Chapter two hundred and twenty eight: chance encounter
"Two systems? What do you mean, Your Majesty?"
"Does Your Majesty want to use two systems to collect taxes once?"
"System? Do we free people have a system?"
"Yes! I will listen to whoever has a harder fist!"
Just after Robb announced that two systems would be implemented in the North, there was a burst of noisy discussion in the Shield Hall, even if the volume was lowered.
Waving his hand to disperse the ice pick in his right hand, Robb opened his mouth to further explain the two systems: "Everyone knows the original system in the North, so I won't go into more details. Let's mainly talk about the land-grant freedmen system!
First, the freedmen in the land grant will set up their own reward and punishment system, and the law enforcement power belongs to you. However, if the freedmen step out of the land grant area and violate the law in the northern territory, they will be punished by the northern border law enforcement system.
Similarly, people in the north who violate the law by stepping into the grant land will also be punished according to the free people's law enforcement system!
By the way, I basically killed the group of freedmen who massacred innocent villagers before to rectify the law.
Now that the White Walkers are coming, I don't want to hear about the blood feud between the Night's Watch and the free people. They have been killing each other for thousands of years. Who can tell clearly who is right and who is wrong?
From now on, we will use two systems to distinguish right from wrong!”
"Secondly, half of the harvest harvested by the freedmen from farming within the donated land will be paid to the Night's Watch as a tax.
Autumn has not yet arrived, and although the temperature in the north is not as good as in the south, we can still at least carry out one round of farming if we seize the time. With more than 100,000 yuan, we can fully utilize all the idle farmland.
Of course, if this winter is too long, the food harvested in the donated land will not be enough to cope with it.
Then, I will mobilize the grain from the south and lend it to you, and you will pay it back through farming in the next long summer."
When Robb mentioned the second point, he specifically faced Mance. This point was mainly for him.
When the top brass of the Night Watch heard this, their dissatisfaction was somewhat alleviated.
In fact, with the dwindling number of people in the Night's Watch and the constant harassment by the savages, the land grant has been vacant and abandoned for a long time.
Although the land grant was now forcefully given to the freedmen by Robb, half of the harvest from the cultivation of hundreds of thousands of people was enough to keep them fed while still leaving a lot of surplus.
"Your Majesty, we don't know much about farming. I just want to ask, after paying half of the harvest, will the remaining food be enough for us to survive?"
Mance had no doubts about turning over the harvest, he just wanted to know whether these freedmen could survive.
"The land grant area is actually one of the few areas in the north that is suitable for farming. Even if half of the harvest is handed over, the remaining food will be enough for you to eat for more than a year.
But I don’t know how long this winter will last, so I just said I would lend you food to survive the winter.
After this winter is over, you can repay it through farming or contract work!"
Mance's question was what Robb expected, so he answered directly.
"I understand. When the food is harvested, we will hand over half to the crows...the night watchmen!"
"Very good! Third, when the White Walkers arrive, the free people must gather all the forces that can fight to resist. Of course, we will also gather all our forces to fight with you.
In addition, I still have the right to recruit you to fight for me in peacetime!"
Seeing Mance nodding and promising to pay the grain tax, Robb nodded and continued.
"Your Majesty, there is nothing wrong with the first part of this third point, but I beg your pardon for the latter part, which we cannot agree to.
We went south just to survive. If you respond to the call to fight for you at will, it won’t be long before we free people will gradually disappear into the seven civil wars!”
"Hehe, let's do this! I will not recruit you for free, but will provide food, equipment, military expenses, etc. as rewards. Moreover, the leader of the free people can judge whether to respond based on the actual situation!"
Seeing that Mance really questioned this, Robb, who had already decided to make progress rather than retreat, took advantage of the situation and made a concession.
"Well, can we decide whether to respond or not? Okay!"
Sure enough, compared to the previous unconditional recruitment, Mance hesitated slightly after hearing Robb's next words, and then nodded and agreed.
"Okay! The free people's system basically consists of these three points. I will add others later when I think of them!"
Seeing that Mance agreed, Robb directly confirmed the three points he just mentioned.
During this trip to Hardship, he had achieved his goal. At least tens of thousands of the more than 100,000 free people could become his reserve force.
When it comes time to use them, Robb can come up with countless ways to make it impossible for them to refuse the call.
"Okay, that's it for today! Mance, you can start moving the free people outside the city. You can ask Jon to provide the resources you need in the early stage.
If Castle Black can't provide it, tell Jory and I'll ask him to find a way to mobilize it for you from Winterfell."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Upon hearing this, Mance immediately thanked Robb loudly and from the bottom of his heart.
At this time, the free people outside the Great Wall at least had tents and many other supplies. However, the tens of thousands of free people inside the Great Wall who fled from the difficult villages basically had nothing.
The resources Robb is now promising to provide them with are help in times of need.
After the meeting in the Shield Hall ended, these senior executives walked out in groups discussing.
After Robb stopped Jon, he seriously reminded him to handle the relationship between the Night's Watch and the free folk. He also reminded him that he needed to pay attention to Ser Alliser's group and the little boy named Olly.
Seeing Jon, who was obviously a little distracted, with something on his mind, Robb didn't know whether he listened or not.
Even if Robb knew in his heart that Ser Alliser and others might betray Jon in the future because he accepted the free people, he could not execute them on unfounded charges now.
Furthermore, the butterfly effect he has created is now large enough. Even Ygosint did not die in Castle Black. It is uncertain whether they will betray him in the future.
Finally, for the sake of safety, Robb decided to have three thousand Winterfell recruits stationed at Castle Black for the next year to ensure that there would be no unexpected incidents in Castle Black.
After settling everything, Robb, who was interested in playing, went to the top of the Wall accompanied by Jon.
Looking at the magnificent scenery covered with snow outside the Great Wall, standing on the majestic Great Wall that seemed to touch the sky, Robert suddenly felt that his mind was much broader.
Looking at the magnificent scenery, Robb's heart moved. He wrote a "visit here" on the Great Wall and took a pee.
When Jon saw Robb's naughty behavior, he not only rolled his eyes and complained that Robb's behavior at this moment was exactly the same as the little devil before.
Ever since his father Eddard died in King's Landing, Robb has been chasing after a tiger, forcing him to keep moving forward in order to survive.
Now that the rhythm had relaxed, Robb chatted with Jon about various things that had happened over the past year.
"Wow! I haven't had such a comfortable chat for a long time. I have neither time nor anyone to chat with.
It’s so good like this now!”
Looking at the sun gradually turning towards the west, Robb licked his dry lips and said to Jon.
"Well, when I learned about my father's death, I also thought about leaving Castle Black.
However, as you just said, we all have our own lives and responsibilities, and sometimes we really can’t make the choices we want!”
Looking at Robb, who rarely showed his true feelings, Jon put his hand on his shoulder and answered.
"Well, thank you for your comfort!
Well, after I return to King's Landing this time, we may not be able to meet until the White Walkers attack.
By the way, I will hold the grandest wedding in the Seven Kingdoms later, and you will definitely not be able to come to attend.
Hehe, my queen is the youngest daughter of the Tyrell family in the Reach, and she is more beautiful than your Yorgheart!"
Robb patted Jon's hand on his shoulder with his backhand, then changed the subject and teased him.
"Haha, I remember at that time we said we would become a hero famous in the Seven Kingdoms and marry the most beautiful woman as our wife.
Robb, congratulations, you did it!"
"Hey, Jon, I'm just teasing you! You haven't changed at all, you're still so boring.
alright,
It’s almost time, let’s go down!”
The next day, after watching the freedmen outside the Great Wall, led by Mance, lining up in an orderly manner through the tunnel and entering the land grant, Robb greeted Jon, Jory, Owen and others,
Then he took his soldiers back to Eastwatch.
Afterwards, they boarded the warships of Redwine's fleet at Eastwatch and headed straight for King's Landing.
…
Iron Islands, King's Harbor.
Countless large and small ships, either loaded with cargo or carrying passengers, pass by in an orderly manner at the entrance to King's Harbor.
Thanks to Theon's obedience to the rules set by Robb, and the increasingly prosperous town of Carlin next to the Bay of Carlin in the north, this former pirate port has faint signs of becoming the sixth largest port city.
Since the Iron Fleet and the Northern Fleet followed Robb on his expedition, the security of the sea area near King's Harbor is now taken care of by a temporary fleet formed voluntarily by the ironborn leaders who have benefited from the bustling King's Harbor.
A long and narrow red sloop cut through the wind and waves of the sea and sailed quickly towards King's Harbor. It hung a large black sail with the emblem of the Yuyu family, and the hull was painted an extremely ominous dark red.
As the distance gets closer and closer, the beautiful black iron figure on the bow of the ship is clearly revealed.
I can see that this beautiful ship's figure has slender legs, a narrow waist, and a high chest. The eyes are made of mother-of-pearl, but there is no mouth. It seems to indicate that the crew of this ship are all mute.
On the deck of the red sailboat, there sat a man with pale skin, handsome appearance, black hair and black beard, his left eye was covered by an eyepatch, and his right eye was bright blue.
He was wearing a very obvious Ironborn costume, and he was holding a cup of blue drink that was dark blue in color and as viscous as honey when it flowed.
Looking at the obviously different King's Harbor and the patrolling fleets around it, the man drank the blue drink in the glass in one gulp, licked his lips and said: "Hey, look, my dear nephew helps me manage the Iron Islands.
Not bad!"
The crew member standing next to him immediately nodded fawningly upon hearing this and did not speak.
"Let the Serenity follow the ship in front and enter King's Harbor. You will wait for me on the ship in a while. I will go find out the news first."
The ship named Serenity was completely silent except for the man's voice, and indeed the ship lived up to its name.
When the Serenity docked at King's Harbor, where the city was getting bigger and bigger, and the flow of people was getting bigger and bigger, the man staggered off the ship and went straight to the largest tavern in the center of the city.
…
Essos, Braavos.
After passing through the iconic Titan statue in Braavos, there are many narrow rivers formed by the bay, and many stone arch bridges spanning these rivers connect the entire city of Braavos.
Although Braavos is surrounded by water everywhere and can be considered a dock everywhere, it still has two main seaports, one in the north and one in the west.
To the north is the Purple Port, which is specially provided for the merchant ships of Braavos to dock. To the west is the second-hand clothing merchant wharf, which is crowded with merchant ships, passenger ships, cargo ships, and fishing boats from other places.
Today, the second-hand clothes dealer's wharf is still as bustling as ever. Many returning fishing boats are bargaining with buyers, and many coolies are carrying goods on the cargo ships.
On a passenger ship sailing from King's Landing to Braavos, a middle-aged man wearing civilian clothes and a sword on his waist walked out with his hand holding a boy with messy blond curly hair and a dark face.
After the middle-aged man got off the boat, he looked up and roughly looked at the direction, then took the blond boy towards the center of Braavos.
"Selling oysters, clams, and scallops!"
A girl pushing a wheelbarrow filled with oysters, clams and other seafood was selling goods at the used clothing pier. Her head was looking left and right to check for potential customers.
Next to the entrance of the used clothes dealer's wharf, an old man with thinning hair sat on a long and worn table, surrounded by several strong and burly thugs.
He put away the Braavos iron coins on the long table, looked at the fresh oysters in the little girl's wheelbarrow, swallowed his saliva and asked her loudly: "Are your oysters fresh?"
"Of course, the oysters I sell are the best and freshest in the city!"
The little girl stopped the wheelbarrow in her hand and turned to the old man.
replied.
"Hey, you won't lie to an old man like me!"
Hearing this, the old man chuckled and replied to the little girl. Looking at the way he was staring at the oysters on the wheelbarrow, he meant that he wanted to have a taste of it for free.
Of course the little girl understood what he meant. She picked up an oyster from the wheelbarrow and prepared to open the oyster with the knife in her hand.
But her movements suddenly stopped, and her eyes were fixed on the face of the middle-aged man holding the little boy in front of her.
The middle-aged man seemed to feel something and turned to look in the direction of the little girl. The little girl quickly opened the oyster in her hand and turned around to hand it to the old man.
"Hiss, very good, give me four, add vinegar!"
The old man drank the oyster greedily, then nodded and said to the little girl.
At this time, the middle-aged man and the blond boy had passed by them and were about to disappear into the crowd.
The little girl seemed to suddenly not want to do this business at this moment. She turned the wheelbarrow and said to the old man: "Sorry, there is something urgent today, so I won't do business anymore. I'll come back tomorrow!"
"Hey, what the hell are you doing! I won't buy anything if you come tomorrow!"
The little girl didn't seem to hear the old man's complaint. She pushed the wheelbarrow and quickly chased in the direction of the middle-aged man. At the same time, she whispered in her mouth: "Although I don't know why Malin Tran came to Braavos,