The slum under the outer walls of Lucerne.
All the workers were sitting around a shack. The walls of the shack were covered with dead branches and some dry thatch hanging on them. Light leaked out from all directions. There were a few stones supported on the ground and some planks of hay were spread on them.
"Anyway, I'm fed up with this life of fighting for food like a wild dog, and I want to break out. Brother Otto, what do you think?" The short red-haired man broke the silence.
Everyone focused their attention on Iron-Armed Odo.
Odo sat at the top, rubbing the bruises on his right shoulder with his left hand, raising his head and glaring at Red Hair, and said, "Going out to explore? Red-headed ghost, do you know how chaotic the south is now? Do you know that the patrol officer is reliable? Don't forget that you still have an old and immortal father in the countryside waiting for you to support him."
The guy called the "Red-Headed Ghost" is called Kazak. He was originally a farmer in a village near Zug City, north of Lucesien. Three years ago, his family offended the lord, and the lord took back the land and drove him out of the manor. His mother and sister died of illness one after another. This fall, his father's foot was trampled by an animal when he was feeding livestock to a squire's family in the suburbs of Lucesien. Kazak, who is already twenty years old, has not yet married a wife. Now he relies on working as a laborer with Odo and his party outside the city of Lucesien to support himself and his bedridden father.
Kazak was speechless after being lectured by Odo. He was really tired of the life of being bullied everywhere. If his father, who was recovering at home, had no one to take care of him, he would really go to the south with the patrol officer.
"Everyone, please be quiet. I know that everyone is tired of this wild dog-like life, but many of you have wives and children, and they are still waiting for you to go home with copper coins and food." Otto said, looking around at everyone.
"This is what I think. Tomorrow morning, the guys who don't have a family can go to the Chengnan Tavern with me. If the patrol officer is really reliable, we will discuss whether to go and join him. Those who have a family, don't go. After living for so many years, have you ever seen free bread? Being a soldier means trading your heads for food. If you go to the border to suppress bandits, your heads may be chopped off. If you die, your wife and children will not be able to become wild dogs." Otto said loudly.
All the workers stopped talking, and there was a silence in the room.
“Don’t discuss it here. This is a big matter and you have to take care of it yourself. Let’s disperse, go back and think carefully, and come back to me tomorrow.” Otto drove everyone out of his small shack.
While all the workers were gathering to discuss, Art and Ron were bargaining with the shopkeeper at the entrance of a grain store.
"Young man, I don't think you and your master are short of money. Three pounds of shelled barley for one pfennig is the lowest price in the city. Besides, you only bought a thousand pounds, so it really can't get any cheaper." The shop owner was a little impatient with Ron's pestering.
"I asked you yesterday, you still had one pfennig for four pounds, why did the price increase today? You are not keeping your promise!!" Ron pointed at the shopkeeper's nose and asked.
The shopkeeper looked innocent and said: "Say, boy, it's getting more and more chaotic outside. Food prices in many cities in the south have almost doubled. The price you paid yesterday is definitely not today's price. The price may increase tomorrow. If you don't buy it today, the price may not be the same tomorrow~"
..."
Matt stood aside with his hands folded and watched Ron and the owner of the grain store going back and forth. He suddenly felt that Ron had the talent to be a businessman.
Seeing the stalemate between the two, Art stopped being a spectator and stepped forward and said to the shopkeeper: "Man, although we didn't buy much this time, we will definitely need to buy more grain in the future. If you can keep the price down this time, I can consider ordering grain from your grain store on a long-term basis in the future."
The shopkeeper looked at Art carefully and saw that he didn't look like he was lying, so he said, "Well, okay, but you have to buy more rye." The shopkeeper was already thirsty from Ron and didn't want to continue. The rye in the grain store is all old grain that has been in stock for several years. Some of it is moldy, and the shop owner is worried about not being able to sell it.
Matt nodded in agreement.
In the end they bought a thousand pounds of barley for one pfennig and three and a half pounds, and spent another hundred pfennig on three hundred pounds of rye, a few loaves of pumpernickel bread, and a bag of wheat flour.
Finally, Ron gave the shopkeeper a big bag of wheat bran to feed the livestock for free.
? He gave the shopkeeper a deposit of one hundred pfennigs, and Art ordered the food to be packed and picked up tomorrow afternoon, and then he took Ron back to the hotel...
…
In the tavern on the first floor of the hotel, Ron was grabbing a large piece of barbecue and stuffing it into his mouth. His cheeks were bulging, and the meat in his mouth had not yet been chewed. He picked up a piece of fine wheat bread and put it in his mouth. He was talking to Art vaguely: "Master, why are you hiring those workers? There are so many refugees and deserters in the south, why are you spending the money~"
Matt picked up the barrel wine glass on the table, took a sip of light beer, looked at Ron who was devouring his food with a smile, and did not answer.
Recruiting laborers into his patrol team was an impromptu move. During the group fight at the construction site today, Art saw the extraordinary fighting power of the laborers, especially the guy named Odo. He dared to fight, knew how to coordinate in battle, and had the potential of an officer. Such a person is rare to find. However, although these laborers live a hard life, they are not like the refugees in the southern border who have lost their homes and are completely helpless. Unless they have to, the laborers will not abandon their families and go to the southern border with them to exchange their heads for rations, so Art is not sure if anyone will come to him tomorrow.
"Ron, what do you think of that guy named Odo?" Art asked, taking another sip of beer.
Ron raised his head from the soup bowl, wiped a handful of soup from the corner of his mouth, stared at Art and thought for a while before replying: "I definitely can't beat him, that guy's arms are too strong."
"Is there any more?"
Hum~That guy has the courage to take the responsibility. He was the only one who dared to stand up when we went there."
"Is there anything else?"
No more"
Matt was noncommittal about Ron's answer, and continued to ask: "Did you say he will come tomorrow?"
"Definitely."
Matt was surprised by Ron's answer so surely, and asked: "How can you be sure that he will come?"
h "Because today that guy's eyes have been staring at the sword at your waist, that look is like a hungry man who has been hungry for too long looking at a bowl of steaming broth." Ron continued to lower his head to deal with the barbecue on the plate.
"Haha, Ron, you are quite attentive. Come and have a drink with me..." The next day after breakfast, Ron rode a green mule and took eighty pfennigs to the carpenter's shop to retrieve an abandoned four-wheeled carriage with iron sides that he bought for one hundred and fifty pfennigs yesterday. The eighty pfennigs were the money given to the carpenter's shop to repair the carriage. The carriage's wheel spokes were severely damaged, and there were a lot of damage to the side panels. The old carpenter only said that he would repair it as much as possible, but even if it was repaired, it would only last a year and a half at most.
At himself was sitting on the long table at the entrance of the hotel, watching the pedestrians coming and going outside the door.
After sitting at the door all morning, there was no sign of the laborers at all, and Art was a little disappointed. Ron had already led the green mule and pulled the carriage back to the stables of the tavern, unloaded the yoke, and led the green mule back to the stables.
Ron came in and saw Art sitting alone at the door, and asked: "Master, they haven't come yet?"
Art shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Ron, it seems that your vision is not correct."
"Okay, you go and pack your bags. We will go to the food bag in a while and set off back to Tyniec in the afternoon." Art said with regret.
Just as the two were about to turn around and go upstairs, a red-haired guy stood by the hotel door, glanced sideways into the door, and then slipped away.
? At the alley outside the hotel, Odo and a strong man were looking in. Seeing the red-headed ghost Kazak sneaking back like a thief, Odo slapped Kazak on the head and scolded: "Why are you acting like a thief? You can't walk properly!"
Kazak scratched his hair and said to Odo with a smile: "The patrol officer is still here, but it looks like he is leaving. We have to hurry..."
"Why are you in a hurry? Please remember not to talk nonsense for a while." After that, Odo led a few people and walked towards the hotel.
The bartender knocked on Art's door, "Dear guest, three guys said they are here to see you.".
Matter quickly put down his luggage and followed the bartender downstairs.
I saw the guy named Otto standing at the door of the hotel with two laborers.
Seeing Art coming down, Odo stepped forward first, bowed to Art and said: "Sir, we carefully considered what you said and decided to come to your place for a visit."
At made a gesture to invite him in, and everyone followed Odo into the tavern.
"Everyone, please take a seat." Art asked the three laborers to take a seat at the long table.
Matt looked around at the three people present. They were all the guys who were at the front in yesterday's fight. They were wearing coarse shorts, with their arms half exposed. Their skin was dark and their muscles were strong. There was a hint of bravery in their restraint. Finally, he glanced at Odo, who had black hair, blue eyes and a sturdy build. It was obvious that Odo was the backbone of these three people.
Art stopped at Odo, "So, Odo, are you and your guys willing to join my patrol team?"
"Sir, we are all laborers in Lucese, and we are tired of the life of begging for food and being bullied. We are not afraid of hardship, tiredness, and death." Odo said.
Att nodded in agreement and motioned for Odo to continue.
Odo felt more confident after receiving the affirmation. He took a deep breath and continued: "Sir, please forgive me for being rude. We want to go with you, but we want to confirm whether what you said is true?"
"There is nothing to forgive in reason. Ron, go to my room and take out the appointment letter." Art turned to Ron, who was standing upright behind him, and ordered.
"Everyone, can you introduce yourselves? Otto, you go first." While Ron was leaving, Art looked at everyone carefully.
"Okay, sir, I was born in a village called Solo near Staffa in the north. My parents and younger brother both starved to death in the famine. I was the only one left in the family. In order to beg for food, I wandered around. Three years ago, I came to Lucese to work as a laborer to make a living." Odo finished in a few words about his past.
Odo glanced at Kazak aside and motioned for him to continue.
Kazak was a little nervous. He glanced at the other person and saw that he had no intention of speaking first, so he could only stammer: "Sir, my name is Kazak. Everyone calls me the red-headed ghost. I~I~"
"Where have all my usual abilities gone?" Odo slapped Razak with his backhand and then said with an apologetic smile to Art: "Sir, the red-headed ghost is usually very good at talking. Even though he is not big, he is a good fighter."
Att nodded and looked at Kazak, smiling and saying, "Yeah! He's also a good guy."
Odoto gave a brief introduction to Kazak and another person. Odo and the guy called Bass the Hammer are both lonely. The red-headed ghost Kazak has a father who is disabled and lying in bed. Odo originally did not want him to join, but he insisted on going to the south with Odo.
As soon as the three of them finished their introduction, Ron came down holding the parchment. Art took the parchment, opened the silk rope, and unfolded the appointment letter flatly in front of the Odo people. Kazak was about to reach out to take it, but Odo slapped Kazak's hand back. Kazak sat down angrily with an apologetic smile.
"Sir, don't be surprised, we are all rough people. In fact, we can't even understand what is written on it? We just want to feel at ease. Since what your Lord said is true, we don't have to worry. Originally, there were a few guys who wanted to come today, but I didn't let them. I don't know how many people you need to recruit, sir, and I'm worried that they won't be selected. Moreover, most of them have wives and children. I can't explain to their families that they lost their lives by following me to the south. "
Matt nodded, "You guys are all good people. Odo and Bas can go south with me. But Kazak, what will happen to your father if you leave?"
Kazak was very anxious after hearing Art's words. He was worried that Art wouldn't want him, and he hurriedly looked at Otto with a look of help.
Otto hesitated for a while and then asked in a low voice: "Sir, we also want to ask, is there any salary to be a patrolman in the south? Bass and I don't care, the main thing is Kazak. He entrusted his old father to a buddy to take care of him and promised to bring back the salary as a soldier to support his father." Otto's voice was a little soft.
“Odo, I said, you will be a soldier with food and food. Since you are willing to follow me with your head high, I will not treat you badly. To be honest, my patrol team is currently just me and Ron. We will form a patrol team of more than ten people before the spring comes. Before the formation is completed, no one will be paid, and I will only be responsible for everyone’s food and accommodation. After the team is established, except for food and accommodation, all will be included. , I will give you a salary of no less than fifteen pfennigs a week, and there will be rewards if you kill the enemy or capture something. But let's talk about it first. The south is very chaotic, and patrols are dangerous, and you may be injured or killed. If you are afraid, you can stay and do some hard work. Once you eat my food and take my salary, you have to leave your soul to God and sell your body to the devil. What do you think?" Art said seriously.
The three of them turned their heads and discussed in low voices. The wages they earned as laborers was less than two pfennigs a day, which was just enough to feed themselves. For those with families, even a full meal was considered a luxury after they were tired after a day. In comparison, the salary of the patrol soldiers was good, and the full management of food, accommodation, and food was attractive enough. Moreover, they also received a salary of fifteen pfennigs a week. As for life and death, since I dare to come, I really have never been afraid.
Hence, the three of them all said in unison: "I am willing to serve you."
"Ron! Ask the bartender to bring more beer and barbecue. I want to have a few drinks with three good guys..."