On the watchtower, Baron Camora watched as the people in the distance drew closer. The rider at the front held the flag of the Furious Bear, which fluttered in the wind.
"Is this your family's army?" Baron Camora asked.
Loriste nodded.
"What are they doing?" Baron Camora asked again.
Loriste smiled. "Teaching some rules to some newcomers to the north. How dare they capture my messenger and make him do hard labor. So, I ordered my soldiers to hang him in front of his castle."
"Who is it?"
"A baron called Farad."
Baron Camora frowned and thought for a moment. "I know this man. He's good at raising horses. He was originally the second prince's groom. He saved the second prince's life during the second attack on the Melaine Duchy. When he came back, he became a baron and was sent to the north. This man is very unreasonable. He attacked the neighboring Baron Slidor as soon as he arrived in the north. He even killed his entire family and forcibly took over Slidor's territory. "
Loriste looked at Baron Camora in surprise. "Why is Duke Lujins not doing anything about this? Isn't he the ruler of the north? "
"They're all nobles who were appointed by the second prince to the north. The duke can't be too ruthless to avoid offending the second prince." Baron Camora shook his head. "The duke said that the old northern lords have never taken him seriously anyway. It's a good time to let the newcomers show them who's boss. No matter who wins or loses, they have to pay taxes obediently. Whoever doesn't pay will be killed. That way, the second prince won't have anything to say. "
"So the duke is so afraid of the second prince …" Loriste chuckled. "No wonder everyone in the north knows that the duke wants to establish the Lujins Duchy in the north, but there hasn't been any movement. So this is the reason. With this kind of courage, how can he do anything big? Dream on. "
Baron Camora didn't say anything. He only regretted that he had said too much. He had only said a few words, and Loriste had already guessed the result.
"Lord Camora, let's be frank. As nobles, we must have the dignity of nobles. In fact, you should also understand that the price offered by Duke Luggins is an affront to any noble. It is difficult for me to understand what this price means. Would you please tell me? "Laurist once again brought the topic back to the ransom Duke Luggins had paid to Knight Henned.
"Sigh …" Baron Camelot heaved a long sigh. "Actually, what the duke offered was not ransom money. What he offered was gratitude for handing over the criminal …"
If a criminal committed a crime in Earl A's territory and ran to Viscount B's territory and was caught and notified to Earl A, then Earl A could send people to Viscount B's territory to bring the criminal back to his territory for punishment. At the same time, in order to express his gratitude to Earl B, Earl A had to pay a sum of money as a token of appreciation for handing over the criminal. This was also an unwritten tradition among the nobles of the territory to help each other.
"Wait, what did you say? Thank-You money for handing over the criminal? What does that mean? Does Duke Luggins think Knight Henned a criminal? "cried Loriste.
Baron Camorra nodded bitterly.
Laurist's eyes widened. "Isn't this ridiculous? Is Duke Luggins trying to use this custom to save money for himself? I've long heard that the duke loves money as much as his life and is extremely stingy. To think that he could come up with such a method to get his Gold Knight back. Does he think that everyone else is a fool? Who would believe that a defeated person would become a criminal … "
"It's true. The duke thinks that Knight Henned and those Silver-tier knights are all criminals. He sent me here to bring them back for punishment …" Baron Camorra kept staring at the ground as if he wanted a crack to appear on the ground for him to crawl into.
"I don't believe it …" Laurist shook his head and said, "Unless your duke is crazy and thinks that a defeated person is a criminal. There's no such logic in this world …"
Sigh, it's better to make it clear. Anyway, after a period of time, the duke's actions and rumors would spread throughout the entire Northern Land. This time, he was forced to come here to embarrass himself. He could only hope that the young head of the Norton family would refuse to release Knight Henned. At this time, going back was more dangerous than being a captive. This was what Baron Camorra thought. The duke's treatment of Knight Chevani's family had already disappointed many people. Even he was a little disheartened.
"It's not because they lost the battle, but because they lost the duke's money. That's why the duke wants to punish them," Baron Camorra said.
"Huh? They lost the duke's money? What do you mean? "The more Laurist listened, the more confused he became.
Baron Camorra laughed bitterly, "Didn't they take down Northern Field Town and looted two to three hundred thousand gold coins worth of property? Then they failed, and this property fell into your hands. The duke is very angry. He thinks that this three hundred thousand gold coins is his money, and they lost it. This is an unforgivable mistake. That's why he sent me here to bring them back for punishment … "
Damn, there's such a calculation! Laurist's horizons were opened. "How did Duke Luggins know how much property was seized? “
"It's all Knight Chevani's fault. He failed to attack the city and wanted to retreat. He was worried that he wouldn't be able to return, so he wrote a letter detailing the battle against your Norton family. He sent two of his attendants to cross the Morgen Hills and return. Only one of the two attendants delivered the letter to the duke. He shouldn't have written down the loot from Northfield Town. As a result, His Excellency the Duke was furious and felt that it was all the fault of Chevani and Henned. They should have transported the loot back first. Now that the money is gone, it means that they have lost His Excellency the Duke's money. Not only did they hang the attendant who delivered the letter as a deserter, they also ransacked Chevani's house and chased his family to the streets to be beggars … "
"Then …" Laurist was dumbfounded. Duke Luggins must have gone crazy. There was no doubt about this.
Baron Camorra knew what Laurist wanted to say. "The duke also ordered to throw Chevani's body into the mass grave to feed the wild dogs … But Knight Beatson has already secretly sent people to collect Chevani's body and bury it. We will take care of his family in secret. After some time, when the duke has forgotten about this matter, we will arrange for them to leave the north … "
"Your duke is extremely paranoid. With how much he values money, he will definitely vent his anger on Chevalier Chevalier's family. He hasn't thought of it yet, but when he does, he might sell Chevalier Chevalier Chevalier's family to slave traders. You'd better arrange for them to leave the north as soon as possible, "Laurist said.
This was indeed very likely to happen. The crazy duke would not care about what others thought. If he did such a thing, it was guaranteed that the Northern Army would be in big trouble. Now that Knight Beatson was here, they could still suppress it forcefully. However, the Northern Army was already surging with undercurrents, and the morale of the army was uneasy. As the head of the army, Chevani had always been fair in the Northern Army and was deeply loved by the soldiers. Many knights and soldiers were already indignant that the duke dealt with Chevani, who worked hard and conscientiously. If he sold his family as slaves, the consequences would undoubtedly be unthinkable. It would be like pouring oil into a fire, and there might even be a mutiny.
Duke, do you only have money in your eyes? Without the Northern Army, no matter how much money you have, you won't be able to keep it! Baron Camora nodded gratefully at Laurist and decided to immediately go back to do this matter. The sooner he could move Chevani's family away, the sooner he could be at ease.
"I feel very unworthy for Chevani. He is a very good commander. Although he is my enemy, I have to admit that he is an outstanding Gold Knight. He has tried his best and done everything he could. The duke's order for him to go to our family was an irreparable mistake. He found an enemy that he could not defeat. He would not have died, but in order to ask me to forgive the soldiers who slaughtered the people of Northern Field Town, and to give the duke an explanation, he deliberately died in my hands in a life-and-death duel with me. He is worthy of the honor of a knight. From this point, I admire him. He is a true knight, "Laurist said.
"I think Chevani's only mistake is that the duke he served loyally is a madman. It is impossible for a normal person to reason with a madman, especially a paranoid madman. Duke Lujins's actions have become a disgrace to the nobles. He is digging his own grave. I believe that even now, his mind is still thinking about the three hundred thousand gold coins. Even in his dreams, he dreams of snatching it back from me … "Leurist laughed and pointed at the troops that were continuously entering the city. He said to Baron Camelot," This is my family's military. If the Duke wants the money, he will have to ask if they agree to it first … "
Looking at the troops below the city, Baron Camora was filled with mixed feelings and did not speak for a long time.
The expedition of four thousand people had been completely wiped out. He had thought that the Norton Family had also suffered heavy casualties, but who knew that after arriving at Rock Castle, the Norton Family's strength seemed to have increased a lot. There were rows of guards on the city wall, and hundreds of soldiers training in the distance. They were all well-equipped, and all of them wore iron armor. What was even more surprising was that the Norton Family still had the strength to send troops to punish the new lord who had detained their messenger. Baron Camora could only smile bitterly. He had to admit that the Norton Family had the strength to wrestle with the duke.
Josk, Vasinma, and Serdkamp went up the tower, followed by Ruhr and Mord.
"My lord, we have fulfilled your orders. We have hanged Baron Fahrad in front of his castle gate," Josk reported after saluting.
"Casualties?"
Josk shook his head and laughed with Vasinma. Both of them were very happy.
"My lord, we have no casualties …" Serdkamp stepped forward and reported, "It's just that some of the family soldiers are not used to falling off their horses during the long march. But Lord Josk said that they will only get used to it after falling a few more times. There is nothing else. Everything is going well. "
"Tell me what happened," Laurist said.
"My lord, we were just in time. When we arrived, Baron Fahrad was fighting a viscount called Sekem with a few hundred men. Josk and Vasinma immediately led their troops to attack, and Baron Fahrad's troops collapsed on the spot. Baron Fahrad wanted to escape on his horse, but Lord Josk shot his horse dead with an arrow and captured him. He said that he was the second prince's favorite vassal and told me to wait and see. We ignored him and took his castle, and Rule and Maud hanged him from the gallows with their own hands. Lord Vasinma even put a wooden sign next to him, stating the reason why he was hanged, "Serdkamp reported.
Laurist nodded with satisfaction. There were no casualties, and the mission was completed. This was the best result.
"My lord, that Baron Fahrad was a pauper. We searched the entire castle and only found about three hundred old imperial heads. But his horse farm was good. There were about four hundred of them, two herds of sheep, and dozens of cows. However, there was a very strange thing. Baron Fahrad built his castle in someone else's territory. There was nothing in his own territory, just a piece of wilderness. Later, Viscount Sekem came and told us that this Baron Fahrad occupied a territory called Baron Shledo. Everything in his territory should belong to Baron Shledo.
Viscount Sekem said that Fahrad captured one of his villages and took his people to build a castle. So I returned Viscount Sekem's people to him. The rest of the thousand men, women, and children belonged to Baron Shledo. But we couldn't find Baron Shledo. I heard that his entire family was killed by Baron Fahrad. So, I thought about it and brought those people, horses, cows, and sheep back. The stupid guys in the castle were all dealt with by Viscount Sekem, "Serdkamp reported.
"Hmm, well done. Did you retrieve the remains of the messengers from our family? "Laurist asked.
"Yes, we cremated their remains and brought them back in clay jars," Serdkamp replied.
"Good. Let's bury them in the martyr's tomb tomorrow morning. Ruhr and Mord went back and forth. Go and rest. "
"Thank you, my lord," Ruhr and Mord said.
"By the way, Serdkamp, ask Padt to bring Knight Henned and the dozen or so Silver Knights who were captured here. Lord Camorra, let's make a decision today. We'll wait in the room, please, "Laurist said.
Padt brought Henned and the dozen or so Silver Knights who had surrendered and become captives to the tower. Laurist's meeting room was filled to the brim.
Knight Henned was very happy to see Baron Camorra. He greeted him loudly, "Lord Camorra, did the duke send you to ransom us?"
Baron Camorra forced a smile as a response.
Laurist clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "I'm sorry to tell you some bad news. I don't think the ransom that Duke Lujins offered for you is acceptable, so I rejected Lord Camorra's request. "
The whole room was in an uproar. Some of the Silver Knights said, "See, I knew the duke was stingy. He must have offered a very low price …"
Someone else said, "Lord Norton, how much do you want? We'll pay for it ourselves."
Someone else guessed, "I think the Norton family must have offered a very high price …"
Knight Henned approached Baron Camorra and asked in a low voice, "How much did the duke offer?" But Baron Camorra kept his mouth shut.
"Everyone, please be quiet. Quiet …" Laurist shouted.
The room became quiet. Everyone looked at Laurist.
"I want to make it clear. The reason why I rejected the duke's ransom is because this price is an insult to all of you knights. It is also an insult to the Norton family …"
"May I ask how much the Duke is offering?" Knight Henned interrupted Laurist's words.
Laurist looked at him and pointed with his finger. "You're asking for a hundred gold coins, and they're asking for ten gold coins each …"
"What did you say?" Knight Henned jumped. The rest of the Silver Knights were stunned. No one could accept such a price …
"I want to make it clear. This is not your ransom. It's a reward for handing over the criminals," Laurist said.
Knight Henned's eyes were red. He turned to Baron Camorra. "Is what he said true? “
Baron Camorra nodded with difficulty …
"Why? What crime did we commit? Are you saying that we're criminals just because we're captured? "Knight Henned panted heavily, his voice hoarse.
"Being a captive isn't a criminal, but His Excellency the Duke thinks that you've lost the loot from Northern Field Town, which is worth three hundred thousand gold coins. That's why you've committed an unforgivable crime, because His Excellency the Duke thinks that the three hundred thousand gold coins are his money … Lord Camelot, do you want to speak or should I?" Lollister looked at Baron Camelot with a faint smile.
Baron Camorra looked at Laurist with a complicated expression. He said helplessly, "I'll speak."
He knew that if he let Laurist speak, he would not know how he would stir up trouble. It was better for him to explain everything and let everyone know that the duke was angry. Sigh, I shouldn't have come here in the first place. But the duke forced me to.
"… So Lord Beatson thinks that staying in the Norton Family is safer than going back. When the duke calms down, we will think of a way to ransom you back." Baron Camorra could only comfort them like this.
"There's no need for ransom. I plan to release them and restore their freedom. This is to protest against Duke Lujins' insulting ransom. He only wants money and not the dignity of a noble. However, the Norton Family believes that a knight's reputation and dignity cannot be offended. I don't want to hear insulting ransom again. So, I announce that you are free. Everyone, please collect your equipment and mounts later. If you have any attendants, please let us know. It's getting late. I ask everyone to stay for one more night. You can go back tomorrow morning. "
Laurist held a bulging bag of money in his hand. "Lord Camorra, here are a hundred gold coins. I would like you to pass it to Chevalier Chevani's family. This is my respect for a true knight. Please do me a favor."
Baron Camorra looked at Laurist and finally sighed. He reached out and took the bag of money. "You win, Lord Norton … I will pass this money to his family."
.....
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