Chapter 464: Autumn Sunset Island Guild Act (Part )
"Hurry up, hurry up, don't be late." Aslai, who is always impatient, shouted to Sharet behind him.

Sharret quickened his pace, but did not jog like him. The night watchman who struck the gong had just updated the time to seven in the morning.

The so-called craftsmen's meeting is not held until 7:30. What's the point of coming here so early?

But when Sharrett actually stood on the platform in the lobby of the Senate Building, he realized that he was wrong.

Hundreds of craftsmen and laborers from Rapid City had already gathered in front of the door, taking shelter from the heat under the acanthus leaf-carved stone pillars and the marble eaves with wavy cloud patterns.

Most of them wore simple linen long-sleeved shirts, while those who were richer wore linen or blended fabrics with a waistcoat as an outer garment.

Anyone who knows can tell at a glance who are craftsmen and who are laborers.

Those wearing gray, brown, or white clothes and leather hoods or straw hats are basically laborers.

Those who wear matte black, dark blue, or dark orange fabrics and a turned-brimmed hat that looks more noble than aristocrats but is not decorated with gems are basically merchants or craftsmen.

As for those wearing black leather nail caps, they were only the night watchmen, who walked back and forth on the platform with T-shaped iron batons to maintain order.

Hanging around their waists were either sledgehammers or iron hooks, or even one-handed battle axes that shone with a cold light, as if the punishment for thieves was beheading.

In front of the red-painted oak door with a brass knocker stood two gendarmes in blue. They were wearing leather armor and even had uniform sabers hanging around their waists.

This is a legacy of the Savior War. Those unused one-handed or obsolete weapons basically fell into the hands of the Night's Watch, the Military Police and the Crusaders.

Sharet still remembered that in the prayer room of the ten-household chiefs, just behind the wooden statue of the Holy Lord, there were hanging a hunting bow, a pot of arrows and two round shields, and two harpoon spears leaning against the corner of the wall.

"I told you they were late, but you didn't believe me." Aslai glared at Sharet, "I knew they would come early."

"I was wrong this time." Sharet and his group's Insura was right next to the official residence square. They thought they didn't need to be too anxious, but they never expected these refugees to be so anxious.

Aslai walked around on the platform and whispered with a hint of disdain, "It's fine if we, the skilled people, are here, but what are these black laborers here for?"

"Don't say that." Sharet knew that Asrai couldn't control him, so he rushed over and covered his mouth. "They are still here."

"What's wrong with being here?" Pushing Sharet's hand away, Asrai said disdainfully, "Can they still rebel?"

"This is the order of His Majesty. Although they are not qualified, it was indeed Your Majesty who summoned them. Do you still want to drive them away?"

"Why didn't they say this when they secretly copied our fabrics and clothes?"

"I heard that this time we might have a chance to run our own workshop. If you piss them off, no one will come to work for us."

After hearing this, Aslai finally stopped talking. After all, it was a fact that there was a shortage of manpower.

The military dependents on the island look down on them, so the only reliable labor force are these foreign workers.

However, Aslai still ignored it, turned around and found a bronze pillar to sit down.

There is naturally a reason for the two people's sense of superiority.

Although they are not masters, they are also formal craftsmen.

They came to Qiumu Island this time because Horn promised to upgrade their status to official craftsmen.

Within a guild, there are generally four levels: apprentice, helper, master (formal craftsman) and master.

Sharet and Asrai were both helpers before, working in different workshops.

Sharet's master, who was also his uncle, died. Without a guarantor, his chances of becoming a formal craftsman after joining his master's company were slim.

In the war, Aslai's master did not die, he just fell and fainted.

But Aslai, who didn't know what was going on, thought he was dead after seeing this, and immediately spread the news that his master was dead everywhere. In the end, he was successfully expelled from the sect by his furious master.

But in the final analysis, they are all craftsmen with registered status in the guild. Even if they are apprentices, they are better than these migrant black laborers who steal skills and do odd jobs.

The stinky outsider came to our Jiliu City to beg for food.

If this had happened in the past, Aslai would have definitely cursed a few words, but considering that he himself was a foreigner, he had to hold it back.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long before the meeting began. Eight night watchmen stood in two rows in front of the door, restraining the team of craftsmen and laborers.

"Silence! Silence!"

"Keep order, stand still, don't push or crowd!"

Hundreds of craftsmen and refugees lined up in neat rows and slowly walked into the spacious hall, which is also the place where the elders usually hold meetings and announce policies.

So on the walls, pillars and even bronze vases, you can see some unwashed bloodstains as well as cracks and dents.

At the same time, since it was renovated not long ago, many places are hastily covered with wooden boards or even straw curtains, which retains the spirit of the original Gulag period.

Walking through the main gate, Sharet and Asrai looked around the lobby of the Senate Building.

The Senate Building was rebuilt from a noble palace during the Guelph period, and it has a retro style. The interior is spacious, with thick columns supporting a high vaulted ceiling, and the scorching sun shines through the window panes into the spacious atrium.

On both sides of the atrium were makeshift stepped wooden platforms, where dozens of elders were sitting, squinting at the frightened refugees from Rapids City.

Going up two curved steps along the wall is a terrace overlooking the first floor, and His Holiness the Pope, Saint Sun Horn, is currently standing on that terrace.

"Welcome, everyone." Horn spread his arms, "Please don't be restrained, this will be your second home.

I always say that once you come to Qiumu Island, you are a Qiumu Islander. "

After the refugee craftsmen calmed down a little, Horn spoke again and gave the same old introduction, asking them whether they had eaten well in the past few days and whether they had any discomfort.

As much as Horn himself wants to get to the point, these are necessary things.

After he had finished his opening remarks, he spoke again.

"Okay, I won't say any more nonsense then.

I believe you have heard something these days, that is, there is no news about the establishment of a guild on Qiumu Island yet. "

When it comes to their own interests, these craftsmen become excited.

Some of them were even peeking out from the crowd, as if they were about to raise their hands to ask something in the next second.

Horn did not give him the opportunity, but continued to explain: "I know you are anxious, but please wait, I still have something to say.

Do you think the original guild had big problems?"

Speaking of this, some craftsmen began to discuss in low voices. If they had any opinions, they certainly had opinions about the guild, which did not allow this or that.

But if they were really asked to cancel the guild, they would be unwilling to do so, because the guild is also an organization for craftsmen to protect themselves.

Without it, I don’t know how the nobles would control these rich but unarmed people.

"We do have some complaints about the guild's top management, but that doesn't mean we should cancel the guild, right?" A courageous craftsman raised his hand and asked.

The craftsmen from Jeanne d'Arc were already familiar with the guildless atmosphere of Autumn Island. If Horn pushed for this policy, they would definitely be willing to implement it.

But these people in the rapids market are skilled craftsmen with more than ten years of experience, and the inertia of tradition cannot be eliminated by a few words.

Horn still had to gradually eliminate their vigilance and get them to join in completely, which led to the current meeting.

"No, no, no, you misunderstood. What I want to rectify is not the guild itself, but the guild's monopoly problem."

Horn said to these craftsmen in a decisive tone: "Take the clothing industry as an example. There are five guilds: tailoring, fur, gloves, shoemaking, and shoe repair.

I can make you a new pair of shoes, but I am not allowed to resoles your old shoes.

I have the right to make two new sleeves for an old blazer, or a new blazer for two old sleeves, but I am not allowed to make a new blazer with sleeves.

Is it reasonable that something that can be done by one person is forcibly divided between two people? "

After saying this, the craftsmen looked at each other in confusion.

“Hasn’t this been the case since ancient times?”

"It has always been like this, is it right?" Horn shook his head slowly, "Some people have better skills or the same skills, but they can't earn the same salary just because they belong to different guilds. This is too unfair.

It is because the high-level guild members have monopolized the market and sought personal gain, artificially erected technical barriers, built high walls, and set up salary ladders, which invisibly hindered the development of technology. "

Standing on the terrace, Horn scanned the eyes of the craftsmen in front of him. Most of them showed confusion, confusion, or even fear.

Horn knew very well that they were stuck in the warm water pool built by the guild and couldn't get out. This was why the Kingdom of Norn, originally a barbarian nation, was able to gradually catch up with the Empire in technological development.

Those Norn barbarians' guilds are all in the form of underworld organizations, and there are basically no rules.

In the fierce commercial confrontation and violent physical competition, the level of craftsmanship has been greatly improved.

For Horn himself, this guild form could not keep up with his voracious desire for products and seriously hindered social progress.

Therefore, in the testing ground of Autumn Dusk Island, Horn will first try to peel off the guild bit by bit.

“Everyone, the Senate has passed the Autumn Dusk Island Guild Act. From now on, craftsmen are not allowed to form guilds on their own. All guilds will be established under the leadership of the Pope’s Palace.

The head of the guild is the elder, and the deacons are elected by the craftsmen themselves. The term of office of the head is four years, and the term of office of the deacons is ten years.

The guild courts were abolished and merged into the commercial or civil courts of the Tribunal.

Its functions are only to formulate industry standards, supervise product quality, eliminate vicious competition, etc...."

(End of this chapter)