Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks

The young farmer soldier said somewhat bashfully, "No, Lord, it's not that I'm cowardly, I'm just worried that if we die on the battlefield, we won't be able to repay the Count's kindness—you know, we haven't even managed to pay a copper coin in taxes to the Count yet."

Not long ago, the tax officer Reynard in Hebron had just collected the midsummer taxes.

The next tax payment day was set for the Michaelmas at the end of September.

Fabio laughed heartily and said, "Listen, little Karami. The Count granted you land, provided you with rations, lent you farming tools and livestock for plowing, and had me train you in combat skills, not to send you to the battlefield to die."

Fabio was the best among the many Imperial Knights because he understood the Saracen language, even better than Losa.

Although Losa had studied Arabic and Kurdish from Prajna for a long time, due to accent issues, he still often ended up talking past each other when conversing with the people of the land.

Fabio loudly said to the farmer soldiers he trained, "Would recruiting those inadequately clothed and starving, fanatically faithful and fearlessly brave Frankish pilgrims be more expensive than us?"

"Look at the armor on you; it's even more valuable than all your possessions combined. Do you not understand the expectations the Count has for you?"

The farmer soldiers shouted:

"That's right, Lord Fabio is right, everyone knows what the Lord and the Count have done for us."

"With Heavenly Father above, in this battle, I must kill a few heretics to repay our lord's kindness."

"We will let those enemies know that we are not only capable of using hoes and pitchforks."

The farmer soldiers might have limited insight, but they were definitely not fools.

Fabio couldn't help but laugh and said, "Lads, don't forget what I taught you. You need not be overly brave in this battle, just follow my orders as in training."

The marching troop's footsteps became much lighter during the conversation.

Some farmer soldiers quietly complained to Karami, "You shouldn't speak to Lord Fabio like that. The Count liberated us, made us free men, and we can fill our own bellies."

Angrily, he said, "Don't forget how you lived before, working the fields with the plow every day, getting whipped for slacking off, and being chained like a dog at night."

"It is the Count who gave us such a good life; for this, even to sacrifice life, what shouldn't be done?"

The young farmer soldier lowered his head and stammered, "So...sorry, but it's just that seeing the good life in front of us, I am even more reluctant to just die like that."

His tone grew solemn: "Now we have our own land, and the rent we have to pay is pitifully less than before… Moreover, it's fertile land by the river, so fertile that it doesn't need livestock for deep plowing, and can produce endless oats."

"The Lord has also permitted us to cut trees from his forest to build houses... I was just thinking about building a granary and raising a patterned cat to catch mice."

"If my mother hadn't starved to death back then, she would have been very happy now."

The farmer soldier accusing him fell silent.

Famine, for peasants unable to save surplus grain, is a nightmare.

The former Lord Hussein never cared about their life or death.

During times of grain shortage, he would rather send grain to the city to sell than lend it to grain-deficient serfs.

Except for those self-farming peasants with some land, as they could use their land for debt repayment.

The shadow in front of him enlarged.

Fabio's silhouette on horseback appeared before him: "Little Karami, is this life alone what satisfies you? Do you not yearn to ride a tall steed and wear a bright new armor that can reflect your image like me?"

The young farmer soldier subconsciously swallowed.

Although they all wore armor, these farmer soldiers were far behind compared to knights like Fabio in plate armor.

It's the difference between a beggar and a king!

The young farmer soldier opened his mouth, somewhat in disbelief, "Can we also?"

He couldn't even imagine what it would be like to wear such armor and ride such a magnificent horse.

The rest of the farmer soldiers were filled with desire and anticipation.

Fabio's grand vision was simply too enticing.

"The Count is a generous man; I think you all have realized this.

Moreover, you have all converted to the true faith.

Then, after you have accomplished enough merits, what reason does he have not to bestow upon you the mere title of Knight?"

Fabio said so.