Herald of Steel

Finally finished ironing out the creases in the legion infantry formation, Alexander remembered to double back to the original topic that started all this- the to-be refugee crisis.

"My lords, we seem to have gotten off track," His voice drew everyone's attention, after which said, "Because we have yet to decide on what to do about the people who enter the city for food."

"Ahem," Alexander's speech was immediately succeeded by a low cough, though the sound was not gruff like a man's, but a high-pitched feminine one.

Cambyses had decided to take the stand, and proceeded, "My lords, I did not say this before, but I believe that we are looking into the refugees all wrong!"

This was a bold statement by Cambyses, but she said it regardless because she thought her opinion was correct and also felt that by proving herself right and even Alexander wrong, she could prove her mettle to the council and make the men recognize her as an individual and not someone just riding on Alexander's coattails.

"Oh? Then please explain?" Alexander did not mind getting corrected if he was truly wrong.

"Mmmm," Getting permission from her boss, she hummed with a short nod and began.

"My lords, first let me lay out the situation in the near vicinity of Zanzan," Cambyses pointed, saying, "I am sure all of you have witnessed it already by now, but for any who missed it, please recall the fact that it has been close to two weeks since we started giving out the food, and still no refuge has come to us."

"This is very unusual." She then proclaimed, "Usually people flock like ants even if the food is only being sold at a discounted price."

"So what does it mean when free food is given out during not just normal times but during a drought and no one comes?" Cambyses pointedly looked at the men as she asked.

Then she herself gave the answer, "It means that there are not really many people in the near Zanzan. They have all either moved into the city already, left for the further countryside where foraging is easier, or died."

Afterward, Cambyses posited, "Hence, the people you are expecting will be coming from far away places. Places where they are still unaware that Zanzan's plague has passed and likely just started the journey after getting the confirmation."

Hearing Cambyses's very logical argument made Alexander realize she was right.

'I did not think about it like that!' The thought dawned on Alexander as he understood that he had completely misread the situation.


He had thought that the refugees were not coming because of the plague, but listening to Cambyses he began to understand this was not correct.

This was because when one is starving, when the stomach acid is slowly eating out the stomach lining because there is no food there to digest, and when one is having hunger pangs that produce intensive stomach cramps, fears about catching secondary diseases are pretty down the priority list.

And this was very evident even in Alexander's past life, where people would go to unimaginable lengths just to get even one morsel of food.
There were records that even during mild droughts, peasants would wait expectantly for the spring grass to appear, which they would eat with relish by making a soup out of water and grass.

Yes! Just water and grass boiled together and it was many times not only drank with great satisfaction but even sometimes fought over.

And in case of a worse drought, the situation would go from tragic to horrific or descending into utter madness.

Entire cities becoming devoid of cats and dogs were not unheard of, and in some instances, people would fight over not just human vomit, but animal ones too.

Even cannibalism of small children was not unknown in some hellish recounts.

Such are not the actions of a normal human, but a man sufficiently hungry enough, pushed to the edge of insanity by his body's innate desire to live, could be made to do such extreme acts.

And fortunately for Alexander, he had never had to experience this feeling firsthand, neither in his previous life nor after his transmigration.

In the past ten years, even when things were the toughest for him, even when his body was tested close to its limit, he at least never starved.

Yes, sure, there were some nights where he went to sleep with an empty stomach, there were days he would tie stones to his rumbling stomach to fool the brain into thinking that the belly was full, and there were many days he finished a meal with half a belly and feeling unsatisfied.

But in general, being professional mercenaries, though they were not swimming in gold, they were also not starving, and Nestoras had generally tried to provide all the men with at least two hearty meals a day, ensuring the soldiers kept up their strength and physique.

And for that reason, without suffering from abject hunger, Alexander's thoughts drifted to the reason that people were coming because they were afraid, not because they were really far away.

And it seemed that his council thought the same way too, leading them to almost adopting a wrong strategy.

The only exception being Cambyses who took that into consideration and was still speaking, "When these refugees get here, having traveled on average fifty to sixty kilometers from all directions to get here, they are not gonna just pack and leave after getting their meal. They are gonna stay and live here."

"That's great! The manpower issue is solved," As soon as Cambyses said this, implying that more workers were going to be soon available, a very enthusiastic and happy voice cried out from across the table.

This premature celebration was called by Harun who felt that he had gotten the magic cheat code to solving the labor shortage.

But the others, especially the military leader were less enthusiastic.

'That's not the important thing here.' Alexander said to himself, a little peeved that he had missed such a crucial.

And so, when he along with many of the military leaders give Harun a flat, unimpressed look, the man's grinning face instantly deflated, and his flushed.

"Ahh, sorry, my bad for interrupting," Harun immediately apologized, as he lowered his head in embarrassment and quickly zipped his mouth tight.

After seeing Harun go silent, Alexander gently turned his head and gestured to Cambyses, "Go on. We are listening."

"Mmmp," She gave a slight nod and resumed, "As I was saying, these people will probably come to stay in the city. And even if they are thrown out, they will likely gather outside the city and beg or try to smuggle out some food." Cambyses seemed to have given what she was saying quite some thought.

After saying this, she paused for a bit to let everyone evaluate what she was saying, and after finding no one was finding faults with her, she then said, "So it will not be as easy as the previous plan of sending the soldiers. In the previous action, we assumed that the soldiers will be operating near the city's vicinity and so did not take logistics into account."

Cambyses then finished by saying, "But now, the soldiers will have to march around sixty kilometers and likely take part in many small skirmishes. So they will need enough food for at least a month."

"Hmmm, yes, I guess you are right." Alexander traced his chin as he spoke, and then frankly admitted, "I hadn't thought about it like that."

Afterward, then suddenly turned to his council and chuckled, "Hahaha, looks like we men got beaten by a girl."

This produced some wry and dey smiles from the lords, who were then quick to praise Cambyses.

"Hehe, as expected of the lady chosen by the Pasha. She's both graceful and talented."

"Lady Cambyses's insight is truly one of a kind. We have surely avoided a disaster."

"Hohoho, looks like even our great Pasha is no match for his wife,"

Various types of praises and sobriquets were given to Cambyses, as all everyone tried to suck up to their madam as subtly pointed out by their lord.

Though for a small minority, who considered themselves to be over-smart, thought that Alexander might have orchestrated the whole thing, to boost his wife's image.

But no matter what thoughts the individuals shared, they all kept it to themselves and instead focused on trying to find a solution to the problem.

"Given that Cam has pointed out the real situation," Alexander addressed, "The situation on the domestic front becomes on where to house these refugees and militarily on how to reclaim the eastern lands."

"What are your suggestions?" He thus posed this question to the decision-makers.

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