Vol 5 Chapter 61

In this wilderness at the junction of Balta, south of Anzeruta, most of the undulating ridges can only see this dark rock, sparse vegetation, high altitudes are piled with white snow all year round, and only sparse down The tundra grassland of Onan or similar shrubs is sporadicly dotted on the ground like a thin layer of volcanic ash. A majestic fortress stands between two dark peaks, and a wall of more than sixty feet is made of square bars. The empire's flags fly on four watchtowers, which can be easily monitored from these towering towers. In each valley within ten miles, the observation room is also equipped with rotatable crossbow guns and wizards, and is equipped with more than one squadron of crossbowmen, which can block enemies in the air from the perforations on the tower.

The fortress is also equipped with an air force. The border guards stationed here have griffins and flying dragons, as well as elite Pegasus knights. They will lift off the air at the second time after confirming the enemy situation, guarding the airspace above the fortress.

Brando looked back from the huge iron cages on the walls. Those were the griffins. The griffins that were inside were the air force of the early warning force on the walls. They could be used for reconnaissance and interception. Not far from those iron cages is a giant towering gate. This gate is more than fifty feet high from the ground to the top, facing away from the center. It is entirely cast by cast iron. Iron gates, Cruz craftsmen assembled together with pre-cast iron workpieces. In order for the wizard to combine them with spells, the purpose of casting this iron gate is to fully exert the impact of the Dragoon Cavalry Regiment in the fortress. There are two regiments of Dragoon Cavalry in the Black Sword Barrier. When Cruzians need it, At that time, they would let the ground line dragon cavalry line up behind the door, then open the main door and attack the enemy forces outside the fortress.

The flat sloping field outside the Black Sword Barrier was also paved artificially. It was originally a steep valley. But it was filled by the Duke of Sampley, and it became what it is now.

The merchant lady stood next to him, her little hand tightly pulling his arm, and looking up at this majestic wall with her chin up, she opened her mouth slightly and sighed, "So high, Brando."

"The Black Sword Barrier once raised the outer wall in the glorious year. Before that, the height of its main wall did not exceed 35 feet in most places, which was not much different from the outer wall of Mentros. In 1981, the Highlanders led by the Longblade Lords captured it with the support of the Eruins, and in the year of the tiger lizard. The Cruzs regained the fortress, and they began to rebuild the fortress. The restoring work of the fortress was interrupted It lasted for thirty years, until the summer of the year. The Duke of Sampley completed the previous ramp before it was basically completed. "Brando told her popular science, this knowledge is not unusual for a senior player, but small Roman was listening, she had never heard of these things. But listening to the rhetoric of the person at hand was obviously not a rhetoric. For a time, I felt that Brando was the most understood person in the world. She had a little vanity and asked very curiously: "Really Can anyone get down here, Brando? This wall is so high, can they climb up? "

"Although the Black Sword Barrier is not the strongest fortress of the empire. It is also one of the tallest and deepest ponds in the southern part of the empire, but this city has indeed been captured by the Eruins twice in history. The first time is first Jun Eke helped the Highlanders in the fall of Azeruta. The second time, more recently, during the Walnut Rebellion more than a hundred years ago, when the Highlanders of Balta were fighting back. After the empire's aggression, he seized this fortress, hum. "Qiyala seemed to hear the conversation between the two, and hummed softly and said," At that time, the period of the strongest period of the Kolkova dynasty. But Unfortunately, it is too weak. If I were, I would not return this fortress to the Cruzs, either to the lions or to the wind elves, so that the kingdom would not have to face the threat from the north. "

Brando turned a blind eye to the speech of such a child. He noticed that the others in the ambassador were equally curious, apparently interested in the matter, and nodded and answered, "It is true, the black sword barrier was the earliest The year of the moss, which was built in the Chaos era, was completed at the beginning of the first era, and it has only been captured twice in history, both by the Eruins. "

"That's because other countries will not detour from the territory of Eruin to attack the empire." Qiyala answered with a quiver.

And the fat man, Everam asked with curiosity: "Master, do you mean that we have defeated the empire?"

"What does this mean?" Brando frowned.

"I mean, Lord Chief, how could Eruin defeat the Empire, are you mistaken?" The fat man said loudly, as if he had heard some funny joke.

Brando was so annoyed by his words that he answered angrily: "Why do you think Eruin never defeated the Empire?"

For this guy's ignorant historical knowledge, he really has no strength to despise, let alone talk about the large and small battles in this hundreds of years of history-although the Cruz Empire is powerful, it is not invincible. There are many examples of the defeat of the Leuins-and less than five months ago, he taught the Temple of Fire and the Empire's Expeditionary Fleet to the ground in Ampelsel, and this lesson The war was blinded by this guy. He couldn't help but feel very depressed, and couldn't help wondering what this guy had learned as a descendant of the aristocracy in Karasu.

However, Efram was still obsessed. He spread his hands and asked, "But the empire is so huge, Eruin is just a small country on its side. It can even compare to a province of the empire. How can we fight? Have they? Lord Chief, you said that the Eruin had defeated the Cruzs. I do n’t believe it. There are often examples in history. In fact, they are just taking advantage of a small conflict. It is said to be a great victory. I have seen many such things in Karasu. My friends who are inspecting the cavalry often do such things. To small ones, the glory proclaimed by the royal family must not be believed, but It is to maintain the legitimacy of their rule. "

The idea of ​​using the rotten inspection cavalry of this era to compare the Highland Cavaliers of the Walnut Rebellion era is also very avant-garde, and Brando couldn't help but marvel at this guy's way of thinking. He couldn't help answering: "That being the case, what do you think we can stand here today, on behalf of Eru because of the ambassador's empire? The Cruzians would never ask the envoys under them to send envoys To pay tribute to His Majesty. "

Apparently, Efram hadn't considered this question and was asked a moment by Brando. Could not help frowning to meditate. At this time, the daughter of Grand Duke Viero, the 17-year-old and 18-year-old girl, brittlely interfaced, "I think that's because the Empire does not need such a remote and remote place like Eruin, except for our kingdom. A lot of kingdoms and principalities are attached to the temple of Yan, and the empire has not disturbed them? My teacher often tells me that if the empire is interested, Eruin would have become an autonomous territory like Azeruta. Then, at that time we were all nobles of the empire, Lord Earl, am I right? "

"For you, your hellless teacher is best not to be met by me," Brando said heartily. But he looked at the look of others in the ambassador, but found that most people seemed to agree with this statement except for outsiders like Roman, Metissa and Hipamila. Of course. Except for those who really understand the history of the kingdom, for example, Shire and Chiara, both have obvious disdain on their faces, but what made Brando curious is that he saw something similar on Yuta's face Look.

At this time Qiyala couldn't help it. After all, she is also a former royal family member, and maintaining the legitimacy of the kingdom is also maintaining the reputation of her family. She coldly mocked: "The battle between the empire and the Eruin ancestors began from the end of the year of the dragon. It ’s so good that the Elunes can become independent from the empire and build our own kingdom. The Cruz aristocrats are full of this helpful spirit. Departure, we really have to thank them, right? "

Her sharp irony surprised everyone. At this time, Efram realized that he had offended the young lady somehow. The daughter of the Archduke Viero opened his mouth, and finally answered, "Isn't that because the wind elves are helping us? "

Brando saw Chiara's face as dark as the bottom of the pot, and he couldn't help shaking his head, not knowing when. The aristocracy of the kingdom has no backbone-in the era when the highland knights of Balta existed, at the time of the walnut year. Empire was never a problem for Alluin. The problem was that the Alluin dared not fight, that's all. He couldn't help but think of Alberton, the white knight was in front of a highland knight of Balta, and since then, for nearly a century, the Princes and Aristocrats of Eruin suddenly lost this. Spiritually, Cruz could no longer look up.

But he hadn't expected that the nobility's imagination of the Cruz empire had been ridiculous to this extent. When Efram first spoke, he thought that this was just an example. After all, this guy saw that he was a wicked child. Typical without learning. But when the daughter of Archduke Viero spoke, he noticed that something was wrong. Although the little girl usually behaved in ordinary days, she also saw that she was a well-educated person, and she knew quite a bit about foreign affairs and etiquette. She obviously knew the history of the kingdom, but like Efram, she obviously did not agree with these history.

There is too much difference between this history and everything they see now.

He shook his head a second time before answering to his subordinates: "Although the empire is strong, it is not without enemies. Although Eruin is small, it is impossible for the empire to devote all its energy to us. The empire In the north, there is Faenza, in the east there is Saint Osor and Madara, in the west there is Hazel and Toquinin. In the face of so many enemies, even if the empire wants to extract the power of a province to deal with us, It is also impossible. Besides, in its southern border, there is also Azeruta. Since the era of the long-bladed lord, the Highlanders have dreamed of independence for nearly seven centuries. We do n’t disturb it. The empire is thankful, why? Dare to easily attack the swordmen in the south? So the empire actually wants to maintain this kind of enemy-friend relationship with us. On the one hand, the honor of the empire makes them still unwilling to acknowledge the establishment of Eruin. On the other hand, they are really unable to truly In the south, we played our hands and feet, even in the Walnut Rebellion, our opponent was just a Duke of Walnuts. In the final analysis, we were actually helping the imperialists. "

"Eruin ’s position is so sensitive and special that the wind elves and empires are afraid to move easily. With this delicate balance, the ancestor Eke found his own way "At this point, he glanced at Chiara:" Anson I obviously already knew the secret between them, so he would return the Black Sword Barrier to the Cruzites after the Walnut War, because once the balance is broken, Luin may not be a good thing. "

Brando looked at the others and said word by word: "So, Eruin may not need to defeat the entire empire, but this does not mean that Eruin will not have the chance to win, and the power of a large country and a large country. Small country The wisdom of the small country, I tell you this, I want you to understand. The kingdom of Eruin has its own unique advantages. His nobles and people do not necessarily need the enemy to be in front of the empire. "

After listening to these words, Qiyala couldn't help but snorted softly, apparently she already knew the knowledge. No need for Brando to repeat it.

As for the others, including Efram and the younger daughter of the Archduke Viero, most of them heard the remarks for the first time, but they were doubtful.

But Brando didn't need them to believe, just to remind these aristocratic masters and Miss Qianjin in advance, lest they see the imperial aristocracy look like a bow. Lost his big head.

The group was talking as they approached the Black Sword Barrier, and it was this time. Suddenly there was a noise in front, which attracted everyone's attention; the noise started with a neat line of footsteps, followed by heavy horseshoes, and then everyone in the group saw a small team Imperial soldiers lined up in their sight, this small group of Imperial soldiers was led by three or four knights. Open the small wooden gate next to the huge gate of the Black Sword Barrier and lower the suspension bridge. Rushing out-the knights scolded, and suddenly directed their men to a caravan outside the fortress.

It is worth mentioning that, in addition to Brando's eye-catching aristocratic team, there are also many large and small business groups in this season. Because as one of the only two portals of the Empire and Eruin, the Black Sword Barrier is not only a strategic strategic point in the military, but also an important communication channel between the two countries. Except for the month or two after the mountain road was completely frozen after the month, most of the time, there will be business travel here, and at this moment, the target of the Imperial soldiers is obviously such an Eruin caravan.

They quickly rushed into the middle of the caravan, first knocking down the guards with weapons, and then driven the merchants out of the convoy, tying their backs with their hands, pushing them to the ground, and then the Empire soldiers Return to the convoy again, use the sword to cut the ropes on the carriages, and throw the goods on the ground one by one. Before long, they found many people from the carriages, men and women, old and young, and the imperialist soldiers drove them together. Most of them were shabby and shivering in the cold wind, The women and children were so scared that they cried, but the Empire soldiers still looked indifferent, and a few people still sneered.

Brando thought at first that he had run into a band of dogs, such as a comb, and a dog, such as a dog, but found out that this was not the case. But he hadn't spoken yet. The count of Grey Mountain behind him was already scared. Miss Enid looked at the scene pale, and couldn't help but trembled and asked, "What's going on?"

Seeing this scene, Qiyala swaggered her mouth, but was unwilling to speak.

Among all the people, the Archduke Viero had some insight, and she whispered to others: "These are refugees."

It turned out that Brando had come to understand that since Eruin had been turbulent within the kingdom since the Frost Disruption King Party, the turmoil manifested itself as war chaos throughout the kingdom. The battle between the royal family and the local aristocracy is only a small part of it. After the central government increasingly loses its binding power, the conflict between the local lord and the lord becomes sharper first, whether it is to fight for territory, population or support, large and small. Small wars are always going on, and this situation is not so fierce in the south-on the one hand because of Madara-but on the other hand, after the war of Ampelsel, the north was assigned to the eldest son for the time being. Supervision, and to the north of Sirifah, the aristocracy seemed to lose order for a while. In these areas affected by the Corkva, Sirifah, Wind Elves and the Temple of Fire, the war seemed to become A daily need.

Along with the war came a large number of refugees. A small number of these refugees were accepted by Tonigel, but more of them went to the north and to the empire. For the empire, this was a big deal. Refugees need to find a place where they can provide their livelihoods, and the empire is willing to accept these labor forces-but the problem is that as these refugees grow, It will not only bring benefits to the empire, but also the troubles and burdens that accompany it. The refugees will have their own residents in the direction of migration, and the nobles of the empire will not be able to accept all the labor, and the rest Those loitering people have gradually become a hidden danger in local law and order, and the arrival of these refugees has harmed the interests of the indigenous people. So over time, these refugees have become synonymous with unpopular people in the Empire. From then on, Since then, Cruzians have refused to admit these refugees.

What is happening now is obviously exactly this scene.

"Sister, what are they going to do?" The youngest of the Golan-Elson's youngest of all, a little scared, asked.

"They will be treated as thieves and tramps, tied here on pillars to show publicity, and then driven back ..."

The offspring of the several Eruin nobles had a somewhat awkward look on their faces.

"It's a shame. The kingdom's face made these pariahs a shame." Efram couldn't help but muttered indignantly: "No wonder the imperial nobles always show superiority in front of us."

...