NOVEL WEB
Chapter 262: Riot
On April 15, 1991 of the Holy Calendar, a horseman galloped furiously into Port Fran, heading straight for the town hall.
Upon reaching the entrance of the town hall, the rider tumbled off the horse and fell to the ground. The guards stationed there rushed forward to help him up.
Gasping for air, with his chest heaving dramatically from the relentless ride, he managed to utter, “Rebellion! The commoners have rebelled! I must see the Mayor, I need to see the Mayor.”
Hearing the word ‘rebellion’, the guards, not taking any chances, frisked him thoroughly before quickly escorting him into the town hall.
Half an hour later, the internal security forces and militia of Port Fran hastily assembled and headed towards the city gates, only to be shocked to find them closed. It was unprecedented, as ever since the Lord had exterminated the pirates and cracked down on crime, the gates had never been closed during the day.
Many believed that something significant must have occurred.
…
“Those are my initial thoughts…”
At the naval base in Port Fran, Austin was discussing recent operational plans with the top brass of the navy.
Recently, the staff headquarters in Lakeheart Town had decided on a two-front offensive. After the army had seized half of the Emden territory, the navy was expected to make a significant contribution to the war. Naturally, Austin was all for it.
However, he was dissatisfied with the conservative expectations of the staff headquarters, which only tasked the navy with sailing up the Weiss River against the current, blockading the river ports within the territories of the Marltz-Kent forces in the eastern region.
He felt this underestimated their capabilities. In Austin’s view, only by capturing a territory like the first and third army regiments could the navy truly demonstrate its strength.
He decided to divide the navy, equipped with six sailing warships, into three fleets, each comprising two warships.
– The commander of the first fleet was Major Quik;
– The commander of the second fleet was Major Yarman;
– The commander of the third fleet was Major Tirpitz.
The plan was for the first fleet to patrol the seas outside Port Fran, while the second and third fleets would advance eastward along the river. Quik had gained fame in exploring new routes, and it was time for others to shine.
As they were about to delve into the details of the operation, a guard rushed into the meeting room.
“Colonel, Mayor Theodore urgently requests your presence at the town hall for an emergency meeting. It’s very urgent, please go immediately.”
Austin, puzzled, asked, “Very urgent?”
“Yes, that’s what the messenger said.”
“Alright, I’ll head there right away.”
…
Upon Austin’s arrival at the town hall’s meeting room, it was already crowded with many officials. There was Mayor Theodore’s administrative advisor, Old Peter, the local conscription office chief, and various other officials, indicating that the meeting had been going on for a while.
“Colonel Austin, there’s a major crisis!”
Seeing the naval commander enter, Mayor Theodore stood up abruptly.
“Mayor, please calm down. What happened?”
Austin found a seat and asked methodically.
“The salt workers have rebelled!”
“What? Rebellion?” Austin, who had just sat down, stood up again in shock.
“Yes, Mr. Baden just sent someone to inform us of this news.”
“Who is Mr. Baden?”
“He is a local gentry of Faber Village and also the tax farmer of the area.”
“I’d like to know more about the specifics.”
Mayor Theodore then recounted the details of the salt workers’ rebellion.
According to the message brought by a servant of the Baden household, the trouble began a couple of days ago during a tax collection. As usual, Lord Baden, the tax farmer, sent his men to collect taxes.
However, the salt workers, for reasons unknown, defied the sacred authority granted to Lord Baden by the lord of the land and refused to pay taxes. In response, Lord Baden, acting upon his duty and power, sent more men to press for tax payment, possibly with some harsh words. To everyone’s surprise, the stubborn villagers attacked and injured the tax collectors, with only a few managing to escape back, battered and bloodied. The fate of those who didn’t escape remains unknown.
Moreover, the rioters then collectively surrounded Baden’s village. Under their instigation, many villagers and serfs from nearby also joined the riot, significantly bolstering their ranks.
The mob re-entered Lord Baden’s estate, ransacking, looting, burning, and killing indiscriminately. Many in the estate were brutally murdered.
With no other option, Lord Baden had to escape through a secret tunnel from his house and took refuge in a hidden farm, from where he sent a servant on horseback to report to the town hall in Port Fran.
After hearing the full story, Austin remained silent. He did not believe the portrayal of ‘Lord Baden’ as an innocent victim as described by the servant. These tax farmers were often like blood-sucking leeches, exploiting their power to shift their tax burdens onto the common people. How could any of them be considered qualified if they didn’t do so?
The naval commander asked, “So, Mayor, what do you need from me?”
Mayor Theodore replied, “I would like to request the navy to dispatch sailors to help us maintain order.”
Austin frowned, “For a potential combat mission like this, I must seek instructions from the staff headquarters. Besides, according to the rules set by the Count, both the navy and the army are for external use. Shouldn’t internal conflicts like this be handled by the internal security forces?”
Theodore shook his head, “Port Fran only has one platoon of internal security forces, which is far too few. Even with the militia, we barely have a few hundred men. According to the messenger, the rioters have probably rallied many villagers, and their numbers might have already exceeded two thousand. I don’t feel confident about a victory. The navy has firearms and cannons; only your deployment can quickly quell the disturbance. Colonel, you don’t need to worry about breaking the rules. I’ve already sent a message to Lakeheart Town for permission, and we should receive a response by tomorrow. In the meantime, please have your troops assist in defending Port Fran. I fear the rioters might grow in number and attack here. Once we receive approval from Lakeheart Town, you can then move to suppress them.”
Austin nodded, “That’s not a problem. After all, Port Fran is the base of the navy, and defending it is our undeniable duty. I will also dispatch scouts to gather intelligence on their strengths.”
He stood up, “Given the urgency of the situation, if there’s nothing else, I’ll return to the base now to arrange for the troops to assist in defending the town.”
“That would be great, thank you.”
After Austin left, Theodore sighed in relief and slumped back into his chair.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had such an incident. Why did it have to happen during my tenure? These rioters are detestable.”
Sitting beside him, advisor Old Peter remarked, “Mayor, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions just yet. The salt workers around here have always been law-abiding. Such actions must have some unknown and compelling reasons behind them.”
“No matter their reasons, robbery and murder are wrong! Besides, we are currently at war with the usurpers. Isn’t this just dragging us down? These foolish men and women have no sense of the bigger picture or right and wrong!” Mayor Theodore said bitterly.