Chapter three hundred and thirteenth businessman Donoby
Chapter 313: Merchant Donobi
The sky was gloomy, dark clouds shrouded the sky, and the cold wind howled, the goose-feather-like snowflakes flew in the air, fell to the ground, and became part of the thick blanket of white snow covering the wilderness...
Michael took a few steps forward on his horse, stopped in front of Claude, and gestured with his hands. Frost condensed on his eyebrows and hairline. Except for the military cap and hood on his head, his face was covered with ice.
He was also wearing a thick cold-proof mask. In such weather, it was really difficult to communicate with words. He could only use concise gestures to express personal meanings.
Claude understood what McJack wanted to say. What he wanted to say was, sir, the wind and snow are too heavy. We can't continue on our way. We must find a place to rest. Otherwise, even the horses can't bear it.
, although time is very tight, we can't be anxious. It won't be too late to head to the royal capital after we have escaped this heavy snowstorm...
Claude nodded towards McJack, meaning that he understood. Then he pointed forward with his finger, made a sign of seven, and then tapped the ground with his thumb downward. This meant that it was not far ahead and probably still far away.
There is a town within seven miles where we can rest. The three of us will hold on a little longer and rush there to find a tavern to rest.
It was January 9th after the New Year. Claude, Mike Jack and the big man Gimi were on their way to the royal capital. Before the family holiday, Major Scree, the commander of the 1st Ranger Battalion, had told Claude that during the holiday,
After finishing, go directly to the Kalebun Royal Army Military Academy to report and cancel your leave there. The holiday cancellation date is before January 15th of the New Year, because January 15th is the official opening day of the Kalebun Royal Army Military Academy.
Major Skerry did take great care of Claude. After the 1st Ranger Battalion arrived in the royal capital and entered the arranged camp, he sent Claude two letters, both of which were specially delivered. One was eight
In August, he told Claude the current location of the 1st Ranger Battalion, and asked Claude if it was okay to go home to visit relatives. He also attached a map and address of the Royal Military Academy of Kaleben to prevent Claude from traveling to the Royal Military Academy.
When everyone checked in, I couldn't find the place.
Claude wrote a reply, telling Major Skerry that everything was fine and that his family was fine. At the same time, he hoped that Major Skerry could come to White Deer City to attend his wedding on September 12th when he was free. However, there was no comment after this letter was sent.
There was no reply or news from Major Skerry, and on the wedding day, Major Skerry did not rush to White Deer City to attend the wedding, which made Claude a little disappointed.
It wasn't until mid-November that Major Skerry sent a reply. He apologized for not being able to attend Claude's wedding. But he couldn't help it, and was caught by Prince Hansback and ran away.
He went on a mission abroad and returned to the royal capital at the end of October. While wishing Claude a happy married life, he also told Claude the news that he would be resigning as the commander of the 1st Ranger Battalion.
There are other appointments.
In addition, for the last time, in the name of the commander of the 1st Ranger Battalion, he sent someone to deliver winter military uniforms and the necessary welfare subsidies to Claude and the three of them while delivering the letter. Generally speaking, Xiang Ke
For officers and soldiers like Lord who go to visit relatives, their welfare subsidies and clothing will be faithfully allocated according to the roster. However, because they are not in the camp, they often become the targets of the logistics department officials. Major Skerry is very aware of these military personnel.
Unwritten rules, this time he used his authority as battalion commander to send someone directly to the hands of Claude and the others.
In addition, Major Scree also asked someone to bring his wedding gift to Claude, a pair of extremely exquisite gold and silver vases engraved with mythical stories of knights slaying dragons. Claude knew very well that this was
The trophies that Major Skerry received came from the capture of the earl's manor. Unexpectedly, Major Skerry gave himself these pairs of vases as a wedding gift. This made his mother amazed. She was very happy that the Field family had another pair of heirlooms...
…
Thanks to the map sent by Major Skerry, Claude discovered that the Kaleben Royal Army Military Academy was not in the royal capital, but in Kaleben Village among the fifty-six villages within the jurisdiction of the royal capital. From the map, it can be seen
It can be seen that Kaleben Village is already on the edge of the Ibiniste Plain, and half of the village's farming range is already between hills and mountains.
Claude was very curious as to why the Caleben Royal Army Military Academy, where he was going to receive training, was established in such a village. Even the name of the military academy adopted the name of the village. But in any case, since they had received the notice, the three of them
You must rush to Kalebeng Village before January 15th, report to the military academy and cancel your leave.
If the land route from White Deer City to the Royal Capital goes smoothly, it will take seven or eight days. However, it is winter now, with heavy snowfall, and the national highway is also covered with ice and snow, making the journey difficult, so it is estimated that it will take about ten days. However, Kalaiben Village is close to the Royal Capital.
It takes a day to travel more than seventy miles, so Claude started preparing to set off after the New Year's Eve.
Originally, Claude wanted to take the sea route, which would save two days from White Deer City to Port Nieru and then to Wangdu. But his mother firmly disagreed. Sailing on the sea in winter would take greater risks, in case of danger.
There is no place to run. In addition, the slow New Year is also a big problem. Bailu City cannot find a sea ship willing to go to sea at the beginning of the New Year, unless Claude spends a lot of money to buy the ship, but this is not cost-effective.
.
So Claude finally decided to take the land route, which required the three of them to set off on January 3rd. They said goodbye to their mother, sister and brother, and kissed Kaifani, who was less than two months pregnant.
Then he took Michael Jack and the big man Gemie on horseback and set out on the road.
The weather was very good at first. Claude and the three of them rode horses and traveled day and night. After walking for five days, they saved one day's travel time. But unexpectedly, they had just praised the weather and thought that such good weather was enough for the three of them to arrive.
It only took seven days to reach the royal capital. In the blink of an eye, a heavy snowstorm began to fall overnight. The three of them trudged hard for half a day in the wind and snow, and did not even make it to a quarter of the planned distance...
However, Claude remembered that the map he had seen before setting off showed that there was a town not far ahead. The three of them walked in the wind and snow for a long time, and finally reached the town. They found the tavern and knocked on the door.
The three of them collapsed directly at the wine table.
This town is called Thorin Town, which is not much bigger than the former White Deer Town. The name of the tavern is the Fang Tavern, and there is a very huge animal tooth hanging on the wall. It is said that it was dug out of the foundation when the house was built in the past.
The first tavern owner hung this huge animal tooth on the wall, and the tavern got its name from it.
When Claude and the three of them entered the tavern, there were not many customers inside. There were only three tables in the hall. Except for one table where local drinkers came to the tavern to kill time out of boredom, the remaining two tables were filled with four drinkers.
They were dressed like merchants. Obviously, they were also forced by the heavy snowstorm to go on their way, so they could only stay in the tavern to avoid the snow.
There were only an old man and a lame young man taking care of business in the tavern. It seemed that the lame young man was the son of the old man of the tavern, and he was asked by the old man to take care of Claude and his three horses. The old man gave Claude
The three of them poured three glasses of steaming rye wine and said with a wide smile: "Drink some to warm yourself up first. It will be difficult for you to travel in this weather. It's okay. This is for you to drink."
There were four braziers placed in the corner of the hall, which was much warmer than outside. Coupled with a cup of steaming rye wine, Claude and the other three finally calmed down. They stood up and took off their black sheepskin robes.
They took off their black fur coats and black leather gloves, revealing the Kingdom's red military uniforms worn by the three of them. Only then did the tavern owner and the drinkers know that Claude and the three were Kingdom soldiers.
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"Boss, give the three of them another glass of rye, my treat." A rough-looking businessman raised his glass to the three of Claude: "You're welcome, guys, I was also discharged from the army due to injury.
Retirement, this glass of wine is a tribute to the invincible warriors of our kingdom!"
The other drinkers also raised their glasses in response: "To the invincible army and brave soldiers of our kingdom!"
The tavern owner once again filled three wine glasses with steaming rye wine. Claude was not polite, picked up the wine glass and drank it in one gulp, then took out a silver thaler from his pocket and threw it on the table: "Boss, here it is.
Everyone here has a glass of rye. I treat you. I hope this damn snowstorm has delayed our schedule and it is fate that we meet here! The rest will make us some hot food to fill our bellies.
, all starved to death."
The rough-looking businessman slapped the table and agreed with Claude: "Well said, this snowstorm really deserves to die, otherwise I would have been home by now. My poor wife will be thinking all over the place again, right?
Which woman seduces me away? As long as I don't come home on time, she will become suspicious. I don't know how much I have to spend to comfort her when I go back..."
His businessman friend next to him burst out laughing: "Who told you to be henpecked? You deserve it..."
The atmosphere in the tavern suddenly became lively.
The tavern owner smiled and picked up the silver thaler given by Claude, went over and poured a glass of rye for the drinkers present, and then said to Claude: "Wait a moment, the food will be brought over soon."
."
After drinking two glasses of rye, Mike and the big man moved their bodies, then opened the long cloth roll wrapped in raincloth, took out the three muskets inside, and began to maintain them. The weather was suddenly cold, so the maintenance of the muskets
Pay great attention to it, as the matchlock handle on the gun body, the medicine box cover and the trigger can easily become frozen and stiff, and need to be wiped from time to time to maintain flexibility.
But the rough-looking merchant man was a little strange. He stood up and walked over to look at the muskets and asked, "What mission are you on?"
Claude shook his head: "We are reporting back after our family leave."
"That's wrong!" said the merchant: "It seems that the soldiers of the Kingdom's army are not allowed to carry weapons when they go home to visit relatives."
Claude laughed. This question was also asked by many people at home: "We are not soldiers of those legions. We are from the first battalion of the Rangers. The requirement is that every soldier should keep a gun close to him in order to develop a gun sense. Because
Our muskets are precisely aimed and fired, requiring soldiers to hold up the musket and fire to hit the target within the range, so every soldier must be very familiar with the performance of the musket he uses, which is the most basic requirement."
"That's it." The merchant nodded: "I seem to have heard of the 1st Ranger Battalion. By the way, are you stationed at Christo Castle near the royal capital? I just returned from delivering goods there. I heard that
They seem to be preparing to form a ranger army..."
Castle Christo is one of the four great cities of the royal capital. Major Scree said in his first letter to Claude that the first to fourth battalions of the Rangers were stationed there, and the Ranger Corps was also stationed there.
Risto Castle was formed.
Claude nodded: "Where are you coming back from too?"
"Well, I went to deliver the goods. They placed a batch of orders for us in Jumu Town at the end of last year. We finally managed to get them out before the deadline. Fortunately, the heavy snowstorm happened on our way back from the delivery.
Otherwise, we will lose everything if we fail to meet the deadline." This rough-looking businessman has a familiar character.
Fortunately, the tavern owner brought over a large plate of food at this time, otherwise Claude really doubted that this self-made merchant would have been nagging beside him.
The food in the tavern is not delicious. The common white bread, honey wine, beef stew with potatoes, roast turkey and fried veal steak are enough to fill your stomach. After eating, Claude went out to look at the sky and see the dark clouds.
The heavy pressure in the sky indicates that this heavy snowstorm is likely to last for two to three days.
This means that the three of them may not be able to catch up with the start of the military academy. It doesn't matter if they stay in the tavern here for two or three days. The problem is that this heavy snowstorm will make the road more difficult. Today is the 9th, and we will wait here for two days.
It's the 11th. If the Royal Military Academy of Calaiben is in the Royal Capital, then the remaining three days are enough for the three of them to rush to the Royal Capital. But Calaiben Village is in the other direction. Even if they arrive at the Royal Capital,
We still have to keep on our way, so time is very tight.
"Are you going to Kalebun Village?" While Claude and the others were looking at the map and worrying, the rough-looking merchant wandered over to their table again and seemed to have been listening to their discussion for a while.
"Yes, we are going there for training." Claude replied.
"Is it the Caleb Royal Army Military Academy?" the merchant asked.
"Huh? How do you know?" Claude became alert.
"Haha, among the four cities, nine towns and fifty-six villages under the jurisdiction of the royal capital, there are no places that I, the merchant Donobi, are not familiar with. These are all my business territories. Brother, you don't know that the wooden furniture produced in our Jumu Village sells well
In the entire Ibiniste Plain, except for the nobles and wealthy people in the royal capital, all villages and towns like the wooden utensils produced in our town..."
The merchant who called himself Donobi first boasted about the products of their Giant Wood Town, and then told Claude: "Actually, I just sent a batch of wooden office equipment to Kaleben Village last November, and this is the one who received the goods.
The Royal Army Military Academy of Kaleben. At that time, I was still wondering why a military academy was built in this village. It turns out that some people actually go there. Now I understand that this military academy is used to train you, the current grassroots officers."
This guy seemed to be a sensible person. Claude asked without hope: "This heavy snowstorm has delayed our trip. We are afraid that we will not be able to make it to Kaleben Village to report to the military academy before the fifteenth day. Dono
Mr. Bi, do you know if there is a shortcut that can lead to Kalebeng Village in the fastest time?"
Merchant Donobi burst into laughter: "Yes, it only takes you two days to reach Kalebun Village."