The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1267 One Real

The church bells rang and the landowners were reluctantly escorted into the church by the newly armed Spanish soldiers.

The military and political officials of the Austrian Empire and local priests in the church were very enthusiastic and even prepared a welcoming banquet for them.

Most of the landlords looked unhappy, and most of them couldn't eat much, but no one forced them to do so.

"Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be here with us. On behalf of His Majesty the Emperor, I would like to express my highest respects to you all."

The Austrian imperial officials raised their glasses, and the Spanish landowners and gentry around them had to raise their glasses and speak even though they were reluctant.

"Thank you, it's our pleasure."

However, there were few responses, and even if there were, their voices were weak.

Austrian officials did not react much to this, but local Catalan priests and bishops were already sweating.

Father Anthony scolded.

"Do you know? Your decision today will affect the future of Catalonia and even Spain!"

However, some people obviously did not understand the situation and would choke.

"I've never even left my town in my life! Catalonia? Spain? I'm really unfamiliar with it!"

"Yes! Why should we care about other people's affairs? Natural disasters and wars are so frequent that we can't even support ourselves. Why should we care about the life and death of others!
Father, why don't you ask God to have mercy and stop the war?"

"Yes! Please, Father!"

There was a burst of wailing for a while. These landlords and gentry were already familiar with the situation, and it was just a dream to expect them to bleed.

Father Anthony was speechless, and the local bishop was helpless. Fortunately, the officials of the Austrian Empire were used to this, and they were afraid that these people would not take action.
"We called you here today to discuss a business deal. If possible, we hope you can sell us some of your extra land."

There are wastelands everywhere in Spain now, and the prices of these wastelands are very low. One farenga (Fanega, a dialect in Aragon, approximately equal to 9.6 acres) of land is usually worth only half a real to one real silver coin.

One reais equals 0.8 florins, and Franz had already prepared enough money. As long as they were willing to sell, Franz would buy as much as they sold.

However, upon hearing about the purchase, the landlords and gentry in Catalonia had an ominous premonition, and their trust in the government and the royal family was almost zero.

After all, the army has many more guns than them, so they have to endure it even if they suffer losses.

But some people still dared to ask.

"How much is the Austrian Empire willing to pay for it?"

Officials of the Austrian Empire were well prepared.

"One silver real per faranga."

"One real!?"

The landlords and gentry could not help but rejoice secretly, as they all had large amounts of wasteland in their hands, all of which they had seized through plunder in collaboration with the church. These lands had little cost in the first place and had little value during the war.

Normally, even if they were sold for half a real, no one would be willing to buy. Now, they could sell them all to the Austrians at a price of one real per farene, which was definitely a good deal. However, not everyone was satisfied with this deal. The real big landowners looked down on this little money. Although Spain had long since fallen, these families still had some insight.

They are also the backbone of these landlords. If they don't speak, the small landlords will not dare to say anything no matter how excited they are.

"Hello, dear bishop and sir. I am Elora from Reus. I think it is not appropriate for you to describe the land of Spain as a wasteland.

We don’t have any real wasteland in Spain, it’s just that it has been abandoned because of war. I hope you can buy our land at a normal price.”

"What nonsense are you talking about? How can those lands covered with weeds not be wasteland? The price of one acre of arable land is ten times the price of one acre of wasteland!"

An official who had defected to the Austrian Empire said this "righteously". The tenfold price difference immediately caused the landlords in the church to exclaim, and they immediately echoed it.

"Yes! Sir, you can't rob them openly! Those lands were saved by our ancestors through tightening their belts!"

The church was suddenly filled with crying, as if it were a mourning hall, but the Austrian officials remained expressionless.

Once the tenfold price difference came out, no one wanted to sell their land anymore. Even if someone was willing to sell it now, would the Austrian Empire have the nerve to buy it?
At this time, Elora had already revealed a victorious smile. They were still the masters of this land. No matter the dynasties changed or the seasons changed, only the power in their hands would remain unchanged forever.

But what surprised him was that the Bishop of Catalonia was looking at them with pity, as if he was looking at a group of dying people.

The officials of the Austrian Empire stood up again.

"I am here to buy wasteland on the orders of the Emperor of the Austrian Empire, and I only buy wasteland. If you have wasteland you want to sell, then we will sell it at the previous price.

We will never force you if you don’t want to.”

This official of the Austrian Empire wore a pair of glasses, looked weak and frail, spoke in a friendly and gentle manner, and was not threatening at all.

But these words are still useful. Some people are willing to sell their own wasteland. After all, these things are really useless.

And they don't think there are really people willing to pay ten times the price to buy these lands, or that some people really need money for emergency, and some people are moved by the idea of ​​saving Spain.
In fact, on the way here, the local clergy had already persuaded them and talked about many truths, but as the saying goes, kindness cannot command an army and righteousness cannot make money, only a very small number of people were really moved by a few words from the clergy.

The amount of wasteland purchased by the Austrian Empire was very limited, but the payment was extremely generous. Box after box was opened, and they were all filled with gold and silver.

Some people regretted their decision after seeing the real gold and silver, which was completely understandable to the Austrian officials. By the time no one in the church was willing to sell the wasteland anymore, the gold and silver in the boxes had only been reduced by one third.

"The Emperor of the Austrian Empire is so stingy. He has so much money, but he is only willing to pay such a small amount. What's the point of saving such a small amount? You should go to the brothel and save the fallen women!"

"Ha ha!"

"Ha ha!"

"If you ask me, how many people can the little land they bought now feed? And how can it be possible with only land but no food?
I would say that the money will be ours sooner or later!"

"That's right! It's absolutely right! Anyway, we have land and food. When those poor guys get hungry and start making trouble, the Austrians will definitely have to pay us to buy them.

We won’t want ten times, we want thirty times! Not fifty times! "

"Haha! I'm rich! It turns out that it's easiest to make money from poor people and idiots!"

A group of Catalan landowners are discussing their bright future. Although their voices are low, they are still very noisy in the church.