Grasp the farming script in the famous book

"Mr. Wickham, thank you for the flowers!"

Roland calmly took the rose that Wickham handed over.

If such a beautiful rose is left in that guy's hands, and I don't know which lady's heart he will use later, it is better for Roland to keep it by himself.

As for Wickham's haughty proposal to lend Roland two thousand pounds just now, Roland took it as a deaf ear, and let it go.

"As for the money, I have my own arrangements. Thank you for your concern and don't worry about it." Roland rejected Wickham's proposal in a nonchalant manner.

Not to mention that Roland does not consider borrowing money from others for the time being, even if he borrows money, he will not borrow money from "Long Aotian" - lest he always put on an appearance of asking others to thank him.

Participating in the construction of the "toll road" is a problem that Roland must solve within his own capabilities.

If she really has the ability, she will represent the girls of the Bennett family to participate in this road construction project; if she can't raise money, she will simply give up the project and continue to start from farming honestly, looking for wealth from the land .

Borrowing money can't solve the current problems of the Bennett family—even more can't borrowing money from Long Aotian.

Roland thought about it, but didn't realize that this was actually due to her personality. No matter how difficult she encountered, she tended to use her own strength to solve the problem instead of asking others for help.

But for the "turnpike" matter, Roland had to turn to one person—Mr. Bennett.

In Longborn's study, facing his old father, Mr. Bennett, Roland asked hesitantly an idea that she had thought about for a long time:

"Father, when you and your mother got married, there was an agreement that you would leave five thousand pounds to your children... Can I... advance my share..."

Roland lowered his voice as he spoke, and lowered his head, not daring to look at Mr. Bennett.

She knew it was impolite and hurtful--she dared to discuss his old man's future legacy in front of her father.

When she had fully expressed herself, she bowed her head and waited for Mr. Bennet to lash out at her.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, Mr. Bennet asked with a smile: "What's the matter? My poor little Lydia, have you been fooled by some young man into begging for a dowry from your father? Are you going to leave tomorrow?" Going to Gretna Green?"

"..."

Roland: I don't, I don't want to!

She held back for a long time, and couldn't help but burst out laughing with a "puchi"—with one sentence, the old father directly dispelled all her embarrassment and tension.

"In that case, what's wrong with Dad collecting your dowry for you and handing over this insignificant property to you when your true destiny comes to marry you?"

Mr. Bennett's tone was half joking and half affectionate.It's rare that he didn't mind Roland's "offense". On the contrary, he smiled kindly.

Roland quickly raised his head: "But, Dad, now I have an excellent opportunity to turn my dowry into a stable annuity income in a short period of time—this property can definitely give The dowry of the sisters adds luster."

She told everything she had heard from Uncle Phillips.

In addition, she also detailed the experience of using the "turnpike" mentioned by the Gardners when they came from London; Factories were built, and the population began to gather on a large scale...

"You mean, if we build such a road on our land, we can benefit a lot from this road in the future and get a steady stream of income. Your sisters' dowry will be a lot more glorious because of this, right?"

Roland nodded quickly.

"But... my child, have you ever thought about it?" Mr. Bennett's loving and keen eyes flashed behind his glasses, "whether the beautiful countryside of Longbourne can still be maintained without this wide road?" What does it look like?"

Roland: Oops! . . . She forgot that Mr. Bennet was a man who liked country life best.

And she is a 100% modern person. She has long been accustomed to an efficient and convenient life, with roads extending in all directions and goods delivered every day, within easy reach.

But she is now in the 18th century plane.

The construction of roads will inevitably bring more and faster external impacts to the land and villages on both sides of the roads, many of which are positive, but there are also negative impacts.

Highways will introduce urban lifestyles into the quiet countryside, and allow the rural population to gradually flock to the cities—this is the inevitable trend of social development.

But from another perspective, the extension of highways in England is also playing an elegy for the idyllic life of people in the old days.

Roland could understand Mr. Bennett's concerns, but she couldn't just sit back and watch the Bennett family miss this new opportunity for the development of the entire region.

"Father, please think about it—the pastoral life you are enjoying now is actually based on the non-stop labor of the tenant farmers throughout the year." At this time, Roland couldn't care less about euphemism.

"The construction of roads can enable the tenant farmers to send the crops they grow and the poultry and livestock they raise to farther places for a better price; their lives can be improved rapidly; their children can have the opportunity to receive better education. education; they have the opportunity to go to the city and not repeat the life their grandparents have been repeating..."

"They love Longbourne as much as you do, and the countryside, for the tranquility and uniqueness that this land affords them—"

"But what the road provides them is not just a change, but an opportunity, so that all people in Longborn have the opportunity to choose the life they want."

"This opportunity is right in front of you, and you should give the whole of Longborn a chance to change."

Now that Roland is free from the restriction of the "anti-OOC" card, he can speak freely in front of Mr. Bennett.

Mr. Bennett was very shocked when he heard this. He took off the reading glasses on the bridge of his nose on the spot, and looked at the little daughter in front of him again-he could no longer treat the youngest daughter as an ignorant child.

"The Turnpike certainly doesn't go through your favorite fields, it doesn't go through the gorgeous red pine forests, it doesn't cross the river you fish every day...it can only expand on the existing road. "

Roland has thought about all the possibilities. She thinks that the new road is unlikely to destroy the existing farmland, woods and rivers in Longbourne - building roads in such places will add extra costs, all of which are money, shrewd lord They will definitely not agree.

Therefore, it is most likely to expand along the existing road from Meryton to Longborn. This road passes through the village entrance of Longborn, about 500 meters away from the Bennett family's mansion, and then continues to the northwest. extend.

Mr. Bennet thought for a while before asking: "Is that really the case?"

"Of course. Dad, you are the master of this land. If you decide to participate, of course you have the absolute right to speak. On the contrary, if you give up the opportunity to build roads to others, you will lose the right to dominate."

It was true, Uncle Phillips had said so.

Mr. Bennet thought for a while and said, "Son, your suggestion...maybe it's really worth considering."

Roland: That must be.

"But... are you sure that your dowry of one thousand pounds is enough to participate in the construction of this toll road?"

Roland nodded: "Yes, Uncle Phillips said it would cost at least two thousand pounds—and I just saved just over a thousand pounds recently."

Mr. Bennet was stunned: He never thought that his little daughter had already saved so much money.

Those vegetable plots, barns, and greenhouses outside the Longbourne mansion... Are they so lucrative?

But no matter what, he couldn't hold back his face, and let his youngest daughter pay for it to "add luster" to their dowry.

"Son, take your stupid idea back. A dowry is a dowry. It was agreed upon when your mother and I got married, and it is inconvenient to use it."

"If you are really short of a thousand pounds...you can save a thousand pounds in pocket money, and your father will always have about the same amount of private money as you—"

Mr. Bennet put a finger to his lips slyly, as a sign that the matter should be kept private.

Unexpectedly, a voice suddenly sounded outside the door: "No, no... Brother-in-law, if you really consider the future of your nieces, you really shouldn't use the property under your own name."

The person who spoke turned out to be Mr. Phillips, his uncle.

When he was in Meryton earlier, he was greatly surprised after hearing Roland talk about his plan.

After Roland left, Mr. Phillips felt that this matter was really promising, so he rushed to Longbourn in a hurry, wanting to meet Mr. Bennett to discuss this matter.

Unexpectedly, when he arrived in Longbourn, Mr. Bennett's study door was not completely closed, and he just overheard a short conversation—Mr. Phillips never expected that the youngest niece had already persuaded her brother-in-law.

Mr. Bennett is willing to use his private money to join the trust company that builds the "toll road"? !

But as a lawyer, he should be reminded, and Mr. Phillips must remind him.

"Brother-in-law, you and your sister-in-law had an agreement when you got married, and the total dowry left to your nieces and daughters is only so much. If you pay out of your own pocket and want to participate in the construction of roads to obtain the right to charge, this right to charge should belong to your heirs -"

It was the cousin of Collins in Hunsford, Kent.

Roland quickly whispered: "Dad..."

——Look at what I said!

Mr. Bennet frowned.

He asked: "If I take out my private money secretly, how about keeping it quiet?"

Roland: ...I didn't expect you to be such an old gentleman!

Mr. Phillips quickly winked at Mr. Bennett, indicating that the wall has ears, and his wife and sister who are "not very nervous" are also listening outside the door.

"This...isn't very good. Mr. Collins, you can request property tracing. If the nieces can't prove that the property in their own name was put into the toll road, then Mr. Collins can actually obtain the right to toll the road."

There was some movement outside the study door. I'm afraid Mrs. Bennet was about to cry again, remembering the sad things.

"actually……"

Mr. Phillips pondered for a while before opening his mouth cautiously, "Actually, the suggestion my niece just made is feasible."

Roland's eyes lit up suddenly, and her eyes followed Mr. Bennett closely.

"You advanced your niece's dowry and exchanged it for the 'toll right' of the 'toll road'. Even if Mr. Collins asked for traceability, there was no problem. You just exchanged their dowry for investment and gave them Just go out as a dowry."

"Yes, Daddy, if you agree to put my share of the dowry into the Turnpike Trust, and I'll figure out what to do with the remaining £[-]."

"When we get the 'toll right' of the highway, we will all put it in a trust called the 'Bennett Sisters Trust', and the proceeds will be shared by our sisters—"

Roland seems to have seen a bright future: her ideal has come true.Whether the sisters are marrying a good son-in-law or living in a boudoir, this toll road through Longborn can bring them a stable income.

"Little sister, this is not acceptable!"

It was the voice of the second sister Elizabeth.

The door of Mr. Bennet's study was opened, and the three sisters entered in a file, followed by Mrs. Bennet.

Mrs. Bennet held a handkerchief in her hand, her eyes were red, and she was about to cry. She hugged Roland as soon as she entered the room:

"Oh my sweetheart Lydia, you are still willing to think about your sisters."

"But what exactly is the 'right to charge' you mentioned?"

Roland: Oh dear mother, I really don't have time to explain to you at this moment.

"But Lydia," Elizabeth said in a steady voice, "since you mentioned that the benefits will be shared by everyone in the future, you can't just sacrifice your dowry."

"Father, this thousand pounds will come from our sister's dowry," Elizabeth said.

Mr. Bennet looked at his daughters.

"Jane is not here, can you make decisions for her?" he asked Elizabeth.

"Yes," Elizabeth said, "I believe there is absolutely no problem with Jane. We all believe in your and uncle's vision..."

After she finished speaking, she turned to Roland: "Of course, we all believe in my little sister."

Roland: Great.

Mr. Bennet looked at his other two daughters: "Mary, Kitty, what about you? What do you say?"

Kitty was still a little confused, looking at Roland for a while, and Elizabeth for a while;

But Mary said with certainty: "Of course... Besides, there is not much difference between a dowry of [-] pounds and a dowry of [-] pounds."

Mr. Bennett: ...

Roland was very happy in his heart, thinking: This is talking nonsense and telling the truth.

Kitty, who was still a little hesitant at first, was relieved when she saw that her sisters were so determined.

For a while, the family meeting of the Bennett family was over, and the following resolutions were made:

Ask Uncle Phillips to come forward on his behalf and contact the trust company to express Mr. Bennett's wishes;

Mr. Bennett contacted the notary to add a supplementary clause to the inheritance agreement, and put forward a thousand pounds for the inheritance distributed to his daughters in the future, and put it into the toll road trust, and the remaining part was paid by the industry under Roland's name;

Elizabeth hurriedly wrote to Jane, explaining everything, and confirmed that there would be no objections from Jane...

In addition, Mr. Bennett also gave Roland a task: to persuade the villagers of Longborn to accept this change with a peaceful and happy attitude.

Roland: What's so difficult about it?

This road will bring them many benefits.

But after communicating with the villagers of Langborn, she discovered that many villagers were wary of such a change, and some even pleaded with Roland on the spot:

"Miss, you and Mr. Bennett have a good talk, don't build this road... From now on, people will come and go on the road at the entrance of the village, no matter who can come to the village... This, how scary!"

"Yeah, I have a relative who lives in Kent. Last time I sent a message from someone, saying that they have built a new toll road there, and there are robbers on the road... Will there be robbers here too?"

Roland: I never expected that the first thing these villagers worried about was safety.

It is true that the construction of roads will bring changes and impacts to society, and there will also be a certain increase in crime rates in some places, but she believes that these will not affect Longborn.

More importantly, even if there are negative effects, they should be resolved instead of giving up because of choking.

So she explained the planning of the road to the villagers in detail:

The toll road passes through the entrance of Longborn Village, and there is no toll booth nearby, and the main food and accommodation places for people coming and going are in Meryton.

In the future, Longborn will consider opening an afternoon tea shop or fast food restaurant to provide temporary rest and eating places for passing vehicles.

This small shop will be located between the village and the road, and will serve the functions of observing outsiders and ensuring safety;

In addition, the store can also sell some local products of the village.

In addition to these convenient and safe facilities, Roland also plans to set up a "public carriage" between Longborn and Meryton in the future to facilitate the villagers' transportation.

As soon as they heard about the stagecoach, all the villagers in Longborn became interested:

"Miss, you mean... people like us can go to Meryton in a carriage for a little money?"

Roland nodded: "Of course!"

"This……"

The villagers all showed joy.

The older Longborn villagers, like Thomas Barry, have weak waists and legs, and feel that there will be more convenient means of transportation in the future.

The young people in the village are excited that they can travel to the outside world more easily in the future, and they can visit Meryton more. It seems that it is easier to go to other towns, even London.

After Roland's explanation, the villagers' resistance to the "toll road" was reduced by more than half.

Although some people still have some doubts in their hearts, they should and can all accept this fact after explaining it slowly in the future.

"Miss Bennett!"

Mr. Fletcher, the resident priest in Longborn, greeted Roland.

The young priest was gentle and gentle, and treated the villagers of Longbourn, both adults and children, with due diligence.Roland respected the priest very much.

"It seems that your words have changed the opinions of many people in the shortest possible time." Fletcher looked at Roland with a pair of soft gray eyes with a smile, "I have seen you, one of the few One of the women who can be persuasive and appealing at a young age."

Roland bowed his knees to Mr. Fletcher and sent a smiley face: "You are too proud."

"May I mention these measures you have taken to the superior priest?" Mr. Fletcher asked Roland for advice. "You know that there are many small villages like Longbourne on the road that is about to be built. Your approach may help them."

Roland has no problem at all: "Please feel free to mention it, and if you think there are any omissions, please let me know. I am very grateful for the opinions of all insightful people."

Mr. Fletcher seemed to appreciate Roland even more. He took off his hat, put it on his chest, and saluted Roland solemnly. Then he left and went back to his priest's hut.