Volume 1 Forest Knight Chapter 61 Which Gold Coin Is Noble
At the end of the battle, the mercenaries of the Black Mountain Regiment were also imprisoned separately and guarded by heavy troops. Balian could be regarded as relieved of his heavy burden.
But there wasn't much time left for him to rest, because he had to quickly make a deal with these Black Mountain mercenaries and help Sir Tower settle the debt problem with the Black Mountain Group.
However, Balian was not in a hurry to meet and communicate with the two officers of the Montenegrin regiment that night. Instead, he had them detained alone and served with good food and drink.
And he himself was enjoying the carnival of the night of victory with Sir Tower, his men, Gamgee and others.
Although Bellian restrained himself from drinking too much, he was still infected by the festive atmosphere and everyone's happy mood. He couldn't help but drink a few more drinks, and finally went back to his RV to sleep drunk.
In the afternoon of the next day, Balian came to the room where Cassel and Derek were detained. The two men did not have a good rest last night. Unlike the ecstasy after the Sith garrison's victory, they were immersed in it all night.
In the sad mood of losing completely.
After Cassel and Derek saw Balian enter the house, they just raised their eyes to look at the young knight, and then continued to lie there with their eyes closed and motionless.
Balian waved his hand and asked the guards around him to bring the wine and food in, then asked them to push them out and closed the door.
Balian sat down alone, and then said with a smile: "You two warriors, don't you want to sit down and have a drink with me? This is fine Sarion wine, not the sour horse urine produced in the Donbas hills.
.”
Cassel didn't answer, and Centurion Derek snorted softly, "If you want to humiliate us, just hurry up, fart, pee, don't stand there and say these rude words,
Test us!"
"Centurion, why are you so irritable? Yesterday on the battlefield, you and I were mortal enemies. Today, when we sit at the same table and drink, we can become trading partners. Don't you want to go back safely?
Are you going to Orion without being punished by the Grand Master?"
Hearing what Balian said, Cassel opened his eyes suddenly, and then stood up quickly. He looked at Balian with his deep eyes, "Sir, how do you want to trade with us?"
Balian knocked on the table, pointed to the bench opposite him and said: "We must sit down together and have a glass of wine first before we can have a good talk."
Cassell raised the corners of his mouth slightly with a slight smile, and then he pulled Derek, who looked reluctant, to sit down together.
Balian filled a glass of wine for each of them. After the three clinked their glasses, Balian put down the glass and said: "Chief Cassel, you should be as troubled as our Sir Tower right now. Let me just let you go back. You too
It’s hard to explain to the head of the group, as I’m afraid I’ll be severely punished when I go back, and my family will suffer as well.
But if you are killed like this, if you are not willing to say anything, our town of Sisim will face ten times or a hundred times the crazy revenge from the Montenegrin regiment."
After hearing what Balian said, Cassel put down his wine glass, wiped the wine on his beard with his sleeve, and said: "What you said is true. We are indeed neither dead nor alive at this moment."
"If I have a way that allows you to go back without being punished, and also allows us in Sith Town to have no more entanglements with your Black Mountain regiment, are you willing to listen to me and do something?" Balian stared at him with burning eyes.
he asked.
Cassel and Balian looked at each other for a while, and he said: "You tell me first, whether it can be done, I have to think about it, and after all, this is not something I can decide by myself."
Balian smiled slightly when he heard what he said, "Don't worry, according to my understanding, if you go back like this, then the only forty-odd people you have left will probably be severely punished, and your family members will probably become slaves."
Well. So, I believe that you people should stand firmly together."
Cassel and Derek were silent after hearing this. What Balian said was true. In the current situation, unless they were all killed in the battle at the beginning, otherwise they would not end well for themselves or their family if they went back like this.
Seeing them both lowering their heads in silence, Balian continued: "What I want you to do is actually not difficult. The conflict between you and Sir Tower is mainly caused by the governor who broke his promise. I just need you to kill him."
He killed the county guard and looted his property.
Just take his head and one-third of his family property back to the head of the Black Mountain Regiment, and do as I tell you."
Seeing that Balian stopped here, Cassel quickly asked: "What should I say?"
Balian picked up the wine glass and took a sip and continued: "Just say that it was the Sheriff of Kurum who didn't want to pay. He refused to leave when he saw you, so he massacred the village and set up an ambush in Sisme Town.
I will surround you with twice as many troops.
Because you were outnumbered, you paid a huge sacrifice and had no choice but to surrender. Finally, when the guards were unprepared, you escaped and killed the county guard. After avenging your dead brothers, you also robbed the county guard's house and obtained the money.
"
Having said this, looking at Derek, who was wide-eyed, and Cassel, who was deep in thought, Balian continued: "With a serious reason for failure, the person who tricked you was also beheaded and brought back.
Your bravery has been demonstrated, the money has been received in the end, and the reputation of the Black Mountain Regiment as a good fighter has not been lost. Naturally, the Grand Commander will not punish you. Moreover, not only will he not punish you, there is a high probability that he will also reward you.
!”
After Balian finished speaking, Derek on the other side jumped up and shouted angrily: "Bah! To deceive the Grand Commander like this violates the oath of our Black Mountain mercenaries! You are also a knight after all, how could you come up with such a dirty idea?
Come on, although we are just mercenaries, we also know what to do is noble and what to do is despicable."
On the side, Cassel saw Derek standing up and yelling, and hurriedly pulled him to sit down, indicating that he could control his temper. Now it was different, both of them were prisoners who could die at any time.
Balian didn't say anything when he heard Derek's angry rebuke. He took out two gold coins from his pocket, placed them in front of them, and asked: "Tell me, you two, these two gold coins."
Put the gold coins here, which one is noble? Which one is despicable?"
(This is a tribute to Brother Wakabayashi in a certain spy drama)
Hearing Balian's question, not only Cassel remained silent, but Derek, who had been complaining just now, was speechless now. Yes, in the face of the tangible and most useful benefits that could be brought to him.
, is it useful for you to put your personal morality in such a high position?
Do you want to persevere and let yourself and your family suffer for that little bit? Or give up perseverance and cooperate with your opponents to get yourself out of trouble and gain benefits at the same time. Presumably, most people will choose the latter.
As expected, Castle and Derek chose the latter. Although Balian was very happy on the surface, there was a trace of desolation in his heart. In the face of interests, people's conscience and beliefs were all unreliable. He encouraged others to betray their own vows.
If you promise, will your subordinates be forced or tempted by others to betray you in the future?
Thinking of this, Balian shook his head. He was just a small knight at the moment and was not involved in so many interest disputes. Why bother himself?
After the two leaders agreed, what could the remaining mercenaries of the Black Mountain Regiment, who were already unable to protect themselves, refuse to agree to? For the safety of themselves and their families, they decisively agreed to this matter.
Balian asked Cassel to select 25 captured Montenegrin regiment soldiers and gave them corresponding weapons and equipment. Derek and the remaining 20 soldiers were held as hostages in Sisi Town.
At the same time, Balian asked Cassel to sign a letter. This letter was Cassel's agreement to assassinate the county governor in exchange for Balian's detailed introduction to helping them get out of trouble.
These hostages and this letter are Balian's threat to Cassel. If he does not bring back the head and property of the Sheriff of Coolum County within five days, Balian will directly send people to take Derek
His head, and this letter were sent to the Grand Commander of the Montenegrin Regiment.
At that time, not only will the family members of Kassel and his gang be executed immediately, but Kassel and the others will also be hunted for life by the killers sent by the Black Mountain Regiment. After all, the oath of the Black Mountain Regiment includes: the traitor himself.
He and his family will die tragically from this.
After signing it, Balian told Cassel that after he successfully completed the task, he would burn the letter in front of him so that he would not have any worries.
Afterwards, Cassell selected twenty-five of his men and went to the county seat of Coolum County to carry out the matter secretly.
The county town is one day's journey from Sith Town, which is not too far away. Cassel and the others have plenty of time. Balian also has confidence in this group of people, who are known as the strongest mercenaries in the Verin continent, and lets them go.
It should be no problem to deal with the corrupt county guard and some incompetent county soldiers.
While waiting, Sir Tower, who was in a good mood, took Balian and Gamlin to a banquet every day. He was in a very good mood, having just escaped from a big crisis recently, and he also expressed gratitude to Balian for helping him through this crisis.
He respects Balian even more, regardless of the difference in title between the two parties, and treats Balian as a brother. Not to mention how enthusiastic he is.
One night while eating and drinking, Sir Tower could not help but be curious. He lowered his voice and asked Balian in his ear: "My good brother, why must you kill the Lord Sheriff, even though he is a despicable and shameless guy?"
, but he is still a palace viscount after all, so killing him like this would be too risky."
Balian just smiled slightly when he heard this. He leaned over and leaned into Sir Tower's ear and said: "Anything that can benefit oneself by harming the interests of others will happen the first time, and there will definitely be a second time.
,the third time.
This time the Sheriff used you as a shield and refused to pay the mercenaries of the Black Mountain Regiment. Next time, there will be other bad ideas to make you bankrupt. Who makes you one of the few rich people in Kurumu County?
Woolen cloth?
As long as you don't let the Sheriff get enough benefits, he will definitely try his best to deal with you, so that you have to spend all your money to satisfy his appetite, do you like this?"
After hearing this, Sir Tower just shook his head and murmured in a low voice: "Absolutely not, this is absolutely not allowed."
Balian hugged his shoulders again and continued to whisper, "Besides, if the county guard is not killed, these mercenaries of the Black Mountain Regiment will go back like this, and it will be difficult to convince their grand commander with the reasons they make up.
, after all, the Viscount of Orion is not a fool, and it is not easy to deceive him.
And his men were ambushed by people from the Duchy of Brick and suffered heavy losses, and then killed a viscount of the Duchy of Brick, who was also a major official of the country in charge of a county.
At this time, the first thing the leader of the Black Mountain Regiment had to think about was not to judge whether his subordinates were telling the truth or lies, but to think about how to minimize the impact of this matter.
After all, they will still do business with Brick, Valenti, and Bacchus in the future. Lords from other countries will be willing to do so after hearing that the Black Mountain Regiment cannot even defeat county soldiers and has committed the crime of murdering a powerful viscount in a country.
Looking for them?
Just thinking about how to minimize the negative impact is enough to hurt the head of the group, and no one will really investigate the truth of the matter, and we will be completely safe."
After Balian finished speaking, the suddenly enlightened Sir Tower looked at him, revealing not only respect, but also a bit of passionate admiration.
He happily picked up the wine glass and drank a big drink with Balian, and said: "Among the people I met before, Gamgee, I thought he was already very smart, but after meeting you, I realized
, what is real cleverness? Ganmoji is a little clever, you are a big clever."
When he heard the word "great wisdom", Bellion suddenly thought of the "Crouching Dragon and Phoenix" in the famous domestic comedy he had watched in his previous life. He couldn't help but think of himself. How did he become such a wise man?
While speaking modestly and politely, he quickly got Sir Tower drunk in order to shut him up. He also said to himself: "You are the smart one, and your whole family is smart."
In fact, Balian's purpose of getting rid of Sheriff Cullum was because the ship of Baron Raul's family that was robbed in Bangshui Town at that time found letters between Baron Raul and several big figures in the north. One of them was
The Sheriff of County Coolum.
In his letters with other powerful nobles, he basically just greeted them and asked them to take care of their business. In his letter with the Sheriff of Coolum, in addition to these contents, Baron Raul also specifically asked the Sheriff to take care of his business at the appropriate time.
When the time comes, find an opportunity to use the lord's private war or other methods to get rid of Balian for him, who has brought shame to their family.
Because the Sheriff of Coolum County did not reply to the letter, Bellian did not know what the attitude of the Sheriff was. However, after what he encountered in Hesse Town, this Sheriff who had absolutely no moral character and integrity felt that
The threat he posed was particularly obvious. If he didn't take advantage of this great opportunity early and get rid of him with the help of others, would he be waiting for him to cause trouble for him?
It was precisely because of this that Balian made up his mind to get rid of him with the help of the mercenaries of the Black Mountain Regiment. In this way, he eliminated the short-term threat to himself; secondly, it also helped Sir Tower and the mercenaries of the Black Mountain Regiment.
, you can gain favors; thirdly, you can also get one-third of the family property of this immoral county guard. It can be said that you get multiple benefits with one stone.
According to Sir Tower's estimation, the money collected by the governor of Kurumu County over the years should be no less than 200,000 dinars. The two of them are divided into three equal parts with the mercenaries of the Montenegro Regiment, and each family can also get more than 60,000 dinars. This is
A considerable amount of wealth.
Coupled with the service fee Sir Tower gave him, the income from this trip is too considerable.