Section 293: The Countess's Scheme

The gate of Locke Manor opened, Bruce rode away on his horse, Stukov and the others also rode and followed closely, Edward still held the flag representing Bruce in his hand, and the group traveled lightly to Randallshire.

They stopped only a short time along the way in a small inn by the roadside, and after hastily eating the unpalatable bread and ale offered by the innkeeper, they remounted their mounts fed in the stables and set out on the road to Randallshire.

"We're here." Sir Wayne rode a brown horse, and after passing through a grove, he pointed to the fields and castles in the distance and said to the others.

"The domain of the Countess Randall." Bruce was riding a white horse, and he kicked his mount in the crotch and stood side by side with Wayne, looking like a land of peace and abundance.

"Further along we should encounter patrolling sentinels, and we need to raise our flags so they can see clearly." Sir Wayne turned to Edward.

Edward hurriedly raised his right hand, and Bruce's banner was held aloft and unfurled against the wind, the silver edge of the banner glowing in the sunlight.

From the end of the dirt path, several sentries on horseback were galloping towards them, mud from their horses' hooves splashing everywhere, and they could be seen to be very nervous about the arrival of strangers.

"Open the gates." A red-bearded guard shouted from the gatehouse, and as the iron gate rose, the wooden drawbridge was lowered and placed on the water.

"Moat." Bruce slowly rode his horse onto the drawbridge, a castle with a moat is not easy to attack, when Bruce raised his head, he saw dozens of arrow towers, guards with bows and arrows and spears on their backs vigilantly looked around, it can be seen that this is a well-guarded castle.

"Dear Lord Baron Locke, welcome to your visit, I am Lord Countess's palace minister, Lu Sien." A fifty-year-old palace minister, Lord Lu Sien, who wore a green aristocratic robe, stood at the gate of the city, and his hair was silver and white, and he looked amiable.

"Lord Russon, I'm the baron of the Locke family, Bruce. Locke. Bruce hurriedly got off his horse and said to Lusen.

"Welcome, welcome." The countess's palace minister made an inviting gesture and asked Bruce and the others to move in the direction of the main tower.

"Lord Lusen, don't you want to ask us what we are here for?" Bruce followed Russon in the direction of the main tower, the countess's castle had a triple wall, between the first and second walls, where the commoners and artisans lived, and between the second and the main tower, the houses were made of stone and white plaster, and where noble nobles, courtiers of the countess, and great merchants lived.

"Aren't you here for the Treasure Banquet?" Lord Lunes turned his head and said to Bruce with a slight smile.

"Of course." Bruce smiled as well, and when the group reached the main tower, they saw that the fence where the knights were dueling was empty, but some of the nobles who passed through the fence looked solemn in a hurry.

Stepping up the stone steps, Bruce walked into the hall of Count Randall, and Lord Lunes asked Bruce and the others to wait for a while, because the countess would have to wait a while to arrive, and everything was strange.

"Bruce, do you need us to ask what's going on?" Eve frowned, and she crept behind Bruce and asked him.

"Don't worry, since they can send the palace minister to meet us, explain." Bruce said to Eve.

I thought that the banquet should continue, but I didn't expect the whole hall to be empty, but the velvet cloth and the hanging gorgeous carpet, as well as the flowers that have not had time to be removed, show that the banquet was once held here.

"Oh, Lord Baron, you're finally here." While a few people were looking around curiously, Kevin Sr. ran out of the side door, and he saw Bruce and the others trotting over excitedly.

"Kevin, old kevin, what the hell is going on here?" Stukov stepped forward and grabbed Kevin Sr. by the collar and asked.

"I, I'll tell you slowly." Kevin Stukov was almost out of breath when he was pinched by Stukov, but fortunately Bruce stepped forward to stop him, so he rubbed his aching throat and said with a wry smile.

Bruce and the others glanced at each other, wanting to hear what had happened during their time in Randall.

When Sir Hilton and Earl Ivan's two knights duel, everyone was sweating for Sir Hilton, you must know that Earl Ivan's knights are also burly and heroic, one against the other, let alone against two knights at the same time. But Sir Hilton didn't care, he spread his legs apart, put his greatsword on his shoulder, and looked at his two opponents with contempt.

"Hmm." The two knights of Sir Ivan glanced at each other, and they also saw Sir Hilton's contempt, although Sir Hilton's prestige had long been spread in all directions, but the two young and vigorous knights instead rose into anger, they bent their knees, clenched the hilt of their swords with both hands, and at the same time thought that if they could defeat the famous Sir Hilton today, then their prestige would definitely increase, and people would point at them and say, look at this is the knight who defeated Sir Hilton.

"Come on, boys." Sir Hilton seemed to see through their thoughts, and shouted loudly at the two knights, the loud voice that made the onlookers tremble in horror.

"Oooo In the face of Sir Hilton's roar, the two knights, under psychological pressure, had to strike first with their swords, and they rushed towards Sir Hilton at the same time, hoping to gain the advantage of being the first to strike.

Sir Hilton swung the big sword on his shoulder when the two sharp swords were a few centimeters away from his chest, and suddenly a crisp metal collision sounded, and the sword body blocked the sword parry of the two knights, and then people saw Sir Hilton like a lion in the flock, his fury and skillful sword skills, the two knights of Earl Ivan were unable to raise their heads.

"Looks like we don't have to worry about it at all." Lord Lu Sien, the palace minister of the countess Randall, quietly came to the countess's side and said to her.

"Very few people can beat Sir Hilton in a duel." Countess Randall said under the veil, she looked at Count Ivan, who was growing ugly outside the dueling arena, and a smile appeared on her lips, everything was under her control.

"Is that what you had deliberately revealed to Count Ivan about the banquet?" Lord Lu Sien continued.

"Count Ivan has always coveted my land, and in that case, let him see what we are capable of, and trust him to dispel this foolish idea." Countess Randall was very intelligent, she had long known about Count Ivan's plans, but if Count Ivan's ambitions were allowed to expand and eventually turn into a war, then the loss of her own territory would not be small, so she came up with such a good show.