Volume 2 Chapter 30 - Raising rent (1/2)

Even after hearing Count Sean’s analysis, Xu Yi was much more assured, but if he had to completely ignored Viscount Leslie’s successor, it was impossible.

After all, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s main factory was on land rented from him, so Xu Yi had to give the other side some face.

So before seeing Baron Belil Stagg, Xu Yi maintained a bit of respect for him in his heart. Even if the other side looked down on the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, as long as he didn’t move against them, it wasn’t a problem.

But this bit of respect he had in his heart had disappeared after he met Baron Belil.

“You are Xu Yi?” Seeing Xu Yi come in after Butler Brunei, Baron Belil looked over him and revealed a look of contempt.

Based on his appearance of leaning in his chair with his crossed legs and his careless look on his face, he seemed like a hoodlum, but he also seemed like a Baron that came from a noble family. Xu Yi couldn’t help knitting his brows, only simply saying, “Yes.”

Based on Baron Belil’s appearance, Xu Yi found that his idea of trying to solve things peacefully would fail.

This Baron Belil without the Stagg Family, he wasn’t some bright bulb.

As expected, after Baron Belil looked over Xu Yi, he didn’t invite Xu Yi to sit. He grabbed a fruit off the table to casually eat before looking over at Xu Yi, looking like he had just thought of something.

“Oh, that’s right, there isn’t anything special for calling you over, it’s just that I wanted to tell you something. Butler Brunei could have told you this matter, but I was a bit curious about you, so I called you over to take a look. Only now that I’ve seen you…..” Baron Belil shook his head and clicked his tongue, looking very flippant, “There isn’t anything special, I don’t know know Leslie was that courteous to you. Really, this is simply losing face for our Stagg Family.”

Xu Yi knit his brows again at this time and calmly asked, “Lord Baron, I wonder, what is it that you wished to tell me?”

“Oh? Oh, it’s like this. I have replaced Leslie to manage the family’s land here. Your Frestech Chamber of Commerce has been renting a hectare of land from Leslie, right?”

“Yes.”

“Un, how much is the rent each year?” Baron Belil looked at Butler Brunei.

“Fifty gold coins each year, Lord Baron.” Butler Brunei replied with a respectful bow.

“Peng——”

Baron Belil suddenly slapped the table and said in a loud voice with wide eyes, “Only fifty gold coins? This is just too little! Is our Stagg Family’s land not worth any money?”

Butler Brunei lowered his head and didn’t speak.

Xu Yi looked at Baron Belil and looked down on his shoddy performance. He acted like he was worried as he asked, “Lord Baron, your meaning is……”

“You can’t even see my meaning? You’re this stupid, how can you be a chairman?” Baron Belil cut off Xu Yi without any courtesy, “It’s very simple. Now that this land is managed by me, the lease agreement you signed before with Leslie has been nulled. I am the one in charge, so this large piece of land being rented out for fifty gold coins each year is too little, it’s no different from giving it away. From this day forth, the rent will increase, so I called you here to sign a new contract. Butler Brunei, come, give him the new contract and have him sign it.”

Butler Brunei took out the contact that was already prepared for Xu Yi.

Xu Yi didn’t reach out to take it, rather he asked Baron Belil, “Lord Baron, when I signed the contract with Viscount Leslie last year, it was written that I was renting land from the Stagg Family, so that means it belongs to the Stagg Family. Although Viscount Leslie has already left this place, it was signed by Viscount Leslie representing the Stagg Family, so it can be considered a deal between the Stagg Family’s representative and our Frestech Chamber of Commerce. Lord Baron, can you…..represent the Stagg Family?”

“Can you if I can’t?” Baron Belil looked at Xu Yi and said with a laugh, “You are just a little merchant and you dare say that you have discussed this with the representative of our Stagg Family, who do you think you are? Stop wasting words, accept the fact that I’ve changed the contract. You’re not afraid of me announcing the contract is void and taking back the land?”

Meeting this unreasonable person, Xu Yi could only helplessly shake his head. He took the new contract to look over.

But when he saw it, Xu Yi couldn’t take it anymore. He looked at Baron Belil in surprise, “A hundred thousand gold coins each year? Lord Baron, even if you increase the rent, you can’t increase it like this, right? This is more than two thousand times!”

Baron Belil coldly looked at Xu Yi, “You don’t understand my meaning? I called you here to sign this new contract, not to discuss this with you. You can either sign it or I’ll announce the previous contract is void and will send people to take back the land tomorrow, it’s your choice.”

Xu Yi smiled out of anger as he looked at Baron Belil’s casual appearance. He thought, was this fellow really stupid? Or was he doing this on purpose?