Chapter 440 (2/2)
The prince delineated the parts of the case which he did not understand ”Did you ever refuse to purchase the serf's grains?”
”Your Highness, this hat happened,” Sirius answered without hesitation ”As per your demands, we didn't stop the purchases after the bu to the di quality of the wheat In the first two months, there was little difference between our purchase price and the original price”
Sirius paused before he continued, ”After winter arrived, because the e places for the wheat and they were relocated fro areas, the quality of the wheat deteriorated substantially When we do the purchases, ould often find wet, discolored and moldy food, and therefore our purchase prices reduced by 20 to 30 percent The food of this particular serf was largely wet, er Therefore, the price that I offered was five ti the bumper harvest”
”Your Highness, that's as good as not buying!” The serf shouted ”I spenton the faret on Black Street! Didn't you say that the prices wouldn't change?!”
”But you have to sell it on tirily ”Do you think that nobody knohy you hoarded wheat? Had there been a food supply problem in town, you would have sold your stock at three to four ti about the case becahtly surprised Roland He had thought of it as a si, but instead discovered a case of black-hearted food selling Parker was obviously aware that this batch of grains was of extre it at half the price on multiple occasions He probably did not care whether the moldy wheat was actually edible
While there was no doubt that the serf had corave crime and should be punished heavily, Roland was uncertain about how to punish Parker He had heard Scroll's stories about the life of the poor When they had no food to eat, they would satiate their hunger with branches, grass and leaves, let alone moldy bread This was precisely why Scroll had repeatedly e it was for all citizens to be able to eat wheat Parker used to be poor too, and he was probably not aware that it was a severe criredients tothe issue with Barov for a while, Roland finally passed his judgment
He stood up, looked over the entire audience, and then said soleuilty! The serf disobeyed the ban and trafficked grain He knowingly violated the law and hence is doubly guilty I shall sentence him to ten years of labor in the ood, the number of years may be reduced”
”Resident Parker also violated the ban, and furthermore used low-quality wheat to make pancakes which he sold to other citizens For these two crimes, I shall sentence him to ten years of labor, and a fine equivalent to three timents shall be enforced immediately!”
The two convicts turned feeble and fell on the ground as if paralyzed The guards standing on one side walked up to theed them out of the hall
The prince then instructed Sirius ”Write this matter into a bulletin and then hand it to Barov for review and publication I want to let all citizens know the entire sequence of events, and hness!”
After the trial ended, Roland suht to his office ”Did you hear that the person who arrested the criain?”
Carter nodded ”However, they overdid it this ti the cri into a fight with commoners I'll warn him about this”
”Don't do that In fact, you should co his chin ”Isn't it expected of a plainclothes policeman to adapt to the situation and to understand how to apprehend a criminal? Vader was formerly a patrol team member, and also understands the Black Street Forces well—he's, quite simply, a natural born talent for inspection work
When the tiht, I shall recruit hiale's lacking some manpower after all”