Chapter 211 [0209] Crowned King
Looking at the entire Runeland, different regional characteristics have given birth to different civilizations, and different civilizations have also given birth to different customs and practices - so the social structures of different regions are very different, and this gap is particularly obvious at the grassroots level.
For example, in Demacia, the grassroots order is maintained by the nobles and the government. The lords and sheriffs jointly serve as local decision-makers, and are responsible to the nobles and the king respectively.
In Piltover, the grassroots order is controlled by the Merchant Union composed of large chaebol families and small merchants. The former pursues monopoly while the latter works together to survive.
In Zaun, before the earth-shaking incident, the alchemist barons were the providers of work, and the foremen with reputation and manpower were the actual order maintainers.
In Bilgewater, the grassroots order here is controlled by the captains of fishing boats or pirate ships, and gang leaders. The former is the absolute leader of a ship; the latter is the collector of protection fees for an area.
In the eyes of the outside world, Bilgewater is a pirate kingdom, and it seems that there are only pirates here, but in fact, there are many other people in this port city.
Pirates have their own rules, because they need to fight and plunder, so the captain of the pirate ship is often the best fighter - in Bilgewater, on a normal pirate ship, the first mate or the second mate is the dog-headed military advisor, and the captain needs to have the hardest fist to make everyone on the ship obedient.
Therefore, the captain of the pirate ship does not want to engage in any trade. Trade requires calculation, prediction, and communication of relationships, but does not require fighting.
Their advantage is fighting. Once they transform into trade, it is equivalent to giving up all their advantages.
It is for this reason that Sarah has tried to invite the captain of the pirate ship and the gang leader to study the Ionian trade together, but almost no one responded to her.
However, Sarah has figured it out now.
The pirate captain is unwilling to transform.
But the captain of the fishing boat may not be unwilling!
The captain of a pirate ship is usually the best fighter, but the captain of a fishing boat is often not the best harpooner - they are the ones who are best at running business in Bilgewater!
After figuring this out, Sarah decisively expanded the scale of the Pirate Conference, and took the initiative to use Gangplank's treasure as a "reserve" to establish a "low-interest loan system with Bilgewater characteristics."
The pirates don't know what's interesting.
But someone knows what's interesting!
In this way, although the pirates are still not interested in Sarah's proposal, the captains of the fishing boats soon became excited, so the atmosphere of a pirate conference soon became subtle.
On the deck of the Siren, the strong, fierce and brave pirate leaders and gang leaders stared at each other, unable to understand the situation. Instead, the usually inconspicuous fishing boat captains swarmed around Sarah and began to ask questions.
Of course, even at this time, the pirate leaders and gang leaders did not think there was any problem.
Fishing boats want to transform?
Then you can go and turn around - we will continue to be our own pirates. If the neighbor hoards food, I hoard guns. The neighbor is my granary.
However, Sarah, who is well versed in the mentality of pirates, how could she allow such a thing to happen?
After briefly answering some questions, Sarah then dropped a bombshell.
"All ships participating in the Ionian trade can buy ship marks from me. Any attack or looting of ships with ship marks will be regarded as a provocation to me."
As soon as these words came out, the captains of the pirate ships went crazy on the spot.
In the past, buying Gangplank's ship mark at most meant that they would not be robbed by Gangplank's Iron Hook Gang, but other pirates would still do it.
Now according to Sarah's meaning, as long as you buy Sarah's ship mark, all pirates are not allowed to rob?
Good man, if everyone buys the ship mark, will the pirates go hungry?
The pirate leaders started to make noises, and they rolled up their sleeves one by one, as if they were going to fight on the spot. Even when Planck was at his peak, he would not dare to say such a thing. How could you, a bounty girl, have such a big face?
Facing the excited pirates, Sarah was not nervous at all, because she had a more radical idea along with the ship mark.
"I will not take the ship mark money alone." She raised her pistol and fired a warning shot to the sky, "All pirates in Bilgewater, judge your strength according to the displacement of the ship, the number of sailors and the number of cannons, and receive a part of the ship mark income from me according to your strength!"
Divide the ship mark!
This is something that has never happened in Bilgewater. The greedy pirates have always held the ship mark tightly in their hands. Let alone dividing the ship mark among several ships, even if it is a ship, except for the captain, no one else can get a copper herring in the ship mark!
The pirates have always had a share of the looted spoils.
But the ship mark money is the captain's private land!
But now, Sarah openly said that she could share the money from the ship mark, and everyone could share the money based on their strength, including the sailors and cannons...
After she swore to the Snake Mother that she would strictly follow the rules and maintain fairness, the pirates looked at each other and finally fell silent.
If they could really share a ship mark...it might not be impossible.
Anyway, for most pirates, the ship mark is something that cannot be sold. There are only three or four companies in Bilgewater that are qualified to sell ship marks. Others are not well-known, so naturally no one will buy their ship marks.
And now, if Sarah is willing to share the ship mark, then the ship mark income will be from nothing. Even if you can't plunder the ship with the ship mark, it may not be a real loss.
At worst... at worst, everyone will focus on other trade routes!
There are twelve seas in Runeland, where can't you go?
Just as the pirate captains were gradually tempted, Sarah proposed a third strategy.
"For all ships without ship marks, as long as you find Ionia's special products after plundering, I will buy them at a high price and give extra bonuses!"
As she said, Sarah signaled Raven to unfold a huge sea chart, and then stretched out her hand to draw a huge triangle on the map.
"I want no foreign ship to enter the triangle formed by Ionia, Bilgewater and Zaun. Ionian trade is the future of Bilgewater, and no one can get involved!" Sarah's voice was loud and high-pitched, full of passion and appeal, "And this is just the beginning. In the future, everyone in Runeland will know that the deep blue under the sun is the territory of Bilgewater!"
"The people of Bilgewater only have a small corner under their feet, but the ocean they control is endless!"
Looking at the huge sea map and listening to Sarah's domineering speech, the pirate leaders hesitated for a moment and finally cheered from the bottom of their hearts.
In the past, although the pirates of Bilgewater were notorious, no one except Gangplank would be looked up to - even in the dark alleys of Zaun, the flesh and blood were unwilling to entertain pirates.
But now, if what Sarah proposed is really realized, then in the entire Twelve Seas, anyone who has something to do with ocean trade will no longer despise pirates!
Even if it is an unknown pirate!
Divide, win over, and give dignity.
Although it is just a framework, Sarah successfully established a new order in Bilgewater.
Amid the cheers of the pirate leaders, she put on a captain's hat with satisfaction.
As she put on the hat, a group of pirate leaders and gang leaders took off their hats honestly, revealing their greasy or bald heads.
This scene is not solemn, nor solemn, and even a little funny.
But the meaning it represents is not funny at all.
Because it means that Sarah Fortune has finally been recognized by most people in Bilgewater and officially crowned as the King of the Twelve Seas.
After the fall of the Ocean Disaster in the Tide of Fire, at this moment, Bilgewater finally ushered in a new queen.
Karya's small class: Pirates' hat-taking etiquette:
Taking off the hat is a courtesy, and for pirates who wear hats or headscarves all year round, taking off the hat is a great courtesy - because they rarely take a bath, and the food is not very healthy, the pirates' hair is more or less problematic, so no one wants to expose the top of their head unless necessary.