Chapter 287: The Frightened Representatives
Grothien sat huddled on the hard wooden bench, swaying with the rocking of the covered carriage.

Occasionally, the wheels would bounce off stones or potholes, and Grothien's skinny body would briefly fly into the air and then fall heavily, and he felt like the bones in his buttocks were about to break.

There were eight people sitting in this covered carriage.

The mayor of Sour Melon Town was wearing a high-end cloak with a fancy border. He wore a three-cornered hat and had a neatly trimmed beard. He was leaning against the front of the carriage with his eyes closed, resting.

On his left sat three lower-ranking monks in hooded robes, anxiously discussing in low voices.

Opposite the lower-ranking monks were representatives of ordinary villagers such as Grothien, who all wore brimless hats or straw hats and linen smocks.

These eight people are from different classes, but their identities at the moment are the same, that is, representatives of the people in their respective regions.

From gathering to getting on the bus, these people quickly divided into circles according to their backgrounds, and gathered together to chat, rarely communicating with each other.

However, these low whispers soon stopped with the sound of horse hooves approaching from afar.

The representatives of public opinion all straightened their bodies, and even the mayor opened his eyes and listened nervously.

Some of them even put their rough hands on their waists, almost drawing out the duel sword.

Just a few days ago, a covered carriage was intercepted by bandit knights, and the representatives who came to attend the Joan of Arc Convention were hanged on trees.

They were not sure if this was a bandit knight coming to attack.

"Old Sarawa, what's going on?" the mayor asked tentatively.

The groom's voice came from outside the canvas tent: "It's all right, it's the men from the Holy Gun Cavalry Brigade, they are on patrol."

The representatives of public opinion heaved a sigh of relief when they saw that the groom was not hurt and even chatted with the cavalrymen.

The Holy Gun Cavalrymen ran past the side of the carriage. Looking at the ten Holy Gun Cavalrymen disappearing in the smoke, several people finally let down their guard.

"It's rare that he didn't come to ask for money." The mayor wiped the cold sweat from his forehead imperceptibly and said calmly.

"Since they dare to exempt us from the tithe for a year, we know they don't love money." The groom heard the conversation between the few people and said happily.

"Not loving money? There is no one in this world who doesn't love money. They just don't lack money." The mayor snorted coldly.

"Why?" Grothien asked subconsciously.

The mayor sat up straight on the stool and said, "I heard that after this group of heretical rebels defeated the Imperial Order Company, they began to plunder monasteries and knight manors in the surrounding areas.

If we conquer them one by one, we will have 80000 pounds. Do we still need our 8000 pounds in taxes?"

"Is there still this?"

"Nonsense, let me tell you, a few days ago a caravan passed by our village and told me that Jeanne d'Arc executed hundreds of knights and priests every day!" The priest named Squier patted his chest, "The execution platform was littered with ownerless holy icons and amulets!"

"They burned Dean Juanno to death and created the blue blood wine. Isn't this what they deserve?" Grosien asked back.

Squire felt as if his tail had been stepped on: "Was it the bishop who burned Dean Juanno who was killed by the Savior Army? Was it the noble who created the blue blood wine who was killed by the Savior Army?"

"They, they..."

"Holy Father..." A traveling priest suddenly burst into tears, "I said I couldn't be a priest, but you insisted on buying me a priesthood. Now, I have the priesthood, but I have to go to Château Jeanne d'Arc to die."

"Don't worry." Listening to the increasingly chaotic discussions behind him, the groom explained helplessly, "You are just a low-level monk. Unless you commit a crime, you will not be liquidated."

Grothien then comforted him, "My cousin in Grayfurnace Town told me that the monks in the monastery were fine, but the rogues, the abbot, and the deputies were executed."

"Oh, it's your cousin who said that. Now I have to believe it." Squire retorted.

After being rebuked by Squier, Grothien lowered his head in shame. Instead, his companion beside him spoke for him:
"Are you sympathizing with the devils when you say this? Be careful or I'll go to the Salvation Army and sue you for sympathizing with the devil!"

Squire jumped up as if he was sitting on a needle. He took two steps forward and pointed at the man who was speaking, as if he was about to stick his finger into his eyes: "Don't slander someone's innocence out of thin air. Be careful, I will tell the bishop and let you..." "The bishop..." interrupted Squire's speech irritably. The mayor stretched out his right thumb with a cold face and turned it downward, "He's dead!"

Squier's vocal tract seemed to be blocked by an invisible object. His Adam's apple moved but he couldn't utter a word.

Sitting back in his original position dejectedly and leaning against the hood, he looked awkwardly at the weeds in the middle of the dirt road behind the carriage, without saying a word.

These representatives all came from remote areas of Kush Territory, otherwise they would not have arrived near Fort Jeanne so late.

They had little contact with the Salvation Army, and the closed conditions in the countryside and manors made the flow of information extremely slow.

For them, within half a year, the lord above them changed from Dane to rebels, then to the Imperial Order Company, and then back to rebels.

There are rumors going around outside now, some people are crazy about speaking well of the Salvation Army, and some are crazy about speaking ill of the Salvation Army.

Generally speaking, from their simple values, the rebels are definitely the evil side.

However, when the Holy Gun Cavalry rushed into the manor and demanded that each manor send two or three representatives of the people, the villagers still obediently sent representatives.

The Command Company was defeated, and the Super Knights were being chased and killed like dogs by the Savior Army. Can they still resist?
As for Horn calling them over, there was naturally a reason for that.

Occupying an area is not like capturing a city in the game where the entire territory belongs to you.

So far, the area where Horn's orders can be conveyed and executed is only from the area around Jeanne d'Arc to the Wild Spider Forest.

To be more specific, there are 5 towns including Jeanne d'Arc, 89 manors, and a population of about 10.

This accounts for about one-third of the land and half of the population of the entire Kush Territory.

As for the outside areas, the submission was verbal and nominal.

In order to implement the subordinate relationship and turn it into real rule, this People's Congress was held.

If nothing goes wrong, these representatives will be the managers of their regions in the future.

Horn currently does not have enough talent to manage so much land and population, and even these 100,000 people are difficult for him to manage.

Therefore, the Salvation Army is prepared to adopt the old method of "knocking down the boss and supporting the second in command, and local people governing local people" for the territories that it has not yet controlled.

After a new batch of credible management talents enter the pool in the future, the hereditary bureaucracy will be changed to a delegated bureaucracy.

At this level, it is necessary to cut accurately, set up a target that is easy to hit and distinguish, and find the second one who can be supported.

As for the second in command, he will have to be chosen from among the people present.

According to Horn's requirements, each estate must provide two to three representatives, including a public farmer.

Each town's representative must include a worker.

Finally, the structure of public representatives in each region is similar.

The representatives of the manor were a wandering priest and a public farmer, and the representatives of the town were a citizen, a craftsman and a laborer.

Although Horn is cracking down on and liquidating church forces, the liquidation is aimed at classes and forces, not individuals.

For Horn, these low-level clergy who obtained their priesthood by purchasing it became targets for winning over and reform because of their disloyalty.

It's just that these representatives of public opinion were misled by half-true and half-false rumors, and were filled with fear for the next few days that would change their destiny.

After a day of constant anxiety, this group of people finally became the last group of representatives to arrive on the evening of March 3.

The next day, the believers' conference was officially convened.

(End of this chapter)