“Sir, oh no, my lord, there is another group of pursuers coming from behind. Those guys are starting to line up, and it looks like they are going to attack us.” The middle-aged man under the black clover coat of arms once again warned the fat knight, and the team behind the team had already begun to form a formation.
The fat knight lifted the reins to the right, turned and squinted at the approaching team behind him, and spat, "These bastards are really desperate for a few carts of food. I didn't want to kill anyone, but it seems they are forcing me to draw my sword."
The fat knight was furious. He didn't expect that the enemy would have to catch up and die after commandeering several carts of food. He loudly ordered the man on horseback beside him: "Lame, tell the guys to stop. You bring twenty of the most elite old guys to drive them away. If there are some ignorant bastards, it doesn't matter if one or two of them are hacked to death."
A man with a burnt face and a fierce look rode up to the fat knight. This so-called "lame" is not lame, but because he has been sitting on horseback for a long time, his legs are somewhat bent. After dismounting, his walking posture is a bit weird, so he is called "lame".
This guy on horseback is a ruthless character. He served as a guard captain in the caravan before the fat knight became a knight. After the fat man became a fat knight, this guy also became a key officer of the army.
"Lame" nodded coldly, turned the horse's head and ordered the soldiers to gather and prepare to turn around and cut off the tail behind him.
A small group of soldiers from the Welsh Army, holding swords, shields and short spears, were in the front, and a dozen or so soldiers from the baggage train were behind, holding spears, forming two rows of battle formations.
The Passat has good shooting skills, and Spencer can barely shoot a bow. The two of them stood on both sides holding two bows as long-range attack power.
The formation fell for half a mile, shooting an arrow forward from time to time to interfere. Although it did not cause damage to the enemy, it finally made them stop.
Pasat took out a light arrow and put it on the bowstring. He fully drew the bowstring and faced the cavalryman who was walking slowly on the opposite side. He took aim for a long time and then shot out with a "boom" sound.
A little further away, the arrow missed its target and landed far away from the cavalry.
More than 20 enemy soldiers pressed forward step by step towards the military formation formed by Spencer Passat and the two men. It was obvious that the enemy did not want to fight for a few carts of food. Their pace was not slow, hoping that the dozen or so guys who were pursuing them could retreat in spite of the difficulties, so that everyone would not fight with swords.
Spencer saw the opponent coming fiercely and was worried that his baggage soldiers would suffer too many casualties. After all, those who chose to be baggage soldiers did not like melee combat on the battlefield. He inadvertently walked to Passat on the other side and whispered: "Brother Passat Brother, why don't we take a few steps back and catch up after they retreat? They can't run fast with the food anyway. As long as they don't lose track of the reinforcements behind them, they will definitely be able to catch up." Without answering, he looked carefully at the enemy soldiers coming from the opposite direction, "Brother Spencer, don't be afraid. Only a few of the guys in the lead of the opponent are brave, and the rest of them are weak. You can see that the people on their wings are getting slower and slower, and their bodies are getting further and further back. They are all a group of guys who are afraid of death. Their combat power cannot compare with you. At least you are all veterans who are used to fighting on the battlefield, and you can't lose in terms of momentum. Hold on, I will lead my soldiers to cover your retreat soon."
"Brothers in the baggage train team, we are all veterans who have experienced battles. Although we have never fought in big battles, we are still men who are used to fighting. We can't lose our momentum! After this battle, I will definitely find an adult to take credit for the guys." After hearing that the Passat could cover the retreat, Spencer became a little more stable. He pulled out a broad sword at his waist (Spencer was an officer and wore a long sword and mail) and loudly encouraged the soldiers in the baggage train.
The supply soldiers were already holding back a breath of bad breath when the grain truck they were transporting was robbed. Now Spencer was cheering and applauding. The supply soldiers who were gasping and swallowing their saliva also cheered up and raised their short spears to point at the "enemy soldiers" who were slowly walking over.
"Welsh Legion, advance or retreat!"
"Roar!"
Passat shouted angrily, and a dozen neatly arranged soldiers shouted in unison.
Though they often retreated.
The sudden sudden formation of more than a dozen people from the Wells Army made the opponent hesitate. Most of these peasants and soldiers who were about to go on the expedition had never experienced fighting in battle. Farmers who could fight had long been recruited by the various legions in the east. The only ones with some fighting ability here were the seven or eight guys who were caravan guards. For a while, the stronger side was hesitant.
The two sides faced each other sixty or seventy steps apart, with no one taking a step forward.
After a long time, the scarred man on horseback was not surprised to see such a confrontation. After all, he was on the looting side and was anxious to retreat after the fight. Moreover, the fat knight also sent people to urge the end of the battle and retreat. Therefore, the scarred man walked on the horse and shouted loudly to the soldiers behind him, saying that he wanted to kill people to receive rewards.
After a few noises, the scarred man led a few elites and rushed over slowly...
"Guys, hold on! Hold still!!"
Passat put down his bow and arrow, raised his broadsword and shield, and loudly stabilized the formation of the small team of soldiers around him.
The soldiers were a little scared, and the transport soldiers were even more unsure. The short spears held by several transport soldiers who had not seen much fighting on the battlefield began to tremble, and their eyes were closed tightly, as if only closing their eyes could relieve the fear in their hearts.
Fifty steps away, the enemy began to charge, and the scarred man in front began to lightly kick the horse's belly to speed up.
"Hold on!" Passat roared again.
"Welsh Army, advance but never retreat!!" Spencer couldn't help shouting loudly.
"Roar!!" More than a dozen soldiers on the defensive side shouted in unison again.
Thirty steps forward, and you can already hear the sound of the opponent's horse's hooves hitting the ground and the infantry's kicking.
"Steady! Steady!" Passat raised the shield to its chest, preparing to receive the first round of impact.
"Welsh Army, we must win!" Spencer shouted again.
"Roar!!!" the soldiers shouted, using this method to relieve the fear in the letter.
Twenty steps later, the "enemy"'s face can be clearly seen with its teeth bared and a fierce look on its face.
The carriage soldiers around Spencer also moved slightly. Several guys were no longer so stable on their feet and began to tend to retreat.
Passat also felt the slight movement of the baggage troops. He ordered the small group of soldiers around him: "Squad of soldiers, charge forward to fight!"
The soldiers were soldiers after all. They were afraid of death but would not flinch. The "Phoenix" was the first to respond to Passat's military order, put the shield in front of his shoulders, and turned sideways to face the "enemy formation" that was about to rush over.
Spencer was also worried that some of the supply troops would retreat and cause the formation to collapse. He immediately shouted and the leader began to charge into the formation. Seeing that the commander was leading the charge, the dozen or so supply soldiers could only grit their teeth and follow with eyes closed.
For a time, the two teams rushed towards the last ten or twenty steps, and blood and flesh were about to splash...
At the moment when the two teams were about to collide, Spencer saw the scarred man on horseback, who was only seven or eight steps away, suddenly change his face in shock, and then he suddenly picked up the reins and turned the horse to the right. Then a few braver soldiers at the front looked at the back of Spencer's side in horror, stopped immediately, then turned around and ran after the scarred man's horse. Finally, a large group of people stumbled and ran towards the flank.
Passat is still confused. He doesn’t know why it mutated suddenly.
"The enemy was scared away by our momentum! The enemy was scared away by us!" Before the Passat could understand the war, Spencer on the other side had already started shouting loudly.
When Spencer stopped and looked at the "enemy soldiers" who turned around and ran away, he heard a loud rumbling sound behind him, as if the earth was shaking.
Passat turned around and saw, no wonder the "enemy" was running faster than a rabbit. It turned out to be the legion cavalry coming on horseback...
There was no need to waste words on the battle of chopping melons and vegetables.
The battle has ended. Passat and Spencer did not participate in the final pursuit. In this kind of battle, there are more than a dozen cavalry present. The infantry is basically responsible for cleaning the battlefield and counting the gains.
The Passat did not participate in cleaning the battlefield. With Spencer present, it was not his turn to worry about such things. He was leading two soldiers to interrogate the "enemy soldiers" who were kneeling and surrendering one by one.
Of course Passat is not Ron, and he can't do those tricks of torture. Anyway, before asking questions, he will step on the ground and beat him randomly. After beating the people on the ground crying, he will ask questions. After asking a question, he will kick him a few times and continue to ask the next question.
This trick is very effective on the captives who are kneeling on the ground. After their noses are bruised and their faces are swollen, they can say whatever they ask and even their stuttering can be cured.
The interrogation is over. Passat bent down and rubbed his ankle, which was twisted when he kicked someone just now.
After a while, the cavalry captain Spencer led two cavalrymen back to the original battlefield, jumped off the horse and walked towards Passat, "Brother Lusignan, have you caught that fat pig?" Passat was older than Lusignan, so even though Lusignan's military rank was several levels higher than him, he was still addressed as "brother".
Lusignan tightened the cavalry sword around his waist and glanced at the beaten prisoner on the ground, and said with a smile: "That damn fat man was too heavy and the horse couldn't run at all. We chased him for less than a mile and caught him. I asked about it. Good guy, you caught a fat pig..."
............
In the Lord's Hall of Saint Lyon City, Art was listening to Lusignan and others who had just returned to the city with prisoners to report on the battle situation, "Three hundred thousand pfennigs to buy a Lord who leads the knights? This pig is really fat enough."
"He really bought the title from Baron Charis? Have you checked clearly?" Art asked.
“That should be the case. That guy’s name is Coris. He is the son of a wealthy businessman from the province of Yona. His family has been doing business in the Eastern Territory and is very wealthy. This guy’s family has been merchants for generations and has a low status. The last time the Eastern Territory fought against the Swabians, their family was prepared to spend money to buy a title, but at that time, it cost 300,000 pfennigs. They only had enough money to buy a trainee knight. After the East-West War, the Eastern Army was short of pay, so his family donated 300,000 penny military expenses to exchange the title of a leading knight from Baron Charis." Lusignan answered with certainty, because the fat knight couldn't stand the torture and dragged them all out without being tortured several times.
"Charis was able to form several infantry regiments of the Yona Army in less than a year, and it is estimated that the support of this kind of family is indispensable. One leading knight can be exchanged for 300,000 pfennigs, which is not a loss." Art has believed the confession of the fat knight.
“Battle damage.” Art asked.
"Two of the baggage team were seriously injured and four were slightly injured. The opponent was not brave enough and did not dare to kill people when robbing things." Otto reported the battle damage.
"The cavalry team killed seven enemy soldiers during the rescue, and four more were wounded. The medical team refused to treat them, and they probably won't survive."
Art didn't take it seriously, "Have you asked the bastard who slashed our soldiers?"
"No need to waste food, cut off the heads of these bastards and hang them on the castle gate, so that others will know the consequences of provoking the Welsh Legion."
"Yes." Odo agreed.
Otto asked, "Sir, what should I do with that fat pig?"
Art walked a few steps in the hall and said to himself: "Since it is a fat pig, it needs to boil more fat. What should you do..."
Art told Odo one by one, and Otto turned around and took care of it immediately.
There were three people left in the hall: Lusignan, Spencer and Passat. Art swept past Lusignan and fixed his gaze on Spencer.
“Spencer, you are the baggage officer. Losing the baggage is a serious crime, but you can personally lead the baggage troops to hit the enemy without letting go to buy time for reinforcements. This is a good job. I will not count you as derelict in your duty this time, and I will also let the command camp be given to the baggage team. After verifying the military merit, the reward will not be less than a copper coin." Spencer was of course happy. He thought that even if the baggage was lost, military pay would be forfeited, but now he could actually receive a military reward. Naturally, he was very grateful.
Spencer's face was red with gratitude, but the Passat next to Spencer tried his best to hide his figure. It was best not to let Art discover his existence.
What should come will eventually come. Art moved to the Passat and looked up and down the Passat first, staring at this warrior who was not afraid of the sky or the earth until he broke out in a cold sweat.
"I heard that it was because of your timely rescue that the baggage train held back the enemy. It seems that Odo was right, you are a brave warrior."
Passat praised Art as soon as he heard it, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to say a few polite words to receive the reward when he heard Art's next words.
「我记得安德鲁旗队负责北部防务，你们怎么跑到东边去巡哨了？而且我还听军法队说在东边的农场附近发现了篝火和鸡骨......」
............
五天后，几个商人模样的老者在一个骑士的陪同下来到圣瑞昂城。
In the official room on the second floor of the Lord's Hall, Art was lying on an armchair holding an exquisite silver goblet in his hand, which was filled with special wine produced in Bordeaux.
On the ground in front of Art, three wooden boxes were opened. The wooden boxes were full of valuable raw silk, porcelain, glass, spices and other valuable goods, with a rough estimate of more than 20,000 pfennigs.
However, Art on the couch did not even glance at him, leaving everyone in the room.
After a while, the knight couldn't help but break the silence, took out a fire seal letter from his arms, stepped forward and presented it to Art with both hands respectfully, "Lord Art, this is a letter written to you personally by Baron Charis, begging you to forgive Corian's reckless ignorance."
Matt raised his hand, took the letter from the knight, glanced at the paint, and nodded, "I understand what Baron Charis meant. Go back and tell Baron Charis. If it weren't for him being my friend, that fat pig's head would have been hung on the city wall." Art casually placed the letter on the wooden table next to the chair. The meaning was obvious. He had given Charis enough respect by leaving the fat pig's head.
The knight was embarrassed for a while, and had no choice but to retreat to his seat and say no more.
The few businessman-looking old men sitting next to the knight were full of expectations on the day when the knight presented Charis's autographed letter, but Art threw it aside without even removing the paint. The faces of the old guys turned to ice. They had been left to dry for a day, and now they were cold and indifferent to everyone. There was a ball of anger in their stomachs. However, the house was surrounded by soldiers in full armor and with poor faces. Several people did not even dare to lament and be angry.
The room fell into silence again.
After a while, an old man finally couldn't help but stood up and bowed deeply to Art, "Baron Art, how can you let my son go? Please give me a price."
"Price? What price? I didn't invite you to do the transaction, so I don't have a price." Art said something back, and the old man was instantly speechless.
The knight who just submitted the letter quickly stood up and smoothed things over, "Lord Art, I think old Mr. Corian didn't express his consciousness clearly. He wanted to say how to make up for the mistakes his son made to you and your soldiers. After all, we are all in the same camp. Sir Corian The soldier's behavior is too despicable. "
"Oh, this is what you are talking about. It's very simple. I listed a few crimes for Corian, you can listen to them first."
"Ron." Art waved his hand to Ron behind him.
Ron took out a piece of parchment, unfolded it and read loudly: "Art Wood Wells, the frontier baron of the Count of Burgundy, the knight of the palace guard, the eastern military adjutant of the palace, the southern border patrol officer, and the commander of the Wells Army, reported that recently when he led the army to garrison in Saint Lyon, he encountered rebels who robbed supplies of food and grass. The rebels massacred fifteen of our soldiers and looted countless military supplies... After investigation, the rebel commander was leading the troops for the eastern border. Knight Corian suspects that he was ordered by the Western Army to destroy our army's baggage..."
Ron's voice became louder and louder, and everyone in the room became more and more restless. It was true that Corian robbed a few carts of food out of profit, but to say that he killed more than a dozen friendly soldiers and looted countless military supplies was framed, not to mention that it was said that he was ordered by the Western Army to destroy the Eastern Army's baggage, which was a serious crime.
The old man stood up and said, "Lord Ater, this is a false accusation! I have already asked the people under Corian who came back to deliver the message, and they said they just confiscated a few carts of food—"
Matt interrupted the old man's words with a wave of his hand, took another confession handed over by Ron, raised it and said, "I have a confession signed by your son here. Mr. Corian, as a businessman, those words written by your son are really ugly."
The angry old man suddenly sat down.
"This indictment is too long. Let me give you a rundown of it to see how much "price" you are willing to pay to take away this indictment. "
"The crime of the Korien Knights: one of them led an army to rob friendly military supplies and kill friendly soldiers;"
At said this, he looked at the old man sitting opposite.
The old man took a breath and replied in a deep voice: "Although you have already taken back the grain, I am still willing to return your baggage twice as much. Five carts of grain are worth ten thousand pfennigs at the highest price in the war zone. I will compensate you twenty thousand pfennigs. In addition, I am willing to take ten thousand pfennigs as compensation for the injured soldiers."
"Second, after checking, Corian is most likely a rebel planted by the Western Army. I have Corian's confession here. It is made of parchment and is not easy to tear."
At continued to look at the old man.
The old man's emotions were obviously aroused. This was completely a false accusation. He knew that his son did not have the courage and brains, but now that his son was in the hands of others, he had to submit.
"Lord Art, this must be something my son signed indiscriminately because he was ill. I hope you can send someone to verify and interrogate again. I am willing to donate 50,000 pfennigs as military expenses to the invincible Welsh Army to help you defeat the Western Army. This is enough to show the Corian family's absolute loyalty to the entire Eastern Territory and the Yona Palace."
Matt was in a bad mood after hearing this. He expected 80,000 pfennigs to get rid of him. He might have thought of himself as the civilian patrol officer he was a few years ago, but Art didn't show the slightest dissatisfaction on his face.
"Well, that's good. I think Mr. Corian is very sincere. I think Sir Corian would only steal things from friendly forces because his head is full of water. As for being a rebel, he is just talking nonsense."
Everyone in the room breathed a long sigh of relief. The matter was resolved unexpectedly smoothly. The expressions of several old men softened and they were about to get up and take Kerien away.
Art stood up and clapped his hands, "Okay, everyone, there is only one thing left. Before you leave, please return to me the military pay that Sir Corian took from my baggage train. Hundreds of soldiers in my army are waiting for this pay."
The air in the room suddenly condensed.
, now the food is found, but the iron box containing the military pay is not found."
The knight looked at the people around him blankly, and asked stammering: "How much military pay?"
"Two hundred thousand pfennigs, all in gold coins!"
h "Ah!!!!"
"This is simply blackmail! You really deserve the title of despicable person!" Another old businessman who had been silent until now finally became angry.
"Ron, send Sir and the three old gentlemen out of the city as a gift, and by the way, lead the bodyguard to personally deliver this charge and Corian's head to the Chinese army camp of Earl Baldwin, Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Army."
At said this, Art turned around and left the office without looking back.