British hegemon

Chapter 100 Christmas

Chapter 100 Christmas

December 25, 1305, the day commemorating the birth of Jesus, was Roger's first "Spring Festival" in this world.

Although the time and place are different, the festive atmosphere is just as strong.

Perhaps feeling that the death of the lord at Milk House Manor this year was too tragic, Roger's mother hoped to use a lively celebration to dilute the somber atmosphere.

On Christmas morning, a manor court trial was held in the manor hall of the Milk House Manor. Roger usually disliked dealing with trivial matters, so the manor court trials were usually presided over by the grumpy-faced butler.

However, this court case concerns a collective land dispute arising from Roger's "reclamation order," so Roger must handle it personally.

The dispute stems from the issue of occupying "owner-owned wasteland" during the reclamation process. Although many barren corner plots of the Milk House Manor have long been abandoned, they are nominally owned.

This was Roger's first land decree, so he wanted to uphold the dignity of the decree and declared that all land that had not been cultivated within six years was abandoned land, the right to manage the land belonged to the landowner, and the ownership of the land belonged to the manor.

To appease the "owners of the wasteland," Roger ordered that one-fifth of the grain harvested from the first two years of the reclaimed land belonged to the verified original owner, and after two years, it would be entirely under the control of the reclaimers. This territorial law was formalized in writing.

For the original owner, those "claimed wastelands" were dispensable, and obtaining one-fifth of the harvest over two years was not a loss; for the pioneers, although they lost some of the harvest, they could accept the legal right to operate the land.

After the manor court concluded its proceedings, Roger announced that everyone in the entire Milk House manor would take two days of paid leave on a rotating basis: the Christmas feast would then begin.

When Roger explained what "paid leave" meant, a thunderous roar of applause erupted both inside and outside the manor.

The fact that they could receive a normal salary without doing any work was an eye-opener for everyone. Following Lord Roger, they felt there was hope for the future.

Christmas feasts are a tradition at Milk House Manor. In previous years, Sir Colin would invite all the people of the entire manor to the lord's manor for lunch on this day. Although it was usually just hard bread, light beer and a thick soup with more water than meat, the people were very grateful for the lord's generosity.

Roger continued the fine tradition and rewarded the people with twice as much grain, fruit, and beer as in previous years. All the artisans, employees, and their families from Campbell's saltworks and textile mills also gathered at Milk House Estate.

The interior and exterior of the Milk House estate are filled with fir trees adorned with mistletoe, holly, and other greenery by the servants, a symbol of their anticipation for the birth of Jesus and the return of spring.

The long table in the lord's hall was laden with fluffy bread, large steaks, pork ham, whole legs of lamb, as well as light beer, eggs, milk, and nutmeg—a lavish and abundant feast.

At the head of the long table were Roger, his mother, and his brother Louis.

The area was filled with the core figures of Milkhouse Manor, such as Old Butler Bud, Craftsman Steward Tom, Saltworks Steward, Stable Boy, Alchemist, and Sergeant Marn, Olaf, Baldy, and others.

The weakling Gildonan returned to his family estate for the holidays. Jenny, the manager of the textile mill, was invited to the table, but the girl felt she was not worthy of a seat, so she hid in the kitchen and dined with the fat cook, the bald grandma, and the ponytail-wearing sister, while also helping out.

Although the food outside the main hall was not as lavish and delicious as that inside, the stewed mutton, the fragrant bread, and the barrels of light beer made the people crammed into the inner and outer courtyards of the manor house eat with great relish.

Lord Roger provided his people with a truly free lunch, though of course the people had no idea what it meant to "get something for nothing."

After the free lunch, Roger ordered that each of the subjects receive a pound of coarsely ground wheat flour. After receiving their weekly wages, the "public servants" who were "supported" by the Milk House Manor also received a bonus based on their daily wage.

Although the soldiers' brows were furrowed throughout the distribution of rations and money, the atmosphere today was warm and cheerful, with everyone wearing happy expressions. This Christmas was especially for the soldiers who received double pay for leaving the island.

This is what Roger wanted to see. He not only needed these people's loyalty, but also their boundless yearning for a better life.

After lunch, Roger, along with his brother Louis and several fox pelts and a deerskin they had acquired during their recent voyage, passed through the bustling market town of Brodic and entered the castle to visit Baron John.

Baron John's health had suddenly deteriorated recently, presumably due to a relapse of his old injury from the arrow wound. However, he still showed a relieved expression upon seeing Roger and Louis, who had come to visit him in person.

Roger exchanged a few simple pleasantries and offered his blessings before mentioning his plan to trade south and his desire to ask Baron John for help in opening up the Glasgow market.

With the English increasingly tightening their blockade of the seas and pirates becoming more rampant, coupled with a bumper harvest and financial security on the Isle of Arun this year, Baron John's interest in heading south has greatly diminished.

However, he did not dampen Roger's enthusiasm. Baron John believed that the former devilish young master had not only not done anything evil during this period, but had also been enthusiastic about doing good things.

This is a great blessing for the Campbell family of Aran Island, who have suffered heavy losses.

Roger also mentioned his plan to send Louis to study at the University of Paris in the Kingdom of France. Unexpectedly, Baron John was a hundred times more open-minded and far-sighted than his mother.

He knew that the Kingdom of France now controlled the Pope, and if Louis, as the second son, wanted to make a name for himself in the Church in the future, he had to rely closely on the power of the Kingdom of France.

With the prospect of studying at the University of Paris guaranteed, the Campbell family would also have strong support within the church. Therefore, they agreed to Roger's idea and offered to provide financial assistance if needed.

After leaving the Baron's Castle, Roger went to the Moulin Rouge and delivered a bottle of aromatherapy to Mrs. Kate.

Roger swallowed hard and declined Lady Kate's invitation to the evening banquet. There was a Christmas bonfire celebration at Milk House Manor that night, and as the lord, he shouldn't miss the grand event...

Two days after Christmas, Roger, accompanied by Olaf who had no family to accompany him and the bald man on duty, visited several lords and gentry on the island who were relatively close to him. These people had all been friendly to Roger during his knighting ceremony and tournament.

Roger brought them spices from Ireland, fine salt produced at the Milk House Estate, and top-quality furs he had acquired from elsewhere.

Sending New Year's gifts is a custom that no longer exists in this era, but who can refuse a generous gift delivered to their door and a rising star?

So, in the days following Christmas, Roger gained the friendship of the six island lords.

And orders for smuggled goods to the south and return shipments worth more than twenty pounds.

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