Crusader Kings: Prisoners of War.

Chapter 10 Blood Tax

The so-called blood tax is the payment of taxes in the form of military service instead of grain, cloth or money. In other words, a part of the local people had to serve in the military and shed blood for the country, hence the name.

Objectively speaking, it is possible that the soldiers of both sides fighting on the same front line would help ease the relationship. Sending people to join the Roman army would not only make them realize the difference in strength, but also serve as a token of allegiance, clearly indicating that they have nothing to do with the rebels.

Tia wasn't sure how much she understood these considerations, but the result was indeed in line with her thoughts, so she didn't mean to refuse: "I think this is good, you think more carefully than me."

Orville wanted to make some suggestions, but he didn't know how to say it.

As a defeated general, it would be good if he was put somewhere else instead of being detained. Vespa trusted him so much, even if it was just a few hundred ragtag troops, he had to guarantee it with his own reputation. If something went wrong, Vespa would be the first to be affected, giving his political opponents a handle. He didn't mind the risk he took, so it would be unreasonable for Orville to say something else.

He still didn't want to get involved, but it was difficult to extricate himself from it at this point.

"Just follow the example of Cincinnatus. When the war is over, you can return to your hometown and live a life of luxury with a large sum of money."

Even though he didn't believe it, Orville tried to hypnotize himself to accept the established reality.

Finally, Vespa turned his inquiring eyes to Orville and said, "What do you think? I respect your wishes. You don't have to lead the troops to fight. In times of war, the command can be handed over to Roman soldiers or local soldiers approved by the legion commander."

"You trust me so much, I naturally can't refuse. I will do my best to complete the task."

Orville knew very well that Vespa wanted to drag him into the trap. As long as he participated in actual military affairs, he would basically be tied to the Roman army, so he was mentally prepared to go to the battlefield.

After the general policy was decided, Vespa no longer had to personally carry out the specific implementation. He just sat in the tent and muttered to himself.

"He has a good brain, no power, and not much ambition. I just don't know his exact ability, but it can't be too bad. If everything is just right, wouldn't it be too coincidental? Does someone who possesses all these qualities really exist?"
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After the war, the stench of dead bodies enveloped the entire area, the beaches were littered with shipwrecks and bloated corpses, and the air became turbid under the scorching sun.

In this situation, several teams of people took the remaining Roman rafts and carefully salvaged the bodies on the boats.

Their goal is to collect the bodies and cremate them on the shore to avoid the spread of plague. This job requires some professionalism and strong psychological qualities. It is still a heavy task for these civilians, but they have to do it.

Nearly 20,000 Roman troops were stationed right in front of them. They had just killed perhaps several thousand people in this way. They were almost petrified by the scene and could not think of rejecting the Romans.

The local envoys sent by the Romans assured them that as long as they personally cleaned up the corpses on the shore and in the lake and sent 600 people to join the army, the Romans would forgive them for their tacit approval of the rebels and would try their best to ensure the integrity of their property. This was a good thing almost like an amnesty for them and there was nothing to complain about. They soon organized people to start cleaning up, and the progress was very satisfactory.

It is also interesting to see how these people, faced with the fear of death, easily overcame their fear of the dead.

Turning his attention to Orville, since he had accepted the task from Vespa, he would naturally try his best to complete it, not to mention that this task was suitable for his abilities.

【深水城的比德粗俗的渔夫】【外交：11军事：14管理： 8谋略：9学识：6】

[John of Waterdeep, the cunning hunter]

【外交：11军事：12管理：9谋略：13学识：10】

Vespa discovered that his ability could not be activated simply by touching a person. The prerequisite was that he had to know the other person's name. This was a conclusion he reached after repeated verification.

The average ability of ordinary people is about 10. If the children of nobles have received a complete education, they will generally be slightly stronger, mainly due to the bonus of knowledge, usually around 12 to 13, and the difference will not be too big.

The data is sometimes updated. After all, abilities increase or decrease with age, but for the vast majority of people there won’t be a huge difference, as abilities are generally formed after adulthood.

The system provides real-time feedback, but its only drawback is that it does not display a person's personal combat capability. Instead, it only displays the so-called military strategy capability, which is not very convenient for selecting soldiers.

Fortunately, after so many years of accumulation, the Romans also have their own method of selecting soldiers, so Orville brought Roman soldiers with him.

The centurion Valerian who came to the city with him was the one who had been chased and fled away with his armor and weapons. Perhaps to make up for his dishonor, he volunteered to cooperate with Orville.

[Valerian Capuanus seeks victory over curious soldiers]

【外交：14军事：13管理：16谋略：10学识：18】

In fact, there was a reason why Vespa was optimistic about him. This soldier was quite capable, but he was a little unlucky.

He was checking a hunter's body from side to side, making sure he was fit for battle and had enough strength and stamina.

Vespasian mentioned before that he was a child taught by a Greek teacher. As a Roman living in Italy, being able to afford a Greek tutor showed that his family was well-off. At that time, Greek teachers were recognized as the most authentic teachers in the Mediterranean world, with the highest teaching level and the most profound knowledge. Naturally, they were also the most expensive. It was difficult for ordinary landlords to afford a proper Greek tutor.

Maybe he was taking Orville's feelings into consideration, he didn't say it explicitly, but looking at his skillful and smooth movements, he didn't seem like a novice, it was possible that his family was in this business, Orville was not sure, anyway, as long as he could help himself now.

Orwell focused on those who had outstanding military and administrative skills, giving priority to single men, and the reason was simple.

First, he felt that he might not stay here to develop in the future. It would be the easiest to have subordinates without any worries, and they could be called upon at any time. He was not sure how long this unit would be with him, but it was always right to plan for the long term.

Second, if you need to relocate, arranging marriages for your subordinates will be a good bargaining chip. On the one hand, you can tie the men down, and on the other hand, you can build good relationships with the locals.

(End of this chapter)