Chapter 296: Freemen, Slaves, Leysha, and the Brewer
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Raymond’s respect for Ji Chen grew stronger, and he couldn’t help but feel that he had made the right choice.
Being able to work under a lord with ambitions and the power to realize them was something fortunate.
“My Lord, as you instructed, this time I used the funds to purchase various resources needed by the Crown of the Ocean. Among them, I bought a batch of skilled slaves.
In addition, following your instructions, 1 found another group of freemen willing to settle in the Crown of the Ocean. Most of them left their homelands due to war, famine, and bandits, seeking a place where they could live in peace and prosperity.
Therefore, 1 allocated a portion of the funds in advance as resettlement fees and distributed them to alleviate their concerns and worries, convincing them to come and see what the Crown of the Ocean has to offer.
I hope you can forgive my initiative, my Lord.”
Ji Chen immediately waved his hand upon hearing this and said, “You did the right thing. Gold only truly holds value when it’s put to use. If these gold coins can help retain this group of freemen, then it’s entirely worthwhile!”
“How many slaves and freemen are in this group?”
“Reporting, my Lord, there are more than 1,500 slaves, and most of them possess skills such as shipbuilding, farming, animal husbandry, carpentry, and more. With this batch of slaves, the Crown of the Ocean’s industries, such as wood processing, fish farming, and shipbuilding, could all develop faster.
Due to time constraints, we couldn’t find more freemen, so there are just over 1,000 of them. However, they are all decent potential soldiers. With proper training, we can recruit a batch of fairly capable troops from them.”
In addition to recruiting units from the recruitment camp, players could also recruit soldiers from among the indigenous people, providing another means of increasing their military forces.
Many players were recruiting soldiers from refugees or indigenous gathering places during the recruitment camp’s downtime.
However, he clearly didn’t need to do that. After all, at most, he could only recruit second-tier units from the freemen, so it would be better for him to upgrade other units through the military talent tree.
“No need for that… Where are these freemen now?”
“They are still on the ship, waiting for your orders, my Lord.”
Ji Chen nodded and, with Raymond, went to the port. Soon, he saw many freemen gathered on the returning merchant ship’s deck, their faces showing confusion and anxiety.
From their homeland to this foreign land, from the mainland to an island, anyone would feel a sense of unease.
But there was also an element of surprise.
Contrary to their expectations, they hadn’t thought that the merchant named Raymond was telling the truth. The territory called the Crown of the Ocean did indeed lie on a beautiful chain of islands deep within the ocean.
Like a crescent moon, they stretched across the serene blue sea.
Prosperous harbors, anch.o.r.ed warships, formidable armies, bustling crowds, and continuous buildings.
It was nothing like the desolation they had imagined; in fact, it was even more prosperous than some of the royal cities on the mainland!
Inevitably, they felt a glimmer of hope in their hearts.
Next, they needed to see if the lord of this place was worthy of them staying.
However, when they disembarked and were confronted by a handsome young man, they couldn’t help but feel perplexed.
Was this the lord of the territory? He looked excessively young.
This was completely different from what they had previously imagined, an image of a white-haired old n.o.ble or a dignified middle-aged man.
Nevertheless, they refrained from showing disrespect or insolence. Instead, they watched attentively, each one cautious in their demeanor.
In this society resembling medieval times, where cla.s.s distinctions were strict, a lord was not someone these freemen could afford to offend or disrespect.
Ji Chen looked at the crowd before him, full of expressions ranging from unease, and fear, to curiosity. He carefully chose his words and spoke loudly.
“Freemen who have come from the distant Northern Continent, welcome to the Crown of the Ocean. I am the lord here, and 1 am the one bringing you a new life.
You have left your homes for various reasons, such as war, banditry, famine, monster invasions, and more, in search of a place where you can live in peace and prosperity, a haven from the troubles of the world.
Here, I can tell you that the Crown of the Ocean is indeed such a haven!
We have a powerful army here to protect you from harm. We have an abundance of food to ensure you never go hungry. There are plenty of homes to shield you from the wind and rain. There is ample s.p.a.ce for you to find meaning in your survival!
Yesterday, what you all dreamt of can easily be obtained by joining the Crown of the Ocean. I promise you, everything I’ve just said is true, with not a hint of falsehood!”
I, Ji Chen, the Lord of the Crown of the Ocean, invite you to join us.”
“Ding- Skill: Persuasion Activated, significantly enhancing the effectiveness of this speech.”
The freemen’s eyes were filled with excitement and hope, and much of their anxiety and confusion seemed to dissipate in these words and promises.
Though this lord was young, his words precisely touched upon their deepest desires. Leaving their homes, facing various hardships, and drifting on the vast sea for days had left them yearning for a sense of security.
At this moment, they truly felt a glimmer of rea.s.surance..