After the end of the Greco-Persian Wars, the city-state of Jayalon established the League of Aron to dominate the sea, and the League of Kibada established by the city-state of Kibara was in constant conflict, with more and more friction and fighting, and the scale was also increasing.

In the eyes of Amon, the former general of the Eju Empire and the commander-in-chief of the battlefield, the war on the Heaton Peninsula seemed somewhat comical, sometimes like a competitive game. Although wars are always accompanied by casualties, the casualty rate of the city-state conflicts here is much smaller than that of other countries on the Tianshu Continent, and surrender is commonplace.

The lack of large open plains on the Heaton Peninsula and the relatively small size of the city-states meant that the chariot armies that were popular among the continental nations were very rare, and the city-states were mainly infantry. Heavy knights were also available, but the cavalry was more expensive to equip and basically consisted of noble samurai, who were also the main force to charge in battle, followed by a swarm of infantry.

In skirmishes between city-states, the charge and slashing of noble samurai and individual combat often became the main factors in determining victory or defeat, and the momentum of both sides also determined morale. Once the battle line is broken, in most cases they will not fight to the death, but will choose to surrender when the opportunity arises, and the winning side will usually not be wiped out.

Such a battle is very similar to the wrestling of the heroic age in myths and legends, where the losing side surrenders to the victorious side. After a while, the covenant changed or the balance of power of the city-states changed, and new conflicts arose, so that the situation between the city-states on the Heaton Peninsula was chaotic, and the spheres of influence controlled by the Kibada League and the Aronian League were constantly changing.

In fact, when the Potz invasion was made, many states surrendered, and it was Aaron and Kibada who united the city-states and took advantage of the logistics and terrain to fight a protracted war of attrition against the Potts army. The key to victory was the powerful navy of the city-state of Jayalon, with the Arons skilled in naval warfare and the Kibadan warriors heavily armed.

After the retreat of the Potz army, the Heaton Peninsula was plunged into a period of low intensity but frequent civil wars, which were also the most polarized in all segments of society. The inhabitants of the city-states of Heaton were complex, including nobles and citizens, and nobles of course enjoyed citizenship. The so-called citizen and commoner or freeman are not the same concept, but adult men who enjoy the political power of the city-state.

During the period of the city-state alliance for hegemony, more and more freedmen lost their land and citizenship rights for various reasons. These freedmen did not have much choice in order to make a living, so they went to work as mercenaries in times of war, and whoever paid them to fight the war, no matter who they fought against. In this case, many wars between city-states were resolved by conquest or surrender, rather than by fighting to the death.

The freedmen, who had lost their land, tended to have nothing to do when there was no war, and often went to the various trading houses or granges to work for short periods. Outside the Grange where Amon was, there were quite a few such people.

Amun came early in the morning to the avenue outside the vineyard and shouted, "Who can help me to do the work in the vineyard, you who have nothing to do?"

Soon someone gathered around and asked, "Do you want to hire a part-time worker, and how much will you be paid?"

Amon held out a finger and said a handsome and surprising reward: "Work until the end of the day, and pay each of you a silver coin." ”

Many people happily went into the vineyard and began to work, and when it was time to reach the third pole, Amun was still standing at the gate of the vineyard to hire people, and when someone came to ask for wages, he still offered a silver coin, and more people went into the vineyard and got busy. At noon, Amon was still standing in front of the door to hire people, and workers continued to enter the vineyard, until in the afternoon Amon was still standing in front of the door, and the price of hired labor was still one silver coin.

The vineyards were busy, and when the sun went down, the workers came out. Amon was still standing at the door, his feet had not moved since the time he came out, and he paid every hired man who came out of the vineyard, a silver coin per man.

The workers who entered the vineyard early in the morning exclaimed unhappily: "This is not fair! Why do we all pay the same when we have worked all day in the heat and the workers who come in the afternoon only work for a while?"

Amun replied, "Because I promised them that my wages would be one penny, and I will keep my promise." ”

The workers who entered the park in the morning shouted dissatisfiedly: "But we do more work than them, and we deserve more pay!"

Amun said, "But you have promised me that the reward will be one silver coin, and you will keep your promise." ”

Some people still wanted to argue, but at this time, the majestic Medanzo rode a tall horse from the road, and seeing that the posture was not good, everyone received their wages and quickly dispersed. Medanzo dismounted and saluted Amon, who smiled and said, "Medanzo, you came just in time, otherwise I'm afraid I'll be beaten." Tell me about it, am I doing the right thing?"

Medanzo blinked and said, "My God, what you just said is completely correct, but no farmer would do this, so what is your purpose?"

Amon was lost in thought, and only replied after a while, "I'm just creating something troublesome to see how people will react?"

"You have done nothing wrong, you have given these idlers a chance to work, paid far more than the job itself, and you have shown your commitment and generosity to your workers," Medanzo said. ”

Amon smiled: "But I didn't do anything right, things in the world have their own worldly truths, and people's surnames also have the characteristics of people's surnames, if I come again tomorrow morning, I'm afraid I won't be able to hire people." ”

Amon was right, and when he came to the vineyard gate early the next morning, there were many people wandering around, but no one was willing to go into the vineyard to work. Amon beckoned, "Why don't you work, you who have nothing to do under the sun, and if there is no one to hire, come and help me work, and when the day comes, I will pay a silver coin." ”

But no one came, everyone was waiting. A few unsuspecting newcomers heard that the pay was so good and wanted to accept the hir, but they were stopped by the person next to them and whispered a few words, so they stood up again. Even if someone wants to go into the vineyard, it is not good to come back in this case, otherwise they will be ridiculed as stupid.

People waited and waited and waited until before sunset in the afternoon. But as soon as noon was on, Amon turned and went into the vineyard, and he was never seen again until the end of the day. In the afternoon, there was already a crowd gathered at the gate of the vineyard, shouting, "We are going to work in the vineyard, what about the man named Amun?

Medanzo came out of the vineyard and said with a straight face: "When did Amon say that he would hire someone in the afternoon? ”

The crowd dispersed again, and Medanzo went into the vineyard and saw Amun, and said with a smile: "My God, you are bad enough, this is a joke!"

Amon smiled and asked, "And what have they lost?" I have never deceived a word, but they think they are smart, but they think they have been deceived. ”

Medanzo didn't say much, just smiled: "Tomorrow you can hire enough workers." ”

Medanzo's prediction was good, and when Amon appeared at the vineyard gate early the next morning, there was already a lot of people waiting here. Amon still offered to hire them, and when the day came, the wages were one silver coin. On this day, all the work in the vineyard was done.

When the workers had left, Medanzo asked Amun, "My God, I would like to know what you think of these three days?"

Amon muttered, "People are blameless against me, but what I have done in the past three days is not logical, it is just a demonstration of my free will. And the choices people make are based on their reactions and feelings. When the world is accustomed to the so-called human nature, and often ignores the simplest thoughts, when they make all the choices - what is the first, most fundamental purpose?"

The story of Amun's time in the vineyard is much like this, with people seeing him as a stubborn eccentric, while the owner Aesop is quite tolerant of him.

The situation on the Heaton Peninsula was as Aesop had predicted, and the Aaronic League launched a naval expedition, but lost to Kibada in a land battle, cutting off trade routes with many city-states and losing their economic supremacy. The city-state of Miduri was also increasingly affected, and this winter seemed to be getting particularly cold, and how the merchants could get out of their predicament became the hottest topic in the city-state.

Aesop became good friends with Thales, the sage of Midori. Thales often preached his views on everything in the city-state square, and he famously said that "water is the source of all things". He told people that changes in water, air, and ice also exist in everything in the world, and that the world we can see is made of matter. Another of his famous sayings is that "God is present in all things", and everything in this world, whether you understand them or not, has a reason and a way of existence.

Thales was very erudite and had traveled to many countries on the Celestial Continent, teaching all kinds of knowledge to the people in the square. For example, he once told the craftsman how to measure the height of a ladder out of reach, using a ruler to measure the length of the shadow on the ground, and extrapolating it in the same proportion. He also explained the astronomical calendar, which was so complex and esoteric that few people could understand it, but he declared it very useful and predicted the eclipse.

So someone questioned Thales, "Most of the inhabitants of Miduri are merchants, either merchants or merchants' associates, and the thing that everyone is interested in is to make money." What's the use of your so-called knowledge if you can't make more money? As for whether the heavenly eclipse will happen or not, that's just a matter for the gods!"

When Thales heard this, he said to Aesop, "In that case, I have a business to do, would you like to cooperate with me?" ”

Aesop replied with a smile: "I am willing, just take as much capital as you need." ”

A well-wisher next to her advised, "How can you trust such a pedant who can only talk for nothing? He is very knowledgeable, but where can he do business!" said Aesop.

In the winter, Aesop paid for Thales, who used the money to rent a lot of olive oil presses. At that time, no one was arguing with Thales, and they all thought it was inexplicable, waiting to see Thales and Aesop's jokes.

Thales, who was well versed in celestial phenomena, anticipated a bumper olive harvest in the mountains near the city-state the following year, which would be difficult to transport due to the war. Fresh olives cannot be stored for a long time and must be pressed into oil as soon as possible to store them.

Olive oil has long been one of the most important exports of the Arlenian League, and even if trade is temporarily blocked, merchants will store it and ship it to foreign countries for sale at a later date. So Thales made a lot of money, and he didn't have to make those oil presses himself, nor did he need to hire someone to squeeze the oil, just sublet all the oil presses at a higher price.

The sage said to the crowd in the square of the city-state: "Knowledge is wealth, and wealth is not just what you see. It's not that my knowledge can't make money, it's just that what I want is not what I want. ”

Aesop also made a fortune quietly, making a lot of money with Thales, and Amon was silently watching these things all the time.

...... Another autumn came, the city-state of Midori could not deliver its produce in time, the import of goods from the outside world was also blocked, and the price of wheat and wine from Aesop Grange skyrocketed. Not only did the old man make a lot of money, but he also proved his admonition to the merchants of the city-state.

Amun had been in Miduri for a year, and as a farmer, he had a good harvest. When the grapes are ripe, they need to be harvested by day laborers. On that day he came out of the vineyard, and before he could utter a shout, a man came to him and asked, "God Amun, wilt thou hire someone to harvest the grapes, and if I help you pluck all the grapes from the vineyard, how much will you pay me?"

Amon was slightly stunned, this person he had seen in the theater in the city of Aaron, it was Zeus who walked the world.

The one who should have come had finally arrived, and since Hermes appeared in front of Aesop's shop, Amon had thought that there would be today. Zeus called him "Amun" instead of "Amun", which is tantamount to picking out his identity. At the same time as Zeus spoke, Amun also determined one thing, seeing that this person was Zeus himself who came to the world directly from the Olympian heaven, not any incarnation.

Amun replied with a smile: "Zeus, if you are willing to accept my employment and complete all the work, I can give you a divine stone as a payment." ”

Zeus walked into the vineyard, and Amon was still standing in the doorway. Zeus turned back and said, "Farmer outside the city of Miduri, don't you come in to oversee the work?"

Amon still smiled and replied, "I don't need an overseer, even if you are a hired hand, you are still making a promise to the gods. ”

(To be continued)