Rome Must Fall

Volenus took over and said: "For the prisoners in the military camp, we still use the old method, barely giving them enough food every day, using hunger to reduce their resistance and wear away their ferocity...

We are relatively tolerant of the prisoners in the stockade. We give them enough food every day, and we also allow them to move around the stockade. We even allow them to climb the wooden walls, watch the military camp, and shout to their relatives in the military camp. …Before we left, the prisoner’s condition was relatively stable——”

When Volenus said this, he looked at Capito.

Capito said seriously: "Chief, we have discussed that although there are more prisoners, as long as the food problem is solved, we can take care of them all.

Now that we have the territory of Segestika, the tribe's territory has become larger, but the real labor force that can be used is less, because after this war, all the reserve tribesmen in the tribe have become official tribesmen.

Originally we were planning to build a road from Snodia to Vesterni, but now the road has to be extended here; originally we were planning to build a dam on the Kupa River, but now I'm afraid we have to do it on the Sava River as well. Preparations for dam repair...

In short, we now need more labor to build our new territory, and we can no longer give these captives to the Ardie people for nothing like last time. "

Maximus smiled and said: "You have led the people and arranged everything in the tribe very well. I have nothing to worry about! As for the issue of prisoners you mentioned, I have thought of it together with you. Go. In the past, we were not strong enough, so we had to give most of the Pannoni captives to the Ardei people. Now I think our tribe is capable of swallowing these captives—"

While Maximus was talking, the attendant came in: "Chief, the food is ready!"

"Come on, put it on the table quickly! Everyone eats first, and when we're full, let's continue talking." Maximus greeted the attendants to put the food on the table.

Quintus and Volenus had been traveling for a day, and they were really hungry. They stopped talking, biting into pieces of bread and drinking wheat porridge, and devoured the meal. After a while, the eating speed slowed down. .

Maximus broke the bread and said: "What Capito said just now is right. We defeated the Pannoni coalition. We now have more land, but if there are not enough people, these The land wouldn't be able to use them to their full potential!

However, Capito also said something wrong. Although we have completely defeated the Segestica people and occupied their main stronghold, we do not really own their land. That is why I urge you to come as soon as possible. They discussed some measures and then led their men to implement them as soon as possible.

We must complete the annexation of the Segestica territory as soon as possible while the Segestica people are still very weak and the other large Pannoni tribes are unable to engage in another war with us in a short period of time due to their defeat! "

"Chief, you have always been very wise. You must have figured out a good way to conquer this land. We just need to work hard to implement it." Cornelius couldn't help but say.

Capito glanced at him.

Maximus smiled slightly and said: "I have been thinking about it all afternoon today, and I do have some new ideas, but I still need to discuss them with you."

Everyone put down their porridge bowls and focused their attention on Maximus.

Maximus hurriedly waved his hand and said: "I just said that we should discuss it while eating. It seems that you are all full, so I will ask them to take away the remaining food."

Everyone burst into laughter and picked up the food again.

Maximus broke off a small piece of bread and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it and said: "When you came here, you saw the fear of us from the Segestica people here, but this fear is not enough to make them turn to us. We surrender. Last night, I showed the five or six thousand Segestika people in the village the kindness of the Nyx tribe to them, told them the many benefits of joining our tribe, and also let the Segestika recruits We persuaded them, and in the end, how many people do you think are willing to join our tribe?”

"More than 1,000 people?"

"About 800 people?"

"There were so many, I think there were only 500 people."

…

"There are only 103 people." Maximus squeezed out a sentence through his teeth.

Everyone was stunned.

"Only 103 of the five to six thousand prisoners were willing to join. This is indeed too few!" Capito expressed his disappointment directly.

"Although there are a few people, I think this is a good start. After all, they have been living in the Segostika tribe for generations. Suddenly, they are asked to join a strange and hostile tribe. They will be confused for a while. It must be difficult to accept. After a long time, they realize that the fact that our Knicks will become the masters of this land will not change, and they will naturally choose to join..." Volenus comforted.

"This is one reason you said, but there are other reasons." Maximus picked up the empty porridge bowl, motioned the attendant to scoop out another bowl, and then said: "This afternoon I talked with those Seges who just joined the tribe. I met the Tika people for a while, and through conversations with them, I feel that there are still some flaws in the tribe’s twenty-nobility system—”

"No way, leader! The twenty-nobility system is the best system you have formulated for our tribe under the blessing of the gods! The reason why our tribe can defeat the powerful Pannoni Tribal Alliance after only settling here for one year , Mainly because of this magical system! It is the best, and it cannot be changed easily just because of some prisoners! ..." Cornelius said excitedly.

"Yes, chief..." Although others did not praise the system of twenty titles to the heavens like Cornelius, they also expressed concerns about modifying the system of twenty titles.

Maximus somewhat understood their thoughts. After all, before this war, he had announced that after the victory of this war, all nine departments would receive first-class merit... They were afraid of touching their own cheese!

Maximus sighed in his heart and said in a calm tone: "Don't worry, just listen to what I have to say... No system can be perfect as soon as it comes out, and it is always being improved. Previously, I talked about how to improve our army. Doesn’t the promotion of good merit finally modify the twenty-nobility system? This time I want to add another level to the original national level of our tribe! "

"Which level to add?" everyone asked in unison.

Maximus took a sip of porridge and said calmly: "Before, in addition to the formal members of our tribe, there were preparatory members, and the reserve members were mainly composed of three people, the Skodisqi slaves, and the captives. The captured Segostika people, as well as some captured Segostika warriors who were persuaded by their families, are all people who are willing to join our tribe and work for the tribe. The Segostika prisoners who refused to surrender were all Gave to the Ardie people as slaves.

But the situation is different now. We have occupied the Segostika territory and there are many Segostika prisoners, most of whom are unwilling to join us.

So who do these captives count among our tribe? Prepare the nation? If so, if we force them to work for three years, do we really want to make them official ethnic minorities in accordance with the law? ! If they don't accept it, wouldn't it be a desecration of our sacred system? ! If they pretend to accept it, wouldn't our tribe be in danger if these restless people exist? "

Maximus's series of questions stunned everyone. Sidonius reacted first: "The leader is right. I remember that the first page of the Twenty-Monarchy System clearly says, 'All foreigners captured by the tribe and foreigners who voluntarily join the tribe will be the tribe's reserve people...' Now it seems that this is indeed a problem. "

Capito then said: "I think we should add another level below the reserve tribesmen. From now on, any captives who refuse to join the tribe will first be slaves!"

As soon as he said these words, Volenus, Cornelius, Pygris, Carina and others all changed their expressions. The word "slave" stung their sensitive nerves.

Maximus took over and corrected: "No, our Nyx tribe will not have slaves! My suggestion is to set up a 'foreign auxiliary people' level under the reserve people. The foreign auxiliary people come from those who fought in foreign wars. The captives captured by us who are unwilling to join the tribe will be forced to work under the tribe until they realize their mistake and reconsider joining the tribe. "

"Foreign auxiliary people..." Others murmured this word softly, and they all understood in their hearts: In fact, these captives are slaves of the tribe, they just changed their names to insensitive names.

Volenus said directly: "I think the leader's idea is very good. The term 'foreign auxiliary people' is very suitable for these captives of the Pannoni tribe... Well, foreign auxiliary people - foreign people who do not belong to our tribe. , but can assist the tribe in working. Although the tribe strictly controls and supervises them, it is very tolerant and allows them to join the tribe and become members of the tribe. Therefore, the foreign auxiliary people are completely different from the slaves in Italy! "

"That's right, foreign auxiliary people are not slaves! I agree to establish this level under the reserve people!" Pigris immediately loudly agreed.

Others had no objections, and even Sidonius said seriously: "Since the foreign vassals do not yet belong to the tribe's people, and the twenty-nobility system is for the tribe's people, I don't think there is any need to continue. Change the system of twenty knighthoods to twenty-one knighthoods.”

"Yes, the foreign vassals are just tributaries of the tribe. The name of Twenty Lordships cannot be changed, and it sounds nice." Pigris loudly agreed again.