The society of the Kingdom of France was much more harmonious than that of Germany. In France, the proportion of self-cultivated farmers was still very high. Unlike in Germany, most of the farmers were serfs.
The Burgundy region is a bit special. It has been returned to the French Kingdom for only a few decades, and the remnants of the feudal system were still very heavy. The Principality of Burgundy had actually been swaying between France and Germany. Even the bold Charles had sought to join the Holy Roman Empire, and then wanted to run for the emperor... Unfortunately, he was finally defeated by Maximilian I's father Frederick III (Emperor).
Because it was unstable between France and Germany, the serfdom in the Burgundy region was still relatively heavy. However, after France seized the Principality of Burgundy, although most of the nobles were retained, it carried out certain social reforms, forcing these Burgundian nobles to allow the serfs to redeem their free bodies and obtain certain land.
It is precisely because of this social reform that the farmers in Burgundy were more grateful to the Kingdom of France, and naturally they had no idea of ​​opposing the Kingdom of France.
But the Burgundian nobles were originally uncomfortable. The land they "redempted" by the liberated serfs and the serfs were originally theirs! Letting the serfs restore freedom and obtaining land was simply a damaging the interests of the nobles! But they didn't dare to say anything before, after all, they couldn't twist their arms. How could the small Burgundian region compete with the powerful French Kingdom?
Fortunately, the Kingdom of France did not prohibit land annexation. As long as you have money and those farmers are willing, you can buy back the land. But the farmers are not fools. As long as they are not forced into a dead end, no one will easily sell the land.
But the unethical idea provided by Marin hits their minds. Everyone can take back the land from those mud legs in a peaceful and concealed way, and not violate the laws of the Kingdom of France, why not do it?
Not to mention, there were many nobles in Burgundy, which were also very moved by the old French nobles in other areas of France, and the disaster-stricken areas of the northeastern France and the eastern border. After all, in the farming era, no one disliked the farming land...
This time, more than a hundred nobles gathered in the castle of the Lizarazu family. Most of them were from the Burgundy region, and there were also many old French nobles who came from other places.
The reason they gathered to discuss this time was mainly to discuss how many steamed useless seeds were mixed into the seeds that were loaned to farmers...
...
Mixing the steamed seeds into the good seeds and lending them to farmers or to usury is a very cruel suggestion made by Marin to the nobles in the disaster area of ​​France.
According to this suggestion, the interest rate for profit is high and it is difficult to afford it. If you do something in the seeds, so that farmers cannot receive the expected food when harvesting in autumn, then there is only one way to go to bankruptcy. At that time, even if they refuse, they will have to mortgage their homeland to their creditors. After all, the debts of the nobles are not so easy to owe.
At the meeting, many greedy nobles proposed that they simply use steamed waste seeds to lend them to farmers. At that time, the farmers will not be able to harvest any grains, not only will the fields at home be saved, but their own people may not be able to be saved. After all, the nobles also lack people in their hands, mainly obedient serfs...
But Paul Lizarazu, an old man in his 60s, believes that using steamed waste seeds is simply an insult to people's IQ. If none of the seeds sown germinate, who can guess their negative effects?
The nobles are shameless and not as relaxed as pure merchants. Although they are privately thieves and prostitutes, they are full of troubles. On the surface, they are very demanding and trying their best to safeguard the honor of the family.
Therefore, this matter must be done, but it must be hidden, so that everyone can clearly see the problem...
Then, the rationalists led by Paul Lizarazu gradually gained the upper hand. As a result, many people agreed - only about half of the steamed useless seeds were mixed. In this way, although farmers could see the seeds germinated after spring plowing, they were just a little sparse and could not see the problem without paying attention.
Half of the seeds are useless. When it comes to autumn harvest, the harvest will definitely be reduced by half. The interest rate for the profit is higher than the normal interest, and the harvest is reduced by half. Farmers will definitely have major problems after autumn harvest...
At the meeting, some more conservative nobles believed that adding half of the unused seeds was not safe enough and could easily be seen by farmers. Therefore, they proposed that only 30 to 40% of the steamed unused seeds would not arouse the farmers' suspicion...
Then, the radicals, the centrists (the "adulterated half" faction led by Paul Lizarazu) and the moderates quarreled in the castle, and almost performed a full martial arts campaign.
In the end, Paul Lizarazu, the initiator and leader, had no choice but to announce that using half of the seeds as the standard, everyone can increase or decrease them appropriately, relying on their own happiness. However, they cannot do it too well to avoid causing trouble. After all, if most of the seeds do not germinate, no matter how stupid they are, they will realize that there is a big problem. If they grit their teeth and replant them once, they can survive.
The secretly mixed with only some steamed invalid seeds can make the people unable to notice major problems. However, the final yield will definitely not keep up. With the high interest rate of profit, the nobles who participated will be full this time...
...
After the meeting, the aristocrats who participated in the loan shark rushed back to their respective estates overnight, quietly steamed a batch of seeds, and mixed them into the seeds borrowed to farmers, stirring them evenly so that people would not see the problem.
These are more than a hundred nobles. If they give usury together, God knows how many French farmers will go bankrupt and then have to sell their arable land. Even if they are unable to protect themselves, they need to sell themselves and become serfs of the nobles again...
In short, after this autumn, some border areas in northeastern France and eastern parts will be lively. At that time, tragedies will occur in France, and many French peasant families will lose their land and lose their means to make a living.
At that time, the Beihai Kingdom will quietly send people to recruit French farmers who have lost their land but have not lost their personal freedom. There is no need to open a high condition. As long as the most basic conditions are given to "full bread with every penny", a large number of farmers can be recruited.
After all, even if the land is not sold, in normal years, many poor French farmers cannot survive the "luxury" life of "full bread"...
Chapter completed!