Rome Must Perish
Chapter 116 - 92: Ports and Markets_2

Chapter 116: Chapter 92: Ports and Markets_2

Maximus teased, "Pigeris, you are my Commerce Officer, and you should have your own subordinates, but you’ve never mentioned it before. I thought you preferred working alone."

"Leader, you never told me that either!" Pigeris protested loudly.

The crowd burst into laughter.

After laughing heartily, Maximus said, "Alright, I’ll formally inform you now: as the Commerce Officer, you’re entitled to a team of five subordinates. Discuss with Volenus to figure out what kind of people you need, and once your choice is made, I will review and approve it."

Pigeris immediately objected, "Five subordinates are way too few. The port is huge, and there will clearly be lots to handle. It’s impossible to manage it all."

Maximus’ expression darkened slightly. "For now, that’s the most I can allocate. If the port’s workload genuinely proves overwhelming in the future, we’ll add more. But considering you’re about to start work immediately, new recruits may not adapt quickly. I’ll assign a few Attendants to assist you temporarily."

Pigeris was overjoyed. "That’s perfect! That’s perfect!"

"Casius, take a few men and help Pigeris with his tasks."

Already eager, Casius promptly responded, "Yes, Leader!"

"Leader, our army has fully occupied Sarabia City. The soldiers are being directly supplied with materials. Do we really need to run businesses here?" Quintus asked, puzzled.

Maximus replied, "There are over a thousand Sarabians living in the city. If Pigeris successfully manages the port and more merchant ships arrive to trade in the future, there will be a significant influx of sailors. Won’t they need places to stay, meals to eat, and daily necessities to purchase?"

"Leader, your idea is great. This way, we don’t need to forcibly take from these civilians, and we can still collect their gold and silver!" Pigeris grinned from ear to ear.

"No, you’ve misunderstood," Maximus said seriously. "I’m not interested in their small amounts of money. My true aim is to reduce their resentment toward us. I want them to understand that we, Free Italy, are not ruthless plunderers who only burn, kill, and pillage, but capable managers of a city. If they cooperate properly, not only will their lives be spared, but they can live fairly well in this town.

Therefore, the prices of goods sold in the shops under your supervision must be slightly lower than before, so the Sarabians can truly feel that our occupation benefits them."

"Understood..." Pigeris nodded thoughtfully.

"Furthermore, since we have decided to establish Sarabia as our headquarters, we must manage it properly. We’ve learned plenty of lessons from Pompey. As our forces expand, there’s an urgent need for military training. Yet, we still need people to load and unload goods at the port, clean the streets, dump waste, unclog sewers, fight fires, and drain water... All these tasks have drained significant energy from us.

This time, instead of driving the Sarabians out, we’ve chosen to keep them in the city precisely so they can handle these chores, leaving us free to focus on expanding our forces, training our soldiers, and conquering more territories... Volenus, you are the administrative officer, so managing this town and these Sarabians will be your responsibility."

"Ah?... Understood, Leader!" Volenus, who had served as a farm manager for many years, appeared nervous about managing an entire town for the first time, yet a trace of excitement was evident.

"But will these Sarabians willingly work for us?" Pigeris raised the question.

Maximus had already considered this issue. Calmly, he answered, "This time, we won’t provide them with free food. However, if they choose to work, we can pay them a modest wage. With money, they can buy food at our shops and continue living in this town under our control."

"They’re our captives, and we still have to pay them? Isn’t that a bit—" Flanitnus expressed his confusion.

"We give them money, yes, but they’ll spend that money buying our goods, essentially returning the money to us," Maximus chuckled. "This money merely circulates briefly through their hands. What we truly ’spend’ are intercepted surplus resources. By doing so, we gain willing laborers, ensure the town operates properly, breathe life into it, and that, my friends, is worth it!"

Flanitnus, Quintus—as Roman veterans—had their doubts, Pigeris, once a small merchant, Volenus, merely a house-born slave, and Capito, a Roman citizen from a modest family, each possessed unique talents but lacked higher societal insight. Maximus’ explanation introduced simple economic principles, leaving them deeply reflective.

Maximus observed their contemplation with satisfaction. He understood that Sarabia was unlikely to remain under their control for long, but he insisted on carefully managing the town’s populace—the goal being to provide his forces with practical experience in governing, preparing for the future.

Shortly after Flanitnus and Volenus left, Torrelugo entered the hall with several others.

"Leader, this is the Centurion Bubius, a brave man who infiltrated Sarabia and led the team capturing the city gate last night!" Torrelugo proclaimed loudly, proudly slapping the shoulder of a dark-skinned, muscular soldier in full armor beside him.

Maximus displayed surprise and warmly said, "Bubius, I know you! Half a year ago, during the army-wide assembly, you courageously exposed Chief Cross’s soldiers harassing nurses from the Medical Team. And now, you’ve accomplished another Great Merit by securing this town with virtually no casualties. You’re a hero beyond dispute!"

Maximus genuinely praised him. Despite both allied armies capturing Canosa in a single day, Maximus’ forces had suffered nearly 500 casualties. If the stealth attack on Sarabia had failed, continuing with a direct assault would have required reevaluating the plan entirely, making Bubius’ achievement extraordinary and warranting a personal meeting.

The word "hero" carried special meaning for the Greeks and Romans. As soon as Maximus uttered it, the hall erupted in excitement, while Bubius stood dumbfounded, unsure how to respond.

"And you all!" Maximus raised his hand, pointing to the other soldiers who had infiltrated Sarabia City and joined the night raid. "You’re also heroes of Free Italy—you are role models for all of our soldiers!"

Each soldier froze momentarily before breaking into excited smiles: We’re heroes? We’re heroes!...

Suddenly, someone blurted out, "Leader, since we’re all heroes, do you think the women from the Medical Team will like us?"

The bizarre question silenced the hall instantly. Every soldier turned eager eyes toward Maximus.

Maximus looked at the young soldier who had asked the question and smiled. "What’s your name?"

"Leader, I’m Stags, from Little Asia," the soldier respectfully replied.

"Stags, it’s perfectly normal for men to like women. I feel the same way," Maximus winked, prompting a wave of laughter from the soldiers.