Chapter 21: The Mercenary Market (Part 2)
"I really admire Chief Davers. He not only commands the battle, but also has ideas about doing business! He put forward many valuable suggestions, such as at the entrance of the market, I was going to guard it with two fully armed soldiers. The leader said, "This won't work, it will scare the customers who come to trade. We have to consider the customer's feelings," so it became what you see. Now it seems that the customers' reaction is very good... Haha... By the way, these weighers are also his suggestions, and there are still many such suggestions. The reason why this market can become so lively in just twenty days is mainly due to his credit! I think even if he is not a mercenary, he can definitely become a big businessman with his talent!" These words from the bottom of his heart.
"Yes, it's really unexpected." Bulcos said in response, thinking something in his heart.
He turned around and walked towards the market, and Maliji hurriedly followed and served as a guide.
As the crowded crowds moved forward, the first stall was of course the mercenaries themselves, so the area was large, and there were many strange objects and exquisite gold and silverware in different categories... There were many people stopping here, watching, and asking for the price.
"Melsis!" Marigi shouted.
The fat man who was directing the slaves to carry items behind the stall looked back and immediately said arrogantly: "Mariji, are you here to congratulate me?! I have sold a lot of goods today!"
Before Mariji answered, he saw Bulcos and immediately smiled on his face: "Bulcos, you come to buy things too. Just so happen that I have a good thing here, guess what it is?" As he said that, he raised the thing in his hand, and the golden light shone with flowers and eyes: it was a thin silver rope, with small golden pieces as thin as cicada wings, forming an inverted triangle, and a silver rope was pulled out from the top...
Marigi's eyes shrank, and she heard Mercis shouting, "Marigi, don't talk!"
"What is this?" Moras asked curiously.
Seeing everyone curiously gathering around, Melsis put on a wretched smile, and said mysteriously: "This is the gift from Little Cyrus to his most beautiful concubine. It is a wonderful thing specially created by the best goldsmith of Persia for Little Cyrus to provide that kind of fun! Guess where will Little Cyrus' beloved concubine wear it?"
"Is it...below..." someone shouted uncertainly.
"I've answered correctly, it seems you are very experienced!" After Melsis said, there was a burst of ambiguous laughter around him.
"It is said that the little Cyrus' beloved concubine wears it every night, and together with the little Cyrus... Well... When the little Cyrus died in battle, his beloved concubine was captured by the king of Persia. This thing was left in the barracks and was picked up by our soldiers." Melsis held up a golden chain and waved past everyone: "You sniff... There may be the body fragrance of the little Cyrus' beloved concubine! I wanted to stay by myself, but unfortunately I don't have a wife yet. Think about it, if you buy it home, you can feel the joy of the Persian royal family with your wife or lover!"
After hearing this, Bulcos was also a little moved.
A person next to him was already shouting: "How much is it? I bought it!"
When Burkos saw it, he actually knew that he was a businessman from the Silit City State.
"Not expensive. Look, how exquisitely made this thing! Moreover, these are made of pure gold and are not light in weight!" Melsis pushed the gold chain with his hands, making a low "slam" sound: "The lowest price is... well... fifty Dalik gold coins."
"I will give out fifty-five gold coins, and this thing belongs to me!" cried the merchant of Xiliting.
"I'll give out sixty gold coins!" someone shouted.
"Hey, I bought it first!"
"But the price I paid is higher than you!"
"Sixty-five Dalik gold coins!"
...
Marigi did not expect that Melsis made up the rare living utensils of Persian nobles into royal goods, and made such a profit. However, he did not want to remind Melsis that if Cristoya heard about this, he would probably not have any good impression of him.
Seeing Bulcos squeeze out the crowd, he hurriedly followed.
"I see that there are merchants from other city-states here to come to buy and sell." Burks said.
"There are many. Tarantum, Silit, Colenia, Crotone and other city-states."
When he heard Crotone, Burcos' eyelids twitched.
At this time, Moras pointed at the dozen strong men in front of him and said, "These people are all soldiers from your military camp."
Maliji looked at it and replied: "It may be the warrior from the mercenary camp next to him."
"I think there are many soldiers buying things in this market. Do you think your soldiers are very rich?" Bulcos joked.
Mariji smiled perfunctorily and said, "You are a mercenary. After today, I don't even know if there is a tomorrow. Of course, you have to enjoy it when you have money."
When Burkos heard this, his expression was slightly dark and sighed: "Yes, it's not easy for anyone to live in this troubled time."
Marigi didn't say anything. In fact, the soldiers in Davers's military camp did not have such a state of mind. Davers inherited and carried forward Menon's approach, and he strengthened the role of the baggage battalion. During war, the soldiers handed over most of their property to the baggage battalion for storage, and even wrote clearly on the registration form of the baggage battalion who would inherit their property if misfortune occurred. So that after he died in battle, his relics could be handed over to the heirs...etc. And when the soldiers urgently needed money and the money was not enough, he could borrow money from the mercenary leader Davers. As long as it was reasonable, the baggage battalion's owed money would deduct the debts after borrowing from their monthly salary, and there was no interest... These practices in the military camp not only allowed the soldiers to reduce their concerns and fight with all their might, but also reduced the bad habits of gambling, usury, and big-legged flowers.
Mariji was sure that most of the soldiers who squandered money in the market were by no means from Davers's military camp, and the number of soldiers in the military camp was limited to the number of positions. A small team had only two places, and they had to return to the camp by time, otherwise they would be treated as military law.
Mariji witnessed with his own eyes: Davers had faced many criticisms and even almost disbanded in order to change the army, but he did not give in and finally survived. Now these soldiers can act according to military rules, most of the time they are either on the training ground, building camp facilities, or going to the baggage battalion to check how much their money has increased. From their scorching eyes with calm eyes, you can feel that this is no longer an ordinary mercenary.
Marigi had seen the Spartan army led by Crithops, which was a group of disciplined killing machines, but in addition to fighting, they lacked passion for life. He had also seen the Persian army, although it was large in number, it was scattered and lacked faith, especially the vassal army. Davers' army not only had the courage and discipline of the Spartans, but also had the belief of fighting to the death for a better survival, not to mention that they had a magical commander. What if Davers had not had two thousand men, but twenty thousand or thirty thousand men? This beautiful idea was one of the reasons that attracted Marigi to stay...
"I found that you sell everything in your market!" Bulcos's voice interrupted Marigi's thoughts.
"There is actually a blacksmith shop!"
"That's just a small shop to take orders. Turiyi won't let us enter the city, but our weapons must be repaired and purchased." Mariji defended.
"Then this one buys the clay pot?"
"We can't use our hands to drink water and cook soup."
“Clothing?”
"The soldiers' clothes have not been replaced for half a year. We can't let them wear armor when they are not fighting."
"Then this stone shop?"
"Our camp cannot only use trees, but the key location is to use stones to firmly use them."
"Where is this rig shop?! Don't tell me, you mercenaries are going to build a fleet!" Bulkos gathered anger on his face and shouted loudly: "You are robbing! You rob Turi's market and stole Turi's wealth!"
Mariji lowered his head and whispered: "There are not many goods to buy or sell—"
Chapter completed!