I built a manor in the Middle Ages

Chapter 228: Retreat
"Sir, Jason has something he wants to see you about."

Luke sipped his oatmeal porridge, then scooped up a piece of white bread from the earthenware bowl. The white goat milk soaked the honey-infused bread, making it even softer, and he ate it in large gulps.

Several months ago, a few goats were captured but were not slaughtered in time due to the siege. As a result, they became pregnant and provided Luc with plenty of milk.

The plump cook did not leave with Duss. During the time Luke was guarding the city, she worked even harder to make delicious food, which earned her a lot of praise from Luke, who rewarded her with three rabbit skins.

Hearing old Ek's call, Luc swallowed the smooth, fragrant bread. "Jason? Let him come up."

"master!"

Jason climbed the wooden ladder up the city wall, bending over and trying to hide himself in the crenellations. Since Evan's death, there had been no casualties. However, a few days ago, the unlucky short man Kohler carelessly exposed himself outside the crenellations and was shot in the shoulder by that accurate archer. If he hadn't been short, the arrow probably would have pierced his temple. Nevertheless, he was carried down the city wall and handed over to Peter for treatment.

"What do you want?" Luke asked, glancing at Berry's army.

Jason's expression remained grim upon learning of Berry's attack. He harbored deep resentment towards Furman and the others who had beheaded his father, but he was merely a blacksmith and could not defend the castle for Luke.

Luc knew this too, so he was curious why Jason was looking for him at this time.

Jason cautiously shrank back, cleared his throat, and said, "Sir, the piece of iron you gave me, I've forged it into steel!"

"what?"

Luke suddenly turned his head and saw Jason leisurely taking out a steel sword, about one and a half feet long, with a wooden handle.

Luke stared at Jason in surprise. He never expected that Jason would bring this news, or rather, that this guy would have time to forge iron during the siege.
“My lord, I had nothing better to do, so while I was burning quicklime, I threw this piece of iron in. Once it’s heated to a certain degree, I’ll chip it into a thin sheet. This steel sword is the weapon I’m presenting to you.”

Luke took the steel sword, tapped it lightly, and heard the distinctive echo of steel. A smile involuntarily crept onto his lips: "Not bad! It's even better than steel made from ordinary iron. How about it, isn't it easier to forge a steel sword from this kind of iron?"

"No, it's still quite troublesome."

Seemingly knowing what else Luc wanted to ask, Jason sighed: "And it's equally unstable."

"Because the production rate of this strange iron is too low, it might not be possible to produce a piece even after ten attempts in the earthen furnace."

"However, you are right, sir. It seems that steel is indeed directly related to the amount of carbon. This time, my steelmaking did not involve carburization. Instead, I repeatedly hammered the steel to achieve the decarburization you mentioned."

Luke seemed to be deep in thought.

“Once this siege is over and things are going smoothly in Macon County, I will build you a real furnace in Blackridge Valley.”

Jason was sent down with the steel sword when Luke suddenly saw Berry's tent move again, but this time it wasn't heading towards Knightsburg.

Watching the twenty-odd peasant soldiers carrying logs head straight for the manor led by a rider, Luc instantly understood what they were up to.

"Damn it, sir, they want to burn our farmland!"

Ryan witnessed the scene as well and almost jumped up. Berry originally intended to reclaim Knightsburg, so he had not trampled on the manor. But if you count carefully, there were hundreds of acres of crops outside, as well as watermills, waterwheels, and Ward Village. If they were burned down, it would be enough to cause Luke to bleed a lot.

"Master, we absolutely cannot let them burn the manor down! Our rye is still there!"

Several free farmers looked at their fields; they didn't have as much grain reserves as Luke. If there was no spring harvest, they would have to wait until autumn.
"Master, give me a horse, I'll go stop them!" Rang took a deep breath and stepped forward.

It was time to serve the family faithfully. Luc didn't say anything, but turned around, walked straight down the wooden stairs, around the Knights' Castle, and came to the well at the back.

Beside the well, Little Maiman, with his messy hair, heard footsteps, raised his eyes, and looked haggard with thick dark circles under his eyes.

Luc took a deep breath. He still had a piece of equipment that he had asked Little Maiman to make half a month ago:

"Little Maiman, is the catapult I ordered ready yet?!"

……

Wearing a bonnet, Furman watched as the soldiers behind him began piling timber around the building, worried that the mill would be too damp to be lit easily due to the snow.

"What a pity about this mill."

Furman smacked his lips. He had followed Berry on the expedition but had never had the chance to attack the city. Or rather, in order to preserve his strength, Berry had never sent his own guards. Now, the easy task of burning down the manor naturally fell to him.

"Sir Clovis has been captured, and most of his squires and peasant soldiers have died. I wonder if you, sir, will grant me his territory?"

Furman was surprised that Luke's Knight's Castle was so difficult to conquer. Based on his understanding of Berry, he was afraid that Berry would not give up so easily. Burning down the manor would not be the end of it. He might also report to the Duke and formally include this valley in the Duchy's territory, and then declare that this place was not a noble territory, but a barbarian tribe.

The fortress is here and can't escape. Once we completely strip it of its legality, we'll have many ways to annex it.

"Sir, the timber is stacked up!"

"Very good, light it!"

Furman composed himself and ordered the troops to sharpen their flints and steels.

Just as the sound of the flint and steel striking each other began, a sharp, creaking sound suddenly came from behind. Furman looked over at the sound and his eyes widened instantly.

"Luc actually dared to leave the city gate?!"

"Set up the barricades!"

Rows of barricades were placed a dozen paces away from the city wall. Then, Luke, riding his Andalusian horse, and Ryan and Jean, each riding a mountain horse, patrolled the city gate wearing only chainmail and knight's swords. On the city wall, Gilles and others guarded with heavy crossbows. In the distance, Berry, who was reorganizing his army to prepare for burning the castle and then retreating, squinted and saw Hans slowly pushing a catapult out of the knight's castle.

"Isn't that Master's Andalusian horse? That damned beast, he stole the horse! He's the one who got me punished by the master."

Furman was panting heavily, wishing he could kill Luc with a single sword stroke. Not only did Luc steal his knighthood, but he also stole his warhorse.
But before he could finish his tirade, Furman abruptly stopped himself when he saw the catapult.

Hans and Miller, the trebuchet brothers, skillfully aimed their trebuchets at the mill. To Furman's utter rage, they repeated the scene from the old Pons battlefield, where a large number of serfs were instantly smashed to pieces by the pebbles!
In just two rounds, five or six of the twenty-odd serfs fell down, and the rest, not even bothering to strike the flint and steel, fled back to their tents with their heads in their hands. Furman even spurred his horse to gallop, fearing that it would hit his head.

"My lord, Luke has finally left the city! Quickly, send the knights to charge!!"

Furman ran and shouted, "Even without Clovis and his squire, Berry still has twelve riders."

However, Berry kept his eyes fixed on the chevaux-de-frise, catapults, and heavy crossbows on the city walls. He glanced at the camp that had lost nearly twenty soldiers, and finally paused briefly on his Andalusian horse, turning around and saying bitterly:
"Withdraw the troops and return to Fort Kupol!"

(End of this chapter)