CHAPTER 407: CHAPTER 285 FOREIGN AUXILIARY

Volenus took over the conversation and said, "For those prisoners in the camp, we still use the old method, giving them just enough food to keep them from starving each day, using hunger to reduce their resistance and wear down their ferocity...

For the prisoners in the village, we’re relatively more lenient, giving them enough food each day, and even allowing them to walk around the village, even climb up the wooden walls to watch the camp and shout to their relatives inside... Before we left, the situation of the prisoners was still relatively stable—"

Volenus said this and exchanged a glance with Capito.

Capito said seriously, "Leader, we’ve discussed this; although there are more prisoners, as long as the food issue is solved, we can manage them all well.

Now we have Segestica’s territory, the tribe’s land has expanded, but the truly usable labor force has reduced, because after this war, all reserve tribal members became official tribe members.

Originally, we were planning to build a road from Snowdonia to Westeni, now this road has to extend here too; originally, we planned to build a dam for the Kupa River, and now it seems we have to prepare to build one for the Sava River too...

In short, we now need more labor to develop our new territory; we can’t just give these prisoners to the Aldeans for nothing like last time."

Maximus smiled and said, "You all led the tribesmen well, taking care of the tribe’s affairs. I have nothing to worry about! As for the prisoner problem you mentioned, I completely agree with you; we used to be not strong enough, so we had to give most of the Pannonian prisoners to the Aldeans. Now, I think our tribe is capable of absorbing these prisoners—"

Maximus was speaking when the attendant entered, "Leader, the food is ready!"

"Come, come, set the table! Let’s eat first, and we’ll continue talking after we’re full." Maximus beckoned the attendants to set the food on the table.

Quintus, Volenus, and the others, having traveled the whole day, were indeed famished. They stopped talking, biting into bread and drinking porridge, devouring the food ravenously, and it was quite a while before their eating speed slowed down.

Only then did Maximus start to speak while breaking bread, "Capito was right earlier, we’ve defeated the Panoni Alliance Army and now own more land, but if we don’t have enough people, these lands can’t be fully utilized!

However, Capito was also wrong in saying that while we’ve completely defeated the Segestica people and occupied their main camp, we haven’t truly possessed their land, which is why I hurried you here to quickly discuss some measures and then lead your men to implement them swiftly.

We must seize the moment while the Segestica people are still weak, and other major Pannonian tribes, having been defeated, are unable to wage war against us in the short term, to complete the annexation of the Segestica Territory!"

"Leader, you have always been wise, you must have already figured out a good way to conquer this land. All we need to do is work hard to implement it." Gaius couldn’t help but say.

Capito glanced at him.

Maximus smiled slightly, "I have indeed thought about some new ideas this afternoon, but they still need to be discussed with all of you."

The crowd set down their bowls of porridge, eyes all focused on Maximus.

Maximus waved his hand, saying, "Didn’t I just say that we’d discuss while eating? It seems like you’ve all eaten your fill, so should I ask them to clear away the remaining food?"

The crowd burst into laughter, picking up the food again.

Maximus broke a small piece of bread and stuffed it in his mouth, chewing as he spoke, "You saw how the Segestica people here fear us when you arrived, but this fear is not enough to make them submit to us. Last night, I showed the five or six thousand Segestica people in the village the goodwill of the Nix Tribe and told them about the many benefits of joining our tribe, even having those new Segestica recruits persuade them, in the end, guess how many were willing to join our tribe?"

"Over 1000 people?"

"Around 800?"

"Too many, I think only 500."

...

"Only 103 people." Maximus squeezed out the words through his teeth.

The crowd was stunned.

"Out of five or six thousand prisoners, only 103 were willing to join, that’s indeed too few!" Capito expressed disappointment directly.

"Although there are not many people, I think this is a good start. After all, they have lived in the Segestica Tribe for generations, and suddenly asking them to join a strange hostile tribe is certainly hard for them to accept in a short time. As time goes by, when they realize that our Nix Tribe’s dominance of this land is unchangeable, they will naturally choose to join..." Volenus comforted.

"That is one reason, but there are others as well." Maximus, holding an empty bowl of porridge, signaled the attendant to fill it again, then continued, "I spent some time this afternoon with the newly joined Segestica people. Through conversation with them, I realized that the Twenty Peerage System in our tribe still has some flaws—"

"Impossible, leader! The Twenty Peerage System is the best system, bestowed upon us by the Divine, for our tribe! That our tribe has been able to defeat the powerful Pannonian Tribe Alliance in just a year of settling here is mainly because of this miraculous system! It’s the best, we shouldn’t change it easily because of some prisoners!..." Gaius said excitedly.

"Yes, leader..." Although others did not exalt the Twenty Peerage System like Gaius, they also expressed concerns about modifying it.

Maximus somewhat understood their thoughts, as he had announced before the war that all nine departments would receive First-class Merit after the victory... They were afraid of losing their benefits!

Maximus sighed inwardly and calmly said, "Don’t worry, let me finish... No system is perfect the moment it comes out; it’s always improving. Didn’t we modify the Twenty Peerage System before to better reward and promote our army? This time, I want to add another level to our tribe’s original citizen hierarchy!"

"Which level?" The crowd asked in unison.

Maximus had a sip of porridge and slowly said, "Previously, in our tribe, besides official members, there were reserve members, who were mainly comprised of three groups: Scodisqi slaves, captive Segestica people, and some Segestica warrior prisoners who were persuaded by family members. They all were willing to join our tribe and work for the tribe. Those Segestica prisoners who refused to submit were given to the Aldeans as slaves.

But now, the situation is different. We’ve occupied the Segestica Territory, with many Segestica prisoners, most of whom are unwilling to join us.

So what are these prisoners in our tribe supposed to be? Reserve members? If they are, and we force them to serve for three years, do we really have to make them official members according to the decree?! If they don’t accept, wouldn’t it desecrate our sacred system?! If they pretend to accept and we have such unruly people, won’t our tribe be in danger?"

Maximus’s series of questions left everyone stunned, but Sidonius was the first to react: "The Leader is right. I remember the first page of the Twenty Peerage System clearly states, ’All captured foreigners and foreigners voluntarily joining the tribe will be reserve members...’ Now, it seems there is indeed a problem with this."

Capito immediately added: "I think we should set another level below reserve members, where any prisoners who refuse to join the tribe would first be slaves!"

As soon as he said this, Volenus, Gaius, Pigeris, Karina, and others’ expressions changed, the word "slave" stinging them.

Maximus corrected, "No, our Nix Tribe will not have slaves! I suggest setting up a level called ’Foreign Auxiliary’ below reserve members. Foreign Auxiliaries come from those captured in foreign wars who are unwilling to join the tribe. They will be required to perform labor under the tribe’s compulsion until they realize their mistake and reconsider joining the tribe."

"Foreign Auxiliary..." Others murmured the term softly, understanding that these prisoners were essentially the tribe’s slaves, just under a less sensitive name.

Volenus directly said, "I think the Leader’s idea is great. The term ’Foreign Auxiliary’ fits these prisoners from the Pannonian tribes well... Ah, Foreign Auxiliary—those who come from outside, who don’t belong to our tribe, yet can assist us with work. While the tribe strictly supervises them, it leniently allows them to join and thus become a part of the tribe, so Foreign Auxiliaries are entirely different from those slaves in Italy!"

"That’s right, Foreign Auxiliaries are not slaves! I agree to establish this level beneath the reserve members!" Pigeris immediately voiced strong support.

Others had no objections, and Sidonius even earnestly remarked, "Since Foreign Auxiliaries aren’t part of the tribe, and the Twenty Peerage System is intended for tribal members, I think there’s no need to modify it into the Twenty-One Peerage System."

"Right, Foreign Auxiliaries are merely affiliates of the tribe, and the name of the Twenty Peerage System shouldn’t be changed; it sounds nice as it is." Pigeris agreed loudly once more.