When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 738: Recruiting Soldiers and Stone Bridge

"Pah chi——"

Old Laffer's leather combat boots crushed a tuft of wet thistles, and the purple corollas made a slight crackling sound under the soles of his boots.

He took off his tricorn hat, and beads of sweat condensed from the heat and humid air on his head rolled down his white hair into the collar of his linen shirt.

The May rains on the gravel plain were spread over the tawny grass, and if you weren't careful you'd step into a pool of mud.

Standing on the hillside, Old Laffer could see slowly moving black dots among the waist-high golden grass.

There were the shepherds, and their expressionless sheep chewing russet golden grass.

However, because they had just been plucked once, most of these sheep only had a short layer of wool covering their bodies. Combined with the relatively cool weather, this was the most comfortable time for the sheep.

Unlike the Thousand River Valley, the climate in Gravel Plain is quite cool.

Except for winter, the difference between the lowest and highest temperatures in spring, summer and autumn is just the same as putting on and taking off a shepherd's waistcoat.

The Kush people originally planned to migrate here to continue their pastoral life.

It’s a pity that the Ai’er Empire at that time adhered to the principle that since you, as a foreigner, are good at riding horses and herding sheep, you are not allowed to ride horses and herd sheep, and thus kept the Kush people in the Thousand River Valley.

The Norn people who originally lived in the heart of the Garden of Thorns were good at farming and forging, so they were driven to the Gravel Plains by the El Empire to herd sheep.

Hearing the sound of wet and sticky footsteps behind him, Old Laffer turned around and saw Algernon, the clerk sent by Captain Besser, walking slowly towards him.

This young man from a Hotham County accountant family had pale skin, as if he had never been exposed to the sun, and ink stains on his cuffs.

He poked the oil-paper-covered booklet in his hand with his quill pen: "Are you sure it's here?"

Old Laffer replied affirmatively: "That's it."

"How do you know for sure it's from here? Do you know anything about astrology?"

Old Laffer looked at the clerk who was being picky and was speechless for a moment.

Why do you care if it's that village? Just bring back nine able-bodied men to fill the missing civilians, right?
Old Laffer pulled Kaler, who was passing by, over and said, "Look, this is the knight's son. He knows astrology."

After looking the young man up and down, Algernon frowned. He didn't look like someone who knew astrology.

Before Algernon could question it, he saw an old man with agile legs and feet jumping out from among the shepherds.

The skinny old man quickly climbed up the hillside by breaking the rocks, bending his waist almost to 90 degrees.

"What do you want from us?" He lowered his head and scanned the sabers on the waists and the armor on the bodies of the dozen or so men.

Most of these soldiers must have extraordinary abilities to be able to penetrate armor and travel such a long distance!
The old man's heart suddenly sank to the bottom.

Old Lav stepped forward and said, "I am hereby ordered by the Tyrant Duke Meliati to recruit nine civilians. How many young and strong men are there in your village? Be honest and don't force me to go down and count them myself."

The old man trembled all over, but still said with a bitter face: "There are eighteen, seven of them can draw the bow, and the rest are mostly too old to hold the lamb."

"Oh, that's great." Old Laffer pointed to the village in the distance with his saber, "Lead the way. What's your name?"

"I don't have a name. Everyone calls me Old Sheephead."

The group went around the back of the hillside covered with wormwood, and saw a shepherd boy three hundred steps away driving the sheep with a sling, his coarse wool cloak fluttering in the wind.

The shepherds' village was even more dilapidated than old Laffer had imagined.

The rammed earth walls were washed out by rain, leaving grooves everywhere. The rusty bronze bell hung on the rotten wooden frame, and no sound could even be heard.

The old sheep head hit the bronze bell hard with sheep bones, and soon, everyone in the village gathered in the central drying yard.

"We are the troops of His Highness the Despot. We are here to fight against the Duke of Wing Nest for illegally seizing the title. You are all the subjects of the Duke of Wing Nest and should fight for the real Duke of Wing Nest."

Algernon's passionate declaration did not shake the shepherds. They either looked at the soldiers in front of them numbly or alertly.

Old Laffer walked up to Algernon and held up the purse in his hand. "One dinar a day, three dinars for settling in. I'll give it to you now."

As soon as old Lavro finished speaking, a young man carrying a bow on his back kicked his wife over while she was crying and shouting to try to stop him, and came in front of old Lavro.

Two silver coins fell into the hands of the wife with her face covered in mud, and one silver coin fell into the hands of the old sheep head.

The young man came before the clerk in silence and began to register his name.

After about three people, no one stepped forward, so the old sheep head had to start calling out names. No matter who he called, there was a burst of wailing.

"No, you can't do this. My husband went to repair the dam last year and hasn't come back yet. Now you want my child!"

"Master, please be kind."

"Why are you running? Don't run. The Knight is watching you!"

Old Laffer stretched out his arm numbly and stuffed the warm silver coins into his cold palm.

When he saw the child with mud on his face holding his father's thigh tightly, the fingers that were handing over the silver coin began to twitch.

For some reason, the shadow of little Laffer suddenly flashed before his eyes.

This world is indeed not as beautiful as the Garden of Eden, but Shengsun wants to create a Garden of Eden on earth. Is this really possible?
The conscription lasted for more than an hour, until the names on the list were soaked with ink in the humid steam.

Old Laffer turned around and looked in the direction he came from. When he looked up, he happened to see smoke rising beside the Rust River.

The black smoke shot straight up into the crimson sky, which was the signal for the legion to return.

Old Lafleur touched the purse on his waist. The purse of twenty-seven dinars was now empty. Behind him were nine shepherds with sad expressions.

"Don't look so sad." Walking beside these strong men, old Laffer comforted them, "You are lucky, not only are you provided with food, but you also get money.

It's not just nobles who can be officers here. Look at me, I've even become the captain of the Tenth Corps."

As he spoke, old Laffer took off the wine bag from his waist and handed the acorn wine to the group of strong men.

The strong men looked at each other, took a sip of wine, and their faces became a little rosier.

Perhaps it was the alcohol that dispelled the fear, and the trembling bodies of these people calmed down a little.

However, they were still skeptical about what old Laffer said.

It is true that you are paid, but it is not necessarily true that you can become an officer.

Apart from anything else, many shepherds find it ridiculous to think that they could become officers.

After comforting these new soldiers, old Laffer felt at ease and led them back to the camp.

Walking among the golden grass, the soles of my shoes pushed through the muddy ground.

Every time they lifted their legs they could feel the dirt pulling at the soles of their feet, more stringy than cheese.

Looking at the solidified mud on his trouser legs, old Laffer smiled bitterly.

Five days ago, he led the defeated soldiers back to Feldheim, but was called away by the city garrison before he even had time to eat dinner.

In less than five minutes, he was promoted to the official captain of the Tenth Corps, but the price was that he was assigned to the new infantry regiment of Besser, a young general under Meliati.

His first task was to follow Besser to transport a newly arrived 12-pound Griffin cannon, four 3-pound Falconer cannons that originally belonged to Bear Gnawing Castle, and a batch of supplies collected from Feldheim to Laden Castle.

Although his salary increased by ten dinars, old Laffer still found it difficult to dispel his sad mood.

This is the transformation from a garrison army to a field army!

Unlike Kaler, he is just a farmer-type soldier. Does he really want to fight against those knights on the Gravel Plain?

Is it true that he is going to play against the Cavaliers?

This sentiment is prevalent in the army. They are not the well-trained Saviors, nor do they have as many Holy Musketeers as the Saviors.

It would be good if a 500-man infantry regiment could be supplemented with 100 holy musketeers. But this emotion could not be revealed in front of the able-bodied men, let alone in front of middle and upper-level officers such as Besser.

Bether doesn't embezzle wages, but he is really cruel when it comes to beating and scolding.

Old Laf led the young men from Xinla through knee-deep mud and crossed the broken trees that blocked the road, and in front of them was the newly set up camp.

Large cars were parked in a row on the muddy grass, with people coming and going on both sides.

The holy gunners from Longsand County sat in front of the fire, holding their clockwork rifles, and brewed blue coffee in peace.

Old Laffer couldn't help but reveal an envious expression. These saintly ones were the best of the best and were Captain Besser's treasures.

Old Laffer and his men had to do a lot of the hard work, but these people could just sit comfortably by the fire and enjoy themselves.

After handing the men over to the orderly, old Laffer took Algernon to the riverside to report to Captain Besser.

Before they got close, they heard a roar.

"It's already this late, and the car hasn't been made yet?"

"Sir Besser, the wheel hub and axle are broken. We have to wait for the tools to arrive..."

"How long will it take? I don't care about you, it has to be fixed before the moon rises."

The young infantry commander was waving his whip and jumping up and down beside the carriage.

The orderly in charge of the project lowered his head dully and helplessly, allowing the saliva to fall on his head.

In front of them, eight wagons were stuck in the mud, and the pack horses were foaming and pawing the ground in vain with their hooves.

Dozens of soldiers surrounded the carriages, cursing and prying the wheels with wooden bars.

A corner of the covering oilcloth was blown up by the wind, and old Laffer could clearly see that under the oilcloth was the clockwork cannon pulled from Bear Gnawing Castle.

They were as heavy as tombstones.

Under normal circumstances, this would not happen given the weight of a clockwork cannon.

But Besser was unlucky. There was a sudden rain and the ground was too soft, so the carriage got stuck in the mud.

"Mr. Besser..."

"Speak!" Besser said briefly.

"Nine civilians have been recruited, costing a total of 27 dinars. Now they are included in the ranks of servicemen..."

"Don't tell me so many useless things." Besser's tone softened a little. "Those who still have some strength, come and lift the carriage. I don't know if we can still fire this damn griffin cannon in time..."

Looking at the carriage stuck in the mud, old Laffer couldn't help but frown.

Originally they planned to cross the shallow river beach at noon tomorrow, but the rain disrupted everything.

If there is a delay and the water level rises, it is likely that the original shallows will be unable to cross the river.

That's why Besser was so anxious to order the soldiers to carry out the carriage and move forward as soon as possible.

Based on old Laffer's intuition gained from so many years as a hunter, he inexplicably felt that even if the carriage was repaired, it would be too late.

Look at the moisture in the tricorne hat. Such humid air, combined with the cold wind seeping out of the Roaring Corridor, it is estimated that it will rain again tomorrow.

But old Laffer was wrong.

Because before midnight, the rain started pouring down.

The next morning, old Laffer, wearing a rain cloak, could see that the water level had risen even with the naked eye.

When the convoy arrived at the stream where they planned to cross the river, old Laffer lowered his head and didn't look at Besser's livid face.

But he could hear the sound of rushing water.

Lifting the hood of his cloak that covered his eyes, old Laffer couldn't help but let out a "tsk tsk" sound.

Oak branches washed up from upstream, entangled in broken fishing nets, appearing and disappearing in the muddy yellow whirlpool.

The stream, which was crystal clear before, passed through everyone's sight like a giant yellow python.

The raindrops pattered on the oilcloth, and the mood of Besser and other officers became increasingly gloomy.

Besser tapped his combat boots with his whip. Old Laffer could hear his suppressed irritation: "Hey, you go and take a look. How deep is the water?"

Not long after, a wet man returned to Besser and said, "Captain, those who are good at swimming can make it, but those who are not good at swimming will have a hard time, not to mention driving a carriage."

"Damn it!" Besser hit his thigh in anger.

How come this happened to him for the first time as a leader?

Why did it rain at this time instead of earlier? The water level has risen so quickly. We can't just return to Feldheim in disgrace, can we?

The rain soaked Besser's cloak, and it felt heavier than armor on him.

"Go ask the nearby shepherds if there is any other way to cross the river." Besser asked the centurions around him.

Old Laffer thought for a moment and raised his hand: "Sir, I asked before. There is a stone bridge along the Rust River to the northeast."

Besser stretched her neck and glared: "Why didn't you tell me earlier that there was a stone bridge?"

Old Laffer hesitated and said, "Sir, the road to the northeast is a slope, and it will enter the area occupied by the Gravel Plain Army."

"Stop talking nonsense." Besser shook his head, "There is no outpost of ours on the border, we only have rangers, we can't stop them at all.

Whether they send cavalry from the Salt Beach to attack here or to the Stone Bridge, it is only a matter of time, and the risk is the same. "

After saying this, he looked at the five centurions and the chaplains on his left and right and asked, "What do you think?"

To the disappointment of most people, the officers decided to continue north.

They could not return the same way they had come, but had to continue moving north along the river.

Cursing Besser, the cruel villain, in their hearts, the soldiers had to push the carts and march north again.

But this time, they were unexpectedly successful and arrived at the stone bridge a day later.

The stone bridge spans the most turbulent section of the Rust River, and the moss-covered piers are covered with cracks.

When the first carriage rolled over the bridge, old Laffer could clearly hear the crisp sound of gravel rolling into the water.

Carriages passed the stone bridge one by one, and the drivers whipped the horses' buttocks with short whips.

When the iron-hooped wheels rolled over the gaps between the bluestone slabs, they actually made a friction sound similar to the whimpering of an animal.

Following behind the carriage, old Laffer suddenly felt his sleeve being pulled.

Following the place where Kaler pointed, he first opened his eyes wide, then quickly walked forward and began to touch it.

It was half a piece of dark red horse manure that had been solidified for a long time and did not have much of a stench. It did not look like it was freshly excreted, but it would not have been there for too long either.

Were there cavalry passing here before?
"We have to report this to Lord Besser." Old Laver said to Kaler seriously, but Kaler seemed to be distracted.

"Did you hear that?" Kaler suddenly put his head to the ground.

Old Laffer's expression became serious: "What did you hear?"

Subconsciously, he listened carefully and immediately heard thunder coming from behind the clouds... No, it wasn't thunder... It was -

"The sound of horse hooves, it's the sound of horse hooves!" Kaler jumped up from the ground and shouted around.

(End of this chapter)