On the seventh day of exploring the valley along the river, the group finally arrived at the southernmost point where Ron went when exploring the valley last year. The journey was a full day later than expected.
Because just when they were about to reach the basin and everyone was leading their horses across the river ford, a female brown bear with two cubs suddenly appeared behind the boulder opposite the ford and met everyone unexpectedly.
The lone bear looking for food is in danger, and the mother bear looking for food with her cubs is even more dangerous. The mother bear was eating fish behind the boulder just now, so no one noticed the danger. By the time Matthew, who was at the front, noticed the abnormality, it was already too late.
One large, two small, three bears and five people and six horses were facing each other nervously at a distance of less than twenty steps.
Even Art, who was a hunter, suddenly broke into a cold sweat. This was not the dense forest outside the wooden castle in the valley, nor was it his hunting ground. He was unfamiliar with the terrain and did not know how to escape.
The female bear had probably never seen a bipedal monster before, so she was too frightened to make any move. She just stood on her feet and spread her forelimbs to make a killing motion, and kept growling warnings.
While in urgent need, Yate quietly signaled Ron and others to prepare to fight the bear, while he slowly took out the bacon and ham from the saddle bag and threw it on the exposed river rocks in the shoal, trying to get the mother bear's attention with food and then retreat slowly.
Originally, there was no danger, and we retreated if we could. But if we couldn't retreat, it was not impossible for five well-trained and well-armed men to surround and kill a female bear.
However, just when the two parties were facing each other and Art was about to give the order to retreat slowly, the pack horse in the team was frightened by the roar of the female bear, broke free from the reins and ran back...
As a result, the brown bear did not continue to pursue this group of dangerous two-legged monsters, but Art and the others wandered around the valley all day long in search of the pack horse carrying the baggage.
接下来的行程众人再也不敢大意，按照战时行军规定四个侍卫轮值在队伍前方两百步距离哨探......
............
此时已经是午后，众人在峡谷密林里简单一顿啤酒下面包对付了午餐。
· During his break, Art took advantage of the dense forest cover at the slightly higher canyon exit to stop and look at the basin in front of him.
The Lameier Mountains on the right side of the basin are still towering. Judging from the common sense of the trend and ups and downs of the mountains, this is still in the hinterland of the Lameier Mountains, because according to common sense, if you are about to finish the mountain range, the remaining peaks will slowly become lower and gradually become a group of peaks and hills until you reach the gentle hilly plain.
The basin outside the dense forest of the canyon is not too big. Surrounded by hills is the flat fertile soil formed by the impact of the north-south river. There is a small lake in the middle of the basin, and at the other end of the small lake is another river that meanders southward.
The lake is surrounded by dense aquatic plants, and outside is a barren land overgrown with weeds. Several small streams extending from the low peaks of the surrounding hills merge into the lake. The lake reflects the blue sky, white clouds, green trees and green grass...
“Great place!” Art’s heart was filled with excitement and he couldn’t help but praise it. He thought that if he could own this land, it would become an idyllic paradise of farmland, fishery, mulberry trees, and transportation.
In fact, in terms of pure legal theory, this place should belong to the border zone of the three countries of Lombardy, Provence and Burgundy (the three-no-thing zone). As long as Art can prove that this place has not been canonized by any country, then this place should belong to Art's territory. The reason is very simple - he has a document of canonization by the court of Burgundy in his hand, and the southern end of the valley jurisdiction mentioned in the document is defined as "until the borders of the southern countries." However, there is a huge gap between the legal place and the actual place.
Ron put down his right hand on his brow and pointed to the lake, "Master, last year we rested by the lake. At that time, we also found some broken fishing nets in the grass by the lake. We originally planned to follow the traces to find a nearby village, but at that time a soldier accompanying him fell ill, and we didn't know whether the other party was a friend or foe, so we didn't dare to be careless."
Art stared at the small lake, "Look. Are you clear? How many people were fishing in those traces?"
Ron recalled carefully, "The footprints had been diluted by the rain at that time, but I guess there were no more than ten people."
"In which direction did the footprints go?"
Ron pointed to several peaks and hills extending out from the side of the Lamel Mountains, "It should be going in that direction."
Matt followed the direction of Ron's finger, "There should be a mountainous area over there. Who would live in the mountains instead of living on the plains with good fertile land?"
Ron shook his head, expressing the same incomprehension.
"Everyone put on their armor and check their weapons and horses, let's go in and take a look." Art said, turned around and started to draw the knight's sword from his waist and check the armor and weapons.
"Master, how about I take someone in to explore first?" Ron didn't want Art to be in danger.
Matt had already grabbed the saddle and jumped on the horse, "Okay, there are only a few of us in total, and it will be more dangerous if we spread out. But now we are in other people's territory, so we need to be cautious, and don't draw the sword easily unless it is absolutely necessary."
After saying that, he lightly kicked the horse's belly and moved forward slowly. The four of them, Ron and Matthew, quickly gathered their weapons and stepped on the horse to follow.
It was spring, and the weeds had just begun to appear. Several people were riding horses in the basin, heading towards the hills on the side of the Lamel Mountains.
When we arrived at the mountain pass, we found traces of people - a road that was clearly trampled by man, winding into the mountainous area. There were branches and leaves left by cutting down shrubs and trees with axes on the side of the road. The other end of the road extended southward along the river at the southern end of the lake. It should be a road leading out of the valley in the south.
At ordered the guards to pay attention to the surroundings, he himself opened the lock of the bow pouch and quiver on the front saddle for easy access, then looked around while lifting the reins and controlling the horse to move forward steadily.
After walking on a sparse forest path for about a mile, the mountain road became increasingly steep and difficult to navigate. The bushes, thorns and rugged rocks on both sides of the road made it difficult for the horses to pass. The mountain also became steeper. The horses began to slip on their iron hooves, and they breathed heavily.
They had no choice but to get down and lead their horses on foot, and continue walking into the mountains...
After walking less than half a mile, everyone stopped to rest in a slightly flat place.
"I thought we climbed so high, but it turns out we only walked such a short distance~" Guard Matthew stood on a high rock and looked at the mountain road from where he came. The entrance to the mountain was still clearly visible.
"Looking at the mountains makes you lose your horse. Do you think walking on the mountain road is the same as walking on the plains?" Art picked up the water bag and took a big sip, while subconsciously glancing towards the mountain.
Cough!
Matt coughed violently and spit out half a mouthful of water.
"There's someone on the mountain!" Art exclaimed softly.
"Don't move! Pretend not to know."
Att patted his chest heavily, then slowly stuffed the cork back into the water bag, and walked slowly towards the tree trunk where the horse was tied, pretending to put the water bag back into the saddle bag, and took off the bow and arrow.
Ron Matthew and others also pretended to move around casually, but they all moved closer to where the horses were stationed, hiding their bodies as much as possible under the trees where the horses were tied, and holding their hands on the hilts of their swords and bows...
The five battle-hardened men had already inadvertently prepared for a counter-ambush.
Ron, who was covering half of his body behind a dwarf pine, had already raised the riding bow in his hand. He turned his head and glanced at Art, who nodded.
"Brothers on the mountain, we are travelers from the north. We are just visiting on a friendly basis and do not have any ill intentions." Ron shouted a few words towards the mountain at the top of his voice to express his intention of coming.
Ron was answered with the sound of a bow string being released and an arrow flying into the open space in front of him.
Matthew had already opened his bow and was about to shoot back in the direction of the arrow, but Art raised his hand to stop him.
"Dear sir, we have no ill intentions. Please don't hurt others easily, otherwise the bows and arrows in our hands are not just decorations!" Ron's words already contained a hint of warning.
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A quivering arrow nailed straight into the trunk of the dwarf pine tree where Ron was hiding, coming from another direction.
But this bow and arrow was also a warning, and it did not fly towards Ron.
"Get out! Get out of our territory!"
At last a man's voice came from the mountain, but it was a warning of expulsion in Lombard.
"Lombards? This is already the border of Lombardy?" Art had doubts in his mind. Lombardy is in the south of Provence. Even the mountainous area in the northern part of Lombardy's western border should be quite a long way from here.
Ron was born in the south of Provence. He knew that the other party spoke Lombardy, but he did not speak Lombardy.
"Sir, is this the territory of the Lombards?" Ron also asked a question.
At no answer, he began to take off the belt from his waist, threw away his sword and riding bow, then spread his hands and slowly walked out of the cover of the tree trunk.
"Master!!" Ron and Matthew exclaimed at the same time.
At raised his hand to signal the others not to be frightened.
Walking to the arrow nailed into the open space, Art raised his hands and turned around to show that he had no weapons. "Fellow mountain warriors, I am Art Wood Wells, Viscount of the southern frontier of the Count of Burgundy. I just traveled south with my guards on an adventure. I passed here and wanted to rest as a guest in your territory."
"In the name of God, my guards and I have no ill intentions." Art spread his hands again.
There was silence on the mountain for a moment. They were not shocked by a foreign title of viscount, but were surprised by Art's pure Lombard language.
For a long time, there was still no movement on the mountain. Ater spoke again, "We just want to come to your village to rest our horses. We also brought some goods that we can give to you as gifts. How about it?"
After a while, Art heard someone clearly arguing in a low voice on the mountain. Art turned his head and motioned to Ron and others to continue to be careful.
After a low-pitched argument, a dark figure clad in animal skins and holding a hunting bow in his hand stood up from behind the dense forest and bushes on the mountain. "Distinguished guests from the North (Note: the Lombards refer to northern regions such as Provence and Burgundy as the North). The mountains here are steep, the roads are slippery, the people are poor, and the land is thin. It is really not a place to rest and drink. Please treat me." Go back on your own, lest our arrows hurt your noble body, which will turn into a regret and tragedy. In addition, let your guards put down their bows. If they miss the arrow, we will treat you as enemies. "
Matt looked back and saw that a guard had already pointed his bow at the black figure shouting on the mountain.
“Put it down, they are strong in numbers, and we will only suffer losses when shooting.” Art said softly, and the guard slowly put away his riding bow.
While facing such a confrontation, Art could already feel that there were more and more people on the mountain, and the disparity in strength between the two sides became even wider.
"Master? What should I do?" Ron also walked out.
"Forget it, these mountain people are fierce, we won't provoke them, we will retreat under cover." Art gave up his efforts. The other party was obviously taboo about strangers visiting them.
"Warriors, we will follow your advice and retreat on our own, but please do not bully the bows, swords and axes in our hands." Art took two steps back, picked up the sash hanging the weapons on the ground, and tied it around his waist, then held the bow and arrow and watched the movement on the mountain.
There was no movement on the mountain, which was considered acquiescence that Art and others left on their own.
"Ron and Matthew cover, retreat!"
Art turned around with his bow and arrows in his back, untied the reins of his and Ron's horses, and retreated towards the mountain road from where they came. The other two guards also led their horses to retreat.
Ron and Matthew drew their arrows and lowered their bows. They stared at the mountain and walked backwards down the mountain...
Just as Art and the others were walking quickly out of the mountain and were about to disappear at the junction of the exit of the hill and the basin, a gray-haired old man and three or five young men rushed to the flat ground on the mountainside. The old man was helped up onto the high stone.
"Those people left?" The old man narrowed his eyes and looked at the mountain pass as hard as he could.
"Go back to Mr. Christopher, those people have already left. I sent people to follow them to make sure they didn't move." The man wearing animal skins and looking like a hunter answered.
The old man named Christopher glanced at the direction of the mountain pass again, and asked in a serious tone: "He said his name was Wells?"
"Viscount of the North Country? Welsh surname? Lombard? How is this possible~"
The old man once again took a step outside the mountain and said, "Starting from tomorrow, you will take people to deal with all the traces of the south entering here. From now on, no one can go out without my permission."
“I can’t hide even if I have to. God forgive me for my sins.” The old man drew a holy cross on his chest with a solemn expression.