Chapter 224: Let’s Go
"We can’t fish in the sea anymore, so smuggling salt is the only way to survive. Besides, sea salt is a natural resource. Everyone should be able to use it. Why can only the government sell it, and not us commoners?" Desmond answered firmly.
"If that’s the case, let me ask you, who paid for the food supplies, cannons, and ammunition used in the Battle of Dunmere? How much silver did you, Desmond, contribute?" Simon smiled and said. "The Salt Transport Office contributes 10,000 caps of silver to the state treasury every month. If everyone thought like you, where would the army’s supplies come from? Who would defend against the reavers? And don’t tell me you gave that salt away for free."
Simon had used a bit of reverse psychology earlier and didn’t expect Desmond to really come forward. That showed Desmond was passionate and maybe worth saving.
"This... " Desmond was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he angrily said. "You’re right about the Battle of Dunmere and protecting the six cities. But has Your Highness considered the people of Ashenford? We’ve fished for generations, but now the pirates have taken everything from us. If we don’t sell salt, how do we survive?"
"Nonsense! Didn’t the government assign you farmland? Instead of farming, you blame His Highness!" Montey shouted, always frustrated by the salt smugglers and eager to punish them.
Desmond replied. "Our hands are made for rowing boats and casting nets, not for farming. How are we supposed to grow crops? And the farmland is so far from our village, how are we supposed to get there?"
Montey wanted to scold him more, but Simon stopped him.
"You say I don’t care about the lives of Ashenford’s people? Fine. I’ll give you a chance. Let’s take back your fishing grounds. Are you willing?" Simon said.
"Take back the fishing grounds?" Desmond laughed bitterly. "Your Highness, you probably haven’t seen these pirates. Their ships are bigger and better armed. Just a few of us, how can we drive them out?"
"What if I give you large ships, gather a thousand young men from Ashenford fishing villages, and arm you all?" Simon asked.
Desmond looked at Simon with suspicion. "Is Your Highness serious?"
"I am!" Simon replied firmly.
"You’re not going to punish us?"
"If you’re willing to join my navy, I’ll pardon your crimes," Simon said.
Laws must be flexible, and since Simon only mentioned the Dunmere battle and Desmond dared to show himself, it showed he wasn’t a treacherous person.
He just wanted to save his fellow villagers, proof of loyalty and righteousness.
Right now, Simon needed people. As a prince, he needed to be open-minded and not stuck on petty details.
"From now on, our lives belong to Your Highness?"
Smuggling salt was a crime punishable by death, but Simon chose to show mercy.
Desmond had heard of the prince’s noble character and, now seeing it for himself, felt completely loyal in his heart.
The gathered villagers gradually dispersed as the people of Bay Town Village were released from the prison one by one.
Upon seeing Desmond, an elderly woman suddenly knelt before Montey and said. "Governor, selling smuggled salt has nothing to do with Desmond. It was I who forced him into it. The villagers are all old now; the young ones either joined the army or were killed at sea. Those of us left behind can’t farm anymore. We only sold salt to survive."
"Mother, what are you doing? His Highness has already pardoned us." Desmond said, embarrassed.
"What?!" The old woman looked at the three men outside, two strangers and Montey, who wore a bitter smile.
Seeing her gaze, Montey sighed. "Desmond is right. This is His Highness, Prince Simon. If you want to thank anyone, thank him."
The old woman turned to Simon, trembling with emotion, and bowed deeply.
Simon quickly helped her up. "No need for such formalities. If your lives are difficult, that is my failure. I came to Ashenford to deal with the pirate problem."
The old woman’s eyes widened. "Your Highness... Is this true?"
Simon nodded.
Baldwin interjected. "My Lord, this isn’t the place to talk. Let’s return to the government office. Ashenford’s situation is no simpler than Dunmere’s."
Montey snapped back to attention. "Your Highness, Chief Baldwin is right. Pirates often lurk in Ashenford. We should discuss this inside."
After dismissing the other villagers, Simon took Desmond and the old woman to the government office.
Once seated, Simon asked. "As locals, tell me about the situation along Ashenford’s coast."
"I’ll explain," Desmond said eagerly. Not only had his crimes been pardoned, but he was also being recruited into the military. He was desperate to prove himself. "When my grandfather fished these waters, pirates weren’t this rampant. But by my father’s time, they infested the seas. Now, if we encounter them at sea, we’re either killed or enslaved."
"Your Highness, the timeline matches. The empire envoy’s murder in the Outside happened about twenty years ago." Baldwin noted.
Simon nodded. "What do these pirates look like? What kind of ships do they use?"
"They wear wooden sandals and tie their hair up. Their clothes are nothing like ours." Desmond said.
Simon sketched on paper. "Like this?"
"Yes! Exactly!" Desmond pointed. "As for their ships, we call them floating houses."
"Floating houses?"
Simon recognised the term from the system’s records. The description matched.
Montey added. "Your Highness, these pirates don’t just attack at sea; they raid coastal towns too. We’ve spotted them in Ashenford several times, though in small numbers. The richer southern regions suffer far worse."
"Only Ashenford’s poverty has spared us," Desmond muttered bitterly.
The three shared more about maritime conditions, and Simon asked about local fish species. Due to limited fishing methods, villagers only caught small coastal fish like pollock. Abalone was rare, as harvesting it required diving.
In modern times, this region was famous for abalone, a luxury due to transport difficulties. Fishing had once sustained the villagers, but pirate activity had made it too dangerous.
Simon faced many challenges. With the northern reavers threatening, he couldn’t focus solely on naval development. The galleons would serve dual purposes: overseas trade for crops like potatoes and coastal defence against pirates.
The saying ’Ten years to build an army, a hundred for a navy’ wasn’t a joke. Even fishermen rarely ventured far from shore, and neither did the pirates. Without landmarks, they’d be lost at sea forever.
Before long-range voyages, Simon would have to teach navigation, a complex science.
After grasping Ashenford’s situation, Simon told Desmond. "You know the fishing villages better than Governor Montey. Assist him in recruiting sailors."
"Yes, Your Highness. But what if they refuse? Many are terrified of pirates." Desmond said.
Simon smiled. "No matter. I won’t force anyone. But bring them to Brambleford first. If they still leave after seeing our warships, so be it."
Desmond brightened. "That’s fair!"
As they finalised recruitment plans, Simon remembered Joan. He turned to her. "By the way, which village are you from?"
When he looked back, Joan’s eyes were glistening with tears.
"My Lord... I’m from Bay Town Village." She faced the old woman. "Auntie, do you remember me? I’m Joan."
The old woman stared blankly. "What?"
Joan stepped forward. "Auntie, I’m Joan, Elizabeth’s daughter."
Desmond’s jaw dropped. "You’re Joan?"
Joan nodded. "Yes, it’s me."
The old woman trembled. "Truly... Joan"
"Yes, Auntie. Desmond... Where’s my brother?"
"Dead!" Desmond’s face darkened.
The old woman glared at him before turning back to Joan, her voice breaking. "Joan, your brother... He..."
She couldn’t finish.
Desmond spat. "Might as well be dead. He joined the pirates, and now he’s one of their leaders. A traitor. Consider him gone."