Chapter 613
Half of the volunteers for the Diónia Rugby Final were students from the advanced classes of Turií School and the Diónia Academy. This was also the intention of the Devers. He hoped that these young talents who had not yet reached the age of 18 and had not been appointed to public office could practice their ability to handle practical affairs in addition to learning, which would be more conducive to their future development.
The young man in front of him was from the Diónia Academy. He whispered a few words to the slave behind him, and the slave immediately turned around and ran into the city gate. Then, the young man said to Gherni, "You must be very tired after crossing the mountains from Abenilum to Turií. We should have let you have a good rest in the town, but the celebration will begin the day after tomorrow. You need more time to prepare for the game, so we'd better go to the campsite now —"
"Why are you talking so much nonsense! We're not tired at all. Let's go! "One of the Samonians shouted anxiously.
"Tadoni!" Gherni turned around and glared at his man. Although he could tell that the young man was not very old, judging from his temperament and the four strong slaves that followed him closely, he was definitely the son of a senator or an important minister in the Kingdom of Diónia. He did not want to offend him for no reason.
The young man was not offended. Instead, he realized that he had been standing in front of the city gate, which had delayed the pedestrians behind him. So, he quickly led the Samonians into the town.
The terrain of the town was like a trumpet. There were steep mountains on both sides, extending continuously to the east. In the middle was a relatively flat lowland that was constantly expanding to the east. A road meandered forward, and both sides were filled with all kinds of shops and stalls. It was so crowded that there was no place for pedestrians to stop. Behind them were rows of houses built against the mountains …
The merchants' various hawking sounds were like cicadas chirping on the trees in summer, pouring endlessly into their ears and irritating them. Some hawkers even stopped pedestrians to sell goods or invite them to stay in their stalls. After the Samonians rejected them rudely, no one bothered these stout and ferocious-looking pedestrians anymore.
After walking for a while, the terrain became much more open, and the surroundings were not so crowded anymore.
At this time, the young man said, "Chief Gherni, the weather is so hot. You must be thirsty after such a long journey. Drink some water first before we continue our journey."
Following the direction of his finger, Gherni saw a water stall on the side of the road in front. The slave who had left earlier was standing by the side and waving.
After hearing what the young man said, Gherni subconsciously licked his dry lips. However, he was a little hesitant because he knew that the price of water here should be expensive. He could not bear to part with it, so he thought to himself, 'I might as well wait until I reach the Tyro River and drink the river water.'
The young man seemed to have read his mind and said loudly, "I've already paid for the water. If you don't drink it, you can only throw it away."
As soon as he finished speaking, the other Sammonet people could not hold it in any longer. They rushed forward, picked up the earthen jars one by one, and poured it into their mouths. The cool and sweet honey water not only quenched their thirst but also alleviated their hunger. The Sammonet people drank one jar but felt that it was not enough, so they picked up another jar.
"This … This really cost you a lot …" Gherni, who usually boasted of being forthright, felt a little embarrassed at the moment.
"You've accepted our invitation and come all the way to Tuliyi. You've toiled so hard just to attend our Dionysia's celebration. As the hosts, of course, we should take good care of our honorable guests. This little expense is nothing!" The young man thought that it was only right for him to do so. His tone did not sound like that of someone who had yet to reach adulthood.
Gherni's heart skipped a beat. He put down the jar and asked, "What's your name? How do you know my name is Gherni? I don't remember saying my name. "
The young man said calmly, "My name is Clotho Rex. The official who sent me to welcome you told me in detail that the Sammonet team is led by Chief Gherni. I also know that only nobles wear white robes among the Sammonet people, and you're the only one in the team who wears white robes, so …"
"You know a lot about us Sammonet people!" Gherni looked at him in surprise.
"This is what my father told me," the young man said modestly. "My father said that the Sammonet people are brave warriors and deserve the respect of the people of Diónia!"
Brave warriors?! If Gherni did not see the young man's sincere expression, he would have thought that the young man was mocking him. Were the Sammonet people brave? If they were brave, why would they kill each other in a single night out of fear? The huge army back then did not even have the chance to fight the people of Diónia head-on. They were defeated just like that! In the end, he became a captive. In order to regain his foothold in Abenilum and regain his father's position as the leader, he had to rely on the power of his former enemy, the people of Diónia! …
Gherni suddenly felt that the honey water in his mouth was tasteless. He spat it on the ground and shouted, "We should hurry up!" After saying that, he strode forward.
The other Sammonet people quickly finished the water, stroked their bloated stomachs, and followed behind Gherni one by one.
After crossing a mountain ridge, they were out of the mountain pass town.
At this moment, someone shouted, "Chief Gherni! Chief Gherni! "
Ginat, the Potentian, shouted as he rushed to Gherni's side.
Not only did the Sammonet people make way for him, but they also helped the shepherds drive the cattle and sheep.
"Ginat, you don't live in the town?" Gherni asked casually.
"If I live here, where will all these cattle and sheep live?! I have to hurry to the livestock market in Turií and save money if I can. I have to sell these cattle and sheep quickly! "Ginat said.
"You are from Potentia. Why don't you sell these cattle and sheep to Poseidonia or Enona? Why did you come all the way to Turií?" someone asked.
Ginat turned his head and saw an unfamiliar young man. He asked doubtfully, "You are?"
"Clotho Sykes, Turií's city hall sent me to welcome Chief Gherni and the others," the young man answered.
Hearing this, Ginat did not dare to underestimate the young man. He said, "Poseidonia and Enona are not big cities, and they are close to us. The cattle and sheep are sold too cheaply there, and they might not be sold because there are not enough people to buy them. Last year, I heard that in Turií, because of the Hades Celebration and the Rugby Competition, there are a lot of people coming to Turií to watch the competition. Therefore, all the food in the market is sold at a high price. It is said that a sheep can be sold for more than 30 drachmas. That's why I decided to give it a try this year … "
"It's more than two hundred miles from Potentia to Turií. Most of the roads are mountainous, and there are many beasts. It's difficult for humans to walk, let alone the cattle and sheep. Aren't you afraid that something might happen to them?" the young man asked curiously.
"That's right, sigh …" Hearing this, Ginat felt as if he had met a bosom friend, and he immediately poured out his grievances. "I brought 120 goats and 15 cows with me when I set off, but only 108 goats and 12 cows are left now. The rest of them either ran away, were taken away by the wolves, broke their legs, or fell sick from eating something bad. In the end, I had no choice but to kill them …"
Ginat pointed at the fresh cow and sheep skins that some of the herdsmen were carrying on their backs. He looked pained, "I only hope that we can sell the remaining cattle and sheep for a good price when we go to the market of Turií. Otherwise, my people and I will suffer a great loss! Sigh … "
The young man listened attentively. A slave whispered a few words into his ear. His handsome face showed some sympathy, "You're right. The price of a sheep in the market of Turií is more than 30 Drachmas. A cow can even reach 80 Drachmas. However, the other merchants have the same idea as you. They often come to Turií at this time. The shops and storefronts in the port and city markets can't accommodate so many merchants. There have been many riots in the past years. Therefore, this year, the city hall of Turií has issued a new rule. During the celebration, only merchants who are citizens of the Kingdom are allowed to enter the two markets. According to this rule, your cattle and sheep can't enter the port and city at all. "
Ginat couldn't believe his ears. He explained loudly, "We, Potentia, are also part of the Kingdom of Diónia. We, the people of Potentia, are also people of Diónia! We should also receive preferential treatment from the Kingdom! "
The young man shook his head, "Potentia is just a Free City of the Kingdom. You manage your own city. Your taxes don't have to be submitted to the Senate. You don't have to serve in the military. The laws of the Kingdom don't apply to you. You don't have to bear the obligations that the Kingdom requires of its citizens. Of course, you won't receive the rights that a citizen of Diónia should enjoy, such as land, military rewards, and of course, some of the benefits that a Kingdom like this gives to its citizens …"
The young man spoke with confidence. Gherni, who was standing at the side, was surprised to find that this somewhat childish young man was showing a trace of dignity that ordinary teenagers didn't have.
Ginat didn't notice this. After listening to the young man's words, he was dumbfounded. He said angrily, "Since we're not allowed to sell in the market, we'll sell outside! Turií is so big. There must be a place for us to sell our cattle and sheep! "
Comments