The citizen class of Semanud City has surrendered.
A large quantity of money and grain was sent to Losa's Governor's Mansion, military camps, and the churches belonging to the Saint Lazarus Order, with part of it used for military needs and the rest distributed to the poor masses.
The wealthy Egypt, worthy of its reputation as the forr Empire Grain Storehouse, had local magnates among the citizens, each rich beyond asure. Master Saman not only owned vast rural estates but also monopolized the textile industry of Semanud City and several nearby cities.
From silks worn by nobility to linen fabrics worn by the common folks, all generated inco for him.
Moreover, Master Saman had several sizable glass workshops in the city. Glass, textiles, wine, and olive oil - these Egyptian specialties were often exported to the Indian region in exchange for valuable spices, gems, and ivory.
Losa did not expect that Master Saman was still a partner of the Eira Port Chamber of Comrce. His two trade caravans, one of which was stationed in the Red Sea all year round, were exemplary taxpayers and had never been caught underpaying tariffs - at least, it hadn't been found yet.
With ample supplies, the Saint Lazarus Order once again ushered in rapid developnt.
Disease has always been the most feared nightmare for people.
As everyone knows, the last religious group that expanded by treating diseases and saving lives was called the Taiping Dao. Zhang Jiao, through distributing talisman water, gained hundreds of thousands of followers and almost crushed the decaying Eastern Han Dynasty.
As for the one before that, people are even more familiar.
A faint smile appeared on Kurs's face: "In these days, over a thousand Coptic people in the city have converted and joined the Saint Lazarus Order; the monastery's strength has grown too fast."
"However, the monks of the Coptic Church have been quite critical of this, and the bishop has tried several tis to request a eting with you, hoping to persuade you to entrust such an important task to them."
Losa chuckled lightly, "Let him wait."
The Coptic Christians are worth enlisting, but only the Saint Lazarus Monastery is truly his own. Which is more important, Losa has his scales, not to ntion, even if this task were handed over to the Coptic Church, they couldn't do it well.
Not everyone possesses Urding's dical skills.
"What about the Longsword Company under Hans?"
The Longsword Company was composed of new Coptic recruits, mainly recruiting Coptic Christians, along with many Saracens and Coptic people who converted from Fire Worship. The units are mostly made up of light infantry.
This company was purely an auxiliary force; Losa never had high hopes for them, but it represented the sway of people's hearts.
"The number has expanded to five hundred. I estimate that if many weren't worried that once you suffer a defeat and withdraw from Semanud City, they would face repercussions, more people would have converted and joined."
"This expenditure of money and grain hasn't gone to waste. By the way, keep a close eye on Master Saman. He's a smart man, and I never intend to disguise my malice towards him. He definitely won't sit idly by during this period."
In truth, Losa doesn't care what faith the people under his rule follow, but converting is equivalent to presenting a token of allegiance, obviously more trustworthy than those die-hard elents who don't convert.
Kurs nodded slightly, "Julia and her people are watching him around the clock."
...
Semanud City Trade Hall.
A group of city councilors were chattering about the current situation.
"Ha, they take our grain, wealth, to buy off those lowly peasants, earning them a good reputation while we are burdened with the notoriety of hoarding for profit. These damned Frankish barbarians are simply detestable to the extre."
"Master Saman just surrendered like that, selling out everyone's interests. He's a traitor!"
"Accusations of treason are indeed a bit too much, but I also think Master Saman surrendered too quickly. We should unite and show those barbarians our strength!"
"Show our strength? Are you crazy! Those are Franks; if pushed, they'll massacre the city!"
"Regardless, Master Saman is no longer fit to be our spokesperson. We don't need a leader who cannot protect our common interests."
On the second floor of the trade hall.
Master Saman listened silently to the discussions below, saying nothing.
He's in a terrible situation now.
Before the Franks captured Semanud City, he was undoubtedly the unthroned king of this city. Relying on a silver bullet offensive, Governor Mahri's court, including the governor himself, were strong supporters of Master Saman.
As the spokesperson for the citizen class of Semanud City, justice and generosity alone could not secure him this position. Internally, he had to ensure that he had the highest interests in all industries, ready to eliminate any disobedient individuals from the ga, leaving them unable to earn a penny.
Externally, he also had to form alliances with military and political officials, neither becoming a mouthpiece nor a sycophant for the governor, while maintaining a good relationship to leverage their power to intimidate the rebellious within the citizen class.
Master Saman's ability to maintain his position indicates just how formidable his skills were.
But now, the support from military and political circles for him has vanished.
The newly arrived Franks clearly had no intention of buying him off.
Plus, his actions of collaborating with so major city rchants to raise grain prices were leaked, and he was forced to accept Losa's demand that all rchants contribute jointly.
Lord Saman's reputation has gone completely rotten.
The lower-class poor hate him for raising grain prices, ordinary citizens hate him for cutting wages, and big rchants and workshop owners hate him for not protecting their interests and bowing to the Demon Duke.
Competitors in the citizen class don't care whether Lord Saman has his own hardships, or if he was forced to do so—they only know that Lord Saman has betrayed their interests and encroached on everyone's slice of the pie!
Lord Saman may still have a not-weak private army, nurturing assassins specifically used for the most basic comrcial wars, but these things are aningless in front of that Demon Duke.
"See those people? They're all waiting for to die, then they'll swarm like a pack of hyenas, vultures, and divide up my remains, even if most of my body is devoured by a lion, they'll still be glad to feast on scraps."
Lord Saman coldly laughed as he spoke to his confidants: "Don't be fooled by their righteous talk about protecting all citizens' interests, but maybe, when our eyes are turned away, soone here is groveling at that Duke's feet, wagging his tail for pity like a dog."
His confidants were enraged, speaking all at once with suggestions.
But Lord Saman was already not in the mood to listen.
His whole life was about being cautious, dealing with greedy and foolish people like Governor Mahri, he could disregard the dignity of the Sassanid royal family, humbly befriending, with flattering words, offering a large amount of silver and beautiful slave girls.
Why, when this Demon Duke entered the city, did it sohow beco more difficult?
Is it because Governor Adil's army is about to press the border, so he's thinking of holding out for the highest bidder—wait for Adil to defeat the Crusaders, then fully side with this brother of King Saladin for greater benefit?
No.
At least, not entirely.
The Crusaders have repeatedly defeated King Saladin.
This Demon Duke's battle record is terrifyingly strong, no one can guarantee that Governor Adil will win with his army this ti—King Saladin was defeated twice by this Duke, who dares to guarantee victory?
He fears that if he fully sides with Duke Losa, once he loses, he will definitely be liquidated.
His hesitation turned him into a fickle character, even if he wants to lean towards Duke Losa, the other party is unwilling to et him.
If when the Franks had just captured Semanud City, he had fully sided with the Franks, would the result be different?
Lord Saman bitterly shook his head, no matter the choice, even decisively relocating his family's wealth out to sea during battles with Governor Mahri, would be better than the current situation.
Alas, ultimately it was listening to too much flattery, that his backbone wasn't as easily bent as before.
He suddenly lanted: "My whole life has been like walking on a just-frozen lake, what do you say, will I succeed in crossing to the other side this ti?"
His confidants quickly comforted him: "Sir, what are you saying?"
"You've won nurous tis before, you'll surely continue to win this ti."
"Hasn't that Demon Duke already taken what he wanted? Does he really have to devour us completely before he lets us go?"
"This Duke Losa has gone too far, sir, if you ask , let's simply send soone to contact Governor Adil, once and for all from inside and outside, surround and kill this Demon Duke in Semanud."
"That's right, sir, we contribute large sums to the Assassin's Eagle Castle every year, it's ti for them to step in and solve our problem."
"Only the Assassins might not be enough, we need to find Casters to deal with the Witch beside the Demon Duke."
"Also, Demon-Blocking Gold must be abundantly equipped!"
His confidants offered their plans.
Lord Saman smiled bitterly, wanting to agree but feeling this was a path that leads nowhere.
"For now, this is the only way."
He always had a feeling that the Demon Duke's eyes were staring at his every move in the darkness—almost as if waiting for him to make an overreaching move, so they could justifiably seize everything he had.
But do I have another way out?
Lord Saman's heart was bitter, he wants to side with Losa, but the problem is Losa has no intention of receiving him, and has instead handed him down a path to death.
In desperation.
Lord Saman's heart sparked a trace of boldness.
"Alright, let us have a good fight, Demon Duke."
"I'll make sure you know, putting outside your doors was the most erroneous decision of your life."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, and when he reopened them, there was no trace of the twilight and age he showed before, instead like a hawk flying across the skies: "Imdiately dispatch people to contact Governor Adil, and those few Casters we have good relations with—regardless of cost, gems, wealth, whatever they want, I'll give!"
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