Chapter 129 The Papal State expands its territory and drives out foreign invaders!
"Really?" Hearing that Horn was willing to help, Casti immediately stood up and asked excitedly.

"Don't be too happy yet. I have conditions for this." Sitting on the walnut cushioned chair, Horn raised his palm and made a gesture of stopping.

Casti, who was sitting across the table, immediately sat up straight. "What are your conditions? Just name them, and I'll do my best to meet them."

"The first condition is that I want you to help me find some pharmacists, stonemasons, and engineers who are willing to go to Black Snake Bay."

"Ah..." Upon hearing Horn's words, Casti immediately understood what Horn was going to do, "May God bless you...

The pharmacist's words were simple. I can help you find several good ones who are willing to go to Black Snake Bay with you, but most of them have a record of manufacturing and selling counterfeit drugs or violating guild regulations.

But I can guarantee that their techniques for mixing medicines are absolutely top-notch. The fake medicines they sell are just "fake medicines" in the eyes of the guild, not really ineffective.

As for stonemasons, we do have several stonemason guilds here, but I guess stonemasons above the master level are not willing to go with you. I can find some stonemason apprentices for you.

As for the engineer, honestly, I know where you're going, but there's really no need to find an engineer, right?"

Speaking of the engineers at the end, Casti was in a dilemma. Engineering is a high-paying job, and who would be willing to go to the deserted Black Snake Bay and see giant snakes baring their teeth?
"I just want to specialize in engineering machinery like pulleys and water wheels, but there are none?"

"I'll try my best to help you find it, but if you please, it's really hard to find..." Casti replied tactfully.

It seems that this is the only way. It is similar to what Horn thought. After all, engineers are high-tech talents.

"The second condition is for the villagers I brought with me. Can we give them the ruins where they are as a place to live?"

“Yes, we can sign a land lease agreement,” Casti agreed immediately, “but we won’t be able to guarantee food and jobs after you leave.”

Horn nodded. These villagers could have magical powers. They could set up a small workshop and secretly make some alchemical products such as mortar, and it would not be a problem to support themselves.

Anyway, Horn will be able to come and pick them up in a year or two.

"Third, even a good cook cannot cook without rice. You still have to give them a bite to eat..."

"Sir, are you kidding me?" Casti said, "If I could give them a bite to eat, why would I come to you? The lord doesn't have any extra food."

"Look, you're in a hurry, listen to me." Horn knocked on the table with his knuckles, "You don't need to pay for this money and food, but work in lieu of relief.

I saw it when I came here. Your roads are full of potholes due to the floods. Don’t they need to be repaired?
And what about those rivers? Don’t they need to be dredged or dams built to prevent floods?

The refugees are just looking for a meal, so just don't let them go hungry. The labor cost must be much lower than that of ordinary workers.

These things have to be done sooner or later. The flood has just passed, and the citizens and merchants are probably still in shock. The wages of refugees are much cheaper than normal, so they will be willing to pay."

"What a coincidence, I just need their help with something!" Casti's eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something.

"Oh? What is it?"

Casti immediately stammered, "Yes, almost. It's about clearing the river... Your Excellency, how are you going to subdue these refugees?"

Glancing at Casti suspiciously, Horn continued, "We don't need Thomas' help. I can do it myself with my people."

"Don't you need it? He's very useful."

To be honest, the idea of ​​the person who could come up with the idea of ​​nesting doll possession is indeed unique, but Horn decided not to make things more complicated.

Countless experiences have told Horn that if he leaves things to these talented people, the only result will be that they will give him a big fight on the spot.

"Restoration of Imperial Rule" and "Chicken Soup for the Time" are vivid examples.

The shadow of this incident still lingers in Horn's mind and cannot be shaken off.

This period of time has been a good training for Horn. As long as he can give the refugees food to eat, he is confident that he can use both kindness and force to prevent them from robbing.

As for the citizens of the Papal States, Horn decided that since they had already been deceived, he would just follow through with it.

Horn was going to tell them that he would go to the Holy See City to ascend the throne, and in two years he would take them to the Holy See City to enjoy happiness.

After handing over all matters to Casti, Horn, Grampven and others sent Casti to the camp gate.

"Actually, I don't quite understand. Since the Duke has entrusted these people to Casti, how could he not consider these issues?"

Watching Casti disappear on horseback at the end of the road, Horn couldn't help but ask the doubts in his heart.

"Ahem." Grampven coughed and whispered, "I went to Jeanne d'Arc yesterday and got some information.

It is said that the Duke actually bought cheap smuggled grain and shipped it here specifically to appease the refugees.

But on the day the grain arrived, Lord Casti drank a little and made a scheduling error, which caused the grain ships to collide and block the river, so the grain could not be transported in, which led to the subsequent events..."

Oh, after all this time it turns out it's your own fault. No wonder you didn't report it and just kept covering it up.

The thing he was talking about that required the help of refugees was probably clearing the river.

"Then now..."

"Get ready, let's go to the refugee camp opposite this afternoon."…………

The sun is shining brightly and the leaves are falling.

Accompanying seven or eight legion commanders, Thomas stretched his head and looked toward the end of the road.

He was actually quite uneasy in his heart. Others might not understand, but he knew it himself. When he asked the Holy Grandson, he was not asking the Holy Father like the Holy Grandson asked the Holy Father.

This is fake.

What if the Holy Grandson doesn't acknowledge him as his adopted son?
Even though Casti had promised, Thomas still couldn't help but have wild thoughts.

Just as Thomas was struggling with himself, figures in black cloaks appeared from the end of the path. They were a guard team of 300 soldiers.

In the center of the guard, four beastman Varangian guards were walking forward carrying sedan chairs.

A young man wearing a white robe with gold sleeves and a tall crown on his head sat on a sedan chair and moved forward indifferently.

"Are you Thomas?"

Under the gaze of many refugees, Horn's sedan chair came in front of Thomas.

Thomas immediately bowed and said, "It's me, Papa."

The muscles in Horn's cheek trembled.

"You...you, lead the way."

"Papa, come this way." Thomas felt relieved and walked to the sedan chair to lead the way.

The black-hatted soldiers at the front began to drive away the crowd, pushing away the refugees sleeping on the ground, and moving away the wood or bricks blocking the middle of the road.

"Get out of the way! Get ready to welcome the Holy Grandson!"

"His Excellency the Eye of God has arrived."

"Quickly make way. His Holiness the Pope has arrived. Why don't you salute?"

Driven by the shouts of the Black Hat Army, the refugees who were originally blocking the middle of the road made way.

They gathered on both sides of the street, asking with curiosity and fear: "Who is sitting on the sedan chair? Is it the Eye of God, the Holy Grandson, or the Pope?"

Walking all the way from the door to the wooden platform, the four Varangian guards put down their sedan chairs, and Horn, holding the scepter, walked onto the wooden platform.

Following Thomas's notification, refugees and leaders of all sizes were gathering from all directions.

Soon, the entire small square's wooden platform was filled with people.

The afternoon sun shone obliquely on the ground, causing the refugees who were looking up to squint their eyes and start whispering to each other.

However, many refugees had seen Horn before, and those who recognized him began to shout excitedly.

Seeing that the number of people was almost enough, Thomas screamed twice to make the crowd quiet down.

Thomas looked at Horn, who had no expression on his face, with some trepidation. After getting a nod of agreement from his adoptive father, who was ten years younger than him, he shouted:

"Dear believers, God has mercy on us. Our waiting and prayers have not been in vain. Finally, we have invited the true body of Saint Sun Horn!"

Thomas moved aside and respectfully made an awkward invitation.

At this moment, Horn stepped forward and walked to the edge of the wooden platform. Looking down from there, he could see the heads of the surging refugees.

It felt like he had gone back more than a month, when he was standing on the bell tower of the Gulag Church and looking down.

The refugees struggled to stand, their faces haggard and exhausted, and even a slight breeze seemed likely to blow them down.

The women lowered their heads but could not feed a drop of milk; the men raised their heads and could hear the crackling sound of necks.

Horn opened his arms and looked solemn:
"My fellow believers, I am the true grandson of the Holy Father and the next Pope, the humble sinner, Horn!"

In order to let most people hear, Horn raised his voice: "Everyone, under my persuasion, our respected Duke of Kush has agreed to provide you with work and rations!"

The refugees were silent for a moment, some of them could not believe their ears.

The Duke of Kush could provide them with work and food, so they wouldn't have to eat only one meal a day?

A huge amount of discussion exploded, and Thomas shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Cheer, believers!"

"When the Holy Grandson comes, we will have food! When the Holy Grandson comes, our sins will be washed away!"

(End of this chapter)