Chapter 18 of 100

Chapter 18

16 min read3,915 words

Liu Jun held the contract in his left hand and gently tapped it with his right.

"The land sale amount is 360 taels, the signature silver is 504 taels, and there's also the 540 taels that this young Master Li should receive as the fee for the transfer of the land. Add them up, hmm, it should be 1,104 taels. Master Zhang, you can check the numbers yourself to see if they match."

"Of course, but that's not all yet."

Liu Jun snorted coldly, "You bought this land from us, right? It's a living sale, isn't it?"

This land is not like clothes or food and livestock, which, once sold, belong to the buyer, and the seller has no right to interfere. Land transactions are much more complicated, with both absolute sales and living sales.

The distinctive features of land transactions, such as absolute sales and living sales, are entirely due to the increasing frequency of land transactions, the continuous rise in land rent, and the constant increase in land prices. Land is the most fundamental and important means of production, which ultimately led to the formation of these living and absolute sales.

"Hmm, the contract is for a living sale, but it doesn't specify the redemption period. Therefore, I can understand it as both parties agreeing that the seller has the right to redeem the land at any time within thirty years, right?"

Land sales not only have absolute and living sales but also two types of living sales. One is the complete sale of the right to use the land while retaining ownership, which is known as perpetual tenancy. The other is the right to redeem the tenancy, with a thirty-year period. Within thirty years, as long as the seller has enough money, they can redeem the land at any time.

In the contract Liu Xiu signed with Master Zhang, it was not specified whether it was a perpetual tenancy or a thirty-year redemption. Now, Liu Jun is saying that both parties agreed to a thirty-year redemption.

Master Zhang was no longer angry; he was actually amused.

He didn't know where this Liu Er had gotten the nerve to argue about this. Fine, let him calculate. He wanted to see what this kid would come up with. No matter what, the land would end up in his hands.

"Of course, since the land has already been sold and everyone is a witness, our Liu family won't immediately regret it and demand redemption. Mentioning it now is just to confirm that this is a living sale with the right to redeem. Now, let's move on to the accounting."

"Master Zhang, according to local customs, even in a living sale, the price can still be adjusted, right?"

Adjusting the price is another tricky aspect of land transactions in the Ming Dynasty.

So-called price adjustment means that after you and the buyer agree on the price and you receive additional signature silver, if you later feel the price was too low, you can go back to the buyer and demand a price adjustment, regardless of whether the land was sold a day, a year, or even several years ago.

This means asking for more money.

And the most frustrating part is that the price adjustment can be done more than once. As long as you are willing, you can ask for a price adjustment at intervals until the total amount reaches the original selling price. When the total amount reaches the original selling price, it is considered a final adjustment, which means the living sale turns into an absolute sale. Even more frustrating is that after the final adjustment, you still have one more chance to ask for a price adjustment.

Therefore, in a living sale, the price can be adjusted up to twice the original price. If the final adjustment is reached, it can be adjusted up to four times the original price.

The government generally recognizes this agreement on price adjustments.

If the buyer refuses to pay the required price adjustment, leading to a dispute, the government will punish the buyer. In Macheng, there was a case where someone sold 24 mu of land to a Liu family, and due to the low price, they tried to adjust the price. When negotiations failed, they went to the county to file a complaint, demanding redemption. The county magistrate ruled that the Liu family should pay 24 taels for the price adjustment. When the Liu family did not pay immediately, a dispute arose, leading to a murder. The government punished the parties involved and still made the Liu family pay the 24 taels to the seller, along with 40 lashes.

This custom of repeated price adjustments makes land transactions more complex, significantly increasing the cost of buying land. It also brings trouble to the seller, not just benefits.

Even though a living sale allows for redemption, often the amount paid for the price adjustment reaches the original selling price, and many sellers cannot afford to redeem the land, ultimately making it an absolute sale. They then have to ask for another price adjustment, and the land is no longer theirs.

Now, Liu Jun also wants to adjust the price, but it's not because the Liu family urgently needs money.

"I feel that our land was sold too cheaply. I now demand a price adjustment. The original selling price was 360 taels, and I now demand an additional 359 taels."

The price adjustment is one tael less than the original price, so it hasn't reached double, and by example, it doesn't count as a final adjustment.

"1,104 taels, plus the price adjustment of 359 taels, how much should it be in total?" Liu Jun asked Master Zhang.

Master Zhang did not answer.

Li Chunjiang said, "A total of 1,463 taels."

"Hmm, that's the number. Master Zhang, the contract has been signed, and now it's time for you to pay. The total is 1,463 taels, a round number."

"Oh, right, this is just a living sale with signature silver, transfer fees, and price adjustment. Before our Liu family redeems the land, you must also pay 360 shi of rice to our Liu family each year. This part is not converted into money; only the new rice of the current year is accepted."

Master Zhang slowly stood up and glared at Liu Jun, "Are you drunk?"

"No, I'm very clear-headed."

"You're not joking?"

"No."

"Then you're crazy. I have no interest in arguing with a madman. Move aside."

Liu Jun stood there, unmoving, "Pay the money first, then leave."

"A good dog doesn't block the way, get out of here!"

Li Chunjiang took the contract from Liu Jun and waved it in front of Master Zhang, "The contract is in black and white, the ink is still wet, and you want to deny it?"

"Get out of the way." Master Zhang shouted, signaling his assistants to prepare to act.

As soon as he signaled, Li Chunjiang also signaled, and immediately, eight large men rushed in from the door. Each of them was strong and muscular, with broad shoulders and a powerful build, standing like black-faced gods, darkening the hall.

"Without the money, no one leaves here."

Liu Xiu and the other Liu family members were stunned. Liu Xiu had signaled his son several times to back down, but Liu Jun ignored him. Now, the atmosphere became tense, and Liu Xiu's face turned pale.

"Third Brother, ride to the county office and ask your brother-in-law to bring the county's cavalry here. This is outrageous." Master Zhang shouted, but his voice was somewhat weak. The eight strong men blocking the way made him nervous. Could it be that the information from the family servants was wrong, and this Liu Er really has connections with the Liu family from Suokou River? But he just said his surname is Li.

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