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

Chapter 2 is what I captured!
Five days later.

Rhodes's party entered the territory of Black Pine Ridge.

The vast land was covered with weeds and overgrown with thorns.

In the distance, the hillside is covered with dense black pine forests, below which lies a frozen riverbed, and above which there is still unmelted snow.

Rod took out his binoculars and looked into the distance. All he could see was desolation, with not a trace of farmland.

But it's okay, everything will be alright when Rhodes arrives.

This place will surely be a thriving place in the future.

Everything is ready now, except for seeds and serfs to clear the land.

Rhodes had done his homework beforehand; the serfs were in Frostleaf Town ahead, which would also be where he would settle down in the future.

The seeds were in the Jinsha caravan, just one kilometer ahead.

"It's time to collect the taxes."

Rod has been following slowly for five days, and once they enter Black Pine Ridge, they won't need to wait any longer.

"Everyone except Hamo, speed up and block the Jinsha caravan."

Hamo was the blacksmith in the border town.

On the morning of the day Rhodes set off, Hammer came to find Rhodes, leading a donkey, dragging various tools, and carrying a blacksmith's hammer on his back.

Rhodes didn't have time to change Hamo's horse, so he let Hamo ride the donkey and follow the group, but he couldn't go fast.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

The crowd responded in unison, and just as they were adjusting themselves to mount their horses and charge, the scouts they had sent out suddenly returned.

"My lord, they are a band of robbers!"

The scout, suppressing his breath, reported in a calm tone: "The Jinsha caravan is under attack by a bandit gang!"

Rhodes frowned and quickly asked, "How many people? What's their equipment like?"

"There were nearly a hundred people, and their weapons were a mess, including swords, spears and all sorts of things. Five or six of them were wearing chainmail and leather armor, while the rest were wearing hemp clothing."

The scout finished his report in one breath before he began to catch his breath.

Rod and Durant exchanged a glance and said, "Sounds like a cobbled-together group of vagrant thugs."

Durant nodded.

"Can we handle this?" Rhodes asked.

"Of course I can!"

Before Durant could speak, the man next to him, who was as burly as a bear and carried a giant axe, spoke first.

The man's name was Gunle, and he was the leader of a ten-man squad hired by Rhodes.

"If you can't even handle those rotten fish and shrimp, then your twenty gold coins were wasted."

Gunle said confidently, "You and your guards don't need to lift a finger. We and our brothers will just chop them all down!"

Rod thought so too.

Durant and his guards were all elites from the regular army, and the hired Gunners and others were also retired legion soldiers, well-equipped.

However, Rod was not careless and ordered Gunle, "I'll go to the right wing with Durant, and you go to the left wing and wait for orders."

Once I launch the charge, you all follow immediately and make sure none of them escape!

"The noble lord is very thoughtful, no problem!"

With his axe slung over his shoulder and the reins in one hand, Gunle said, "Just say the word, and we'll take them down!"

"Alright, Hamo, stay put and wait. The rest of you, set off!"

At Rhodes's command, the group split into two, like two giant silver pythons, heading east and west. Gonle led the group through the black pine forest, while Rhodes went directly along the continent to approach the Golden Sands caravan.

Just as the scouts reported, it was a mob that had risen up in rebellion and was besieging the Jinsha caravan.

The Jinsha caravan also had more than ten guards, but they were not as well-equipped as Gangle. Only four of them wore chainmail, while the rest wore ordinary leather armor.

They used wagons to form a circle, surrounding the goods and caravan members in the middle, and then built a defensive line to protect the goods and people.

It looks very professional, but such a defensive approach, which involves looking both ways in front and behind, will only allow them to trap and kill the more than one hundred thugs and rioters inside.

Now, as long as Rhodes' two teams charge in, these mobs will crumble.

Durant, with his extensive combat experience, naturally saw through the situation and offered, "Leave two guards to protect you; I'll take the rest of the men and fight them off."

Rhodes smiled. "No rush, let's wait a bit longer."

In this feudal era of slavery, they could not distinguish the so-called justice of modern society.

Rhodes dared not call these thugs evil people, because many of them were commoners who couldn't afford to eat, and slaves who had run away from torture.

The nobles and merchants who enslave and exploit ordinary people are hardly benevolent either; every gold coin in their pockets may be stained with blood. So, after arriving in this world, Rhodes cast aside the moral shackles of his previous life and lived solely for himself.

At most, they will reduce the amount of killing as long as it does not affect their own interests.

Originally, Rhodes only wanted to collect taxes, but now he wants everything.

Therefore, waiting is the best option right now.

Durant understood Rod's meaning, said nothing more, and stroked the horse's mane while waiting quietly.

Just as Rhodes had predicted, mere defense hampered the caravan's guards' strength, and four or five guards quickly fell under the mob's onslaught.

The breach in the battle line immediately collapsed, and the goods on the wagons were dragged and looted by the rioters. When the caravan's crew tried to stop them, they were stabbed to death.

"I can't let them steal my goods."

Rhodes drew his steel sword and thrust it forward.
"Scatter them."

"charge!"

Durant yelled and spurred his horse's flanks, sending the horse hurtling off like an arrow!

"kill!"

The guards roared and charged out, while Günler on the other side also charged according to orders!

The two teams, like sharp blades, plunged into the ranks of the rioters with fierce momentum. In an instant, several heads flew up, drawing scarlet arcs in the air!
The mob split into three groups in an instant, and then Durant and his men turned their horses around and charged again!

Limbs were flying everywhere, and blood flowed freely!

Before Rod could even get a chance to practice, in just two rounds, the once-aggressive thugs were routed and scattered in all directions!
Gunther and Durant killed the chainmail-clad leader on horseback right away, and the rest were no match for them.

"Keep these people here, don't let a single one escape!"

Rod shouted sternly, "Anyone who dares to run will be shot!"

These rioters were ready-made serfs and laborers. Once captured, Rhodes wouldn't need to spend a penny more on wages; as long as they didn't starve to death, they had to work for Rhodes.

Rhodes was naturally reluctant to let these people go.

Half of the guards were skilled archers, and Durant was originally one of the best, but unfortunately, he could not hold a bow after his left hand was cut off.

The guards drew their bows and shot down several fleeing rioters. Seeing this, the others quickly threw down their weapons and knelt on the ground, their surrender gestures very practiced.

"Gunle, tie them all up with rope!"

"no problem!"

Gunle readily agreed, and with his brothers, they jumped off their horses and tossed the mob together like chickens, tying them up one by one with ropes.

Rod beckoned Durant over and whispered, "Check all the wounded. Save those you can, and don't let them suffer if you can't."

Remember, it's all the wounded.

Durant stared blankly at Rhodes, never expecting that the lord who had been so ruthless just moments before would suddenly show kindness.

"What are you standing there for? Go now!"

"Yes, Lord Lord!"

Durant quickly grabbed some fine cloth and hemostatic powder, and led his guards to begin treating the injured.

Rod understood Durant's doubts, but didn't explain further.

Fighting is a way to seize benefits, and now that the benefits all belong to Rhodes, there's no need for anyone else to die.

Ultimately, how many people on Earth like Rhodes, who have undergone more than a decade of education, are truly vicious and brutal?
Rhodes did these things simply as a way of survival in this primitive and barbaric era.

"Thank you, Your Excellency."

Just as Rhodes was watching the guards clean up the battlefield, a portly middle-aged man stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"I am Lawrence Goldsand, the head of the Goldsand Caravan. Thank you so much for saving my caravan."

Lawrence bowed again.

"Huh, what did you say? Your caravan?"

Without introducing himself, Rhodes frowned and stared at Lawrence, saying, "You said this caravan was yours before the bandits came, and I have no objection."

"Now tell me, whose caravan is this?"

Lawrence froze, "It's mine, it's true..."

Snapped!
Rod casually slapped Lawrence across the face.

"You fart!"

Rod straightened his back and declared righteously, "I seized this caravan from bandits!"

"its mine!"

(End of this chapter)