When mentioning this, a small portion of the smart representatives grasped the essence.

The lord's lands are divided, no tax is paid within a year, mountains and waters are open, then isn't this Hundred Households Captain holding a worthless position?

Soon someone raised this question.

"Not worthless." Horn vigorously waved his hand and said, "You have an annual subsidy equivalent to the non-war salary of the Salvation Army, roughly 3 gold pounds per year.

Furthermore, you can nominate a child under twelve years to enter the Monk School of Joan of Arc Castle or the Salvation Army affiliated school for free education.

In the future, if you perform well, upon passing the Priest examination, you may even become a Village Church Priest or even a Bishop level."

Even Grosien understood now, becoming a Hundred Households Captain provides a salary, can shelter children, and even offers a chance to become a Priest without cost.

The initially extinguished flame of devotion rekindled brightly in their hearts, the representatives were eager to progress.

After asking a few insignificant, even flattering questions, Horn heard another question of interest from a citizen representative.

"Your Holiness, I want to ask if the standards for usury aren't set too low?" The standing citizen representative looked troubled, "Perhaps you don't know, the bad debt rate for lending isn't low.

If you set the maximum annual interest rate at 20% and don't allow interest to exceed principal, our gains won't cover the risks.

Under such circumstances, no citizen would want to lend to those who face difficulties."

Seeing Horn still smiling, the citizen representative coughed, "Perhaps we slightly relax it to 36% or 40%? Or allow interest to be up to double the principal?"

Horn had long awaited the citizens to inquire about the issue of usury.

The "Holy Country Land Edict" allowing free land trade was to instill a sense of ownership in farmers.

Once they truly feel connected to the land and have surplus produce, they will dare to improve soil and cultivate crops.

Ancient Eastern agriculture could long dominate Western agriculture partly because it highlighted land free trade early on.

Self-cultivating farmers were willing and able to improve soil and develop agriculture.

Plans in early to mid Medieval feudal manor command economies greatly suppressed agricultural productivity.

This brings downside for rich citizens who can stabilize and quickly grow wealth through usury and land annexation — who is interested in investing in industrial enterprises?

The issue lies in the former model being zero-sum, only redistributing wealth without creating it.

The latter's profit rate and risk resistance may not be as high as the former, but it tangibly creates wealth and jobs, changing everyday life.

Therefore, Horn must block other exits of the capital pool, leaving only one — developing industries.

"We've all read the 'Gospel', both Saint Master and Holy Father detest usury, let alone buying church positions." said the devout Horn sternly, "This harmful practice, my not completely abolishing it is already merciful."

"Your Holiness, I know you detest usury, but this standard is too harsh." At this moment, Murat, the second-largest lender in Sour Melon Town, finally couldn't hold himself, "If we don't lend to people in trouble, they may die.

We reach out at critical moments, who can guarantee lending to them, they'll recover?"

Just for this, we face immense risk, such a massive risk deserves matching income?"

Exhaling through his nose, Horn picked up the crutches beside the podium, supported himself and walked to the front of the wooden platform, while saying:

"I never said you couldn't make money, you could entirely invest in workshops, I see many well-running workshops on the verge of bankruptcy due to floods.

Or you could buy our Holy War Bonds, with a 10% annual interest rate and interest every year.

If you still find it insufficient, you could invest in the Senate's future establishments, Saint Plow Monastery and Saint Scythe Monastery.

The former focuses on reclamation and breeding development, the latter on agricultural integration, farm products, and farm operations.

If you wish to invest, your investment amount can even serve as a tax exemption for the next ten years.

I can even offer you the status of honorary elder, is this still harsh?

Do business as business, charity as charity.

Doing business while chanting charity, is like a Liu Ying in nun attire, demanding both devotion and money."

Seeing Murat speechless, Horn chuckled lightly and leaned on his crutches, intending to return to the front of the podium.

"This makes no sense, with such low interest, I'd rather let money rot at home."

Even just a murmur, Horn still heard, he originally stopped his return move, then turned around again.

He didn't know who said it, but merely looked towards the direction and calmly said to the citizens:

"I'm unreasonable? Am I unreasonable? Sometimes I feel too merciful towards you.

When I invaded Joan of Arc Castle, countless Defensive Army harmed by you repeatedly requested me to hang you all.

I believe in rectifying wrongs to cure, not behead for headaches, amputate for sore feet.

So I only hanged some, leaving you a path to live!"

Horn's voice showed little fluctuation, yet the invisible suffocating pressure pressed on the citizens, bending them as if cooked lobsters.

The citizen representatives present trembled like quails.

Even peripheral villagers unrelated to the issue changed their faces, as they faintly smelled the blood scent.

The representatives finally realized, this bandaged youth before them isn't a pushover new Priest.

But the executioner who hand-slashed thousands, executed hundreds of nobles, personally beheaded the Duke's whole family, causing rivers of blood.

If truly provoked him, with a wave, he could de-urbanize and hang all citizens, leaving the others speechless.

Did they truly think Horn was just a diligent student?

"Finally, as Saint's Grandson, Pope, Eye of God, I sternly warn you: the days of lying in gold relying on enslaving civilians for gains are gone!

If you persist on this path, you are not far from the devil!"

Seeing the trembling citizen representatives, Horn didn't further pressure but looked afar, indifferently questioning:

"Does anyone still have questions?"

Sitting beside a pale-faced citizen, Grosien's cousin looked around, then stood up:

"Your Holiness, I want to ask, how are the Hundred Households Captain and Hundred Households Priest appointed in the Hundred Households District?"

Horn lowered his head, flipped two pages in his booklet, then raised his head and continued, "They are elected according to the basic law, of course, the opinion of the Red Cardinal Group is also important.

In the Holy War Special District, Hundred Households Districts are not equipped with Hundred Households Priests, those appointed as Hundred Households Captains only need approval signatures from the Salvation Army.

In Devout Special Districts, Hundred Households Captains are elected and appointed by priority from the Defensive Army, people's representatives, and ordinary people, Hundred Households Priests are appointed from Monks in the Saint Father's Association."

"But we aren't knights, we can't beat others, how can we command them?"

Hearing someone ask the key question again, Horn's anger dissipated somewhat: "You can report to your superiors, the Cheka will investigate to confirm, if true, the Military Police will visit with the Black Hat Army."

"Then Your Holiness, I've got a small question too..."

From noon to evening, most questions were answered, Horn's throat felt like it's burning.

Fortunately, through a whole day's meeting, finally, this group of culturally diverse representatives understood the spirit of the "Holy Country Land Edict", now just for implementation is awaited.

After the group Believers' Assembly, Horn initiated one-on-two and one-on-three consultations.

With every manor or town representative, he had talks lasting about ten to fifteen minutes, Horn then had them tour the Blue Blood Orphanage site before releasing them.

After a full five days, this dialogue between the newly established regime and the citizens finally concluded.

It was until this time, that the flags of the Pope Country and Salvation Army were truly planted in the Kush Territory.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.