In the wilderness south of Anzeruta and Balta, most of the undulating ridges can only see this dark rock. The vegetation is sparse, and the higher altitudes are filled with white snow all the year round, and there is only sparse snow below. Tundra grasses composed of heather or similar shrubs are scattered on the ground like a thin layer of volcanic ash. A majestic fortress just stands between two dark mountain peaks. A wall over sixty feet high is made of square stones. The flag of the empire is flying on the four watchtowers, which can be easily monitored from these high towers. In every valley within ten miles, the observation room is also equipped with rotatable ballistas and wizards, and is equipped with more than one squadron of crossbowmen, which can block enemies from the sky from the perforations in the tower.
The fortress is also equipped with an air force. The border guards stationed here have griffins and flying dragons, as well as elite Pegasus knights. They will take off in the second time after confirming the enemy's situation to guard the airspace above the fortress.
Brando retracted his gaze from the huge iron cages on the walls. Those were the Griffon cages. The Griffins inside were the air force of the early warning force on the walls. They could be used for reconnaissance and interception. And not far from those iron cages, there is a towering giant gate. This giant gate is more than fifty feet high from the ground to the top, facing the middle. It is entirely made of cast iron, in order to cast this one. For the iron gate, Cruz’s craftsmen assemble them together with pre-cast iron work pieces. The purpose of casting this iron gate is to give full play to the impact of the inland dragoon regiments in the fortress. There are two regiments of dragoons in the black sword barrier, which are needed by the Cruz people. At that time, they would have the ground dragoons lined up behind the gate, then opened the main gate and attacked the enemy outside the fortress.
The flat slope outside the Black Sword Barrier was also artificially paved. Originally, it was a steep valley, but it was filled in by Duke Sempley and turned into what it is now.
The merchant eldest lady stood beside him, her small hand tightly tugging his arm, and looking at the majestic wall with her chin tilted up, she sighed slightly with her mouth open, "It's so tall, Brando."
"The Black Sword Barrier used to be higher than the outer wall in the Glory Years. Before that, the height of its main wall was no more than 35 feet in most places, which is not much different from the outer wall of Menstros. In 1985, the Highlanders led by the Longblade Lord captured here with the support of the Eruin. In the year of the tiger lizard, the Cruz people regained the fortress, and then began to rebuild the fortress. The fortress rest and reorganization work was intermittent. It lasted for thirty years. Until the year of summer, the Duke of Sempery completed the ramp before it was basically completed." Brando told her that this knowledge is not unusual for a senior player, but it is small. Romain was stunned. She had never heard of these things, but listening to the person at her hand speaks eloquently is obviously not just talking about it. For a while, she only felt that Brando was the person who knew the most in the world. Some little vanity asked very curiously: "Can anyone really attack here, Brando? The wall is so high, can they climb it?"
"Although the Black Sword Bulwark is not the strongest fortress in the empire, it is also one of the best high cities and deep pools in the southern part of the empire. However, this city has indeed been captured by the Eruin twice in history. The first time was first. The war that Junek helped the Highlanders conquer Anzeruta was the second time more recently, during the Walnut Rebellion about a hundred years ago, when the Highland Knights of Balta were repelling. After the invasion of the empire, I took advantage of this fortress, hum," Qiara seemed to hear the conversation between the two, and hummed softly, "At that time, the Corcovado dynasty was the most powerful period, but It’s a pity that it’s still too weak. If it were me, I would not return this fortress to the Cruz people, either to the lion or to the wind elves, so that the kingdom would not have to face threats from the north."
Brando turned a blind eye to this kind of child's speech. He noticed that other people in the envoy showed curious gazes and were obviously also interested in this matter. Then he nodded and replied: "It is true. The Black Sword Barrier is the earliest. It was built in the year of Moss in the Chaos Era and was completed at the beginning of the First Era. It has only two records of being captured in history, both of which were completed by the Eruin."
"That's because other countries won't detour from the territory of Eruin to attack the empire." Qiara replied with her lips curled.
As for the fat man, Ephraim asked curiously: "My lord, do you mean that our Eluin actually defeated the empire?"
"What do you mean by this?" Brando was taken aback.
"I mean, Lord Commander, how could Eruin beat the empire, did you make a mistake?" The fat man said loudly as if he had heard some funny joke.
Brando didn't get angry with his words. He replied angrily: "Why do you think Eruin never defeated the empire?"
For this guy’s ignorant historical knowledge, he really doesn’t even have the strength to despise. Let’s not talk about the large and small battles in the history of these hundreds of years. Although the Cruz Empire is powerful, it is not invincible. There are many examples of people defeating them—and less than five months ago, he gave the Temple of Flame and the empire’s expeditionary fleet to the ground a lesson in Amperthel. This war I was ignored by this guy. He couldn't help being very depressed, and couldn't help but wonder what the heck this guy had learned as a descendant of the nobleman in Karasu.
But Avram was still obsessed with it. He spread his hands and asked: "But the empire is so huge, and Eruin is just a small country on its borders. It can't even compare to a province of the empire. How can we fight? Past them? Master, you said that we Eruins once defeated the Cruz people. I don’t believe it. There are often examples of this in history. In fact, it’s just taking advantage of a small conflict. Said to be a great victory, I have seen this kind of thing a lot in Karasu. My friends in the cavalry patrol often do such things. Seeing the big from the small, the glory proclaimed by the royal family must be unbelievable, but It is to maintain the legitimacy of their rule."
To compare the highland knights of the Walnut Rebellion era with the rotten patrol cavalry of this era, this idea is also very avant-garde, Brando couldn't help being amazed by this guy's way of thinking. He couldn’t help but replied: “In that case, what do you think we can stand here today to represent Eru’s mission to the empire? The Cruz people never ask the provinces below them to send envoys. To pay tribute to their emperor."
Ephraim obviously hadn't considered this question, and he was taken aback by Brando's question, and couldn't help but frown and contemplate. At this time, the daughter of Grand Duke Vieiro, the 17-year-old girl, said suddenly, "I think it’s because the empire doesn’t need a remote place like Eruin at all. Except for our kingdom, no There are also many kingdoms and principalities attached to the Temple of Flame. Didn’t the empire ever fight against them? My teacher often told me that if the empire had the heart, Eruin would have become a dominion like Anzeruta. , And at that time we were all nobles of the empire, Lord Earl, am I right?"
"To you, your goddamn teacher had better not be met by me." Brando said heartily, but he looked at the looks of the others in the envoy and found that apart from Roman, Metis and Hippamila Outside of such outsiders, most people seem to agree with this statement. Of course, except for those who really understand the history of the kingdom, such as Shire and Chiara, both of whom have obvious disdain on their faces. What makes Brando a little curious is that he is actually on Uta's face. Saw a similar look.
At this time, Qiyala finally couldn’t help it. After all, she was also a former member of the royal family. Maintaining the legitimacy of the kingdom was also safeguarding the reputation of her family. The battle of the Luin ancestors seems to be a good show, so that the Eruin can separate from the empire and establish our own kingdom. The nobles of the Cruz people are rich in this kind of helpful spirit. We should really thank them for sending the first king Eke out of the Four Realms Wild Gifts, right?"
Her sharp sarcasm shocked everyone, and Avram realized that she had somehow offended the eldest lady, and the daughter of Grand Duke Vieiro opened her mouth, and finally answered. One sentence: "Isn't that because the wind elves are helping us?"
Brando saw Qiara's face as black as the bottom of a pot, and couldn't help but shook his head. I don't know when the nobles of the kingdom have lost their backbone-the highland knights in Baltar still exist. At that time, in the year of the walnut, the empire was never a problem for Eluin. The problem was whether the Eluin dared to fight, nothing more. He couldn't help but think of Alberton. The white knight was right in front of a Baltar highland knight, and since then, for nearly a hundred years, the princes and nobles of Eruin seemed to have suddenly lost this Spirit, I can't lift my head in front of the Cruz people anymore.
But he hadn’t thought that the nobles’ imagination of the Cruz empire was so ridiculous. When Avram first spoke, he thought it was just a case. After all, this guy looked like a dude. Unlearned typical. But when Grand Duke Vieiro’s daughter spoke, he realized that something was wrong. Although the little girl was just mediocre on weekdays, she could be seen to be a knowledgeable person, and she knew something about foreign affairs and etiquette. , She obviously knows the history of the kingdom, but like Avram, she obviously does not agree with these histories.
These histories, and everything they see right now, are too different.
He shook his head for the second time, and replied to these nominal subordinates: "Although the empire is strong, it is not without enemies. Although Eruin is small, it is impossible for the empire to spare all its energy to deal with us, the empire. There is Faenza in the north, Saint Osor and Madara in the east, Hazel and Toquinin in the west. Faced with so many enemies, even if the empire wants to draw out the power of a province to deal with us, It’s impossible. What’s more, there is Azeruta in its southern border. Since the era of the Longblade Lord, the Highlanders have dreamed of independence for nearly seven centuries. If we don’t make troubles, the empire is already thankful, so what? Dare to use the sword in the south easily? So the Empire actually hopes to maintain this kind of enemy and friend relationship with us. On the one hand, the honor of the empire makes them still reluctant to recognize the establishment of Eruin. On the other hand, they are unable to truly be in The Southern Territory used its hands and feet. Even in the Walnut Rebellion, our opponent was just a Walnut Duke. In the final analysis, we were actually helping the empire to put down the rebellion."
"Eluin’s position is so sensitive and special that the wind elves and the empire dare not move easily. Relying on this delicate balance, Xianjun Eke found his own path for the Eluin. "Speaking of this, he glanced at Qiara: "Anson I obviously had already insight into the secret between this, so he returned the Black Sword Barrier to the Cruz people after the Walnut War, because once the balance is broken, it will be for the Egyptians. It may not be a good thing for Lu Yin."
Brando looked at other people again and said word by word: "So, Eruin may not need to defeat the entire empire, but this does not mean that Eruin has no chance of winning. The wisdom of the small country, I tell you this, I want you to understand that the Kingdom of Eruin has its own unique advantages, and his nobles and people do not necessarily need enemies before the empire."
After listening to these words, Qiara couldn't help but snorted slightly. It was obvious that she already knew this knowledge, and she didn't need Brando to repeat it.
As for the others, including the youngest daughter of Efram and the Grand Duke Vieiro, it was the first time that they heard this statement, but they were skeptical.
But Brando didn't need them to believe it all. He just reminded these noble young masters and daughters in advance, lest they see the imperial nobleman's face on his knees and lose the face of his big head.
The group of people was gradually approaching the Black Sword Barrier as they had this conversation. At this moment, a noise suddenly rang in front, attracting everyone's attention; the noise first came in a neat row. The sound began, accompanied by the sound of heavy horseshoes, and then everyone in the envoy saw a small group of imperial soldiers lined up in their field of vision. Under the leadership of three or four knights, this small group of imperial soldiers opened the black sword barrier. The small wooden gate next to the huge city gate lowered the suspension bridge and rushed out—the few knights shouted, and suddenly commanded their men to rush to a caravan outside the fortress.
It is worth mentioning that in addition to Brando and their eye-catching aristocratic team, there are also many large and small business groups in the fortress this season. Because as one of the only two gateways between the Empire and Eruin, the Black Sword Barrier is not only a strategic strategic point for the military, but also an important communication artery between the two countries. After the month or two when the mountain road was completely frozen, most of the time there would be business travelers passing through here, and at this moment, the goal of those imperial soldiers was obviously such an Eruin caravan.
They quickly rushed into the middle of the caravan, first knocked down the guards armed with weapons, and then drove the merchants out of the caravan, tied their back shears one by one, and pushed them to the ground. Then the imperial soldiers Return to between the convoys, use the field sword to cut the ropes on the carriages, and throw the goods on the ground one by one. Before long, they searched out many people from the carriages, including men and women, old and young. Imperial soldiers drove these people together. Most of them were in ragged clothes and stood shivering in the cold wind. The women and children among them were even more scared and crying, but the imperial soldiers still looked indifferent, and a few still had sneers on their faces.
Brando thought at first that he had run into such a bloody bridge as a bandit and a soldier, but then he realized that it didn't seem to be the case. But he hadn't spoken yet. The Earl Grey Mountain daughter behind him was already terrified. Miss Yinide looked at this scene with a pale face, and couldn't help but ask tremblingly: "What is going on?"
Qiyara curled her lips when she saw this scene, but was unwilling to speak.
Among them, the daughter of Grand Duke Vieiro had some insights. She explained to others in a low voice: "These people are refugees."
It turned out that Brando came to understand that since Eruin's frosty change and the king's party lost power, the kingdom has been turbulent, and the manifestation of this turmoil in the entire kingdom is war. The battle between the royal family and the local aristocracy is only a small part of it. When the central government loses its binding force, the conflict between the local lords and the lords has become the first to become sharp, whether it is for territorial, population, or support. Small wars are always continuous, and this situation is not so severe in the south-on the one hand because of Madara-but on the other hand, after the battle of Ampersel, the north was placed under the temporary supervision of the king's eldest son. But north of West Fah, the nobles seemed to lose their order for a while. In these areas affected by the Corkova royal family, the West Fah royal family, the wind elves and the Temple of Flame, the war seemed to become a kind of Daily needs.
And with the war came a large number of refugees, a small part of these refugees were accepted by Tonigel, but more flowed to the north and flowed to the empire. For the empire, this was not a big thing. The refugees needed to find a place that could provide them with a livelihood, and the empire was also willing to accept this labor force-but the problem is that as these refugees increase, What brought the empire were not only benefits, but also the troubles and burdens that followed. The direction of migration of refugees originally had residents, and the nobles of the empire could not accept all the labor force, and those who remained The idlers have gradually become a hidden danger to the local public security. In addition, the arrival of these refugees has harmed the interests of the aborigines. Over time, these refugees have become synonymous with unwelcome people in the empire. Since then , The Cruz people began to refuse to admit these refugees into the country.
What happened in front of us was obviously exactly such a scene.
"Sister, what will happen to them?" The youngest of them, the little Lori of the Goran-Elson family, asked with a little fear at this scene.
"They will be treated as thieves and homeless people, tied to poles here to show the public, and then driven back..."
The descendants of the Eruin nobles all showed some embarrassment on their faces.
"It's really shameful, the kingdom's face is lost to these untouchables." Avram couldn't help but muttered angrily: "No wonder the imperial nobles always behave like superiors in front of us."
…