Chapter 1056: Chapter 999: Paper or Money?

Standing in front of the bustling Enqing market, Bruto stands outside with a box of ink and books, waiting for his younger cousin Hanske to come out from inside the market.

Bruto got into high school but hasn’t forgotten about his cousin who just came of age.

The two often go to the city together to buy things. With Bruto as a monk and an elder cousin, those small vendors wouldn’t dare to fool the honest and dull cousin Hanske.

Inside the market, farmers come and go, but they are all buying good seeds from the ry Court Barracks over there.

In fact, this high-yielding short-stalk wheat was already promoted in Langsande County three years ago, and over the past three years, it has been widely planted in Hotam County and Lower Reif County.

But in Kasha County, it wasn’t until 1454 that it began to be promoted.

The reason is distrust in these seeds, fearing poor harvests, and not daring to try.

The people of Kasha County have a relatively harmonious relationship between man and land, supported by the Blago Monastery, so the local nobility does not dare to oppress too much.

Therefore, the people of Kasha County are less subjected to bullying from the church and the empire compared to other regions.

This led to Kasha County’s surrenderist tendencies during the Thousand River Valley War.

Even though the Holy Alliance was founded, Kasha County still maintains a relatively conservative social atmosphere.

Neighbors across the water in Lower Reif County and Langsande County are switching to economic crops in large numbers, but farmers in Kasha County still hold firmly to the grain safety bottom line.

This is why the conservative monks in Kasha County tried every means to maintain the Prohibition Order at the time.

Kasha County is a major grain county, with conservative farmers who never accept the planting of new crops and new things.

Back then, the conservative monks of Kasha County insisted on maintaining the Prohibition Order, not only protecting the tradition of prohibition but also preserving the economy of Kasha County.

If the Prohibition Order and grain uniform purchase are lifted, the real grain market price will appear.

Based on the principle of nearby grain export, Langsande County exports to Black Snake Bay, while Hotam County exports to Leia.

The first two counties are fine; Leia Kingdom and Black Snake Bay lack grain.

But Kasha County’s nearest export location is Falan!

When the tide goes out, who is swimming naked is clear.

Falan itself is a major grain country, there is no shortage of grain on the market, why should they buy this grain from you?

The monks of Kasha County cannot reverse the conservatism of the farmers, so they can only hope to maintain the Prohibition Order and grain uniform purchase to reduce losses.

But the latest issue of the Advisory Council’s bulletin has already been released.

First, part of the brewing licenses are issued to the public, allowing them to brew and sell alcohol, but it must be registered.

Secondly, for farmers, as long as they hand over enough grain to the poverty relief warehouse and Priestly Order, they can do whatever they want with the remaining grain, and the Enqing market will buy it according to market price.

Finally, of course, grain merchants must also have licenses, be subject to supervision by the Holy Alliance Production Supervisory Bureau, and behaviors of hoarding and profiteering must be severely cracked down.

Although the farmers are smiling cheekily, the local monks are furrowing their brows and looking rather bitter.

It’s easy to foresee that when the first fall crop collection happens at the end of summer and the grain prices are announced, these farmers won’t be smiling anymore.

How to solve this problem has always been a headache for County Governor Martin, and Bruto also understands it well.

But the farmers of Kasha County have always acted too late to react, not considering change unless they suffer losses.

Bruto sighed lightly, the winter of 1454 is difficult to get through!

Just as Bruto sighed, his younger cousin Hanske came back with two reams of paper and some groceries.

Bruto casually took the paper from his younger cousin’s hands: "Is this Joan paper?"

"Yes." Hanske said eagerly and happily, "Cousin, I got a great deal today."

"What kind of deal?"

"At the Enqing market entrance, someone exchanged 5 Dinar Silver Coins for 1 egg and swapped it for my paper money!"

Bruto’s hand holding the paper paused. He looked at Hanske with a serious expression, examining him up and down: "What?"

Hanske repeated his statement.

"Why on earth did you exchange it?"

"What’s wrong?" Hanske was puzzled, "It’s paper, should be exchanged for money to use, right?"

"This is money itself!"

"Cousin, don’t fool me, that’s paper, money is silver and round..."

Bruto understood now, suppressing his laughter, he asked: "Let me ask you, what are you planning to buy with the 5 Dinar paper money?"

"My wife asked me to buy 2 Dinar 1 pound of salted meat to supplement the health for three kids, 2 Dinar beer to gift the primary school teacher, and keep the remaining 1 Dinar for myself."

"Then tell me, where are you planning to buy it?"

"At Enqing supermarket, where the prices are fair and the goods are better than those in street shops." Hanske asked back, "What’s wrong?"

"You tell me what’s wrong." Bruto asked amused and slightly angry, "You exchanged 5 Dinar paper money for 5 Dinar silver coins and 1 egg. Suppose I estimate an egg to be worth 1 Farren Copper Coin, correct?"

"Yes."

"Calculating at a 20% discount on paper money, you should have spent 3.2 Dinars for the salted meat and beer, leaving 1.8 Dinars.

But you insisted on first converting to silver coins, buying at the original price, without enjoying the paper money discount, leaving you with 1.1 Dinars after shopping.

This means you effectively lost 0.7 Dinars, which is equivalent to losing 7 Farren Copper Coins based on Hot Spring City’s newly minted Farren Copper Coins."

The Farren Copper Coins are finely crafted coins made by remelting and stamping inferior copper coins, with Horn’s regulated exchange rate of 10 Farren Copper Coins for 1 Dinar.

Hanske’s smiling face froze suddenly, semi-believing, he asked, "This isn’t right, how could paper buy more things?"

Bruto didn’t hold back, tapping his head: "Idiot, do you think an IOU can turn into money?"

Hanske suddenly realized, face turning red, yet still unwilling to admit defeat, he stubbornly said: "But holding silver coins in my hand feels more secure, what if there are no future discounts on the paper?"

A nearby vendor couldn’t stand it anymore, leaning against the grass shed post, laughing, "Hey friend, silver coins aren’t worth anything.

For example, if you want to buy a donkey, it would cost you 50 Dinars, but if you exchange for paper money, it’ll only cost 40 Dinars.

Something you couldn’t afford before, you can afford now, how much would that save you, what you can hold onto is what’s real.

I, for one, prefer to take paper money, it’s light and easy to store.

Even if someday paper money becomes worthless, does your donkey vanish into thin air?

Surely there will be unlucky ones, but as long as it isn’t me, I benefit by securing the deal."

"But, many vendors still don’t accept paper money." Hanske began to speak incoherently.

Bruto patted his head: "Apart from the Enqing supermarket, do you buy things elsewhere often?"

Hanske was completely stunned, indeed, he always bought everything at Enqing supermarket, which had solid goods and fair prices.

So if paper can buy things, then what’s the difference from money?

And using paper money is like an IOU from His Majesty Saint Sun, meaning anything bought gets a 20% discount.

Like the vendor said, it’s like increasing wealth by a quarter out of thin air.

But the person who exchanged them only used 1 Farren and earned off his 7 Farren Copper Coins.

"Oh no! That damned con artist!" Hanske slapped his thigh and was about to go after him.

Instead, Bruto pulled him back: "What are you chasing for? They’d have run off, besides, you have no evidence, you willingly exchanged."

"My personal stash!"

Around Hanske erupted a chorus of merry laughter.

"Alright, I’ll be honest with Rang Buluo about this matter, don’t let someone with ulterior motives use it to reap profits."

Wiping tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes, Bruto led the disgruntled Hanske toward the outskirts of the city.