Iron Harvest: When Farming Becomes Conquest
Chapter 104 - 8: Losing Face

Chapter 104: Chapter 8: Losing Face

The friendship between nobles is not a verbal agreement, but a written contract.

Morry took out this contract.

Roman discovered that the young merchant had come prepared.

The terms of the contract clearly defined the scope of responsibilities for both parties.

If Morry encountered disaster, Roman would have to help him through the difficulties.

This assistance could be in the form of identity help, providing security for his safety, or even mobilizing troops to support him.

That last condition was particularly daunting.

It meant that if Morry was captured by anyone, Roman would have to rescue him from danger.

Of course, most friendships between merchants and nobles didn’t go that far, and at most would involve a couple of reprimands.

The results of such a major mobilization were not something every noble could afford.

It was usually limited to the first and second clauses—where a merchant could use a noble’s crest and banner and could provide a reliable source of guards.

Moreover, if Morry were politically persecuted or for some reason fled to Sige Town, Roman had to unconditionally protect Morry’s safety until the storm passed.

In return, Morry would connect with slave traders from various regions to deliver at least 300 slaves to Sige Town every month.

If he couldn’t find slave traders, Morry’s own trade caravan would take on the task of transport.

Roman would pay in gold or salt to purchase these slaves.

...

It was a contract that satisfied both parties.

At last, there was a way out.

Morry thought to himself.

He was very sure of it.

No matter what kind of storms or tumult outside world would stir up, as long as he arrived in Sige Town, it would be as if all his troubles were over.

The changes and wars of the outside world could not affect him!

The environment here, the ruler here, provided such a strong sense of security!

Morry felt that even if the Church pressured him, this scion of the Riptide Family would not hand him over.

Think about it, if a lord made all his subjects live in spacious and sturdy brick houses, what would his attitude towards friends be? Could it be harsher than towards his subjects?

’My father said I can’t accomplish great things, but I never intended to accomplish great things; I just want to stay alive.’

Morry carefully placed the thick parchment contract into his breast pocket, treasuring it greatly.

...

Roman was also pleased.

This meant that Sige Town would have a steady source of population every month.

All the worries and anxieties he had accumulated over the past few days were swept away.

Still, an accurate price for these shiploads of slaves had to be given.

He sent Seth with Jimmy to negotiate the price with Morry.

This was a rather tedious process.

However, since the quality of the slaves Morry brought was high and they recovered very quickly, taking only half a day to be ready to work, it greatly increased the efficiency of construction.

Roman expanded the new residential area on this basis—from five hundred brick houses to eight hundred, nearly doubling the size, focusing on the benefits of a one-time comprehensive solution.

The residential area, originally capable of accommodating three thousand people, grew to accommodate five thousand to anticipate the future population increase.

As long as Morry fulfilled the agreement, labor supply in the future was assured.

...

Residents of Sea Castle became quite despondent after becoming slaves, originally thinking that their future lives would be relatively bleak and unsuccessful.

But soon, to their surprise, they realized this was not the case.

Although they temporarily needed to live in those resettlement houses, after communicating with the locals and former slaves, they learned that this massive complex of buildings was constructed for them.

They knew that most of the houses in the Seacastle city were just wooden and stone structures, not solid brick houses.

In Sea Castle, a brick house meant that even in a gale, it would not make creaking noises, nor would there be a risk of the roof being blown away.

But only nobles had the means to live in such stone buildings that could last for more than a hundred years without collapsing.

Having received definite answers, these new slaves threw themselves into the busy construction process with a different kind of emotion.

Just like all the laborers here, they ate the same food every day, started working at the crack of dawn, rested for four or five hours at noon, and when it was less hot in the afternoon, they picked up their tools and continued working.

This life was monotonous, but the progress of construction was visibly fast.

On Morry’s third day in Sige Town, it rained, with dark clouds bringing a light drizzle.

Because the temperature dropped, they didn’t even rest, spontaneously gathering to work on the construction site in the rain.

And on that day, without the torment of high heat, the increasingly skilled bricklayers managed to stack up the red walls of fifty buildings in just one day.

Those carrying bricks carried bricks, those mixing mortar mixed mortar, various ox carts and horse-drawn carriages bustled back and forth transporting building materials.

Morry, after finalizing the value of all the slaves in Sige Town, was fortunate to witness this miracle.

He was speechless.

He never expected this group of farmers and slaves to work with such high efficiency.

Morry thought to himself.

If the farmers under those nobles were also this efficient, would their castles still require construction periods spanning several years or even decades?

Why is it that when those overseeing stewards whip their bodies, lashing them until the flesh is split and blood streams, the efficiency of construction does not seem to improve?

This gave him even more confidence in Sige Town.

Morry was convinced that if anyone tried to destroy those buildings; if anyone tried to take away the hard-built brick houses; if anyone tried to take all this from Roman Riptide’s hands.

Then all the people of Sige Town would take up arms to resist!

Unless a large number of Conquest Knights came, those conscript armies would not stand a chance against these angered farmers.

He waited for the drizzle to pass before he was ready to start his journey home.

Also, on this day, a fleet approached from the direction of Silver Dragon Canyon, with flags fluttering on the ships, and on the flags was embroidered a thorny iron tree.

Because the dock was crowded with Morry’s merchant ships.

It took the fleet some time to adjust their position.

"You really should refurbish your docks, it’s your Lord’s face, and you are letting it be discredited."

The disembarking passenger complained to Seth.

His facial features were somewhat similar to Morry’s, but younger.

Hos Pereya had been to Sige Town twice before.

He had traded with the local lord in salt and iron trades.

But still, he was unaccustomed to the docks of Sige Town, wobbling as he stepped onto them.

The wood in the river was so rotted it was barely recognizable,

He feared that the dry, cracked planks would break the next second, and he would lose his footing and fall into the water, which would be undignified.

Seth asked, "What is the condition of the docks in Iron Tree territory?"

"Of course, they are very spacious. The Iron Tree territory’s harbor alone has more than ten docks, all lined up in a row, and the comings and goings of vessels are never-ending," Hos said, puffing out his chest with pride when speaking of Iron Tree’s prosperity.

Little Jimmy beside Seth muttered, "So every day there are many people walking over Iron Tree Lord’s face."

Hos’s expression froze.