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

Chapter 51 They really are refugees
The iron hooves of warhorses shattered the tranquility of the grassland, and Gunle led his squad like an icy blade piercing the crowd ahead.

The scene of the bloody massacre was already playing out in his mind, and Gunther was anxious to release the restless energy within him.

Before he could lead his brothers to reach those people, the crowd scattered and fled like a flock of startled birds.

"You're not here to rob us?"

Gunle was taken aback. "They really are refugees?"

Gunle quickly sheathed his battle axe, which hadn't even drawn blood yet, and shouted, "Stop them!"

Refugees can be slaves too!
"West of Doron, south of Jess, east of Kled!"

Gunle yanked the reins, spurred his horse to chase after the refugee who had run the furthest away, and whipped him to the ground!
"If you want a full meal, stay where you are!"

"If you want to die, keep running!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gunle lashed the air twice with his whip, startling the surrounding refugees who immediately squatted on the ground.

Other soldiers followed suit and shouted the same thing. Most of the refugees stood still, except for a few men with spears who huddled together, watching Gunle warily.

Gunther didn't mind and shouted, "I am the lord of Blackpine Ridge, Baron Rhodes'..."

What am I to the lord?
Gunle was a little annoyed. Having never done anything like this before, he forced himself to shout, "I am Gunle, a knight under Baron Rhodes. The esteemed Baron is currently recruiting serfs. As long as you work honestly, you will have delicious black bread and wild vegetable cakes to eat. Who among you is willing to come with me?"

The refugees looked at each other in bewilderment, and remained silent.

Gunle, who had been waiting for a long time without a response, became anxious!

Snapped!
The whip cracked in the air as Gunle roared, "Who wants to come with me!"

"I, I do."

"Oh my god, don't kill me!"

"I'll go as well."

……

The refugees hunched their shoulders and raised their hands.

Seeing this, Gunle smiled with satisfaction.
"Now gather together and follow the warhorses one by one."

……

……

Just as Rhodes was about to enjoy the roasted wolf meat, Avril rushed in to report.

It was said that Gunle had captured a large group of refugees, and the group was slowly making its way back. They hoped that Rod would lead a team to meet them.

Where did Gunther capture the refugees?
Rhodes was filled with questions.

But Avril wasn't one to joke around, so Rod had no choice but to bring the roasted wolf meat and have Durant gather the team to head east to meet up with Gunle's convoy.

The warhorses galloped swiftly, and soon Rhodes spotted the slowly advancing column in the distance.

The so-called refugees walked sparsely ahead, followed by salt-carrying wagons.

Gunle and the others rode alongside the group on horseback, whips in hand, occasionally shouting a few words of reprimand.

"My lord, you've finally arrived!"

Upon seeing Rhodes, Gunle breathed a sigh of relief, spurred his warhorse forward, and whispered, "Luckily they behaved themselves. If they had all run away, we wouldn't have been able to catch them!"

“These people wouldn’t dare to do that in front of you.”

Rhodes waved his hand, and five guards quickly ran to both sides to help guard the area.

"What's going on? Where did they all come from?"

"I asked, and they're from Eagle Ridge in the south. The war there is quite fierce right now."

"A border copper mine battle? Surely that shouldn't result in so many refugees?"

Rhodes was a little confused.

The copper mine was located in the mountains, and there were no villages nearby; only soldiers were on the front lines.

The refugee group now includes both women and children, and it appears that the entire village has fled.

This doesn't seem like a border war; it's more like a war of aggression.

“That’s why the fighting was so fierce.” Then Gunle relayed the information he had gathered from the refugees to Rod.

The war was originally as Rhodes imagined, but it changed after the Earl of Falcon's third son died from his injuries.

It is said that killing the count's third son was not Viscount White Deer's original intention.

Because the main character in that battle was a mercenary from the White Deer family, who struck too hard and knocked down the third son of Earl Falcon, causing his head to hit a sharp rock.

Rhodes found it reasonable after hearing it.

Battles between nobles are generally not too serious; it is only ordinary commoner soldiers who fight to the death.

Nobles and knights wore armor, while ordinary soldiers were lucky to have even a piece of soft armor!
The nobles loved negotiation, and most wars ended at the negotiating table.

Therefore, the nobles had an unspoken agreement not to let their opponents die in the war.

But the Count of Falcon, who had lost his child, couldn't care less about that. He personally led his army to raid the White Deer family's territory, cutting off more than a dozen heads and sticking them into the village fence.

Viscount White Deer's soldiers were equally ruthless, bypassing the borders of Falcon Territory and raiding the villages inside, initiating a campaign of burning, killing, and looting.

It seems that these are mercenaries, and they are even more ruthless in their actions.

From then on, the real war began.

Based on the information he received, Gunther believed that the war would last for some time.

Rhodes agreed with this view.

The two nobles were no longer fighting over a mineral vein, but over noble dignity.

It's commonly known as being "overwhelmed".

Only in this kind of war would interests be disregarded.

Unless a high-ranking noble intervenes, the fighting will continue indefinitely.

Both the Earl of Falcon and the Viscount of White Hound have deep roots.

The population was at least four or five thousand, so the death of a few people was nothing.

"Then why are these refugees here? Why don't they go to the border town?" Rhodes asked, puzzled.

"Hehe, we knew you'd ask that, so we specifically asked them!"

Gunle was delighted to have anticipated Rod's doubts and explained, "A merchant said that if a family gives him two silver coins, he can find them a safe and stable place where they can have food."

"These villagers didn't have that many silver coins, so they pooled together five silver coins to treat the merchant to drinks. After the merchant got drunk, he revealed that the place was in the Northern Wasteland."

"Then they fled here."

That businessman must be Simon.

Rod felt like laughing for a moment.

If it really is Simon, he's likely "playing both sides."

On the other hand, they take in refugees for money and then transport them over to sell as slaves to themselves.

This guy actually has some brains.

But isn't this guy afraid of being caught by the lord for advertising so openly?

"My lord, I need to confess something to you."

Gunle scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I just told these people that I am your knight, please don't be angry."

“I have regarded you as a prospective knight since you last swore allegiance.”

Rhodes said without reservation, "When you achieve great merit in the future, I will hold a ceremony to confer an honor upon you."

Gunle's horsemanship and archery skills were not bad, but he lacked training in lance riding and aristocratic etiquette, but these were not important to Rhodes.

"But I haven't practiced breathing techniques, nor am I used to using a knight's sword..."

"None of that matters. If you want to learn breathing techniques, I'll have Durant teach you."

Rhodes smiled and reassured him, "You don't need to worry about these trivial matters. From now on, you can claim to be my knight."

After saying this, Rhodes walked up to the refugees and asked loudly:
“I am Rod Tulip, the Baron of Blackpine Ridge. Who is your leader?”

(End of this chapter)