Chapter 50: eat first
"Didn't you have lunch?"
Willy asked a question casually, and after the question, he suddenly remembered that in this world, if it weren't for the nobles and big businessmen, few people would eat lunch. It was the Phelan family that changed after the family situation gradually improved and was forcibly proposed by Willy.
Old Joel's face showed a hint of embarrassment: "We are rough and can withstand hunger."
Seeing this, Willy's expression became slightly serious. He suddenly remembered that when he saw those villagers just now, everyone looked pale and thin, as if they didn't have enough to eat.
"Aren't you getting enough to eat?"
It seems that eating enough is a more important thing than building roads. In this age without machines, manpower is the most important construction resource. If you don’t have enough to eat, Fandoutun will not be able to do well.
"Everyone doesn't have any surplus food at home. If the baron hadn't distributed some bran to us after we moved to Fandoutun, he might have starved to death long ago."
When he came up to show the poverty of Fandou Village in front of the head of the village, it really made Old Yoel seem embarrassed.
Bran, that is extremely difficult food to swallow. Willy thought of the first meal he ate after crossing over. That's at least mixed with some wheat. The rice is pure bran, and my throat is going to be slit.
"Then you didn't have to eat before you migrated to Fandoutun?"
Willy wondered that Fandou Village was newly built, and these villagers should have lived in other places before.
Old Joel took a peek at Willy's face: "We were originally villagers in a village. We all depended on growing grain and vegetables for a living. Although the output was relatively small in previous years, we were still able to barely maintain food and clothing. But this year, the village suddenly Infested by insects, vegetables and grain were all destroyed. Not only did we have nothing to eat, but we couldn't even collect the taxes we paid to Lord Baron."
Old Joel continued: "Because we failed to pay the grain, the village was forcibly dismantled. Some villagers were sent to the border defense line as craftsmen who built fortifications, and some were sent to other villages, and those of us were It was chosen to build the Xintun Fandoutun."
When Willy heard the words, he knew the reason why the villagers were so thin, and finally understood. In addition to the fear in the eyes of the villagers looking at him, there was another emotion, which was the rejection hidden in their hearts.
Although it was Baron Kells who forced them to leave their original home, they would defer this rejection to themselves. In their opinion, they were also one of the culprits that caused them to leave their home. No way, it's human instinct.
In fact, as a lord, Baron Kells has no problem doing this. The entire Diamond Town and the surrounding land belong to Baron Kells himself, and the villagers should be responsible for producing output for him when they get the Baron's land. However, the villagers in this village failed to keep food and vegetables, which meant that Baron Kells' investment in land here was not rewarded. In the Baron's view, these villagers were just squandering his property in disguise.
Therefore, the decision of the baron to dismantle the village seems to be justifiable to the entire noble class. Baron Kells is already a benevolent lord. When other lords encounter this situation, they will directly drive the villagers out of the territory, making them refugees with nowhere to live. Even some brutal noble lords would kill to vent their anger.
Here, the law is used to restrain the nobles, and all the rules in the territory are based on the will of the lord.
"Although the village was torn apart, don't you have the money you usually save?"
Willie asked.
Old Joel smiled bitterly: "Everyone's money is not left, it's all used to compensate for the loss of Lord Baron."
Willy was speechless for a while, the nobles of this world really want to **** the last layer of skin off the commoners.
"It's really a headache. If everyone doesn't have enough to eat, how can Fandou Tun be built..."
Willy complained unintentionally, he had to find a way to make everyone full first.
However, when Old Yoel heard this sentence, he hurriedly expressed his position: "Don't worry, Mr. Tuen, everyone will work hard to cultivate the land and build Fandou, so it will not delay the development of Fandou."
Old Joel was very afraid. If Willy was dissatisfied with everyone and drove them away and recruited the villagers again, then the fifty-odd men, women and children would become refugees. Refugees can hardly survive.
Willy glanced at Old Joel and knew that he had misunderstood what he meant.
"Compared to building a village, it is more important for everyone to have enough to eat."
Old Joel couldn't understand Willy's words. He didn't think about how the colonel wanted everyone to be full. In Old Joel's point of view, as the head of the village, Willy would not care about the lives of his own people. He should be concerned about producing more beans in the village.
"Looks like I'm going to a town..."
Willy has already made a decision in his heart It's not a good thing for the villagers to not have enough to eat, and it's not a good thing for the villagers to have a sense of rejection of themselves.
But the combination of the two is not necessarily a bad thing for me. If the villagers want to be full, this is their demand. Meeting their demand will not only give everyone the strength to work, but also win their loyalty. This is a matter of killing two birds with one stone. Don't be afraid of subordinates asking for something, but be afraid that subordinates have no desires and no desires.
As for spending some money, it's really not a big concern for Willy. Not to mention the reward of 500 gold rum, just talking about his hunting ability and gathering ability, as long as he is willing, he can bring in a steady stream of income.
"Go find a young man for me, and the three of us will go to Diamond Town together."
Willie instructed Old Joel.
Although Old Joel didn't understand why Willy made this decision suddenly, he still chose to obey: "I'll call my grandson Aden, he's a witty child."
Willie returned home, drove out the carriage borrowed from Aunt Shawin, and took two steamed pancakes.
Not long after he left the house, Willy saw Old Joel with a young man about his own age.
He was wearing tattered short sleeves, and there was only a layer of skin over his thin bones.
This should be the grandson Aden that Old Joel spoke of.
"Quick, say hello to Mr. Tunchang."
Old Joel urged.
"Hello, Mr. Tunchang."
Aden carefully looked at Willy in front of him, and a trace of grief appeared in his heart. Obviously they are the same age, but their identities are very different.
This feeling is very uncomfortable.