CHAPTER 334: CHAPTER 213 NIX FINANCE DEPARTMENT

"In fact, if your wooden token is damaged, making a new one yourself isn’t a big problem, as long as you carve the exact same number from the original token onto the new one. This number corresponds to the information recorded when you registered with the Agricultural Department.

However, if you forge any other number and once it’s suspected, compared against the records of the Agricultural Department, proving you are not who the record says you are, you will have violated the tribe’s decree and will face severe punishment!"

Emmerich’s warning made many quickly put their wooden tokens close to their bodies, and some looked at the numbers on the tokens repeatedly, feeling that these strange symbols were filled with mystery.

Emmerich led them to the Civil Affairs Department courtyard next door for registration.

The registration room was similar to the Agricultural Department, with rows of wooden shelves piled with papyrus and wood boards. The Civil Affairs Bureau also used the newly made paper.

However, the registration process was relatively simple. A subordinate just wrote down Gowes’s name, his Reserve Tribe Member number, and the registration date, then solemnly said: "Gowes, you joined the tribe and became a Reserve Tribe Member on March 5th, the second year of the Nix Tribe’s establishment. Please remember this day well.

If all goes well, in three years’ time, you will become an Official Tribe Member of the Nix Tribe, owning 50 acres of land! Of course, if during these three years, you make significant contributions to the tribe and earn rewards, shortening the time for you to become an Official Tribe Member, you would return here to register again!

Work hard, Gowes, I hope you can soon become one of our Official Tribe Members! Come, put your handprint here first!"

The Civil Affairs Bureau subordinate’s words were very encouraging. After hearing Emmerich’s translation, Gowes couldn’t help but become serious. He dipped his finger in some ink, took a deep breath, and pressed his handprint firmly on the paper.

When everyone finished registering and came out of the Civil Affairs Department courtyard, most people’s spirits had noticeably changed from before because hope for the future had been planted in their hearts.

After leaving the Civil Affairs Department, Emmerich took them into the Finance Department’s courtyard. They were no longer received by department subordinates, but by Chief Officer Gaius, who greeted them with a smile: "Emmerich, you’ve come here today to receive supplies for your new Skodisqi compatriots, right?"

"Yes, there are seventy-three in total. They’ve completed the registration at the Agricultural Department and Civil Affairs Department successively and received their tokens."

"Then follow me, you’re here at the perfect time. The Pottery Workshop opened several kilns these days, producing a large batch of pots and bowls, so your new compatriots won’t have to receive rudimentary wooden bowls and cups anymore."

"That’s great! Are there any linen sheets?"

"Unfortunately, there aren’t any... No way around it, the Aldeans grow too little flax, barely enough for themselves, and they’re unwilling to sell it to us. Pigeris has already suggested in a meeting, ’allowing tribe members to offset some of their land taxes by submitting flax,’ hoping to encourage tribe members to plant flax. I believe by next year our Weaving Workshop will use flax to weave cloth. For now, they can only collect a small amount of wool, and the woven blankets are quite valuable and cannot be given to Reserve Tribe Members...

However, you don’t need to worry too much. It’s spring now, the nights aren’t that cold, and with hearths, you can sleep well without a sheet."

"You’re right." Emmerich replied and casually asked, "Gaius, every time you lead the way personally, why don’t you let one of your subordinates do this simple task?"

"They’re busy! Since we settled here, we’ve been building various facilities, constantly receiving new materials such as wood, stone bricks, and cement into the warehouse, and constantly sending out materials for consumption. My subordinates are busy recording and verifying these materials every day, fearful of making mistakes!

Now that the market has opened, we also have to verify the commerce tax records sent by the Commerce Department daily, keeping us extremely busy. I’m the only one with a bit of free time, so..." Gaius shrugged, looking rather helpless.

From Emmerich and Gaius’s frequent interactions, it seemed that this Chief Officer of the Finance Department was a considerate and hardworking superior, though Emmerich also heard others say that Gaius was perfunctory and indifferent to his work when in Italy and was not favored by the leader. His current diligence was to make up for past mistakes.

Of course, Emmerich was not foolish enough to share this view with Gaius. He was curious and asked, "I’ve been busy in the hospital recently and wonder what things can be bought at the market now?"

"The first things sold in the market were various furniture made by the Furniture Workshop. Subsequently, the Weaving Workshop put various straw shoes, baskets, and bags made of reeds and straw for sale, along with a few woven wool blankets and cloths. Now, the Pottery Workshop is also selling its products in the market... These items are very cheap, so many tribesmen go to the market to buy things. It’s getting quite lively there; you should really check it out!"

"Is everyone still buying on credit notes?"

"Of course, everyone has no money now and can only write credit notes, paying back with grain after the autumn harvest. However, these credit notes are increasing, and we, the Finance Department, are responsible for them, which is very exhausting!"

"Indeed, every department has it tough now." Emmerich sighed, "But on the flip side, it’s also a great thing! It shows our tribe is vibrant and developing rapidly!"

"Ha ha, you’re absolutely right!"

...

The two continued chatting as they walked and soon reached their destination.

This place was once where the Segestica people stored war materials, and has now become the warehouse area of the Finance Department. Because of this, a simple wooden fence was built around it, with soldiers guarding the perimeter. The central area of the warehouse used to be a large open space, but now it’s full of timber piles. There are four tall, long storerooms around it.

Gaius led them to the outermost storeroom, whose door was open with a long wooden table blocking the entrance. A person sat behind it, stood up to greet Gaius as he approached.

"Arisacus, another batch of Reserve Tribe Members have come today. Please help them collect their supplies."

"Sure." Arisacus glanced at Gowes and the others, then entered the storeroom, laboriously pushing out a large wooden basket filled with pots, followed by another basket filled with bowls.

Meanwhile, Emmerich had already lined up the tribesmen, with Gowes standing at the front of the line.

After pushing out a basket of straw shoes, Arisacus returned to his seat and said in halting Illyrian, "Give me your token."

Gowes complied.

Arisacus examined the token carefully and, after confirming the other person’s name, wrote down the name and number on a piece of paper, then took a pair of straw shoes and a wooden spoon, along with a pot and a bowl, placing them on the table.

Then he said, "These are the items issued to you Reserve Tribe Members by the tribe. Check them well for any issues. If there aren’t any, put your handprint on the paper."

This Nix Tribe actually gives supplies... Gowes was a bit taken aback as he looked at the items on the table: although the shoes were woven from straw, they were finely made; the pot and bowl gleamed black and smooth to the touch, with no obvious flaws. The pottery walls were thick, feeling heavy when held... clearly not crudely made cheap goods.

"This pottery looks pretty good!" Emmerich’s praise sounded in his ear.

"Of course." Gaius picked up the conversation, complimenting, "Don’t be fooled by the fact that the Pottery Workshop was established not long ago; these potters are making pottery here for the first time, but they’re the best potters from Sarabia. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have brought them here.

When they delivered the pottery, they specifically mentioned that the soil here was suitable for making black pottery. They still need some time to explore further to create better pottery.

Since the tribe is in urgent need of pottery now, they have to make it quickly to meet the tribesmen’s needs. Later, when there’s more time, they will let the bottle painters paint patterns on the pottery blanks for firing, creating real pottery art...

The pottery they sent is relatively simple; the truly beautiful and complex pottery has been sent to the market to sell. We’ve strictly reviewed the pottery sent here, sending back any with chips or cracks, so you can be completely assured."

Having been slaves in the Pannonian Tribe for more than a decade, these Skodisqi people always worked barefoot and ate communally using a single spoon from a pot. Now that they owned their shoes and utensils, they felt quite moved.

Someone immediately put on the straw shoes, walking back and forth in front of the storeroom, continuously saying, "So comfortable, so comfortable!"

Only Gowes remained silent.

Emmerich noticed and walked over to say softly, "How is it? The Nix Tribe treats its Reserve Tribe Members fairly well, right?"

Gowes hesitated a moment and said, "...They just want us to work hard."

Emmerich said no more, took his leave from Gaius, and concernedly asked the tribesmen, "Are you tired?"

"Not tired! Not tired!" The tribesmen, still excited after receiving their goods, all shook their heads.

"Originally, I should have taken you to the Reserve Tribe Members’ residential area, but many of you are injured, and I see some injuries are quite severe, so we must treat you immediately. Therefore, I’ll take you to the hospital first."

"Sage, will you treat our wounds?"

"Sage, what is a hospital?"

...

The tribesmen asked in succession.

"Follow me, you’ll find out soon." Emmerich didn’t want to waste time explaining further and quickly led them to a relatively large courtyard.