"Young master, I have already told you that we are really going to Tynets to find someone. He is the owner of a grain store in the north of Tynets. Please let us go, otherwise you can

Take a look at what you want, and I'll give it to you." The fat old man leaned over to open his package and took out a few rye breads and a handful of scattered coins.

"Okay, okay, what do I do with you rags? I just want your people."

The old man fell to his knees with a plop, and the two guys behind him also knelt down.

This is already the second wave of refugees who refused Ron's recruitment. The previous refugees who were drinking wheat porridge in front of the copper pot learned that Art wanted to send them to the southeastern border area of ​​Burgundy.

When they were in a village fortress at the foot of the mountain, they were so frightened that they threw away their wooden bowls and knelt down to beg for mercy. They regretted being blinded by the thin porridge filled with the aroma of wheat, and believed that these guys who let them eat and drink for free were slave owners.

Although the traffickers who abducted slaves have now become refugees who have lost their families and land, at least they still retain their status as free people. If they are deceived into becoming serfs or even slaves, they will truly never see the light of day.

Ron was already a little discouraged. He ignored the refugees kneeling on the ground and came to Art who was sitting by the fire sharpening his sword. "Master, why is this different from when we recruited refugees before? Look at the previous

Those refugees are more proactive when we recruit."

Art put the polished knight's sword back into its scabbard, stood up and patted the dirt on his butt. He stared at the refugees being "guarded" by Jason and said, "Ron, think about it, if it were you in this deserted place."

Suddenly, a group of people with swords and knives appeared and told you that they were going to take you to a completely unfamiliar place to live a good life. Will you go?"

Ron thought for a while, shook his head and said: "Probably not. If they are evil people, I can't escape even if I want to."

"What if one person said the same thing to a group of you?"

"Then I will consider it. After all, there are many of us. Even if the other party is a bad person, he will be afraid of the large number of us and will not dare to mess around."

Art turned his head and stared into Ron's eyes and said: "Now we are the blockers who are regarded as "evil people"."

If Ron realized something, "No wonder the few times we recruited refugees after we talked about food and drink, they started scrambling for alternatives. It turns out it's because wolves are more meaty and less courageous."

"But sir, we have been waiting for so long, and we haven't seen a large group of refugees passing by. The three or two refugees who occasionally passed by didn't dare to respond." Ron started scratching his head again.

"I didn't expect it to be like this. I thought there would be a lot of refugees fleeing to the north during this season." According to Art's plan, he also copied the experience of recruiting refugees in the past few times and cooked a meal in the place where a lot of refugees passed by.

After a steaming pot of wheat porridge, and when the refugees were drooling to their chins, they announced the recruitment of refugees to open up wasteland and farm land, and then took the recruited refugees to Andermatt Castle and handed them over to Baron Antayas to collect the money.

But the current situation is a bit different from what Art expected. He didn't know that Provence had strictly ordered all parts of the north to prevent large-scale refugees from fleeing north. The large-scale refugee team in the eastern region had been blocked in the northeastern town of Kitzby. This

For a period of time, most of the refugees who fled to Burgundy from this trade route were scattered and slipped through the net. A small number of them were "rich" refugees who did have relatives in the north who had defected and were able to buy through checkpoints to let them through.

"Ron, let's try another way." Art thought for a while and came to the refugees.

"Okay, all of you, please get up. I don't plan to keep you here anymore."

The fat old man looked up at Art and said, "Sir, are you willing to let us go?"

"What can I do if I don't let you go? But you can't just leave after eating my food."

The fat old man looked understanding and took out a few copper penny coins from the package and planned to hand them to Art.

Art waved his hand and refused, "Do I look like someone who is coveting your few coins? Have you seen that small stream? You go to that stream to collect stones and pile them on this mound. I will put them there until evening.

You go, and before you go I will let you have another free meal of wheat porridge."

The fat old man didn't understand what Art wanted to do, but since they were willing to let them go, he had no choice but to do it.

Art turned around and said to the previous refugees who were temporarily detained by Jason: "It's the same with you. If you eat my food, you have to work for me and move rocks. I promise to God that I will let you go in the evening."

."

Simon looked at the five or six refugees who went down to the stream to pick up stones. He moved to Ron and asked in confusion: "Brother Ron, what are you doing? We are here to recruit refugees, not to dredge the river.

Yeah, what’s the use of this?”

"I don't know what the master wants to do, but since he does it, it must make sense..."

While the two were discussing, Art had already returned to the fire.

"Simon, go watch those guys and don't let them be lazy."

"Jason, continue to cook the porridge, add some bacon and salt to the pot to bring out the aroma for me."

"Ron, go and stand at the bridge. If there are any refugees passing by, tell them that we need people to work here. Anyone who is willing to contribute will be given a full meal. After eating and finishing the work, they can leave. Don't mention it.

and the recruitment of refugees.”

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

So, when the sun was high in the sky, a few more guys who had been working for free appeared on the "construction site" between the creek and the mound.

Before evening came, there were already 17 or 18 refugees around the mound. When they learned that they could get food by doing simple work for these gentlemen, they all went to the stream without hesitation and started moving stones...

...

After dinner, the first five or six refugees who arrived have already left. However, there are still a dozen or so refugees here in Tuqiu who choose to stay and continue working, because the "good people" who provide them with food and drink said that they will need more people tomorrow.

They went to collect rocks and cut wood. They decided to stay here and get a few more meals before leaving. Anyway, there might not be food in the next place they went to, so such a "good thing" could happen.

Unable to ask for.

At night, two bonfires were lit around the mound next to the stream. One bonfire was crowded with well-fed and drunk refugees, and the other bonfire was skewering bacon on wooden sticks and roasting it on the flames.

Matt, the burnt smell has spread.

Ron tied up the horse and the green mule and returned to the fire, "Master, the war horse and the green mule have been fed. Simon and Jason are responsible for taking care of the livestock supplies tonight. Those refugees seem to be quite honest, and no one should have bad intentions."

."

"Well, tell Simon to be more careful."

Ron continued: "Master, your method is really powerful. You can retain these scattered refugees with a meal of wheat porridge. If this continues, there will be a hundred or so refugees gathered here in less than two days. By then we can

We have recruited enough refugees and soldiers for Baron Antayas among them. Moreover, we have also collected enough stones and wood in advance, which will save us a lot of work when we build checkpoints."

"But sir, we only brought 450 pounds of food this time. Including the rations carried by each of us, it is enough to feed fifty or sixty people for ten days. Besides, we also have to bring the refugee soldiers we recruited to settle down."

Fort Demat.”

Art tore off a large piece of the greasy bacon and asked Ron to deliver it to Jason and Simon. When Ron came back, he tore off a large piece and handed it to Ron.

He took a bite and chewed for a long time before replying: "Ron, I know there is not enough food, but we can buy food on the way to Fort Andermatt. As long as we recruit enough refugee soldiers, Baron Antayas will

He will pay the bill as promised, so we don't have to save money for him."

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

By the afternoon of the second day, the mound had turned into a wood and stone yard. Ron and the others led seventy or eighty refugees to cut and transport wood between the mound stream and the dense forest at the foot of Mount Carmel a mile and a half away.

Stones, there are seven or eight older and weaker refugees and half-grown children on the mound who are working hard to neatly stack fifty or sixty logs of different thicknesses and large piles of stones on the top of the mound.

Five large pots brought by the refugees have been set up under the mound. A few old ladies are adding firewood to the fire. Fragrant wheat porridge is cooking in the large pots.

On the sixteenth day after leaving Andermatt Castle, there were only four days left before the time agreed with Baron Antayas. Art decided to recruit new villagers and garrison troops for Baron Antayas among the seventy or eighty refugees.

Soldier.

Dusk has not yet fallen, but the fiercely burning fire is particularly eye-catching in the slightly gray wasteland.

Ron stood on the top of the mound and said loudly to the refugees gathered around the campfire waiting for the porridge to be served: "Dear refugee brothers, the porridge will be cooked in a moment. Our master said that you have worked hard these past two days and your work has been done."

Now that we’re done, minced meat will be added to tonight’s wheat porridge. After everyone has eaten and drank enough, you can leave.”

There was a commotion in the crowd. They have been doing some moderate work here for the past two days, but they can earn three meals of wheat porridge a day. Such a bargain is rarely encountered on the way to escape...

A skinny old man squeezed out from the crowd and said loudly to Ron on the mound, "This young master, can you tell your elders and let us all work for a few more days? I think all the elders

Are you planning to build a house here? We can work as coolies for you, as long as you can give us a full meal."

After hearing this, Ron looked extremely embarrassed: "Here, in a few days we will have people coming here to build houses. We don't need people at all. Look at how much food you have to eat in a day. This food was originally intended for those who came to build houses."

House workers, my husband moved it to you out of kindness. But now there are too many of you, and we can't afford it. After you finish this meal of wheat porridge, you can go on the road while it's still early. Head north.

You will encounter people after walking for three to five days. Although there are many bandits and robbers along the way, you are so poor that you have nothing. If you think about it, you are not afraid of robbing bandits. These guys generally don't kill people, at most.

In other words, I'm trying to scare you into cutting off an arm or two or something."

The skinny old man's face began to look frightened.

"By the way, I have to remind you that it is best not to stop at a village called Lane, four days north of here. The lord there is a murderous demon. I have seen with my own eyes several waves of refugees passing by.

He killed those who survived and sold them to slave owners."

"Also, there is a shortage of food in Tyniec now. It is best for you not to stop in Tyniec. You can directly bypass Tyniec and walk north for another ten days. There may be a way to survive when you reach the city of Lucesien. The people there

We should treat the refugees and beggars from the south a little better, at least they don’t slaughter the old and weak refugees from time to time like in Tyniec City~"

There was a gasp in the crowd. They had been mentally prepared for the hardships of escaping north, but they never imagined that it would be so dangerous.

"Young master, please stop talking. I have seen your behavior in the past two days. You must all be good people. If you sympathize with us poor people who have lost their families and land, please show us a way to survive." The thin old man took the lead.

After begging Ron for mercy, the refugees who came back to their senses suddenly heard a cry of begging.

Ron was unmoved and continued to yell: "How can you do this? Do you still have to have my master provide you with food and drink every day? Everyone, there is no need to say anything, and leave as soon as you finish eating."

"We have to go south to Kitzby tomorrow to recruit farmers?"

Ron's second sentence was not loud, but the skinny old man must have heard it, "Sir, you said you were going to Kitsby to recruit farmers?"

"Well, yes, we are recruiting for a noble man. This man's territory has a bumper harvest this year, and he plans to recruit more farmers to farm. So the noble man entrusted us to go to the south to recruit a group of refugees to replace him.

When it comes to cultivating the land, those gentlemen are kind-hearted and have said that as long as they go there, they will allocate the land and provide them with food and agricultural tools. If they want to go home in the future, it is not impossible. However, the conditions given by them are superior and the requirements are high. They must be

Strong farmers and women."
To be continued...