I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 13 The Bandits of Black Pine Ridge
“I’ve been there twice; the people there have many of the items I need.”

After speaking very naturally, Manxiu realized that the area might be Rhodes territory and asked, "You wouldn't come after me for the trade taxes I paid there before, would you?"

"Don't worry, only a robber would do something like that."

Rod smiled and explained, "It's just that there have been some bandits roaming around Black Pine Ridge lately, so I think you should be more careful."

Several caravans were attacked by bandits.

"That's absolutely true, I can vouch for it."

Lawrence quickly echoed, saying sincerely, "I was attacked by a bandit gang, but the lord saved me."

Of course, nothing happened afterward; all that was done was praise for Rhodes.

Upon hearing this, Manshu felt a surge of goodwill towards Rhodes. "You are truly a benevolent and kind lord. I hope that when I am in trouble, I will also have a lord like you to help me."

Rod smiled and thought to himself, "My appearance fee is high."

"Do you know the strength of those bandit groups?" Manshu pressed.

"I don't understand, but their occupation of my land is stealing the lord's property. If I encounter them, I will definitely wipe them out."

When the bandit was mentioned, Rhodes' face was full of righteousness, and then he smiled at Manxiu, "But you don't need to worry, I can have my knight Durant, a mid-level knight, lead guards to protect your safety in Black Pine Ridge and send you into Black Rock Mountains."

Manshu's eyes lit up. "If you'd like, that would be wonderful!"

Rhodes nodded slightly and asked, "Mr. Manshu, how many more days will you be staying here?"

"Three or five days, no longer than a week."

For caravans, time is money, and Frostleaf Town is not a wealthy town; in fact, three days of trade is considered a long time.

"Traveling through the wilderness is a very arduous task. How about this, you rest first, and we can talk about other things tomorrow."

Rhodes didn't continue the conversation, taking the initiative to end the topic, and turned to Lawrence, saying, "I still have some things to take care of. Please arrange for Mr. Manshu to stay, and prepare some food to entertain him properly."

There are no taverns in Frostleaf Town, so Manshu can only accept Rhodes' hospitality.

The conversation abruptly ended at a crucial point, and as a businessman, Manshu immediately realized Rhodes's thoughts—

The lord didn't want his knight to work for free; he needed to pay him.

However, Menshu was indeed tired and wasn't in a hurry.

"Thank you for your generosity. I will visit again tomorrow."

Menshu bowed again, then left accompanied by Lawrence.

After Mansh walked away, Durant approached and asked in a low voice,

"Sir, are you escorting his caravan?"

Rod turned to look at Durant, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Can you stop pretending to be stupid?"

You've already figured out what I'm trying to do, haven't you?

Before, when the master and servant didn't understand each other, Rhodes would give Durant a few pointers and he would understand things clearly, and his on-the-spot reactions were also quick.

Now that they've known each other for so long, Durant should understand who he is.

Would I offer to escort his caravan?

Durant coughed twice, somewhat awkwardly.

“Well, sir, I’m not sure, but I guess you want to deal with those people in Blackrock Mountain?”

Rhodes nodded.

In fact, it is currently the busy farming season, and Rod has neither the time nor the energy to deal with those mountain people.

But this is a good opportunity.

Rhodes had only been here a short time, and due to the lack of information, the Blackrock Mountain people knew nothing about Rhodes or those around him.

Rhodes even guessed that these people didn't know he had arrived.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, perhaps Durant could sneak into the caravan and capture those people at a lower cost. Durant nodded slightly; it was pretty much what he had guessed.

The Black Rock Mountains are so vast that simply capturing those people is almost impossible, and finding their gathering place is no easy task either.

"Are you going to take direct action? Aren't you going to talk to those mountain people?" Durant asked.

"I think it would be better to talk with a sword to their throats."

"Okay, I agree."

Durant was somewhat exasperated, and when he thought about Rod's actions earlier, he asked, "Then why didn't you continue? He seemed to really want our protection."

"Being too proactive will arouse suspicion; let's wait and see."

Rhodes's mercenary behavior would put Manshu at ease.

Moreover, the specific situation is still unclear, and Rhodes needs more information to determine whether this decision is feasible.

"Pass down the message: increase everyone's workload, keep the townspeople busy, and avoid telling Manxiu and his ilk about what's been happening in the territory lately."

If anyone wants to trade anything, come find me first.

With so many people around, Rhodes couldn't let Mansh see any clues.

In reality, the fatigue of the journey left Manxiu with no energy to inquire about other things. Frostleaf Town also lacked entertainment centers like taverns, so after being entertained by Lawrence, the caravan members all rested.

The next morning, as soon as Manshu woke up, he was invited by Rhodes to have breakfast and discuss a deal.

In addition to farm tools, Rhodes purchased ten longswords, fifteen pieces of chainmail, and twenty round shields.

Actually, the blacksmiths and carpenters in Frostleaf Town could also make it, but Rhodes needed it urgently and had to buy it.

In addition, there are some daily necessities and desserts such as honey cheese.

There's no honey in the wasteland this season, and no cows in Frostleaf Town. Rhodes hasn't had sweet toast in a long time.

Most of the daily necessities were bought for the townspeople, who would then redeem them after their work points were settled.

After paying taxes, there was plenty of rye, so Rod didn't exchange it for grain, but instead exchanged it for some vegetable seeds and also bought some potatoes.

Potatoes are a great food; they are highly nutritious, have a short growth cycle, and are also cold-resistant.

It's easy to cook; you can steam, boil, or even bake it, and the yield is quite good.

However, this plant is susceptible to pests and diseases, requires relatively fertile soil to grow, and has a higher planting threshold than rye, making it difficult to promote.

Rod bought 500 pounds of potatoes intending to sprout them and cultivate them himself; if it didn't succeed, he could just eat them without losing anything.

Potatoes are easy to sprout. Store them in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated place, avoiding direct sunlight, excessive moisture, and heat. If the environment is suitable, they will sprout in less than a month.

Manshu also wanted some goods, and Rhodes contributed some animal hides, charcoal, and 500 catties of rye to fill part of the gap in his wagon, paying the rest in silver coins.

Throughout the process, Roderick was gentle and generous, always responding to Menshu with a smile, making Lawrence think that he had become a different lord.

This led Manshu to keep praising Rhodes, marveling at the arrival of a kind lord in Frostleaf Town.

After a busy day, the two finally had time to sit down at the dining table in the evening.

"I really envy businessmen like you, who can earn gold coins while enjoying the scenery."

With a bitter expression, Rhodes sighed, "I have a ton of things to deal with as soon as I open my eyes every day, and I haven't even had a chance to inspect the territory yet."

“I understand that you are working hard. It’s the planting season now, and you should have more free time after this.”

Manxiu nodded.

In his view, Rhodes was a complete "novice" lord who had just come of age and had never experienced anything before, so it was normal for him to feel that things were tough.

"But if you are going to patrol the territory, I must remind you that there are still some fierce wild animals in Black Pine Ridge, so you should be careful."

"Oh? Could you tell me more about it?"

Rod said with a face full of curiosity, "I haven't seen the scenery of Black Pine Ridge yet, and I don't know if there are any other villages."

(End of this chapter)