Chapter 136 New System
Brian appeared on the streets of Mokou Town. What used to be a bustling place with noisy people and horses was now filled with an eerie silence.
Only the town garrison formed by the Dragon Skeleton Mercenary Group can be seen everywhere like ghosts.
They are heavily armed and patrol the streets and alleys, and their weapons never leave their hands.
"Sir, according to your instructions, I have placed all liberated slaves and freedmen in the concentration camps to the west." Graal glanced at the empty streets and reported to Brian.
"What about the food problem?" Brian asked as he noticed that five adventurers were dragging the body of a dead horse out of the alley.
He knew that Mokou Town looked very peaceful at the moment, but this was all an illusion. Those slave owners and merchants who had failed in their resistance, and even the remnants of the Zhentarim, were still hiding in the darkness of the town. corner, patiently waiting for an opportunity to come back to bite him.
“There is no problem for the time being.”
Gral said, “According to your instructions, when we are preparing to capture Mokou Town, I have sent several caravans to Arabeb "I heard that there is a powerful caravan that has not joined us and is unwilling to return the occupied land."
Brian nodded with satisfaction and asked as he walked. And resources, is that right? ”
"Yes, this is a caravan from the Kingdom of Cormyr."
Gral frowned and said to him, "The people of the Eagle Chamber of Commerce have always acted very low-key. They occupy The largest gold, copper and iron mines around Mokou Town. I originally planned to report to you after the town restored order."
"It turns out to be the Eagle Chamber of Commerce." Brian said thoughtfully. He nodded and asked curiously: "Is the owner behind this chamber of commerce Prince Serante?"
If what he expected was true, the prince of the Kingdom of Cormyr had already begun to take advantage of the king to lead an expedition. While on the Dragon Coast, he secretly colluded with the Church of Bane.
“Do you know their details?” Graal looked at him in surprise and said truthfully:
"Yes, the owner behind the Eagle Chamber of Commerce is indeed Prince Serante of the Kingdom of Cormyr. In fact, I have always been curious about what means they used to occupy the richest resources in Mokou Town alone."
"No matter what means they use." Brian said with a cold expression, "As long as they are unwilling to hand over the occupied land and resources, they all belong to our enemies."
As he spoke, his heart I have quickly thought of a way to deal with this chamber of commerce.
No matter what, at this moment he is the most orthodox legal lord of Mokou Town, Kingdom of Cormyr, and all the resources here naturally belong to him.
No one can take it from him by force.
"I understand." Sensing the determination in the lord's words, Graal nodded solemnly and kept it in mind.
After a while, they arrived at their destination.
The temporary camp set up on the west side of the town is full of stench.
This was originally a slum, with nearly two thousand slaves, all of whom were concentrated and isolated here - men, women, the elderly, children, little girls and newborn babies, and even a few like ogres , goblins, gnolls and other evil races.
Due to the small number of houses, many tents were temporarily set up here. Surrounding drainage ditches were dug around the camp and flowing river water was introduced to facilitate sewage discharge.
Nearly a hundred guards stood guard in front of the makeshift gate, and a dozen wooden frames with dead bodies hanging on them were also placed.
Obviously, these are slaves who are trying to escape with a sense of luck.
In fact, the area of Mokou Town is not small, and the first lord of Mokou Town established it according to the standards of a city.
However, this lord only operated for less than two years, and many buildings were not yet completed. He was ravaged by the red dragon, and was ruled by a group of evil forces, mainly the Zhentarim. The rock bunker, the commercial street where merchants concentrated their transactions and the area where the rich lived were fairly visible. There were messy stone walls and crumbling wooden houses everywhere.
In other words, apart from the solid city walls, this town is a mess inside.
If you look down at the entire town, the most eye-catching sight is a bowl-shaped bloody arena that looks like a moth-eaten area.
Even Brian frowned when he saw it, and even developed obsessive-compulsive disorder. He had the urge to fill all these deep holes.
“I heard that there is a group of about 500 mountain dwarves living in the Sunset Mountains.”
After Brian got used to the stench around him, he looked around and looked at the messy buildings. Said to Graal, "You arrange for someone to help me deliver a letter to these dwarves. If Mokou Town wants to re-plan, it will inevitably require some dwarves who are good at construction crafts."
"But." Graer hesitated for a moment and couldn't help but said: "Your Excellency is carrying out such a large-scale construction project. I'm worried that our money will not be able to keep up with consumption. After all, there are nearly two thousand slaves here. Even if they do nothing, they consume one million grains every day. A huge expense.”
"There is never a free lunch in the world." Faced with Graal's concerns, Brian smiled indifferently, "They will be able to play their role immediately."
In his In the plan, in addition to reclaiming wasteland, these slaves also need to work as laborers to contribute to the reconstruction of Mokou Town.
Originally, he could force them to do these things only in the name of the lord and the threat of a whip.
But as a reborn person from the real world, Brian certainly knows the pros and cons of this system.
Although the broad thinking and rich knowledge from the time traveler have given him many plans and plans, and it is inevitable that he will have ambitions in his heart, he is not a fish that slipped through the nine-year compulsory education. Also very clear about the true meaning of tall buildings rising from the ground.
Brian used the levitation technique to float above the slave camp, looking at the numb and shrinking faces below who were subconsciously looking at him. He knew that he must not talk to them about lofty ideals or a bright future at this time. On the discourse.
So the best way is to tell them something closely related to their lives, and ignite a fire of hope in their numb and ignorant hearts that cannot see any hope.
“People of Mokou Town!” Brian said loudly, standing with his hands behind his hands, overlooking the people in the town.
He specially blessed the amplification spell. The moment he blurted out, the entire town, whether it was the adventurers hiding in the tavern to avoid the limelight or the slippery businessmen living in the wealthy areas, everyone was clear. heard his words.
At the same time, the scholar Tysonde, who was silently observing the situation in the town and had not yet left, quickly put down the books in his hands, opened the window to face the pouring morning light, and looked in the direction where the words came from.
After Kalena, the priest who was wandering in the camp, used healing magic to heal an injured person, she also stood up and looked up at Brian floating in the air with interest.
“You should all know who I am, so you should also know that I am the person with the most say in this territory, so what I say can represent the law of Mokou Town.”< br>
“I know that the world most of you imagine is a world full of fear, where there are no legal books, legal documents, and illusions about justice. There are only lawlessness, chaos, tyranny, and the selfishness and ambition of dictators. The passion for home, the blindness of evil fanatics, the cruelty of self-proclaimed justice, and the whips and torture that symbolize death."
There was a commotion from the crowd below, especially the slaves with dull eyes.
Obviously, Brian's words that touched them deeply touched the most vulnerable point in their hearts.
"I don't care where you come from or what you have done, I will not ask. I only need to know that from the moment you stand on my territory, you belong to my people. Then, I have the right and "I am obliged to protect your safety."
"Now, I announce something to everyone in Mokou Town." Brian said clearly to everyone:
"Starting from today. Regardless of anyone or any race, as long as they stand on the land of Mokou Town, I will unconditionally grant freedom to all slaves, and you will have the right to freedom of life and the right to property protection."
"Because I am not an idealist. I am not a moral defender. As a lord who stands under the banner of the Purple Dragon, I have the right and obligation to let the law of justice govern this land, no matter the cost or any means, I will do my best."
"Because the law is not a legal theory, not a tome filled with philosophical papers, not an illusion of justice, not an outdated moral and ethical vocabulary, the law is a safe road and a path, even if it is dark, you can do it Walk safely on the streets of the city, go to the toilet in pubs and hotels with confidence, leave your wallet and wife at the table, the law allows people to sleep peacefully until the rooster crows, and for those who break the law, their fate is waiting for them There will be ropes, axes, and red-hot irons!”
"My words are here. If you are willing to abide by the laws of Mokou Town, bravely walk out of the camp gate and register your household registration with relevant personnel. Only in this way will you become civilians in Mokou Town and enjoy the benefits.
Whether you can become a formal citizen of Mokou Town in the future depends on your future efforts. However, at least for you, you already have a better life than in the past. "I solemnly promise you once again that any hard-working and reliable civilian can become a formal citizen of the territory, build his own land and home, and thrive." Are you really willing to give your life to those who treat you like ants?"
Brian's sonorous and powerful words echoed in everyone's ears, like a wave of laughter. A blockbuster bomb landed in Mokou Town and exploded instantly.
In the camp, the slaves, who looked dull and uneasy, became completely chaotic from the initial commotion.
Obviously, in the society of this era, slaves becoming free people was quite a challenge to convention and order.
Even though the Lord of the Dawn, the most famous member of the good camp, rejects slavery, the church has never raised this idea.
After all, no noble would let his slaves be freed casually.
For them, slaves mean cheap, which means that they can drain every last drop of blood from them without any burden.
Even Netheril, known as the greatest arcane empire of mankind, still practices a slavery system. The great arcane masters only know how to extract funds for their research on spells by continuously increasing taxes and labor.
The mechanical empire Imasca even overturned the gods that the slaves believed in because of their endless plundering of slaves from the outer plane.
And Brian, instead of exploiting and suppressing them, directly abolished their slave status and gave them hope to survive.
"Lord Lord. Big Lord" In the chaotic camp, a dirty goblin wearing only a rag skirt climbed onto the stone and spoke tremblingly.
When the goblin saw the lord floating in the air casting kind eyes on him, he mustered up the courage to regain control of his words and said to him, "I want to ask, goblin Can I also become a free citizen? "
Some of the few evil races such as ogres, trolls, and jackals standing around the goblins also couldn't help but keep quiet, looking up at the towering lord of Mokou Town.
"I've said it before, anyone or any race, including you." Brian floated down from mid-air and landed in front of the trembling goblins. He recalled the goblin copper block he knew in the Underdark. His tone He said softly:
"I have seen the most noble goblins and the humblest humans. I hope that your souls will not succumb because of the difference in blood. If you are willing, the people of Mokou Town The door will be open for you at any time.”
“Yes, yes, we are all willing!”
The goblin knelt down on the ground excitedly, and then called to the strange-looking companion beside him. They took the lead and ran towards the registration staff at the camp gate.
The goblin's running was like a sign of giving orders. Most people reacted and rushed towards the gate in a swarm.
Seeing this, Brian waved his hand, arranged a barrier in front of the guards who were under increased pressure, and then left under the light of the magic circle.
In his plan, slavery was a serious impediment to productivity.
Without freeing slaves, there is no way to liberate enough of the working population. If you want to build a country based on magic industry, you need a large number of civilians and spellcasters with knowledge, rather than being worthless and selling out. The slave class of coolies.
The next thing will be easier. At this time, Brian, as a lord, is naturally unable to personally explain the specific details and how to become a freeman or obtain land and housing.
These things can go smoothly as long as Graal carries out the plan according to his writing.
And he still has the most important thing to do right now, which is how to resist the counterattack of Yinhun City. If this leads to the fall of Mokou Town, then it will be useless no matter how much he does.
Just as Brian left, Pastor Kalina, who was standing in the crowd, nodded thoughtfully and said to herself:
“That’s quite interesting. After so many slaves are restored to freedom, the territory around Mokou Town will definitely usher in a wave of land reclamation. Hope, growth, harvest, and reproduction are the eternal cycles that such a lord deserves. The protection of the Mother Goddess.”
After Kalena finished speaking, she looked up in the direction of the Eno Oak Desert, then turned and left silently.
She could foresee the crisis that Mokou Town was about to face. She had to go back to the temple and tell the high priest what happened here.
After all, among the conditions offered to her by this lord, it can be said that she fully supports the spread of the faith of the Mother Earth Church.
In Kalina's impression, the golden countryside of Waterdeep City is a huge walled monastery and farm compound, which is also the current pride of Shantia.
The goddess is said to be delighted with this community of over 5,000 devotees who cultivate more than 20 square kilometers of adjoining land and outlying lands on the banks of the Dessarin River.
This is the largest and most dynamic project currently carried out by the believers of Mother Earth, and it has become the granary of the North.
The Golden Fields also replaced the older Harvest House in central Amn as the most important center of the Earth Mother's faith, but the gorgeous garden composed of all-female temple sisters is no longer known to exist. Still unparalleled among the nations.
However, even this smaller temple of Shantia's second place was challenged by the Abbey of the Golden Wheat in the Misty Valley, which served the valley with admirable skill and diligence. .
The newly appointed lord of Mokou Town directly told her that he wanted to build an Earth Mother monastery and granary that could replace the golden countryside of Waterdeep City.
At first, she didn’t believe the other party’s boast about Haikou.
But when she learned that this lord was wearing a purple dragon seal ring of the highest quality from the Kingdom of Cormyr, and saw his behavior today, she realized that the other person might really have this kind of ring. ability.
After all, she witnessed with her own eyes the hope that these dull-eyed slaves exuded in response to the lord's inspiring words.
Kalena no longer hesitated, directly activated the teleportation spell and disappeared on the spot.
At the same time, Tysonde, the priest of the God of Knowledge who lived in the hotel, also followed Brian's departure, closed the window, sat on a chair and fell into deep thought.
Thinking of the conditions proposed by the lord of Mokou Town, he couldn't help but recall some past events.
Centuries ago, the God of Knowledge once wanted to vigorously popularize knowledge, but he soon encountered obstacles from all aspects, including the church, the nobility, the royal family, etc.
Even ordinary people refuse to learn knowledge.
Because in a poor family, seven or eight-year-old children are available labor force. It is very unreliable to give up labor to support their studies.
The result is obvious, the large-scale distribution of enlightenment books failed.
Ogma, the god of knowledge, has returned his energy to preserving knowledge.
Obviously, without sufficient civilization, it is difficult to promote knowledge.
Tysonde can see from the fact that the lord of Mokou Town dared to break the original rules and order of the entire world by abolishing slavery, that he really planned to do so.
Population, resources and knowledge are the foundation for a civilization to become stronger.
He no longer hesitated, activated the teleportation magic, and returned to Arabe City as quickly as possible.
Tysonde has even made plans to cooperate with the lord of Mokou Town if the Archbishop rejects his proposal.
He immediately took his own power, took the initiative to break away from the 'Gilded Laurel' organization, and defected to the lord of Mokou Town.
For him, whether speaking from a fair perspective or discussing it privately, he believed it was the most correct choice at the moment.
(End of this chapter)