Colin's carriage was very fast, and before he could doze off, the carriage had already stopped in the square in front of the city lord's mansion. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

After stepping out of the carriage and paying the fare, Colin turned to look up at the magnificent city lord's mansion. The Lord's Mansion of Eton is a blue-grey fortress-like structure that Bartomir built at the time of the city's founding - as a first barrier against Western enemies from entering the city and the capital behind it: the fortress itself is the western gate of the city.

In the early days of the city, Eaton was besieged several times, and when Bartomir ordered all the gates except the west gate to be blown up, he himself led a force of less than 1,000 men to defend the west gate, and confronted the troops of nearly 10,000 people under the city for two months, and ran out of ammunition and food; At last, when the news came that Prince Calvin's troops had successfully beheaded the enemy chieftain in a surprise attack on the battlefield behind enemy lines, the defeated army under the city was defeated, and at that time there were less than fifty soldiers and generals in the city lord's palace, including Bartomir. The lord of Eton, Bartomrock, became famous.

Bartomlock is also a well-known wonder of the Empire, known as the "fortress that never falls". As to why he is such a spectacle, an imperial proverb might be more vivid: "Brave as Bartomrock." "If no one explains it, I believe that anyone who sees the city lord's mansion on the inner side of the city will think that this is the front of Bartomrock, magnificent and flawless. But once inside the fortress, they will find themselves mistaken: visitors will find themselves going around the back of the Audience Hall and being greeted by the Lord's Throne facing out of the city, when the façade of the real Lord's Mansion is actually facing out of the city. Going out from the front door of the City Lord's Mansion, you can get a glimpse of the front of the City Lord's Mansion from a distance: hideous war scars cover the outer walls, and the cracks seem to tell the fierce battles and heroic sacrifices.

Bartomlock is like a great general, and the enemy can inflict scars on his face, but there will never be a trace of his back—the scar on his back is a shame for a warrior. The back of Bartomrock is as smooth as new, because since the day it was built, the enemies of the West have not been able to cross him even half a step.

At the moment, the guards of the City Lord's Mansion didn't seem to be very numerous, but considering the recent turmoil, it was not surprising that the guards were empty.

Colin stepped forward and showed the guards at the gate the registration card of the Traveling Scholar, saying that there was important information to inform the lord of the city.

The guards seemed to believe Colin's words, leaving another companion to guard and trotting in to report. A short time later, the guards returned, allowing Colin to enter the Lord's Palace, and accompanied him to Bartomir.

However, Bartomir was not in the Audience Hall, but in the dungeon. Listening to the soldier who led the way, the inspection team had just captured the murderer of Amigo, the captain of the East Gate Guard, this morning, and the city lord was personally interrogating him in the dungeon.

"In that case, the city gate restrictions should be lifted soon?" Colin asked the guard suddenly.

"That's not a good thing to say. However, the caravan also put a lot of pressure on us, and after listening to the lord's meaning, after this interrogation, regardless of whether he is the real murderer or not, the city gate has to be opened. The guard replied.

After a short time, Colin was led by the guards to the interrogation room of the dungeon, and the guards told Colin to wait here for the city lord's interrogation to be completed, and then turned and left.

Colin found a nearby bench and sat down. As the hours ticked by, and as the screams from the interrogation room grew weaker, Colin guessed that the interrogation was coming to an end.

Sure enough, less than a few minutes later, Bartomir walked out of the interrogation room with a few followers.

"It's a little suspicious, but I think it's him. With him alive, I need to know who instructed him. Bartomir instructed the jailer beside him.

After thinking about it, he said to the captain of the city guard on the side: "Open the city gates, and ask your people to pay compensation to the various caravans as soon as possible, so that they can set off as soon as possible." ”

"Yes. The captain and the jailer replied in unison.

At this time, Bartomir noticed Colin who had been waiting for a long time, and was a little surprised.

"You're Colin, the bard in Old Jimmy's Tavern. It turns out that the traveling scholar that the guard just said is you. "It seems that old Bartomir still has a good memory.

"Yes, I was a traveling scholar before I became a bard. Colin saluted and replied respectfully.

"It's really unseemly, I can't imagine that you look so stupid, and you can still do the work of a calculating person like a traveling scholar. Bartomir smiled evilly and patted Colin on the shoulder, "I heard that you have important information, this is not the place to talk, follow me up." ”

With that, Bartomir led Colin and the rest of the group upward, leaving the jailers to continue to guard the captured prisoners.

The group walked up the stairs and through the hallway to the small room on the side of the audience hall. Bartomir sat down on the bench in the side room, and gestured to the bench across from him for Colin to sit down and speak.

Colin didn't formalize, and sat down steadily, just about to open his mouth, but was interrupted by a "report" from outside the door.

"Come in and say!" Bartomir was also a little surprised, and hurriedly called someone in to speak.

A guard walked in quickly, and reported with some breath: "My lord, old Jimmy in Dongcheng has been murdered, and his body has been found in the cellar!"

"What!" Bartomir and Colin stood up almost at the same time, their eyes wide and in unison.

......

Cambur is really anxious these days, although his goods will not deteriorate, but the buyer of Biel in the contract stipulated in the contract for the delay of liquidated damages is not low, although the city lord locks down this kind of thing is also a force majeure factor, the two sides can discuss the malicious exemption of some, but this kind of damage to their own reputation because of this kind of thing can not be bought back no amount of liquidated damages.

In the afternoon of this day, the city guards sent a sum of compensation, and more importantly, brought the news of the opening of the city gates, and the caravan was boiling, and the men with quick hands and feet quickly loaded the carts and waited for Cambuur's order to prepare to drive and go east. At this time, the female mercenary, whose whereabouts had been a mystery since entering the city, also suddenly appeared in the temporary residence of the Chamber of Commerce, which made Cambuur feel good and immediately ordered to leave.

At the same time, one caravan after another received the news of the opening of the city gate, and rushed to open it, marching towards the city gate in the north, south, and south.

......

Colin, Bartomir, and the sheriffs are in the cellar beneath "Jimmy's Broken Pocket".

Old Jimmy's body hung upside down from the beams of the cellar, his hands tied behind his back, his throat slit, and his blood drained.

"There were no obvious strangulation marks on the wrists and ankles, and there were no signs of struggle at the scene, and there were knock wounds on the head. We speculate that the deceased was probably knocked unconscious by a surprise attack, after which the killer tied up the deceased and killed him by slitting his throat. The coroner said what he thought.

Colin participated in the autopsy throughout the process and came to the same conclusion in his heart.

After the shock, everyone began to discuss the case.

"My lord, it seems that old Jimmy was probably killed. Colin said abruptly to Bartomir.

"Why did you kill him?" wondered Bartomir.

Colin calmed down and presented Bartomir with the results of Jimmy's previous investigation and his own speculations. "I originally went to the City Lord's Mansion to report this incident to you, but now it seems likely that the mastermind behind this large-scale robbery carried out this extermination. Colin added.

After a pause, Colin added, "But old Jimmy's previous doubts are also worth worrying about. ”

"What doubts? Bartomir turned to Colin and continued to ask.

"I'm here for your lordship: I was struck by a dragon plague in Grimar not long ago, but by chance I learned through some traveling scholars that a secret gang was intent on assassinating you and causing a mutiny!"

Hearing the word "assassination", the sheriffs around Bartomir hissed and took a breath of cool air.

Bartomir disagreed, motioning for Colin to continue.

"The final image shows that it was a female Assassin who entered Eton City to assassinate you, and I shared this information with Jimmy Sr. after entering the city. Colin tried to keep his voice in order, trying to finish as quickly as possible without losing his mind, "However, when old Jimmy told me today that someone had hired a large number of thieves, he made a point of emphasizing that this female employer was very similar to the description of the female assassin, and he also suspected that the female assassin was going to hire a group of thieves to carry out the assassination. ”

Speaking of this, Bartomir suddenly sneered: "A bunch of miscellaneous pieces still can't hurt me." However, it is very likely that the employer you are talking about is the main messenger who plotted against Amigo. As for the assassin you mentioned, if she wants to assassinate her, she just let her come, and I really haven't been afraid of anyone in a fight!"

Colin frowned, sighed, and said, "Go find some tavern guys and ask them about the last time they saw Old Jimmy, and maybe find out." ”

Bartomir and everyone present nodded, leaving two soldiers to guard them, and then left the cellar together to investigate the inside of the tavern.