Chapter 463 The House of 200 Gold Pounds
“Of course not.” Charette said in a dumbfounded voice, “Indulgences are used to deduct taxes.”
The so-called indulgences are, in fact, It has long been popular within the Salvation Army.
During the long journey of hard work, Horn once held the remote land deed in one hand and the indulgence note in the other to encourage the soldiers.
The Gulag Papal State at that time had no money but supplies, so it used indulgences as temporary currency.
These title deeds were basically converted into annuity subsidies and free housing, while the indulgences were basically bought back in cash by the Papal State.
Especially after raiding those monasteries and obtaining a large amount of cash, a wave of buybacks made thousands of old Gulag players rich overnight.
With the rise in prices, the thousands of craftsmen who migrated from Fort Joan of Arc have benefited from the war, but they are not as scary as the old players.
In order to ensure the smooth operation of the workshop, Shilov proposed a system of refurbished indulgences, which was unanimously approved by the Senate.
Indulgence coupons are clearly marked with prices ranging from 1 dinar, 5 dinars, 20 dinars, and then there is a denomination of 1 gold pound, but that is the maximum denomination.
The city hall will charge taverns a high consumption tax on goods whose unit price is higher than the established standard, especially luxury goods.
The function of indulgences is to offset taxes.
According to the elders, the holy way advocates frugality. The unit prices of these commodities are so high, and extravagance and waste naturally require atonement.
Then after you obtain indulgences from the workers, your sin is gone, and you naturally don’t have to pay the punitive consumption tax.
In this way, merchants and shopkeepers have the incentive to collect enough indulgences to offset the high consumption tax.
In this way, when there is not much difference in product prices, the living costs of craftsmen and laborers in state-owned workshops are reduced.
It is equivalent to secretly completing a consumption tax subsidy for the middle and lower classes by the wealthy class and the Papal Palace.
It’s hard for foreigners and expatriates, but they won’t stay here long anyway.
There are villages near the dock where prices are not high. If not, just live in the countryside. It’s just that prices are high in the core area of the town.
If outsiders can find jobs, the workshops will give them indulgence coupons. If they can't find them, they don't have to work in the city every day. High prices will naturally have no impact.
"So that's it." Aslay suddenly realized, but he was confused again, "Then what if you receive many indulgences, and all the taxes can be deducted? Refuse to accept them?"
"That's not possible. , refuse to accept indulgences, do you want the Cheka to knock on the door in the middle of the night and ask if you are religious?" Sharette said vividly, imitating the tone of those authentic old Qiu Mu Island people.
“Then it’s just a waste of money?”
“If not, just take the indulgence coupon to the supplier to sell the goods. If it doesn’t work, you can keep it for next year or maybe Sell it to other merchants. ”
According to the policy established by Shilov, the Papal Palace has a guarantee for the issuance of indulgences. If there are too many indulgences in the market, it will be repurchased to stabilize them.
The amount of indulgences issued each year will increase or decrease based on the consumption tax of the previous year, and the issuance of large-denomination indulgences is strictly controlled.
After listening to Sharet's explanation, Aslay looked at the tavern in front of him unwillingly and said bitterly: "When I have my own workshop, this ghost tavern will never get a piece of it from me. Share the money."
"I know, I know." Sharette urged Aslay, "Let's go back quickly, the weather is so hot, don't let the meat spoil."
Two. The people returned to Insura, and Aslay was being arranged to live in a room with Sharet.
Aslay registered with the head of the household, while Sharette found the aunt in the cafeteria and gave her the eggs, peas and meat, asking her to help process them.
The cafeteria, the Insula courtyard and the overall cleaning work are all managed by these lonely old people, or some people in difficulty who cannot find a job.
Generally speaking, every insula has a shared canteen and several open-air stoves on the first floor.
Since the capture of Castle Joan of Arc and the relief of material shortages, the Papal Palace has no longer forced them to have meals together.
You can cook it yourself on the stove, or you can pay the meal fee to the canteen and let them help cook. Anyway, it will definitely be cheaper than outside pubs.
But the taste is just average.
By the time Aslay pressed his fingerprints and everything was done, Sharette, who had already helped him carry his luggage upstairs, was impatient to wait.
"I asked Aunt Sally to help us make soup, but we have to wait for a while. During this time, let's go to the public bathroom in the mansion square to take a bath." Sharette smiled and took out a Medinar, "I'm treating you to a meal."
"Bathe? You can go to the river to wash yourself." Ever since they learned that prices in Qiumu Island are high, their three melons and two dates will not last long. Afterwards, Aslay became stingy.
“You can’t say that.” Charette stuffed the silver coins into his pocket, “You just came out, take a hot bath to get rid of bad luck.
I tell you, then The bathhouse is a remnant from the Gu'air period. Let's also experience the life of the Gu'air people. Tomorrow, Your Majesty will hold a meeting at the Cathedral of Truth to talk about the work issues of us refugees. You don't want to be unkempt. Go there with your face open.”
After several attempts at persuasion, Aslay was moved. He coughed twice and said, "Is there a skilled woman in the Guel Bathhouse..."
"Then But no, it is expressly prohibited by law." Sharet quickly waved his hand, "Even if it is, we can't afford it...
If you want to, wear cooler clothes and go to the lycanthrope labor camp. Go around twice and you won’t have to spend a penny. They might give you money.” , "I am not a casual person. Where is the bathhouse? Wash quickly and don't stew the meat."
After taking Aslay with him and saying hello to the head of the ten households who was sitting and napping at the door, the two of them went out and turned right, heading towards the square of the official residence.
Since the official residence square is still under renovation, they can only walk through the streets on both sides and walk in from the alley at the back.
“It stinks so much.” Aslay couldn’t help but cover his nose as soon as he reached the alley.
Charette also covered his nose. He looked around and saw several sewage workers, who were opening a cedar board and tinkering with something with wooden sticks.
Struggling to hold back his nausea, Charette walked forward. He opened his mouth and was almost choked by the stench. He briefly asked a few sewage workers before he walked back.
"The slime crawled from the lake to the sewer, went upstream, and blocked the sewer. We can't get through here for the time being, so we have to take a detour."
"Are there a lot of slimes here?" Following Sharette, Aslay pinched his nose and asked.
"This was originally a swamp. Do you think there are a lot of slimes?" Sharette said depressedly, "Do you know why we don't live on the first floor here? When it rains, the little slimes run around.
But when the head of the household was chatting at the dinner table yesterday, he told everyone that a dam around the island might be built in the future to prevent islands on the lake during the rainy season... Aslay? "
Sharette was still explaining to Aslay, but as he spoke, he could no longer feel the footsteps around him.
Looking back, Aslay was standing four or five meters away, staring blankly ahead.
Charette was so angry that she rushed up and slapped Aslay on the back of the head: "Where are your horses? If you don't go, the water in the bathhouse will be changed." "
Aslay touched the painful back of his head, glared at Sharet, then pointed at the house in front of him and asked: "Why can't we live in these houses? "
With them? The place I live in is different from Sula. There are more than a dozen three-story townhouses in front of me.
The well-fired small black tiles are closely arranged, which can well protect against rainwater and cope with the rainy season in August and September every year.
These black tiles slope from the sides to the top of the wall, forming a classic gabled roof, while the front is decorated with a decorative gable with sculptures of gears or stone carvings of saints.
The exterior walls are mostly made of red bricks, with corners made of white stones. Different colors of mortar and masonry are used. Some houses will appear darker brown or textured yellow. brown.
Key parts such as door and window frames and arched entrances will also be decorated with white or light gray stone.
Most of these townhouse windows have large panes, mostly vertical rectangular designs, using a lattice layout that is usually 6×6 or 8×8.
The window frames are made of wood and painted with dark paint, such as black or dark green.
The front door made of oak will be painted with black, red or dark green paint, which is generally related to the identity of the owner of the house. The door will also be equipped with exquisite iron door knockers or copper door decorations.
"Are you crazy to live in these houses?" Sharette dragged Aslay forward, as if it was a sin to look at him again.
"This is the residential area north of the official residence square. It is where the families of martyrs, military officers and senior priests live. How can we afford it?"
"How much does it cost?" Len asked reluctantly.
“Priceless.” Charette looked at him with bulging eyes, “We only distribute here, not sell.
If you really want it, there is another residential area south of the official residence square, which is only slightly worse than this one. Do you know how much it costs? "
"I don't know, how much? "
"The cheapest one costs 200 gold pounds. You can't buy it yet. It was bought by a wealthy businessman from Fort Joan of Arc before it was built. "Sharette pinched the back of his neck and pushed him forward, trying to dispel his thoughts.
"Sooner or later..."
"Okay, okay, during the day. Stop talking in your sleep. ”
That's 200 gold pounds. It takes fifty or sixty years to earn without eating or drinking. How can it be that ordinary craftsmen like them can afford it.
However, Sharette stood behind Aslay and did not see the stubborn look on his lowered head.
(End of this chapter)