naaapseattle #466 - "Autumn Isle Guild Act" (Part 1)
#466 - "Autumn Isle Guild Act" (Part 1)
"Hurry, hurry, don't be late." As always impatient, Aslai shouted towards Shalet behind him.
Shalet quickened his pace, but didn't jog like him. The night watchman who struck the gong had just updated the time at seven in the morning.
The so-called craftsmen's meeting wasn't until seven thirty, so what was the point of arriving so early?
But when Shalet actually stood on the platform in the front hall of the Senate Building, he realized he was completely wrong.
Hundreds of craftsmen and laborers from Rapidfall City were already blocking the entrance, taking refuge from the heat under the acanthus leaf carved stone pillars and the wavy cloud patterned marble eaves.
Most of them wore simple long-sleeved linen shirts, and those who were a little richer wore linen or blended fabrics, with a waistcoat over them.
Anyone who knew could tell at a glance who were the craftsmen and who were the laborers.
Those wearing gray, brownish-yellow, or white clothes, and wearing leather caps or straw hats, were basically laborers.
While those wearing black, dark blue, or muted orange matte fabrics, and wearing upturned brim hats that overstepped the nobility but without gemstone decorations, were basically merchants or craftsmen.
As for those wearing black leather studded caps, they were only the night watchmen, who walked back and forth on the platform with T-shaped iron-clad batons, maintaining order.
Hanging from their waists were either page hammers or iron hooks, and even single-handed battle axes that gleamed with cold light, as if the punishment for thieves was beheading.
In front of the red lacquered oak door with brass door knockers, stood two blue-clothed constables, wearing leather armor, and even carrying uniform-style sabers at their waists.
This was considered a remnant of the Savior's War. Those unusable single-handed weapons or obsolete weapons basically flowed into the hands of the night watchmen, constables, and guardian army.
Shalet still remembered in the ten-household head's prayer room, right behind the Holy Lord's wooden statue, hung a hunting bow, a quiver of arrows, and two round shields, with two hooked spears leaning against the corner of the wall.
"I told you we'd be late, but you didn't believe me." Aslai glared at Shalet, "I knew they would definitely come early."
"I was wrong this time." Shalet's insula was right next to the official residence square, and he originally thought there was no need to rush, but he never expected these refugees to be so impatient.
Aslai walked around the platform, muttering with a hint of disdain, "It's fine for us skilled people to come, but what are these black laborers doing here?"
"Don't say that." Knowing that Aslai couldn't control himself, Shalet quickly rushed up and covered his mouth, "They're still here."
"So what if they are?" Pushing away Shalet's hand, Aslai said dismissively, "Can they rebel?"
"This is His Majesty's order. Although they are not qualified, His Majesty did call them here. You don't want to drive them away, do you?"
"When they secretly imitate our fabrics and clothes, why don't they say that?"
"I heard that this time we might have the opportunity to run our own workshops. If you offend them, no one will work for us."
Hearing this, Aslai finally shut his mouth, after all, the shortage of manpower was a fact.
The military family elders on the island couldn't look up to their few coins, and the reliable labor force was only these foreign laborers.
However, Aslai still sneered, turned his head, and found a bronze decorated pillar to sit down next to.
The two of them naturally had a sense of superiority for a reason.
Although they were not masters, they were also formal craftsmen.
This time, they came to Autumn Dusk Island because Horn promised to promote their status to formal craftsmen.
Within a guild, there are generally four levels: apprentice, journeyman, master (formal craftsman), and grandmaster.
Shalet and Aslai were previously journeymen, belonging to different workshops.
Shalet's master, who was also his uncle, died. Without a guarantor, the opportunity to transfer to another master and then be promoted to a formal craftsman was too small.
During the war, Aslai's master didn't die, but just tripped and fainted.
However, the clueless Aslai thought he was dead when he saw it, and immediately spread the news that his master was dead, and was finally successfully expelled from the master's school by the furious master.
But in the end, they were both craftsmen with registered identities in the guild. Even an apprentice was stronger than these stealing skills and doing odd jobs of the vagrant black laborers.
Stinky out-of-towners, coming to our Rapidfall City to beg for food.
If this were in the past, Aslai would definitely have cursed a few words, but considering that he himself was also a stinky out-of-towner, he could only hold it back.
Fortunately, before he had to hold it back for too long, the meeting began. Eight night watchmen stood in two rows in front of the door, restraining the ranks of craftsmen and laborers.
"Quiet! Quiet!"
"Maintain order, stand properly, don't push or shove!"
In neat rows, hundreds of craftsmen and migrants slowly walked into this vast hall, which was also where the senators usually deliberated and announced policies.
So on the walls, pillars, and even bronze vases, you could see some unwashed blood stains and cracks and dents.
At the same time, because it had only been repaired recently, many places were simply blocked with wooden boards or even straw curtains, which retained the spirit of the Gulag period.
Walking in from the gate, Shalet and Aslai looked around the front hall of the Senate Building.
This Senate Building was converted from the noble palace of the ancient El era, with a retro style.
The interior space was open, and thick pillars supported the high vault, and the hot sunlight was projected through the window lattices in the spacious atrium.
On both sides of the atrium were temporary tiered wooden platforms, and dozens of senators were sitting on the wooden platforms, squinting at these Rapidfall City refugees with timid expressions.
Through two curved stairs attached to the wall, there was a terrace overlooking the first floor, and the honorable Pope Horn, the Holy Grandson, was currently standing on that terrace.
"Welcome, welcome everyone." Horn spread his arms, "Please don't be restrained, this will be your second hometown.
I often say, once you come to Autumn Dusk Island, you are an Autumn Dusk Islander."
After the refugee craftsmen calmed down a little, Horn once again opened his mouth with a common introduction, asking if they had been eating well these days and if there was anything they were not used to.
Although Horn himself wanted to get straight to the point, these were all necessary things.
After slightly going through the opening remarks, he spoke again.
"Okay, then I won't talk too much nonsense.
I believe you have all heard in the past few days that Autumn Dusk Island has not yet formed a guild."
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Involved in their own interests, these craftsmen were all energized.
Some of them were even craning their necks in the crowd, as if they were about to raise their hands to ask questions in the next second.
Horn didn't give him this opportunity, but continued to explain: "I know you are very anxious, but please don't be anxious, I still have something to say.
Do you think the original guilds had a lot of problems?"
Speaking of this, some craftsmen began to discuss in low voices. If they had any opinions, they certainly had opinions on the guild, which didn't allow this or that.
But if they really wanted them to cancel the guild, they would be unwilling, because the guild was also an organization for craftsmen to protect themselves.
If it weren't for it, these people with money but no weapons wouldn't know how they would be manipulated by the nobles.
"We do have some opinions on the high-level of the guild, but that's not enough to cancel the guild, is it?" A bold craftsman raised his hand and asked.
Those craftsmen from Jeanne d'Arc Castle were already familiar with the atmosphere of Autumn Dusk Island without guilds. Horn's promotion of this policy was something they were definitely willing to implement.
But these Rapidfall City craftsmen had been working in prisons for more than ten years, and the inertia of tradition could not be eliminated with a few words.
Horn still had to gradually eliminate their defensiveness and let them completely join in. That's why there was the current meeting.
"No, no, no, you misunderstood. What I want to rectify is not the guild itself, but the monopoly problem of the guild."
Horn said decisively to these craftsmen: "Take the clothing industry as an example, there are actually five guilds: tailoring, fur, gloves, shoemaking, and shoe repair.
I can make you a new pair of shoes, but I am not allowed to change the soles of old shoes.
I have the right to replace two new sleeves for an old jacket, or add a new jacket to two old sleeves, but I am not allowed to make a new sleeved jacket.
It is clear that one person can do things, but it is forcibly divided into two people to do it. Is this reasonable?"
After saying this, the craftsmen looked at each other instead.
"Isn't this how it has been since ancient times?"
"Just because it has been like this since ancient times, does that mean it is right?" Horn slowly shook his head, "Clearly, some people have better skills or the same skills, but because they belong to different guilds, they cannot earn the same salary. This is too unfair.
It is because the high-level of the guild monopolizes and seeks private interests from it, artificially establishing technical barriers, small courtyards and high walls, and erecting salary ladders, which invisibly hinders the development of technology."
Standing on the terrace, Horn swept his eyes over the craftsmen in front of him, most of whom were uncomprehending, unclear, or even fearful.
Horn knew very well that they were already staying in the warm water pool built by the guild and could not get out. This was also why the Kingdom of Norn, as the original barbarians, was able to gradually catch up with the empire in terms of craft development.
The guilds of those Norn barbarians were all in the form of the underworld, basically not talking about any rules.
In the fierce commercial confrontation and violent physical competition, the level of craftsmanship has been greatly improved instead.
For Horn himself, this form of guild could not keep up with his strong demand for products and seriously hindered social progress.
Therefore, in this test field of Autumn Dusk Island, Horn wanted to first try to gradually peel off the guild.
"Everyone, the Senate has now passed the 'Autumn Dusk Island Guild Act'. From now on, craftsmen are not allowed to form guilds on their own. All guilds will be established under the leadership of the Papal Palace.
The head of the guild will be a senator, the executive will be elected by the craftsmen themselves, the head will serve a four-year term, and the executive will serve a ten-year term.
The guild court will be abolished and merged into the commercial or civil court of the Court of Judgment.
Its functions are only to formulate industry standards, supervise product quality, and eliminate vicious competition, etc.…"