Ansel had reasons for making such a judgnt. Aside from the wool issues, the most striking was the Salvation Army mbers, who patrolled once every six days, showing nurous bruises on their bodies.
It seed they were hit by stones, and when Ansel inquired about the reason, they always maintained a shrouded silence.
Ansel roughly guessed that although the confrontation between the two sides was not openly displayed, there were certainly many small maneuvers happening in private.
As for the reason, apart from the neighboring district monks' own impulsiveness, the people at the higher-level monastery must be anxious.
After all, the mountains would be snowbound by mid-November. If this wasn't completed before the snowbound, there would be no progress in the Hundred Households District throughout the winter.
Despite Horn's guidance of "prefer delays over chaos," the impatient monks could not tolerate the slow progress in South Mangde County.
And the Mason District was likely their pilot of radical strategies.
No matter how worried Ansel was about the neighboring district's situation, there was still a district between them.
In such a mountainous South Mangde County, the two districts were very far apart, especially separated by high mountains. If they truly want to affect here, it would take more ti.
Compared to the Mason District, as the Scythe Brotherhood reached over 30 households, a huge problem was put in front of Ansel.
The people increased, but the wool was insufficient.
In fact, Ansel's authority only allowed him to request 4 loads of wool, approximately 448 pounds, to be distributed to these 30 households, with each household consuming at least 2 pounds and at most 3 pounds per day.
This wool would last them only about 18 days, even adding one more load would only extend it to 21 days.
Though earning Dinars for 21 days was quite enough, this was under the condition of 30 households. If they wished to encompass the entire Adrian Manor, the Scythe Brotherhood would need at least 60 households.
It's not that Horn didn't want to purchase or didn't have money, or that the transport capacity in Mountain County was absent— there was a navigable Ibe River in the north; it would take no more than three barges to transport 1500 loads of wool here.
Rather, it was a huge problem transporting spun yarn to Joan of Arc Castle.
The real transport issue was on the Shattered Stone Plain due to the local nobility blocking the passes and roads, causing the Shepherd's transport cost to rise.
1500 loads per month were already the limit for the smugglers here.
This smuggling trade was lucrative, attracting large numbers of Norn smugglers like hyenas, but it took ti to open the connections.
In the face of distant water not quenching one's imdiate thirst, Ansel had to make a difficult decision, easy to dissolve previous trust— extending payroll intervals.
Instead of the previous 3 days and 3 pounds per household, it was changed to 6 days and 3 pounds per household, though the monthly salary decreased, at least there were still 10 Dinars.
To this end, Ansel convened another eting at the chapel, announcing this resolution to the attendees.
"This doesn't make sense." A mountain resident slapped his thigh. "We haven't provoked these Shattered Stone sunsters, yet they repeatedly co over and ride us."
Unlike before, where just over a dozen people sparsely sat, the chapel was now packed with more than fifty adults and children.
These mountain residents wore animal skin vests over coarse linen shirts, their prickly beards stuck to their chins like thorns.
"Brother Ansel, the one who damd the river and flooded us, wasn't he a Shattered Stone person?"
Brother Ansel hurriedly corrected, "It was the forr Pope and the Shattered Stone noble. The Shattered Stone Shepherd built the dam."
"That Pope was no good bird either." A glaring mountain resident clutched his chest, feeling his heart throb violently.
This was no small amount. After finally living a good life, having it cut in half was hard to bear.
The mountain residents did not bla the reduced wool inco on the newly joined villagers but pinned it on the Shattered Stone people.
After all, this manor consisted of kinfolk. If you profit while blocking others from profiting, it's clearly subject to ridicule.
Listening to the mountain residents, Ansel still had to continue correcting, "It was the Pope in Holy Seat City who damd the river. We in Thousand River Valley have our own Pope, who bought these wools."
"So, it has to be our own people." An elder mountain resident, nearly forty, took a sip of his homade pine wine and said with a flushed face, "Look at it, their Pope damd the river and flooded us. Our own Pope brought us wool to earn money."
"Yes."
"When will they depose the Pope from Holy Seat City and let His Majesty Horn be the Great Pope and Her Highness Moliat be the secondary Pope?"
"Brother Ansel, can you write to His Majesty Saint Sun, asking him to teach the Shattered Stone people a lesson, to open the blocked roads?"
"Yes, yes." Several mountain residents chid in, "If His Majesty gives the order, we will bring our weapons and bows, no pay needed, just food and lodging."
For these mountain residents, talking to them about the important geographic position of Shattered Stone or about how the Shattered Stone nobility previously invaded, they were indifferent.
After all, it's distant, the business of big figures.
But with Ansel bringing the wool, things changed. To the mountain residents' direct perception, the Shattered Stone people were hindering their profits.
They were indifferent to how many died in the flood, as it didn't affect them, but because of these damned Shattered Stone nobles, they genuinely lost 10 Dinars.
With their fierce nature, being able to fight violently over a small stream or a wild beehive, grabbing weapons to violently seek their own benefits was common.
What's more, this was a source of 10 Dinars monthly, enough to drive the mountain residents to kill.
"Everyone, rest assured, I've applied for 1 more load of wool, though it does not solve all issues, at least ensuring that in the coming week, existing people will have 3 days' 1.5 Dinars revenue." Ansel pressed his hands down, signaling them to be quiet.
Knowing how many Dinars a load of wool could exchange for, these mountain residents knew how precious this could be.
In their view of resource scarcity, increasing an entire load of wool must have been obtained through fierce contention.
After all, everyone wanted wool, why should they give it to you?
"Isn't this too difficult for you?" A resident asked with concern.
"How about we take over the neighboring manor and grab their wool..."
"No." Subconsciously shouting, Ansel hurriedly stopped them.
But after shouting, he sowhat regretted it. After all, these mountain residents had a fierce nature, offending them might stir up trouble.
What surprised Ansel was that these rough mountain residents were not angry after being stopped but rather muttered disappointedly, "No ans no, why shout so loud..."
After so ti interacting, including the Scythe Brotherhood and wool incident, the mountain residents had gradually accepted the foreign monk.
Although his authority was still less than Manor Head Henderson's, compared to before, they had started to see Ansel and even Langsande County's clergy behind him as half "our own."
People have flesh and blood, seeing Ansel busy for them and suffering daily grievances, they acknowledged it.
"You all already know the situation. I won't elaborate." Ansel held the lectern, "Since we already have 30 households, let's formally establish our small brotherhood. What do you propose to call it?"
Lalor, where are you... eh, Lalor not here?"
"Haven't seen him co." a mountain resident replied.
Ansel frowned. As the first to join the Scythe Brotherhood, this Lalor was usually active, but today, for this important occasion, he was absent?
Temporarily setting aside puzzlent, Ansel asked the remaining people, "Then what do you think it should be called?"
"Imperial Invincible Sacred Woolen Brotherhood!"
"Ansel Brotherhood!"
"Overthrow Holy Seat City, Defeat Dog Pope Brotherhood!"
"Brotherhood Brotherhood!"
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