At first, almost everyone believed that the dismissal of Jonathan Hackman and the appointment of John Rice, a man who had always presented a moderate image, as the Governor of Ambratu County meant that the political storm hanging over Ambratu was about to subside. This, of course, included John Rice himself.
However, it was only after truly taking over the administrative affairs of Ambratu that John Rice thoroughly understood just how much damage Jonathan Hackman had inflicted upon the former citizens of Ambratu.
That demon had done far more than simply kill over a thousand highly respected citizens. He had done everything possible to slander and vilify the citizens of the former Ambratu City-State, stripping them of their property, forcing their families out of the city center, compelling their relatives to engage in the most menial labor, and forcing the widows of citizen-soldiers to marry freemen...
This series of measures had practically ground the former Ambratu citizen class into the dust. If not for the fact that the citizen class had ruled Ambratu for hundreds of years—accumulating an authority that could not be wiped away overnight—John Rice would have had no doubt that the former Ambratu citizens were now the lowliest group of people in the city.
"That is my family's shop! My family's shop! I'll eat how I want! I'll smash what I want!"
A young man dressed in coarse cloth shouted with a hoarse voice.
"This is a shop I bought for a high price! The deeds and tickets are all here! What gives you the right to say it's yours!"
Another middle-aged man, wearing a silk robe, waved a stack of parchment in his hand, his face equally flushed with anger.
The one in coarse cloth was a former Ambratu citizen named Ronnie Kane, who had just returned from serving hard labor on the canal.
The Kane family was originally a prominent clan in the Ambratu City-State. The City-State Elder Council once had two Elders from the Kane family, Harry Kane and Nuno Kane, both of whom had died in the great purge launched by Jonathan Hackman. Ronnie Kane was one of the few surviving heirs of the Kane family. He had survived solely because he was too young—only eighteen this year. Jonathan Hackman felt he had no influence and could not possibly become a political totem for the remaining Ambratu citizens.
The man in the silk robe was a wealthy commoner of Ambratu County named McAvoy. During the city-state era, McAvoy was a freeman living in the outer city of Ambratu. He had accumulated some wealth through maritime trade and wanted to ascend to become a city-state citizen. However, despite spending nearly half his fortune, he failed to realize this long-cherished wish. Just as McAvoy was about to lose heart, the city-state was no more.
The Viscount of Lanwan changed the Ambratu City-State into Ambratu County, and the executioner Jonathan Hackman took office. While wielding his butcher's knife against the former Ambratu citizens, he also auctioned off their family properties.
Since he couldn't be a citizen—a man above men—it wasn't a bad idea to at least enjoy the lifestyle of a citizen. Thus, McAvoy converted all his remaining wealth into the mansions and shops of the former citizens. One of those taverns had once belonged to the Kane family.
Although Jonathan hadn't killed everyone in the Kane family, the Kanes had been one of the top powerhouses in Ambratu, so they naturally suffered the severest blows from Jonathan.
Ronnie Kane returned to Ambratu alive only to find that his family was left with nothing but a thatched hut and a few pieces of rugged, rocky "farmland." His family had no clothes to cover their bodies and not enough food to fill their stomachs.
On the canal, although Ronnie had to work all day, the Viscount of Lanwan guaranteed three meals of wheat rice a day to ensure the slaves had the minimum calories needed for heavy manual labor. Yet, after returning home, Ronnie found that he couldn't even get enough to eat.
A mix of hunger and grief drove Ronnie to run to the tavern that used to be his, where he ate and drank his fill. He then tried to leave without paying. When the tavern waiter stopped him, he grabbed a stool and smashed it over the waiter's head, then proceeded to smash up the tavern until he was swarmed by onlookers, captured, and marched to the Governor's manor.
McAvoy, hearing that something had happened at his shop, rushed over in a hurry. Before coming, he knew that the new Governor, John Rice, was a former Elder of the Ambratu City-State, so he was careful to bring the deeds he had received when purchasing the tavern from the Governor's manor.
The trial scene was crowded not only with McAvoy and Ronnie but also with many onlookers. These masses were clearly divided into two camps. On one side were the former Ambratu freemen supporting McAvoy; after Charlotte occupied Ambratu, they had practically achieved a leap in social class and gained massive benefits. On the other side were the former Ambratu citizens supporting Ronnie; like Ronnie, they had suffered heavy losses in wealth and status, and they empathized deeply with his destitution and distress.
While McAvoy and Ronnie argued with each other, their supporters also shouted obscenities, cursing and clamoring loudly.
Caught in the middle, John Rice felt as if demonic sounds were pouring into his ears, causing a throbbing pain in his temples.
"Silence! Silence! Silence!"
John Rice shouted several reprimands before the trial scene finally quieted down.
After weighing the matter for a long time, John Rice had to sigh and say, "I am fully aware of the causes and consequences of this matter. Ronnie Kane dined in the tavern without paying, injured the waiter, and damaged the tavern's property. Compensation must be made. However, considering that Ronnie Kane cannot afford the compensation, this sum will be paid by the Governor's manor on his behalf."
From the bottom of his heart, John Rice wanted to side with Ronnie. He also felt it was unreasonable for the Kane family's property to be sold off so arbitrarily. But at this moment, he truly found it difficult to do so. One look at the trial scene made it clear: the people supporting McAvoy outnumbered those supporting Ronnie by more than double. If John Rice dared to declare Ronnie innocent, the crowd that currently constituted the mainstream public opinion of Ambratu would explode immediately. He had the title of Governor, but that alone couldn't suppress so many people.
However, John Rice extended a hand to Ronnie as much as possible, using the Governor's manor's funds to pay Ronnie's private compensation. Such absurdities could only be done while the commoners of Ambratu County still hadn't distinguished the difference between a Governor and a City Lord.
Yet, before McAvoy's side could raise an objection, a voice rang out from Ronnie's side: "Wait a moment, Lord Governor. I do not agree with this verdict."
Speaking, a slightly dark-skinned man of about twenty or thirty years old walked out from the crowd behind Ronnie. Seeing this man, John Rice felt his headache intensify.
This man was the author of the petition Charlotte had shown John Rice—Bill Capino. "Capino" was a surname Bill had added for himself to commemorate the days his family spent as servants on the Capino family estate, and to demonstrate his loyalty to the two deceased Capino Elders.
Because Bill had "defeated" the evil Jonathan Hackman with a heartfelt petition, the former Ambratu citizens generally believed he was qualified to bear the Capino surname. When John Rice first met Bill, he too had been moved by this young man's loyalty and kindness.
But John Rice never expected that the greatest resistance he would face after assuming governance of Ambratu County would come precisely from Bill, this "last hero of the City-State."
"McAvoy's tavern was forcibly seized from the Kane family by that demon Jonathan without any justification whatsoever. Therefore, the purchase proof in McAvoy's hand is also invalid. Lord John should confiscate the tavern and return it to the Kane family!"
Bill proclaimed loudly, speaking just like a citizen representative delivering a long, ceaseless speech at the Citizen Assembly during the city-state era.
After Bill finished speaking, the former Ambratu citizens raised their right hands and shouted in agreement—this was the gesture of approval used in the Citizen Assembly.
John Rice couldn't help but close his eyes.
This situation had happened more than once.
At the beginning of his tenure as Governor, John Rice's plan was to first settle the former citizens returning to Ambratu, and then restore their livelihoods and improve their social status step by step.
However, Bill, hijacking the name of the former citizens, constantly urged John Rice to seize back everything that originally belonged to them, as if they didn't want to wait even a moment longer.
The result of this was...
"Bullshit!"
"Do you shameless bastards think this is still the City-State?"
"The Viscount should have killed all of you!"
"Go die, you pieces of shit left over from the City-State!"
"..."
McAvoy's supporters instantly exploded. They shouted abuse, grabbed whatever was at hand to throw at the other side, and even rolled up their sleeves, ready to fight.
These people were the beneficiaries of the City-State's collapse. They enjoyed everything McAvoy enjoyed; most of what the city-state citizens had lost had ended up in their pockets. The former citizens wanting to take back McAvoy's wealth undoubtedly touched a sensitive nerve for them.
The already furious former Ambratu citizens did not shrink back either. They rushed forward and clashed with these freemen they had always looked down upon in the past, turning the scene into a brawl.
"Stop! Stop it! Stop!"
John Rice shouted loudly, but to no avail. His Governor's manor had only a handful of staff, nowhere near enough to stop a brawl involving over a hundred people.
Just then, a servant hurriedly ran into the Governor's manor. John Rice grabbed the servant and asked anxiously, "I told you to go invite Knight Jarrod Garcia. Did you get him? When will he arrive?"
The servant replied with a mournful face, "Knight Garcia said he is only responsible for resisting foreign enemies. Even if there's chaos in the Governor's manor, it's none of his business."
"What?"
John Rice was fuming with rage, but now was not the time to hold Jarrod Garcia accountable, as casualties were already beginning to appear in the brawl within the Governor's manor.
Just as John Rice was at a loss for what to do, a rough and powerful voice rang out: "What are you doing! What do you think you are all doing!"
A squad of fully armed soldiers entered the Governor's manor, led by a gray-haired knight—Ed Adkins. Behind him followed his daughter, Celine Adkins, who had recently gained fame in the Lanwan Viscountcy.
The fighting crowd immediately stopped. McAvoy instantly led his supporters in prostrating themselves before the knight lords.
The former Ambratu citizens were reluctant, but when Ed Adkins rested his hand on his sword hilt and swept his sharp gaze over them, they had no choice but to kneel as well.
"This... General," John Rice did not know Ed Adkins, "I apologize for the unsightly scene. I am the Governor of Ambratu County appointed by the Viscount of Lanwan, John Rice. May I ask how I should address you?"
A Governor who couldn't even control his own office—Ed Adkins' gaze upon John Rice inevitably carried a hint of disdain. "Just address me as Knight Ed Adkins. Her Excellency the Viscount has ordered me to lead the army to occupy Dorukocha. Mr. Governor, I need you to prepare provisions and fodder for three thousand people for me."
Occupy Dorukocha? John Rice was startled, but he immediately replied, "As you command."
"Also, clear out a campsite for us outside the South Gate. We need to station here temporarily," Ed Adkins added.
"Yes," John Rice answered again.
Walking out of the Governor's manor, Celine asked in confusion, "Father, why did you announce our battle plan in front of so many people? And speed is crucial in war; we should be marching through the night. How can we waste time in Ambratu?"
"I leaked it deliberately for certain people to hear," Ed Adkins said. "Her Excellency the Viscount asked us to take Dorukocha, but she didn't say we had to actually fight the people of Dorukocha."
"Huh?" Celine was even more confused.
What did it mean to take Dorukocha but not actually fight the Dorukocha people?
Did he expect the Dorukocha people to voluntarily offer up their city-state?
Ed Adkins smiled and did not explain further to his daughter. She would understand on her own soon enough anyway.
In the following days, Ed Adkins led two thousand soldiers and a squad of Griffin Knights, advancing toward Dorukocha at a snail's pace. They would march five or ten kilometers a day and then stop to rest, or even set up camp on the spot. A war that was ready to launch was manipulated by Ed Adkins to look like a spring outing.
After witnessing Charlotte's thunderous surprise attacks, seeing Ed Adkins' turtle crawl inevitably caused the soldiers in the army and even the populace of Ambratu to grumble privately, saying that Ed Adkins was indeed getting old, moving slowly and afraid to face the enemy.
Just as Ed Adkins and Celine had anticipated, the news that Charlotte was going to occupy Dorukocha was quickly conveyed to the Dorukocha Elder Council. This was only natural; there were thousands of people in Ambratu who harbored grievances against Charlotte, and they were more than happy to cause trouble for her military operations.
However, after receiving the intelligence, the only two remaining Elders of the Dorukocha Elder Council, Balotelli and Samuel, huddled together to discuss the matter and made a final decision—to surrender to the Viscount of Lanwan.
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