chsdbacks Chapter 47 Teeth
Chapter 47 Teeth
Watching the seventy-odd debt slaves and their families, their expressions a mixture of fear and bewilderment, being crammed into the carriage under the direction of the Hein family's merchants, Vito rubbed his temples, a hint of annoyance and helplessness in his voice: "Kid, there are only about seventy men here who can handle weapons! That's far from the 'Lightning Brigade' you promised Lisanro, the one capable of beating Mario Ferrero's face!"
"Don't rush, Vito." Tiberius remained calm and composed, as if everything was under control.
"This is just the first batch. Don't we still have over a thousand slaves on our estate? It won't be difficult to select another batch of qualified people from among them."
Vito raised an eyebrow: "How do you plan to choose from your own estate? Will you just copy this 'debt slavery plus family ties' approach? Besides, how are you going to select from those farmers who deal with olives and wheat all day long?"
"Similar in principle, but more detailed, and cannot be copied exactly." Tiberius confidently extended his finger.
"During the selection process, the core criteria remain the same: First, priority is given to those with families, children, and deep attachments; second, those who were once free men but were forced into slavery for various reasons probably understand the value of freedom better and are more eager to change their current situation. Third..." He hesitated slightly before speaking.
"Ideally, they should come from places with harsher and more oppressive environments, such as the quarries, lime kilns, or mines attached to our estate. Slaves from these places are more resilient, their discontent with the status quo may be deeper, and they are more easily attracted by the 'way out' we offer."
"In such places, they are more indifferent to pain, but also more afraid of death; they are used to seeing their exhausted, wounded comrades abandoned after being beyond saving. Rather than living a miserable life and being discarded like dregs, they would rather pick up knives and guns and fight for a future for themselves."
He paused for a moment: "And then there are those who have been honestly farming in the fields. They are in good health, and although they may look weak, they are easy to control. I am confident that I can make them obey orders. After all, they are relatively simple-minded, have not been exposed to the outside world, and do not have many cunning ideas."
"As for those who have already become overseers or managers in the manor and have become rather slick, I will not hire them. At most, I will put them in charge of accounting, but I will never let them be soldiers."
Vito listened to Tiberius's clear and logical analysis and couldn't help but nod. The boy's thinking was indeed clear and quite feasible.
But he immediately thought of a more practical problem. Vito's expression turned serious, and he tapped his temple with his knuckles, reminding him, "There's one more basic, and most crucial thing that you almost forgot."
"What?" Tiberius looked at him in confusion.
Vito didn't answer directly. Instead, he pointed in the direction of the slaves who had just been taken away, then pointed to his own mouth: "Do you know why you took a fancy to a few slaves who looked fairly strong in the market, but I secretly tugged at your sleeve and prevented you from buying them?"
He bared his teeth, making a chewing motion, his tone becoming very practical, even somewhat cruel: "Teeth! Their teeth aren't good enough!"
"Teeth?" Tippi was slightly taken aback.
What does this have to do with teeth? If it's war, it's war. Are you suggesting we defeat the enemy with our teeth?
"Yes! Teeth!" Vito emphasized, "You think joining the army is like us in the barracks, enjoying a life of luxury?"
Tiberius grumbled to himself.
【No, Vito, you call the half-cooked rice, often with sand in it, the meat that's never seasoned and sometimes even smelly, and the stew with rotten vegetable leaves floating on top of it, "enjoying life"?】
"Eating in the military camp was a luxury! What did we eat when we were marching and fighting? Hard, rock-hard bread slices; hard biscuits that even dogs wouldn't touch except for maggots; salty, bitter, dried, cured meat that required a lot of chewing; and beans and coarse grains that were tough to chew even when cooked!"
"A good set of teeth determines whether a person can eat and whether they have the strength to fight! If you look for those with loose teeth, severe damage, or chronically ulcerated gums, they can't even handle the most basic rations. They'll starve to death, so what fighting power do they have? They'll fall before they even see the enemy!"
"A soldier who can't even hold a sword or spear wants to win a battle? Unless you're one of the seven gods descended to earth! Or the Lord of Light himself steps in for you!"
Vito, like the most seasoned slave trader, shared his insights with Tiberius.
"Furthermore, pay attention: when selecting them, their physical condition must be good! Let me tell you, some who have worked in quarries or sugarcane fields for a long time have developed serious hidden injuries to their waists, legs, and backs due to long-term overwork. Don't hire people with excessive strain. These people may look like they have a large frame, are strong, and have powerful muscles, but they are all weak and cannot withstand high-intensity marches and training. They will be in pain here and there at the drop of a hat, becoming a burden to the whole team."
Finally, he concluded, "That's why mercenaries from free backgrounds, even those from impoverished families, are often more sought after than those from slave backgrounds! Because they at least ate relatively refined food before, their teeth weren't worn down by coarse food, and their physical condition is usually better maintained! They haven't been worn down by excessive work! Recruiting isn't just about whether they can pick up a weapon, but more importantly, whether they can eat marching rations and withstand long marches. That's the most fundamental thing!"
Tiberius listened to Vito's unadorned yet insightful "words of experience" and remained silent for a moment.
He nodded solemnly: "I understand, Vito. You and a few veterans will personally oversee the next selection. Teeth, physique, old injuries... follow your standards. We need soldiers who can fight, not just filler soldiers."
Vito, seeing Tiberius readily agree, showed a satisfied expression: "That's right! Let's go, 'Lightning Boy,' we've got some work to do! Screening people is no easier than killing them!"
"However, Tiberius, would you mind if I included you in my latest story?" Vito suddenly asked.
"Oh, what story?" Tiberius asked confidently. "Is it 'The Kid with Lightning Outsmarts the Leader of the Second Sons,' or 'Tiberius's Cleverness Breaks the Situation, and His Rise to Fame in Ries'?"
Vito grinned, revealing a malicious smile.
"The title is 'The Mercenary Scoundrel Makes Things Difficult for an Honest Merchant'! Kid, look at your tactics: coercion, bribery, a combination of soft and hard tactics, and finally revealing your name to intimidate people... What else could this be but a scoundrel?"