Imperial Crown.

Chapter 442 War is a dirty business

Chapter 455: War is a dirty business
The Griffith family was in a strange state of anxiety.

On the one hand, Raven had been planning for the orc war for more than a year and was on the verge of being ready to go.

On the other hand, Raven's health continued to deteriorate, and he had not appeared in public for a long time, making everyone doubt whether the war could go on as scheduled.

Against this backdrop, all sorts of “inside information”, whether true or false, circulated among the people, making many of those involved feel uneasy.

War is a dirty business.

Whether it is dirty or not is debatable, but business is the absolute reality.

When an army sets out, there are so many aspects involved - food, vehicles, equipment, and so on.

Of course, the Griffith family had their own preparations.

But food and grass will always be eaten up, horses and carriages will always be damaged, and equipment will need to be repaired and replaced. Every industry involves the circulation of tens of thousands of gold coins.

Businessmen are afraid that their investment will be lost, and they are also afraid that they will miss out on this express train to wealth.

The leaders' focus is relatively more practical.

Once a war breaks out, prices are bound to rise. Should they stockpile some food before the war actually begins?

Prices are now starting to get driven up. If the market doesn't go up, it would be a waste of money to buy now; but if the market does go up, it would be too late to buy.

"What does the Earl say?"

In the Lion's Pride bar, Gran asked in a low voice.

As a member of the group that accompanied Thor to clean up the mountain territory, Moas's amazing performance gave Gran great stimulation.

After returning, this outstanding graduate of Griffith Comprehensive College threw himself into hard training and only had some free time recently.

Sitting opposite him was a man wearing four gold rings on his left hand. He was Hu Xia, the only civilian knight in the last knighthood conferment.

"What do you mean?" Hu Xia replied.

"You know what I mean." Gran used a ruler to measure the distance between the wine glass and plate and the edge of the table, and adjusted them to the most comfortable position for him.

This strange behavior immediately attracted the attention and discussion of the surrounding drinkers.

Hu Xia sighed helplessly: "It's always like this every time I go out with you. It's hard not to attract attention."

"When will you change your obsessive-compulsive disorder?"

"If you can change it, it's not called obsessive compulsive disorder." Gran took a sip from the wine glass, then put it back to its original position tightly.

"But if you ask me, those four rings on your hand are the reason why they have been looking at you. They are all waiting to beat you up and make a fortune."

Hu Xia put his left hand into his sleeve and retorted, "Your obsessive-compulsive disorder is still not severe enough."

"If I were you, I would shave both eyebrows the same!"

Ge Lang's right eyebrow is broken in the middle, but his left eyebrow is intact, making people unforgettable at first sight.

"Stop talking nonsense, it's natural." Ge Lang said: "What does Lord Earl mean? Are we going to fight the Orc Empire or not?"

Hu Xia raised his eyebrows: "Did your people ask you to ask this?"

Grand is a member of the out-of-town faction and is very close to Henchton, Pip, Moas and others.

"...Will you help me or not?" Ge Lang frowned slightly, showing a bit of impatience.

This time, it was not Pip and the others who asked him to come, but Grant wanted to improve his status in the faction and came here to inquire about the news.

"We agreed at the beginning that people from our academy would advance and retreat together."

Ge Lang and Hu Xia, both graduates of Griffith College, had shallow foundations, so they decided to stick together and help each other.

"How can I guess what the Earl is thinking?" Hu Xia smacked his teeth. "I'm already tired enough, and you won't let me rest even after coming here."

Ge Lang keenly sensed a hidden meaning: "Are you busy recently?"

Hu Xia complained loudly: "It's not just busy, it's not an exaggeration to say that I'm exhausted."

"You don't know, recently many nobles in our Nord Province have wanted to cram their children who are not in the line of succession into our Eagle Army. The Earl is overwhelmed by this, so he pushed this issue to me."

"There are more than 80 people in total, and at the very least they are all children of baron families. I can't afford to offend any of them."

"Just arranging their places now is enough to give me a headache!"

Gran's broken eyebrow twitched.

The nobles may be arrogant, conservative, and corrupt, but they also have a keen sense of smell that common people do not have.

Now that they are cramming such a large number of people into the Eagle Army, it is obvious that they have determined that war is bound to break out.

If you can win, you can gain military merit and expand your family; if you cannot win and die on the battlefield, you can also reduce internal friction within the family.

This also confirms Gran's judgment.

Of course, he couldn't figure out what the Earl was thinking, but being in the army, he could still see all kinds of supplies being transported into the barracks continuously, which was not a sign of stopping.

War is inevitable.

Ge Lang was lost in thought, and Hu Xia started the conversation again: "In fact, not only do you have something to ask me, but I also have a question that I want to discuss with you this time."

"Don't push those noble sons to me." Ge Lang said immediately: "I only have so many soldiers under my command, and I can't spare anyone to take care of the noble master."

"You look down on me too much. Although I am not familiar with military affairs, I will not interfere with my own army." Hu Xia glanced at Ge Lang.
“…I’m thinking about my own safety.”

"This attack on the Orc Empire is bound to be full of dangers."

"What's more, Earl Raven has received strict orders from His Majesty the King to obtain a Titan cub."

"I'm a civilian and I'm not supposed to go to the battlefield, but the Orc Empire has never lacked air power. If I don't have the protection of a powerful extraordinary person, if I encounter any emergency, my life will be in danger!"

After hearing this, Ge Lang also started to think seriously.

This is indeed a problem.

"Go look for it at the Mercenary Guild?"

"Mercenaries? Forget it!" Hu Xia waved his hand and said, "Those guys only have gold coins in their eyes. How can they be loyal at all?"

"If they really were on the battlefield and encountered any danger, the first thing they would think of would be to take my ring off the corpse and sell it for money!"

Mercenaries are almost synonymous with being greedy for money, and stories of them backstabbing their companions in order to monopolize the proceeds of missions are not uncommon.

So much so that some people describe mercenaries as "361".

"Change your lover every 3 weeks, change your equipment every 6 months, and change your teammates every year."

It is because of this bad reputation that nobles rarely recruit mercenaries as knights or guards, even if they are indeed good at fighting. Even businessmen usually only have business dealings with mercenaries and never develop deep friendships with them.

"Oh, I do have an option." Gran took out a parchment poster from his waist bag and placed it on the table.

Hu Xia took it and looked at it: "The Bloody Scimitar Competition..."

"Isn't this held by the Mercenary Guild?"

Ge Lang said: "It is true that it is held by the Mercenary Guild, but I heard that there is a guy who has become famous recently. He is a local of Eagle Town and is not a mercenary. You can try to recruit him."

"Forget it. Chaofan will never participate in this kind of competition." Hu Xia shook his head and threw the poster on the table. "I'd better wait until Severin comes and then I'll ask him."

Gran was so surprised that he even forgot to put the poster away: "Severin is coming today too?"

Severin was a classmate of Ge Lang and Hu Xia. He also participated in the last expedition to the Mountain Territory. His bright fighting spirit was extremely dazzling at that time.

However, unlike Gran, Severin belongs to the local faction and is very close to Thor and his friends.

"Yeah." Hu Xia nodded: "I thought that among those who graduated from the academy, the three of us are doing the best, so why don't we get together?"

"But he hasn't come yet. Are you in any trouble?"

"Ha, ha, ha." Gran smiled with a fake smile:

"It would be strange if this bastard didn't get into trouble!"

……

Chapter 456: Why are you chasing me?
"Why are you chasing me?"

Outside of Xiongying Town, a man named Mai Hai was running in panic in the dusk. He ran so fast and so impatiently that his toes touched the ground and his arms almost formed phantoms, as if a demon beast was following him.

But following behind him was not a beast, but a silent warrior, who, even wearing full plate armor, still moved as fast as the wind.

Mai Haiyi couldn't understand why the man behind him was chasing him.

He is 40 years old this year, with a high hairline, wrinkles all over his face, yellow teeth, tattered leather boots on his feet, and clothes full of patches.

Whether it's rape or robbery, you shouldn't choose him!

The soil is slippery on late autumn nights.

Mai Haiyi's toes accidentally stepped on a leaf. Under the leaf was an angular stone. His toes followed the surface of the stone into the soil, his ankles touched the ground, and he fell down with a thud.

"You, don't come over here—" Mai Haiyi turned around and struggled to retreat:

"Don't come over here!"

But the soldier seemed not to have heard it at all. He walked up to the man and lifted his visor, revealing a young and serious face.

He looks quite handsome, but his chin is a little crooked, with the left side higher than the right, which makes his whole temperament seem a bit unserious.

"Severin, captain of the 6th Legion of the Eagle Army." The soldier pointed to the emblem on his chest.

The man stood there in a daze, rubbing his eyes with his dirty hands.

Eagle Army?
How did I offend the Eagle Army?

If he was caught by the Hawkeye Guards, it would still be understandable; but if he fell into the hands of the Eagle Army, it would be hard to say what would happen to him!

Mai Haiyi swallowed his saliva and said, "My Lord, my Lord Knight, I was wrong. I know I was wrong!"

"Oh, I'm glad to know." Severin crossed his arms and said, "I've always been magnanimous and never haggle over small matters with others. Tell me where you went wrong."

"If you are right, I may forgive you this time."

"Ah this..." Mai Hai was stunned for a moment, staring into Severin's eyes, and couldn't remember when he had met him.

But seeing the long sword at Severin's waist, he couldn't help but guess:

"Um... last week, I stole a woman's purse on Eagle Claw Street. Is that woman related to you, sir?"

"And! Three months ago, I broke into a house, but I wasn't the mastermind! And I only took a clock, which I broke. It's now in my house."

"Or maybe it was the one half a year ago? But I didn't do anything during that robbery. I just picked up some unwanted items when the robbers were retreating. That can't be considered illegal, right?"

After not hearing the answer he wanted for three consecutive times, Severin sighed:
"10 years ago..."

Cold sweat suddenly flowed from Mai Haiyi's forehead!

Could it be that the murder and hiding of a body that I committed 10 years ago was exposed? Is the victim here to find me?
His body was shaking uncontrollably, and he curled up into a heap. His pupils shrank to the size of a needle tip out of fear, and he collapsed to the ground: "I..."

“You sold a cotton coat.”

"Ah?" Mai Haiyi didn't follow the train of thought.

Severin said coldly, "Ten years ago, on the old street of Eagle Town, you sold a cotton coat to a kid who had just arrived in Eagle Town."

"That is, a friend of mine."

"The cotton coat was sold for 27 copper coins, which cleared all the change in my friend's hand."

"Do you know what happened next?"

Mai Haiyi shook her head dully: "No, I don't know..."

"The sleeves of the cotton coat you sold me are one long and one short. It's totally unwearable!" Severin's eyes turned red, and his tone was full of accusations:

"10 years, a full 10 years. Do you know how I spent these 10 years?!"

"I was only 12 years old at the time. Do you know how deep a psychological trauma it would leave on a person if he went out wearing that rotten cotton coat and was laughed at by others?!"

"Tell me, how are you going to compensate me...that friend?"

Friends? You've already let it slip!
Although he thought so, Mai Haiyi had another explanation:
"You say how to compensate me, and I'll compensate you in the same way!"

"Really?"

"real!"

"real??"

"real!!!"

"it is good!"

Severin spread out his palms and said, "Give me back the money I earned from selling the cotton-padded jacket!"

It's that simple?
Mai Hai tremblingly untied the purse on his waist and poured all the change into Severin's palm: "A total of 33 copper coins, the extra money is my apology!"

"No, that won't do. I'm a very magnanimous person. I never haggle over small matters or take advantage of others." Severin counted out six copper coins and stuffed them back into Maihai's purse. He put the remaining copper coins into the leather bag around his waist, then turned and left.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, thank you for your magnanimity!" Mai Haiyi kept nodding and bowing, with a smile on her face that was about to overflow.

But I was cursing in my heart.

Bullshit magnanimity!

Would a magnanimous person keep 27 copper coins for a full 10 years?
I have never seen such a vengeful person!
After putting away the purse, Mai Haiyi stood up and walked into the town. After taking a few steps, he saw Severin coming towards him.

With a snap, she grabbed his arm and said, "Come with me to the Hawkeye Guard."

Mai Haiyi was stunned: "Ah? But sir, didn't you say you would forgive me this time?"

"Did I say that?" Severin said, "I think I did."

"But what I said is that I can forgive you my problem."

"You've committed a lot of other things yourself."

"I'll just send you over there to help boost Boss Thor's performance!"

……

By the time Severin brought the men to the police station guarded by Hawkeye, it was completely dark.

Only then did he remember that he had an appointment today and hurried to the Lion's Pride Tavern.

"Why are you here alone? Where is Gran?" Severin asked, sitting opposite Hu Xia.

"Go away. I've been waiting for you for several hours. What have you been doing?" Hu Xia rolled his eyes at him.

"Hey! That's a long story. Today I..."

"Stop, pretend I didn't ask." Hu Xia raised his hand to stop him: "I'm waiting for you to come over. I want to ask you for help with something."

Then, Hu Xia told Severin about his lack of extraordinary guards.

Severin laughed after hearing this: "You've been really busy lately. It's not easy to find a trustworthy guard."

"Have you forgotten where we come from?"

Hu Xia's eyes flashed: "Oh, yes!"

They all came from Griffith Comprehensive College.

Ever since Earl Raven returned triumphantly from his expedition against Eivor, Griffith College has seen a round of enrollment expansion, with the student population reaching more than 1000, with more than 300 graduating each year.

Those who were able to graduate from the college are indeed clean and trustworthy, and Hu Xia is their outstanding predecessor.

However, many of those who came out of it were not extraordinary - this was not a problem for Hu Xia now. Not to mention that the territory still had output, the family was enough to support him to buy a few bottles of God's potion.

"Thank you!" Hu Xia stood up and patted Severin on the shoulder: "Drink as much as you want. Today's wine will be charged to my account!"

Having said that, he left in a hurry without waiting for Severin to try to stop him.

"That's really not nice." Severin pursed his lips and was about to order some wine when he noticed a poster on the table.

"The Bloody Scimitar Competition...?"

……

(End of this chapter)