Chapter 36: What Lu Chuan Wants Is Fairness

Lu Chuan introduced a new concept: property rights.

The crowd beneath the stage had never heard of this term before, and they all wore expressions of curiosity. Naturally, Lu Chuan had to explain clearly what property rights and perpetual property rights meant.

"You have all been doing business in Lu County for many years and are well-acquainted with how our houses and shops are managed. Currently, all properties in Lu County are available only for rent, with very few ever offered for sale. In other words, while you pay money in Lu County, you do not obtain full ownership of the house or shop; you merely gain the right to use and dispose of it for a set period. Once the contract expires, you must pay rent again to continue using the premises. I imagine you must have long felt dissatisfied with this policy, haven't you?"

"Lord Lu, how can you say such a thing? We are already content to be able to do business and earn money in Lu County. How could we possibly harbor dissatisfaction toward you?"

Someone spoke up from the crowd, but Lu Chuan knew these were just polite pleasantries. When doing business elsewhere, while they might be looked down upon socially, they could at least purchase a house or shop outright. Only here in Lu County were they restricted to renting. Although Lu Chuan would not arbitrarily deny a renewal, the inherent uncertainty still left these merchants unsettled. However, out of respect for Lu Chuan, they dared not speak their minds. When Lu Chuan first introduced this policy, these merchants certainly had not voiced such agreeable sentiments. Had it not been for the immense market potential of Lu County, they never would have accepted such terms.

Lu Chuan smiled. "Very well, there is no need for such formalities. I know what you are all thinking. That is why, for this pre-sale event, I have selected one hundred houses and twenty shops. Eighty of the houses and ten of the shops come with seventy-year property rights, while the remaining twenty houses and ten shops carry perpetual property rights.

"Let me explain what seventy-year property rights and perpetual property rights mean. A seventy-year property right means that from the moment you purchase it, you hold the ownership, disposal rights, and usage rights for seventy years. As long as your actions do not threaten the development of Lu County or cause harm to others, any activities you conduct within the property are entirely legal. To put it another way, you are paying a lump sum to buy out seventy years of rent. Do you understand now?"

"Buying out seventy years of rent at once?"

The crowd looked at one another, and no one dared to be the first to commit. Rents in Lu County were not cheap, especially for major merchants; the higher their transaction volume, the costlier the rent. Paying rent year by year might not feel like much, but a single payment covering seventy years was a significant sum.

However, there were sharp minds in the audience who understood that the most crucial aspects of business are stability and longevity. A shop with a seventy-year tenure was vastly different from one that had to be leased annually. For merchants aiming for long-term development in Lu County, the seventy-year property rights were certainly more valuable. The only concern was the price; if it were too high, it might not be worth the investment.

As the crowd hesitated, Zhen Jiang stood up. "Lord Lu, the seventy-year right is easy to understand, but does perpetual property rights mean that with a single purchase, one owns the house or shop forever?"

"Indeed! The essence of perpetual property rights lies in the word 'perpetual'!"

"Good! Since you have said so, Lord Lu, please announce the prices. Our Zhen family is determined to secure these properties!"

"Wait!" Before Zhen Jiang could sit down, Miss Mi rose. "What do you mean by the Zhen family being determined to secure them? The Mi family is also very interested in these houses and shops!"

Seeing Zhen Jiang and Miss Mi take the lead, the rest of the hesitant merchants no longer dared to hold back. At this point, being a step behind might mean losing the opportunity forever.

"Lord Lu, I want one too!"

"Yes, with such excellent conditions, we are naturally interested! We cannot let the Zhen and Mi families take everything!"

Lu Chuan nodded, raising his hand to signal for silence. "Very well, please settle down. Next, I will announce what you are most interested in: the sales plans and pricing. First, you all understand that many factors determine the value of a property, but one point cannot be ignored: location. Therefore, I have set different prices based on the location of each house and shop. You may come up later to check the specific prices before deciding which to purchase.

"Secondly, regarding the purchase plan: all of you have contributed greatly to the development of Lu County, and I hope you will all stay and seek long-term growth here. Therefore, you may each freely choose one of the eighty houses with seventy-year rights to purchase. To ensure that everyone has a fair chance, the ten shops with seventy-year rights will be allocated via a lottery system, allowing everyone to participate!"

If Lu Chuan did not ensure fairness, the financial power of the Zhen and Mi families would easily allow them to buy all one hundred houses and twenty shops. But that was not the situation Lu Chuan wanted to see. The development of Lu County required investment from the Zhen and Mi families, but they could not be allowed to hold too large a share, as that would severely hamper the county's growth. Only by gathering all merchants in Lu County to contribute collectively could Lu Chuan maintain perfect control.

As expected, Zhen Jiang and Miss Mi were displeased when they heard this. They clearly had the wealth; why couldn't they buy as they pleased? However, the other merchants were very satisfied with the plan. Even if their financial resources were limited or their luck was poor, at least they could still obtain a house with seventy-year rights. They all knew the houses in the northern outer city were three-story buildings made of red brick—a single building could house over a dozen people, making them incredibly spacious. The quality of such housing was incomparable to the wooden structures found in other cities. Most importantly, Lu Chuan had already announced that all houses in the northern outer city would be equipped with underfloor heating, ensuring the interiors remained warm even in the depths of winter. With such favorable conditions, did they really need to hesitate?

Yet, some were already looking toward what Lu Chuan had not yet mentioned. Zhen Jiang asked, "Lord Lu, you have only spoken about the houses and shops with seventy-year rights. I would like to know how the houses and shops with perpetual property rights will be sold."

The situation was clearly one of "too many monks and too little porridge." With only twenty houses and ten shops, how could everyone be satisfied? Thus, the sales method for these permanent assets was crucial.

Lu Chuan smiled again. "Miss Zhen, that is an excellent question. Twenty houses and ten shops, especially with perpetual rights, are clearly not enough for everyone. If we were to use a lottery system, it would inevitably lead to dissatisfaction. Therefore, I have decided to adopt a new method: a public auction!"