Chapter 130 The Senate expands the land and welcomes foreigners!
With the help of many refugees and people like Thomas who had seen Horne himself, Horne's identity was recognized by the refugees.
Horn naturally did not miss this opportunity. He did not directly perform the descent of the Holy Father, which would be too cheap.
Instead, he jumped off the wooden platform, shook hands with the refugees, asked the refugees their names, place of origin, reasons for the uprising, etc., then touched his head and said:
"On behalf of the Holy Father, I bless you. ! ”
After nearly an hour of fan meetings and handshakes, Horn, covered in fleas, finally arrived at the tent where the refugee leaders were meeting.
The refugee leaders in the rows on the left and right, each sitting on a small horse, stood up to greet them. Horn nodded and walked straight through.
Walking to the end of the tent, Horn sat on the first pony in the refugee camp without hesitation.
Busak and Thomas, who had gone to conduct surveys and statistics in advance, have returned and handed a document to Horn.
Lowering his head, Horn read the report carefully.
According to the report of Thomas and Busak, judging from the caliber of the refugee leaders present:
There are almost 11,000 people in the entire refugee camp. This is an incredible number, accounting for the entire Fort Joan of Arc. One-fifth of the total population.
The 11,000 people are commanded by thirty-five legion commanders.
Yes, Thomas completely copied Horn's system.
Each legion commander is a refugee leader, and the number of people under his control ranges from one hundred to five hundred.
However, they did not implement a lower-level establishment. The legion commander directly commanded hundreds of people, and there was no lowest level of ten household heads.
Among the thirty-five regiment commanders, the report counted the reasons and origins of their uprising:
Among them, there were seven public farmers, five armed farmers, and sixteen refugees. , one robber knight, three bandits, and two citizens.
Among the reasons for the uprising, 21 were “cannot survive”, 11 were “following the holy grandson and became a master”, one was “fun”, and two were “having conflicts with his wife/father and ran away from home in anger”. people.
Excluding those three special cases first, from this result and Horn’s previous exploration of the refugees’ voices, we can roughly understand:
Most of these "short-haired" rebels came here for survival and promotion and wealth.
Survival is a short-term need, promotion and wealth are long-term needs.
So if you want to grasp them from the bottom, you must meet these two needs.
Horn raised his head and looked around the tent.
I don’t know where I picked this tent up, and it was filled with a rotting stench.
The tent was filled with the smell of firewood and hay, and the faint firelight illuminated the sunken cheeks of the legion commanders.
On each lame slanted bench, there were three or four dusty legion commanders sitting.
The legion commanders include knights and bandits, as well as farmers and craftsmen, but without exception, they all wear patched, dull rags.
In the huge tent, everyone’s eyes were focused on Horn.
"Relax, everyone, I'm not here to lead you, I'm here to join you."
Horn said with a smile: "I know you must have a lot of doubts and concerns.
But I think, before that, let's sort out the core issue first, which is everyone's food rations. ”
The regiment commanders immediately started clamoring to ask when they could get the rations.
"Silence! Silence!" Thomas shouted immediately.
Horn also stretched out his hands and pressed down, signaling the army commanders to be quiet.
"There is no need to delay the famine. In order to be more efficient, before the meeting begins, we must set a rule of procedure. We can't be so noisy and noisy."
Horn's voice echoed on the wooden platform: "Rules It's very simple. People who don't raise their hands are not allowed to speak. Those who raise their hands must speak in order. When one person speaks, others are not allowed to interrupt."
"Do you agree? Please raise your hands if you have any opinions. Mention it.”
During Thomas’ inquiry, the legion commanders looked at each other and raised their hands one after another.
After everyone raised their hands, Horn said with a smile: "Thank you for your understanding. I believe that the Holy Father and Holy Myrcella will definitely see it in my eyes."
"Now, the first question is, do you recognize me as your saintly grandson and pope?"
This first question is the issue of legality.
Essentially speaking, it was Thomas who took away Horn's power, and currently he is just giving back the power.
But the nominal process still had to go through, and the refugee leaders obediently expressed their willingness to admit it.
"Admit it."
"We admit it."
A smile appeared on Horn's face, and his first step was completed.
When legitimacy is successfully constructed, it occupies the rightful place, and it is justifiable when doing things.
After all, this group of refugees did not have much experience in political struggle, which allowed Horn to take advantage of it.
If it were the imperial nobles, let’s see if they don’t fight Horn for 300 rounds with a grand meeting ceremony.
After this step is completed, it is a question of how to transform status into power.
To control this group of people, Horn must ensure that most of the refugees rely on him, and he only relies on the force and financial power of a few old Gulag camps.
So what Horn has to do is, first, establish the supreme status of force, and second, control finances.
There is nothing to say about finance, because the source of finance is Casti.
Horn also brought them new sources of wealth, enough to win over the lower class.
So before that, Horn announced the news that he had found a source of money for the refugees, creating an established fact.
In this way, the lower-class refugees all know that it was Horn who brought them rations. Even if the middle-level leaders have the power to distribute, they cannot distort it into saying that they brought it.
“Then the second question is the issue of work-for-relief.”
“Can you really convince Lord Casti to provide us with jobs and wages? "A Gongbo Peasant Corps leader raised his hand and spoke.
"Of course, in fact, the number of places Casti gave me is limited, so not everyone can get money, food and work.
If you want to earn wages and food rations, you must Come to me first to register.
According to the laws of the Holy Father of our great papal kingdom, we will organize the families into ten families and assign work to the heads of ten families.
Who can bring ten families to me? Let’s register and confirm who is the head of the ten households.”
Another bandit army leader raised his hand and asked: “Then we, the army commanders, will continue to command the heads of the ten households?”
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"Actually, you are only temporary leaders, not the legion commanders I appoint normally." Horn gradually faded his smile.
Seeing Tu Qiongdagger, the legion commanders exclaimed.
“Why? We are the boss!”
“If it weren’t for us, they would have been killed by wild wolves.”
“What kind of rule is this? I If you don’t accept it, I want to see the Holy Father!”
The shouts of the legion commander in the tent became louder and louder, and more and more people joined in.
Even at the door of the tent, several refugees poked their heads in to check.
"Bang!"
After the violent scream, the thunderous sound of a clockwork gun made most people present subconsciously shrink their necks or cover their ears.
When the sound subsided, they looked at the two black soldiers holding wind-up guns in fear.
"That's the thunder stick, right?"
"The thunder stick actually exists, I thought..."
"What about the ice giant? Why didn't I see the ice giant?"< br>
"You are stupid, the weather is so hot, if the ice giant comes and doesn't melt early, it must be hiding in the cellar."
"Ignorant person, disgraceful before the Holy Spirit, Do you know that the person sitting in front of you is the Pope?" Thomas yelled.
When the sound of gunfire ended, Busak stood behind the soldiers and looked at everyone present: "Have you forgotten the rules of procedure you agreed on before?"
The army commanders almost all looked angry. An expression of daring to speak.
“I know you think it’s unfair, and I see all your hard work.” Horn still had a calm smile, “So, I decided that thirty-five people Legion commanders are all granted the status of senators and join the Senate. "
Busac explained loudly from the side: "The so-called Senate means that every senator can vote and decide on all issues in the Papal State. , Elder Yuan, everyone is equal, one person, one vote.
In the past, you could only command your own people, but now you can command everyone, isn’t it? ”
Busak's words echoed in the tent and also echoed in the brains of the legion commanders.
The anger gradually subsided, and they looked at each other, all lost in thought.
It sounds like it’s not bad.
Especially those relatively weak legion commanders gradually became excited.
They don’t have much power in the first place. They are just empty frames that have been pushed up. They only have names and cannot command the big men below them at all.
But it's great to be a senator now. If you are really in power, you can become a master by following the holy grandson.
“I agree!”
“I agree too.”
“Your Majesty the Pope, when can we join the Senate.”
“ No rush, no rush." Horn pressed his hands down to stop the elders from asking, and turned his attention to the army commanders who did not express their opinions.
Most of these powerful army commanders were bandits and armed peasants, and they were not very satisfied with this.
Although they can enter the Senate, they cannot directly command their own people, which gives them a sense of empty crisis.
Knocking the ground with his scepter, Horn continued to exert pressure with a half-smile: "Everyone, please pay attention again, I will only assign work to ten households.
Unregistered Man, if you come to me alone, or if the legion commander comes to me, I will not provide you with a quota."
The powerful legion commanders feel a little numb.
Because as soon as the weak legion commanders entered the Senate, the total number of refugees under their control became a minority, and they were unable to support themselves.
Why don’t you insist on joining?
The people below see that the people next door are full, but they are not full because of the army commanders. Guess who they will choose between the stomach and the boss?
Judging from the current situation, joining is the best guaranteed option.
But just by joining, control of all the refugees in the camp fell into Horn's hands.
Beads of sweat appeared on the forehead of the opposition commander.
Seeing this situation, Horn did not continue to press, but changed the subject: "I know you are hesitant, but it doesn't matter, you can hesitate first.
The seat of the senator is given to you. I will give you half a day to consider before noon tomorrow.
I will confirm the list for the ceremony at noon tomorrow. If you don’t come, you will be deemed to have withdrawn.”
Speaking of this, Horn showed a mysterious smile on his face: "I will not give you a second chance, let alone wait for you. Tomorrow at noon will be the last chance."
(End of this chapter)