Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 216 Mastiff

   It was a day in mid-May.

   It was just dawn when Pierre went down to the ground with his hoe.

   He has been home for some time, and he does not let his mother and sister do the farm work in the field, so he does all the work.

  Wolf Town is remote and closed, and the war between big men is like a few words returned from a distant land.

  The Second Republic, the military government, the battle of the castles... The people here can only hear bits and pieces of news, and it is hard to tell the truth from the false.

   For farmers with a boring life, a little new thing can get them together for a long time, let alone a big thing like war.

   But Pierre doesn't care about the lives of the bigwigs, he just wants to farm and eat.

"I won't be able to grow cigarettes this year." Pierre thought while weeding: "Fortunately, Dad has left a little winter wheat field. If you plant some other things, you should be able to deal with it this year. I will go and mow some grass in the afternoon. , Scarlett will no longer have to go herding cattle and horses."

   Compared to riding a horse and dancing with a knife, weeding was a strange job for Pierre.

   The old cocoon holding the handle of the knife can't protect his hand, but fortunately the new cocoon will grow slowly.

   From row to row, Pierre carefully and patiently weeded out the weeds.

  When he was doing farm work at first, he often hoeed the vegetable seedlings together.

  The former Master Mitchell may not care, but now Mr. Mitchell is very distressed.

  Because these plants were sown, watered, and filled with sheep manure by his mother, each with Ellen Mitchell's sweat and wounds on her hands.

  Mitchell Manor is out of employment, and the men either run away or get caught.

   Pierre's family is sparse, only his mother, sister, and a few maids, too old and too young, are left in the family.

   Ellen **** her hair and rolled up her sleeves. In addition to housework, she also took care of the work in the field.

  Nobility is not in how well you live when you are rich, but how strong your spine is when you are hard.

  Farmers from nearby villages also lend a helping hand, sometimes bringing a bale of hay, sometimes a bucket of wheat, and some people come quietly and plough several acres of land.

  Girard and Ellen helped them without asking for anything in return, they never forgot. It's just that there was nothing missing from the Mitchell Manor in the past, so they silently kept it in their hearts.

   Ellen opened a vegetable garden, raised chickens, sheep and cattle; Gerald's precious stallion was well hidden by her and was not discovered by the grain collection team.

   Relying on her own industriousness and the help of her neighbors, Ellen kept the Mitchell estate very well.

The war real estate tax levied by   Gévordan had already been paid with Scarlett's dowry a few days ago.

   While working, Pierre calculated: "The house now has a vegetable garden, a cow with a calf, four goats, and six hens.

  The winter wheat that was planted last autumn can be harvested as early as the end of this month, so there is no need to worry about food for the time being.

  After the winter wheat is harvested, cows and horses can be put into the wheat fields to fatten up, and then the barley can be planted.

   There are four horses at home. One of the war horses I brought back, three of my father's stallions, one of which is already pregnant with a foal.

   By next year, we have five horses! "

   Although the Mitchell Manor was hit hard, it did not fall down, and it was still a wealthy and wealthy family.

   Once the situation improves, the manor will come to life again.

   "I'm going to buy a hand-cranked grinder! Grind flour. I'll have to replace two more piglets! I feed them with hogweed every day, and I'll have meat to eat in winter."

Pierre wiped the sweat from his forehead and thought with pride: "Two horses are enough to drag a heavy plow. When the land at home is finished, I will go to help the villagers. Those villagers who have helped my mother, I will repay you. Yes. Scarlett's dowry, and I'll save it again. I'm going to live, and I won't let Mommy and Scarlett starve. When Dad comes back, I'm sure to surprise him."

   Farm work was hard, but Pierre was young and strong, and he was not afraid of anything.

   The only thing that gave Pierre a headache was his father's four hounds.

   He has no time to hunt and no extra food to feed the dog.

   The "head wolf" is gone, and the hounds have to catch voles and rabbits by themselves, struggling to survive on their own, almost becoming wild dogs.

   "It would be great if Brother Montagne was there." When he deserted, Pierre no longer used the name of the army.

   Thinking that at the last moment of the blood wolf's life, he did not fight side by side with the blood wolf, Pierre's chest was like a big stone.

   "Brother Montagne! I will live well!" Pierre shouted at the wilderness, and he thought with a sour nose: "You will praise me too, right?"

  The sound of hooves came from the field.

   Someone heard his cry and ran towards him.

   "Pierre!" cried the visitor out of breath.

   Mitchell Manor has a visitor, which is a rare thing.

  Pierre walked out of the vegetable ridge and saw the two of them riding **** Ryzyk. Anglo is in the front, Samukin is in the back.

   The two ran to Pierre before they stopped their horses.

  Angelo got off his horse and hurriedly grabbed Pierre's arm: "Not good!"

   "Don't worry." Pierre handed the kettle to Anglo: "Speak slowly."

  Angelo gulped down a big mouthful and shouted: "An officer has come to town, and he is also bringing soldiers, Samukin saw it. That officer entered the Big Benting's house!"

  …

   Big Benting is the eldest son of Mr. Old Benting.

   Delivering goods to Gervodin last year, Bentin and his son left the team and wanted to go back to Wolf Town first.

   In the end, he was intercepted by a group of bandits called "Ivan Horseshoe". Old Bentine died, and his eldest son was tortured half-crippled.

  Once the old Bentin died, his three sons were separated, and his family's land became smaller and more scattered.

  Because of the distribution of family property, the three brothers of the Benting family also fought a lawsuit for a while, which was very unpleasant.

  Now, the people of Wolf Town call them Big Benting, Er Benting, and Little Benting.

After   Girard Mitchell was drafted, Big Bentine became acting mayor.

   He was a disgraceful acting mayor.

The news of   's recruiting of strong men spread, and the hired workers all planned to hide. They don't have permanent births, they have feet on them, and they can go anywhere.

   Big Benting called together all the employees in the family and said that he wanted to have a banquet and farewell.

  It is rare for a stingy owner to be generous, and the employees, without doubting him, ate and drank happily.

   When everyone was almost drunk, Big Benting opened the door - the people from the Zhengding team were waiting outside.

After the incident of    passed, Big Benting became the acting mayor of Wolf Town.

   He did something bad, as if he wanted to take revenge on all the people of Wolf Town.

  The villagers in each village grow vegetables in the wasteland in the corners and corners, and he also has to pay back the land payment and taxes.

  Montagne did not recognize the public injury pension system established by the resident magistrate of Montagne.

  The life of the survivors of the public injury has become very difficult. Their families have lost their labor force and have to make up the taxes and land payments over the years.

  The widow of a refugee soldier who suffered a wolf disaster was cornered and nearly committed suicide with her babbling daughter.

  It was Ellen who brought the mother and daughter to the Mitchell Manor and paid for them to make up their taxes, so it didn't cause a tragedy.

   But the more respected the Mitchells were, the more Big Bentine made things difficult for them.

When the    war real estate tax was levied, Big Bentine deliberately set a high price on the land of Mitchell Manor.

  In desperation, Ellen and Pierre used Scarlett's dowry money.

  Scarlett is very sensible and has no reluctance, which makes Pierre even more distressed.

   dragging his tired body into bed every night, looking at the saber hanging on the wall, Pierre has more than once considered whether to "talk" to Big Bentine.

   But he held back, he still has his mother, sister, and Mitchell Manor, so he can't be impulsive.

   Now the people of Wolf Town are gnashing their teeth when they mention Big Benting.

   Big Bentine also knew this, and he was also afraid of being shot.

  I don't know what means he used, but Gervoudan sent eight soldiers for him to drive.

   With a team of ferocious soldiers as his support, Big Benting acts more and more recklessly.

   Those eight soldiers were also stalking and molesting women on weekdays. They looked like hooligans and made the town restless.

  It's good now, Pierre didn't go to Big Bentine to talk to, Big Bentine went to him first.

  …

   "What do they want to do?" Pierre frowned: "Do you know?"

  Samukin took the lead: "It seems that we are going to arrest the strong man again! He came with a commanding order and a shackle. It may also be to arrest us."

   "Hook! Go and inform everyone." Pierre made a decisive decision, this is definitely not a family matter.

  Angelo nodded heavily, jumped on his horse, and headed towards Dusa Village.

The    deserters reunite at the Mitchell Mansion. Not only Dussack, but also people from the other four villages.

  Old believers, Protestants, all who can come have come.

  Everyone took a horse when they escaped, so they moved quickly.

   "Run away now! Get away now!" Anglo yelled anxiously.

  Washika glared at him: "You're a bachelor, it's easy to go! We still have a family!"

  …

   As the acting mayor of Wolf Town—and acting station officer, Big Bentine removed Anglo from his guard duty and handed it over to his own stupid son.

  The horses in Dusa Village were gone, because the war horses were all ridden away by the Dusaks.

   Anglo, the pony herdsman, is helpless again.

   He doesn't know how to farm, and he doesn't want to eat the Mitchells' idle meals.

   So Anglo rode his red mane around the nearby villages and towns, earning a stutter by treating big animals.

  …

  Angelo asked back: "How about not going? Either catch Ding! Or catch the deserter. Do you think you can escape?"

   "Catch the deserters, and I'll hide on the other side of the Bighorn River. I just don't go - won't it be over?"

   "They'll force you out!"

   "Tell them to try. I'm not their calf on the reins."

Pierre sighed: "Don't talk about catching deserters, I won't go even if it's catching strong men. Winters Montagne, such a good person, they killed them without blinking their eyes. They still want me. Work for them? Dream! Do you want to work for them? You have to go, the key is where to go."

   "Don't worry about it so much, it's too much of a hassle, you have to find a crack in the ground to get in." Anglo was the most determined, he was a member who was abandoned on the west bank of the River Styx.

   "Dangdangdangdang!" Suddenly, there was a faint sound of a bell.

  The great bell of Wolftown Church rang.

   The bell rushed down the bell tower, spread across the square, rolled over the green moor and black farmland, hit the tree and shattered into small pieces and disappeared.

   followed by the continuous panic bell: "When... when..."

   "Did you hear it?" Anglo's eyes widened: "This is a reminder!"

  Pierre made up his mind: "Let's go! Follow me if you want to go, stay if you don't want to go."

   "Let's go!" Anglo jumped up excitedly.

  Washka said with difficulty: "We will all walk out side by side in blood and fire. If you go, I will go too."

   The place and time of the meeting were agreed, and the deserters dispersed, and went home to prepare dry food and other things.

  Pierre found his mother, only to find that his mother and sister had prepared dry food, clothes and boots for him.

   "Don't worry." Ellen kissed her son's forehead gently, took off the holy emblem and hung it on his son's neck: "We can take care of ourselves."

  Scarlett also comforted her brother softly: "You go, Pierre, I will hide the cows and horses well, so that they won't find them. When you come back, we will have a foal."

  …

The deserters of   Wolf Town gathered again and fled their hometown.

  The soldiers who came to catch them fled, and Big Bentine and the officer discovered that they had escaped.

   At dusk, the officer and six cavalry set out from Wolf Town and chased after the deserters.

  Night fog rolled over the moors, hovered in the valleys, licked depressions and cliffs.

  The earthy hills filled with clouds and mists appear much brighter, and the birds sing in the tender grass.

  The moon paddled in the puddles of reeds and hazelnuts like a blooming water lily.

   "They can't run very far!" The officer turned back and urged his men: "Hurry up! Hurry up!"

  Suddenly, a tripping rope rose from the middle of the road.

  The officer's warhorse stumbled on the rope and fell forward sharply, throwing the rider on his back violently.

The    officer fell to the ground and rolled in the dust three or four times before stopping.

   The other three unresponsive cavalrymen were also brought down, and only the rear three cavalrymen managed to restrain their horses.

  A dozen figures jumped out of the long grass on both sides of the dirt road.

   They neither shouted nor scolded, but silently subdued the four who fell to the ground.

   The other three cavalrymen were dragged off their horses before they could even draw their swords.

The    saber was placed around their necks, preventing them from moving.

   The officer's shoulders were drooping, apparently broken.

   He thought it was just a group of frightened deserters, but he never expected that the other party would dare to fight back.

The    officer was unusually calm and tried to convince the deserters: "You can stop now, there is still time. If I die, your whole family will be implicated. I will say good things for you."

   Another sergeant was yelling furiously: "You bastards! How bold!"

   The deserter in the dark remained silent.

  On the deserted field, only the trembling voice of the officer and the scolding of the sergeant could be heard.

   "Did anyone run away?" Pierre asked.

   "No." Wasika confirmed.

   "Drag into the woods." Pierre's tone seemed to be drinking water: "Don't leave blood on the road."

The officer    realized what these deserters were going to do. He struggled desperately, and his emotions became out of control: "Aren't you afraid of sitting with your family together? I guarantee your safety! Don't! Don't kill me! I'm..."

  Washka turned the handle of the knife upside down and slammed it hard at the officer's face, and the officer was dumbfounded.

  Samukin did the same thing, and the sergeant was instantly ignorant.

   The pursuers were horrified to discover that a hole had been dug in the woods beside the road.

   "Buried directly?" Wasika asked.

   "No, have a good time," replied Pierre.

  Washka raised his hand and wiped the officer's neck, he was careful not to let a drop of blood fall outside the pit.

   Then Sergeant.

   Then there are others.

   A cavalryman was so frightened that he wet his pants and begged bitterly: "I am also Dussac, don't kill me."

   "I am also Dussac." Pierre asked with a blank face: "Didn't you come to kill me too? I just want to farm and support my family."

  The bodies of the seven pursuers were put into the pit.

The    deserters filled back the soil, carefully laid the turf back in place, and piled up dead branches and fallen leaves like anywhere else.

   This place will soon come back to life, and plants will grow more vigorously because of the moisturizing of fertilizers. Birds will sing here, mice will make nests here.

   "What about the company he said?" Wasika asked.

   "Live without people, dead without corpses, only missing." Pierre instructed: "Clear the traces on the road, and lead the horseshoe prints to a distance."

  Angelo came over and said regretfully: "The four horses are useless and can only eat meat. The other three can still be used."

   "Take them." Pierre waved: "Let's go."

  The woods were quiet, as if no one had ever come.

   can only vaguely hear Anglo's sad voice: "What a pity for those four horses."

   As the so-called [the head wolf dies, the mastiff strays. The solitary mastiff dies, the group of mastiffs live]

This chapter explains about the mastiffs, otherwise they will be invisible (cover their faces) to describe the mastiff instead of the wolf, because in the culture of Plato and Heard, the dog is a good word, and the wolf is a bad word ∑( O_O;)

   [Thanks to book lovers for their collection, reading, subscription, recommendation ticket, monthly ticket, reward and comment]

   The character of Anglo is a bit missing.

   In the original outline, one of the horses he had in his life, Ryzhik/Redmane, would soon die.

   Redmane will be favored by the superiors, and if he wants to, he will be poisoned to death.

   Anglo becomes extremely depressed.

   Then in the first encounter with the Heard cavalry across the Styx.

   When everyone was just running, Anglo would jump from the carriage and knock down a Hurd officer.

   Because the opponent's warhorse looks exactly the same as the red mane. He was also the only one of the panicked militia who dared to resist.

   The captured warhorse will be named, also called Red Mane.

   But at that time, the author was not a big villain, and the author was reluctant to bear Red Mane and Anglo.

   As a result, this setting has become a waste case.

   Anglo and Redmane are happy, although he's flattened a bit.

   The author rarely writes about the death of horses in battle. In fact, the casualty rate of war horses on the battlefield is not low.

   The Six Horses of Zhaoling are Li Shimin's six horses, all of whom died in battle.

   Please be lucky to be a parallel world warhorse.

   (end of this chapter)