Chapter 130 The Senate expands its territory and conquers the barbarians!

With the help of many refugees who had seen Horn in person and people like Thomas, Horn's identity was recognized by the refugees.

Horn naturally did not miss this opportunity, but he did not directly perform the God the Father descending to earth, as that would be too cheap.

Instead, he jumped off the wooden platform, shook hands with the refugees, asked them their names, places of origin, reasons for the uprising, etc., then touched their heads and said:
"On behalf of the Holy Father, I bless you!"

After nearly an hour of fan meeting and handshake, Horn, covered in fleas, finally arrived at the tent where the refugee leaders were meeting.

The refugee leaders, who were sitting on small stools in a row on both sides, stood up to greet them. Horn nodded and walked straight past.

Walking to the end of the tent, Horn naturally sat on the first small stool in the refugee camp.

Busak and Thomas, who had gone to conduct investigation and statistics in advance, had returned and handed a document to Horn.

Head lowered, Horn read the report carefully.

According to Thomas and Bussack's reports, and based on the statements of the refugee leaders present:

There were almost 11,000 people in the entire refugee camp, which was a staggering number, accounting for one-fifth of the total population of Joan of Arc.

Leading these 11,000 men are thirty-five legion commanders.

Yes, Thomas copied Horn's system exactly.

Each legion commander is a refugee leader, and the number of people he controls ranges from one hundred to five hundred.

However, they did not implement the basic organization system. The legion commander directly led several hundred people, and there was no lowest level of ten household heads.

Among these thirty-five legion commanders, the report listed their reasons for revolt and their origins:

Among them were seven public farmers, five armed farmers, sixteen refugees, one brigand knight, three bandits, and two citizens.

Among the reasons for the uprising, twenty-one people said they "couldn't survive", eleven said they "followed the holy grandson as a master", one said it was "for fun", and two said they "had a conflict with their wife/father and ran away from home out of anger".

Excluding the three exceptions, from this result and Horn's previous investigation of the refugees, we can roughly understand:
Most of these "short-haired" rebels came for survival, promotion and wealth.

Survival is a short-term need, while promotion and wealth are long-term needs.

So if you want to control them from the bottom, you have to meet these two requirements.

Horn raised his head and looked around the tent.

I don't know where this tent was picked up from, and it is filled with a rotten stench.

The tent was filled with the smoky smell of firewood and hay, and the faint light of the fire illuminated the sunken cheeks of the legion leaders.

On each crooked, slanted bench sat three or four dusty legion commanders.

The legion commanders included knights and bandits, peasants and craftsmen, but without exception, they were all dressed in patched, dull and tattered clothes.

In the huge tent, everyone's eyes were focused on Horn.

"Relax, everyone. I'm not here to lead you. I'm here to join you."

Horn smiled and said, "I know you must have a lot of doubts and concerns.

But I think, before that, we should first sort out the core issue, which is everyone’s food rations.”

The legion commanders immediately began to clamor and ask when they could get their rations.

"Silence! Silence!" Thomas shouted immediately.

Horn also stretched out his hands and pressed down, signaling the legion leaders to be quiet.

"Famine is urgent. In order to be more efficient, we need to set some rules of procedure before the meeting begins. We can't have all these arguments and noises."

Horn's voice echoed off the wooden stage: "The rules are simple. No one is allowed to speak without raising their hands. Those who raise their hands speak in the order in which they were raised. When one person is speaking, the others may not interrupt."

"Do you agree? If you agree, please raise your hands. If you have any opinions, please raise them quickly."

As Thomas asked, the legion commanders looked at each other and raised their hands one after another.

After everyone raised their hands, Horn smiled and said, "Thank you for your understanding. I believe that the Holy Father and Saint Myrcella will be able to see it through my eyes."

"Now, the first question is, do you recognize me as the Holy Grandson and the Pope?"

The first issue is that of legitimacy.

In essence, it was Thomas who seized power from Horn, and is currently merely returning the reins of power to him.

But the nominal process still had to be followed, and the refugee leaders obediently expressed their willingness to recognize it.

"admit."

"We admit it."

A smile appeared on Horn's face, his first step completed.

If legitimacy is successfully constructed, one will occupy the name of righteousness, and then one will be able to do things justified.

This group of refugees had little experience in political struggle, which gave Horn an opportunity to take advantage of them.

If it were the imperial nobles, they would fight Horn for three hundred rounds with the grand ceremony.

Once this step is completed, the question becomes how to transform status into power.

In order to control this group of people, Horn had to ensure that the majority of the refugees depended on him, and he only relied on the military and financial power of a few old Gulag camps.

So what Horn had to do was, first, to establish the supremacy of military force, and second, to control finances.

There is not much to say about the finances, because the source of finances is Castile.

Horn also brought them a new source of money, enough to win over the lower classes.

So before this, Horn announced that he had found a source of money for the refugees, creating an established fact.

In this way, the refugees at the lower levels all knew that it was Horn who brought them food. Even if the middle-level leaders had the power to distribute the food, they could not distort the claim that it was they who brought the food.

“Then the second question is the issue of work-for-relief.”

"Can you really convince Lord Casti to provide us with jobs and wages?" A captain of the Gongbu Farm Corps raised his hand and spoke.

“Of course, in reality, the number of places Casti gave me was limited, so not everyone can get money and work.

If you want to earn wages and food, you must first register with me.

According to the House Law of the Holy Father of our Great Papal State, we organize households into groups of ten and assign tasks to the heads of the ten households.

Whoever can bring ten households to me for registration and confirmation will be the head of the ten households. "

Another bandit corps leader raised his hand and asked, "Then should we, the corps leaders, continue to command the ten heads of households?"

"Actually speaking, you are just temporary leaders, not the legion commanders appointed by me normally." Horn gradually restrained his smile.

The true intention was revealed, and the legion commanders exclaimed in shock.

"Why? We are the boss!"

"If it weren't for us, they would have been killed by wild wolves."

"What kind of rule is this? I don't accept it. I want to see the Holy Father!"

The legion commander's shouting in the tent became louder and louder, and more and more people joined in.

Even at the door of the tent, several refugees poked their heads in to check.

"boom!"

After the violent whistling sound, the thunderous sound of the clockwork gun made most people present subconsciously shrink their necks or cover their ears.

When the sound faded away, they looked at the two black-clad soldiers holding clockwork guns in fear.

"That's the lightning stick, right?"

"The lightning stick actually exists. I thought..."

"What about the ice giant? Why don't I see any ice giants?"

"You are stupid. The weather is so hot. If the ice giant came, he would have melted long ago. He must be hiding in the cellar."

"You are so rude! You are disrespectful in front of the Holy Father. Do you know that the person sitting in front of you is the Pope?" Thomas shouted.

When the sound of gunfire ended, Busak stood behind the soldiers and stared at everyone present: "Have you forgotten the rules of procedure we agreed on earlier?"

The legion commanders all looked angry but dared not speak out.

"I know you think it's unfair, but I see all your contributions and hard work." Horn still had a calm smile on his face. "So, I have decided to grant all 35 legion commanders the title of elders and join the Senate."

Busak explained loudly: "The so-called Senate means that every senator can vote and decide on all issues of the Papal States. All senators are equal and have one vote each.

Previously you could only command your own people, but now you can command everyone, isn't that good?"

Busak's words echoed in the tent and in the minds of the legion leaders.

The anger gradually subsided, and they looked at each other, both lost in thought.

It sounds like, it's not bad.

Especially those relatively weak legion commanders gradually became excited.

They don't have much power to begin with, they are just empty figures pushed up to the top, with only titles, and they cannot command the big guys below at all.

But it’s good to be an elder now, and really be in power. It turns out that following the holy grandson, you can be the master.

"I agree!"

"I agree."

"Your Holiness, when can we join the Senate?"

"No hurry, no hurry." Horn pressed down his hands to stop the elders from asking questions, and turned his attention to the legion commanders who had not expressed their opinions.

Most of these powerful legion commanders were bandits and armed peasants, and they were not very satisfied with this.

Although they can enter the Senate, they cannot directly command their own people, which makes them feel empty and in crisis.

Knocking the ground with his scepter, Horn continued to exert pressure with a half-smile: “Everyone, please pay attention again, I will only assign work to ten households.

If you are not registered, I will not provide you with a quota whether you come to me alone or as a legion leader. "

The powerful legion commanders felt a little overwhelmed.

Once the weak legion commanders entered the Senate, the total number of refugees they controlled became a minority, and they were unable to support themselves.

Are you refusing to join?

The people below see that the people next to them are full, but they cannot eat enough because of the legion commanders. Guess who they will choose between their stomachs and the boss?
Judging from the current situation, joining is the best backup option.

But by joining in this way, the control of all the refugees in the camp fell into Horn's hands.

Beads of sweat appeared on the forehead of the opposition's legion leader.

Seeing this, Horn did not continue to press, but changed the subject: "I know you are hesitant, but it doesn't matter, you can hesitate first.

The seat of elders will be reserved for you until tomorrow noon. You have half a day to consider it.

I will confirm the list of people for the award ceremony tomorrow at noon. If you don't come, it will be assumed that you have withdrawn."

At this point, Horn showed a mysterious smile on his face: "I won't give you a second chance, and I won't wait for you. Tomorrow at noon is the last chance."

(End of this chapter)