Vanades City is the largest commercial and trade city in the Principality of Madras, as well as the largest distribution center for goods and goods. This is mainly due to the fact that Vanades City's geographical location is really good. The central land, going south is the Kingdom of Andinaq, going north is the Northland, going east is the Principality of Faker and Sabaji, and going west is the capital of the Principality of Madras. Center Salisco. With convenient roads extending in all directions, Vanades City is known as the commercial flower of the Principality of Madras.
Lorist led the cavalry squad for five days, day and night, and drove nearly a thousand miles non-stop to the city of Vanades.
Now I have to stay in Vanades City for two days. One is to inquire about the news, and the other is to rest the horsepower. I have driven two hundred miles a day for five consecutive days. These Beidi horses used as horse archers are almost reaching their limit. .
Rented a small caravan camp on the southern outskirts of Vanades City, and settled the horse archers. Pete was in charge of the trivial matters. Lorist brought Pat and five guards into the city. They needed to find A better hotel as a place to stay.
The last time Lorist took Ovekis and his convoy back to the Northland, he only had a day's rest outside the city of Vanades. Soderkamp went into the city to replenish some supplies and then hurried on the road. This is the first time for Lorist to enter the city. Compared with Morente City, the commercial city where he has lived for ten years, although Vanades City is not big, the strong commercial atmosphere is comparable, and the streets are narrow. , but the densely packed shops, the crowd rubbing shoulders, and the continuous shouting seemed to bring Lorist back to the familiar city of Morente.
The Perfume Beauty Hotel is located on the South Street of Vanades City. This is a well-known high-end hotel, and it is also the favorite place for nobles and big businessmen to stay. Although it is expensive, it still attracts customers like a cloud and is full of guests. .
Lorist booked four suites in the side building, took a shower and sent two guards to inform Pete of his residence in the city, then took Pat and the four guards downstairs, and occupied the hotel lobby. I ordered meals for two tables, and listened to the conversations of the surrounding diners while enjoying the dinner.
After listening for a long time, Lorist was very disappointed. Although the merchants who dined here talked about the blockade of the road leading to the Kingdom of Antinac, most of them were complaining and guessing when the blockade would be lifted. About the transfer and the transaction of the goods in hand, etc.
He ate and listened, and when he looked up occasionally, he found that Pat, who was sitting across from him, was staring at something behind him in a daze. Lorist was startled, looked back, and smiled.
Behind it is a small living room like a cloister, which is full of beautifully dressed women. From time to time, hotel guests enter, choose the woman they like, and after negotiating the price, they take the woman back to the hotel room to spend the spring night together.
"Hehe, are you in love? You can choose one if you want, and you can leave before eleven o'clock in the evening." Lorist looked at the huge hourglass placed on the counter in the lobby of the hotel, and said, "It's only seven o'clock now. If you have to choose, there are still four hours, which is plenty of time... "
Pat blushed: "No, I just had a look, to see and see..."
"Really don't want it?"
"No, I want to guard by your side..." Pat shook his head resolutely.
"It's very safe here. We're just a group of merchants. No one knows me. And as a merchant, it's more noticeable if you don't find a woman when you arrive at the hotel. Look at the four of them, just like you, they are straight-eyed when they look at women. You If you don't want to find a woman, then go out with me. I want to buy some detailed maps of the road ahead. Each of the four of them will give a Goldford and let them find a woman by themselves, so that our team People look more normal." Lorist said.
Pat turned around and gave each of the four guards on the other table a gold coin. This surprise made the four guards flush with excitement. Pat told them not to tell the truth, and to keep the women out of the house by eleven o'clock at night. The four guards kept nodding, but it was because Lorist was still embarrassed to choose a woman right away.
With Pat, the two left the hotel, visited two night markets, and bought two travel notes and a few maps at the bookstore. To Lorist's surprise, there was a city defense map of the fortress of Lichtana for sale in the bookstore. The bookstore owner said disapprovingly that some time ago, the Grand Duke of Madras ordered the blockade of borders and roads, refusing the entry of refugees. All of a sudden, the fortress of Liechtana became a hot topic. Many people who like to talk about wars on paper came to buy a copy and invited a few friends to talk about how to defend and how to conquer. This is normal.
"This map of the city defense was reprinted directly from the file room. It is very popular at present. Would you like to have a copy, sir?" the bookstore owner sold.
"Okay, then give me one too. I'll figure out how to conquer this fortress when I get back." Lorist said.
"Actually, the fortress is dead, and the real defense depends on people. As long as our principality's iron guards are around, this fortress will be impossible to conquer." The bookstore owner rolled up the map and handed it to Lorist. Very proud to say.
Loris nodded thoughtfully.
After returning to the hotel, Lorist stayed in his room and spent two days carefully figuring out the topography from the city of Vanades to the fortress of Lichtana, and asked the hotel waiter to find a familiar route to France. The guide of the route of the Principality of Kerr asked in detail about the road leading to the Principality of Faker. Here, Pat and the guards were ordered to haunt large and small taverns and hotels in the city, unobtrusively inquiring about the military preparations and logistical supplies for the blockade of the border.
In the eyes of the hotel waiter and other businessmen, Lorist was just an ordinary nobleman from the Kingdom of Ridleys, and he was worried about how he would turn back home.
On the third day, Lorist checked out of the house and returned to the cavalry camp in the southern suburbs.
In the evening, in the big tent, Lorist called Pete and Pat to arrange the next itinerary.
"... We will set off tomorrow morning and head east along the road leading to the Principality of Fakel. This area is a small mountainous area with complex terrain. I heard that there were bandits and bandits in the past. However, due to the border blockade, we diverted to this road There are many business travelers on the mountain road, and the Principality of Madras has also dispatched a brigade of guards to be responsible for the safety of this road. It is said that there has been no news of robbers and bandits in the past month.
It should be half a day's journey to the small mountain village here. The information we inquired is that there is a squadron of guards stationed in this small mountain village, because there is a fork road not far from the small mountain village, and this trail goes south through a large forest. In the past, when we reached this hill, two paths diverged under the hill. One path led to the fortress of Liechtana, and the other led to the Bailu Lake over the hill.
We have two options, one is to cross Bailu Lake, the other side is the Kingdom of Antinac, but we don't know if we can find the ferry, after all, we have more than a hundred people plus five carts, which is a bit troublesome. Fortunately, these small roads can pass four-wheeled carriages. In addition, there is another way to break through from the Liechtana Fortress Castle.
You see, the Liechtana Fortress Castle is built on Mount Lieden, and to the west is the Lieden Mountains to the sea. About 500 meters away are three small rock hills, which the locals call Bread Hills, which are as bare as three freshly baked buns. Now I heard that a military camp was built on it, and a large group of soldiers from the Iron Guards was stationed there, and the Liechtana Fortress Castle controlled the avenue in the middle from the left to the right.
Below the Bread Hill is the nearly 100-mile-long Egret Lake. This Egret Lake is the natural dividing line between the Kingdom of Antinac and the Principality of Madras. In the past, there are swamps and virgin forests along the coast. We didn't find out that there is a second path leading to the lake.
Now watchtowers and wooden fences have been built on the 500-meter open space and avenue between Bread Hill and Riedon Mountain, and the entire border has been closed. The last time Pat heard about the situation was that ten siege crossbows were arranged in the barracks on Bread Hill, the same as the ones in the fortress of Lichtana. City crossbow. Even if the sentry tower and wooden fence in the middle are destroyed, the condescending cross-shooting on both sides can still block the passage of this avenue.
So we don't break through here unless we have to, that means we have to pay a heavy price for casualties. When we arrive at this small mountain village at noon tomorrow, we will carefully check the density of patrolling guards to see how vigilant they are on that side road, and whether they can let us slip past without anyone knowing. If it doesn’t work, we’ll force it through, get to the lake and abandon all the sundries and vehicles, and swim across the lake with our mounts…”
…
At noon, Lorist arrived at the small mountain village with his troops, and after showing the guards the badge of the Taberley family, he was allowed to enter the small mountain village to rest. There are already three caravans resting in the open space in front of the small mountain village, and they will start their journey again after having lunch.
Finding an open space, Pete commanded the horse archers to bury pots and cook. The villagers in the small mountain village brought home-made ale and food to sell in an endless stream. It seems that the move of the Principality of Madras to block the border has given this The small mountain village has brought unexpected prosperity. The villagers of the small mountain village have earned a lot of money from the passing caravans by selling snacks, mountain products and prey collected and hunted by themselves, and everyone has a satisfied smile on their faces.
After eating lunch and resting for an hour, Lorist ordered to pack up and prepare to go. This is a signal, which means that there is no opportunity to forcibly break through the checkpoint guarded by a guard team at the fork in front of the road. Everyone must do their best. Prepare for battle.
When the equipment was being arranged, there was a bustling noise from the gate of the small mountain village, and then a small group of high-spirited guards walked in, escorting seven or eight people dressed as mercenaries tied up tightly.
Pat only took a look in the past, his face changed drastically, and he turned back to Lorist's side: "My lord, it's not good, it's Reddy and Jim who were arrested..."
"What? What did you say?" Lorist was stunned for a moment, then looked back, and sure enough those bundled up like zongzi surrounded by the crowd were Reddy and Jim. Jim was still bleeding from his shoulders. It was only after a fierce fight that they were captured, and the other mercenaries were all dressed up with injuries.
The squadron leader of the garrison stationed in the small mountain village came out of a wooden house cursing. His clothes were disheveled, and two red hickeys could be seen on his open chest and neck. It was obvious that the arrival of these prisoners disturbed him. Good things going on.
The squadron leader squeezed through the crowd of onlookers, talked to the squad leader who was escorting him, and then ordered the prisoners Reddy and Jim to be locked up in a stone house used as a cell.
Lorist went up to meet him and asked curiously, "Hey, Captain, what's going on with these captives? Are you still arresting slaves?"
"Fart slave..." The squadron leader cursed, and then remembered that the person in front of him was a nobleman. Although he was not a nobleman from the principality, he was still a viscount, and his status as a squadron leader could not be compared. He hurriedly straightened his clothes: "I salute you, Lord Viscount. These people were all captured by smuggling into Bailu Lake into the Principality and violating the Grand Duke's travel ban."
"What do you do with them? Sell them to slave traders? I think they are all strong men, and they can be sold for a good price." Lorist said.
"Damn noble, you are also a slave trader." The squadron leader cursed inwardly, and replied: "We don't do slave trade. Those who sneak across the border like this will be beheaded after the interrogation at night. Look, my lord. Hanging from the trees on the east side of the small mountain village are all the heads that were severed after crossing the border..."
It was only then that Lorist discovered that there were no less than thirty heads hanging from a big tree in the east of the small mountain village...
"It's a pity, I wanted to offer a good price at first..." Lorist looked regretful that the deal failed.
"Please forgive me, Lord Viscount, this is the Grand Duke's order, and we can only obey it. Let me take my leave first, and wish you a smooth journey." The squadron leader saluted and left.
Lorist walked back with a gloomy face, and said to Pat and Pete: "Find a way, find an excuse to stay, find out the defenses of the small mountain village in the afternoon, kill them by hand at night, and rescue Redy Jim and the others."
Pete said, "My lord, why don't you do it now?"
Lorist shook his head: "There are too many people now. You can see that there are five or six merchant convoys around. We can't guarantee that we won't leak the news. If we do something, the surrounding garrison will soon be alerted and surround us. We only have There is a small group of people, but there is a large group of guards in charge of this road. I don't want to trap nearly a hundred of you just to save a few people.
If it is night, there will be no merchant convoys here, because it is only half a day away from Vanades City, and no one will spend the night here, no matter who is going or coming, we can guarantee that the defense teams in other places will not be disturbed. Get rid of the enemies here. "
The house where the squadron leader went lived was the most beautiful woman in this small mountain village, a young widow. Originally, there were many young people in the small mountain village who were courting her, but when the squadron leader arrived, those young people had nothing to do with them.
Just now I was disturbed by those mercenaries smuggling, but this time I heard the door being knocked on the door just after entering the alley.
"What happened again!" The squadron leader was furious, and the little brother who had been slashing the knife just now shrank into a ball again in fright.
"Captain, the viscount who was talking to you just now fell off his horse when he got on his horse and was about to set off. It seemed that several bones were broken, and they couldn't walk. The viscount passed out from pain, and his men had already gone to Vanner The city of Des has hired a pharmacist. Now they are going to set up tents in the village." The subordinates outside the door reported loudly.
"Haha, it's really good news, that damned slave trader Viscount also had such unlucky times." The squadron leader said happily, "Tell them to camp in the village to behave, and I will visit Lord Viscount at night, don't bother me if I have nothing to do now! Get out!"
Lowering her head, she said to the little widow below her, "Baby, help me with your little mouth..."
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