Chapter 402: Chapter 384 Black Mountain Treaty
Standing at the window, Horn looked down from the second floor of Black Mountain Castle, watching Domenico and others sitting in the courtyard, drinking mint water in large gulps.
Sweat soaked their clothes, yet they still refused to remove the tassel-capped wide robes that symbolized their status.
With such an elegant demeanor, it seemed as if they had not come to surrender, but to inspect.
Turning around, Horn looked again at the cardinals and legion commanders in the hall.
In contrast, the grassroots legion commanders and bishops were all either wearing sleeveless robes or linen shirts.
Coupled with their fierce demeanor and the straps representing their ranks, they looked just like bandits in bandit attire.
If Horn hadn’t repeatedly instructed them to pay attention to their appearance, they would have been meeting bare-chested.
Unlike earlier discussions on the next step of the battle plan, they were now discussing the nobles’ surrender document.
"We are about to win, it’s just a matter of time, why should I agree to them?" Kolman and Rudilo, both of the pro-war faction, were clear with their stance.
Both of them had this feeling of, ’I haven’t even exerted myself, yet you’ve already fallen’.
Hakuto opposed their viewpoint: "Do you know how many people are in Jinhe Town? Almost 400,000. We are already stretched thin with 200,000, how can we manage 400,000 more?"
"Manage what? No need to manage." Kolman said carelessly, waving his hand, "Let them manage themselves, isn’t that fine?"
"Oh, come on." Dass, standing on the same side as Hakuto, retorted, "Didn’t you attend your Holy Path class properly? There is no such thing as a power vacuum.
If you let them manage themselves, the most likely outcome is that a new batch of knights will emerge, not much different from before we came."
"The most important point is that our time is running out." Jeska interrupted their conversation, laying a thin parchment map on the table for the legion commanders to see, "It will take us at least another month to completely capture the remaining parts of Jinhe Town, and Rapids City has been surrounded for nearly two months..."
"Rapids City should be fine, they haven’t activated the alliance agreement to ask for our help yet, they have reinforcements from Kasha County, they can hold out for at least another month."
"I’ve been to Rapids City, with such low walls, they’ve managed to hold out this long, with such tall city walls, it’s no problem to hold out for another month or two."
"Currently, Dog Fox Village is blockaded, news can’t come in or out, every time we have to go around Kasha County, the last time we got their news was fifteen days ago, who knows what their situation is?"
"Previously they could break through the blockade of Dog Fox Village to come here, it just takes a bit more money and manpower, if they really sought help, it would take just three to five days."
Horn, who had been leaning back in his chair, pondering with his eyes closed, opened them: "The merchants of Rapids City fear us, they won’t seek our help unless absolutely necessary.
Moreover, we can’t hand over the reins of fate to others, to Rapids City, whether internally or externally, cooperating with the knights is the best solution for now."
"But can those knights really be trusted? They are our enemies after all." Juer Dan uncommonly expressed his opinion at the meeting.
Horn shook his head broadly: "We aim to destroy the collective entity of demons, not individuals."
"Besides, they are Kush people, surely better than those foreign knights, right?" Saint Great-Grandson Thomas of the Holy Father Association echoed.
"Whether in war or peace, both are means to drive out demons, we can’t go to war for the sake of war, nor pursue peace for the sake of peace.
I want to end this war as soon as possible to prevent the overall situation in the Thousand River Valley from heading towards defeat."
Ultimately, it was Horn who made the final decision, casting his 10,000 votes.
Even with some dissatisfaction and doubts, the senior Salvation Army members present still obeyed Horn’s orders.
"Yes, Your Grace."
After an efficient meeting by the cardinals, an agreement was drafted by three o’clock in the afternoon and was handed to Domenico before the meeting.
Excluding the minutiae, the main content of this agreement consisted of seven articles:
First, using Black Mountain as the boundary, the southern part establishes Ibe Village, while the northern part remains Jinhe Town. The "Holy Country’s Land Edict" will be partially implemented within Ibe Village and fully implemented within Jinhe Town.
Second, abolish the Dead Hand Tax, the "Labor Law," and the tribute system within Ibe Village.
Third, a religious court shall be established at Kang River Monastery, retaining noble law enforcement powers while abolishing noble judicial powers, which will be handled by wandering priests and specialized judges.
Fourth, rent will be surveyed and reduced to thirty percent, and rents below thirty percent shall not be increased. This will be supervised by wandering priests, and any lord exceeding thirty percent will be deemed criminal and fined.
Fifth, admit Kush Knights into the Salvation Army and Count nobility into the Senate. All Kush Knights and nobles must obey the orders of Saint Son Horn.
Sixth, all knights will receive the Holy Path baptism, and all families must send direct descendants to enroll in the newly established school at Joan of Arc Castle.
Seventh, ensure the safety of life and property for knights receiving the Holy Path baptism.
Reading through the conditions of the agreement, Domenico smiled and closed the document: "May I ask about the fourth article, can we appoint the supervising priests?"
"What are you thinking?" Kolman, already displeased, glared at him, "Naturally, they are appointed by Your Grace."
Domenico’s smile gradually turned to shock. The other provisions seemed acceptable enough for Jinhe Town, but the clause that rents couldn’t exceed thirty percent was too outrageous.
"Everything else we can agree to, but the fourth clause is really... If the farmers don’t pay taxes, what do we eat?"
"When did the farmers stop paying taxes? Isn’t it written here? They’re paying thirty percent taxes." Horn pointed to the words in the clause, "I think the tax reduction isn’t significant, is it?"
"Only thirty percent tax, and also canceling tributes and the Dead Hand Tax—then our qualities, such as our nobility, our status, even my social etiquette, my fine virtues, my fine character, and even my soul will all be ruined."
A Kush Knight who came along with Domenico couldn’t hold back, interrupting from the side.
So paying thirty percent tax is not paying taxes for you all, is it?
Horn leaned back in his chair, feeling rather speechless: "What you couldn’t achieve on the battlefield, you hope to get at the negotiation table?
Don’t be naive, my friend. Frankly, you’re the defeated surrendering to the victor, seeking a moment of peace. I’m the one setting the rules.
The conditions I set are generous enough. If we delay further, once the front fortresses are built, I’m afraid Black Mountain won’t be the boundary anymore."
Domenico felt a chill, wanting to muster the courage to refute but remembered his grandmother’s words before she left.
"As long as we can maintain our current status and property, whatever the Salvation Army wants, we’ll give."
Gathering his thoughts, Domenico pondered for a while, then began to tug at the sleeves of a few accompanying companions.
"What’s wrong?" Those companions asked impatiently.
Domenico cast an apologetic smile toward Horn: "Please excuse me for a moment. I need to discuss something with my companions."
"Please, by all means." Horn naturally consented.
Dragging his companions by the sleeves, they left the room and hid under the eaves in the scorching sun.
In the subsequent twenty minutes, Horn and the others inside the room could hear high and low bouts of arguments coming from outside the window.
The argument continued uninterrupted until Domenico reopened the door.
Horn, who was wearied by fatigue year-round, opened his drowsy eyes and stood to greet the group of noble envoys once more: "Welcome back, so, have you considered?"
"Out of trust and respect for you." Domenico respectfully made a chest salute to Horn, "On behalf of the Kush Knights, I will sign this agreement."
......
After the signing ceremony concluded, both sides took a copy of the agreement and returned to report.
Domenico stayed at Black Mountain Castle, watching his companions on horseback leave his sight, a helpless smile appearing on his face.
It went without saying, in the coming time, Domenico would have to live under the titles of "Salvation Army spy," "Jinhe Town traitor," "Lost to the Farmer Wife."
His reason for staying was to redeem his few beloved brothers and also to clear the names of those Kush Knights who helped the Salvation Army fight the Ibe Army.
"Mr. Domenico." Jeska said firmly and coldly, stretching out his hand toward Domenico, "We’ve arranged a small house for you and your attendants, over there."
"Alright, I’d appreciate a guide." It’s undeniable that Domenico’s noble etiquette was indeed impeccable, courteous even to the elder farmers.
This even made Jeska somewhat embarrassed: "Just follow me."
Following behind Jeska, Domenico walked with his head lowered as if contemplating something; they traversed a corridor and a campsite, arriving at a two-story small building.
This used to be the bishop’s villa, still quite secluded, though distant from the castle’s main building, as the Salvation Army remained distrustful of this group of knights.
After thanking the guiding Jeska, Domenico called him back as he was about to leave: "Mr. Jeska, can I take a walk in the military camp tomorrow?"
"Sure." Jeska naturally didn’t mind.
They weren’t afraid of Domenico learning anything. If they could do what the Salvation Army did, they’d become the Salvation Army. If not, they wouldn’t defeat the Salvation Army. Jeska had this confidence.
"Then can I request a guide from you? Perhaps, a Legion Secretary?"
"Who are you referring to?" Jeska keenly sensed hidden meaning in Domenico’s words.
Domenico politely smiled: "During today’s meeting, I noticed a Legion Secretary named Bernardo. He looks quite like a friend I had before."
"You know him?"
"Perhaps he worked as a laborer at my house before. I might have spoken with him." Domenico wiped sweat from his face with a handkerchief: "Is it possible?"
"Why not?" With his eyes turning around twice, Jeska shrugged, "Bernardo, is it? You’ll see him tomorrow."