Chapter 443

Joseph is a native farmer in caspamiburg. He grew up here since childhood. Half his life has passed, and he has never left caspamiburg hundreds of miles away.

Although Joseph has never left here, he is very satisfied with his life. He has a virtuous wife and a sensible son. The family takes care of the farmland and orchard. Although he has to pay a very heavy tax to the Lord, he can eat every year.

But this year is different.

Since entering the sleeping month, the climate in castle caspami has changed sharply all the way. It is gloomy and terrible every day, and there is almost no sunshine again.

Although it was normal for the weather to be cold after winter, Joseph felt that the situation was not quite right.

The sleeping months of previous years were not as cold as this year.

In my memory, my father once told him that one year's sleeping month was the same. As a result, there was a heavy snowstorm in the cold month. Even the houses were buried by the snow, people couldn't get out of the doors, the cellars were frozen, and hundreds of people were frozen to death in the streets. The nobles closed the sale of food, so that civilians couldn't buy food, and many people starved to death at home.

"I'm afraid there will be a big snow disaster next month."

Worried Joseph said so to the others, but no one believed him.

Everyone jokes that he has become a "master mage" (because powerful mages can affect the weather).

Joseph worried about this fact, so he began to secretly store food.

Then, the cold moon came, and the fact slapped everyone.

Blizzard really came. The whole land was covered by a week of heavy blizzard. One person's high snow blocked the door of the house. People couldn't go out and had to rely on the food at home.

"This damn weather! I have to find a way to get some food!"

Joseph looked at the snow that had not yet melted. The grain and dried meat stored in the barrel were almost exhausted, leaving only the rations for the last four days. If he didn't find a way, his family would starve to death.

The tightly wrapped wife whispered, "let's borrow some food from Bob next door?"

"It's impossible," Joseph shook his head. "No one is willing to lend food to others in this ghost weather... I'm sure the grain store in castle caspami has closed. In case of this snow disaster, they must store food - or raise the price and bite hard."

"I don't know how long this weather will last..."

"It won't be long. The Blizzard has stopped, but the snow will last for a long time."

Joseph's face was very ugly: "the snow is the big problem. We have no firewood."

With such thick snow, many tramps must have been frozen to death in castle caspami. The situation in these villages outside is not optimistic. They can't go out of the house for a week, and they won't store so much firewood on weekdays. Everything that can be burned at home has been burned. Once there is no fire, the cold temperature will soon take their lives.

"Or shall we take down the chair and burn it?"

"Firewood is just one of them. We are running out of food. We must find a way to solve the problem of food."

Joseph wrapped up his clothes and said, "I'll go to the city and see if I can buy some food, I can carry it."

Just as Joseph was about to go out by force, there was a sudden knock at the door.

The Josephs were shocked. How could anyone be there in such a thick snow outside?

"Joseph!"

"It's Bob."

Joseph hurried to open the door. Outside, Bob was buried in the snow, and his face was blue with cold.

"Come in!"

After Bob came in, he asked very simply, "how much food do you have in your family?"

Joseph opened his mouth and said against his heart, "there are still two days of rations."

"Two days?"

Bob frowned. A moment later, he said, "just two days! It's a big deal. Everyone will give you a little, as long as you can reach your destination... Pack up and get ready to go!"

"Pack up? What do you mean?"

Joseph was surprised, "where are you going?"

"Ellington!"

Bob paused and said in a low voice, "don't you know? Something big happened in castle caspami. Warcraft attacked the castle and killed many people. Lord Lawrence decided to temporarily levy a protection tax in order to pay the soldier's pension - those who have no money must also take out food as collateral."

"Protection tax!?"

Joseph suddenly raised his voice: "in this ghost weather, we don't have our own food and have to pay taxes!? if we don't have anything to eat, we'll starve to death!"

"So we all discussed and decided to leave here and go to Ellington."

Bob said very calmly, "Owen, the boss of the potion house, is willing to show us the way."

"But so suddenly... The snow outside hasn't melted yet!"

"If you hesitate any longer, after the snow melts, the tax official will come directly to the door."

Bob said faintly, "now there are twenty-two families in the village, just one of you."

"Everyone agreed!?"

"That's right."

Bob said, "I've heard from people of Datang chamber of commerce that Ellington is different from before."

"Ellington... But it's so far! The carriage will run for six days!"

"We don't have a carriage, but we have feet."

Bob looked indifferent: "if you don't leave here, you will be forced to death by Lord Lawrence sooner or later. If you leave here, there is still a chance of life."

"But, but..."

Joseph, who had never left caspamiburg, had an inexplicable fear of traveling.

"You know, before the winter, the businessmen from there praised Ellington, saying it was a miraculous city changing with each passing day."

Bob said eagerly: "It is said that the roads there are paved with a kind of black gold. No matter wind or rain, they are very flat and not muddy at all. It is also said that the food there will mature in one day. Even the poorest farmers are richer than farmers in other places. As long as they work hard, they can earn gold coins and eat delicious roast meat and bread for every meal!"

Joseph, who had been eating dry meat for several days, swallowed his mouth: "but they certainly don't welcome outsiders..."

"No, you're wrong. I heard that foreigners are very welcome to settle there."

Bob said very definitely: "they say that Ellington is different every day. The Lord there needs a lot of people to build the city. He will spend money to hire people to work for him instead of recruiting for free. It is said that he can get dozens of silver coins every day."

"Dozens of silver coins a day!?"

Go to * * * fear! Joseph's psychological defense collapsed in an instant: "when to start!?"

"Right away."

Bob opened the door and walked out without looking back. He had said what to say. It was up to him whether he was willing to go or not.

"Honey? Are we really going? It's so cold outside, son..."

Joseph looked at his shivering son and said, "we must take risks, or we will die at home! Honey, pack up your things, take food and clothes, and don't want anything else!"

They got busy immediately. Joseph ran to the bedroom and carefully put the coins he had saved for many years into his arms. A gold coin, 15 silver coins and 82 copper coins were all his savings.

Soon the knock sounded again. When Joseph opened the door, there were a group of people ready to go outside.

"Ready?"

Looking at those familiar faces full of confusion and expectation, Joseph took a breath of air conditioning and said, "ready."

In this way, the Joseph family joined the escape army.

On the snow covered land, they quietly left their home for most of their lives and began a long journey to Ellington in the south.

Day after day, the team didn't stop, and they didn't dare to stop - legally, they belong to Lord Lawrence's wealth. If the Lord's soldiers found that they fled caspamiburg, they would be hanged!

The farther south, the less snow there is. Compared with the beginning, there is very little snow in the deep legs. They rely on each other, support each other, share food with each other, adhere to their will and resist the cold.

"Come on, everyone. We're going to Ellington soon!"

Every time someone can't stick to it, Bob and Owen, who led the team, will describe the beauty of Ellington to everyone: "where everyone can eat and wear warm clothes, everyone has the opportunity to make money, don't worry about being exploited by the guards, and don't worry about being asked for benefits by the tax official..."

In the world of these farmers, they have never heard of or seen such a beautiful city. When they come here, they almost rely on one breath.

"Dad... Dad..."

Joseph's son whispered unconsciously. His body was hot and had a fever because of the cold.

"How much longer!"

Joseph's spirit was also very poor. Along the way, their team also gathered many refugees from other villages. These people also consumed a lot of rations. In fact, they had finished their last meal yesterday.

The hungry refugee team is on the verge of collapse.

"It's coming soon!"

"You always say right away! My son is dying!"

Joseph's eyes were red and he wanted to jump up and beat the guy hard.

"Keep your strength! My friend! I won't lie to you!"

"But this is clearly a lie! What is better than the kingdom of God, Ellington! Why haven't we seen it yet!"

"One, two, one, hey! One, two, one, ha..."

A very rough voice in the distance approached here quickly.

"No! It's a mountain thief!"

Joseph's face changed greatly. There are many famous mountain thieves near the ladhian hills.

His words caused a sudden commotion among the people in the line, and the women and children cried in a low voice.

Bob shouted, "gather in formation! Men stand up! It's time to protect your family!"

The fleeing Owen looked bitterly, thought, and quietly clutched an alchemy in his hand.

Soon those people appeared in front of the crowd. They were a group of soldiers with upper bodies and weapons. They looked very fierce.

"Mountain bandit! Die!"

Owen roared with his eyes closed and smashed the alchemy in his hand!

"Mountain thief?"

Elsa, who was blocked by the figure of a strong man, looked at a loss.