When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

#130 - The Senate expands the territory and conquers the barbarians!

With the help of many refugees who had seen Horn in person, and people like Thomas, Horn's identity was recognized by the refugees.

Horn naturally didn't miss this opportunity, but he didn't directly perform a 'holy father descending to earth' act, that would have been too cheap.

Instead, he jumped off the wooden platform and shook hands with the refugees, asking their names, origins, reasons for the uprising, and then patting their heads, saying:

"I bless you in the name of the Holy Father!"

After about an hour of fan meeting and handshaking, Horn, covered in fleas, finally arrived at the tent where the refugee leaders were holding their meeting.

The refugee leaders, each sitting on a small stool in a row on either side, stood up to greet him, but Horn simply nodded as he walked straight past them.

Reaching the end of the tent, Horn unceremoniously sat down on the first small stool, the leader's seat in the refugee camp.

Bussack and Thomas, who had gone to conduct the investigation and statistics, had already returned, and they handed a document to Horn.

Lowering his head, Horn carefully read the report.

According to the report by Thomas and Bussack, based on the accounts of the refugee leaders present:

The entire refugee camp had just over eleven thousand people, a remarkable number, accounting for one-fifth of the total population of Jeanneburg.

These eleven thousand people were led by thirty-five legion commanders.

Yes, Thomas had completely copied Horn's system.

Each legion commander was a refugee leader, controlling anywhere from one hundred to five hundred people.

However, they did not implement a lower-level organization; the legion commanders directly controlled hundreds of people, without a lowest-level unit of ten households.

Among these thirty-five legion commanders, the report provided statistics on their reasons for uprising and their backgrounds:

Seven were registered farmers, five were armed farmers, sixteen were refugees, one was a robber knight, three were bandits, and two were citizens.

Among the reasons for the uprising, twenty-one said "unable to survive," eleven said "to become lords with the Holy Grandson," one said "for fun," and two said "had conflicts with their wives/fathers and ran away in a fit of pique."

Excluding those three special cases, from this result and Horn's previous probing of the refugees' sentiments, it could be roughly understood that:

Most of these "short-haired" insurgents were there for survival and to get promoted and become wealthy.

Survival was a short-term need, while promotion and wealth were long-term needs.

So, to control them from the bottom up, he had to satisfy these two needs.

Horn raised his head and looked around the tent.

The tent, picked up from who knows where, was filled with the stench of rot.

The tent was filled with the smell of firewood and dry grass, and the dim light illuminated the sunken cheeks of the legion commanders.

On each rickety, slanted stool sat three or four dusty legion commanders.

The legion commanders included knights and robbers, as well as farmers and artisans, but without exception, they were all wearing patched, faded, ragged clothes.

In the large 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 many doubts and concerns.

But I think, before that, let's first arrange the core issue, which is everyone's food supply."

The legion commanders immediately began clamoring and asking when they would receive food.

"Silence! Silence!" Thomas immediately shouted.

Horn also stretched out his hands and pressed down, signaling the legion commanders to be quiet.

"The famine is imminent. To be more efficient, before the meeting begins, we need to set a rule of order. We can't just chatter and make noise like this."

Horn's voice echoed on the wooden platform: "The rule is simple: no speaking without raising your hand, and those who raise their hands speak in the order they raised them. No one may interrupt another person's speech."

"Do you agree? Raise your hands if you agree, and voice your opinions quickly."

At Thomas's inquiry, the legion commanders looked at each other and gradually raised their hands.

After everyone had raised their hands, Horn said with a smile, "Thank you for your understanding. I believe the Holy Father and Saint Messala can definitely see it in my eyes."

"Now, the first question is, do you acknowledge me as the Holy Grandson and Pope?"

This first question was about legitimacy.

In essence, Thomas had seized Horn's power, and now he was simply returning it.

But the nominal process still had to be followed, and the refugee leaders obediently expressed their willingness to acknowledge him.

"We acknowledge you."

"We acknowledge you."

A smile appeared on Horn's face, his first step was completed.

The construction of legitimacy was successful, occupying the moral high ground, and doing things became justified.

These refugees really didn't have much experience in political struggle, allowing Horn to exploit the loopholes.

If it were the imperial nobles, they would have engaged Horn in a fierce debate using grand ceremonial etiquette.

With this step completed, the next question was how to transform the title into power.

To control these people, Horn had to ensure that most refugees depended on him, while he only depended on the military and financial power of a few old Gulag camp members.

So, what Horn had to do was, first, establish the supreme position of military power, and second, control finances.

There was nothing to say about finances, because the source of finances was Casti.

Horn also brought them new sources of wealth, enough to win over the lower levels.

So before this, Horn released the news that he had found a source of wealth for the refugees, creating a fait accompli.

In this way, the lower-level refugees knew that Horn had brought them food.

Even if the middle-level leaders controlled the distribution rights, they could not distort it to be something they brought.

"So, the second question is the issue of work-for-relief."

"Can you really convince Lord Casti to provide us with work and wages?" a registered farmer legion commander raised his hand and asked.

"Of course, in fact, Casti's quota for me is limited, so not everyone can get money, food, and work.

If you want to earn wages and food, you must first register with me.

According to the Holy Father's family law of my Great Papal State, we will organize into groups of ten households and assign work to the heads of those ten households.

Whoever can bring ten households to register and confirm with me will be the head of those ten households."

Another bandit legion commander raised his hand and asked, "Will we legion commanders continue to command the ten-household heads?"

"In reality, you are only temporary leaders, not legion commanders appointed by me normally," Horn gradually lost his smile.

The game was up, and the legion commanders exclaimed in surprise.

"Why? We are the bosses!"

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"If it weren't for us, they would have been eaten by wolves long ago."

"What kind of rule is this? I don't accept it. I want to see the Holy Father!"

The shouts of the legion commanders in the tent grew louder and louder, and more and more people joined in.

Even at the entrance of the tent, several refugees poked their heads in to see what was happening.

"Bang!"

After a sharp whistling sound, the sound of the clockwork gun like thunder made most people present shrink their necks or cover their ears subconsciously.

When the sound subsided, they looked at the two black-clothed soldiers holding clockwork guns with fear.

"That's the thunder stick, right?"

"The thunder stick really exists, I thought..."

"What about the ice giant? Why didn't I see the ice giant?"

"You're stupid. It's so hot. If the ice giant came, it would have melted long ago. It must be hiding in the cellar."

"You impolite fools, you have lost your manners before the Holy One. Do you even know that the Pope is sitting in front of you?" Thomas roared.

After the echo of the gunfire ended, Bussack stood behind the soldiers, staring at everyone present: "Have you forgotten the rules of order that we agreed on before?"

The legion commanders almost all looked like they were angry but dared not speak.

"I know you think it's unfair. I see all your contributions and hard work," Horn still had a calm smile. "So, I have decided that all thirty-five legion commanders will be granted the title of Elder and join the Senate."

Bussack loudly explained to the side: "The so-called Senate is that each Elder can vote and decide on all issues of the Papal State. All Elders are equal, one person one vote.

You could only command your own people before, but now you can command everyone. Isn't that good?"

Bussack's words echoed in the tent and in the minds of the legion commanders.

The anger gradually subsided, and they looked at each other, all lost in thought.

It sounded, like, not bad.

Especially those relatively weak legion commanders gradually became excited.

They didn't have much power to begin with, they were just empty shells pushed up, they only had a title, and they couldn't command the grandfathers below at all.

But it's great to become an Elder now, they really have power. Sure enough, following the Holy Grandson can make you a lord.

"I agree!"

"I agree too."

"Your Holiness, when can we join the Senate?"

"Don't rush, don't rush," Horn pressed down with both hands, stopping the Elders' questions, and turned his gaze to those legion commanders who had not expressed their opinions.

These powerful legion commanders were mostly bandits and armed farmers, and they were not very satisfied with this.

Although they could enter the Senate, they could not directly command their own people, which made them feel a little empty and crisis.

Tapping the ground with his scepter, Horn continued to put pressure on them with a smile that was not a smile: "Everyone, please pay attention again, I will only allocate work to ten households.

If unregistered people come to me alone, or the legion commander comes to me, I will not provide a spot."

The powerful legion commanders felt a little overwhelmed.

Because once the weak legion commanders entered the Senate, the total number of refugees they controlled would become a minority, and they would be isolated.

Should they resist and not join?

Then the people below see that the people next door are full, just because the legion commanders are making them unable to eat, guess who they will choose between their stomachs and their boss?

From the current situation, joining is the best guaranteed choice.

But if they just join like this, the control of all the refugees in the camp will fall into Horn's hands.

Sweat broke out on the foreheads of the opposition legion commanders.

Seeing this situation, Horn did not continue to force them, but changed the subject: "I know you are hesitating, but it doesn't matter, you can hesitate first.

The position of Elder will be reserved for you until noon tomorrow. You have half a day to consider.

I will determine the list of investiture ceremonies by noon tomorrow. If you don't come, then it will be considered a withdrawal."

Speaking of this, a mysterious smile appeared on Horn's face: "I will not give a second chance, and I will not wait for you. Noon tomorrow is the last chance."