blueteamnovel Chapter 44 Stop it!
Chapter 44 Stop it!
Next to the tavern was a bakery, and Richard noticed Lina's longing gaze as he entered.
The aroma of freshly baked wheat bread mixed with the sweet scent of cream cake wafted into one's nose, and it was indeed very tempting.
Richard spent thirty copper coins to buy bread and cake for three people, as well as a small jar of apple jam.
Amid the shopkeeper's obsequious farewells, the group returned to the carriage. Lina held a cream cake in both hands, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
She took a bite.
The rich, sweet cream bursts on the tongue.
Before I could even savor the moment, I heard a noisy argument coming from a bakery in the distance, along with the clattering of tables and chairs colliding.
Li lifted the car window curtain and looked out, only to see several ragged refugees storming the bakery like madmen.
They clutched sticks and stones in their hands, their eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the bread in the shop.
The bakery owner was sweating profusely and grabbed a rolling pin, waving it around in an attempt to drive them away.
"Get out of here!"
"You robbers, if you don't leave now, you'll all be hanged when the patrol comes!"
But these starving refugees wouldn't listen to any of that; the enticing aromas of food were the perfect stimulant.
"Even before you hang yourself, you have to eat your fill!"
A taller refugee suddenly rushed forward, snatched the rolling pin, and slammed it into the boss's forehead.
The short, stout boss screamed and fell to the ground, knocking over the flour bucket next to him, scattering white flour all over the floor.
"Rob it!"
Someone shouted, and all the refugees immediately swarmed forward, rushing towards the bread on the shelves like madmen.
Some people simply turned the whole cake upside down in their arms, letting the cream smear all over their faces and heads, not caring to wipe it off, only knowing to stuff bread into their mouths.
"Be careful, sir!"
Im reacted with astonishing speed, immediately throwing away the bread in his hand and drawing his sword from his waist with a clang.
He stood at the front of the carriage, watching the group of out-of-control refugees warily, his muscles tense and his life energy surging.
It seemed that he would not hesitate to attack if the refugees dared to get even half a step closer to the carriage.
...
Richard frowned, suddenly feeling something was strange. If nothing was amiss, these people were clearly refugees from Black Crow Territory who had fled from the east.
Their homes were destroyed, and they fled here after a long and arduous journey. Now they can't even get a full meal. It's truly a miserable situation.
but...
As a nobleman, he was required to register when entering the city. So how did these refugees get into the city?
Frost City itself is responsible for overseeing the Arctic Sea, and the city gates at each entrance are ingeniously designed.
Unless tacitly approved.
These refugees are absolutely not allowed to enter the city.
So here's the question...
Why did Frostcity let them in?
...
Just as he was wondering, a rapid sound of hooves approached from afar, accompanied by the roars of the patrol team, breaking the chaos of the street.
A patrol team of city guards, dressed in standard leather armor, rode up at high speed. The captain at the head of the team had a fierce look on his face and exuded an aura of rudimentary life energy.
He dismounted.
Without saying a word, he drew a hard wooden stick from his waist and began to beat the refugees on the head and face.
"A bunch of ignorant bastards, daring to cause trouble in the city!"
A dozen patrolmen joined the fray, their wooden sticks striking the refugees with resounding thuds, followed by piercing screams of agony.
The tall refugee who initially stormed the bakery tried to resist, but was instead ganged up on and beaten by several patrol members.
He was beaten black and blue in just a few blows, collapsed to the ground, and was still shouting intermittently:
"us..."
"I just want to survive...!"
The patrol members showed no mercy, beating the refugees until they cried out in pain.
A little boy was kicked to the ground by a hard riding boot, and the bread he had just picked up from the bakery rolled to the ground.
He cried as he tried to pick it up, but a hard riding boot stomped hard on the back of his hand, causing him to roll around on the ground in pain, screaming in agony.
"Ouch, that hurts!"
The streets were a mess, filled with screams, cries, and angry shouts, making one's heart clench.
...
Inside the carriage.
Lina was still holding the cake in her hands when she felt that the cream in her mouth was no longer sweet, but instead felt like a stone and was difficult to swallow.
She closed her mouth, placed the cake and bread on the seat next to her, moved closer to Richard, and hugged his arm tightly.
Only in this way.
Only then will she feel at ease.
The Frostborn citizens on both sides of the street retreated to a distance, watching this scene with complicated expressions.
Some people looked reluctant but dared not step forward to dissuade them, while others remained expressionless, as if they had already anticipated this scene.
Some people were whispering that the refugees had brought this upon themselves by disrupting the city's order.
Occasionally, a few glances would fall on Richard's carriage, but when they saw the noble banners fluttering on the roof and the sharp blade in Im's hand, those glances would quickly look away.
"Im, get out of here."
Richard's voice came from the carriage, revealing neither joy nor anger.
"Yes, sir."
Im sheathed his sword, brandished his whip, and tried to leave this troublesome place.
Richard wasn't without compassion, but he simply didn't have the energy or resources to distinguish between free people and serfs.
Taking action against free citizens indiscriminately can easily lead to legal troubles.
and.
Free men are not like serfs; they have a stronger will and, while respecting their lord, have the right and courage to refuse some of the lord's unreasonable demands.
Serfs might starve to death but dare not rebel, but free people would not.
Once they feel that their territory is not a place to stay for long, they might quietly move away overnight.
There was no way to stop them.
Unless they go on a killing spree.
If we bring these people back to Chiffon...
Once they reveal some secrets about their territory, and then embellish and spread rumors, it will be difficult for them to live in peace from now on.
Before you have enough strength to protect yourself, indifferent kindness is a sharp blade that can hurt your own people.
...
Just a few steps after the carriage had gone, a young figure suddenly rushed out from around the corner and brushed past the carriage.
He wore an old, faded white robe, with the sun emblem of the Church of Light embroidered on his chest, and his face was full of anxiety and anger.
"stop!"
"Stop it right now!"
Richard leaned out of the car window and saw a young priest in his early twenties, slender in build, yet daring to spread his arms and block the patrol team.
He shouted angrily.
"How could you beat these unarmed refugees? Don't you have any kindness or conscience left in your hearts?!"
The patrol captain raised the wooden stick in his hand, signaling everyone to stop, a mocking sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Priest, why aren't you outside the city helping the other priests gather refugees? What are you doing here shouting nonsense?"
"These refugees have committed robbery, rioting, assault, and intimidation; their crimes are heinous and their sins are grave."
"We're simply following orders, as the Viscount just gave us: either become serfs or be hanged. We're just carrying out orders!"
The young priest was so angry he was trembling.
"Execute the command?"
"Even the Viscount's orders cannot disobey the teachings of the Goddess of Light. They only want to survive; they are not heinous criminals!"
"Furthermore, you are merely a patrol officer and have no right to convict free citizens. On behalf of the Church of Light, I demand a public trial!"
The patrol captain chuckled as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
"doctrine?"
"Your Excellency, even the Goddess of Light cannot condone the sins of her followers, can she?"
"Besides, doesn't the bakery owner deserve to be in the light of day? Everyone on this street witnessed their robbery; there's no need for a public trial!"
"Also, don't forget that you're not standing on the floor tiles of your church, but on the streets of Frost City."
"Since the Viscount has given us this authority, we dare to carry it out. If the High Priest wants to stand up for these refugees, then help them pay the atonement."
Speaking of which...
He looked the young priest up and down, his tone becoming even more sarcastic.
"Don't worry, it's very light."
"Ten silver coins can be used to offset one crime, which is forty coins per person. There are eight people here, so that's three gold coins and twenty silver coins."
"Give it to me!"