Chapter 437
In the morning, the dew had not dried yet and the air was slightly cool.
In the woods northwest of Cuisi City, a large number of refugees gathered there, and there were probably several thousand people.
Cheng Yu brought Antoine and dozens of his followers to the refugee gathering place in Cuisi City to see if the refugees here could be used for their own purposes.
It was morning now, and the refugees gathered in groups of three or five to sleep in front of the bonfire.
Antoine walked in front, glanced at the surrounding woods, walked to a young refugee who was awake, and said in a rough voice, "You, come here, our lord wants to ask you a question."
The nobles and civilians of the Black Sun Empire were in two different classes, and the nobles had absolute authority.
Although the refugee youth was unhappy with Antoine's attitude, he didn't say anything when he heard Antoine asked him to see a certain lord, and followed Antoine obediently.
Coming in front of Cheng Yu, the refugee youth knelt down, "Good morning, noble sir."
Cheng Yu looked at the refugee youth's dress, ragged clothes, unkempt hair, unshaven beard, and old mud all over his body.
It is impossible for them to look like this after fleeing for one or two days. They have been fleeing for at least one month.
In other words, these people have fled here from far away.
"Tell me, who are you? Why are you fleeing?"
"To answer your noble sir, we are mountain people from the Southeast Province. Two months ago, the Dark Tide disaster broke out in the Southeast Province. We had to leave our homes and flee all the way." The refugee youth answered truthfully.
"What is the Dark Tide?"
Cheng Yu muttered to himself in confusion. It was the first time he heard this term.
"I haven't heard of it before. The people of the Imperial Palace Magic Team said that it is called the Dark Tide. In fact, it is a kind of black fog that spreads everywhere. People or animals contaminated by the black fog will all become crazy dark creatures. Most of the southeastern provinces were invaded by the dark tide. Some people escaped, and some people were contaminated by the black fog of the dark tide and became dark creatures without self-awareness."
Cheng Yu touched his chin and frowned in thought. There are a total of 16 provinces in the Black Sun Empire, and each province has many main cities under its jurisdiction. Most of the southeastern provinces have suffered. The dark tide disaster is quite serious.
However, the Black Sun Empire is fine, why did the dark tide disaster break out?
"What is the cause of the dark tide?" Cheng Yu asked again.
"I don't know. When we left, the people of the Black Sun Empire Palace Magic Team were investigating."
The Black Sun Empire Palace Magic Team was dispatched, which shows that the Black Sun Empire's top leaders attach great importance to this matter.
Could it be some treasure?
Cheng Yu secretly guessed in his heart that he was somewhat interested in the dark tidal disaster in the Southeast Province.
But that was all later. His purpose of coming here now was to recruit these refugees.
Many refugees had already gathered around.
Cheng Yu said to the refugees around him: "You are able to walk here from the Southeast Province. You have good physical fitness. Are you interested in going to my territory to open up wasteland?"
Beifeng Town, the third town of Egret Island, has been built. It is still an empty city now. These people can be sent to Beifeng Town to live.
Land reclamation is done by slaves, and the refugees look a little embarrassed.
The young man in front of him politely declined, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord. We are not interested in land reclamation. Let us continue to be refugees."
Population is a kind of wealth. Many lords on the road of escape are willing to accept refugees like them, but the lords are not philanthropists. Basically, they accept them as slaves.
This lord asked them to open up wasteland, obviously to make them slaves.
Refugees are free people after all. Once they become slaves, they become the private property of the lord and work for the lord for free all their lives. The nature of the two is completely different.
Therefore, these people would rather be refugees than slaves, and they fled all the way from the southeast province to the vicinity of Cuisi City.
Cheng Yu's handsome face showed a trace of displeasure. These people didn't want to go with him, and he couldn't kneel down and beg them to go.
Antoine, who was standing aside, saw the change in Cheng Yu's expression and scolded the refugees, "You ignorant lowly people, the lord allowed you to go to Bailu Island to open up wasteland, which is a supreme favor. No matter how much land you open up, the land use rights you open up belong to you. Not only that, the lord will also give you free seeds, farm tools, and houses. The agricultural tax rate is only 1%. How many people are scrambling to open up wasteland for the lord, but the lord didn't agree."
Everyone was shocked when they heard this.
The land use rights of the land opened up belong to themselves, and free seeds, farm tools, and houses are provided. This lord is simply a great philanthropist.
"Really? Lord."
Someone asked Cheng Yu eagerly to confirm the truth.
"My territory is on a deserted island and I need people to open up the wasteland."
"Of course, such generous conditions can alsoIt could be a scam to trick you into being slaves on Bailu Island. Opportunities and risks coexist. You make your own choices. Those who are willing to go to Bailu Island to open up wasteland can sign up here. Those who don't want to go can do whatever they want. "
Cheng Yu explained the pros and cons to the refugees.
The refugees hesitated. Just as Cheng Yu said, opportunities and risks coexist. Behind the favorable conditions, it may be a scam.
But if it is true, it will be a great bargain.
"Antoine, you set up a point here. Those who are willing to go to Bailu Island will sign up first. Ask Carter for a boat, and send those who are willing to open up wasteland to Beifeng Town and arrange accommodation for them." Cheng Yu instructed Antoine.
"Yes, Lord. "
Antoine asked his men to set up a registration point here. Those who want to go to Bailu Island to open up wasteland can register here.
Cheng Yu gave the task of recruiting new subjects to Antoine, and he became a hands-off boss and returned to Bailu Island alone.
Back to the manor.
Cheng Yu found Heline.
"Helene, do you have a way to fight against the dark power?"
"Yes, why are you asking this?"
As the goddess of light, Heline has N ways to fight against the dark power.
"A dark tide broke out in the southeastern province of the Black Sun Empire. I want to go and see if I can pick up any treasures."
Cheng Yu now has a power of up to 480,000, far exceeding the ninth-level strongman, but the range of the dark tide affects most of the southeastern province. It can be imagined how powerful the source of the dark tide is.
Cheng Yu is still a little unconfident. It is safer to ask Heline for something to fight against the dark power.
"Do you want me to go with you? "
"No, you stay at home and take care of your baby, I'll go alone."
Cheng Yu was idle in the manor for a while, and felt too bored, so he went to see what caused the dark tide in the southeast province.
"Okay."
Helene pulled out a long black hair from her head and handed it to Cheng Yu, "You carry this hair with you, it can protect you from any dark power."
Cheng Yu put the black hair in his arms.