I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 291: Comparison and Incitement (5)

The people of Gotendorf Village hurried to the village church as if there was some sort of festival.

Johannes, a local of the village, also moved with them toward the church.

“His Majesty the Emperor has been publishing a newspaper for us simple folk every month. Life has been so much better lately, don’t you think, Andrea?”

“It’s the only source of vitality in this miserable life. I live for the taste of hearing about the newspaper and having a drink every month.”

Before the newspapers were distributed, Johannes and Andrea, like other serfs, had little opportunity to hear any news from outside their village.

When news did come, it was usually about the lord's death or about someone being burned alive for committing adultery in the neighboring village.

But since Fabio had started distributing the newspapers, just sitting still every month brought them interesting news from all over the Empire.

In modern terms, it felt like their dopamine levels were through the roof.

“His Majesty’s grace reaching even the likes of us, people like us never could have imagined it before.”

“You’ve become quite the patriot. Well, if you’re so patriotic, why don’t you go serve in the military again?”

“Serve again just because they feed well? If they make me a second lieutenant, maybe, but if they want me to start as a sergeant, I’d rather die than do it.”

“I heard that Matteo next door got lucky and became a non-commissioned officer, and now his family’s doing great. Gabriella, look at her, she’s gained weight living well off the money Matteo sends to his family. Seeing that, I think I should’ve served in the military a little longer too.”

Though Fabio would have jumped at the chance if he had heard this, thinking it would be the kind of thing an adjutant would love to hear, they were sincere in their conversation.

To serfs, war was a place where they were dragged off to die, but with luck, it could also be an opportunity for social advancement.

“Alright then, I wish His Majesty would show us some favor too.”

“I think the only thing we’ll get is tax reductions when famine strikes.”

“Still, His Majesty has shown such great care for people like us. The newspapers always say he’s thinking of us.”

Before the newspapers spread, the Emperor was like a god to the serfs.

He was so far removed from them that he was a figure of immense reverence, someone whose influence seemed too distant to touch their lives.

But after hearing every month through the newspaper about His Majesty’s care and thoughts for the serfs...

The image of the Emperor slowly began to change.

He became not just a distant and revered god, but the representative of that god who cared for them.

Thus, serfs like Andrea and Johannes naturally began to hold hope in the Emperor.

Perhaps he could ease a little of the weight of their hard and painful lives.

“The village chief said the same, that our kind of poverty is something even the gods can’t help us with. Don’t expect miracles, just let’s go and listen to the priest read the newspaper.”

“You can’t say that?”

“Don’t expect it. People like /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ us have lived this way in the past and will continue to live this way in the future.”

After harvesting wheat in the fall, they gave away 60% in taxes and another 10% as tithes.

In winter, it was normal for a few people in the village to starve to death, and everyone suffered from hunger.

A life without hope for the future.

That was the slow death and life that was allowed to the serfs.

Johannes said it like that.

“I’m grateful for His Majesty thinking of us, but we should expect what we can realistically expect. False hopes only make our hearts ache.”

Even Johannes, who had spoken so grimly, felt his mood lighten as he entered the church.

The harsh truth that things wouldn’t improve was still a fact...

But since life was already so grim, it was important to enjoy it when possible.

‘For now, I’ll enjoy it.’

The village priest offered a brief prayer and then opened the newspaper.

“Now, let’s read.”

At the mention of reading the newspaper, everyone perked up their ears.

“To the serfs of the Toscana Empire, I, Your Emperor, speak. I did not know that you had been living in such dire circumstances. I did not realize how poor and hungry you have been, nor how much suffering you have endured. But last week, I went on a secret visit to the city of Florence, and I visited the slums, and I even stopped by where you, the serfs, live. When I set out on my journey, I was somewhat excited at the thought of visiting places I had not seen before in the Empire.”

The Emperor’s visit to the slums in Florence and the serfs' villages was not a fabrication by Fabio.

In fact, Fabio had said that if he wanted to secure absolute imperial authority, he needed to win over the serfs, the poor, and the merchants, and make them experience their lives directly or indirectly.

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Though it was only a matter of eating the same food they ate and spending one night in their homes, even that was enough to make him the ruler who understood the lives of the common people better than anyone else on the Albanian continent.

“The porridge made with weeds, various vegetables, and grains, and occasionally some rye bread when times are good. I’ve heard that such food is hardly ever enough to fill you, and that you go hungry every day unless there’s a good harvest. If I didn’t know any better, I would never have imagined it, but now that I do, my heart aches.”

At these words from the Emperor, sobs could be heard from everywhere.

Their lord saw them as nothing but tools to pay taxes.

Yet here was a man, someone as high as a god, who actually ate the food they ate and listened to their plight.

For people who had been abandoned and trampled on all their lives, this message deeply touched their hearts.

Naturally, their loyalty to the Emperor began to grow in their hearts.

It was an ideal scene that the Emperor of the Toscana Empire would have found very pleasing.

“Thus, I discussed at length with the Chancellor and other ministers what burdens were making your lives so difficult, and we arrived at a conclusion. It is the excessive and heavy taxes that have been weighing on your shoulders, and this is why you live in poverty.”

Johannes thought of his conversation with Andrea.

Andrea had said that it didn’t matter what else, he just wanted the Emperor to lower the taxes.

Could it be that the Emperor would really reduce the taxes to care for them?

“I cannot reduce all the burdens of your taxes. However, from this year’s harvest onward, I will decree that taxes be reduced from 60% to 50%, and all the nobles are commanded to follow this, and if they fail to do so, it will be considered an act of treason.”

Upon hearing this, Johannes immediately stood up and shouted.

“Deus, long live the Emperor! We are rich now!”

A 10% reduction in taxes didn’t mean the serfs would suddenly be eating meat every day and living like kings.

However, a 10% reduction meant that their income would increase by a third compared to when they were living on just 30% of their harvest.

It meant they could live much more comfortably.

‘Since His Majesty has taken strong measures, the taxes will definitely go down.’

Even serfs who had not received formal education knew that nobles would obey the Emperor’s command.

“Furthermore, the poor in the Empire are not suffering because of their sins. How could I leave them to starve? I will allocate more budget to the Church so that even though they may still go hungry, they will not die from starvation.”

His grace extended not only to serfs like himself but also to the poor.

And the Emperor’s speech was now nearing its end.

“All of the Empire’s citizens are like my own children. And every father cherishes his children as his own life, thinking only of their happiness. Although I cannot give as much as you would like, I will do my best to improve your lives, even if only a little.”

Normally, after reading a speech like this, the priest would move on to the next article...

But the villagers, moved by the Emperor’s grace, hugged each other and shouted.

“Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!”

“We won’t have to worry about starving this winter!”

“Thanks to His Majesty, we’ll be living well from this year!”

Johannes, seeing Andrea, gave an awkward smile and offered a half-apology.

“Truly, His Majesty has been thinking of us. I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”

“What are you apologizing for? It’s all His Majesty’s grace.”

“I just hope His Majesty lives for a long time.”

Until now, no matter who the Emperor was, their lives had never changed.

But now, things were different.

The Emperor, no matter what, was on the side of the people.

“... Long live the Emperor! Open the wine barrel today!”

In villages across the Toscana Empire, small village festivals praising the Emperor were held.

When the Emperor received the report, he was greatly pleased.