Chapter 495 The Demands of the Free People Must Also Be Heard

The emperor of Athens was not only the emperor of the citizens of Athens, but also the emperor of the free citizens of Athens.

Loy could use the citizens' assembly to understand the demands of Athenian citizens.

If he wanted to understand the demands of the free people of Athens, Roy could only pay a private visit incognito.

The second day of the citizens' meeting.

Roy took Procne, Philomela, and Nefertiti to a remote village in the north of Athens.

Kuronos Village.

Cement roads have been built in this village.

Roy's golden carriage drove into the village, and he saw that apart from children running around and playing, there were only some old people drying wheat in their yards.

The carriage stopped in the middle of the village, and Roy took the girls out of the carriage and came to the nearby farmyard.

An old man was drying wheat in the yard at this time. When he saw the four Roys walking into his yard, the old man immediately showed a bewildered expression on his face.

After all, Roy took a golden carriage for a private visit incognito. As long as they were not ignorant, anyone could guess Roy's identity.

"Old man, we are travelers passing through."

Roy took the initiative to say to the old man.

"What's drying in the yard is this year's newly harvested wheat, right?"

The old man nodded, and Roy then asked.

"How is your harvest this year?"

The old man said with a simple smile.

"Our family has 20 acres of land, which can harvest more than 3,000 kilograms of grain. In addition to the 20 acres of land rented by His Majesty the Emperor, which is allocated 1,000 kilograms of grain, my family has enough food to feed the whole family of seven, and there is still more. The excess grain is exchanged for salt. My two sons work outside and can earn three thousand kilograms of grain a year. This is the first time in my life that our family can earn seven thousand kilograms of grain a year. Life will definitely get better and better.”

"Old man, what do you think of the current emperor?"

Hearing this question, the old man couldn't help rolling his eyes.

After all, the old man was not a fool. He had already guessed Roy's identity when he saw Roy's golden carriage.

"His Majesty the Emperor is a very good man!"

The old man praised sincerely.

"Under the emperor's governance, our lives are getting better and better, and our security is guaranteed. We don't have to worry about bandits. Moreover, the emperor also built bridges and paved roads for us, and built cement roads right in front of our homes."

"Then do you have any demands for the emperor?"

"It would be great if the emperor could give us more fields."

"This is not okay!"

Roy refused without hesitation.

"The population of the empire will continue to increase. If we allocate land to you without restrictions, there will be no fields to distribute to future generations. At present, if you want to allocate more fields, you can only let your sons serve as soldiers, and become a citizen family. I can get fifty acres of land.”

"Then I have no appeal."

Roy glanced at the old man's house and said.

"Old man, why don't you demolish your house made of mud and wood and build a cement house?"

“Where do we have the money to build concrete houses.”

"If the emperor lends you money to build houses, would you be willing?"

Roy said with a smile.

"The cost of building three cement houses is 30,000 kilograms of grain, and your family cannot afford it all at once. The emperor's Royal Bank can lend it to you free of charge and interest-free. You only need ten years to repay the debt. Repay three thousand kilograms per year. Food will not affect your family’s normal life.”

“Are concrete houses so cheap?”

"It's so cheap. All building materials belong to the emperor. When he builds a house for you, the emperor only charges the labor cost, not the materials."

"You are so kind, I want to kneel down to you——"

Seeing that the old man really wanted to kneel down and worship him, Roy immediately supported the old man and said.

"Old man, I am just a traveler passing by. Everyone in the Athens Empire is equal. Even if you really see the emperor, you don't need to kneel down."

After leaving the old man's yard, Roy took the girls to the yard of another family.

At this time, a woman was taking her ten-year-old daughter to wash clothes.

In this era, women almost never go out.

So the woman doing the laundry obviously didn't know Roy's identity.

Seeing Roy and others walking into the yard, the woman stopped washing clothes and looked at Roy and asked.

"What's the matter with you?"

Her daughter also looked at Roy and others with curious eyes.

"Sister, I want to ask how your family is doing?"

"Our family is doing well."

"Then do your family have any demands that you would like to tell His Majesty the Emperor?"

"What's the use of what I said?"

The woman couldn't help but laugh.

"Will the emperor listen to my appeal as a woman?"

"Actually, I am the emperor's envoy. Tell me your demands and I will help you convey them to the emperor."

After hearing Roy's words, the woman glanced at Roy's golden carriage and said.

"I do have a request. I heard that the emperor is the favorite of Metis, the goddess of wisdom, and has invented many magical things. I hope the emperor can invent a loom so that I can weave cloth less hard."

"no problem."

The looms of this era worked very slowly.

Women weaved at home, usually only to meet the needs of making clothes for family members.

"Sister! The emperor will soon invent a new loom. In the future, Athenian women will use this new loom to not only make clothes for their families, but also to weave excess cloth and sell it for money."

"That means, we women can weave cloth to support ourselves in the future, and no longer rely entirely on our husbands?"

"That's right!"

Roy nodded and said.

"In the future, women can also provide income for the family, and your life will definitely get better and better. Even if you earn 9,000 kilograms of grain a year, it will be no problem."

After leaving Chronos Village, the golden carriage slowly drove on the road back to Athens.

Seeing the fields on both sides of the road, farmers were sweating and harvesting wheat, Roy couldn't help but say.

"It seems that after the steam engine is invented, the diesel engine will be invented next."

The production method using human and animal power is really too backward.

To increase grain production, either let more people farm or change the production method.

If it is a feudal autocratic ruler, he will definitely choose to suppress the change of production methods.

Because leaving a large population on the land can facilitate their rule.

But Roy's Athenian Empire is not feudal autocracy, let alone rule by man.

The Athenian Empire is ruled by law, and anyone who wants to go beyond the law will be punished by law.

Looking at Roy's profile, Nefertiti couldn't help asking.

"Your Majesty! I have observed for so long and found that there seems to be no boundary between the rulers and the ruled in the Athenian Empire. If this situation continues, won't the Athenian Empire be in chaos?"

"I know what you are worried about."

Roy said confidently.

"Nefertiti, in any era, there will always be ambitious people who want to rule others. The existence of such people can provide legitimacy for the existence of the royal family. We can use operas like [The Legend of the King of Athens] to tell the Athenians that the existence of the emperor is necessary. Because the existence of the emperor can suppress those truly ambitious people."