Chapter 134 This is Qianhe River Valley, it’s you who should get out!
Looking at Casti walking away, Horn couldn't help but feel a little funny.
"Sir Horn, are you going to eat next?" the guard on the side asked.
"Go to the nearest pub...just here, don't go to the rich area."
Horn and others passed through the houses near the river and came to the narrow alleys extending in all directions .
The original hectic and lively atmosphere was much less.
In the dark corners and under the straw mats by the roadside, there are haggard beggars and homeless people lying or standing.
When they see someone in gorgeous clothes, they rush towards them and ask for two coppers or a job.
This was just a good thing. In just a few steps from the main road to the pub, Horn had already seen two thefts and one robbery.
Tramps and beggars swarmed up, like leeches, on those who had been stolen or robbed, snatching their money bags.
Fortunately, Horn has servants and four armored guards around him. He is a master who cannot be offended.
Tramps are not brainless, and they don’t dare to do business at a loss.
“Have there been so many homeless people here before?” Horn asked a guard of the new camp.
"That's not true. There were some who returned before, but not many, and they basically came to work as laborers, so they were more disciplined."
Horn understood immediately.
In order to utilize water resources, most workshops are built near rivers.
The summer floods destroyed a large number of infrastructure and workshops. Workshop owners either went bankrupt or chose to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
The original labor positions shrank sharply, and due to the hoarding of merchant nobles, cheap coastal grains were prevented from entering the Qianhe Valley market, causing grain prices to skyrocket.
A large number of refugees gather here, but they can't find a job. Those living on the subsistence allowance zone have no enough food to eat, and those who arrived late can't find a job and can't leave.
In order to survive, you have no choice but to steal everywhere.
I opened the door and entered a tavern, where workers and low-level craftsmen were scattered.
Fifty-six of the seven or eight tables were occupied, and there was not a single seat at the counter. There were still a few people standing and drinking in a hurry.
Although they still drank happily, the cold beer and cream soup they had on hand had turned into bitter wine and pea soup.
On the menu of the pub, in addition to cheese and bread, there are only five dishes: meatloaf, vegetable stew, cream soup, pea soup, and fried eggs.
"Two plates of meatloaf, a pot of pea soup, four pounds of wheat bread, a cabbage stew, a plate of cheese, and six glasses of cold beer."
While waiting for the food, Horn pretended to lean on the chair and fall asleep, but the guests' comments couldn't stop reaching his ears.
“Have you heard the news?” a craftsman said mysteriously.
“What’s the news?”
“The empire decided to take over the entire Thousand River Valley to the empire in accordance with ancient laws, and then drive all the people of the Thousand River Valley back to their hometowns.”
Although they were talking about secrets, the craftsman was so loud that he wished everyone in the tavern knew.
"Rush back to your hometown? You mean, you mean..." The civilian lowered his voice, "You mean, the Royal Court of Flesh and Blood?"
"In the eyes of the empire, does our hometown still exist? Elsewhere.”
This seems ridiculous, but there is precedent.
Back then, a dozen Qianhe River Knights were dissatisfied with the imperial court's ruling and personally led hundreds of soldiers to attack the Metropolitan Church, seeking an explanation.
The result was that the knights were hanged by the church, and the hundreds of soldiers who followed the attack were exiled to the Royal Court of Flesh.
Over the past hundred years, the living space of the Qianhe River Valley people has become smaller and smaller, and they have become closer and closer to the mountainous county. They cannot help but be afraid.
To make matters worse, due to the increasing number of riots, some lords of Fran or Leia, in order to frighten the local people, said a lot of things like——
“Let’s make trouble again” , send you all to the Royal Court of Flesh and Blood!"
"If you dare to escape, the knights will kill you all!"
"This is the Thousand River Valley, you are the one who should get out! Go! ”
As food production decreased after the flood, the number of refugees and refugees increased.
These rumors with resentment and dissatisfaction began to ferment and spread as they moved.
Most of the people living here are laborers. They are basically skilled laborers without identity or household registration. The tavern has naturally become a petri dish for these rumors.
“This is ridiculous...” the citizen at the counter asked hesitantly, “Can the church allow such a thing to happen?”
“You don’t know, right? The people living in Xiaochi City All the people were killed, even the dogs and pigs were killed, and when they saw the earthworms they cut them vertically.”
A worker from other places even stated more confidently: "I was in Xiaochi City at the time, and I saw with my own eyes that the church couldn't handle it. It's like changing the soup without changing the medicine. The Pope is an old fool."
" Are you afraid of being arrested by Bishop Feiliu Bustard? —”
The tavern was suddenly filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Horn never expected that he would hear the church joke he wrote here. But what Horn never imagined was how much his church jokes would fuel these rumors.
These precious spiritual foods are what workers talk about over and over again after dinner and drinks.
Horn sipped his pea soup thoughtfully.
It seems that even the peaceful Castle of Joan of Arc is not as peaceful as it appears.
It was almost noon, more workers poured into the tavern, more noise came in, and more tavern politicians began to make speeches.
“In Kasha County, a piece of bread costs half a million dinars!”
“This must be a conspiracy of the Leians!”
“You don’t want to Thinking about it, if it wasn’t to drive us all away, why would we mobilize nine command companies?”
"The Holy Grandson is the Pope whom the Holy Father sent to help us after seeing our pity."
"During this period, the church has been arresting the Holy Grandson everywhere. If the Holy Grandson is not real, Why does the church have to spend so much effort?"
"The Holy Grandson is not a good person. Look at the people who are called the Holy Grandson's leaders. They are sneaking around every day."
"Let's not mention it for now. Well, what should we do?"
"Don't you have Mr. Juano speaking for us? They wanted to increase the tax on dyes. Wasn't it Mr. Juano who canceled it? ”
In silence, Horn and others finished their meal and shouted to the tavern owner: "Check out!"
"4 dinars and 10 coppers..." A man with a bruised nose and face walked up to Horn and others. In front of the table, "Master Horn?"
Horn looked up blankly, only to see Halkin with a face full of surprise.
Horn helped Halkin pay for the meal he skipped, and walked out of the tavern with him.
Looking at Halkin who had changed into a rag robe, Horn sighed: "You kid, why are you like this again?"
"The pawnshop here at Fort Joan of Arc doesn't know the goods." Halkin held up a ring angrily, "My ring belongs to the Earl of Jiba Mountain, how could it be fake?"
"Jiba Mountain Earl? "
"Yes, he is a famous man in the French capital. It is said that he has inherited a large amount of property. He has been particularly active in the capital in the past two years. I used this ring as a guide for him. When..."
"Okay, okay, I'm not interested in knowing this." Horn patted him on the shoulder, "I redeemed you because I had trouble with you."
" You said.”
"Aren't you familiar with Fort Joan of Arc? See if you can find any engineers who are familiar with things like mechanical gears."
"Where can I find an engineer?" Halkin was shocked by Horn's words. Startled, "As for craftsmen who are familiar with mechanical gears, such as locksmiths, I know a few."
"That's okay."
It's better than nothing. Well, after giving Halkin four dinars as travel expenses, Horn took a carriage back to the camp.
After all, it’s almost noon.
He did not let the carriage return directly, but asked the coachman to take a detour and pass through the so-called civil area.
The carriage drove across the bridge over the canal and came to the wealthy area on the other side.
Around the city hall, under the bell tower, are two rows of neat and tidy houses. As Casti said, there are sycamore trees and white-painted houses.
Citizens were walking along the streets talking and laughing, greeting each other politely.
Sure enough, the poor are poor in all kinds of strange ways, and the rich are rich in exactly the same way.
Walking through Citizen Road, you will arrive at the outer satellite town.
Horn lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked outside.
Thatched houses and wooden houses are blended together with farmland or orchards, and it is even hard to tell whether this is a town or a country.
The citizens of Fort Joan of Arc, or the permanent population of the city, are almost five thousand to six thousand, and the remaining more than ten thousand people mostly live in the outer satellite towns and ruins areas.
The further outskirts are the nearby villages.
After getting off the carriage and arriving at the camp, Armand greeted him directly from the door: "Your Majesty, the thirty-four new camp commanders have all come to register."
"Who is the other one? "Horn took off his hooded robe and put on a refreshing coat.
"There is another one hanging on our wall..."
Arriving from the camp gate to the cabin, thirty-four regiment commanders were lying on the ground hiding under the eaves, covered in blood. They were all sweating.
They have been waiting for almost an hour and don’t dare to wait.
"Everyone is here?" Horn asked knowingly.
"Everyone alive has arrived." Thomas stood up quickly and said.
Horn applauded twice: "Seniors, you have made the most correct choice! Now, I need you to reiterate again, who are you? Who do you belong to?"
Legion The elders all looked at each other, and while the black hat army was watching eagerly, they still said that sentence together.
“We are the patriarchs of the Papal States, under the rule of Saint Grandson Pope Horn.”
"Okay." Horn laughed, "Then, for the new camp, I want to issue the first order - the Great Purge Movement!"
(End of Chapter)