the head tax of 50 copper plates, the income tax of 10 kreuz and the union fee of 1 kreuz. These will be paid after the Chinese New Year next year.

Bryant and Goatee were chatting about tomorrow's football game. He glanced at the three piles of money and knew what they were used for. He reminded: "Remember to set aside the door tax. You should also pay the tax for your family. "

Bobo was startled, and then he remembered that the house had to pay tax according to the number of doors, and he immediately took out 1 Kreuz and put it over.

At this time, Goatee said: "I heard that the young master will reduce taxes next year."

Bryant nodded and said, "I've heard about it too, first from the village. They said that two and a half percent of the crop harvest will be deducted for planting and rations, and the rest will be counted as rent."

"We have also seen reductions in the city. I heard that the poll tax will be abolished and the income tax will also be reduced a bit."

"By the way, the young master is recruiting soldiers next year, and he said that those who are recruited will be tax-free."

Goatee frowned and said: "Why reduce so much tax? It is enough. What if the young master sees that the tax will be less next year and then increase more tax the next year?"

"You don't understand this." Bryant laughed, "The young master even came to ask me about this matter."

"According to what the young master wants, if everyone's taxes are reduced, they will have extra money to buy farm tools from me and clothes from you. Then our business will be easier."

"Our business is easy to do, and if the people we hire have work to do, they will make more money."

"It's not just us, everyone buys more things in the past, such as shoes, hats, tableware, etc., everyone makes money."

Goatbeard stroked his beard and nodded, saying: "It seems that this is indeed the case. It makes sense."

At this time, Bobo came over to find Goatee, put three pieces of wood and coins on the table, and said in a loud voice: "Boss, I borrowed a set of blacksmith clothes and pants from you this year for 5 Kreutz, one piece A pullover costs 70 copper coins, a woolen sweater costs 3 Kreuz, a total of 8 Kreuz and 70 copper coins, do you think that’s correct?”

We all belong to the same circle and are all neighbors. We have watched Bobo grow up, so we will agree to give him credit during this year.

Goatee looked at the account on the wood chip, counted the money again, repeated the items on credit and the amount in a louder voice, and finally said: "The payment will be settled in full."

The drinkers in the tavern heard their conversation, which served as a witness to prevent anyone from defaulting on their bill.

The tavern owner brought over a bottle of ink, a quill and a piece of parchment, and asked Goatee to write on the back of the piece of wood that the money had been received. He signed it himself, and the owner also signed as a witness.

Finally, the boss added on his parchment the year, month and day when so-and-so and so-and-so settled the payment in his store, who was sitting around and who was sitting around, and then asked all parties to sign.

If Bobo and Goatee go to court over today's matter in the future, this will be the key physical evidence.

The tavern owner gains social prestige by guaranteeing no money, and other people must take his words seriously.

Then Bobo started to check out with others in the hotel. A pair of leather-covered slime sneakers cost 6 Kreutz, 10 pieces of salted fish cost 5 Kreuz, 36 kilograms of cheap cheese cost 3 Kreuz, and 3 pieces The thin chicken plus the eggs bought in a year, 2 Kreutz, 40 copper coins, and the year's wine money, 3 Kreutz, saved the extra change.

At the end, Bobo had 3 florins, 7 Kreutz and 16 coppers left.

Bryant took a sip of wine and said to Bobo with a smile: "This is enough to build a two-story cabin with one compartment. There is enough for the wedding banquet. All we need is a bride."

He spoke a little loudly and glanced at the tavern owner's daughter.

Bobo ignored his random behavior and said with some distress: "I want to go to Weissenburg University. I heard that there are scholars who hold night classes in the city, and the price is only 10 Kreuz per year."

"But I heard that university tuition costs 5 florins a year, and textbooks are even more expensive, so I have to save more money."

Bryant thought for a moment and said to him: "I know a way, but it's just hearsay. I don't know whether it's accurate or not."

"The young master seems to have such an idea. Young people who go to join the army will come back in five years."

"The salary of an ordinary soldier is about the same as your current income, but you don't have to pay for food and clothing. I heard that there are also night schools that don't cost any money. Your family is tax-free. If you save money, you can save a lot of money."

"The most important thing is that those who have returned from serving in the military can get a lot less tuition when they go to Weissenburg University. If they have made meritorious service, they can even get free tuition."

Bobo's mind suddenly became active. In five years, he will be twenty-two or three years old. If he goes to Weissenburg University to study law for a few years, after graduation, he can work as a clerk in the court or the Executive Yuan, or as a Lawyer, I heard that a good lawyer can earn more than one hundred florins a year.

He collected the money on the table and sat there quietly drinking cider, thinking about whether to join the army.

Now there is a problem, that is, everyone knows that there will definitely be a war in two years, what will happen if he dies.

"Can you help me find out," he asked Bryant, "What if I die while serving in the military?"

Bryant agreed and said: "The next football game will be directed by the young master. I will ask you after the game."

After the football game, Bryant and Pop met again in the pub.

Bryant said: "I asked you about yesterday's matter. The death benefit is twenty times the annual salary in the military. This standard will be used to provide living allowances to the family for twenty years every year. If there are blood brothers and sisters in the family, you can Give those benefits to the people you designate.”

Bobo drank and thought, thinking that it would look good if he died so that his brother could go to Weissenburg University.