Sapere Aude
Nicopolan Encampnt, South Hill
As dawn broke over the camp, Lansius, still bleary-eyed from a night spent poring over scrolls, was roused by activities outside his tent. He had just taken his first sip of water when Audrey entered.
"Oh, you're awake," Audrey said with a smile, already clad in her stylish black brigandine.
"Did I hear soone ntion reinforcents?" Lansius inquired.
"Indeed. We've just received twenty cavalryn, freshly trained, and fifty n from Korelia," Audrey inford him as he began to settle down for breakfast. "They're escorting two hundred South Hill n, along with several cartloads of bolts, crossbows, and barrels of salted at."
"More than I ordered and faster than expected," Lansius praised.
"Indeed, the Marshal has proven to be reliable. However, this doesn't help our current issue," said Audrey, sitting down beside Lansius and taking a bite of freshly baked bread.
"The situation has changed, but those two hundred n will be useful."
Audrey gazed at him. "Why do you want them anyway?"
"At first, I planned to use them to turn the villagers to our side. Possibly for making ambushes or traps. But as it turns out, our little rchant and bandit circus was quite successful."
"Ah," she exclaid, understanding. "So, what do you want them to do now?"
"I want them to be my little heralds."
"Heralds?"
Lansius gave a nod and explained, "I have to create a new policy to solve this issue. The problem is, a policy ans nothing if people either don't know about it or fail to understand it."
"I see, so you're using them as your speakers," said Audrey.
"Sothing like that." Lansius glanced at her. "They're locals, and I hope they can bring the peasants into our fold."
The two continued with their breakfast. As they neared the end of their al, Audrey spoke up. "There’s one more thing, or two," she inford.
Lansius gazed at her, waiting.
"The reason the reinforcents arrived so fast is that Sir Justin arranged for them to use nomad guides."
Lansius pondered for a bit. "I still doubt that nomad guides and our nascent market post route could be this fast."
"They don’t. They're fast because they used a shortcut."
"A shortcut to South Hill?" Lansius blurted out.
"It turns out there is one. They don't need to go through the Three Hills area to reach here."
"We need to look out for this new route; it would be beneficial."
Audrey chuckled. "Unfortunately, they sort of warned everyone not to use it. The route is treacherous with little water and hard to navigate, with only the stars as guidance. Also, it ends in a large forest with only a goat trail."
Lansius chuckled, thinking about the hardship they must have endured to get here. "Must have been hard. They're lucky to have gotten here at all."
"Well, they were almost lost, but fortunately, one of our lieutenants who led a hunting group found them by chance."
"Ah, a reward is in order then."
"The na is Farkas. He's a young lieutenant under Sigmund."
Lansius nodded, making a ntal note of the man. With his top retinue holding his fiefs, he would soon need new staff.
...
Sir Harold and Sigmund arrived at the encampnt upon Lansius' summons. Together with them, Lansius led a eting with the two hundred South Hill n. He wanted to cross-check his findings, but in the process, he uncovered a whole different issue he hadn't anticipated before.
"My Lord, the problem with the harvest isn't the peasants. We are willing to work. But the previous Lord gave a lot of the land to his relatives," one of the farrs recounted their story.
Another man added, "They told us to treat it like the Baron's land. We had to work on it first, even before our own."
"How much land are we talking about?" Lansius inquired.
"It's spread unevenly, but combined with the Baron's land, they account for almost half of all the fields."
Lansius was astounded. The law stated that the peasantry retained 70% of the yield while the baron took 30%. However, in the case of South Hills, they circumvented this rule by adhering to the law in letter but not in spirit, forcing the peasantry to work on land that was not part of the baronial estate—land privately owned by knights, esquires, or rich rchants. He glanced at Sir Harold and comnted, "I never imagined this region was so poorly managed."
Sir Harold gave no verbal response but sighed, his jaw hardening.
Emboldened by the reaction, the peasant continued, "My Lord, the previous Lord's relatives expect us to work their land as if they were little barons. And as if that weren't enough, they also send us on campaigns."
Murmurs of agreent echoed from the others.
"We can confiscate the land," Sir Harold suggested firmly.
"Pardon , Lord and Sir," another man interjected. "Confiscating their land wouldn't help. Even before harvest, they’ve already sold the produce for cash."
"Please explain," Lansius instructed.
"The forr lord's relatives are always cash-strapped and often sell their harvest in advance. So, the actual owners of the yield are always the rchants."
"Forward contracting," Lansius muttered. He understood the practice, which, although not inherently bad, could be highly deceptive and predatory, especially against the poor and financially illiterate.
Sigmund, standing beside Sir Harold, asked, "Does this an we can't confiscate the land?"
"We can confiscate the land," Sir Harold explained, "but this year's harvest is already in the rchants' hands."
Sigmund exhaled sharply, muttering curses under his breath. The skald was clearly in league with the peasant.
anwhile, Lansius looked unsure.
Sir Harold leaned toward him. "My Lord, we can handle the rchants. A little coercion goes a long way."
"No," Lansius said, shaking his head. "We need sothing more potent."
Sigmund stood at the ready. "My Lord, we await your command."
Lansius pondered the consequences. Given its involvent with rchants, he recalled his observations of trade in this era: Trade was predominantly local, with rchants primarily sourcing goods from nearby farms to sell in the city’s market.
Trades between baronies, where major rchants sold goods to the next domain, were infrequent and irregular. These transactions typically occurred unannounced, often as a one-ti affair, with no expectation or promise of a return the following year. A rchant might simply choose a different city or route for their next annual trade.
After assessing the risks associated with the rchants he was going to et and finding nothing significant, Lansius spoke with a determined tone, "Let’s organize a military parade and gather all the city representatives. It’s ti to introduce a new policy."
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***
As the guests arrived at his encampnt, Lansius intentionally kept himself exclusive, letting only his retainers greet the representatives. As they waited, the guests naturally inquired about their host. For this reason, Lansius had posted Sigmund there to subtly spread hints about his motives, preparing them for the new policy.
Before the atmosphere could grow stale, a military parade perford by a thousand n and a two hundred cavalry soon captured the guests' attention. The archery display from the crossbown and the thunderous hooves of the cavalry sent a raw ssage about the host's military strength. It was a show of force, subtly coercing them not to be on the wrong side.
Lansius wanted to cut through the unnecessary politics and get straight to business. He had little ti, and the harvest was fast approaching.
In a display of military prowess, Lord Lansius and his impressive entourage rode against the parade as the columns split in half and saluted their Lord and commanders. The Lord then veered towards the command tent where the guests were waiting. As he dismounted, a subtle signal from him was all it took for thousands of his n to abruptly halt the parade.
The representatives gulped, fully aware of the Black Lord's absolute control over his military. No herald was announcing his arrival, as if such formalities were unnecessary.
Truthfully, his presence alone could be felt even with eyes closed. As the Lord, clad in his strikingly deep blue brigandine, entered the tent, there was an eerie silence while his retinue and guardsn briefly tensed, standing ramrod straight.
More than just fear, there was respect in their eyes. The guests observed this with mixed feelings. Initially, they had viewed the eting as an opportunity to advance their agendas. However, upon witnessing the Lord in person, their ambitions gave way to relief, grateful simply to be spared his wrath.
"My Lord," they addressed him respectfully.
"Gentlen, please be seated," Lord Lansius instructed.
The city and rchant representatives, who were also wealthy landowners, took their seats in front of a long mahogany table. At the opposite end, the Lord sat, flanked by his knights and squires. Select mbers of his retinue stood at attention to his left, right, and behind him.
"Today I am enacting a new policy," the Lord announced.
The representatives, dressed in fine silken robes, velvet, and fur coats, appeared guarded yet nodded their heads in acknowledgnt.
"This new policy isn't designed to harm anyone. There will be so loss of profit, but it won't affect your capital," he reassured them. Then he signaled for the scribe to begin writing.
"From this day forward, I designate South Hill as a Military Agricultural Colony."
The guests looked at him, unsure of what the na change implied.
Lansius continued, "Therefore, I am abolishing the South Hill Barony and all its holdings."
Understanding dawned on everyone. Their eyes bulged, and their throats felt parched. They wanted to ask questions but dared not, choosing instead to wait for a more appropriate mont.
"As such, all lands under the Baron's holdings will now be managed by the new military council," the Lord explained. "Now, what does this an?" he asked, as if echoing the guests' unspoken concerns.
He explained, "Aside from the legal changes, not much will radically change. The peasants will continue working their land and the communal land. The harvest from their land will remain theirs, while the harvest from the communal land, previously for the Baron, is now held by the military."
The guests remained silent, absorbing the information.
"The biggest change is that all land gifted by the previous Lord is now null and void." Lansius looked around the room, eting the eyes of his audience before continuing with a stern warning, "Anyone challenging this rule will trigger an official investigation. We will scrutinize whether they are liable for violating Imperial law by illegally forcing the peasantry to farm on their privately owned land."
The guests' faces turned pale at the announcent. Yet, one guest, dressed in finely decorated red clothes, stood up.
Lansius motioned for him to speak.
"My Lord, pardon my intrusion, but what will happen to those farmlands? Many of them are already under contract to provide us with their harvest yield."
"Make no mistake, the owner of that land is violating the law, and anyone in cohort with them is also punishable. But..." Lansius paused, capturing the room's attention, "I am not heartless. This was a decision made by the previous Lord, so I am willing to turn a blind eye."
The guests murmured in agreent and visibly uplifted.
The guest in red clothes, still standing, asked, "Then, my lord, what about those farmlands?"
"Only the affected farmlands—and only those involved," Lansius emphasized, concerned about potential misunderstandings, especially since there were other privately owned lands. Combined, these lands—knights' estates, esquires' lands, and holdings of rich rchants and landlords—could be comparable to a quarter of the entire barony.
Lansius knew if he stepped on too many toes, then his rule would be in jeopardy.
Having gained their nod of understanding, Lansius continued, "Anyone who has no involvent in this can continue as usual. anwhile, for those who are involved, you should know that those lands will be taken over by the military. The peasantry will no longer work them. They will be harvested by the army, and the yield will be used as military supplies. As such, all contracts related to those farmlands are considered void."
The guests was shocked and imdiately turned livid. The man in red was about to speak, but Lansius raised his palm, stopping him. "Void does not an worthless!" he asserted strongly, managing to maintain control.
No one challenged him, so Lansius continued, "To show my appreciation for your support of this policy, those who can provide legally binding written contracts to purchase grains from those lands will be reimbursed at their inception value, either in cash, commodities, or through tax exemptions."
Relief washed over many, with a few wiping sweat from their brows, relieved to know that at least they would regain their initial investnt and not lose it all.
A guest in green velvet clothing rose up and asked, "My Lord, what about verbal contracts?"
"Verbal agreents and accords will be addressed through the judiciary," the Lord replied without hesitation.
The guests seed pleased with this arrangent.
Then Lansius added, coldly, "Any attempt to cheat will result in prosecution, with the perpetrator's assets confiscated and their family reduced to peasantry."
Hearing this, the guests straightened their backs, visibly uncomfortable and fearful.
Lansius leaned back in his chair, and Sir Harold stepped forward, asking, "Any other questions?"
The man in green seized the opportunity. "My Lord, your decision seems fair to us. But what about the owners of those lands—the knights and esquires whose yield you will confiscate for this year?"
"They can pay for their cris or they can join in my next campaign. If they perform admirably, then I'll allow them to take their land back. I'm only interested in this year's yield to avoid the risk of famine. Nothing more. I have no interest in confiscating other people's land unjustly."
He nodded and allowed soone else to speak. "My Lord, you ntioned that the new military council will manage the farmland and holdings. Does this an that you really intend to use your n-at-arms for hard labor?"
"Indeed, the situation demands it," Lansius confird and looked around. "Gentlen, I'm trying to avert famine, not gain benefits. The records show that South Hill is heading towards a famine. I'm sure you're all aware that each ti the city is involved in a campaign, there's always a steep decline in harvest yield. And this past sumr, South Hill faced its biggest loss ever."
The guests nodded nervously. The losses in South Hill during the failed Korelia campaign were nothing short of disastrous. Even in the city, they had lost many friends and relatives.
"But, My Lord, what about next year? I doubt you will station these many n here indefinitely as farrs."
Lansius chuckled. "Despite what the rumors say about , I'm not a seer," he jested, prompting chuckles from his entourage. Returning to the issue at hand, he said to his guests, "Let's not overthink this. Let evaluate my plan and when it's appropriate, I'll unveil it. But right now, let's focus on securing a good harvest in this region."
...
After his eting with the representatives, Lansius addressed the two hundred freed n and the thousands of Nicopolans.
"n," he began warmly, noticing smiles on his n's faces. The easy victory and the great feast still had an effect on them.
"We ventured to South Hill to settle my issue with the previous Lord. That objective has been fulfilled. However, there's another objective: securing a good harvest for everyone. But as it turns out, we've made a mistake."
The smiles on his n's faces changed as they realized the gravity of his words.
"We expected South Hill to be ready for harvest. And yes, thanks to the hardworking people, the region is well-cultivated. However, due to their past defeat, they lack two thousand able-bodied workers to tend to these fields. I don't want to say this, but this region is unknowingly skirting close to famine."
Murmurs broke out among his n at the ntion of famine.
"Gentlen, don't be afraid," Lansius said, gazing upon the thousands of Nicopolans. "Fortunately, we are aware of this in advance. Though there's little ti, we can make enough changes to avoid the issue."
His n listened attentively to his explanation.
"Servius has inford that we have able farrs among you. Thus, we will form groups consisting of farrs and soldiers to work the fields. So will work in the communal fields. Others will provide help to villages or families in need."
Seeing his n's confused reactions, Lansius added, "Even if you know nothing but how to hold your spear, this region can use your help. We need able bodies to fix granaries, hunt pests, repair roads, sharpen farming tools, maintain carts, and escort grain transports safely."
His explanation prompted a wave of nodding and light murmurs.
"We can do that," one man said, followed by a chorus of agreent from his colleagues.
"The bottom line is, we can't be idle and expect food to be available. We need to assist the people of South Hill. Otherwise, famine and winter will end us all."
The grim warning left everyone uneasy. Silence fell as the Lord exited the stage.
Sir Harold then took the stage and comnted, "Well, unfortunately, we can't beat famine in a fight. If it were a person, I assure you the Lord of Korelia and I would find a way to beat it senseless."
So burst into laughter, releasing the tension that had been building in their nerves.
"I thought Famine was scared of the Lord of Korelia," soone shouted.
"No," Sigmund chid in, standing beside Sir Harold, "Famine is afraid of the Lady of Korimor."
"Ooh, the eyes!" soone exclaid, and laughter erupted again.
Despite the threat of famine, morale was high. In the eyes of the Nicopolans, their new master had yet to make a mistake.
Sir Harold continued, "The Lord has decreed exemptions for those who can smoke fish, also for individuals who can hunt big ga. For those, please report to afterward. If you think you can contribute in other ways, let us know."
***
After midday, Lansius supervised the formation of the work groups, proactively gathering various inputs from his retinues. He took all their suggestions into consideration. As expected, food and supplies quickly beca an issue.
"There's no other way," Servius advised during their private eting inside the command tent.
"I share his opinion," Sir Harold voiced. "I will share the castle's provisions and also reach out to the rchants for additional supplies."
Lansius sighed, realizing they had exhausted all their options. "We just enjoyed a feast with roast duck. I don't have the heart to tell them that we must return to rationing."
Audrey stepped forward, offering, "Let handle that announcent."
Just as Lansius was about to respond.
"Um, My Lord, My Lady, this might sound foolish, but Agatha might have so ideas," Sigmund interjected, bringing the girl forward.
***
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