CH 83

As spring went and autumn came, the leaves began to fall and the trees were covered in fruits. The golden autumn was worthy of its name.

The farmers harvested the crops, the fruit growers picked fruits, and the school children were given vacation to go home to help with the harvest. The pale skin from sitting indoors quickly turned back to the color of wheat. Sweat was spilled on the fields. The harvest in the fields was the support of a family’s livelihood for the next year.

There were peeled pears on Lin Yuan’s table. The local pears had green skin and were about the size of a young man’s fist. The flesh of the fruit was a bit rough, but the juice was plentiful. Because of enough sunshine, it was very sweet.

Almost no one had grown fruit before. This stuff was different from crops. It couldn’t fill one’s stomach and only the rich could afford it. Therefore, the fruit farmers planted only a little bit  and put more energy on planting crops.

The cooperative planting promoted by Lin Yuan last year had finally achieved results. The fruits were sent to the markets, and the common people were all willing to buy some for a taste.

Only if the people’s purchasing power became stronger would the economic market become stronger.

The most significant change was that housing prices have risen.

Especially the housing prices of Gaoyou.

Originally, one could buy a three bedroom house with a few taels of silver, but now it had reached the price of a hundred taels, and even then it was not easy to find any on the market even if one had the money.

Many people were willing to pay, but few people sold their houses.

If it was built outside the city, the price would naturally be much lower, but apart from the refugees, no one wanted to buy a house outside the city.

Lin Yuan still recalled that in his last life, when accompanying his boss in a meeting, he had heard a high-level corporate leader talk about housing prices.

Housing prices were the foundation, the cornerstone and fortress of the economy, and the last barrier.

Once housing prices collapsed, it meant that the economic loss was irreversible, just like the economic bubble in Japan.

So no matter how high or outrageous the housing price was, so long as it was still under control, even if there was a problem with the economy, housing prices should never be lowered.

When it really lowered, the economy would collapse.

The housing price increase in Gaoyou was good news.

The bad news was that many people could not afford to buy a house.

Most of them were refugees. They didn’t have their own houses in Gaoyou, and when they finally saved some money, they could only stare helplessly at the high housing prices.

Lin Yuan found Zhou Fu and discussed the matter with him in detail.

“Loaning” was a new concept, but it was not entirely new, it was just that the common people didn’t know about it.

For merchants, if they temporarily lacked funds, they would write down a contract, agreeing on the deadline to repay, while picking up the goods first.

So when Lin Yuan mentioned it, Zhou Fu easily understood.

Zhou Fu was a little worried: “I am afraid that the people will not be willing.”

For many people, being in debt was a major issue. They would rather live frugally and save money than take on debts.

Lin Yuan: “It all depends on Chairman Zhou.”

Zhou Fu felt a headache but he could only say: “If my lord entrusts this to me, I will not refuse.”

But Zhou Fu still had questions: “My lord, the people can live by farming, and they may not be able to leave their hometown in their entire life, so why bother…..”

When Lin Yuan looked at him, it was as if he saw a small group of people characteristic of this era.

But it was this small group of people who determined the fate of the common people.

Although Zhou Fu was a merchant, not an official, his thoughts were similar to that of this small group of people.

They all felt that the common people were illiterate and their only goal every day was just to fill their stomachs. It was enough for the common people to have clothing and food. If they give them too much, they would become rebellious.

In the eyes of this group of people, the common people were animals and they pose no value to society. So long as they obediently focus on the small plot of land in front of them, marrying when they should marry and having children when they should have children then it was enough. If they understood too much, were capable of too much, it would not be good for society.

Lin Yuan shook his head at Zhou Fu.

Zhou Fu was frightened, and rushed to confess his crime: “My lord has great wisdom, how could it be something this humble one can understand.”

There were some things that were difficult to explain. Even if Lin Yuan went to great efforts to explain, few people would be able to understand. Since he could not give a clear explanation, then he simply wouldn’t explain it. He only needed to give instructions and the people under him would implement them all.

When the educated new generation grew up, they would naturally understand what he meant.

Lin Yuan helped Zhou Fu up and spoke with a smile: “Then it shall be entrusted to Chairman Zhou.”

Cold sweat beaded on Zhou Fu’s forehead and he nodded his head again and again, unable to help but think: Did South Bodhisattva have this kind of intimidating aura before?”

He still remembered the first time he saw the South Bodhisattva, and at that time the South Bodhisattva was just a pure young man in his eyes, manners generous and gentle. When did he start to have this present aura?

Leaving the government office, Zhou Fu took out a silk handkerchief to wipe the sweat on his forehead as he walked down the road.

The common people on the streets were bustling away, the street vendors were full of smiles, and the children laughed and screeched with joy.

Who would have thought that just a few years ago, the common people here could not fill their stomachs and most of the children were sold away, let alone being able to learn to read and write?

The sign of a king…

Zhou Fu lowered his head, feeling that his life’s luck had manifested in that gamble a few years ago.

Abandoning the family business that he worked so hard for back in his hometown and placing all his hopes in Gaoyou. In order to reassure Lin Yuan, he even brought over his old father and mother, brothers and their family members, and his own children——his wife was unwilling to leave their hometown and requested for a divorce and went back to her natal house. He gave her a generous sum of money and food. If she remarried in the future, this money and food would be her dowry, and it could be considered a good end to their marriage.

Then he married another wife in Gaoyou. She was the daughter of a small family and husband and wife both respected each other. Although there was no love, at least there was respect. Sometimes he went out for business, and the journey could even last a year. She would take care of the young and old and tend to the house. After becoming the chairman, he finally settled down and his wife would even be giving birth in the near future.

As soon as Zhou Fu arrived home, he found his old servant.

The two discussed all night until the sky lightened with dawn.

The old servant’s surname was Wang, and he was called Wang Er. Wang Er was a diligent man with quick hands and feet. He looked honest, but he was actually quite shrewd. He left the Zhou manor with his family the next day and kowtowed at the door of the Zhou manor, attracting the attention of passers-by.

After all, in the eyes of the common people, working as a servant in a big household would definitely have better lives than those outside.

Wang Er stood tearfully on the street. At this time, someone came to ask.

“Wang Er, did you do something wrong?”

Wang Er shook his head: “Boss treats me well. Seeing that I am old, he let me be a free citizen.”

The person asked again: “After leaving the Zhou family, do you have a place to live?”

Wang Er shook his head again: “Gaoyou housing prices are too high.”

The common people all agreed:

“It’s indeed too high! If it weren’t for my family’s ancestral house, my family would definitely not have a house to live in.”

“I wonder when the price will come down.”

“Wang Er came from the Zhou family, he must have savings and is different from us.”

Wang Er sighed and raised his sleeves to wipe away tears: “My boss treats me very sincerely, but my son married a wife, so all the savings I have accumulated over the years have been thrown in.”

“That’s really…..”

“You should go rent a place. In any case, that is also a place to stay.”

The people watched Wang Er disappear down the street with his family.

A few days later, there was a new topic spreading up and down the streets and alleys. The people were talking about the new house Wang Er bought.

“A brick house!” They were envious. “There is also a big courtyard, and there is a garden behind the courtyard.”

“How much money is this?”

“A hundred taels are a definite! That area is very expensive!”

“Didn’t Wang Er say that he has no money?”

“You heard him say that but a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse. He works for the Zhou family so maybe to him a hundred taels are not that much.”

“I often hear people say how rich and wealthy Zhou Fu is. This time I have gained a real eye-opening experience.”

A few days later, the atmosphere changed again.

“Have you heard? Wang Er’s big house was bought with a loan.”

“What is a loan?”

“A loan is to borrow money from the court and pay back some money every month.”

“How strange that the court would lend money to the people.”

“It is said that South Bodhisattva came up with this method when he saw that the people could not afford to buy a house.”

“That Wang Er bought the house with money borrowed from the court. He collected twenty taels from his family, and the other 80 taels were borrowed from the court. He would repay four hundred coins each month for twenty years, and the surplus is interest collected by the court.”

“Then what if he fails to pay the loan?”

“If he doesn’t pay for five months, the court will take the house back and sell it again.”

“This is a good method to prevent the rogues and hoodlums from taking advantage.”

Although the people talked about it with enthusiasm and thought it was an interesting thing, none of them applied for a loan.

Fortunately, this was also expected by Lin Yuan. After the establishment of new China, the concept of loans became familiar to the people. Spending tomorrow’s money and enjoying today’s life. Though it was said that, not many people tried it. At most, big entrepreneurs or small companies dared to take out loans, but ordinary people did not dare.

The people saved money to buy a house, saving for half a lifetime.

But the result was housing prices rising and the currency being depreciated. The money that had been saved for half a lifetime could no longer afford the house that they originally wanted to buy.

Slowly, people began to accept loans.

This process took more than ten to twenty years.

Naturally, Lin Yuan didn’t think that the people could quickly accept this concept now.

Fortunately, Zhou Fu had his own way.

The common people found that more and more people around them began to borrow money to buy houses.

Originally, the family of Tietou who lived squeezed together in a small hut got a loan and bought a house. The house included a main hall and room, as well as two side rooms and a storage room. Finally, the family did not need to squeeze on one kang to sleep.

There was also a family of sister-in-laws who moved from Taizhou to Gaoyou and could only rent a house. Now they also borrowed money and bought a house.

It seemed that the number of people buying houses had suddenly increased!

Everyone had a house but you.

Besides, those who had taken out loans didn’t seem to be doing too bad. The whole family could work and if they bought a smaller house in a mediocre location, it only cost 30 to 40 taels. The family could gather 10 taels and the 20 to 30 taels remaining could be borrowed from the court, so they only needed to pay one hundred coins each month.

So long as there were two people working in the family, this amount of money each month was manageable.

Many people began to feel persuaded.

But some didn’t dare to borrow it just by themselves, so they convinced friends and relatives to go with them.

So now there was often a spectacle——

Those who wanted to take out loans would come in swarms, often numbering up to a hundred.

As if with more people, they would feel more at ease.

Zhou Fu breathed a sigh of relief.

He spent a lot of money to find those ‘models’!

His heart still dripped with blood!

However, he dripped blood happily. If others were to be given this task instead, he would not be able to stand it.

Feeling pain and joy at the same time.