Chapter 81: 81 Subduing and Absorbing

Chapter 81: Subjugation and Assimilation

With the death of the Green Bamboo Tribe's leader, Knight Willi, the remaining tasks could be handled by Tom and David, along with the guards and militia they commanded. The role of the ordinary folk in the ranks also became evident at this moment. Though their combat strength fell short of knights, they had numbers, enabling them to suppress more ordinary people.

Under the soldiers' loud shouts and forceful driving, men, women, children, and elders stumbled out of their straw huts, trembling as they gathered on this dirt road. Some timid women and children had already begun to weep. To the Green Bamboo Tribe, they were now lambs waiting to be slaughtered, with their fate either being slaughtered together or tortured for amusement... In short, what awaited them was basically endless torment and suffering.

Ronin took advantage of this time to wander around the tribe.

Most of the dwellings here were quite dilapidated; even Knight Willi's house was only slightly larger. He lacked the capability or wealth to build a castle like a nobleman.

The settlement was not large, with all houses essentially clustered together in this small, palm-sized area. For Willi, this arrangement facilitated management and ensured greater safety.

After a cursory walk around, Ronin returned to the gathering point and had McKen bring Willi's two captives before him.

"Lord, spare us! Lord, spare us~"

Once brought to Ronin, both knelt on the ground and pleaded for mercy. Their attitude was far more fitting of defeated individuals, far more pragmatic than Willi's.

"I am merciful and will not readily take your lives."

Ronin's face was beaming with a smile, looking very amiable. "Introduce yourselves."

The two captive knights cautiously began to introduce themselves. From their words, Ronin gained a deeper understanding of the Green Bamboo Tribe.

The tribe's leader, Knight Willi, had ancestors from the Fox Baron family under the Orland Empire.

In a series of disputes, the Fox family, alongside many nobles, stood against the Auduin Kingdom, leading to their pursuit and suppression by the noble coalition led by the Wushan family.

Willi's father died many years ago, and the Green Bamboo Tribe was then led by Willi. He himself had decent cultivation talent, becoming a mid-level knight at twenty-five, garnering high prestige within the tribe.

Ronin sighed upon hearing this; indeed, their perception, confined within the mountains and forests, unconsciously remained low.

Only becoming a mid-level knight at twenty-five, such talent could only be considered average, far from deserving the label "quite talented."

As for these two captives before him, their aptitude was even more ordinary.

Whether it was Woten, aged twenty-three, or Dandi, aged twenty-one, both accidentally activated their martial energy seeds at nineteen, similar to Zhu Weite of the Forest Town.

They could only reach the level of advanced knights around forty or fifty, and that required diligent cultivation. If they slackened even slightly, they likely wouldn't even become mid-level knights.

"I heard your Green Bamboo Tribe cultivated fields to the north. Roughly how many acres?"

Ronin asked, "How was the harvest this year?"

Woten and Dandi glanced at each other, both eyes flickering with panic; they couldn't answer this question.

Dandi tentatively replied: "Apologies, Lord, we are not very clear about this. Perhaps you could ask Siris?"

Siris?

Ronin looked at McKen beside him, who immediately understood and walked into the captive crowd, bringing Siris forward.

"Lord, spare me, Lord!"

Siris, upon arriving, also knelt and pleaded like Woten and Dandi. Ronin noticed this person trembling all over.

"Don't be nervous, Siris."

Ronin consoled gently: "I heard you are quite familiar with the Green Bamboo Tribe's food situation. Tell me, how many acres have you cultivated, and how was the harvest this year?"

Siris, fearing that delayed answers would lead to beatings, answered almost without thinking, "Lord, we have cultivated over 980 acres of fields here. The grain harvest isn't great, only about seventy pounds per acre, completely insufficient to feed the tribe's 360 people! Every winter, a few people starve here. We barely survive by digging wild vegetables and fruits."

With so little land and such low yield per acre, feeding over three hundred people was indeed very difficult; surely, most were chronically hungry.

Yet, even so, Willi coveted control over the Green Bamboo Tribe, wanting to be the king of the mountains. The lure of power and status was truly too great.

"Woten, Dandi, Siris, you are now my captives."

Ronin calmly said: "Only one path lies before you..."

"We submit willingly, Lord! We submit willingly!"

These three didn't wait for Ronin to finish speaking, immediately kowtowed like pounding garlic, shouting.

Willi's example was before them; they feared that saying one more word would result in Ronin's terrifying wind blades severing their necks.

Siris, especially, was most earnest: "Lord, from now on, I am your slave. Whatever you command, I will do! Even if you order me to eat dung, I won't hesitate!"

Ronin was momentarily stunned by these words.

"As an old saying goes, 'Those who understand the times are heroes.' Your performance satisfies me greatly."

He stood up, walked forward a few steps, and climbed onto a nearby high slope.

On the road below him, over three hundred captives knelt on the ground, the cries of children and the weeping of women forming a continuous chorus.

They were captives.

Nobles treat captives by selecting useful ones to retain. If their territory lacks people, the group would be sold to slave exchanges.

Generally, indiscriminate killing is avoided because it tarnishes reputation and could be used by schemers as ammunition for attacks.

"Everyone listen!"

Ronin's voice was crisp, spreading widely within the mountain settlement as night fell. Those weeping involuntarily silenced themselves.

"You are now my captives. I could execute you enemies of the Wushan territory right here, or sell you off to slave traders!"

Those below lifted their heads, eyes revealing despair.

Ronin's tone then shifted, "But I am merciful and willing to give you a chance. Now, just work honestly and quietly for me. I pledge with noble honor: I will not kill you or sell you, and I can guarantee your future life will be better than your present one!"

Ronin looked at Siris, "Go, take your Green Bamboo Tribe's cooks, bring out Knight Willi's grain. Tonight, let everyone eat fully!"

Siris froze momentarily, then reacted, respectfully prostrating himself, "Lord, you are truly merciful!"

He stood up, calling to people in the crowd: "Bart, Old John, quickly! The esteemed Baron is willing to grant us a full meal. Come lend a hand!"

Under Siris's call, two people emerged from the crowd, shouting praise for the Baron's mercy as they accompanied Siris toward Knight Willi's house.

Ronin gave David a look, instructing him to follow with people to prevent unexpected incidents.

He again looked at the kneeling captives, declaring loudly: "Willi was merely an incompetent knight. He couldn't even guarantee your safety and sustenance, but I can!"

"Most importantly, you never need to worry again about being pursued by nobles outside, nor must your descendants hide in perilous mountains and forests."

"You will be like the slaves in my territory. If you diligently work for me for ten years, I will grant you fields."

He paused, emphasizing particularly: "That land will belong to you yourselves!"

Ronin wasn't skilled in brainwashing, but he knew what the Green Bamboo Tribe people desired.

For this group, if Ronin could provide them with sustenance and relatively safe conditions, their feelings toward serving Willi or Ronin weren't vastly different—both involved serving others.

Yet, if they could freely choose whom to serve, anyone with a bit of sense would choose Ronin.

Because Ronin differed from Willi; he was a genuine noble, far superior to Willi, a fugitive.

Unease slowly dissipated among this group; those women and children restraining their weeping gradually calmed.

They feared most the slaughtering blade descending upon them, but now the blade hadn't fallen; instead, there would be steaming, fragrant bread.

(The End of This Chapter)