From Tuesday until Friday's fasting day, Isabel was surrounded by three young nobles: the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Lancashire, and the legal first in line to the throne of the Viscount of Darlington. The fact that the three young nobles use the beautiful silver fox they hunt and all sorts of excuses to approach and curry favor with a "foreign" young woman who has recently become a member of a knight's family is both curious and puzzling in the eyes of others.

Even though the "father", "sister" and "mother" around her kept telling Isabel Walton what eyes to look at her, what selfish motives or goals to curry favor with her, and tactfully tempting her, Isabel from hundreds of years later still maintained that calm and unhurried attitude in the whirlpool of "emotions".

On the other hand, there has been very good and bad news for what she has asked Sir Alex to do. Early on Friday morning, while Ferguson was leading a patrol of the territory before attending Mass, he again summoned the knightly squire Isabel from Sir Augustine's side.

What the two men were planning, Sir Augustine knew very well in his heart. It's just that he is using an attitude of neither support nor opposition to look at the armed conflict that the two are about to carry out the day after tomorrow and is commonplace in the northern region.

Heavily armed, Isabel held a light spear with a squire flag in her left hand and rode aboard Sir Alex, a black-black, strong, and powerful purebred horse, the Onex.

When the patrol team came outside the village of Hartforth on the northeastern border of the county, Ferguson said to Isabel, "Ma'am, go and tell the first two men that we are going to rest here." ”

Isabel nodded in agreement, rode to the side of the two would-be lancers at the front of the patrol, looked them squarely and said, "Sir said we can rest here for a while." ”

A few minutes later, the patrol set up camp on the bank of a stream not far from the village. Ferguson glanced at Isabel, who was leading the two horses to the river to give the horses water, then picked up the jug of wine beside him and took two large sips with a tilt of his neck.

When Isabel let her Onyx and Ferguson's horses gnaw on the grass by the stream, she came to Jazz and sat down on the grass. He took his own jug sewn from cowhide from his waist and took a sip of wine, looking at the stream in front of him.

Ferguson chuckled softly and said, "Ma'am, don't tell me you're missing Your Highness, Lord Lancashire or... Lord Darlington's eldest son, Joseph? ”

Isabel shook her head, looked at him contemptuously and said, "Isn't it?" Sir, do you think I have to rely on one of them to survive in the North? ”

Ferguson laughed, took another sip of wine, and said, "Ma'am, it's actually very simple to survive. Of course, I mean men. Well, I think it's a good thing to be a beautiful, noble, humble and courteous noble lady. ”

"Really? However, this is just your idea, and it doesn't mean that I think so. ”

"Isabel, actually, I think you're the first lady I've ever met in my life who doesn't like to rely on someone else."

"Thank you, Sir. Actually, it's one thing my Uncle Sam tells me from time to time. He said that women and men are equal before God and should both have the same right to pursue the life, things and people they like. ”

"Not bad. It seems that your Uncle Sam has a remarkable eye. ”

After speaking, Ferguson quietly observed the quasi-lancers who gathered together not far away to chat, eating breadsticks, and whispered: "Madam, my brother has news about that matter." ”

Isabel had no expression on her face, just looked at the stream flowing from west to east and said quietly, "Sir, let's go over there and talk about this." ”

When the two came to the shore of the stream, Ferguson picked up the pebbles on the grass and threw them into the stream, and said with some excitement: "My brother has heard that the last village that the gratuity army passed before coming to Barnard Fort was Westwick, which was about four miles away from Barnardberg.

Isabel thought about it and said, "When will they arrive in this village?" ”

"Well, about 10 minutes before the start of Sunday Mass."

"Sir, how many are there in this army?"

"There were about 15 to 20 people."

"Well, is your brother perfectly capable of dealing with these people?"

"Of course, ma'am. However, there are no longbowmen among my people. ”

Isabel glanced at Ferguson and smiled softly, "Sir, have you forgotten that I am a longbowman with miraculous abilities?" ”

Ferguson nodded and said, "The Sunday Mass at Barnard Fort will be held at 6 o'clock in the morning. That is, the gratuity army will arrive in the village of Westvik around 5:40-50. ”

"Sir, is it possible for this small army to go into the village to rest, to eat, or to make fun of the village girls there?"

"Hahaha... It's entirely possible. ”

"Sir, I think we'd better do it before they enter the village. I think you know how loyal the villagers here are to their lords, especially if we're working in Durham County. ”

"Ma'am, you're quite right. If we do it in the village, these villagers will resist us to the death and protect their lord's army. ”

Just when Isabel thinks all the problems are solved, Ferguson tells her a piece of news that will make it difficult for her to make a choice. After hesitating for a moment, Ferguson said to her, "Ma'am, I have one more bad news. ”

Isabel hurriedly asked the other party nervously: "No, sir, you don't mean to say that this army will not leave for Barnard Fort the day after tomorrow, do you?" ”

"No, what I want to tell you is that the knight who leads this gratuity army is... Lord Darlington's eldest son. ”

At this time, the image of Joseph Swift slowly appeared in front of Isabel's eyes. In the past few days, Joseph not only sent her an enthusiastic letter of courtship every day, but also gave her several silver foxes with beautiful fur as gifts.

After about half a minute of silence, Isabel said to Ferguson, "Sir, whoever leads this army that transports the gratuities, we have to do it. ”

Ferguson looked at her in amazement, nodded again, and said, "It seems that the person you like is still Lord Darlington's eldest son, right?" ”

Isabel simply said, "No, no one in this world can resist the lure of money, and neither can I." Sir, would you and your brother like to get some more money? ”

"Oh...? Ma'am, do you mean to catch them all alive and then demand a ransom from Lord Darlington? ”

"I mean, just leave Joseph alive and the others can be killed."

"Others, including knights, are going to be killed?"

"Yes, there's no doubt about it."