The morning sun is reflected on the Unun River, and the fishing boats sway in the sparkling waves with the early spring wind. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

The weather was getting warmer, and from time to time there were rejuvenating pigeons and pulsatillas strolling along the stone bridges, and the little things were staring at the black balls of bread in search of some loose bread.

A jet-black stallion stepped over the gate of Niphelsi, and on it sat an old knight in a chain of silver armor, with bright brown eyes sunken into his eye sockets, a tall hooked nose, a disheveled beard that had turned gray, and a walnut-sheathed saber at his side wagged lazily like the tail of a scalper.

He and the cheerful stallion turned a corner, stopped at a post house with a stone chair and wheat incense, and after a brief look around, he dismounted and sat down on the stone chair, and called out to the little servant of the inn, asking for two cups of freshly brewed glutinous rice wine, and a few slices of cottage cheese and pure wheat bread.

After a while, the servant put breakfast on the table. The old knight picked up his glass, looked at the three-story wood-colored adobe house across the street, and after taking a sip of the sweet glutinous rice wine, he seemed to feel that the sunlight in front of him was blocked by something.

"Don't come unharmed, old fellow!"

A voice appeared in my ears. The old knight squinted slightly, and caught a glimpse of a face that seemed familiar, but somewhat unfamiliar, through the gap. He put down his glass, shielded his hand from the glare of the sun, and confirmed that the man was his employer.

The old knight hurriedly stood up and invited the young man to sit down. "Oh, how did you cut your hair?" he exclaimed, in a flattering tone, "that is the most beautiful hair I have ever seen! more beautiful than the hair of the queen of Assyria!"

Alan pursed his lips and smiled brightly, and sat down on the stone bench across the table. "Last week, oh no, last week. He cocked up a finger, "There's an annoying witch who has taken a fancy to my long hair, I guess she may have a penchant for collecting men's hair.....," he shook the cocked finger, "Damn, we should talk about something else now, and I'll have a pestering guy looking for something later." ”

"Oh, yes, now that you are Chancellor of the Exchequer in Nippur, there are a lot of annoying problems to be solved. The old knight handed over the glutinous rice wine on the table, "Lord Allen, what do you think about my offer to hire the knights?"

Alan took the glass and took a sip. "To be honest, it was a bit unexpected. He wrapped the sweet glutinous rice wine in his tongue and said indistinctly, "The price you offer is three times higher than the salary of the soldiers of the Alliance Army and twice the price of the mercenaries on the market, right?"

"Oh! I'm sorry!" said the old knight, "I don't know about the salaries of the Union soldiers, but you can't generalize, after all, the weapons and armor of the Union soldiers and the baggage of the horses are all provided by the lord, and the armaments of our mercenaries are all self-purchased, and besides, there are new recruits in the Alliance Army, and they have to train for at least two or three months, or even half a year, or more, and we don't have soft-footed shrimp in our mercenaries." ”

"Yes, but we don't equip every soldier with such equipment. Alan pointed to the walnut scabbard on the old knight's waist and smiled, "I don't deny that mercenaries are all skilled in swordsmanship, but they can't be three times higher than the salary of ordinary soldiers, this is unreasonable, there is no such price in the world, what do you say?"

"You need an explanation from Lord Kenny, I understand. The old knight nodded, "But ....."

"Are you interested in joining the Confederate Army?" Alan asked, holding his glass and looking at the bustling pedestrians, "I mean, you can take that group of mercenary knights to join the Confederate Army, although you may not be defeated in terms of salary, but at least it is a comfortable home, the political situation in Nipur has gradually stabilized, although you are in the suburbs, you must have heard of Kenny's reputation, he is a lord worth following, really, you can consider it." ”

"Lord Kenny has made a name for himself lately!Rumors about him have been everywhere along the way!" the old knight put down his glass and scratched his neck, "but we're used to being free, and those red rules aren't for mercenaries, so I guess we'd better talk about commissions, Lord Allen." ”

"Really?" Alan put his glass on the table and turned his head to look at the gray-haired old knight, "five gold coins per person per year." He grinned, "That's a lot more than Gilmore gave you." ”

"But Jill Mo took care of our room and board. "Not only that, but he occasionally pays for our drinks and prostitution, which is a lot of money, you say?"

"Really?" Alan asked him in a slightly mocking tone, "but did you get the commission?" he scratched his nose, "Gilmore is a miser who paints bread for you, and unlike him, you actually get those five gold coins every year, as Lord Kenny's reputation and Namu God testify. ”

"I trust you, but room and board are also a big problem, Lord Allen. The old knight said embarrassedly, "I guess you don't want to see us loot the village and occupy the houses, do you?"

"Are you threatening me?" Alan's tone suddenly became cold.

"By no means!" the old knight leaned back in his chair, his face full of grievances, "but five gold coins is indeed too little, and we are doing the work of losing our heads." ”

"Maga Perrault, V—"

"Maga da Perovid, Your Excellency. The old knight corrected, and interrupted.

"Damn, you've got a long name!" Alan grumbled dissatisfied, holding his glass, "Anyway, five gold coins is the highest price we can give, and on that basis, Lord Kenny has promised that if any of you die in the war, you will receive a pension of thirty gold coins, which is not a small amount." ”

"I think, I told you, most of us don't have families, and pensions are a big deal for us. The old knight flicked his fingers, "I beg you, add a little more to the five gold coins, and I will help you cut off Gilmer's head, you have seen our combat ability!"

Eren was silent for a moment.

"If that's the case..... he opened his mouth after thinking, "I can't give you an answer just yet, and I'll need to discuss this matter with Kenny." He drank the sweet glutinous rice wine, then put the empty cup back on the table, "In a week, come back to this place and wait for me." He stood up, "Oh yes, thank you for the glutinous rice wine, it tastes good!"

Maga nodded, then watched as Alan mounted a black-haired warhorse, and when the figure disappeared at the end of the main street, he lowered his head and looked at the empty wine glasses on the table, and the cheese bread that had cooled, looking depressed.

"Old knight, you don't seem to be very happy. ”

A voice appeared behind him.

"If you don't want to lose your head, you'd better stay away. Maga picked up a slice of cold bread and muttered without looking back.

"A knight with a good swordsmanship should not swallow such food, this inn has roast sheep's trotters and squirrel meat, I think you should try that. ”

"You're deaf?!" Maga jerked back.

"Don't be angry, honorable old knight. The man standing behind Maga said with a smile on his face, "I mean, you had a better choice. For example, a commission of seven gold coins per person per year ....." (to be continued.) )