Just after 6 a.m. the next morning, Ferguson assigned a mission to Osgooding Walton, who had arrived at Nottingham Castle. This task is to lead a patrol of quasi-lancers on a daily patrol of the dukedom. According to Isabel Walton's knightly apprenticeship relationship with Augustine at this time, she had to follow Sir on his morning patrol.

As Isabel mounted her horse with a light spear with a triangular squire flag, Ferguson Congreve approached Augustine's horse. Glancing at the female knight squire behind Jazz, she said to Augustine, "Sir, you don't need to bring Isabel with you on your morning patrol, I'll teach her today's training." ”

Augustine was about to ask why, when Ferguson squeezed his left eye twice. He understood that his brother had given him a code word. Although he didn't know what it meant, Sir nodded and said, "Okay, brother, you arrange her training." ”

After speaking, he turned his face and said to Isabel behind him: "Madam, you don't have to participate in the morning patrol mission today. Sir Alex Ferguson is here to arrange your training for today. ”

Isabel agreed and glanced at Ferguson, who was standing in front of the horse to Jazz's left, and saw him nod slightly. She knew that there was probably news about the important thing she had asked Ferguson to do.

After Sir Augustin led the patrol, Isabel jumped off her horse and followed Ferguson back to the captain's room. Ferguson sat behind his desk and said to Isabel, "Please be seated, Ms. Isabel." ”

Isabel leaned the spear in her hand against the wall on one side, and said with a smile as she sat down, "Sir, it seems that the people of the guard have also received orders from His Royal Highness the Duke?" Ms. Isabel? I always had a bad feeling about this title. ”

"As a knight loyal to His Highness, of course you have to obey Your Highness's orders. Tell me, what's the bad feeling? ”

"Well, if I were to be a lady of an aristocratic family, I would probably be forced to wear a corset made of planks, whalebone, or even metal bars every morning when I got up, until I was strangled to the point of exhaustion."

"Hahaha...... Did you also wear the ladies leotards that only aristocratic ladies can enjoy, Isabelle? ”

"No, of course not, I hear from my Uncle Sam a lot."

"Okay, now let's get to the serious business. My brothers had unanimously chosen the target for the Mass on Sunday, and the target was Barnard Castle, not far from Penayon Hill, north of the county. ”

Isabel looked at the door on the left and whispered, "Tell me more about it." ”

Ferguson's expression was relaxed, but his tone was serious: "Barnard Castle belongs to the county jurisdiction of County Durham, but it is a small fortress for Viscount Darlington to defend against the Scots' army. Therefore, Viscount Darlington would arrange for some troops to be stationed there all year round. ”

"Military fortresses, naturally there will be troops stationed there. Now, how many troops are there in the castle? ”

"Because it was peacetime, there were only 25 knights, 20 sergeants and 5 longbowmen stationed in the castle for a long time."

"Plus the knights are only 50 people? With so few people, can you hold a castle? ”

"Ma'am, this is just a small fortress, it is much smaller compared to the fortress in the border area."

Isabel nodded, and said, "Sir, are you going to plunder their weapons, horses, and armor?" ”

Ferguson could not contain his ecstasy, and whispered: "Listen, my brother has heard from a peasant who lives nearby that every month before the second Sunday Mass he sees an army enter the castle. What made him even more strange was that the team was always mixed with a pack horse with two boxes hanging from it. ”

"Sir, do you think these two boxes contain money?"

"Quite possibly. You know, England's army is basically mercenaries now. And mercenaries live mainly on gratuities, so those two boxes must have contained pounds. ”

"Sir, I'm guessing this army is probably the one that Viscount Darlington regularly sends to the castle for gratuities."

Ferguson fantasized and said happily, "That's right. As long as we set up an ambush on the way, we can grab this money. ”

Isabel's expression was also relaxed, and she said calmly: "In this way, at least we can capture a military fortress without paying a big price." ”

Then, a question suddenly occurred to her and she said to Ferguson, "Sizz, have your people ever asked how many people are on this honoraria team?" ”

Ferguson stretched out his right hand and slapped it on the head vigorously, scolding: "These bastards, as soon as they hear that there is money to rob, they are excited and don't care about anything." ”

"Sir, are your men sure they can grab this money?"

"Of course you are sure, because my brother and I are both descendants of Vikings, and our god Odin will bless us."

"Odin, the God of the Vikings! Why, sir, do you also want to rebel against the Pope and the Holy See? ”

"Hahaha...... Odin lives forever in our hearts, and God lives in heaven. ”

From this point of view, the raid plan for this Sunday has a 50% chance of success. The rest of the question was a matter of tactics, and Isabel said to Ferguson: "Sir, in order to avoid a family feud between the Earl of Durham and Viscount Darlington and His Royal Highness, I think we should change our clothes and go again." ”

Ferguson laughed and said, "That's right, you said we were going to dress up as Scotsman." ”

"No, if you dress up as a Scotsman, you will send the whole northern region into a panic, and every nobleman will be vigilant and ready for war. This will be a great obstacle to our future actions. ”

Then she added: "At this moment, His Majesty the King is carrying out the Reformation. I think we should make good use of that. ”

"Ma'am, you're saying we should dress up as church people?"

"To be exact, the monks in the monastery confiscated by His Majesty the King. Sir, can you go find some black monk's robes? ”

"That's fine, but what about the rest?"

"It is best to wear armor such as leather armor without the coat of arms of the nobility, and the coat of arms of the Duke of Richmond must not appear on horses and weapons, lest anyone find them."

Ferguson nodded in satisfaction, stood up and said, "Okay, ma'am, let's start sword training now." ”

Isabel stood up and pondered, "Sir, how much time does it take to get from Nottingham Castle to Barnard Castle?" ”

"The distance between the two castles is about 15 miles, and the time spent on the journey can be about an hour."

"Well, the time to go back and forth is an hour. Sir, how much time do you think we can end the fight? ”

"Maybe it won't be too long, it depends on how many people on the other side can make a judgment."

Isabel placed the two knightly swords she was wearing on the table, picked up one of the wooden swords, and said, "Sir, it would be better for your brother to inquire about the situation again, and the question of the route of the gratuity." ”