I'm not a lord

Chapter 73 How can work be called exploitation?

While Lin En was training the new recruits, Old Thorward arrived at the White Bear Territory with an expedition team of more than ten people.

Most of the team members are tribal elders, and they have always been deeply resistant to joining the White Bear Territory.

As they walked along, they saw the serfs working hard under the scorching sun to build the road. Immediately, an irritable elder jumped out and started to speak:

"Sorvald, you see, right? These invaders treat their own people like slaves. If we rely on that White Bear Baron you mentioned, our fate will be even more miserable than theirs!"

Some elders even pointed at old Thorward's nose and yelled:
"Sorvald, you're so foolish! You so easily believed the invader's lies and even gave him your children as hostages! And you even said you would marry your daughter. I think they've already been reduced to the lowest level of slavery and suffered endless torture!"

"Sorvald, you compensate my daughter and send your son over, that's fine, but why do you send my daughter to them to be ruined?"

This middle-aged barbarian who was beating his chest and stamping his feet was naturally little Soward's future father-in-law.

But they were completely unaware that these serfs had accepted corvee labor completely voluntarily.

Three meals a day with meat and fish, an inexhaustible supply of free salt, and contract farming qualifications that can be granted at any time. The three big pie that Lynn painted are either becoming a reality or are within reach.

The serfs were grateful for the generosity of their lord and worked extremely hard, and the progress of the project far exceeded the original plan.

Old Thorward remained silent all the way.

His brows were furrowed, and there was a hint of worry in his eyes.

But he was still willing to believe Lin, the young baron who promised to provide hot porridge for all the barbarians.

Although little Albert, who was in charge of guiding them, could not hear clearly why the deserters were arguing so fiercely, he could feel the tense atmosphere just by their expressions and actions.

So he just kept smiling and occasionally gestured to signal the investigation team to continue following him.

The group set out from Yanshan in the morning and spent the night at a semi-abandoned road construction camp.

And at noon the next day, they arrived at Manor No. 6 in the northwest corner of White Bear Territory.

Although Manor No. 6, where women and children of the barren people live, is still in its infancy, it still surprises Lao Suo and others.

Those useless people who were despised and considered a burden in the tribe are now showing new vitality in the White Bear Territory.

I saw a group of barren women sitting under the shade of a tree in the center of the village, earnestly following a female serf to learn wicker weaving.

Although their techniques were very clumsy, their eyes were full of concentration and enthusiasm, and they were talking and smiling on their faces.

In the fields not far away, several children from the barren land were learning how to farm from their serf fathers.

Under the guidance of their father, the children held the heavy plow and ran happily after the draft horses.

What shocked the barbarian delegation even more was that none of the women and children who were sent to the White Bear Territory looked pale, and it was obvious that they were getting enough food.

They also noticed that these women and children had already taken off their rough and dirty animal skins and put on relatively clean and tidy linen dresses.

Old Thorward took his men into the village and asked around. They soon learned that the lord provided free hot porridge and clothes, and even found men for these women and children.

"Didn't those Southerners bully you?"

When an elder asked curiously, the woman being interviewed lowered her head shyly and said, "No, he is very kind to me. He even treats my son as his own son, teaching him how to farm and how to raise livestock."

The elders interviewed more than a dozen women from the barbaric community and received similar answers.

It is obvious that these burdens who were once abandoned by the tribe are now living a happy life with enough food to eat in the White Bear Territory.

Their quality of life is even higher than that of the privileged elders in the tribe.

How can fishy and woody animal meat and sour and astringent berries compare to the sweet and delicious hot porridge?
How can hunting and gathering, with its uncertain harvests, be compared with farmland, which produces stable outputs?

When the elders saw the women of the deserted village lining up to receive the hot porridge, they all gulped. One elder couldn't help but ask, "Will we be able to eat this food in the future?"

Little Albert understood what was said and responded immediately: "Of course, as long as you are loyal to the lord, he will not be stingy with his gifts."

Although Xiao Ai only has a vague understanding of the language of the barbarians, he obviously knows a lot about farming.

Just by looking at the wheat seedlings growing well in the fields, one can tell that White Bear Territory will have an unprecedented bumper harvest this year.

Feeding a mere 4,000 barbarians is no problem at all.

Another elder asked, "Will we be able to farm in the future?"

"I'm afraid that won't work." Little Albert shook his head. Deep down, he was quite disdainful of these barbarians.

If you had merged into White Bear Territory from the beginning, you might have been able to catch up with the soybean planting season at the end of May.

But it’s already mid-June, and it’s too late to plant anything.

Besides, with the little farming skills you have, are you qualified to farm?

If I see you destroying the land, I will probably be so angry that I will hang you all!
The salt mines and asphalt mines are still waiting for you, so go and mine them.

Little Albert was even thinking about how to exploit these barbarians in the future.

He not only knows how to farm, but also knows how much people eat.

He would precisely calculate the supply of every grain of rye to ensure that the barbarians could use their hoes but not eat too much.

Even serfs who have enough food will come up with bold ideas, and uncivilized barbarians will be even more so.

Only when the barbarians are always struggling on the brink of starvation will they work hard to mine and not be lazy.

However, the situation today was special, so little Albert asked the village headman to cook an extra pot of hot porridge to entertain these naive people.

After a few bowls of hot porridge, all the elders' complaints were digested by stomach acid.

No one mentioned the invaders' cunning and viciousness anymore.

They just wanted to return to the tribe as soon as possible and lead all the tribe members to eat delicious hot rye porridge.

Whether it is farming or mining, they are willing to do it as long as they can eat hot porridge.

After lunch, Old Thorward found Xiao Ai and asked sincerely:
"Excuse me, where is the Baron? I would like to thank him in person."

Old Thorward always felt guilty about the four hundred women and children of the barbarians.

As the head of a clan, he not only fails to take good care of his clan members, but instead passes these burdens on to outsiders.

He knew very well that if it were not for Lin En's acceptance and help, the fate of these people would be very miserable.

He was eager to meet Lin En and express his gratitude to him in person.

At the same time, he was also worried about his son and daughter and wanted to see if they had successfully integrated into the White Bear Territory.

"The master only told me to receive you well. As for the rest, it is not within my authority." Little Albert's tone was very stiff.

This was also the first long sentence in the language of the barbarians that he learned.

His father, Lao Ai, gave him many instructions.

It was said that he would be responsible for delivering minerals and food to the barbarians in the future, which was one of the most important positions in the territory, and he should avoid getting too close to the barbarians.

(End of this chapter)