Mountain and Forest Kingdom

The snow on the top of the mountain began to melt, and snow dripped from the ice cones on the eaves.

In the early morning, Lawrence took a wooden stick and knocked down the ice picks hanging under the eaves one by one. The broken ice cubes quickly fell into the basket on the ground.

When these ice cubes melt, they will make the ground muddy. Taking them away while they are still ice can save a lot of work and prevent you from soiling your house and shoes by stepping on them.

The snow covering a radius of fifty meters was gradually decreasing, and Lawrence and others cleared the snow away before it melted.

Salil pulled a basket of ice cubes out from the back of the house and babbled: "We need to dry some wood today. The wood has been wet these days and it is very difficult to burn it."

Lawrence put down the stick and stood there to rest.

"Well, we won't burn the rocks today. There is water on the ground. It would be too troublesome to burn them."

The ice explosion method can no longer be used, and the fire explosion method is temporarily disabled due to melting snow and wet wood in the mountain forest.

Lawrence had taken advantage of the power of nature a few days ago, but now that winter has completely passed, it would not be worth the loss to just fight against nature.

Salil asked, "What are you doing today?"

Lawrence smiled and said: "In spring, we will do spring things. Let's go to the forest at the foot of the mountain to collect wild vegetables."

"The wood here can't be used temporarily, so go to the broadleaf forest below the mountain to find better wood, and then use sleds to pull it up while there's still some ice and snow."

"The farmland down the mountain also needs plowing. We should go down and take a look at the pea seedlings in the field. There should be some left and we can plant some wheat."

Salil was silent for a few seconds, looked at Lawrence and asked: "What will happen at home? Who will stay?"

"Together." Lawrence said, "There should be no problem."

Salil's expression was a little bad. She wanted to say something, but she didn't want to say it, but she still said: "Lawrence, I feel that we have never felt relieved since those slaves came here."

"We worry about a lot of things every day about what they're doing to our houses and our children."

"I often wake up in the middle of the night when I go to bed at night. I don't like those people entering our lives, and I don't like having to worry about them all the time."

Salil has been holding back for a long time, and today she finally expressed her dissatisfaction.

Lawrence said strangely: "Although this is indeed the case, they have helped us with a lot of things. If we only relied on the three of us, it would take a day to build a sheepfold, let alone collect wood and prey."

Salil retorted: "But they eat more!"

"Our salt, meat, and flour are getting less and less. With just the three of us, we can live very well. We can have enough to eat every day, have a warm house to live in, have honey to eat, and can go down the mountain to play at will."

Lawrence sighed, "You are right, Salil, your life was much better before than now. When Andrew was here, you ate better every day than you do now."

Salil saw that Lawrence had misunderstood, and quickly explained: "I don't mean to blame you. I like my life now."

"I know." Lawrence showed a manly smile, "Believe me, in another half month, our life will get better and better."

Sariel nodded, not wanting Lawrence to misunderstand that she didn't like this home.

Lawrence picked up a basket of ice slag and said, "The weather is not too cold anymore. From now on, just give them two meals a day. We will continue to have three meals a day."

"The river next to us is melting. I remember there are fish there. We can set up wooden fences in the shallow water to raise fish in the river."

Salil said happily: "Okay, you can also let those people bathe in the river. They stink too much."

Lawrence smiled and said, "Yes."

The two quickly got back to work.

Lawrence remembered Salil's words and knew that Salil's life with Andrew was better than now, but now she must continue to live a miserable life for a while.

The house we live in has become smaller, the food we eat has become worse, and our social circle has become smaller and smaller. These are all significant changes after Andrew left.

When Andrew was here, Salil ate better than the nobles, and was as clean and respectable as a noble lady.

Although I work every day, I actually don’t do much. I go down the mountain every now and then to improve the food.

The addition of slaves saves a lot of work for Lawrence, but it is of no use to Salil and will only waste food.

In the short term, the value created by slaves is not worth the food they eat.

This is not only the attitude of Sariel, but also the attitude of Phumexiu and the rest of the barbarians.

Lawrence believed that most of the slaves in the barbarian areas would become increasingly miserable.

There is not enough fertile land for slaves to cultivate. Once the slaves cannot be converted into serfs, the end will be tragic.

After the value of their own needs shrinks, the cost of guarding and supervising these slaves will become higher for the barbarians.

If these slaves have the strength to compete at this time, or have other special needs, then they may be able to be free.

It's a pity that most barbarians are stronger than slaves, and those who become slaves are cowards or weaklings who surrender voluntarily.

Furthermore, it is difficult to communicate with each other. Even if you can understand what is said, there are always communication problems when the slave is asked to do things.

Once the savages' food was reduced to a certain level, the fragile slavery system would be at risk.

By then the Pumixiu people will no longer need slaves...

Like Sariel, the Phumexiu also reduce slaves, both male and female.

The Ice Barbarians' demand for slaves is small. Only agricultural countries like the Southern Kingdom need a large number of slaves as serfs, because there is a large area of ​​suitable land for farming.

Slaves - serfs - tenants (subjects of the lord) - freemen - citizens.

These slaves will only have certain rights to life protection if they follow the historical process and become serfs.

Because of cost and value implications, it was serfs and tenant farmers rather than slaves who were protected by the lord.

If you want Sariel and the others to change their attitude towards these slaves, they need to let these slaves work in the fields, so that the barbarian brains will realize that these slaves do not eat too much and understand that there is more Human values.

Lawrence discovered that hunting should not be left to slaves.

Salil wouldn't mind returning empty-handed, nor would she mind coming back early to rest. She even felt it was good.

But the slaves always come back empty-handed, and seeing them idle makes Salil and most of the barbarians think about whether there is any need to keep them.

Lawrence quickly took everyone to collect wild vegetables and improve the food.

Collecting is also a relatively stable source of food, and sometimes prey can be easily caught, so Lawrence brought a bow and arrows.

Lawrence and others quickly arrived at the house. Seravan and others who were resting here were planning to go up the mountain. After meeting, they went directly to the broadleaf forest.

Lawrence was riding on the back of the sheep and said to Taloki beside him: "Taloki, what did you eat at the Ug people's place before?"

Taloji thought of those nightmare days again, "I ate a lot of disgusting things. As long as I think about it... I can't talk about it anymore."

Lawrence held the saddle on his back with both hands and said with a relaxed expression: "Then it looks like you are much better off with me than with the Ug people."

"Yes, Master." Taloki responded sincerely.

Lawrence asked again: "Then what did you eat when you lived in your hometown village?"

"Bread and water, as well as berries and wild vegetables." Taloki thought for a moment, "We eat everything except dung and fur."

Lawrence said: "You are lucky. Seravan had a very bad life when he was a slave with the Pumixiu people. I also plan to give him freedom, but he will still be looked down upon when he returns to the village, and after you return It will be much better, and your tribe will accept you."

Seravan, who was walking not far away, remained silent. He was living a pretty good life now, much better than in the village, so he didn't want to be free.

Taloki, who wanted to be free, looked hesitant and said, "Yes, thank you for that."

Lawrence said: "There is a lot of land on this mountain. After you complete the task I gave you and build me a house and walls, you can leave."

"Yes." Taloki responded cautiously.

Lawrence continued: "It shouldn't take long, just a month at most. The weather will warm up by then, so you don't have to worry about freezing to death on the road."

"After you go back, if your people are willing to come work for me and cultivate the land for me, I will provide them with protection."

Taloji looked at the young man riding on the back of the sheep and realized that he was a noble and a lord.

"yes."

Taloki agreed on the surface, but actually felt that no one wanted to be a slave in such a ghost place.

Talloki thought: No one wants to be a slave, and no one will volunteer to be a slave.