save the bachelors

Chapter 5059-5062 [Threat of War]

"It doesn't matter. If he refuses to hand over my necklace, I will use my sword and spear to take it back." After listening to Xiang Nan, Thranduil said coldly.

"You have to think about it carefully. This will lead to a war." Xiang Nan said immediately, "It will cause huge casualties on both sides."

"In order to regain our ancestral jewels, we must not hesitate even at the cost of war." The Elf King Thranduil nodded.

"You're fighting just for a few gems?" Bard was a little surprised when he heard this. He didn't expect that Thranduil would fight to the death just for a few gems.

You know, if Changhu Town had not been destroyed and the people in Changhu Town were not starving and cold, he would not have come to ask Thorin for money.

"For the elves, honor is above all else," Thranduil said loudly.

"Yes!" The elves immediately let out an earth-shaking roar.

"Then let me go talk to Thorin first." Bard volunteered, "We are allies after all."

There is an ancient covenant between humans and elves. Since the first era, humans have fought side by side with elves to fight against the big boss Melkor, and then they worked together to deal with the big boss Sauron.

Moreover, the people of Long Lake Town have been trading with the Elf Kingdom in Mirkwood for a long time, and they are very important trading partners.

"You want to negotiate with the unreasonable dwarves?" Thranduil looked at Bard, a little surprised.

"We have to give it a try." Bud nodded.

As Xiang Nan said, it is better not to have a war. After all, the people of Changhu Town suffered heavy casualties, and if they were to fight against the dwarves, it would be too tragic.

……

Then Bard mounted his horse and came to the front gate of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain.

Xiang Nan came with him.

"Hail, Prince Thorin, son of Thrain. I'm glad that you have overcome all difficulties and escaped danger!" Bard looked up at Thorin and said.

"Why are you here at the gate of the King under the Mountain, with a weapon in hand?" Thorin looked at Bard and said, "You are accompanied by a traitor from the Kingdom under the Mountain."

"Then why did the king at the foot of the mountain build a high wall, like a guilty robber?" Bard asked without showing any weakness.

"Perhaps because I knew I would be robbed," Thorin replied.

"Dear King Under the Mountain, we are not here to rob, but to seek reasonable distribution." Bud explained, "Can you talk to me?"

"I am listening," Thorin replied.

"On behalf of all the people of Changhu Town, I ask you to fulfill your promise and give us a share of the treasure so that we can rebuild our homes," Bud explained.

"I will not bargain with anyone who comes with an army at my doorstep," Thorin refused.

"If we can't reach an agreement, the elven army will attack the Lonely Mountain," Bard warned.

"Thorin, agree to him. Our treasure house is full of gold, silver and jewels. Even if we give away one percent, it will be enough for the people of Long Lake Town to rebuild their homes." Xiang Nan also advised, "And don't forget that it was Bard who killed the dragon Smaug."

"I don't want to talk to you, traitor." Thorin scolded, "Your threats cannot shake my determination."

"Then what does your conscience say?" Bard asked, "Doesn't your conscience tell you that we have a legitimate reason? Our people helped you, and you brought them nothing but destruction and death." "If it weren't for the generous reward, would the people of Long Lake Town be willing to help us?" Thorin said righteously. He believed that the people of Long Lake Town were as selfish as he was, and they only helped him for the sake of profit.

"But we have reached an agreement, and you have promised it yourself." Bud asked loudly, "Are you going to break your promise?"

"We were forced to do so. You trapped us and wouldn't let us leave. We had no choice but to agree to your request so that we could fight for our freedom. How dare you call this a fair deal?" Thorin asked. "Tell me, Bard the Dragon Slayer, why should I honor this unequal treaty?"

"Is your promise so worthless? Are your words as the King under the Mountain just empty words?" Bard asked hatefully.

"Shut up, if you don't leave, I'll shoot you with an arrow!" Thorin shouted loudly.

"I told you long ago that he is crazy now. Gold has blinded his eyes, stone has replaced his heart, and greed has taken over his soul." Xiang Nan said loudly to Bard, "Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, Bofur, Bofur, Bumpo... Is such a king under the mountain still worthy of your loyalty?"

"Get out of here and shut up!" Thorin yelled.

"Ask your own conscience, how can you still be a king now? You have billions of wealth, but now you are not as kingly as you were when you had nothing." Xiang Nan cursed, then turned around and left with Bud.

……

"I told you long ago that you can't reason with dwarves." Thranduil said without surprise when he saw Bard returning empty-handed.

"We have to give it a try." Bud nodded.

"We will attack at dawn." Thranduil added, "Since he won't listen to reason, we have no choice but to fight."

"I always believe that war is not a good thing and should be avoided as much as possible," Xiang Nan said.

"War is inevitable. Now it depends on which side you choose to stand on." Thranduil looked at Xiang Nan and said.

Xiang Nan sighed, then rode to Changhu Town.

After Smaug's attack last night, Long Lake Town had been reduced to a ruin. There were broken walls, rubble, and traces of fire everywhere.

And Smaug's huge dragon corpse is still sinking to the bottom of the lake.

Xiang Nan saw this and waved his hand gently, and the huge dragon corpse floated up, revealing the shining gold and silver coins underneath. They were all the mayor's money that he had plundered from the people.

Xiang Nan then collected Smaug's body. To him, this dragon was a treasure from head to toe.

Dragon blood, dragon meat, dragon liver, dragon scales, dragon claws, dragon horns, dragon tendons... can all be used as medicine or for refining weapons.

The money of the mayor was taken back by Xiang Nan and given to Bud. "This should be the money that your mayor has plundered. It should belong to all the people of Changhu Town."

"Thank you." Bud took the money and was very grateful.

The townspeople all knew that the mayor was killed by Smaug. But if it weren't for Xiang Nan, they wouldn't have the courage to touch the gold coins under Smaug's body.

After all, Smaug's reputation had frightened the people of Lake Town for so many years. No one dared to approach him, even though he had tens of thousands of dollars under him.

"You're welcome." Xiang Nan waved his hand and said, "I just hope you know that people like Thorin are very rare among dwarves. And he became so greedy and stubborn because of the dragon disease. He used to be a generous and friendly dwarf like me."

"I'll remember that." Bud nodded.