Rome must fall.

Chapter 289: Adapting to the Times
Everyone couldn't help but shudder. Although Maximus spoke cryptically, everyone understood: wasn't this a replica of the rebellion they had rebelled against in the first place?

Karina said unconvincedly, "Chief, I think you are making this matter too serious. The candidate tribesmen only need to work hard for three years, or even less, to become official tribesmen and obtain a large amount of land. This is written into the tribal law! In addition, there are... their compatriots who have become official members of the Nix tribe as role models. Even if they are a little dissatisfied, they should be able to persevere."

"Yes, chief. Didn't the Segestica reserve members in our tribe do a good job before?" Volenus reminded from the side.

"Everyone, I have just said that the situation today is very different from last year!" Maximus tapped the wooden table with his fingers and said loudly: "The number of Segestica people who joined the tribe last year was not large, and they were captured by our army. They were not killed or handed over to the Ardi people for abuse. They just lost some freedom and did some hard work to be with their families. They felt very lucky, so they could still endure it.

But now we are standing on the land of Segestica, and there are many people here! According to Casinos, their entire tribe has more than 10 people, which is several times the population of our Nix! Several times, everyone! They are here, on their own land! And they are willing to lose their houses, property and fields, lose their rightful freedom, and work hard for a few more years, just to get more fields? !

Everyone, most people in this world are short-sighted. They cannot see the beauty of the future and are only willing to hold on to the immediate benefits! Although we have defeated the army of the Segestica people and occupied their main camp, it does not mean that we have already owned the land of Segestica!

The territory of Segestica is very vast. We not only need Segestica captives to join the tribe, but also need more Segestica people to join the tribe as soon as possible, so that the tribe can occupy more Segestica land as soon as possible, thereby rapidly expanding our strength and greatly reducing the possibility of Segestica people resisting us, so that the tribe can concentrate on dealing with the counterattack of other large Pannonian tribes! "

After hearing these words, everyone present was touched and fell into deep thought.

After a moment, Quintus said in a deep voice: "We should indeed find a way to get more Segestica people to join the tribe voluntarily, rather than letting them all become foreign vassals. Otherwise, we will need a lot of subordinates and soldiers to supervise such a large number of foreign vassals. By then, we will not have the energy to supervise the reserve tribesmen, and I am afraid there will not be enough manpower to handle other affairs of the tribe. Moreover, if the Pannonian army attacks again, we will have to leave some soldiers to prevent the foreign vassals from causing chaos..."

Quintus's reminder made everyone else present look solemn.

Cornelius said with a relaxed expression: "Don't worry, wise leader, you should have figured out a way to get more Segestica people to join our tribe voluntarily, and at the same time let them work well without our supervision, right?!"

"I have come up with a solution, and I was just about to discuss it with you." Maximus took over the conversation and said in a deep voice, "That is to amend the tribal law's requirements for reserve tribesmen. Anyone who voluntarily joins the tribe and becomes a reserve tribesman will be immediately allocated 50 acres of land!"

"Ah?!" Everyone was very surprised.

Pigris blurted out: "If they are given land as soon as they join the tribe, then are they still considered reserve tribesmen?!"

"Listen to me!" Maximus looked at Pigris with a little dissatisfaction, which scared him so much that he quickly lowered his head. Seeing this, the others did not dare to say anything more.

Maximus emphasized, "The reserve tribesmen are of course reserve tribesmen. Under normal circumstances, they have to work hard for another three years before they can become formal tribesmen. Although they were given 50 mu of land, they had to hand over % of their harvest to the tribe every year. After they became formal tribesmen, they only handed over %.

Their existing property still belongs to them, but their existing houses may not belong to them, because the tribe will find new houses for them to live in in the villages near the land they have been allocated, which will not be worse than the previous houses. As for the food stored in their homes now, they must hand over 60% to the tribe. If they don’t have enough food before the autumn harvest next year, the tribe will subsidize them with some food according to the situation... What do you think of this method?"

"The idea you came up with is the best, Chief!" Cornelius spoke first. "First, we will give them the land. This will make the reserve tribesmen feel that what we say is not empty talk, but real benefits. The land is theirs, so they will naturally take better care of it and plant it better! Their property is still theirs, and we will give them better houses to live in, which will only make them more grateful! As for confiscating 60% of their current grain, they should not complain, because in the next three years they will also have to hand over 60% of the harvest from the land. They will think that this is the only price they need to pay to become reserve tribesmen of the Nix tribe."

"But we have to keep 40% of the land income every year for the reserve tribesmen. Isn't that too much? You know, in September, the grain I handed over was nearly 50%." Capito raised an objection.

"That's because you don't farm yourself. You hired several reserve tribesmen to help you farm. According to regulations, you naturally hand over a lot of grain to the tribe." Cornelius teased and explained to the Finance Department: "But according to your position, the salary paid to you by the tribe every month (the salary paid to officials by the Nix tribe is wheat, which is paid annually by the Finance Department in October after the harvest) is more than the grain you hand over. Many tribesmen in our tribe, such as Quintus, Frontinus, Lebilus, Sidonius, etc., who are busy with affairs and can't farm, are in the same situation as you."

Everyone who was named looked at Cornelius. He shrugged calmly and said, "I'm telling the truth, isn't it?"

Volenus quickly spoke up and said, "I think it's not too much for the tribesmen to leave 4% of their food every year. At least % of the % should be used as planting grain for the next year, and more than % is barely enough for them to survive until the next autumn harvest. There is still some food left that they can use to exchange for new farm tools and some daily necessities...

In this way, the tribe will not need to provide additional funding to the reserve tribesmen, so that they can live independently like the formal tribesmen, saving our tribe a lot of trouble... This 40% is just right! You are really thoughtful, Chief!"

"Not only does it save energy for each department, it also allows the new Segestika people who have joined the tribe to live more comfortably, making them feel that the tribe really treats them as members of the tribe. Plus, with the constraints of the oath, they should live a more peaceful life in the tribe," Pigris also emphasized.

Everyone quickly agreed to Maximus's proposal, and revised and finalized the new provisions of the laws on the preparation of the tribesmen.

Maximus knocked on the table vigorously and said excitedly, "Everyone, the new decree has been revised. Next, let's discuss how to own the territory of Segestica! Marcellus, bring the map of Segestica!"

The servant quickly placed the map that had been prepared earlier in the middle of the dining table. Everyone immediately put down their food and gathered together in the center of the table.

This is a sketch of the territory of Segestica drawn by Maximus based on Cassinos's description. It only briefly depicts the Sava River, the surrounding mountains and the main village, without marking other villages.

Maximus pointed at the map and said, "Gentlemen, I roughly divided the territory of Segestica into four parts: the north, south, east and west of Segestica. In the north, only the upper reaches of the Sava River are narrow and flat land, and the rest are mountainous. I heard that it borders the territories of the Japodes and the Norikis.

There are not many tribes of Segestica in the north. They once had conflicts with the Yapods, but were later defeated by their chieftain Andres. In recent years, the Yapods have almost stopped invading the north of Segestica. The Segesticas have a good relationship with the Norikis and have been buying iron ore from them. Therefore, the northern territory is also very important to us. It is another channel for us to obtain iron ore, but it is not the focus of our business for the time being.

The western part of Segestica is connected to our Kupa River territory through a dense forest road. The land here is flat and fertile, the villages are densely populated, and the population is large. The West Village where we are located is also among them. Therefore, the west is the area we want to focus on. Only by stabilizing the west first can it be truly connected with the Kupa River territory, and the resources and personnel on both sides can flow freely and unimpeded, allowing us to gain a firm foothold on the plains along the Sava River.

The eastern part of Segestica also has flat and fertile land, but the area is smaller than the western part because part of it is hilly and adjacent to another large tribe of Pannoni, Desitiatae, in the northeast. According to Casinos, Desitiatae has a good relationship with Segestica, and their chieftain, Temagis, is a good friend of Andres. Therefore, the Desitiatae were active participants in the siege of our temporary camp and the invasion of the Pannoni tribal alliance army. I am afraid that they will have to fight with us in the future..."

(End of this chapter)