CH 14

This year, the winter in Wissas is calm and peaceful.

The feather-like snow came as scheduled.

In only one night, Wissas became a vast expanse of white, with crystal snowflakes covering the streets, roofs and treetops. In the distance, Pal Mountain is also covered with a layer of silver, which made it look very beautiful.

Early morning.

Old Andrew pushed the door open , let out a sigh of relief, rubbed his cold palms, and took out a shovel to clean the snow accumulated outside the house.

After a while, Mok, who lives next door, also walked out, and after greeting each other, they started to shovel snow while chatting.

The content of their conversation was nothing more than their daily work and the situation of their sons in the soldier training camp.

Drying salt in the summer, scooping up salt in winter.

The Cogit Sea is still magnificent, and the salt fields on the coast are still busy.

But recently, due to the influence of heavy snow, the work on the salt drying plant has been temporarily suspended, and the amount of work on the production line has decreased a lot.

Although he couldn’t go to the saltern because of the heavy snow, old Andrew didn’t panic at all.

His wife became a cook in the subsidy station, the money was settled every day, and two copper coins were given out every night when she returned home.

Not only that, but those who volunteered to work at the subsidy station were given two coats to keep warm on the first day.

The thick coat he was wearing was brought back by his wife.

Mok sighed, “I heard that Earl Beavis Elliott ordered the gates of Fort Comoy to be closed again. Now no one can come out and no one can enter… Fortunately we left Fort Comoy early..”

Old Andrew was indeed very thankful.

Had it not been for his son to steal money from him and pay the head tax and then run to sign up, he would not dare to expect such a good life now. He’s afraid he would have been regretful as a slave trapped in Fort Comoy.

Old Andrew thought of his son, and also thought that the three-month exercise assessment is also approaching.

“Mike came back last time and said that this quarter’s assessment will go to the northwest side of Pal Mountain for actual combat exercises. The two commanders have already led people to survey the terrain in advance. At that time, the lord will go with them.”

Mok did hear about it from his son Myer.

The northwest of Pal Mountain is remote and dangerous. People have gone missing there before, others have been dragged away by brown bears… almost no civilians or slaves will go there.

Since learning the news.

Mork was a little worried.

Old Andrew is very open-minded, “What is the danger? All the soldiers in the soldier training camp will go, and the knight commanders will lead them. Even the wolves have to stay away.”

Mok nodded, his heart relaxed slightly.

He said with admiration, “Your Mike is really amazing.”

“Not only did he win the first place in the exercise and received a reward, he also became the squad leader. I heard that he is now highly regarded by the knight commander.”

Old Andrew is proud, “He has always been very assertive and very hardworking.”

Three days before the start of the winter drill.

Fort Comoy.

A guest was welcomed in Beavis Elliott’s castle.

The identity of this guest is Matthew Luke, an earl from the Kingdom of Gaynor.

The huge benefits of selling salt are coveted.

Even though Xia Zuoyi has given up 60% of the benefits to the king, he still has enough to arouse the temptation of greedy people.

After Beavis Elliott sent the letter.

Bass Richards once again had the thought of taking Wissas as his own.

But this time, it’s impossible to directly send knights disguised as robbers to assassinate like last time.

They need a thorough plan.

Therefore, Bass Richards secretly contacted a very ambitious marquis of the Gaynor Kingdom.

This marquis is a direct descendant of the king of Gaynor. He has the right of inheritance, but the chance of succeeding is not great.

Bass Richards throws the bait. After Wissas belongs to him, the refined salt will be sold to the marquis at the lowest price, then the marquis will sell it at a high price to earn intermediate benefits.

The marquis agreed to Bass Richards’ plan and ordered the nearest lord next to Fort Comoy to come and cooperate, that is, Earl Matthew Luke, who was enfeoffed by him.

Beavis Elliott had long before received news that Desinia would also go to Pal Mountain for a winter drill.

The knights brought by Matthew Luke and the knights he sent will meet on the northwest side of Pal Mountain, set up traps and ambush in advance, so that Desinia would never return.

After Desinia’s death, Matthew Luke will pretend to take over Wissas, and Beavis Elliott will lead knights to rescue. The two act a play, then Wissas will be taken over smoothly.

But Beavis Elliott felt uneasy thinking about the number of soldiers in the soldier training camp.

“Have you ordered someone to lie in ambush? There are a lot of soldiers with that little boy Desinia, just in case…”

Matthew Luke scoffed, “What are you worried about, it’s just a mob of untouchables. How strong can it be if there’s a lot of people.”

“Didn’t you have done all the investigations, they only trained for six months. Do you really think that the untouchables can compete with the knights?”

“The tarquis attach great importance to this cooperation, and even sent a team of knights from his territory, we will not be at a disadvantage in terms of numbers… Knight Commander Daina, where did you lead the people to ambush?”

Behind Matthew Luke stood a knight who belonged to the marquis. He was tall and straight, wearing thick armor and a helmet, his face could not be seen clearly.

The knight commander rushed back to Fort Comoy to report the mission after he arranged the ambush. Hearing this, he said with a dull voice, “In a narrow valley on the northwest side of Pal Mountain.”

Matthew Luke said to Beavis Elliott, “You just wait for the drill three days later to kill people in Pal Mountain. This time, it’s foolproof.” 

We have money and the army.

Xia Zuoyi decided to arrange the winter exercise as actual combat on the northwest side of Pal Mountain, and take advantage of the opportunity of the drill to find the natural asphalt mine.

The streets, houses, and so on in Wissas need to be rebuilt.

Mining and construction in spring, volatile moisture in summer and autumn, and it can be completed before winter next year. It’s just right to move in.

Xia Zuoyi’s little abacus sounded.

He was afraid of the unpredictable weather, so the originally scheduled date of the drill was one day ahead of schedule. After the soldiers’ were equipped with necessary supplies, they set out to the northwest side of Mount Pal.

A part of the knights stayed behind Wissas, the rest followed.

Over the southeast side of the hill.

They walked to the flat valley area between the mountains on both sides. There’s a frozen lake in front of them, surrounded by wide grasslands, and at the moment they were also covered with ice and snow.

Xia Zuoyi ordered a camp next to Lake Pal.

The next exercise will also begin from here.

The snow hasn’t completely melted, the ground is muddy, and carriages can’t get into the mountains, they can only ride horses or walk.

Therefore, the tightly wrapped Xia Zuoyi was held by Udit in front of him and rode up the mountain.

Gibran and Toby did not follow, but stayed in the castle.

Udit dismounted first.

Then he reached out his hand and carefully carried Xia Zuoyi from the horse back into the camp that the soldiers had already set up. After a while, Fernandi and Walker also walked in, holding a small stove, hot dry food, and water.

Xia Zuoyi, “I don’t know if the ice on the lake is thin or thick, let the soldiers stay away from it.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Walker William looked out, and Taylor Kennedy turned away and gave orders.

Xia Zuoyi sipped hot water, nestled warmly in the thick blanket, not wanting to move.

He looked out through the open gap of the tent, the mountains were filled with the vast winter mist. After the wind blew, it slowly dispersed, the frost on the treetops is crystal clear and translucent, trembling slightly…

Xia Zuoyi thought with a sigh that the valley of Mount Pal would be very beautiful in spring, with clear lake, green meadows, forest floors carpeted with green leaves… This place is open and spacious enough.

He was in a daze for a while when an idea came to his mind.

The castle is built on a cliff on the coast of Cogit Sea. Even if there’s nothing obstructing the view, the seaside is wet after all, and the winter is even more gloomy and cold…

Moreover, there is a lot of room for development in the Cogit Sea, and there is still a lot of value to be tapped. The saltern only occupies a little position on the coast.

If he wants to continue to develop the marine economy, it is really not a good choice for the castle to be built on the seaside in the long run.

It would be better to rebuild the castle in Pal Mountain.

For example… in the shore of Lake Pal?

The more Xia Zuoyi thought about it, the more he thought it was a good idea.

At this time, a bit of surprise and astonishment flashed in his eyes.

Then he calmly told Udit that he wanted to take a nap.

After Udit and the others went out.

Xia Zuoyi bent his eyebrows and smiled, “098, you are back from your trip.” 

The system interface just gave out a “ding” sound, and the stickman with the number 098 on his head knocked on the universe mailbox and appeared.

【Surprise, host, 098 is back with a gift.】The stickman answered with a heart to Xia Zuoyi.

Xia Zuoyi is puzzled and curious, “What gift?”

System 098:【It’s a very nice gift. It’s in the universe mailbox. The host might as well guess it first, and then 098 will release it.】

Xia Zuoyi, “…Give me a hint.”

This Buddhist system will even play with the host.

098:【It’s fierce and cute, and it can roll around.】

“…Plush? Can your universe mailbox still deliver living things?”

【Yes, is it convenient for you? 098 can place gifts around the host.】

Xia Zuoy thought, “Wait a moment, I need to find the right time.”

【Okay, 098 is not in a hurry.】

After the break.

Fernandi Edwards announced the details of the winter drill.

The winter exercise is completely different from the previous exercise.

Ordinary soldiers and reserve soldiers fight against each other, each carrying a small flag. Ordinary soldiers are blue flags, while reserve soldiers are red flags.

Both parties occupy a location according to the map, with a narrow valley in the middle.

The soldiers’ drill task is to insert the flag in their respective base sites, no matter what method they use, sneak into each other’s base sites and snatch each other’s flag.

Afterwards, take the stolen flags into the small valley for protection. In the specified time, which side grabs more flags, which side will win.

Such practical combat exercises not only test the soldiers’ latent combat ability, but also test their random strategies.

Whether it is to snatch the flag or guard the flag, it requires the tacit cooperation and flexible minds of the soldiers to face difficult problems.

Xia Zuoyi came up with this winter drill.

Fernandi and Walker led the knights to survey the terrain in advance and draw a map.

The narrow valley in the middle of the map is where the natural asphalt mine is located.