In early February, the coldest season, this is especially true in Tyniec County on the edge of the southeastern mountainous area of ​​Burgundy.

Behind the gate of the outer wall of Wincheston Manor, two soldiers wearing cotton armor robes and thick sheepskin jackets were leaning on short spears and gathered around the bonfire behind the gate to keep warm.

Two soldiers, one lean and the other honest, were stomping their feet and breathing heavily, discussing something excitedly.

The lean soldier covered his frozen ears with warm hands and asked the honest soldier: "Man, it's been a few days since this military reward was issued. Have you figured out how to use the money?"

"No need, accumulating it will be of great use." The honest soldier replied with a sigh.

"You are a country bumpkin, but you still don't admit it. When you fight in the army, you put your head on the tip of a spear. No one knows when your head will fall to the ground. Why are you keeping so many military rewards? It's our turn to take a bath tomorrow.

, take your one hundred and fifty pfennig military reward with me to the county tavern and spend the day drinking happily, and find some girls to accompany you in the evening. I guarantee that your face will be glowing for a week, sizzle ~ those girls ***

**..." The leaner soldiers happily showed the honest soldiers a series of drawings depicting the graceful figure and superb skills of the bartender Lang in the Liberty Buffalo Tavern in the county.

The honest soldier's face was red as he listened to the lean soldier's description, and his mouth was almost watering.

The honest soldier's face suddenly darkened after he thought about it, and he spat into the bonfire, "Bah, you are such a bad bastard. It's obvious that you want me to pay you to have fun. Let me tell you this.

I want to save the money and go back to the valley to build a wooden house and marry a woman, so don’t you try to mess with my money."

The elite soldier was not upset when his intention was discovered, and continued to persuade: "Build a house? Do you know how much it costs to build a wooden house over at the wooden castle in the valley?"

The honest soldier shook his head.

The lean soldier stretched out a finger and waved, "A whole thousand pfennigs! It costs five hundred pfennigs just to buy the land for building a house from the civil administration, and you also have to spend money to hire people to cut wood and build wooden frames.

A thousand pfennigs can't afford to build a decent house."

The honest soldier was in trouble. He didn't know that house prices in the valley had risen to thousands of pfennigs. "Well, then I don't have enough money," he said.

The lean soldier continued to guide, "So, it's not enough anyway, so just spend it quickly to avoid worrying about it. I didn't get the reward for killing the enemy. I only got the twenty pfennigs reward for participating in the war together with the rest from last month."

I lost all my military pay to those bastards from the baggage corps. The few copper coins left in my purse are really not enough to go to the county town for a meal and a drink. Considering that we are guys in the same squadron, you, a gentleman, can take your brother to have fun once in a while.

.”

Seeing that the honest soldier's face was getting longer and longer, the lean soldier immediately changed his words and said: "Otherwise, you can lend me thirty pfennigs and I will pay you back when the military pay is paid next month."

The honest soldier didn't accept the call at all, "Since you gambled with those old guys in the baggage team, in which month have your military pay been in your purse for more than three days? I borrowed money from you, what will you give me back?"

"Stingy miser! Keep the money to give you a wife and children." The lean soldier spat into the bonfire.

The honest soldier looked disdainful, "If you were braver, the private soldier of Dean who was cut down by me was your merit in battle. Who the hell made you shrink your neck at the critical moment? Now that I have won the military reward, you are jealous again."

.”

"Just wait, next time we fight, I will kill three enemies in one go, and I will definitely get more military rewards than you. Let's see who will be jealous then!" The lean soldier felt that his dignity had been trampled on, and threatened to avenge his shame in the next battle.

The lean soldier swore the treaty and was in high spirits, but the honest soldier opposite him suddenly stood up straight and solemn. He kept silent and kept turning his eyes to wink at the lean soldier.

Jingshou was startled, and quietly turned his head to the right and glanced. He thought it was an officer patrolling, but there was no one behind him.

The lean soldier turned around and cursed: "You bastard, why are you trying to scare people if you don't believe me?"

Before he finished speaking, the lean soldier was tapped on his left shoulder. He was so frightened that he fell to the right and fell to the ground.

Dennis quickly stepped forward to help the soldier who fell to the ground and wiped the snow foam off his body. "Look, why are you so careless?"

"Si~ Sir Ideological Officer~" The lean soldier nodded and bowed in greeting.

Dennis took two steps back and showed a kind smile, "As I said, brothers, just call me Brother Dennis. Although the Baron has given you permission to light a bonfire to keep warm while on duty, you must also concentrate on guarding this door.

The brothers behind me can trust you with their lives."

The two soldiers on duty lowered their heads in shame.

Dennis was neither a military commander nor a military judge. He was just a kind reminder. Seeing that the two of them were already ashamed, Dennis smiled again and said to the lean soldier: "I heard you just now saying that you want to kill the enemy and perform meritorious service to receive military rewards.

Very good, those of us who are soldiers have to rely on killing enemies and making meritorious service to accumulate wealth and advance in status. Your performance this time is not outstanding, but you will definitely be able to do it next time." Dennis encouraged the lean soldiers.

The lean soldier only boasted when he was temporarily angered by the stinginess of his companions. He did not think that he would have the courage to pierce the spearhead into a living person next time.

Dennis encouraged the honest soldier a few more words and asked: "I just came out of the military camp outside the manor. Is the Baron in the mansion?"

"Ideology and politics~"

"Hmm~!!" Dennis made a serious expression.

The lean soldier immediately changed his words, "Deng, Commander Dennis, the Baron is inspecting the checkpoint construction site on the road to the north."

Dennis glanced at the intersection on the north side, turned around and tugged at the collar of the lean soldier's clothes, and said: "Remember, change "sir" to "brother" next time."

"You continue to be on guard duty, continue. I have to go to the Baron to report something." As he spoke, Denis patted his somewhat wrinkled cotton armor robe, turned around and walked towards the commercial road sentry post to the north of Wincheston Manor.

.....

............

The north side of Wincheston Manor merges into the fork of the North-South Commercial Road. The captain of the camp building team directed a dozen manor serfs to build an outpost to control the road.

The checkpoint under construction is designed according to the appearance of the southern border post. However, there is a fortress where troops are stationed next to Wincheston Manor. The main function of the checkpoint is to intercept and interrogate passing business travelers, and the troops responsible for guarding the checkpoint are completely

It can be garrisoned in the manor, so the outpost does not have high outer walls and fences, and there is no need to dig deep pit traps to defend against enemies. A wooden house being built next to the road is just to provide shelter for the soldiers guarding the gate.

place.

Juma wooden fences have been installed on both sections of the road, which are usually closed. Pedestrians passing by can only pass after being interrogated and paying the transit tax in front of the Juma.

There are gullies in the cultivated land on both sides of the road, so it is not easy to avoid them.

Art stood on a mound behind the outpost wooden house and looked at the construction site. Legion Adjutant Odo and Captain of Guard Ron were waiting beside him.

Odo pointed to the business road under the mound, "Sir, after the outpost is completed, five soldiers will be sent to the manor to guard the manor every day to check the merchants and travelers. However, it is too close to the county town, and most of the merchants have paid taxes outside the county town.

As for commercial tax, if we levy another commercial tax, I’m afraid those merchants will be disgusted, and Vicomte Pierre won’t be able to talk to him.”

Art glanced in the direction of Tynets County in the north. During this period, many major events happened in Tynets County, but Pierre chose to turn a blind eye to them. This can be regarded as a disguised support for Art. In addition, over the years, Pierre

Earl indeed never felt sorry for himself, so Art had no intention of putting Viscount Pierre on the opposite side.

"The transit commercial tax must be collected, otherwise why would I build this outpost? However, the tax amount should be lower, and it will be collected according to the May Day standard of the county commercial tax. These taxes are enough to support the outpost. As for Viscount Pierre, I will

Give him one-third of the tax, so he won't resent it."

"As for those merchants, the business taxes collected by the Dean family were not large at all, and after they paid the taxes to me, I ensured that they had a safe journey from Wincheston to the southern border. The money they saved for the bandits was theirs after all.

Even if they make money, they still have some sense as businessmen."

"Your Majesty is right."

"Have you received any reply from the garrison sent by Lane Manor?" Two days ago, Art took a short break to sort out everything in Wincheston Manor and then sent troops to garrison Lane Manor.

Lane Manor was originally the territory of Baron Bazel. After Barzel was attacked and killed by "bandits" for no apparent reason, Lane Manor was recently under the temporary control of a knight. Art asked Kazak to lead a flag squad of soldiers directly.

After entering the Lane Manor, the knight did not dare to disobey at all. He packed up his things and left in despair with a few soldiers.

"Sir, both Lane Manor and Southwest Farm have been controlled by us. Kazak replied and said that the land and farmers in Lane Manor are now being inventoried. In the past two years, that bastard Bazel has robbed many refugees and made them serfs. Lane Manor

There are at least two thousand acres of land that have been cultivated, but the land in Lane Manor is not as fertile as the land around Wincheston, let alone the fertile soil in the intervalleys of our valleys. Even if the land in Lane Manor is fully cultivated,

It can support about 150 farmers."

"The farm in the southwest is slightly better. Although the land is less, it is relatively fertile, and there are streams passing through it for easy irrigation. If we use the method of retting the fertile soil, we should be able to feed about two hundred households."

"The best place is Wincheston Manor. During this time, I took the baggage team to measure the land. The land that has been cultivated alone is 3,700 acres, and there are at least 2,000 acres of fertile land that have not been cultivated.

, and there is a large lake with three streams to the east of the manor, and there is a dense forest hill five miles southwest of the manor..."

The Wincheston Manor territory has mountains, water, and fertile land. It is indeed an excellent farming land, and it is not as isolated as the Valley Barony, making it more attractive to people.

"If only I could own this place~" Otto said with yearning on his face.
Chapter completed!