Lord: Starting with Summoning the Regular Army of Earth

Now let's talk about Jinshi Ridge.

Before dawn, Conrad rode his warhorse Nightshade, carrying all his "belongings," to Ironrock.

When he returned, Nightshade's familiar, agile figure was gone. In his place were two wooden carts, crammed full and pulled by skinny, worn-out horses, and several hired drivers with cautious yet somewhat aloof expressions.

The wheels rolled over the potholed dirt road, making a heavy creak that broke the town's deathly silence.

At this moment, the residents of Jinshi Ridge have already begun to struggle for survival.

Ragged women and old men searched in vain in the woods and wilderness on the edge of town, trying to dig up some wild vegetable roots that had long been plundered.

The young hunter Carl returned from the mountains dejectedly, carrying an empty bag of prey; yesterday's traps had yielded nothing once again.

Beside the Teardrop Creek, several old women were carefully scooping water from the sedimentation tank with wooden ladles to filter it, their hands trembling.

But many more elderly people simply lean against their dilapidated doorframes with empty, numb eyes, gazing into the distance, unsure whether they are waiting for a miracle or for death to arrive.

Several thin, pale-faced children were silently playing by the roadside, drawing crooked squares with pebbles or using dry branches as swords.

When this small convoy appeared, all eyes were drawn to it. A hint of curiosity was injected into numb eyes, and the playing children stopped what they were doing, looking at it timidly yet full of inquiry.

Under silent watchful eyes, the carriage slowly made its way through the bumpy streets and finally came to a stop in front of the most dilapidated "Lord's Mansion".

A few bolder children followed at a distance, not daring to get close.

Hearing the commotion, Will and Matthew quickly walked out of the "Lord's Mansion".

"Sir Conrad, this is..." Matthew looked at the two heavy carriages, surprised, but after a moment's thought, he had already guessed seven or eight parts of it.

"Your Highness!" Conrad gave a standard knightly salute, his face showing obvious signs of travel and fatigue.

But those eyes, which were originally slightly cloudy due to old age, now shone with a relieved and determined light.

He pointed to the first cart and said in a steady voice, "Your Highness, this cart contains grain, mainly rye and beans. Although it is coarse, it is enough to sustain all of us for more than half a month."

He pointed to the second cart, raising his voice slightly: "This cart contains pig iron and a small amount of wrought iron, along with several bundles of much-needed tool steel and woodworking implements. With these, Eric's blacksmith's forge can be reignited, and old John's carpentry shed can produce decent tools and gun barrels!"

Then, he took a large bundle wrapped in linen from a carriage, handed it to Matthew with both hands, and said in a softer tone, "Your Highness, this is for you: a new mattress and some daily necessities. You are a lord of a region; you can't always sleep on that hard bed."

Matthew didn't take the package. He stared at Conrad with a grave expression and asked, "Conrad, where's your warhorse... Nightshade?"

The air fell silent instantly, and even the children watching from afar seemed to sense the heavy atmosphere and held their breath.

Will's feelings were mixed, and his nose felt a little sore.

He knew what Nightshade meant to Conrad, and could imagine the painful struggle Conrad went through before finally saying goodbye to his "old comrade-in-arms".

Conrad paused for a moment, his jawline tightening, then he straightened his back abruptly, his tone calm yet as firm as a rock: "Your Highness, Nightshade... I sold it to a horse merchant in Ironrock City. The money I got was used to buy these supplies."

However, when he saw the instant surge of guilt and regret in Matthew's eyes, he immediately raised his voice: "Your Highness, please don't be troubled by this. This is the most correct and necessary choice at present. We need food, and even more so, we need iron. We are unarmed and unable to protect our homeland. Trading a warhorse for the survival and armament of the entire territory is a worthwhile trade. This is my duty as a knight to my lord and my people!"

Matthew felt as if something had squeezed his heart; he felt a mix of gratitude and guilt, but mostly he was deeply moved.

He stepped forward, not to take the package, but to firmly grasp Conrad's calloused and scarred hands. His voice was solemn and heartfelt as he said, "Sir Conrad, thank you. I swear to you that one day I will do everything in my power to ensure Nightshade returns to you safe and sound. This is my promise to you!"

If Conrad had heard these words a few days ago, he might have simply taken them as a well-intentioned consolation from the young lord.

But at this moment, looking at the unwavering determination in Matthew's eyes, and thinking of the goblins that had been summoned, he had no doubt about Matthew's promise.

He believed Matthew would bring miracles, just as he had brought miracles to little Tommy last night.

He nodded emphatically, a smile of trust and anticipation on his face: "Your Highness, I have no doubt about it! I believe Nightshade is also waiting in some stable for the day we can reunite. Now, let's focus on what's at hand!"

"Good!" Matthew released his grip, his heart surging with emotion. He felt as if several forces were surging within him: Will from last night, Conrad from this moment, the gratitude and expectations of his people, and the support of his motherland.

With two mentors and friends who sincerely assist him, and with a powerful nation behind him, he will have nothing to fear.

His heart pounded with fervor, and he couldn't help but speak out. He looked at Will and Conrad, then at the surrounding people who were gradually approaching but only dared to observe from afar, and said, word by word, "At noon today, I will bring a miracle to Emberstone Ridge. The rise of Emberstone Ridge begins today!"

Soon after, Conrad, along with old Sam, gathered the town's able-bodied men, blacksmith Eric, and carpenter John to begin repairing the blacksmith's forge and building the carpentry shed.

At first, the troublesome youths were not very willing to cooperate and made excuses to refuse, but after hearing that "meals would be provided", their attitude changed completely.

So Eric and Old Sam, along with Carl and two other young men, began to work hard to clear away the collapsed earth and rusted debris.

The clanging sound wasn't from hammering iron, but from hoes and crowbars striking the stubborn rocks.

While helping to move the heavy stones, Karl couldn't help but lower his voice and ask, "Brother Eric, they say the lord can summon goblins, is that true? And can the goblins he summons even heal people?"

Eric wiped his sweat and said, panting, "My wife saw it with her own eyes at Grandma Martha's house yesterday, otherwise I wouldn't believe it either."

"It's unbelievable that those green-skinned monkeys are also skilled in medicine?" Karl exclaimed in surprise.

"If you ask me, it must have been the lord who manipulated the goblins to do it. Otherwise, how could such inferior creatures possess intelligence superior to ours?" another young man said.

"Hmm, maybe. I think so too. I don't believe there are really such intelligent goblins in this world," Karl nodded.

Yesterday, the water in Teardrop Creek became clear, which changed the way the people viewed Matthew.

This morning, news spread privately that the "goblin" summoned by the lord had saved little Tommy from the brink of death with a bowl of salt water.

These people, struggling to survive in remote and wild lands, have a deep-seated admiration for strength, especially for such incomprehensible and mysterious powers, which they instinctively feel awe for.

Moreover, in just over a day, they witnessed the changes firsthand: the cursed water source was purified, and Tommy, who was seriously ill, recovered.

Now, the Knight Conrad has brought back real food and iron.

Hope, like a faint flame, began to flicker in everyone's heart.

In the town's open space, old John directed his two sons and several other able-bodied men to place several thick tree trunks on a makeshift wooden frame and begin peeling and planing them with rudimentary tools.

Wood chips flew everywhere, and the air was filled with the aroma of fresh wood.

His youngest son, while sawing, muttered to his companion, "Father said the lord promised that everyone who works will get their share of food... If there's work to do every day, won't we stop going hungry?"

As he spoke, his gaze couldn't help but drift toward the makeshift kitchen area not far away.

At this moment, Conrad and Will, along with several middle-aged women, had already built simple stoves out of stones and placed the precious large pots on them.

The children happily hugged the firewood they had gathered, while the old people carefully mixed the rye and beans that Conrad had brought back together, preparing to cook a pot of life-saving porridge.

"Hey, do you think the lord meant the wheat and bean porridge in the pot when he said a miracle would happen at noon?" Bob, whose eyes were always darting around, said to his friend beside him.

"Perhaps. What miracles could possibly happen in our place? It's just the lord trying to motivate us to work," his friend said expressionlessly.

Having lived in dire straits for so long, they no longer held much hope for the future; they were content with just having enough to eat.

As for the "pie in the sky" that the lord "drew," it was far less practical than that pot of wheat and bean porridge.

After a long while, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, a sight that had not been seen in Jinshi Ridge for a long time.

The sounds of hammering, sawing, crackling firewood, and children's laughter...

These sounds intertwined, as if bringing the town to life, creating a sense of prosperity.

However, noon was drawing ever closer. Dressed impeccably, Matthew left the lord's manor and came to the open space in the town, where he ordered Conrad and Will to gather all the townspeople.

He wanted everyone to witness this great moment, because it was the hope of everyone in Emberstone Ridge.

……