"Sir Ron, according to your instructions, I sent someone to keep an eye on those Lombard bastards. Strange to say, those guys should eat and drink every day. They don't mind being detained inside and show no signs of escaping. The silence is a bit scary."
In a room at the border outpost, the outpost officer was reporting to Ron the group of Lombard businessmen detained at the outpost a few days ago.
Ron was sitting on the bench, his right hand resting on the table, and his left hand holding a dagger.
"What else?"
“And~” The outpost officer scratched his head. "By the way, the leader is even more evil. In addition to eating, drinking and sleeping normally, he also chats with the soldiers outside the door every day. He either asks the soldiers where their homes are, when they will join the army, or who else is in the soldiers' families. According to the soldiers' reports, this guy seems to be extremely interested in our Lord Earl~"
"What?"
Ron suddenly stood up suddenly, scaring the outpost officer to take two steps back.
"Sir Ron, don't worry, I have already ordered them to go down and tell them not to mention anything about the Earl." The outpost officer hurriedly explained.
Ron was silent and walked back and forth in the room. The real purpose of this Lombard businessman was pondered over and over in his mind. Once these people are really spies sent by Lombardy, then my master's situation will definitely not be so safe. As Art's bodyguard, Ron didn't dare to be careless at all.
…………
cedity must not be relaxed until we find out their identities. I will go back to the valley to report to the master.'
The firewood in the fireplace crackled and exploded from time to time, and the whole house was exceptionally warm. At this time, it was completely dark outside.
In the afternoon, after Art finished his official duties, he took little George and Lottie for a walk in a nearby place, which made little George very happy. This was the first time since Art returned to the valley that he took his family to walk around the territory so leisurely. The family did not return to the castle under the escort of guards until it was dark.
"Oli, go to the kitchen and have a look. Is the food ready?" Lottie turned and ordered to Oli who was standing aside.
"Okay, ma'am, I'll go right away."
After a while, several plates of hot food were delivered to the table. Ollie poured a glass of wine for Art and Lottie each, then stepped aside.
"Dear Lottie, I want to toast you with this glass." Art raised his glass. Lottie's eyes were slightly surprised.
"During my expedition, I left you alone to take care of you in the valley. I failed to fulfill the duties of a husband. It was because I neglected you and I was sorry for our children."
Lotti listened quietly, her eyes moist. "My dear, I understand you. Now that I have become your wife, these are what I should do. You just do what you should do."
Art stood up and kissed Lottie on the cheek, and then the two of them drank. Little George next to him picked up the mutton on the plate and tore it into pieces, completely ignoring the two people in front of him.
After dinner, Art held Lottie's shoulder and sat on the lounge chair by the window, quietly looking at the bright moon hanging high in the sky.
Not long after, the sound of horse hooves came from not far downstairs.
"Sir Ron, you are back~"
"Well, take my horse to the stable and let him feed it."
"Okay, don't worry~"
By the time Ron ran up the stairs quickly, Art was already standing at the top of the stairs. "Come to my study."
"Yes, sir." Ron nodded and greeted Lottie beside him.
………
"...Master, this is the situation. In my opinion, these people are definitely not ordinary businessmen."
In Art's study, Ron said.
At, who was sitting on the big leather chair, did not speak.
"According to your order, those guys were all detained in the barracks alone. But they did not show any worry or dissatisfaction for several days. They should eat and drink. Especially the leader, whose face remained calm and unusually calm." Ron told all the situations he knew one by one.
Just when Ron was about to continue, Art stretched out his hand to signal him to be quiet.
"Could it be that these people were sent by that bastard of mine, Walder Burley? If they were really sent by him, they wouldn't come to me so blatantly. Who are these people?" Art muttered in his heart, puzzled.
After a long while, Art finally spoke. Said: "Ron, you rush to the border post immediately tomorrow morning and start interrogating them one by one for me. You don't need me to teach you how to do it, do you?"
Ron chuckled and said, "Master, don't worry~" There was a hint of sinisterness in the corner of his mouth.
………
To the south of the valley workshop area, newly recruited residents under the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Tunnel Affairs were sweating profusely under the command of the craftsmen.
After more than half a month, the newly reclaimed land has reached thousands of acres. Looking around, along both sides of the river in the southern part of the workshop area, some of these pioneers were cutting down bushes and weeds, while others were responsible for cleaning up, piling the weeds and rotten leaves into a pile, and then burning them to ashes.
The remaining people used farm tools to reclaim the exposed land step by step, then screened out the gravel and plowed the land. After plowing, the land was leveled, ditched, and ridged, and it was transformed from wasteland into pieces of fertile farmland.
At this time, it is spring, and the cultivated land will soon be sprinkled with grain seeds for spring sowing. By autumn, the entire southern part of the valley will no longer be barren, but will be full of harvests.
In addition to the people who cleared the land, officials from the Ministry of Construction also led people to build a trade road along the valley river that could pass three carriages at the same time.
Yate had previously told the construction officer Lawrence to find the roadbed of the ancient trade road and build on it, which would greatly save manpower and material resources.
Hence, the Ministry of Construction sent some people all the way south to explore the roadbed of the commercial road and mark it along the way. The rest dug along the road bed.
After half a month of construction, a two-mile-long commercial road extends from the workshop area to the south. The outline of the newly dug road can be clearly seen from a high place.
While the roadbed was being excavated, drainage ditches about two feet deep were also dug on both sides of the commercial road. Avoid flash floods that cannot be discharged on rainy days and directly wash away the roads. The inside of the drainage ditch is built with stones to prevent it from becoming loose and collapsing after being washed away by rainwater.
While the people in front were digging, the people behind were also leveling the land and consolidating the roadbed. Most of the gravel paved on the road was taken from the river. The craftsmen led people to break it into pieces and sprinkle it on the road. Then they used tools to compact it step by step.
啐～
∣ Flat nose just came to the front with another person carrying the wooden frame and glanced at Hunter.
“MD, you know how tired you are, aren’t all the guys the same as you?”
The other two guys were also breathing heavily and wiping their sweat away. Although the temperature is very low, no matter how strong a man is, he will feel tired after all this time.
"Norman, we have to find a way to sneak into the vicinity of the wooden castle. If we continue like this, not only will we not be able to complete the task, but our lives will have to hang on the construction site. Oops~"
Joel pinched his waist after saying this and sighed.
Since several people entered the valley, they have been trapped south of the workshop area. Everything to eat, drink and have sex is here, there is no chance to escape.
Yesterday, Flat Nose took the opportunity to have diarrhea and ran all the way north. As soon as he approached the workshop area, he was caught by soldiers on guard duty nearby. If it weren't for this guy's clever mind, he might have been imprisoned in a concentration camp for serfs.
To get to the wooden castle, you must pass through the workshop area. Although it was possible to bypass the workshop area through the dense forests on both sides of the valley and return to the road leading north to the wooden castle, the various animal traps in the dense forest made several people give up this idea. A few days ago, several people tried to pass through the dense forest. Not long after entering, the guy named Hunter discovered something unusual. Several people had no choice but to return to the construction site without anyone noticing.
"Hey, you think this group of people is really strange. There is nothing in the south of the valley, so why do you have to go to so much trouble to build such a trade road?"
Fatty Aleph said to himself.
“Yes, even to transport grain, grass and farm tools, we don’t need to build such a good road.” Thin Joel agreed.
Listening to the conversation between the two, his snub nose was thoughtful. "Is it possible that this trade road leads to Lombardy?"
"Not good!" Flat Nose was suddenly startled. Several other guys quickly gathered around.
"This count wants to connect the Principality of Lombardy and the Marquis of Burgundy through this trade road! Is it possible~" Flat nose tightened in his heart.
“You mean that the count plans to invade Lombardy through this trade route?” Hunter replied.
The other two people opened their eyes wide. In their eyes, only Lombardy could invade other countries, and no one dared to take action against Lombardy.
"Then should we send someone back to tell Count Valais~"
"Hey, what are you guys doing there? Get out of here and work, sir, be careful, I've deducted your wages for today!"
h "Hey, what are you guys doing there? Get over here and work, be careful, sir, I've deducted your wages for today!"
h "Hey, what are you guys doing there?
夜晚，两个黑影借着夜色的掩护消失在南边的密林里～
…………
「大人！」
北关军堡，亚特带着罗恩等人前来视察军团近日的训练，顺便看一看吕西尼昂招募骑兵的事进展得如何了。 As soon as he entered the lord's hall of the military castle's stone house, Lunicion, who had come after hearing the news, appeared outside the door.
"Come in and sit down."
"Thank you, sir!"
Looking at Lunicion's high spirits, Art knew that all the newly recruited cavalry candidates were in place. He said, "Have all the new soldiers in the cavalry company been recruited?"
"They are all here. Sir, you still have something to do." Lunicion's face was filled with excitement. "There are still people who come to me and ask me if the cavalry company is still recruiting people."
A few days ago, Lunicion was ordered to form a cavalry company of the Welsh Army and was responsible for recruiting one hundred cavalry. I thought this would not be a difficult task, but I didn’t expect that it took several days to recruit about twenty people. This puts him, the captain of the cavalry company, in a difficult position. Seeing that the recruitment deadline was approaching, Lunicion had no choice but to put down his dignity and go to Art for help.
Unexpectedly, Art mobilized the enthusiasm of the soldiers with just one move. Art asked Lunicion to post a notice after returning to Beiguan Army Fort. It is claimed that the lowest rank of cavalry in a cavalry company is also that of squad leader. The treatment of cavalry is increased by 50% on that of infantry. The reason is very simple. The training content of cavalry is more complicated than that of infantry, and their combat effectiveness is stronger than that of infantry. They should enjoy high military pay and generous treatment.
As soon as the news came out, those guys who were eager for money signed up enthusiastically. In less than half a day, the number of applicants exceeded 300. After many screenings, only a hundred people were left. These people will serve as the new force of the Welsh Legion Cavalry Company and enhance the combat effectiveness of the Cavalry Company.
"Now that the people are in place, you should start organizing them to learn cavalry theoretical knowledge. At that time, you will select some officers from the original cavalry team to teach them. I will also select some high-level officers from the legion who are good at riding and shooting to teach them." I will pass on all my knowledge to these new recruits!"
"Please rest assured, sir, I will definitely live up to your expectations."
"Okay! It will depend on their performance then. Once they are taught, After the class is over, I will come to check the situation they have learned personally." After saying that, Art took Ron and others out of the Beiguan Army Fort and headed towards the border post under the escort of more than 20 guards.
"Tell me, who sent you here? What is your purpose here?"
In the temporary interrogation room of the border outpost, several members of the task force stood behind Deputy Captain Dawson, staring at the caravan guard in front of him who had been tortured to the point of dying.
When Ron went to the border post to interrogate these Lombard merchants, he also brought Dawson and several other members of the Earl's guard over. These people are not only good at activities such as lurking and assassination, but they are also good at interrogating prisoners and the like.
The guy who was tied to the pillar was tough at first and refused to say anything. After Dawson waited for a while, he finally spoke.
“I say! I say!” There was a cry in the caravan guard’s voice, and his eyes were full of fear. "We are from the Duke of Lombardy. After hearing that Flanders had become the ruler of Burgundy, there were voices in the Lombard court to suppress Flanders. Our mission is to come here to inquire about information and collect intelligence. I really don't know the rest, please let me go. Me~"
"Fart! How can you, a little caravan guard, know so much about the Lombardy Palace?"
"I, I～"
The caravan guard hesitated.
"Sir Dawson, I don't think this guy is lying." A task force member approached Dawson and whispered in his ear.
"I don't think so. If we just listen to his one-sided words and let him get away with it, then the safety of adults will be threatened, and our heads will fall to the ground!" Dawson's eyes showed a hint of sinisterness. Then he took the red-hot iron and walked towards the caravan guard who couldn't help shaking~
"Ah~"
As the iron fell on the unlucky guy's thigh, , a burst of burning aroma of barbecue filled the whole house, accompanied by wisps of green smoke, and bursts of screams were heard from time to time~
"Tell me! Are you the spies sent by Lombardy to murder my lord?"