Melsis glanced at Davos timidly, but still told the truth: "I... I also gave them a share from the food and supplies we distribute to the citizens of the Thurian League every day..."
He quickly explained, "But these are all recorded in the accounts and can be checked."
Davos said calmly, "Are these grains and supplies priced?"
"Of course they are..."
Davos smiled: "You see, you have already realized the difficulties of the lowest-level civil servants. Before our bill was introduced, you took the lead in paying them salaries."
The senators burst into laughter.
Melsis was speechless.
Davos struck while the iron was hot and said: "These bookkeepers of yours were all liberated slaves who followed us in Persia. Now that the 'Land Lease Law' is about to be promulgated, a large number of probationary citizens will go to Burkus to apply for land to lease. However, your bookkeepers can only silently contribute to the city-state. A year later, when other probationary citizens have enough to eat and wear and are relatively well-off, while they can only rely on your alms to survive, what will they think? What will their families think? Will they still feel that holding public office is an honor?"
"In the future, we can use... formal citizens," Melsis said softly.
"Use citizens to serve as the lowest-level civil servants of the League?! Are you saying that, anyway, the citizens' land is taken care of by slaves, so they can work with peace of mind, right?"
Melsis nodded.
"In our League, does an ordinary citizen's family generally only have one slave, and does the citizen also need to lead the slave to work?" Davos asked Cornelus.
"That's right, Your Excellency Consul," Cornelus replied.
"If a citizen goes to work for the League, the labor force at home will be reduced by half, and will the family income also decrease?! Over time, wouldn't public office become a burden for him! And our League can operate normally precisely because it cannot do without the efforts of the lowest-level civil servants, such as the scribes under Raphias, the firefighters under Cornelus, the sentries, the jailers, the jurors, the navigators under Marigi, the market managers... We cannot just make the horse run without letting it eat grass. We must not only make them feel that serving the city-state is an honor, but also a benefit, so that they can bring money home every day and make their families happy. This will encourage more and more outstanding citizens to dedicate themselves to the city-state! Of course, none of you present will receive a salary. We cannot let money corrupt the dignity of the senators of our Senate!" Davos's words resonated with everyone.
"That's right!"
"That's great!"
The senators straightened their chests and expressed their approval.
Davos patted the somewhat dejected Melsis on the shoulder and comforted him, saying: "Moreover, paying salaries to civil servants will also help you collect more taxes."
"Really?!" Melsis suddenly raised his head.
Davos looked around and saw that Cuno Golata also looked surprised, so he said loudly: "When citizens have money in their hands, they will have the desire to buy things, a copper kettle, a pottery jar, a jar of olive oil, a set of tables and chairs... or even more luxurious things, wine, spices... When citizens have money to buy things, the market will prosper, and you will collect more commercial taxes..."
Melsis perked up: "But most of the money is earned by foreigners."
"That's the case now. But soon, our goods will be produced. Let Marigi introduce the situation in this regard."
Marigi stood up and said excitedly: "As of yesterday, in the Thurii market, a pottery workshop, an olive oil workshop, a brick workshop, a mill, two carpentry shops, a paint shop, and a stone carving shop have successively started construction. At the same time, a large winery is also being planned and will start construction soon."
"That's Orifis's winery. The wine produced by his family has been famous throughout Greater Greece for decades!" Cuno Golata pointed to a senator and interjected.
"I have to thank Christoia Bank for giving me a loan.
My family and I were able to rebuild the vineyard and winery!" Orifis nodded to Davos to express his gratitude. The people of the League now know who the real owner behind this bank, which has made great contributions to the reconstruction of Thurii, is.
"We should impose high taxes on foreign goods of the same type to protect our League's newly emerging commerce," Cuno Golata suggested.
"You're right!" Davos nodded and said: "Now, our commercial officer Marigi is preparing to implement some new measures in the Thurii market. The days when foreigners were making a fortune from our wealth are almost over. We must vigorously support our League citizens' own industries. If the goods are the same in the Thurii market, we will levy low taxes on our merchants and high taxes on foreign merchants; for the goods that we urgently need but cannot produce temporarily, we will still use low taxes to encourage them to actively transport these materials to Thurii for sale; for very important goods that we can produce but cannot compete with foreign countries temporarily, the League will provide subsidies; for foreign luxury goods, given that citizens now have limited money in their pockets, we will temporarily levy heavy taxes to allow citizens who are easily tempted to spend their money wisely. By guiding them to buy our own goods in this way, our own commerce can prosper!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Davos said loudly again: "Gentlemen, we must understand that if silver coins are kept in the treasury and not used, they are not money, but just a pile of metal. Only when they circulate will they generate huge profits, allowing our citizens to live better, making our trade more prosperous, and at the same time making our treasury more abundant!"
"Agreed! Agreed!..." Senators led by Cuno Golata and Cornelus expressed their approval, and some even applauded.
… … … … … … … … …
Theos, a Corinthian merchant, strolled through the noisy and crowded Thurii market. He saw excited Thurii people talking excitedly to each other, "The Thurian League has promulgated the 'Public Office Law'. Any Thurian League citizen can apply to hold public office, starting from the bottom. If they perform well, they can also hold high positions. The League is even preparing to pay these civil servants a salary of one to four obols a day..."
Zeus above, is the Thurian League trying to learn from Athens? Are they as wealthy as Athens?! Theos had no intention of listening to the Thurian League citizens' conversation. Although he didn't think the Thurian League could do as well as Athens, he felt jealous deep down.
As an ordinary citizen of Corinth, although Theos was wealthy, he could only serve as a low-level official in the city-state, because only nobles could serve as members of the city-state council (Corinth was an aristocratic system), so he chose to devote himself to commerce. This time he came to Thurii because Corinth's relationship with Sparta was tense and there was a risk of war breaking out at any time, so it needed to stockpile food in case of emergency.
Two hundred years ago, Corinth's trade was developed, and its weapons, pottery and other commodities were sold to various city-states along the Mediterranean coast, making it the richest in the world. Later, Athens caught up and competed with Corinth in all aspects of commerce, especially in the pottery industry, which Corinth was proud of, giving Corinth a heavy blow and causing it to decline ever since. Now Corinth's commerce is not as good as before, but it is still a major power in the Peloponnese and is still wealthy. As a city-state that does not produce much grain, Corinth has always purchased grain from foreign countries. Their grain is generally imported from the Euxine Sea, but now Spartan fleets are rampant in the Aegean Sea. To prevent accidents, Theos chose to come to the Western Mediterranean.
Sicily was his first choice, but recently the price of grain in the Greek city-states of Sicily, which are famous for producing wheat, has actually risen. It is said that Syracuse is buying grain in large quantities, so it seems that something big is about to happen in Sicily again. When Theos keenly sensed this, he hesitated whether to go to Carthage or not. It just so happened that at this time, he heard that Thurii was being rebuilt and urgently needed a large number of supplies, and the tariffs were also very low.
Theos was greatly moved and hurriedly asked the informed person about the grain situation in Thurii, because he knew that the Sybaris Plain was famous for producing wine, wheat, livestock and beeswax in the Thurii period. When he received the answer of "grain harvest", he decided to change his route to Thurii (by the end of summer, the wheat in Amendolara had already been harvested, while the wheat in Thurii was forcibly harvested in advance by the Crotoniates, and finally all fell into Davos's hands, so the Thurian League had abundant grain. In addition to meeting the people's food needs, there was also enough surplus grain to sell).
After his merchant ship managed to squeeze into the port, he went ashore and found the so-called "Market Management Office" that was rumored. The first sentence he said to the administrator was a complaint: "Your port needs to be expanded. It's too small! It's a waste of time!"
The administrator politely replied: "Yes, you are right. We are also expanding the port. I apologize for the difficulties caused to you by this temporary port! Is there anything I can help you with?"
The administrator's apology dissipated most of Theos's resentment. He originally wanted to go to the market first, but the administrator's attitude won his favor, so he directly stated his request.
The administrator immediately checked the transaction log of the day and then introduced him to a seller. In fact, this seller, Nicobulos, was a subordinate of Agriculture Officer Burkus responsible for the sale of Amendolara's agricultural products.
After looking at the samples and determining the price through consultation, Theos decided to buy five ships of wheat.
However, Nicobulos told him that the quantity of five ships of wheat was not small, and there was not so much stock in the market. It needed to be transferred from Amendolara, and it would not be delivered until tomorrow.
Theos expressed his understanding.
Out of apology, Nicobulos told him: The hotels in the port area are now full. It is best to stay in Amendolara, where there is a special merchant hotel area, which is comfortable, cheap, and quiet.
Theos, through the management office, contacted four more Thurii ship owners (because he only had one ship). Under the administrator's guarantee (the administrator assured him that the ship owners would do their best to transport his goods, because they were all prospective citizens of the Thurian League, and if they did not fulfill the agreement, the League would consider their integrity to be questionable and would immediately revoke their citizenship), Theos felt relieved and negotiated the ship rental price with the boatmen. After signing the charter agreement, he relaxed and had the leisure to stroll through the market.
Although the Thurii market was relatively simple, the management was strict, the order was good, and the environment was relatively clean. At least there was no peculiar smell, which was rare.
The market was full of dazzling goods of various kinds.
In the crowded market, Theos unexpectedly discovered a large open space with only a large building. Outside the house, market patrols could be seen patrolling the surrounding alleys from time to time. Curious, Theos walked over and saw a sign outside the house that read: Christoia Bank.
In many Greek city-states, banks were common in cities with thriving commerce, which was nothing new. However, it was rare to see such a long line in front of this bank, and everyone looked so excited. You should know that besides currency exchange, banks also provide loans, and the interest rates on loans were generally 20% to 30%. Under normal circumstances, merchants would only borrow money from banks if they were in urgent need of money or had no other choice, otherwise they would not approach it at all. Moreover, when borrowers thought about having to repay so much interest, their mood would inevitably be heavy. It was rare to see people here so happy.
Therefore, Theos politely inquired and learned that the loan interest rate of this bank was only 5%!
Theos thought he had misheard. You should know that trade in the Mediterranean region was developed, and a voyage could easily yield a profit of more than 10%, provided that there were no accidents, such as pirates, storms, etc. So, a 5% loan was equivalent to the bank lending money for free! No wonder there was a long line of customers in front of the bank!
Theos was also very tempted and wondered if he should borrow a large sum of money to buy a few more ships of wheat.
However, when he asked at the counter, he learned that the bank only provided loans to citizens of the Thurian League.
This made him feel frustrated.
On the way out of the market, he mentally calculated that his five ships of wheat could earn at least one talent when he resold them to the city-state of Corinth, due to the low tariffs and relatively low wheat prices. Therefore, although hearing the news of the Thurian League's promulgation of the "Civil Service Law" and knowing the preferential treatment of the Christoia Bank for the people of this new alliance made him feel slightly depressed, he quickly cheered up. The busy work of the day had made him feel tired and hungry, and he decided to stay at Amendolara as Nicobulus had suggested.
Just out of the market, he was stopped and asked: "Are you going to Amendolara? Do you want to take a carriage?"
"Carriage?" Theos saw five or six double-horse carriages parked on the grass not far from the market. Most areas of mainland Greece had rugged and uneven roads, which were not suitable for driving carriages. Moreover, raising horses and maintaining carriages were very expensive, so they were only entertainment tools for a few wealthy merchants and nobles, just like the chariot racing event at the Olympic Games, where ordinary spectators could only watch. Although Theos had some wealth, he had never really ridden in a carriage since he was a child, so he asked curiously: "Can you take a carriage to Amendolara?"
"Of course! You'll know once you try it. It's fast and comfortable. You can reach Amendolara in just one hour." The older driver strongly recommended.
"How much does it cost?" Theos was a little tempted.
"Only two obols." The driver smiled when he saw that business was promising.
The price of two obols was indeed not expensive. Theos decided to experience the feeling of riding in a carriage. He sat on the carriage seat, which was padded with straw and covered with fur, and it was very soft.
The coachman, Sorikos, waved the reins and steered the carriage slowly forward.
The other coachmen nearby shouted enviously: "Sori, you have customers again!"
Sorikos laughed: "Haha, wait patiently, it will be your turn soon." As he spoke, the carriage had already entered the avenue.
Sorikos lightly flicked his whip, and the two horses began to trot slowly, and the wheels also began to accelerate...
Soon, the carriage began to gallop...
"How does it feel?!" Sorikos shouted while manipulating the reins.
"Good! Very good—" As soon as Theos opened his mouth, the strong wind directly Irrigation into his throat, and an invisible force pushed him tightly against the backrest. The scenery on both sides was receding rapidly. He liked this feeling of high-speed stimulation. Theos had ridden horses before, but riding a horse was too bumpy. After a long time, his buttocks and inner thighs couldn't bear it. It wasn't as comfortable as it was now.
Of course, he knew that this was mainly due to the road under his feet. It was so flat and solid, and it was also very wide, at least enough to accommodate six horses abreast. At the same time, he also noticed that there were ditches and trees parallel to the road on both sides of the road. After thinking about it, he understood the builder's intention and couldn't help but loudly praised: "You have built the road very well!"
"That's for sure, this is the best road in all of Greece!" Sorikos's words made Theos speechless. Indeed, he had never seen such a good road in the city-states he had traveled to.
"I heard that this road was designed by our Archon Davos himself! He is indeed a descendant of Hades, omnipotent!" Sorikos said proudly.
Theos had only heard people mention Davos's name after arriving in Thurii, but after only half a day, his ears were filled with this person's deeds: Davos led mercenaries and repeatedly repelled the Persian army... Davos defeated the Lucanian coalition with fewer troops, annihilated the Croton army, and captured them... Davos drafted and proposed the "Immigration Law"... and so on.
Theos did not take the rumors that Davos was a descendant of Hades seriously: The Spartans claimed to be descendants of Hercules, the Athenians claimed that the city-state had always been under the protection of Athena, and even Corinth itself said that it had a close relationship with Poseidon and even founded the Isthmian Games for him... Many Greek city-states and rulers claimed to have some kind of close relationship with the gods...
What surprised Theos was what Davos had done: If these things were indeed the work of this Archon, then it could be said that the Thurian League owed its current state almost entirely to his strength. No wonder the people of the Thurian League were full of respect when they mentioned him. He heard that he was still very young. This was truly an amazing person! Would he be the Periander or Phidon of the Thurian League? (Periander was one of the Seven Sages of ancient Greece, the ruler of Corinth in the seventh century BC, who made Corinth the richest city-state in all of Greece. Phidon was the king of Argos, the archenemy of Sparta in the seventh century BC, who dominated the Peloponnese peninsula, and the Spartans trembled in fear under his prestige.)
"Not only does Archon Davos often care about us ordinary people, but his wife is also a very good person!" Sorikos continued loudly: "It was she who proposed that citizens who could drive carriages should do carriage business on this road, and also provided us with loans. Otherwise, how could I, whose property was burned by the Crotonians in a fire, afford an expensive carriage!"
"What's her name?!" Theos asked loudly, facing the wind. He thought of a possibility.
"Can you just casually ask the name of the Archon's wife?!" Sorikos said pretending to be angry, then smiled again: "However, our lord does not care about these conservative city-state traditions, and even allows his wife to show her face and open a bank that provides low-interest loans to citizens. Her name is the name of the bank—"
"Christoia Bank!" Theos blurted out.
"That's right, everyone who has been to the bank can see it. She is the most beautiful woman in our Thurian League!" Sorikos sincerely praised: "I heard that she is pregnant recently, and that's why she hasn't appeared in the market for a while. Both of them are good people, and I hope they can have a healthy boy who will become an excellent Archon in the future!"
"Do you mean to let their son inherit the position? Wouldn't that turn the Thurian League's political system into a monarchy?" Theos's question stunned Sorikos, and then he laughed: "I'm just saying, why are you so serious."
He waved his hand in the air, and the horses, which were about to run into the middle of the road, were frightened and obediently returned to their original path.
Sorikos drove the horses for a while, and then said seriously: "You should know that the generals and members of the council in the Thurii City Hall used to only know how to debate and argue every day, and did nothing serious. The road for transporting ore was so bad, they argued for many days, but the city hall didn't take any measures to change it. Unlike the lifelong Archon Davos, who ordered it, and such a good road was built in more than three months. More importantly, once a war breaks out, not only the generals and the council, but also the assemblies convened by us citizens only know how to pursue their own interests, vent their hatred, and deny everything that is unfavorable to us. In the end, nothing is accomplished, and the enemy's army is already approaching the city..."
Sorikos sighed heavily and shook his head vigorously, as if trying to throw away all the previous painful memories: "The previous democratic system was very free, but we Thurians have already tasted the pain of the city being destroyed and our homes being lost. The management of the city-state should not be interfered with by people who don't understand anything, but should allow truly capable people to implement their plans and govern this city-state without interference..."
At this point, Sorikos raised his voice: "Just like now, with Archon Davos as the leader and the other senators assisting, the alliance is much more efficient. Moreover, the citizens all have land and don't have to worry about their livelihood, let alone fear enemy invasions. They can also freely hold public office and receive salaries. Isn't that better than before! So, even if the Thurii Alliance really changes to a monarchy, there's nothing wrong with it, as long as the future kings are like Lord Davos. I think the people of the alliance will support them!"
Theos, after listening to him, fell into deep thought: Greeks are naturally passionate about politics. From the Archaic period to the present, citizens of every city-state have been seeking a perfect system to make the city-state more prosperous and the citizens more free. Decades ago, Athens became a model for other city-states to emulate, but the failure of the Peloponnesian War made many insightful people see the drawbacks of Athenian democracy. Some aristocrats, including philosophers, began to advocate for Sparta's semi-monarchical, semi-democratic system, which still followed the ancient Greek style. However, the domineering nature of the Spartans, especially, made the neighboring states of the Peloponnese peninsula disgusted. The system of the Thurii Alliance seems to have some merit..." Theos thought to himself.
The carriage continued to gallop, and when it passed over the wooden bridge, he looked back and observed it for a long while.
There were many pedestrians and vehicles on the avenue, but they were all very orderly and did not interfere with each other.
As Theos watched, he noticed something: "On this road, you all seem to be driving on the right?!" he asked uncertainly in a loud voice.
"That's right, you observed very carefully!" Sorikos shouted happily: "That was after the avenue was built. Lord Davos erected milestones at Amendolara, Thurii, and the Heraclea ferry, suggesting that pedestrians keep to the right. In the first few days, many people didn't listen and often cut across the road. Because this road is good, the speed of carriages and pack animals is relatively fast, so several accidents occurred, causing road congestion. Everyone realized that Lord Davos's suggestion was right! You see, our archon is like this, even though he has great power, he doesn't often use coercive means to make the people obey, but tries to persuade them as much as possible. That's one of the reasons why we are not worried about him being the only lifelong archon!"
"The Thurii Alliance really has a good archon!" Theos said with admiration: "And I noticed that every certain distance, there is a stone tablet erected by the roadside, with the distance to Amendolara and Heraclea engraved on it. Managing a road so carefully, it seems that the governance of the city-state would be even more considerate of the people's feelings."
"That's right! That's right!" Sorikos said, cracking his whip and puffing out his chest proudly.
"How much can you earn a day driving a carriage?" Theos asked.
The cheerful Sorikos said frankly: "At the beginning, I only earned ten obols a day, and more than half of that was given by the Thurii Alliance people who were curious about the novelty. Now, I'm busy from morning till night, almost without rest, and I can earn up to forty-six obols a day. If this continues, after deducting the cost of fodder and care for the horses, I can earn about six hundred obols a month, which is nearly one hundred drachmas. In another three or four months, I will be able to pay off the loan and interest!"
The two chatted happily. Because there were not many pack animals on the avenue, the road was very smooth, and they arrived at the warehouse and inn area under the city of Amendolara in less than two hours. In fact, it was not as quiet as the market manager had said, and there were still many people coming and going, just not as noisy.
After Sorikos let Theos off the carriage, he said to him: "I suggest you go to Christoia's restaurant for dinner. The lamb offal soup and tripe in her shop are very delicious, and the price is not expensive. I go there every few days. I really didn't expect that the livestock offal that people usually don't want can be made so delicious by them. A small half of the money I earn is spent on this."
"Is it really that delicious?" Theos asked dubiously.
"You'll know when you try it," Sorikos said, as another customer got into the carriage.
He waved goodbye.
"May Hermes bless you to realize your wish soon!" Theos also sent his blessings.
Watching Sorikos drive away, Theos, after hearing what he said just now, felt his originally hungry stomach start to rumble. He decided to go to the restaurant recommended by Sorikos for dinner first.
… … … … … … … …
Compared to Amendolara, Thurii far exceeded it in terms of land, population, and affairs. Therefore, the Senate's office was moved to Thurii, although the council hall had not yet been repaired. Since most of the senators' families were in Amendolara, in order to facilitate future deliberations, the Thurii Reconstruction Committee allocated residences to the senators in Thurii. Because Davos was busy with affairs and often discussed politics at home with visiting senators and public officials, he was allocated a newly built residence in Thurii that was twice the size of his home in Amendolara. Davos wanted to refuse, but Christoia liked the residence very much, so he had to accept it.
This residence was located on a hillside with a high terrain by the river in the city of Thurii. Standing at the gate of the courtyard, you could have a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery of the Crati and Cosenza rivers, and not far to the north on another hillside was the site of the former Temple of Apollo (now the Temple of Hades is being built on the old site) and the Acropolis, a very advantageous location.
It was already the end of September, the beginning of autumn, but the climate in the southern Apennine Peninsula was still hot. Fortunately, the occasional river breeze brought some coolness to Christoia, who was staying at home to recuperate.
The courtyard of the new residence was large and rectangular. Some time ago, Christoia had masons build a wall in the middle, leaving a doorway, thus dividing the courtyard into front and back sections: the front courtyard had outbuildings for the slaves and a reception hall, while the back courtyard contained the bedroom of Davos and his wife, the rooms of their adopted children, and the living quarters of their personal servants.
Christoia had been staying in the back courtyard for some time, where the environment was quiet and privacy was assured. At this moment, she was wearing a light linen dress, tending to her favorite flowers and plants in the back courtyard with her female slave, Asuna. In the midst of her movements, her clothes fluttered, and her snow-white breasts were faintly visible, stirring the imagination.
Andrea obtained permission from the gatekeeper slave and entered the back courtyard, where she saw Christoia putting down her pickaxe and receiving a sweat towel from Asuna to wipe away perspiration.
Andrea hurried over and reminded her, "Madam, didn't the doctor say that you should rest quietly during the early stages of your pregnancy to ensure the smooth development of the fetus? You shouldn't be doing strenuous exercise!"
"I'm not vomiting as much now. Davos said, 'Appropriate exercise is beneficial to the health of both me and the child,'" Christoia said, gently stroking her barely noticeable belly, her delicate face filled with tenderness.
"Lord Davos is so busy, yet he still cares so much about you and the child! Madam, Hera has blessed you with a good husband!" Andrea said at the right moment with a compliment, which made Christoia's face light up with an even happier smile: "Andrea, don't just envy me. In another year, you'll be with Bagulus! Didn't expect it to be so soon, did you?"
"It's all thanks to the Consul's full assistance. Bagulus and his people are very grateful to the Lord!" Andrea said sincerely.
"After Bagulus and his people have completed their labor service, are they willing to stay and become citizens of the Thurian League?" Christoia handed the sweat towel to Asuna, asking the question seemingly casually.
"Bagulus told me that most of his young clansmen are willing to stay because, although it's tiring here, they are very happy and safe, and they don't want to go back to the mountains to live in fear. Only a few of the elders are hesitant, including his father…" At this point, Andrea looked slightly worried. Of course, she hoped that all the Lucanians would stay, as this would make her marriage much smoother.
"Don't worry, Davos will find a way to keep them all!" Christoia comforted her, picked up a pottery jug from the nearby table, poured a cup of water, and handed it to Andrea: "You rushed over from the market, you must be thirsty. Have some of this."
Andrea took the cup and quickly glanced at it. She saw that the cup contained a golden-yellow liquid with some debris floating in it. With a slight shake, white foam appeared. She didn't dare ask immediately, but first took a small sip. It was bitter, yet with a hint of sweetness, and also a little cold.
She couldn't help but take another large gulp. A large amount of foam wrapped the liquid, flowing very smoothly into her stomach, forcing her to burp several times, and she immediately felt that her hot body had become much cooler.
"What kind of drink is this?" she asked in surprise.
"It tastes good, right? I soaked it in well water for a long time before." Christoia revealed a smug smile and said, "As for what it is, let Asuna tell you."
Asuna, with her slightly dark skin and pretty face, quickly said, "It's called beer, a type of drink that we Egyptians love to drink. A few months ago, when Lord Davos was chatting with Madam, he said, 'He was considering making the ball game a formal competitive event for the public to watch, which would definitely be very popular. But there's still a lack of a good drink for people to sit in the arena, under the hot sun, watching the games, both to quench their thirst and to liven up the atmosphere…'. I overheard this and couldn't help but say, 'The beer that Egyptians drink could be tried.'"
Hearing this, Christoia chuckled and took over the conversation, saying, "You didn't see Davos' expression at the time. He looked at Asuna in great surprise and repeatedly asked her several times, 'What is the drink she's talking about called?', and then asked about the color, taste, and production process of this drink. Later, he even cursed something like 'Being deceived by the Germans… the beer was invented by the Egyptians!', and then urged me to find someone to make beer. I had to send someone to the slave market in Taranto and buy Egyptian slaves who knew how to make beer at a high price to try to make it."
Cristoia pointed to the wine glass in Andrea's hand and said, "Beer is made from barley. The one you're drinking has been tested many times to get to this point. The taste is already very good, but there's a bit too much sediment. But Davos said, 'It doesn't matter, it's good for the body.' Now I drink a little every day, it quenches my thirst and doesn't get me drunk as easily as wine..."
"This beer has a special taste, but after drinking it, it makes you want to drink more! Please give me another cup!" Andrea said, handing the wooden cup to Asuna.
Asuna filled it up again for her, and she quickly took another sip, then said, "Madam, I have good news to tell you this time. Most of the money we lent to the citizens of Amendolara in April has been paid back!"
"So fast?!" Cristoia looked slightly surprised.
"This year's wheat harvest was plentiful, and it is said that there are wars in Sicily and the Peloponnese, so prices have increased. In addition, our restaurant has actively purchased cattle and sheep, even their internal organs, and they have earned a lot of extra money." Andrea explained, "So they can repay the loans and interest, and some people even hope to borrow more money to buy more cattle and sheep to meet the needs of our restaurant."
"That's great! They can earn money, we can recover the loans, and we can earn even more money. Both sides benefit. In Davos's words, it's a 'win-win' situation. Moreover, we can lend the money to the citizens of the League of Thurii who need money even more!"
"Madam, this time we have received a total of four hundred drachmas in loan interest, and the Amendolara restaurant has only been open for more than a month, and it has earned about five hundred drachmas. So far, we have nearly a thousand drachmas in revenue!" Andrea said excitedly.
"Yes, who would have thought that the animal organs that people disliked could be made into such delicious food, and it's also very beneficial to the body! If Davos didn't focus all his attention on governing the city-state, he would definitely become a famous merchant in all of Greece!" Cristoia said happily, "This time his suggestion makes me very optimistic about this beer. I'm afraid it will become our new money-making industry. Now we're just waiting for the arena to be built!"
"Lord Davos is a descendant of Pluto, what is there that he can't do! Bagules has great respect for Lord Davos!" Andrea echoed in praise, she remembered something, and said, "Madam, in the past few days, several groups of prospective citizens have come to the bank to inquire, they want to engage in maritime trade, and asked if they can get a loan?"
"Maritime trade?" Cristoia frowned, pondered slightly, and said, "Maritime trade is risky. If you're not careful, the ship will be destroyed and people will die. Then we won't be able to recover the loan. Moreover, they are still prospective citizens. Once they fail in foreign trade and run away, where will we go to find people to repay the money?! However, Davos also said that the greatest role of our bank is to support the commerce of our state and promote the prosperity and development of trade..." Cristoia was thinking seriously, and forgot that she was still holding a rose ready to be planted, and the thorns on the flower stem pierced her finger.
Asuna and Andrea immediately exclaimed and came over to help her suck her finger and bandage the wound with a thin strip of cloth.
Cristoia didn't think it was anything. She focused on the question just now and continued seriously: "We must be cautious about the prospective citizens applying for loans. First, we must investigate their character, whether they are upright and honest, and also see how their navigation skills are, whether they have equivalent collateral and trustworthy guarantors... If the previous conditions are met, it is best to indicate in the agreement that they are prohibited from engaging in long-distance maritime trade in the eastern and western Mediterranean at the beginning..."
"Madam, I understand," Andrea nodded and said.
… … … … … … … … …
While Cristoia and Andrea were talking in the backyard, Davos was receiving two guests in the living room of the front yard.
"Hieronimus, Agasia, please sit down! This is the first time you two have come to my place!" Davos happily welcomed them into the living room.
He immediately ordered the slaves to bring fig cakes, dates, and wine to entertain them.
Hieronimus looked a little restrained, while Agasia smiled and said, "Lord, we have something we want to get your permission for!"
"Oh, what is it?"
"Lord, when we were in Persia, in order to return to Greece, our companions helped each other, fought the enemy together, and established a deep friendship and affection. In Byzantium, I, Hieronimus, and a few other companions followed you to Greater Greece. Most of the other comrades eventually chose to go home because of confusion and fatigue. I originally thought they had all returned to their hometowns and were living a peaceful, war-free life. Who knew that some time ago, someone from the batch of light infantry recruited by Epithenius from the Eastern Mediterranean said, 'The mercenaries who expeditioned to Persia did not return home. They were forced by the Spartans to continue fighting the Persians in Asia Minor with very little pay.'
As soon as we heard this, we felt uncomfortable. We are enjoying a rich life here, while our former comrades are still suffering in the distance, and their lives may be taken away at any time by a javelin, a sharp sword, or a long spear. Governor, since we have so much surplus land and so many enemies such as Lucania and Croton waiting for us to defeat, why don't we invite them here?! Not only are they experienced in battlefield, but they also come from the Eastern Mediterranean like us. Everyone has the same habits and is very familiar with each other, unlike the citizens here—" Agasia stopped abruptly when he saw Davos's face change.
"What's wrong with the citizens here?" Davos asked in a deep voice.
Agasia hesitated and didn't speak. Hieronimus took over and said, "Some Thurii people say, 'We are inferior people from Greece, we only know how to kill people, we have no knowledge, we will only mess up Thurii... '"
Davos's face darkened, but he comforted them and said, "That's just a few people. Most of the Thurii people are very grateful to us! Besides, the power is in our hands. Let them say a few words and vent their depressed feelings. It can't hurt us anything. Are you right?!" Davos comforted.
"As for inviting Timason and the others to the Thurian League, it's not that I haven't considered it. But now they are Spartan mercenaries, and we don't dare to anger the Spartans with our current strength."
"Lord!" Agasia said earnestly: "You and I both know that mercenaries are a free profession. If the conditions are not good, they can leave the employer at any time. Now it's just because Timason and the others have left the Spartans and have nowhere to go, so they have to stay there, and we can provide them with a new choice. As long as we send someone to Asia Minor to spread the news quietly, I believe they will definitely find ways to come here when they know our situation!"
Agasia's words made Davos very interested. He must know that he can achieve his current career mainly through military victories, and the basis for creating victories is these Greek expeditionary soldiers. Future wars will only be more and bigger, and he needs more excellent soldiers. His fingers tapped lightly on the back of the chair. After weighing the pros and cons, he decided to give it a try: "Okay, then send someone there, and it's best not to contact them directly, just spread the news. Have you thought about who to send?"
Hieronimus and Agasia both looked happy when they saw that Davos agreed.
"Lord, Hieronimus still has to train soldiers, so let me take a trip," Agasia said.
"Okay, but be careful and come back early!" Davos nodded in agreement, and then said to Hieronimus: "How is the training of the citizens recently?"
"The recruits are training very seriously, especially the original Thurii citizens. They have mastered various skills proficiently, but they lack real combat," Hieronimus replied.
"Soon, many new soldiers will join the teams, and our troops will be significantly expanded. I hope you will strengthen training and not let the combat effectiveness decline. Next year there will be opportunities for them to participate in real combat," Davos requested.
Hieronimus's eyes lit up: Lucania?!
After Hieronimus and Agasia left happily, Davos's expression became serious. He called Yasistes: "Recently, some people in the city of Thurii are dissatisfied with the Amendolara people. Go and find out what the reason is? Who are they?"
"Yes!"
… … … … … … … … … …
October, a time for leisure, should have been the month for Greek city-states to hold citizens' assemblies and elect generals and governors, but in the Thurian League, the governor is the only one and is for life, so there is no need to elect; the senators of the Senate are either specially approved by the governor or advance in order of seniority, so it's none of the citizens' business; the various senior public officials are appointed for two years according to the newly passed law, and are nominated by the Senate and appointed by the governor, so it's none of the citizens' business.
Fortunately, at this time, the citizens of the Thurian League—the Amendolara people were busy doing various businesses because the warehouse hotel area under the city was becoming more and more popular, while the citizens of the Thurian League—the Thurii people were putting all their energy into rebuilding their homes. The prospective citizens were excited about the land they had rented for the first time in their lives, and they started loosening the soil, fertilizing, and watering early. The job vacancies they vacated were filled by more freemen who heard the news and poured in madly. The port area was full of foreigners speaking various accents. They acted as sailors, porters, cleaners, and even did some small businesses... They did dirty work and hard work while actively registering at the household registration office, and then counted the days with their fingers, hoping that after two years, they could immediately apply for prospective citizenship.
The prosperity of the port, however, kept the senators of the Senate busy.
Cunogolata, the city administrator of Thurii, was busy all day dealing with various disputes and lawsuits, as well as selecting patrolmen and firefighters to maintain order in the bustling port area, prevent fires, and address the new management issues brought about by the increasing number of prospective citizens in Thurii.
Cornelius, the city administrator of Amendolara, faced the same problems due to the influx of foreigners into the warehouse hotel district and the newly built market area beneath the city.
Inspector Antonios closely monitored the changes in the moral atmosphere of the people in both cities, whether the people were getting along harmoniously, and whether there were any incidents of abuse against the elderly, women, and children, or abuse against free citizens, slaves, and so on.
Military Officer Philius, on the other hand, was troubled by how to rationally incorporate the large number of prospective citizens into the army and train them into qualified soldiers in the shortest possible time.
The extent of the busyness of Registrar Raphias can be imagined, and he had proposed to the Senate more than once to increase the number of scribes and archivists.
Finance Officer Mercys was busy collecting land taxes from citizens on the one hand and commercial taxes on the other. Although he had lost weight as a result, the more this fat man worked, the happier he became.
Business Officer Marigi was under great pressure. He had to ensure quality service in the market and port, and also maintain order in these two areas with the most traffic, especially in the port area with many foreigners. At the same time, he also had to consider the continued development of the Thurian League's trade. Because as the reconstruction of Thurii gradually completed, the demand for certain commodities among the city's residents would naturally decrease significantly. How to prevent a sharp decline in foreign trade? He had been thinking of ways, and Davos's suggestion to him was: before the Thurian League developed new, unique, and high-quality goods, it could rely on novel athletic competitions and entertainment to attract foreign wealthy people to the city-state for consumption…
Although Agricultural Officer Burkos was previously a merchant, he was actually a large landowner, planting grapes, olives, and wheat. He was also familiar with agriculture. He was not only responsible for measuring land, allocating land, and renting out land, and resolving disputes between neighboring landowners, but also had to provide good advice to the people based on the actual situation of the farmland, so that they could obtain higher yields and profits.
Construction Supervisor Alexis was undoubtedly one of the busiest senior civil servants. Although the reconstruction of Thurii was overall the responsibility of the Reconstruction Committee, headed by Heraclides, the specific implementation was his job. He had to be responsible for purchasing various construction materials in a timely manner, as well as organizing manpower and maintaining order. At the same time, he had to supervise the construction of roads and bridges under the responsibility of Little Heraclides, and the construction of the new market under Amendolara was also within his management scope. Therefore, he was busy from morning to night every day, exhausted like a dog. As soon as he saw Davos, he clamored to resign, but the next morning he was full of energy and plunged into his busy work again.
In addition to the senators who held public office being dizzy with busyness, the other senators were also not idle. Under the initiative of Davos, they established multiple committees to assist in the management of league affairs.
The important ones included the League Mediation Committee, composed of three people. Once a major dispute occurred within a city-state that the law could not resolve for a time, it would be handed over to them to mediate and settle.
The Civil Servant Investigation Committee, composed of five people, was responsible for monitoring the tenure of middle and lower-level civil servants and establishing archives as a reference for future promotions. At the same time, if the public reported civil servants, they also needed to investigate whether it was true and respond.
There was also the Coinage Committee, composed of three people. In most Greek city-states, they minted their own coins, first to facilitate transactions and earn profits, second to commemorate major events and worship gods, and third to publicize their existence to other city-states. The Thurian League was of course no exception, and they were waiting for the completion of the reconstruction of Thurii before launching their first batch of coins…
In addition, there were some temporarily formed committees, such as the Temple Preparatory Committee, which was responsible by Plesinas. The senators serving on these committees, like the civil servants, mostly served for two years, and rotated upon expiration.
Although October was not the Thurian League's election day,
it was a good day for various departments to vigorously recruit civil servants after the promulgation of the 'League Civil Service Law'. Applicants flocked in, and while the person in charge tested the applicants, they also had to screen those who passed the test based on the citizens' situation: those who had repeatedly joined the army and fought, paid taxes on time, obeyed the law, and made military achievements or bravely suffered injuries in battle were given priority, with the first two being mandatory. Those who did not join the army, did not pay taxes, and did not have the qualifications to serve as civil servants, while disabled citizens had to see if it would affect their work.
Just as the senators of the Senate were dizzy with busyness, and the citizens were enthusiastically busy serving as civil servants, Davos received a special guest at his residence in Thurii.
This was a strong middle-aged man. Although he was wearing Greek clothes, he could not hide his fierce mountain wildness. Sure enough, under the supervision of the guards, he opened his mouth with a strange Greek pronunciation: "Respected Governor of the Thurian League, Avinogis of Laos sends his regards through me. I am his brother, Arobmastus."
Davos was shocked in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged, and he slowly said: "Laos? Laos of Lucania?!"
"Yes," Arobmastus stared at Davos and said very straightforwardly: "Although Laos now belongs to Lucania, my brother and I are both Greeks!"
Davos certainly knew this, but his expression remained unchanged. He turned his head and glanced at Yasiststes next to him.
Yasiststes understood and immediately came out and asked: "As far as we know, Avinogis is an important leader in Laos. Before Lucania fought with Thurii, he strongly supported the Lucanian League to go to war with Thurii. He is one of the main enemies of our Thurian League. Whether he is a Greek is not important!"
Arobmastus did not expect the other party to know him so well. Playing the kinship card was useless. He panicked a little: "We are really Greeks! Laos was a colony built by Sybaris. Hundreds of years ago, when the Lucanians went south, the city of Sybaris was destroyed by Croton. No city-state sent troops to rescue Laos. We people of Laos had no choice but to turn to Lucania in order to preserve our clansmen. But we have not forgotten that the noble blood of Greeks flows in our veins. We speak Greek at home, worship the great Apollo and Hera, and look forward to one day returning to Greece! Because of this, the Lucanians are very wary of us, suppress us, insult us, and regard us as aliens. In order not to be suspected by them and destroyed, we have to take some actions that violate our own wishes at certain times!"
Arobmastus said excitedly, looking directly at Davos with a respectful gaze: "And since hearing that Governor Your Excellency defeated the Lucanian tribal coalition with fewer troops, my brother and I have been greatly encouraged! Unexpectedly, not long after, you once again led the army to defeat the powerful Croton and became the master of Amendolara and Thurii, thus bordering the territory of Lucania! My brother admires the great military achievements you have made and sincerely hopes to get your help so that we descendants of Sybaris who have suffered and the city of Laos can return to the embrace of the Greeks!"
Davos was not moved by Arobmastus's praise. He nodded slightly with a calm expression: "What kind of help do you need from the Thurian League?"
"My brother hopes to form an alliance with the Thurian League and plans to take back Laos and jointly fight against the Lucanians!" Arobmastus said excitedly.
Sure enough! Davos thought to himself, his expression still calm: "What kind of alliance?"
"Just like the one signed by the Thurian League and Castron—" Arobmastus recalled what Avinogis had taught him: "Form an alliance, the Thurian League will not interfere in the internal affairs of the allied state, but only control…diplomacy…diplomacy and war…leadership…"
Obviously, Avinogis had conducted a detailed investigation of the Thurian League and came prepared, which shows that they attached great importance to this visit! After Davos grasped the situation, his expression still seemed indifferent, and he said: "I know, you go back to the hotel to rest first, and I can only give you an answer after I discuss it with the senators of the Senate."
"I hope Governor Your Excellency can give me an answer as soon as possible!" Arobmastus said anxiously.
"Why?" Davos pretended not to understand.
Arobmastus was speechless for a moment.
Yasiststes smiled and said: "Is it because Niu Tum has elected a new leader and is urging Avinogis to lead his clansmen to migrate to the city of Niu Tum, right?"
Arobmastus was dumbfounded: the people of the Thurian League know everything!
"Okay, I will give you an answer as soon as possible." At this time, Davos said affirmatively.
After Arobmastus left uneasily, Davos asked: "Yasi, what do you think of the Laos people's request?"
"Your Excellency, just as we analyzed before, Avinogis is forced to resist. It's just that based on his current situation, if we put forward further demands, he will definitely agree. Giving him an alliance similar to Castron is really too cheap for him!" Yasiststes said unwillingly.
Davos shook his head and said: "Although Avinogis can only rely on us after rebelling against Lucania. But if the demands we put forward are too harsh, it will also make Avinogis feel dissatisfied. Once something unexpected happens, it is likely to cause his rebellion again! We have no foundation west of the mountains and must rely on the full help of Laos. Moreover, as long as Laos joins our alliance, then we will have a foothold port on the west coast of the Apennine Peninsula, which will greatly promote the trade development of our alliance! Therefore, our vision should be longer-term, and we should not haggle over those tiny bits of benefits!"
Davos's words made Yasiststes feel ashamed, and he nodded repeatedly. Then he heard Davos say: "Of course, I am not saying that I will not make demands. My demand is loyalty!"
Davos urgently summoned his senior officers, including Philius, Capus, Dracos, Hieronimus, and Epithenius, to discuss countermeasures regarding the alliance proposed by Laos.
Afterward, he requested an emergency Senate meeting, and after discussion, Davos's proposal was approved.
That night, Arobus Matus was once again brought to Davos's residence.
"How is our distinguished guest from Laos resting?" Davos said jokingly.
Arobus Matus's eyes darted around, and seeing several more people beside Davos, he asked somewhat anxiously, "Lord Governor, have you made a decision?!"
"Yes, after deliberation, our Senate has decided to accept Laos as an ally of the Thurian League!" Davos said with a smile.
"Excellent!" Arobus Matus couldn't hide his excitement. Before coming, he had listened to Avinogis carefully explain the procedures for negotiating and signing alliances with the Greeks. Such a major matter would certainly require the Greeks to convene a large meeting, and it would take two or three days of repeated discussions to reach a result. That's why he had been urging Davos earlier. He didn't expect the Thurian League to make a decision in just half a day. This new force was indeed somewhat different.
"I heard that Niu Tumu has sent seven or eight hundred warriors to station in Laos. Can you and your brother easily take Laos?" Davos asked with concern.
After the previous conversation, Arobus Matus was no longer surprised that Davos knew so much about Laos. He said with exceptional confidence, "We have no problem taking Laos at all. We not only have over a thousand warriors, but the slaves in the port are also descendants of our Sybarites, and they are willing to follow our command! We have lived in Laos city for generations. Those newcomers from Lucania don't even know how many alleys there are in Laos city. How can they be our match! It's just that after we take Laos, we will definitely be attacked by Niu Tumu and even Grumentum, so we need your support!"
"So, the process of seizing the city is not very risky, but after taking Laos, it may provoke the Lucanians' crazy revenge, right?" Davos asked patiently.
Arobus Matus couldn't help but nod.
"Then I have a better way to let you smoothly obtain Laos without bearing the subsequent risks!" Davos's words were full of temptation.
"What way?" Arobus Matus asked hurriedly.
"First help us take Niu Tumu and cut off the Lucanians' route south to rescue Laos. By then, you won't even need to attack Laos. The Lucanians in the city will lose their reinforcements and probably have no choice but to surrender."
What Davos said made a lot of sense.
Arobus Matus was greatly tempted, but he said worriedly, "Although Niu Tumu is not a stone city, it is not easy to capture. If we can't take it down quickly, what if Grumentum comes to rescue us? Our plan will be exposed…"
"We won't be forcefully attacking Niu Tumu," Davos said with a smile.
Arobus Matus was puzzled.
"How many warriors does Niu Tumu have?" Davos continued to ask.
"Originally, there were nearly six thousand warriors. After you defeated them, there are only two thousand left. Now, eight hundred more have gone to Laos, leaving only a little over a thousand warriors in the city," Arobus Matus answered truthfully.
"Besides these warriors, can others fight?" Davos asked again.
"The others are all old people, women, and children. Niu Tumu doesn't occupy a large area, and the land is barren, unable to support too many tribes. The reason why there are so many warriors is because our Laos provides it with a large amount of grain every year!" Arobus Matus felt a surge of hatred when he thought of Niu Tumu's oppression and exploitation of Laos over the years.
Davos smiled: "My request is very simple, you only need to help us open the city gate of Niu Tumu, and leave the rest to us."
… … … … … … … … …
Arobus Matus set off to return to Laos, accompanied by Asistes, the secretary of the Thurian League's governor, and Izam, the captain of the mountain reconnaissance team. They carried the alliance treaty to sign with Avinogis, and at the same time confirmed that the signatory was Avinogis himself, and then further discussed the matter of capturing Niu Tumu and Laos.
At the same time, the senior officers of the Thurian League, while discussing how to attack the Niu Tumu urban area based on the map left by Arobus Matus, secretly began to mobilize for war. Although, as Arobus Matus said, there were only a little over a thousand warriors in Niu Tumu city, Davos, for the sake of insurance, decided to adopt the tactic of a lion attacking a rabbit. Except for the First Battalion, which remained to guard the Thurian League, the Second, Third, and Seventh Battalions, a total of three thousand people, carried five days' worth of dry food and prepared to launch a surprise attack on Niu Tumu.
In addition, Davos also prepared to host a banquet for two people.
"Chief Vespas, please take a seat!"
"Lord Governor, you are too polite. I am no longer a tribal chief, but only a prisoner of the Thurian League," Vespas said in a flat tone.
"That's only temporary. When you become a citizen of the Thurian League, you will still be the chief of this tribe!" Davos said, seemingly comforting him and making a promise.
Vespas's heart stirred.
Davos then said to Bagulus, who was somewhat restrained beside him, "Haha, the most famous rugby running back in the military camp, road construction has made you stronger, hasn't it, Andrea?"
Andrea, who was behind Christoia, blushed and lowered her head without saying a word.
"Lord Governor!" Bagulus scratched his head and squeezed out a sentence with a simple smile.
"Sit down! Sit down!" After Davos invited the guests to sit down, he said loudly, "There are no outsiders here today. Chief Vespas, Bagulus, you are all my old friends! My wife, Christoia, you all know her."
Christoia nodded and smiled at the two of them as a greeting.
"I don't need to introduce this one, right?" Davos pointed to Andrea and said with a smile, "I'm still waiting to attend your wedding!"
Andrea and Bagulus both blushed deeply. Vespas looked slightly helpless. Although he didn't quite like Bagulus marrying a Greek woman, in the current situation, marrying a Greek woman would be of great help to the tribe.
"So, today we won't pay attention to any etiquette. Sit however you want, eat whatever you want! I have prepared some novel foods here that have not yet been launched in the restaurant. You are the first to taste them, and I hope you will like them!" Davos's words aroused everyone's curiosity. Even Vespas, who rarely went out, knew that Christoia's restaurant was very famous in the League.
Davos himself took the lead by example, bringing a wooden chair and sitting in front of the dining table instead of lying on a lounge chair. Davos had long been dissatisfied with the Greek-style banquet posture, which was completely unfavorable for digestion and health. And Davos letting Christoia and Andrea participate in the banquet also violated Greek traditions, but in Vespas and Bagulus's eyes, it made Davos seem bold and generous, truly not treating them as outsiders.
The slaves first brought some fruits and snacks to each person's table, and then placed a jar of wine and a jar of golden liquid.
Bagulus curiously took a sip, and a coolness instantly penetrated his heart, causing him to ask, "What is this? It's so delicious!"
"Egyptian beer," Andrea said, learning and applying it, explaining to her lover, "According to the lord's request, after the slaves carefully brewed it, this wine is even more delicious."
"Hmm, it's better than the soft wine. This is the drink for men!" Bagulus took another big sip, and then loudly expressed his opinion.
Vespas, infected by his son, took a sip, and then silently drank several more sips.
Seeing this situation, Davos exchanged a smile with Christoia and said, "Drinking beer, how can there be no good dishes!"
Christoia immediately signaled Asuna.
Asuna directed the servants to bring a iron object as high as the wooden table to each table. The top of it was placed with a earthenware pot filled with clear water and some spices. The servants began to light the wood and put it into the iron cavity under the earthenware pot.
Vespas and the others curiously watched all of this, while the slaves brought two plates of things to each person.
"Is this mutton?" Vespas looked at the slices of red and white meat in the plate, thin and curled, and said uncertainly.
"This is mutton. This is beef," Davos pointed to them and said, "I call this food 'Hot Pot Beef and Mutton Slices'." As he was speaking, the water in the earthenware pot was already boiling. Davos took a slice of beef and put it into the earthenware pot. The beef rolled in the boiling water, and soon its color turned white. Davos used a wooden spoon with holes to scoop it up, put it in a wooden plate containing dipping sauce, dipped it a few times, grabbed it, put it in his mouth, and looked intoxicated.
Vespas and the others followed suit. After eating, they all showed surprise. Bagulus even said, "I have never eaten such delicious beef. How is it made?"
"Slaughter the sheep, skin it, debone it, remove the blood, then place it in the cellar, and then send people to collect a large amount of ice from the high mountains and put it in the cellar, seal it up, make an ice cellar, and after a day, take out the frozen beef and mutton, and you can use a knife to cut out thin and crispy slices of meat, put them in boiling water, and they will be cooked as soon as they are scalded…" Davos explained patiently.
"Then what is this thing?" Bagulus pointed to the small plate in front of him and continued to ask.
"That's the dipping sauce, used to adjust the taste of beef and mutton. This dipping sauce should be made by crushing and mixing sea shrimp, shellfish… um… and seaweed, etc. and fermenting them, and then adding a little spice from India. You have to ask my chef for the specific production method."
"This food looks simple, but I didn't expect it to be so troublesome!" Bagulus exclaimed, already giving up the plan to try making it at home in the future.
Davos smiled slightly, turned his head and asked Andrea, "Our big merchant, do you think my 'Hot Pot Beef and Mutton Slices' will be popular in our restaurant?"