When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 726: Swords and knives cannot enter, but sandals can

The dirty straw sandals stepped on the muddy ground, squeezing the soft mud of the new spring.

The lambs and pack horses cried one after another, and they defecated and urinated wantonly.

Coming from the gravel-strewn wilderness, a dozen monks wearing simple black robes with countless patches on their clothes stopped on the main road where cars and people converged.

As the temperature finally warmed up in March, Xiongkenbao finally welcomed the first visitors of the new year - merchants and shepherds.

Although Horn was excommunicated by the Pope and the Thousand Valley was blocked by Leia, trade among the people was still active, except that important strategic materials such as iron and wool could not be sold.

Leaning on a thin alder cane, Batis followed a few old ascetics and looked from afar at the new bastion erected at the junction of the mountains and plains.

Five protruding sharp horns extend from the pentagonal two-story fortress, and a three-pound falcon cannon is placed on each horn.

This falcon cannon, which can be pushed by two people, will pass through the passage on the solid city wall and quickly enter the second-floor fortress.

Between the battlement slits and narrow corridors, you can also see wooden barracks and armories.

Between the trenches and the spiked wooden stakes, merchants and shepherds pushing carts and carriages were trying their best to sell their wares to the soldiers.

Cabbage leaves and peas were scattered in the mud, and from time to time wandering scavengers would come and pick up these precious foods bit by bit.

The ascetics naturally would not cut in line, but stood at the end of the line.

The young monk next to Batis looked up at the three-story fortress and couldn't help asking, "These walls aren't that high, and there are a lot of gaps in the middle. Can't the knights charge at will?"

"In the Battle of Moncruz, such a bastion was able to block the knights' charge and hold out for several days, which is enough to prove its reliability." Batis whispered so that only the two of them could hear.

The long queue in front of me moved with extremely high efficiency. Although there were many people passing by, the queue was very short.

It wasn’t long before these ascetics arrived at the checkpoint pulling their walking carts.

Following behind the devout ascetic monk in the lead, the chief ascetic monk Batis, who served as his mouthpiece, smiled and said, "Suffering will never fade, but the Holy Spirit will live forever!"

The skinny ascetic monk Batis bowed to old Lav.

After a month of training, old Laver and other mountain people have already become like soldiers.

The backs of their hands were bruised and swollen, their backs were stretched straight, and they walked in a very methodical manner.

On the contrary, the old soldiers have already mastered the art of walking, and although they walk normally and naturally, they still have a sense of uprightness.

When he lowered his head, Batis quickly scanned the soldiers in front of him.

Is this the new salvation army that the people of Qianhe Valley are so proud of?
"Long live the Holy Spirit!" Old Laffer naturally bowed in return. He knew what group these people were at a glance.

Straw sandals, a rattan stick, a coarse cloth robe and a walking cart; these are the standard equipment for an ascetic monk.

To be an ascetic is to imitate the Messiah and suffer for all mankind so that the sins of others will be less.

They would make pilgrimages to various holy sites throughout the year in search of spiritual peace.

Therefore, ascetics were highly respected in the customs of the empire.

"Excuse me, is this Xiongganao? Can I use the great power from the Holy Father to offset the tax collection on property?" Batis smiled devoutly, "We have taken a vow of poverty. We have nothing except what is necessary for survival and pilgrimage."

"This is now the territory of the Thousand River Valley, called Bear Gnawing Castle." Old Laffer immediately explained with all his heart, "This is not a tax card, but an inspection."

"It is truly a miracle from the Holy Father that the Bear Gnawing Castle has sprouted again from the dust of history."

The name of Xiongkenbao was not given after the establishment of Qianhe Valley, but has existed since ancient times.

This was once the border fortress of the Thousand Valley Kingdom hundreds of years ago. With the incorporation of the Thousand Valley into the Empire, these border fortresses were abandoned.

When the Stonebreakers invaded, they split into two groups. One group entered Upper River County from Bear Gnaw Castle, and the other group entered North Mound County from Laden Castle further north.

After the establishment of the Holy Monarchy of the Thousand Valleys, Meliati rebuilt these fortresses and even distributed some of the outposts to the land of the Gravel Plain.

As spring came and flowers bloomed, the previously frozen roads gradually thawed, sheep thieves gradually disappeared, and crowds of people appeared in front of Xiongganbao.

The first is to transport supplies to Xiongkenbao, and the second is to meet the shepherds and small merchants who come to the market.

About sixty kilometers away from Xionggnawburg is the autonomous town of Feldheim on the gravel plain.

Almost every year shepherds and farmers hold a market in the town, and even sheep thieves come to sell their stolen goods.

Many of Xiongjianbao’s supplies were purchased from local villages and shepherds in Gravel Plain.

Likewise, some villages and shepherds will trade wool and bear chews.

Although there is a ban prohibiting merchants from the Stonewall Plain from trading with the people of the Thousand River Valley, there is always a clever plan.

Isn't it forbidden to transport wool? Okay, instead of wool, sell pottery. The wool is only used as padding inside the pottery to prevent it from breaking.

Many Norn smugglers used this trick to bypass the tax checkpoints of the Stonebreakers and transported the wool to the outskirts of Beargnawing Castle.

Through the mountain road blocked by the Bear Gnawing Castle, the wool can be transported to the Thousand River Valley. Logically speaking, there is no sheep industry in the Thousand River Valley, so it doesn't matter if it is impacted by cheap wool.

Xiongjianbao should have low or even no tariffs on these crushed raw wool.

But one of the main reasons why soldiers still have to check cargo is to prevent armed personnel and spies from sneaking in.

If suspicious items and weapons are found in cargo or luggage, they will either be thrown away and allowed to reenter, or the person will be directly denied entry.

This is why the soldiers led by old Laffer set up checkpoints to inspect the goods and did not charge any fees.

"We are happy to accept your inspection because we are honest, my brothers in the faith." Batis made way.

"I'm sorry, but rules are rules, and they are not set today." After apologizing, Batis directed several people to go up and start checking.

"My fellow believer, I have something to ask you." While inspecting, Batis pointed to the wall of the bastion and said, "What is this? Mortar?"

"This is a new type of mortar produced by the Holy See. It is used to bond gravel and ironwood." Old Laver patted the wall of the bastion. "It is harder than rock. Even a fine steel sword will leave a shallow mark on it."

"Oh——" A strange light flashed in Batis' eyes.

"As an ascetic monk living in seclusion, why are you so curious about these worldly things?" Old Lav asked curiously as he looked at the ascetic monk who was concentrating on touching the wall of the bastion.

The ascetic shook his head solemnly: "Everything in this world was created by the Holy Father. Every new thing represents a new discovery of the Holy Father. How can I not be curious and concerned?"

Old Laffer blinked, and a smile appeared unconsciously on the corner of his mouth: "It is very similar to what the monk in our village said."

"The truth of the world always leads to the same conclusion." Batis leaned his forehead against the wall of the bastion and whispered in an ethereal and pious voice for a long time, "Holy Father..."

"What is this?" Before Batis could finish his prayer, a question came from the inspection team at the rear.

After passing Battis, old Laffer hurried over, only to find that the soldiers had pulled out a bundle of copper measures wrapped in oilcloth from the walking cart, which gleamed suspiciously in the sunlight.

The young monk's Adam's apple slid violently, and he suddenly grabbed the soldier's wrist: "That's... that's the ritual for measuring holy relics!"

Batis also walked over at this time, his muscles under the black robe were slightly tense, but his face was full of spring breeze and smile: "My child is too nervous, these are just tools for us to map the pilgrimage route. Look--"

He shook out the yellowed parchment scroll, and on the densely packed map were the coordinates of dozens of holy places.

Old Laffer's eyebrows were twisted into caltrops.

"Holy Spirit!" the young monk argued, "Last month when we were at Eagle's Beak Cliff, the compass was confiscated by the soldiers! This is a new one, are you going to take it away too?"

"Robbed? This is normal confiscating of contraband, or you can sell it on the spot."

"But we'll need it later."

The people in the queue began to stir, and several peasant women drew holy emblems on their chests.

It was amid this whispering that the quartermaster's spurred boots jingled.

After listening to old Laffer's explanation, the quartermaster walked forward, picked up the measuring tools in the cart, and looked through them casually.

Batis felt his palm being clenched, and when he turned around, he saw the young monk with the Mediterranean hairstyle holding his hand involuntarily.

"Father, you should know that these things are not in compliance with the regulations. In principle, I cannot allow you to take them through." The quartermaster looked at these beggar-like monks and said, "Since you are here to visit our Thousand River Valley Holy Land, considering your virtue and credit, I will not allow you to do this again."

These ascetic pilgrimage teams are well-known, and their pilgrimage to the holy places of the Thousand River Valley is also a boost to the confidence of the people of the Thousand River Valley.

Because it means that they are not aliens, but part of the Messianic world recognized by the ascetics.

Out of political considerations, the quartermaster decided to release these ascetics.

"Holy Spirit!" Batis put his hands together and bowed to the quartermaster immediately, "Thank you for your understanding and kindness."

The quartermaster waved his hand and said, "Let it go."

The ascetics continued to pull the cart slowly forward, and the people around them consciously made way for it, and some even helped push it.

As the ascetics left his sight, the quartermaster turned his attention to Old Laffer: "Are you 1.7 meters tall?"

"A little over 1.70 meters tall, Ragusa Quartermaster."

"It's a bit old." The quartermaster walked around old Laffer, "But it's okay... Want to make some extra money?"

Old Laver instantly tensed up his skin and swallowed: "Ragusa Quartermaster, I'm here to serve as a soldier."

"I know you're here to join the army, I'm asking if you want to make some extra money."

"But I'm here to serve in the army."

"I know you're here to serve as a soldier." The quartermaster rolled his eyes at him. "Next week, Her Highness Meliati will be inspecting Bearbone Castle. We need a guard of honor. Do you want to join us and earn some extra money?"

(End of this chapter)