"Put the drawbridge!"

As the soldier turned the wheel, the four-horse-wide drawbridge slowly lowered.

Antler Bay is actually not worthy of the name, it is indeed near the sea, but it is not a harbor at all, the city is built on the cliff wall, two or three hundred meters away from the sea level, connected with the cliff of the small plain, the connecting shaft is the steel suspension bridge that is ten meters long that is gradually put down, from a distance, the Antler Bay is more like a high tower carved on the mountain wall, the city is built on the peak, looking at it as if it is in the shape of antlers, so there is the name of Antler Bay, whether this bay is the name of the person fooling around or the sea level here has not sunk to expose the cliff when it was built, it is unknown.

At the front end of the cliff of the small plain, two tall and mighty knights in full armor were holding two large flags, one of the Raymond family's stubborn stone flag was in front, and the other was a little back with the viper flag spitting letters, the two flags fluttered in the wind, and the knights were followed by about thirty people, it seemed that there were knights and nobles.

When the drawbridge falls, you will be greeted by guests from the Stone Castle.

"I don't like it, I've been here a few times before, and the city always smells of pickles and corpses, and probably only vultures linger in the sky. ”

The young nobleman pinched his handkerchief and waved it like a woman, and the gate of Antler Bay slowly opened, and the light suddenly penetrated so that everyone subconsciously closed their eyes, and when they opened again, the clean street appeared in front of everyone.

Sniff sniff sniff.

Many of the nobles around him shook their noses and said in confusion: "Pickled, corpse, Kratos, you really should cure your rhinitis, we only smell licorice and jasmine, and there is a smell...... Is it cornflowers?ah, it's the smell of that girl, her ass is so warped!"

Kratos pinched his handkerchief and lifted it up slightly to hide his embarrassed expression.

With clean streets and busy vendors, all the residents of Antler Bay are doing their jobs in an orderly manner.

Many people still have bright and happy smiles on their faces.

What the hell is going on with these common people?

Didn't their lord just die?

The carriage slowly stopped, and the gate of the city lord's mansion was close in front of him, and the attendants and butlers stood outside the door one after another, opening the door for the distinguished guests who came from afar.

"Ladies and gentlemen from Stone Castle, please come in. ”

In the center of the gate, a well-dressed young man saluted gracefully, and even the most vicious court ceremonial could not fault anything.

Thirty people walked through the gate in order, and the young people seemed to know them for a long time, calling each one by name, and paying a rigorous respect.

"Master Dunbar. ”

"Lord Hodge. ”

The two of them, each representing one side, shook hands with a smile on their faces, and then parted, looking very harmonious.

It's just that when he released it, Hodge's palm was a little red.

"Your Excellency Soxi, it's been a long time. ”

Hodge familiarly pulled Suo Xi's shoulder, the smile disappeared the moment it was buried, and asked this comrade-in-arms in a low voice: "What's wrong with him? ”

"If it's you, you treat a person as a close friend, but this best friend quietly hacked his boss's territory, and hid it from himself for nearly two years, can you have a good face? That's not a bad mood, his mood is simply terrible!"

Suo Xi winked at him: "But it's okay, I'm sure you can, after all, you are a fierce man who can crack the illusion, and it's not trivial to solve the emotions of my family? ”

Hodge scolded in his heart, you have been a witcher for so long and don't know that your head is a woman, the key is that I know, I can still fight back if she beats me? Not to mention cracking the illusion that is Russ bald head to give himself face, which is really what kind of green onion am I?

Forget it, I have to deal with the current meeting first, and then talk about the shortcomings.

Hodge raised his head and approached the central hall with a lord's posture, beginning the negotiation agreement with Marquis Raymond's side.

"Lord Hodge. Dunbar looked at the black book in his hand with a serious face, "In the past two years, Your Excellency has acted unbelievably offending the nobility as a commoner, which is an unforgivable sin in the eyes of any lord, but the Marquis admires Your Excellency's courage and decision-making, and is not willing to start a war lightly, so he has sent us and other envoys to negotiate peace with Your Excellency." ”

This rhetoric is a matter of course, the medieval social structure is clear, the people and the nobility should not be easily confused, in the eyes of the people of this era, the class is clearly the greatest guarantee to maintain social stability, if the upper and lower classes are messed up, the interests of the nobility will first be impacted, if Hodge himself is a low-level nobleman with some titles, then this is okay to say, but unfortunately he is a commoner, but he has controlled the mayor of Antler Bay (about the Viscount) for nearly two years, this is a big deal.

However, the strength of the rhetoric is still a little worse, after all, now that the empire is falling apart, and everyone is busy conquering the city, who will really have the heart to care about social problems?

But after all, it was a harmonious discussion, and he still had to give the face that should be given, not to mention facing Dunbar, first complimenting the Marquis's generosity and courage, and then cutting into the topic and asking the other party about the conditions.

"Accept the command of the Marquis, and let Antler Bay return to the control of the Lord, including but not limited to: appointing the new city lord, the existing army to accept the reorganization and rectification, opening up new technologies, and regularly paying the city's revenue. ”

"It sounds like a tribute, surrender unconditionally. ”

Hodge smiled brighter than the flowers: "But Lord Dunbar, this should be a condition that only those who have been completely defeated need to accept, why do I only see the strict regulations of Antler Bay and not any benefit? ”

"Shut up, common people!"

Kratos pinched his handkerchief and patted the table and stood up: "Standing in front of you is the heir of the noble Claire family, the right-hand man of the Marquis, and it is already a great honor for you to nod and say yes." ”

"I can't do it, the little master of the aristocratic family. Hodge stood up on the foot of his chair, "It seems that you still don't understand why the Marquis chose to negotiate peace rather than go to war. ”

Knock knock knock!

The ground shook suddenly, and two rows of armored spearmen poured into the main hall like a tide, standing on both sides, and the atmosphere of the main hall suddenly became serious, and Kratos had never seen such a face, and immediately sat back tremblingly.

The two knights beside Dunbar drew their swords from their sheaths, while Sotsey leaned against the pillar, shaking his head indifferently.

"Your Excellency, are you threatening me to wait? Dunbar said leisurely.

"How could it be. Hodge clapped his hands, "These are all the guards I have carefully selected for you, and your safety can be absolutely guaranteed during this time in Antler Bay." ”

Dunbar lowered his head and quietly gave him a look.

You're getting more and more shameless.

each other.

"Ahem. Dunbar coughed lightly, "Of course, Lord Marquis is not stingy with sincerity, if you can accept the conditions, Lord Marquis will personally conduct the investiture ceremony for you, and the position of the viscount is beckoning to you." ”

"The last viscount is lying in a tomb on the edge of the city's cliffs. Hodge shrugged, "Unfortunately, I'm not too interested. ”

"What about privileges. ”

Dunbar smiled, "I heard that Your Excellency has several witches in your hands, Lord Marquis is not a pedantic person, and will not investigate whether they are evil or not, as long as Your Excellency agrees, Antler Bay will have a self-controlled law independent of other cities, and the existence of witches can become open and legitimate, if there are other forces crusading against Antler Bay, Lord Marquis will never stand idly by." ”

Hodge was a little shocked, to be honest, he was a little moved, but he was very puzzled, although he had never met the Marquis of Raymond, but did such a cheerful and broad-minded person still exist in the Middle Ages?

If witches are legalized, at least in Antler Bay, then he will be able to take in more witches, each of whom has unique abilities, and with the help of Borch, he will get quite excellent research results, and the development of strength will inevitably be staggered and stride.

"Although I personally believe in the sincerity of the Marquis. Hodge's face did not change, "But considering the safety of the subordinates who follow me, the proposal of the army is really a bit too ......."

"Negotiable. Dunbar's tone was cold, but listening to it automatically added a layer of tuning effect to Hodge's ears.

If the two sides had already fought once, it would have been reasonable for Raymond's army to be frustrated and make such a loose proposal, but now he has not done anything at all, and in his eyes, the land of Antler Bay should still be the same as the bird he was two years ago, how could he repeatedly give in?

Hodge asked Dunbar with his eyes, only to see the other man quietly tapping his head.

In short, Dunbar can still be trusted.

"Then the new city lord ......"

This is very important, the new city lord must be Raymond's henchman, otherwise this surrender is meaningless, but if he sends that kind of hard-liner with a bad brain, he will inevitably use a way to deal with Andy.

"Before leaving, the Marquis had already decided on a candidate. ”

Dunbar patted the foot of the table and said calmly, "Now he is sitting here." ”

Hodge was stunned for a moment: "You?"

"The third son of the Claire family, according to the inheritance law, even if my brother inherits the title of duke, I am equivalent to a powerful earl, isn't it enough to serve as the lord of Antler Bay. ”

"Nope. Hodge swallowed and complimented, "That's a good fit." ”

Damn, this world must be crazy......