After the end of the Hippos War, the city-state of Jalen established the Jalen League to dominate the sea, and there were constant conflicts with the Kibata League established by the city-state of Kibala. There were more and more frictions and battles, and the scale was getting bigger and bigger.
In the eyes of Amon, the former general of the Ecu Empire and the commander-in-chief of the battlefield, the war on the Heaton Peninsula seemed a bit ridiculous, and sometimes it was like a competitive game. Although wars are always accompanied by casualties, the casualty rate of the city-state conflicts here is much smaller than that of other countries on the Tianshu Continent, and surrender is like a routine.
The Heaton Peninsula lacked a large open plain, and the city-states were relatively small. Therefore, the chariot formations popular in mainland countries were very rare, and the city-state armies were mainly infantry. There are also heavy knights, but the equipment of the cavalry is relatively expensive. They are basically composed of noble warriors. They are also the main force to charge in battle, followed by a swarm of infantry.
In small-scale battles between city-states, the charge, slash, and individual combat of noble warriors often became the main factors that determined the outcome, and the momentum of both sides also determined the morale. Once the battle line is broken, in most cases they will not swear to the death and bloody battle, but choose to surrender very opportunistically, and the winning side usually will not kill them all.
This kind of battle is very similar to the wrestling in the age of heroes in myths and legends. The defeated party surrenders to the victorious party. After a period of time, the covenant changed or the power balance of the city-states changed, and there were new conflicts. As a result, the situation among the city-states on the Heaton Peninsula was very chaotic, and the spheres of influence controlled by the Kebadah League and the Yalun League also changed. in constant change.
How can such a military organization defeat the invasion of Potts army? In fact, when Potts invaded, many states surrendered. It was Yalun and Kibata who united the city-states and used their logistics and terrain advantages to fight a protracted war of attrition with the hard-working Potts army. The key to deciding the outcome is the powerful navy of the city-state of Yalun and the well-trained Kibata warriors.
After the Potts army retreated, the Heaton Peninsula fell into low-intensity but frequent civil war conflicts. This was also the period when the social classes were most divided. The residents in the city-states of Heaton are complex, including nobles and citizens. Of course, nobles also enjoy citizenship. The so-called citizens and civilians or free people are not a concept, but adult men who enjoy the political power of the city-state.
During the period of the city-state alliance fighting for hegemony, more and more free people lost their land and citizenship due to various reasons. These free people didn't have much choice in order to make a living. They would become mercenaries in times of war, and they would fight for whoever gave them money, no matter who the opponent was. In this case, many wars between city-states are only resolved by conquest or surrender, rather than fighting to the death.
Those free people who have lost their land often have nothing to do when there is no war, and often go to various businesses or farms to do short-term labor. Outside the farm where Amon was located, there were many such people.
Amon came to the avenue outside the vineyard early in the morning, and he yelled: "People who have nothing to do, who can help me finish the work in the vineyard?"
Soon someone came up and asked, "Do you want to hire short-term labor, and how much will you pay?"
Amon stretched out a finger, and said a generous and surprising reward: "Work until sunset, and pay one silver coin per person."
Many people happily entered the vineyard and began to work. When the sun was high, Amon was still standing at the gate of the vineyard to hire people. Someone came to ask for the wages. He still asked for a silver coin, and more people walked into the vineyard to be busy. stand up. At noon, Amon was still standing in front of the door hiring people, and workers continued to enter the vineyard. In the afternoon, Amon was still standing in front of the door, and the price he offered was still one silver coin.
There was a busy scene in the vineyard. After the sun went down, the workers came out one after another. Amon was still standing at the door, his feet hadn't moved since sunrise, paying each hired worker who walked out of the vineyard, one silver coin per person.
The workers who entered the vineyard early in the morning shouted unhappily: "It's not fair! We worked all day under the scorching sun, while the workers who came in the afternoon only worked for a while, why are they all paid the same?"
Amon replied: "Because I promised them that the salary is a silver coin, and I must keep my promise."
The workers who entered the garden in the morning shouted dissatisfiedly: "But we have done more work than them, and we deserve more rewards!"
Amon said again: "But you also promised me, the reward is a silver coin, and you must keep your promise."
Some people still wanted to argue, but at this time, the majestic Mei Danzuo came across the road on a tall horse. Seeing that the intentions were not good, everyone took their wages and quickly dispersed. Medanzuo got off his horse and saluted Amon. Amon smiled and said, "Medanzuo, you came just in time, otherwise I'm afraid I'll be beaten up. Come and evaluate this matter, am I right?"
Mei Danzuo blinked and said, "My God, what you said just now is completely correct, but no farmer would do such a thing. What is your purpose?"
Amon fell into deep thought, and answered after a while: "I'm just creating some troublesome things, let's see how people will react?"
Medanzo said: "You have done nothing wrong. You have not only given these idle people a chance to work, let them get paid far more than the job itself, but also expressed your commitment to the promise and to The generosity of the laborer."
Amon smiled: "But I didn't do anything right. Things in the world have their own reasons, and human nature also has human characteristics. If I come back tomorrow morning, I'm afraid I won't be able to hire anyone."
Amon's prediction was right. When he came to the gate of the vineyard early the next morning, there were many people wandering around, but no one was willing to work in the vineyard. Amon summoned: "People who have nothing to do in the sun, why don't you work? If there is no one to hire, then come and help me with the work. When I work until sunset, I would like to pay you a silver coin."
But no one came, everyone was waiting. A few newcomers who didn't know about it heard that the salary was so good and wanted to accept the employment, but they were stopped by the person next to them and whispered a few words, so they stood still. Even if someone wants to enter the vineyard, it is not good to come here again under such circumstances, otherwise they will be ridiculed as stupid by everyone.
People waited and waited until sunset in the afternoon. But after noon, Amon turned around and walked into the vineyard, and he was never seen coming out until sunset. In the afternoon, there was already a group of people gathered around the gate of the vineyard, shouting, "We are going to work in the vineyard, where is that man named Amon? Why doesn't he keep his word!"
Medanzuo walked out of the vineyard and said with a straight face: "When did Amon say he would hire people in the afternoon? When he couldn't hire workers, he naturally left."
The crowd dispersed again, and Medanzuo walked into the vineyard and saw Amon, and said with a smile: "My God, you are bad enough, you are just kidding me!"
Amon smiled and asked back: "Then what have they lost? I have never deceived a single word, but they think they are smart, but they think they have been deceived."
Mei Danzuo didn't say much, just smiled and said, "You can hire enough workers tomorrow."
Medanzuo's prediction was really good. When Amon appeared at the gate of the vineyard early the next morning, there were already many people waiting here. Amon still expressed his willingness to hire them, and the wages were one silver coin when they worked until sunset. All the work in the vineyard was done for that day.
After the workers left, Medanzuo asked Amon again, "My God, I want to know what you think about these three days?"
Amon pondered: "People can't blame me, but in the past three days, what I did did not conform to common sense, it just showed my free will. And the choices people make are based on their reactions and feelings. When People in the world are used to the so-called human nature, and often ignore the simplest thinking, when they make all choices—what is the original and most fundamental purpose?"
The story of Amon in the vineyard is roughly like this. People regard him as a stubborn and weird person, but his boss, Aesop, is quite tolerant to him.
The situation on the Heaton Peninsula was just as Aesop predicted. The Yalun Alliance launched a sea expedition, but lost to Kibata in the land battle. The business routes with many city-states were cut off, and they lost their status as economic hegemony. The city-state of Midori has also been affected more and more seriously. This winter seems to have become extremely cold, and how merchants can get out of their predicament has become the hottest topic in the city-state.
Aesop became good friends with Thales, the sage of Midori. Thales often preached his views on everything in the city-state square. He has two famous sayings, one is "water is the source of everything". He told people that changes in water, air, and ice also exist in all things in the world, and the world we can see is made up of matter. Another of his famous sayings is "God exists in all things". Whether you understand them or not, everything in this world has its reason and way of existence.
Thales is very knowledgeable and has traveled far to many countries in the Tianshu Continent. He imparted various knowledge to the people in the square. For example, he once told the craftsman how to measure the height beyond the reach of the ladder. You can use a ruler to measure the length of the shadow on the ground, and calculate it according to the same ratio. He also explained the astronomy and calendar to people. The content was so complicated that few people could understand it, but he declared that this knowledge was very useful, and he also predicted the occurrence of solar eclipses.
So someone questioned Thales and said: "Most of the residents in Midori City are merchants. They are not merchants but also merchants' buddies. What everyone is interested in is making money. If your so-called knowledge can't make more money, what else can you do?" What's the use? As for whether a solar eclipse will happen in the sky, that's just a matter for the gods!"
After hearing this, Thales said to Aesop: "Since this is the case, I have a business to do. Are you willing to cooperate with me? If you are willing to contribute, I will give you half of the proceeds."
Aesop replied with a smile: "I am very willing, as much money as you need, just take it."
A well-meaning person next to him persuaded: "How can you trust such a pedant who can only talk? He is indeed very knowledgeable, but how can he do business!" Aesop laughed and said nothing.
During the winter, Aesop contributed capital to Thales, and Thales used the money to rent many olive presses. At that time, no one argued with Thales, and they all felt that this matter was inexplicable, and they were waiting to see the joke between Thales and Aesop.
Thales, who was proficient in astronomy, predicted a bumper harvest of olives in the mountains near the city-state in the next year, but due to the impact of the war, it was difficult to transport these olives out. Fresh olives cannot be stored for a long time, and must be squeezed into oil as soon as possible for storage.
Olive oil has always been one of the most important export materials of the Yalun League. Even if the trade is temporarily blocked, the merchants will store it and wait for it to be shipped to foreign countries for sale in the future. So Thales earned a lot of money. He didn't need to operate the oil extractors himself, and he didn't need to hire people to extract the oil. He only needed to sublease all the oil extractors at a higher price.
The sage said to everyone in the city-state square: "Knowledge is wealth, and the so-called wealth is not just what you see. It's not that my knowledge can't make money, it's just that what I want is not the case."
Aesop also made a fortune silently, and made a lot of money with Thales, and Amon was silently paying attention to these things from beginning to end.
…
Another autumn is coming, the products of the city-state of Midori cannot be shipped out in time, and the import of materials from the outside world is also blocked, and the prices of wheat grain and wine produced in Aesop's farm are soaring. The old man not only earned a lot of money, but also proved his warning to the merchants in this city-state.
Amon has stayed in Midori for a year, and as a farmer, he ushered in a good harvest season. When the grapes are ripe, laborers need to be hired to harvest them. One day he came outside the vineyard, and before he could shout, a man came over and asked, "God Amon, do you want to hire someone to harvest the grapes? If I help you pick all the grapes in the garden, are you going to How much will you pay me?"
Amon was slightly taken aback. He had seen this person in the theater in Yalun City, and he was Zeus walking in the world.
The person who should come has finally arrived. Ever since Hermes appeared in front of Aesop's shop, Amon had thought that there would be today. Zeus called him "God Amon" instead of "Amon", which is tantamount to revealing his identity. At the same time Zeus spoke, Amon also confirmed one thing. The person he saw was Zeus himself who came to the world directly from the Olympus Heaven, not any incarnation.
Amon smiled and replied: "Zeus, if you are willing to accept my employment and can complete all the work, I can give you a god stone as a reward."
Zeus walked into the vineyard, but Amon was still standing at the door. Zeus turned back and said, "Farmers outside Midori, don't you come in to oversee the work?"
Amon still smiled and replied: "I don't need a supervisor, even if you are a hired worker, what you make is also a promise from the gods."