Chapter 115
There were only 300 people around Richard when he came on the road. The team was small and walking was very easy.
Even in a barony, it is easy to replenish food and water.
There are supply points all along the road.
When they returned, including the soldiers responsible for protection, the total number had exceeded 3,600.
With such a huge number and a large number of livestock, it would be very difficult to supply supplies along the way.
Richard purchased about two hundred horses, dozens of carriages, fifty tons of grain, and a large amount of supplies from Linus Castle, enough to feed more than three thousand people for a month.
In a month, even if the road is slower and we walk thirty kilometers a day, we should be able to enter Harland territory.
In order to transport food, Richard also asked slave carpenters to make a large number of wheelbarrows.
Making a wheelbarrow is very simple. Anyone who can join wooden wheels is eligible.
A small wheelbarrow can carry more than three hundred kilograms of goods.
A man pushing a wheelbarrow could carry a family's food rations for a month.
Women and children carry some tent cloth, clothes, bedding and other sundries on their backs. With the help of a wheelbarrow, the journey will be easier.
The carriage was loaded with some wooden poles for tents, pots and pans and other sundries.
The rumble of the carriage's wheels was monotonous and repetitive as it marched hard on the muddy mountain road.
Like ordinary people, Richard did not ride in a carriage and walked in front of the team. Richard's strength exceeds fifteen points, and his physical strength is several times that of ordinary people.
He had enough energy to eat and drink, and could walk four hundred miles a day.
But following a large army, the physical strength of most people must be taken care of.
Richard stopped and asked the ordinary slaves around him, "Are you tired?"
"Lord Baron, it's time for us to find a place to rest. The road is too difficult. It can't be endured by humans, nor by horses. The horses should be given a break.”
In his previous life, Richard had many years of experience in rural life in mountainous areas. He knew that human endurance exceeded that of horses.
This is especially true during long marches.
Richard is now considered a little superman. Although he does the same thing, his feelings are different from ordinary people.
Long-distance marching and continuous mountain climbing would make ordinary people feel very tired, but for Richard it was very relaxing.
He walked thirty kilometers every day, even if he carried a thousand kilograms of weight on his back, he did not feel tired.
Since he didn't have the same feelings as ordinary people, Richard had no choice but to listen to the opinions of the slaves.
"Then let everyone stop for a rest while the carpenter repairs the carriage. I feel that the wheels of several carriages are tilted outward. Everyone, please drink some water and eat some dry food. After half an hour's rest, we will continue to set off."
Everyone After eating some dry food and replenishing some energy, we continued towards Harland's territory.
After walking for seven consecutive days, a group of people walked 200 kilometers of mountain roads and entered the territory of Duke Fox.
They marched continuously for seven days, covering sixty miles of mountain roads every day.
In the afternoon, they would set up camp, cut down trees to make antlers, and dig trenches to build fortifications.
Everyone is mentally tired.
During these seven days, Richard selected slaves with military experience and formed a slave squadron. Four professional indentured servants were temporarily placed as officers in the newly formed squadron.
Squadron Leader Lost is a second-level knight and a noble officer, and the contract he signed has been less than three years. Richard listened to his wishes and prepared to return to the Lion Kingdom in three years. He has been away from his hometown for seven years since he was defeated and captured. He doesn't know how his parents, wife and children are living.
Nobles have special privileges after being captured. Since Lost was not ransomed, something must have happened to his family.
After fulfilling the contract, he planned to return to his hometown to take a look before making next steps.
In order to win over professional slaves, the Fanda family arranged for them to have female slaves to start families. Lost also had a slave girl wife and gave birth to children, but emotionally, he still missed his original family more.
Deputy squadron leader Claude is also a second-level warrior, and he doesn't care much about his hometown.
He is a native of the Grand Duchy of Stanik. His hometown has long been destroyed by the orc war. He has decided to be loyal to Richard and follow him.
There are also two deputy squadron commanders, Charles and Andre, who are both officers of the Delon Kingdom. There are many people with this status in Richard's territory. Many of the first batch of slaves he purchased were prisoners of war from the Delong Kingdom.
The fourth squadron commander, Bradrick, and the deputy squadron commander, Vincent, were both officers of the former Kingdom of Delon.
Vincent's hometown is not far from Andre, about a barony away.
They had the same background, and saw that Bradrick and Vincent were well treated. They were also prepared to stay in Richard's territory and follow Richard, a wise and kind lord.
As for the relatives back home, we will take them back when we have the opportunity to return to the Delong Kingdom.
After spending the past few days together, Richard had a preliminary understanding of the officers of the new squadron.
After returning to the territory, he planned to let Lost go home first.
Even if Lost never comes back, the loss will not be huge. The contract to purchase Lost will only cost 80 gold coins.
Richard thought he could afford this loss.
Everything is easy to talk about when Lost comes back. If he doesn't come back, he can win people's hearts through this incident.
Richard thought it was a good deal to buy a reputation for generosity for eighty gold coins.
After resting for two days in the Dukedom of Fox, Richard purchased a batch of simple weapons.
This batch of weapons only has long guns. Replacing the wooden guns equipped by the new squadron makes this army look more presentable.
The Dukedom of Fox and Dukedom of Edward have been severely harmed by orcs in recent years.
Many nobles lost their territories and their whole families were killed by orcs, just like the Stopa family.
Because of the war, the people in the territory fled frequently. Many people fled into the mountains and became refugees and thieves.
Refugees and thieves robbed caravans. In fact, this road was no longer safe for ordinary caravans.
On the road, there are large holes dug by bandits, blocking the passage of carriages.
Bandits are not fools, they only attack small business trips.
When encountering a caravan of a big noble, they would try to avoid conflict.
Richard brought thousands of refugees with him and was escorted by two squadrons of soldiers. He was very difficult to deal with at first sight.
The thieves along the way will naturally not cause trouble for him.
This time, after walking for fifteen days, Richard did not stop in the Dukedom of Edward until he entered the Gascoigne Province and walked five hundred kilometers in one breath. Just rested for a day near Flame Castle.
We were now only a few dozen kilometers away from the territory controlled by the Harland family. Although they were very tired mentally, the slaves persisted for another two days, bypassing the Platos fortress complex and returning to Fort Sophia.
After twenty-seven days of long-distance march and 800 kilometers, we finally reached our destination.
Going back and forth, plus waiting for customs clearance documents on the way, the time spent at Linus Castle took about eighty days.
(End of chapter)