Before leaving, Isabel explained some details to the bow maker. For example, what kind of animal skin should be used for the grip of the middle of the bow, the style of the quiver, the style, length and width of the arm guard, the style of the three-fingered glove, and so on.

Although it was the first time that the bow maker Reece Turner had met such a discerning and demanding clientele, he patiently explained to Isabel Walton some of the longbow protection methods that longbowmen often used.

Finally, he talked about the types of arrows used in longbows. One is a flying arrow made of light wood with a long range, which is generally used for long-distance shooting; Another type of heavy arrow used in combat is made of heavy wood such as ash and birch. Although the heavy arrow has a shorter range due to its greater weight, its penetration and lethality are correspondingly stronger.

The price of the specially customized, specially requested longbow and supporting equipment still surprised Isabel. In particular, the price of imported wood from Spain is enough to cover the price of a deer.

Finally, Reese handed Isabel the remaining 1 shilling 16 pence in cash, and said apologetically: "I'm sorry, ma'am, but this is the money left over after the exchange of the prey you gave me to dispose of." ”

Isabel looked at a few English currencies in her palm and said amusedly: "So many prey for only such a small amount of money?" Reese, you didn't cheat on me, did you? ”

"I swear to God, ma'am, that I dare not lie, nor do I want to lie to you. What I want to tell you is that the bows of these 4 longbows of yours alone will cost a fortune. Also, it was the first time I had made such a special longbow, and I was worried that there would be failures in the process that I hadn't done before. ”

"I can understand your concern, but you told me yesterday that the price of that giant boar was even worth 15 longbows, you won't forget, right?"

"Ma'am, trust me. The price I tell you is the price of an ordinary longbow made from yew wood produced in the country. The quantity of high-quality yew wood you are asking for is very rare, so the price will definitely be much higher than the local wood. ”

"Well, Reese, I take your word for it. In short, I just need you to deliver on time. ”

Isabel walked out of the bowmaker's house with a somewhat desolate expression, silently untying the reins of the "Onyx" that was casually tied to a pillar of the house. Looking into the eyes of the war horse, he said to himself, "Onyx, why do I still live so hard after coming to your country?" ”

"I thought that going back to medieval England a few hundred years ago would at least allow me to live without having to rely on credit cards as I did in the United States. But now, I still have the feeling that I miss my credit card. ”

"Onyx, look, how beautiful and strong you are. It would be great if you really were a priceless black onyx, at least I could live happily without worries. ”

"1 shilling 16 pence, probably only a few loaf of bread. Onyx, do you want me to go to the bank again for a loan? ”

"But is there such a thing as a bank now? Well, it seems that only Italians have a developed business acumen among Europeans in this era, and perhaps there will be bank-like institutions in Italy. ”

Riding on the back of Onyx, Isabel drove the thoroughbred warbred horse out of the town inhabited by civilians. As I walked towards Nottingham Castle, I couldn't help but think again: "The current situation is not bad, and I can meet the basic requirements of life. The bath alone seemed troublesome, and my power alone could not change the minds of people living in the haze of the plague. ”

"However, this knight's squire job seems to be unpaid, so how should I pursue a more stable and better quality of life?"

"Manage, run or make a profit? Unfortunately, I didn't have enough money to go to Stanford Graduate School of Business. ”

"Start a McDonald's? But I never knew how it worked. Even if it could be run in a family model, would Henry's chef make a Big Mac hamburger? ”

"God, why should I think about something I never thought about?"

Before she knew it, Onyx was carrying her to less than two miles from the castle gates. As she looked at the castle, she suddenly remembered something she had said yesterday to the kitchen maid Lena and her daughter Anne.

"Damn, I promised Anne and her mother to bring them some food. But now, where shall I go to find the prey I have hunted for them? Isabel frowned as she grabbed the reins.

"No, it has to be done anyway. I happened to have a little money to buy bread, so I could buy some bread for them temporarily. As soon as Isabel made her decision, she turned her horse and ran towards the civilian town.

At this moment, a man's voice suddenly sounded behind him: "Lady Isabel, please wait. ”

Isabel grabbed the reins and turned the horse's head again to face behind her. A young knight without a helmet, wearing leather armor, and wearing a sword on his left waist, galloped towards her on horseback.

The young knight came to her horse, grabbed the reins, and jumped off the horse. He walked up to her, saluted, and said, "Lady Isabel, my lord has invited you to today's fox hunt. ”

The strange knight, the inexplicable invitation, Isabel who was sitting on the horse immediately became alert. Although he couldn't see anything on the surface, he naturally put his right hand on his waist, but in fact quietly held the knight's short sword on his right waist.

He looked at the young knight standing in front of him and said, "Who is your lord?" Did he say why he invited me to a fox hunt? ”

"My lord is Lord Lancashire. The Lord said that you are invited to participate in today's fox hunt because you have never forgotten your excellence, your beauty, your wisdom, and your bravery like a knight. ”

"You're Lord Lancashire's man!? Then please go back and tell your Lord that I am grateful for your kindness. However, I am not a noble lady in a corset and a tuxedo skirt, so I am not qualified to accept the invitation of the Lord. ”

"Ma'am, my lord said that you have such qualifications now."

"I'm sorry, you say it again."

The young knight, dressed as an acolyte, smiled and said, "Lady Isabel, your lord said that His Royal Highness the Duke has announced one thing: you will be a member of the Walton family from today onwards. ”

Isabel glared at the young knight in astonishment, and only after a few seconds did she hesitate to say, "Really? I don't know if this is good news or bad news for me. Perhaps in the eyes of your lord, I am just a country girl who adds to the joy of country life. ”

The young knight looked at her in amazement, and said, "Ma'am, I don't know why you think so. Please follow me back to the hunting grounds. ”