[Chapter Size: 1200 Words.]
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The next day, many slaves awoke to find that everything had changed.
They gathered in the Slave Plaza with wide eyes, young and old slaves mixing together.
Looking at the soldiers in their armor surrounding them, many people, once nobles but later reduced to slavery by Cleon, felt a sudden spark of excitement.
It was clear that the force attempting to overthrow Cleon was powerful. The soldiers' weapons and equipment alone looked luxurious. In ancient times, armor had always been the most valuable possession, far more precious than weapons.
Throughout history, control over weapons had varied between strict and lax, but possessing armor was always considered a capital crime. Not only because armor was expensive, but because of its decisive role in war.
Schiller raised an iron trumpet and spoke in Valyrian:
"I am Schiller. From now on, you may call me the City Guard!"
"You need not concern yourselves with my origins. From this day forward, Astapor will be under my command. Whatever your past identity may have been, you are now citizens of Astapor."
Schiller spoke for half an hour, and by the end, the workers and remaining slave masters understood one thing:
There would be no more slaves in Astapor. This naturally reminded them of that woman, but it was obvious he was not an agent of the Mother of Dragons.
After all, the Mother of Dragons commanded no such elite troops.
Schiller then began drastic reforms in Astapor.
The first step was to eliminate the remnants of Astapor's former ruling powers. Four thousand elite soldiers spent half a month cleansing the city before finally establishing full control.
During this time, Yunkai and Meereen heard of Astapor's change of rule. Strangely, neither city responded.
Daenerys in Meereen was preoccupied with the Sons of the Harpy, while Yunkai acted as if it had nothing to do with them.
However, Yunkai denounced Astapor's emancipation of slaves, claiming that Schiller and Daenerys were "cut from the same cloth."
But that was all. Clearly, Yunkai did not wish to create unnecessary trouble for itself.
This gave Schiller valuable time.
He solemnly issued the "Proclamation of Emancipation" and the "Address to the Slave Owners." The first declared the abolition of slavery, while the second, his true objective, demanded that landowners surrounding Astapor free their slaves and surrender their estates voluntarily.
In return, they would keep their wealth and their lives. But Schiller warned: do not kill your slaves, do not destroy the land, and do not flee with your riches. You have three days to decide.
Yet he gave them no such grace. On the very first day, he sent troops to sweep through the surrounding estates.
Thanks to superior equipment, Schiller was able to divide his forces into multiple units and strike simultaneously.
Many landowners who attempted to escape were captured and executed on the spot, their properties confiscated.
When facing honest landowners, however, Schiller kept his word. He allowed them to retain their holdings, giving them the choice either to relocate or remain in Astapor.
Schiller also claimed to possess knowledge of producing glass, soap, refined salt, and more, promising to "share a sip of the soup" when the time came.
This revelation both shocked and intrigued the landowners, sparking speculation about Schiller's origins and those of his followers.
But that did not dampen their excitement. If they could sell even a portion of what Schiller spoke of, they could earn far more than from farming estates.
Within three days, Schiller had seized all surrounding lands and amassed considerable wealth. Some landowners resisted bitterly, but most were swept aside.
After driving out the landowners, Schiller began a census of Astapor.
There were 200,000 people living within the city and about 800,000 in the surrounding region, for a total population of roughly one million.
Schiller leased land to the freed slaves, declaring that if they farmed it for three years, the land would be sold to them for a single silver coin.
Schiller collected only thirty percent of the rent during the three-year period, and land was distributed according to population, essentially four acres per person.
Each estate was designated as a village, which made administration far easier.
At the same time, Schiller implemented a system of collective responsibility: if one family broke the law, their neighbors would also suffer the consequences.
In addition, following the laws of Heteropolis, Schiller promulgated a new code of liberty and restored the authority of law.
When Schiller arrived in Astapor, he had not only brought 4,000 elite soldiers but also a group of scholars and key factory personnel from Riverrun.
With a series of decrees issued under his authority, Astapor quickly stabilized.
Schiller's reforms differed greatly from those of Daenerys. She had freed the slaves, but Schiller not only freed them, he also provided a means for them to survive.
The swift stabilization of Astapor shocked both Yunkai and Meereen, for neither had ever seen an outside regime establish order so quickly after seizing a city by force.
Consider Meereen: even with the Unsullied and three dragons, Daenerys remained trapped in the so-called "Meereenese Knot."
Schiller, however, cared little for outside opinion. After the land distribution was completed, he turned his focus to establishing factories.
Since he had yet to secure a permanent foothold in Essos, he could not build them outside Astapor.
In the end, following Varys's advice, several pyramids were chosen and repurposed as factory bases.
Schiller finally breathed a sigh of relief as Astapor stabilized and began to function smoothly.
This marked the first stage of Theon's foothold in Essos. He took the operation very seriously, which placed great pressure on him.
Fortunately, the initial stage was now complete. Schiller had timed everything perfectly: the grain harvest had just ended, which meant food shortages were not an immediate concern.
After securing Astapor, Schiller sent a letter to Theon. Within a few months, the first shipment of cement would arrive in the city, only then would their foundation truly be secure.
Astapor now stood stable, thanks to Bronn's 4,000 elite soldiers.
But preparations were already underway for the first wave of recruitment. The plan was to enlist 5,000 men, of whom 4,000 would reinforce Bronn's army.
The remaining thousand would form a public security bureau to maintain order and handle civil disputes in Astapor.
This, Schiller believed, would ensure lasting stability.
Yet the recruitment was anything but smooth. Schiller had already cut wages to one-fifth of the regular Riverrun army's pay, but most people still believed he was recruiting for a "suicide squad."
In the end, only after the military wage was reduced further, to thirty copper coins a month, with food and lodging included, did people begin to enlist.
It took an entire month to gather 5,000 strong and able recruits who met the requirements.
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