135 Commerce

We didn't have to wait long for a reply from the city, a few extra days with an empty stomach turned out to be a good motivator for the residents. No matter how rich you are... you will not satisfy your hunger with gold, of course you can buy something with it, but if you have nothing to buy... gold and silver becomes a useless metal.

After opening the gates, I sent Saddat and Selim to disarm the guards, soldiers and civilians, weapons in the wrong hands could cause an accident... but I forbade killing the townspeople, on the principle that it is better to shear sheep than to kill.

"Lord, the city is secured, there may be someone hiding some weapons, but we probably got most of it." (Selim)

A weapon could be anything, a common knife or an ax, so I didn't care if someone left a saber or other melee weapon, the only thing I wanted was to seize a firearm, especially gunpowder.

"Well, probably the people are now expecting to feed them... we have looted a lot of food in the area, and herds of goats and sheep. Set up a market in the main square of the city where the people can buy food... In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, one chicken costs 5 penny, and one ram costs 30 penny... As there is a war and times are hard for everyone, let's agree that one ram or goat will cost the equivalent of 1 thaler, and one chicken will cost 50 penny." (MC)

"Residents may be dissatisfied with this..." (Saddat)

I was going to squeeze as much wealth out of them as I could, robbery of the inhabitants could cause unrest or riot... setting high prices, it probably won't be well received, but people have to eat anyway.

"I will not force them to eat, it is their choice." (MC)

"There were four foreigners in the city, they say they are merchants and they want to meet you." (Saddat)

The presence of foreigners was not a big shock for me, the city was part of the silk route so it was obvious that foreign merchants used to come here, it was rather strange that they wanted to meet me. The first rule how to behave in an occupied city... not to draw attention to yourself... I told Saddat to bring them to one of the buildings we had occupied, and from which I made my headquarters.

"My name is Prince Wilkomir Michał Jazłowiecki-Ostrogski, Field Hetman of the Polish Kingdom. As you can see I am a very busy person, not wasting time, what do you want from me?" (MC)

"My name is Edward Staper, we are English merchants and subjects..." (Edward Staper)

Something started to dawn in my head, I stopped listening to this Englishman's chatter and let my thoughts follow their own path... a few seconds later I caught a scrap of information... Levant Company.

Grabbing that one thread, I managed to reach the ball...

"Are you the merchants of the Levant Company?" (MC)

"I just said it, Lord." (Edward Staper)

"I just wanted to make sure... and would you like me to provide you with protection or a safe trip to Venice?" (MC)

"Yes Lord, our company and neither country has anything to do with this war, so please..."

"I know what you are asking for and I will send you to Venice, but you are wrong if you say that neither you nor your country has anything to do with this war. I will tell you a story..." (MC)

The four of them looked at me curiously, they were too young to know this... but I was a walking history textbook, especially if it concerned my country.

"Your company was founded in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, but my story begins later, during the reign of James I... trade flourished. However, your King did not like the Ottoman Empire, he dreamed of creating a coalition and regaining Constantinople. Nevertheless, your company sold Turkish weapons and helped them modernize the army, and when the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth asked for a loan for the war with the Ottoman Empire... someone influential blocked these efforts." (MC)

"Lord, I don't know anything about it and this is the first time I hear about it, it's probably a mistake, our company trades in textiles, not weapons." (Edward Staper)

"Yes, a mistake... As you can see, your country and company has a lot to do with this war. Many of my countrymen died because of your weapons, but I cannot blame you for other people's mistakes. As I promised you will go to Venice, but never come back to the Empire here, because when we meet again I will not be so kind." (MC)

A bit of fear but also a feeling of relief, the English left my quarters, and I called Saddat and explained everything to him.

(Saddat / Edward Staper POV)

"You can tell your master that when we return to the Kingdom of England, I will personally protest at how we were treated." (Edward Staper)

"You yourself could have told Hetman that... but mice are only brave when they cannot see the cat... and I am not your messenger, Jew." (Saddat)

"I am not a Jew." (Edward Staper)

"Here the merchants are mostly Armenians, Jews, Venetians or Genoese... but no matter who you are, I only have to take you to the port." (Saddat)

Few minutes later.

"But there's no ship here?" (Edward Staper)

"Hetman said you can go to Venice, he didn't promise you a ship. Take off your clothes and get in the water, then head west." (Saddat)

"It's over a thousand kilometers, we will drown... Your master is a madman." (Edward Staper)

"If you are lucky you will drown. I heard that there are monsters living in the sea that feed on human flesh." (Saddat)

"No, you won't make us do this." (Edward Staper)

"The Hetman anticipated your reaction. You have a choice, water or earth... either you swim or we bury you alive." (Saddat)

The men slowly took off their clothes and they entered the sea, the water now reaching their waist.

"Did I stutter? SWIM KUTLYAK !" (Saddat)

(End POV)

There was nothing personal about it... well, maybe a little. Killing four English merchants won't change anything, but I felt better and at least one good thing must be done every day... but now I will have to do a few worse things unfortunately.