Rome must fall.

Chapter 323: The Frustrated Chief of Aldei
"I support the migration of Budokaribas, Cicelitses and their tribes to the Sava River!" Archipenpas said loudly, raising his right hand high.

Alsippus had a high reputation among the tribes in the western mountainous areas. After he made this statement, the other five elders from the western mountainous areas also followed suit.

Cleobrotus looked at the twenty-five right hands raised in the hall and suddenly became nervous. He tried to make a final effort, so he urged loudly: "Everyone, our ancestors have lived here for hundreds of years, and Ardei got its name from this. If we leave here, can we still be Ardei people! Please think about it carefully and don't make a hasty decision--"

"Cleobrotus, stop dithering and announce the voting results immediately!" Cicelytes urged impatiently.

"Yes, announce it quickly! We have thought about it a long time ago and will not change the decision!" Other elders who raised their hands also expressed their opinions one after another.

Even so, Cleobrotus hesitated for a while, and found that the number of people raising their hands had not changed, so he announced helplessly: "There are a total of 48 people participating in the tribal meeting this time. Twenty-five elders agree that Cicelytes and Budokaribas should lead the people to migrate to the Sava River. This is more than half. According to the tribal regulations... this request... is approved."

Cheers suddenly rang out in the hall, and even Cicelytes and Budokaribas hugged each other excitedly.

Budokaribas whispered, "You always like to mess around, and this time you guessed right."

"What do you mean by guessing right? Now that we are prepared, we should take action early! If we were like you, worrying about this and that, it would only delay things!" Cicelyteses retorted with a smile.

Alistarcus gritted his teeth and didn't shout out "I don't agree!" which was about to hit his throat.

He now only hated himself for not being the real Chief of Aldei. Otherwise, when voting just now, the Chief would count as five votes, and Cicelyteses and his men would not even get more than half!

Now he understood: Why did Cicelytess make such a request at the beginning of the meeting? He was clearly taking advantage of the favorable opportunity when the tribe had not yet established a great leader to seek benefits for himself!

Damn Cicelytes! Damn Budokalibas! And that damned Chalsipompus! ... Aristarchus hated him secretly.

"I would like to ask what will you do with the iron mine after you and your people move to the Sava River?" Ambrasinos suddenly asked loudly.

"The iron mine is located in the western mountain area and originally belonged to the tribe in the western mountain area. After we leave, the iron mine will of course belong to Calsipenpas and his people!" Budokaribas answered without hesitation.

"No! No!" Ambrasinos shook his head again and again. "The tribes in the western mountains have long since abandoned the iron mine. It has been abandoned for many years. It was only last year that the chief took it back for the entire tribe. The tribes along the Mreznica River provided people and materials to rebuild it. In order to make your life better, it was temporarily handed over to you.

But you really think the iron ore is yours, and when you leave with your people you want to give it to others, do you have any shame?"

"Ambrasinos, you're talking bullshit!" Cicelytesses cursed angrily.

"Who is talking bullshit?" Ambrasinos frowned and said loudly, "The iron ore must be handed over to us who have contributed a lot to it! Elder Cleobrebrotus, am I right?"

"Budokaribas, you really don't have the right to transfer the iron ore privately." Kleobrotas said seriously: "This matter should be discussed and decided by our tribal meeting."

"Then let's vote." Cicelyteses said this again.

"I don't agree to the vote!" Alistarcas refused without hesitation. He said in a resolute tone: "The iron ore must be managed by the tribes along the Mrežnica and Korana rivers!"

"If this matter also needs to be put to a vote, we will withdraw from this tribal meeting!" Ambrasinos' attitude was also tough, because he saw that Budokaribas, Cicelytesses and Chalsipompas had joined forces, and the result of the vote would only be the same as before.

The elders from the tribes along the Mrezhnica and Korana rivers also expressed their willingness to stand with Ambrasinos. These twenty-odd elders refused to vote, so the vote could not be held. When the two sides were about to fall into a stalemate, Chalsipompas looked at Aristakas and said bluntly: "Let's make a deal. The iron ore will be managed by our tribe in the western mountains, and you will be the chief of Aldei!"

Alistarcus immediately retorted: "Nonsense! The position of the chief was originally mine—"

Ambrasinos coughed loudly, which made Aristakas suddenly realize that the election for the chief of the tribe would be held soon. If Cicelytess, Budokaribas and Chalsipompas all expressed their opposition, it would become a real question whether he could succeed as the chief!

For a moment, he sat there stiffly, not daring to say any more harsh words, but also unwilling to bow his head and surrender. He just signaled to Ambrasinos with his eyes.

"Aristakas is the son of the great chief Achoupagos, and a hero who recovered the lost land along the Corana River and helped the exiled tribes rebuild their homes. His succession to the chief is the hope of all the Ardei people!" Ambrasinos said with a serious face, "Of course, life in the western mountains is indeed difficult. It will be beneficial for them to improve their lives if Chalsipompas and others manage the iron mines. I think it is worth considering.

However, the profits from the iron ore cannot all go to the tribes in the western mountains. You have all seen in the past few days that the tribes along the Korana River have suffered great losses this time. We need to allocate a portion of the profits from the iron ore to help them. What do you think, Calcipenpas?"

Calsipompas responded: "This time the tribes along the Korana River have suffered from war, so it is natural for us to provide assistance. We can allocate a portion of the profits from the sale of iron ore to them. But I think this should only be temporary. Once the lives of the tribes along the Korana River return to normal, we should no longer share the profits from the iron ore! After all, in addition to the harvest from the land, they also have profits from the salt mines, right?"

Chalsipompas and Ambrasinus looked at each other for a moment. Ambrasinus turned his head to look at Aristakas, deliberately showing a respectful look, and asked: "Do you think this suggestion is okay?"

"So be it." Aristarchus responded hastily. He just wanted the matter to be over quickly because he chose to compromise under the threat of Chalcidos, which made him feel very embarrassed.

Finally, the result of this tribal meeting of Ardei was: the Ardei tribes that had lost their land in the war with the Pannoni and later signed an agreement with the Nix tribe would collectively move to the Sava River. The iron mines would be managed by the Ardei tribe in the western mountains, and within two years, 30% of its profits would be handed over to the tribes along the Korana River to help them rebuild their homes.

Alistarcus succeeded as the chief of the Ardei tribe; the burial of the ashes of the former chief Acoupagos and the tribal memorial ceremony will be held grandly in four days.

Achoupagos died of shock and anger when the Pannonian army invaded, but the entire tribe was facing life and death at the time, and the leaders of each tribe were busy preparing for war. Although the crisis was resolved later, they were busy recovering lost territory and resettling exiled tribesmen. They had no time to handle his funeral, which resulted in his body taking too long and becoming smelly, so it had to be cremated first.

Now that the tribe has finally recovered and Alistarcus has successfully become the chief, he wants to take advantage of the fact that the elders are all in the main village to hold his father's funeral and memorial ceremony and his inauguration ceremony as the chief at the same time under the attention of many elders.

As the teams led by the tribal leaders were still gathered in the main village, the food supply was a bit tight, so the ceremony had to wait until four days later: on the one hand, with the reminder of Ambrasinos, Alistakas realized that the inauguration ceremony of the great leader needed to be grand, which could enhance his prestige among the tribesmen, but this required time to prepare; more importantly, Alistakas had to send someone to inform the Nix tribe and invite Chief Maximus to participate, which took some time.

Since the Nichos were an ally of Ardei, and Maximus and Aristakas were relatives by marriage, it would be common sense that even if Maximus could not come, they would certainly send important figures from the Nichos tribe to participate.

When the Nix tribe first arrived two years ago, they had to rely on the help of the Aldi people to gain a foothold along the Kupa River. After just over a year, the status of the two sides has changed dramatically, and the Nix tribe has become a powerful ally in saving the Aldi tribe. If Nix officials attend the inauguration ceremony of Alistarkas, it means recognition of Alistarkas, which can make the Aldi people feel relieved and greatly increase his prestige.

Although Aristakas felt a little indignant, this was the reality. The Knyx tribe had won its current position in the hearts of the Aldei people with one victory after another.

The meeting ended and everyone dispersed, but Aristakas remained sitting there.

The resettlement of the exiled tribes of the Korana River a few days ago had already troubled him, but he did not expect that today's meeting would make him physically and mentally exhausted.

He always felt that his father was not decisive enough in doing things, but when he sat in this position himself, he realized how difficult it was to do something well. He even began to doubt whether he could be a good leader.

(End of this chapter)