'Til Kingdom Comes - The Banished Prince Vol 3: The Prophecy

Serfs Up 2/2

I laughed lightly while I stared at my feet and instinctively twiddled my fingers since I had never received any components before. Not directly like what Eagle had done but compared to others, Eagle had made a great comparison of me with my very own father.

Well, it could be said that I was a bit bashful that evening as I was being complimented by someone none other than my own professor in uni. Even though he was much different in his profession as of that time, but my level of respect had never faltered...

"Well, you can put it that way, Eagle. But Darlington was such a built-up area that all they deal was from the external importers to the town. The town had no natural produce except several livestock that the owners had consigned to several others such as Crystal."

"Fortunately for us, she had undergone quite some years of running and maintaining that livestock and also had the freedom to trade with other merchants."

"If not, we would not the faintest ideas on how to make full use of the animals that had been reared in captivity. Not only do they provide milk and eggs but also reproduces the young as well."

"I recently discovered the jungle fowls do not need a rooster to reproduce since the hens produce egg almost daily in their whole lives. Hahaha."

Eagle smiled at me and tapped my shoulders as he told me, "That's the course of nature, Your Majesty. Things sure move in a weird manner, without us realising them in general."

"So what do you think about the Serfs and peasants? Would it be right to bring them over here to work for us and be our labourers? Besides, since we would be having at least an additional 1,000 crop fields all around, we sure would need twice as many hands as possible."

"A serf could become a freedman only through manumission, enfranchisement, or escape, Your Majesty. So you wish to start another revolt like the one such as Peasant's Revolt back in 1381? Have you forgotten your history lessons already, Your Majesty?"

Eagle spoke to me in a stern voice to remind me they taking the Serfs away from the Lord's land would definitely invite duress among the peaceful Gracehaven and others.

Besides, we have to remind the future Adventurers of cities and towns they should avoid if they were to spread the privileges of being a future resident here without raising any disregard.

"Ooo... Ohh... OOWWHH...!!! Goddammit...! How come some times my plan would be disrupted in this manner eh? If we can't get the serfs or peasants over on one way or another without raising any problems with the neighbouring towns or even our conglomerates, then how are we going to have more residents then?"

I jumped up when I realised the seemingly easy matter turned out to be a thorn at my sides...! Damn... I thought they could just walk over from one town to another just like the 560 families that seek treatment here in this town...!

But NO...!!! It seemed I got stumped again once more... Sheesh...why does kingdom-building seems so difficult right now?

I slumped back at the sack and hung my arms loosely by my sides as I looked at the ground, looking at the trail of ants that had tracked from the grains huller machine to a corner of a wall.

Many hand snake light work and I truly agree when the ants could carry something that weighs many times over their own weight...!

"This leaves you to two options, Your Majesty. The Serfs that suffered in the hands of their Lords could only escape with their clothes on their backs."

"That's all they have since they have no possessions as their Lords own every single thing, including their tattered and knickers that would be filled with holes...!"

Listening to the last few words that were mentioned by Eagle, I can't help but raise my head and let out a guffaw... Holey knickers. Even the Lords would be crazy if they discovered the serfs ran away with them. Hahaha...!

Hearing me laugh out loud in the near-empty windmill that nearly scared the roosting pigeons that nearly shat in surprise, Eagle too laughed along with me but then he turned serious once again.

"The other option is through diplomacy. The Adventurers carry a common decree from you  on order to 'encroach' in a peaceful manner and acquire those serfs and peasants by buying their freedom, from their current lord right to the present Lord instead."

I let my laughter die off midway when I heard that I could draft a local decree in order to purchase the serfs' freedom instead of trying to run away with their holey knickers. Hahaha.

But how much does their freedom represent? Our main treasury was not short of coins especially gold coins and I am sure the Lords' eyes would be as big as saucers when they see the gold coins before them.

"But, Your Majesty, serfs can't be bought and sold like a normal slave and only through gratuitous manumission could a serf gain his freedom and be a freedman along with his family."

"A peasant, however, is free to move between each Manor or even town and it would cost nothing for them to move here. So, do you still consider freeing the serfs to let them gain their freedom or would you like to take in peasants instead?"

My head was literally spinning when I heard this statement fro  Eagle. Little did I know that there's a lot of complications that lead to the freedom of a serf than a peasant as a peasant would be free to move about.

I looked at Eagle and I was literally at a loss again. "Please advise me, dear teacher, for I would need to hear your suggestions to the best of your knowledge in this matter."

I finally said as I resigned myself to let Eagle take over as an advisor in this matter. Even if I do let Marcel handle this matter, he would be bogged down with so many responsibilities and he might not even have the energy to complete the task at hand effectively.

"So you had finally resigned to let me decide for you, Your Majesty?"

Eagle replied as I managed to nod my head in a weak manner.

"In that case, don't you worry much, Your Majesty. I won't put you on a perilous position then. All I would need are just some gold coins and some parchment papers with your seal on it."

"These gold coins would be used to set the serfs free and at the same time to obtain the peasants from other towns as well. Since I too have the database on which towns these future Adventurers should head to in the near future."

"Just hope that these little towns, villages and even settlements would still have some inhabitants in them. Do you have criteria on age and the number of households, Your Majesty?"

I thought for a while and based on my best of knowledge on the current census population, it would be best to get young families to join in, but if not, these new inductees would not be as old as those form Boroughbridge then.

After explaining the certain criteria to Eagle, he nodded his head. He knew what I wanted to achieve since I am looking forward to a more vibrant community.

"I will get the parchment papers ready instead and have some notes written on it. All you need to do is to place your hand and seal later in them."

After Eagle had suggested what he would do in the coming future, we agreed and I left him back at the windmill while I slowly walked over back to the domain.

Some leaping shadows were in the dark but I hardly notice them since I made a beeline straight back to the domain and head up to my bedroom to retire.

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