Chapter 298 Free Stone House
"Huh? Why is the carriage back?"
"Yeah, why is Lily back?"
When the carriage turned into the alley again, this time it attracted a lot more exclamations than when Thomas and others came just now.
Normally, Lily wouldn't be sent back until tomorrow morning. Now that there's such a short time, I'm afraid she won't even have time to enter the castle?
The serfs in the houses on both sides of the alley stretched their necks and tried to peek, fearing that they might miss any details. They were all curious about what had happened.
"Master Butler, Lily?"
The carriage stopped at the door of Jim's house. This time the door of Jim's house was not closed. Abby's mother was tidying up the various tables, chairs and utensils at the door with a worried look on her face. When she saw Thomas returning with Lily, her expression was both surprised and confused.
"cough!"
Thomas did not dismount, but sat on the horse with a majestic look.
"The Lord said that you are the first serf family to hold a wedding after he became the Lord of Storm Territory. So in addition to the one silver coin reward I gave you this afternoon, I will also send Lily back now. This is the Lord's amnesty for you!"
Thomas would certainly not explain the matter of Gervis's practice of martial arts. Instead, he would praise the lord in a grand manner and make these serfs grateful. This would also save the face of his own steward.
"This... Thank you, Lord. Thank you for your gift!"
After hearing Thomas' words, Abby's mother felt like she was dreaming, but she still knelt on the ground very tactfully, shouting excitedly to thank Gervis for his words.
Lily, who was in the carriage over there, had also been helped off the carriage by the guards. She was no longer dazed. After getting off the carriage, she immediately knelt beside the middle-aged woman, wiping her tears and expressing her gratitude to the lord.
"Let's go!"
Thomas nodded at the two of them and without saying anything else, he walked out of the alley with a group of guards.
"Lily, is that you? Lily!"
When Thomas and others walked away, an extremely excited figure ran out of Jim's wooden house. It was Lily's husband Abby. After seeing Lily, Abby quickly went up to hug Lily, looking a little unbelievable.
"Lily, how did you get back?"
"It was the Lord who showed mercy and pardoned Lily!"
Abby's mother explained to Abby what Thomas had just said.
"My Lord!"
After listening to his mother's words, Abby looked towards the castle while holding Lily in his arms, muttering.
Although there was a finger-wide bruise on Abby's face, which was caused by the guard hitting him with a sword, Abby no longer bore any grudges. All he had in his heart was immense gratitude towards the lord.
…
Time passed, and in a blink of an eye it was already ten days since Gervis returned to the territory.
According to the situation in previous years, the serfs in Storm Territory would be free at this time.
Because they have already harvested the wheat that matured in the summer, they can plant autumn seedlings in other places in the autumn, but Storm Territory can only plant for one season.
However, the autumn in Storm Territory this year was different. The serfs in the entire territory were unusually busy, even busier than the spring in previous years.
Ever since the steward issued a number of decrees nine days ago, all the serfs have taken action.
The steward's first order was to let all the serfs in Storm Territory find and transplant grape vines. As many grape vines as possible would be transplanted. After the transplantation, the castle would register the vines. More importantly, the steward promised to purchase all the grapes next year, and the price would double than before.
Such temptation made all the serfs and their families join in the battle. Many serfs even did not go home at night, but ran around in the woods of Storm Territory all day long with dry food, trying to find more grape vines.
After more than a week of searching, the number of grape vines in the wilds of Storm Territory has gradually decreased, and all of them have been transplanted in front of and behind the serfs' houses.
When the task of transplanting the grape vines was almost completed, many young and strong men stopped searching, leaving only the elderly, the weak, women and children to continue searching.
Because these young serfs have better things to do, that is, the lord is planning to build houses in Binhai Town, and many, many houses!
On the outskirts of the coastal town, large areas of woods and weeds have been cleared, and thousands of serfs and slaves have been working non-stop. Large chunks of rock have been transported here from the seaside by horse-drawn carriages, and then the serfs and slaves, led by craftsmen, began to build stone houses.
The slaves' labor was free, but the serfs' labor was rewarded. According to the butler, the kind and generous lord gave them two choices.
The first option is to take part in the construction of stone houses and receive wages of 4 copper coins per day for the serfs. This wage is really generous. You should know that in the past, even if the serfs wanted to do a job that paid 2 copper coins a day, they might not be able to find an opportunity in Storm Territory.
However, the serfs did not choose to take the four copper coins as a reward, because when they heard the second option, they all chose the second one without hesitation.
The second option is to participate in the construction of stone houses for free. When the stone houses outside the coastal town are completed, the lord will help them renovate the houses for free and build new stone houses for them to live in. During the work, the castle will provide a full meal of black bread every day.
Upon hearing this, all the serfs in the entire Storm Territory were shocked. This was like pie in the sky for them.
That was a stone house. No one would not want to live in such a solid and imposing stone house, so they all went to the castle to register their names and addresses without hesitation and chose the second condition.
Of course, although anyone who participates in the labor can get the opportunity to build a stone house for free, the size of the new house they can get in the future will also be commensurate with the labor they put in.
For example, if a serf family provided two laborers to work, the stone house would be larger than that of a family with only one laborer.
For example, you are not allowed to be lazy at work, there are guards watching at all times. If anyone is lazy, the area of his house will be gradually reduced. If he is lazy each time, the area will be reduced a little, but if he is brave enough, he may not have a new stone house in the end.
The serfs had different reactions to this regulation, some were happy and some were worried.
Because some serf families have more male members, but some families have more women. Women cannot do heavy physical work such as carrying stones and wood, so they cannot participate as laborers in building stone houses. Some families may not even have the opportunity to get a free stone house.
This matter was reported to the lord by the steward, and soon the lord issued a new order. If some families have less than two workers involved in the construction, adult women can be used to build the stone house. Women can cut thatch for the roof of the stone house, and can also do logistical work such as baking bread. At that time, they can still get a free stone house.
It was precisely because of the lord's generosity that the serfs throughout Storm Territory were busy and excited.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
