Why did the lord rebel

Chapter 289

Although there were many moths on the way north to Beijing, the Igor family's journey back from the imperial capital was surprisingly peaceful.

The only thing worth mentioning on the road is that when passing through Sunset Forest and Spring Leaf Town again, the lord deliberately stayed and had a meal with Joyce Hallardine, who has now become the earl, before continuing on the journey— —After learning that there might be a war in the land of broken souls, Joyce specially found a dozen local shooters and sent them to Frost Maple Ridge:

This is not really a big deal at all, but it still shows the generous character of Joyce Halladay's kindness and gratitude.

The biggest "accident" along the way didn't even happen until they set foot on the Land of Broken Soul again:

It was the beginning of November at that time, and the sky in the land of the cracked soul was covered with overcast clouds, and there was a faint tendency of snowflakes to fall.

Wearing the duke's exclusive velvet jacket with a big red goshawk pattern, Xia Houyan, who was wearing a command sword bestowed by His Majesty on his waist, sat on his white horse "Meteor" and looked back at the flying horse that was lifted high by the flagpole and fluttered over the convoy. The flag of the Duke of Shuangfengling seemed to be a world away.

A year ago, Igor's immigrant team, who had just escaped from the infected area and Rock Creek City, probably arrived at the Soul Breaking Land at this time of year;

A year has passed quietly, and now he has regained the title and honor of the family, and returned to the territory as the special commissioner of the empire who is in charge of the southern military affairs;
And in the not-too-distant future, there may be a race bloody battle with the orcs, waiting for Frost Maple Ridge, waiting for the Igor family, and waiting for this land of broken souls haunted by dead souls.

Xia Houyan, who has been busy since he crossed over to this world, for some reason, under the cloud of this land of cracking souls, all the trifles that have been haunting his mind suddenly disappeared, leaving only the A piece of clarity.

"I'm back." Xia Houyan looked towards the horizon and whispered.

A slender hand brushed his back.

Xia Houyan turned his head and saw Katerina who was also riding on horseback.

The siblings looked at each other and smiled.

Ever since His Majesty the Emperor restored the title of the Igor family, the melancholy that has always lingered on the brows of this noble lady for a year has finally been swept away - Katerina is even in a good mood, even if her younger brother Along the way, she spent most of the day in the carriage hanging out with Alice and Lena, and she didn't say anything like she usually did.

——The father's treason case and the family's decline, this is the weight that Katerina Igor can never let go of in her heart, but the good brother can turn the world around in just one year. The trend of prosperity has not even diminished in the past, so how can this not make Katerina feel relieved?

Aaron Cousins ​​also rode up from the other side.

"Report to the President!" The Knight Commander of Frost Maple Ridge reported happily, "We will arrive at Frost Maple Ridge soon!"

——Since the Lord Lord begged His Majesty the Emperor for a command knife of "Interim President Southern Military Affairs", the address of some bums in the family has changed from "Lord Lord" to "President".

It stands to reason that the temporary commander-in-chief of the southern military has much higher power and status than the aristocratic lord who can be a cat or a dog, so calling him this is a kind of flattery;
But Xia Houyan always felt that this was an unlucky name.

He was about to return to the territory soon, but Xia Houyan felt that there was no need to worry.He let the "Meteor" cruise at a slow speed according to the pace of the convoy, turned his head and said to Cousins ​​Cavaliers:
"After coming this way, I feel that the Land of Soul Breaking has become much calmer..."

Commander Cousins ​​laughed and said:

"It's almost winter, and it's a season of peace in the wasteland, not to mention that the bandits in the Land of Soul Cracking have already been wiped out-you didn't hear that old fellow Mayor Faulkner say in the left bank town Well, these days, Mountbatten and Karen Leperg have plowed back and forth on the wasteland several times, and there are no bandits left at all..."

Xia Houyan let out a "huh", smacked his lips and said:

"It seems that life in the town on the left bank has been going well recently."

"Without bandits, those businessmen on the left bank must be better off!" Captain Cousins ​​smirked a few times, winking and said, "But that old boy Faulkner may not be - he can be a Huafang Town, Even the leader of the Alliance of Towns on the Left Bank relies on being able to use the bandits of Hanrenzhai as security for the town? But now that the bandits are gone, the threat to the Left Bank has disappeared, and the cunning rabbit is dead and running dog. Kerner's right to speak on the left bank is also rapidly weakening! Didn't you see that the old boy was so worried that there were several wrinkles on his face..."

"This is the best." Xia Houyan nodded in satisfaction, "There is no need for a second warlord or two mountains on the Land of Broken Soul! Aaron, when we return to the Phoenix Terrace, you can worry about it in a few days. No matter how hard it is, find a way to recruit the people under Faulkner! If this old boy dares to disagree, just wait for the left bank towns to elect a new chairman!"

"Decree!" Cavalier Commander Cousins ​​saluted a completely non-standard Frost Maple Ridge military salute.

"Where's Karen?" Katerina asked suddenly.

Probably because of the good treatment she received during her captivity in Luna Village, and the fact that she sympathized with Karen who was turned into a zombie girl, Katerina seemed to have always been more concerned about this human-devil hybrid female commander in chief.

Xia Houyan exchanged glances with Commander Cousins, and pondered:
"The situation between Luna Village and the town on the left bank is different—Shuangfengling is close to the town on the left bank, and our troops can protect the town on the left bank. Of course, Faulkner doesn't need to support himself, but In the far west of the wilderness, we still need a reliable military stronghold."

"The title of Chief Suppressor can no longer be used..." Cousins ​​suggested happily, "President, I think it's better to adapt Luna Village into the 'magic mechanic' of Igor's pioneering army!"

Xia Houyan thought in his heart, wouldn't this be even more unlucky...

The three high-level families discussed in low voices the future of the Land of Cracked Souls, and the convoy was also heading south on the barren land of the Lands of Cracked Souls.

Then, a scout rushed back from the front in a panic.

"What's wrong!" Knight Commander Cousins ​​frowned and reprimanded, "Soldier, pay attention to your manners!"

The scout hurriedly straightened his military cap, saluted the lord, and said tremblingly:

"Leader, Lord Lord, Shuangfeng Ridge is ahead!"

"Oh, it's about time." Xia Houyan smiled and glanced at Cousins, "Little brother, why are you in such a hurry?"

The scout swallowed, and stammered:

"My lord... Frost Maple Ridge... seems... something is wrong..."

something wrong?Xia Houyan froze for a moment, then stretched out his hand to the right.

Knight Commander Cousins ​​quickly took out the "Dark Moon Glazed Telescope" from his saddle bag and handed it to the lord.

Xia Houyan raised the binoculars to his eyes, and pointed the lens barrel in the direction of Shuangfengling;
As a result, he almost shook his hand and dropped the precious glass telescope to the ground.

——What appeared in the field of view of the lens tube was Shuangfengling when he left? !

The wooden wall "Green Dam" built by master Donald himself and guarding Frost Maple Ridge in several wars is gone, replaced by a dark gray stone wall made of neatly cut stones and mortar !
The emerald green vines entwined on the stone wall and spreading along the wall made the wall even more like a dense forest suddenly popping up on the wilderness of the land of cracking souls, where not a single blade of grass grew!
And at the turning point of the stone wall, the gray stone watchtower leaning against the wall and the faint magic light in the shooting holes of the tower made the lord completely confused!

——If it wasn't for the Roman-style spire of the tower, and the ice-blue maple leaf flag of Shuangfengling fluttering, Xia Houyan would have almost thought that the convoy had gone the wrong way, and that he had passed on to someone else's territory by visiting!

Why did Shuangfengling suddenly become like this after not seeing her for a few months? !
The lord, who was in doubt, slowly moved the lens barrel of the "Dark Moon Glazed Telescope" and looked towards the corner of the stone wall;
As a result, seeing this made him open his mouth even more in surprise:

Originally, the settlement structure of Frost Maple Ridge was basically a dumbbell shape:

The Phoenix Terrace and Tongque Terrace, which stand opposite each other, are surrounded by a circle of wooden walls. Whether it is the production and life of the resident craftsmen, or the residential training of the soldiers of the Pioneer Army, they are all carried out on the top floors of these two terraces;

But today's Phoenix Terrace has been completely surrounded by the reinforced stone wall that Xia Houyan saw through the lens tube. At the foot of the stone wall and on the slope of the terrace, there are actually large and small brick dwellings. You can even faintly see the clothes hung by the residents outside the windows to dry, and the farm tools leaning against the walls of the houses;
As for the outer periphery of this circle of residential buildings, there are patches of neatly reclaimed farmland.

In the past, the planting and production of Shuangfengling were all carried out on-site along the small river in the north of the territory (called "Cat Heart River" by the residents - the super low-end version of the Lion Heart River). A considerable number of farmers live in huts among the farmland beside the stream;

But now it seems that the agricultural production of Frost Maple Ridge has obviously expanded to the outskirts of Phoenix Terrace!
Further observation through the lens tube pointed out the source of this change for Xia Houyan: just among the farmlands outside Fenghuangtai, he saw several irrigation canals neatly arranged—although it is now in the dry season in winter, but As soon as the next spring begins, these ditches will be able to transfer the water from the Maoxin River to the surrounding farmlands!
If the core area of ​​Fenghuang Terrace surrounded by the stone wall is regarded as a castle, the residential area around the stone wall is regarded as a town, and the outermost circle of farmland is added, then the structural pattern of the entire Shuangfeng Ridge seems to be similar to A typical, miniature version of the aristocratic city of the Central Plains!

Xia Houyan quickly shifted the lens tube and looked in the direction of Tongque Terrace.

As the barracks of Igor's pioneering army and the military center of the territory, Tongque Terrace seems to have undergone drastic changes in these days:

The wooden fence walls around the Tongque Terrace have not changed much, but a layer of plaster has been poured into the gaps in the wooden walls, which seems to have played the role of reinforcement and fire prevention at the same time;
But behind the wooden fence wall, there is an extremely magnificent dome building rising from the center of the Bronze Sparrow Terrace!

And judging from the ubiquitous shooting holes on this building and the giant wooden thorns protruding to the outside like a hedgehog, this is obviously a small fortress full of military attributes!

Xia Houyan slowly put down the lens tube and stayed silent for a long time.

Then, he handed the lens tube to Knight Commander Cousins, and let the Knight Commander, Katerina, and Master Laurie who came from the rear pass it one by one.

After watching the telescope, everyone has a reaction:
Speechless.

Doubt life.

Although the territory in front of him is undoubtedly the Frost Maple Ridge of the Igor family, the changes here are too great!
Where did the stone for the wall come from in this wasteland?
Just relying on Master Donald's piss, he can also create such a practical and beautiful barracks?
What happened here during the few short months we were away?
"I'm... stupid..." Master Laurie's exclamation could better reflect everyone's state of mind, "What's going on with us in Shuangfengling? Mayor Joel is robbing which big family?"

Xia Houyan was silent for a moment, then let out a long breath, and pulled up the rein:
"You can only find the answer if you go to the territory and take a look! I'm at least the Duke of Shuangfengling. It won't change the territory, so I won't let me in, right?"

——As a result, it turns out: no.

Not long after, the lord's convoy was blocked outside the steel fence gate of the stone wall.

Facing Chris Mann who was calling the door, the Igor Pioneer Army recruit who was guarding the goal yelled angrily:
"Director Lawrence of the Political Department has issued an order that all foreigners without a certificate are not allowed to pass through the gate of Phoenix Terrace!"

Chris said angrily:

"Proof? This team is Lord Igor's team!"

"Master Igor? Who is it?" The gatekeeper scratched his head in confusion, then immediately stood up, and replied in a louder voice: "Director Lawrence has an order, and the rules are the rules, and Lord Igor can't do it either!"

Chris hurriedly turned his head and looked behind him, just in time to hear the lord roar on horseback:

"Get the hell out of Tom Lawrence!"

(End of this chapter)