"The prairie is flat and vast, and it is magnificent, with no hills, few trees, no roads, and it is easy to see no trace of the Holy City, but an endless grassland, where the monsoon blows, and the blades of grass swing like endless waves. Therefore, the prairie is also known as Wharton Prairie, or Wharton Grass Sea. ”

Lilia blinked her eyes and asked curiously, "Why is it called Wharton Prairie?"

"Because of the Wharton. Lord Abel smiled and explained, "Madam, the Wharton River is a shallow river that runs through the prairie, she is the river of life of the prairie, and the Twelve Holy Cities are distributed on both sides of the Wharton River. The steppe people called it the Kalisan River, which means the mother river. ”

"No one knows how big the Wharton Prairie really is, and no one knows for sure where the source of the Wharton River is. The Prairie people say that the Wharton River originates from the Ghost Forest, the westernmost part of the prairie, behind which there is a towering mountain range. Scholars believe that the mountain range was part of the Warren Mountains in the northwest corner of the kingdom of Dodo. Hence the name of the Wharton River. Lord Abel took a sip of his coffee and continued: "The Wharton is both wide and shallow, and the narrowest channel is more than ten meters, and the deepest place is less than one meter. It is rugged and has many branches, and forms a large meadow wetland. It is rich in water and grass, and is inhabited by countless antelopes, wild horses, wild asses, steppe rhinos, and short-horned bison. Of course, there are also fierce beasts such as brown bears, wolves, and moonbladed leopards, and it is said that some people have seen the terrifying saber-toothed beasts. Personally, I think the rumors are true...... There are so many animals in the savannah that there will be no less than 10 million bison alone. ”

"I had the pleasure of seeing a herd of bison migrating...... I don't know how to describe that spectacle. I don't think even a knight can survive the hooves of a million running bulls. Lord Abel shook his head approvingly and continued, "However, the greatest threat to humanity are the gnolls and ogres of the grasslands. Especially those gnolls, who are agile and sensitive, domesticate steppe gray wolves as helpers, and can smell humans from afar. If the caravan is targeted by these brutes, then be careful, and if necessary, release the red-eyed crows and ask for help from the Holy City. ”

"Asking for help from the Holy City?" Victor grasped the key point and asked with great interest, "Teacher Abel, please tell us more about the situation in the Holy City." How did they keep the caravan safe, what forces were in the city, and how did they work?"

Lord Abel said respectfully, "My lord, the 12 holy cities of the Wharton Grassland control an area of nearly 500,000 square kilometers, and human beings mainly operate in this area, and all other areas are wilderness. He paused, and then said, "My lord, our Stag Chamber of Commerce has only been to the Holy Helmet City, the Holy Feather City, and the Holy Armor City, and I don't know much about the situation in the other Holy Cities, but they are all the same, so I will introduce you to the largest Holy Armor City." ”

Victor stirred the silver spoon in the coffee cup and said with his jaw: "Then let's talk about Saint Armor City." ”

"The city of Holy Armor is located on the south bank of the Wharton River, just a 17-day drive from the Whitewater Fortress of the Kingdom of Dord. It covers an area of about 22 square kilometres, with no castle, no moat, only moats and a 24-metre-high stone wall, the lower part of which is smooth limestone, and the upper part is made of gravel and mortar. At present, this steppe city is owned by the Duke of Bern of the Sarsan Empire, and the affairs of the town are under the jurisdiction of the priestess of the Church, Dura, who has 1,000 paladins and 23 priests under her command, and 800 Sarsanian cavalry led by the Grand Knight of Puthri of the Bernir family are stationed in the city, who are only responsible for defending the city and territory, and are not involved in the specific management. ”

Victor frowned and asked, "How can such a small number of troops and such a low wall withstand the raid of the Duoduo?" Could it be that the steppes are helping the Sassanian army to defend itself against the Dordor?"

Abel shook his head and said, "The steppe people are the same as the church, they don't interfere in the wars of outsiders. As for why Duoduo didn't attack Holy Armor City, I don't know, but it is estimated that there are other reasons. As a neutral caravan, we don't care and don't inquire about these things. ”

Victor nodded, and raised his hand to signal Able to continue the introduction.

"In normal times, the Holy Warriors and the Sasan Cavalry carry 10 days of dry food and go out to patrol and eliminate the monsters around the Holy Helmet City. Grassland herders generally do not live in the city, they drive their livestock to live in search of water and grass. When the season of water came, the herdsmen returned to the holy city, set up tents outside the city, slaughtered cattle and sheep, sold hides, horns, horses, and animals, and bought food and armaments. After the rain and snow, the herders will leave the holy city again. ”

"Caravans can buy grain and linen from the Sassan Empire, cattle and mutton from herdsmen, high-quality leather, woolen fabrics, all kinds of herbs, and horses and livestock in the Holy Armor City. Most of the small caravans tend to stop at the Holy Armor City, but our large caravans will continue to move north, and after more than 20 days' journey, we can enter the Sassang Empire. However, we have to pay a bridge fee of 1 gold sol per person to the Holy City, and the priest of the Holy City will also give us three red-eyed letter crows so that we can ask the Holy City for help in case of misfortune. Speaking of this, Abel smiled bitterly: "The bridge crossing fee paid by our buck merchant group is as little as 7 or 8 hundred, and as much as 1,000. Because, we have to hire hundreds of mercenary guards. ”

Victor asked, "Why hire so many people, and are the gnolls rampant in the steppe?"

"The gnolls are only one aspect, mainly to guard against the grassland herders. ”

Lilia was surprised, "How is this possible?" Old Hamm is a steppe herdsman, and he said that the son of the steppe is brave and hospitable, and the daughter of the steppe is beautiful and affectionate. The steppe people are all devout followers of the Lord of Light, and they will not harm the travelers, but will help the victims. She turned to Victor and said, "Old Hamm never lies!"

"Beautiful lady, your men are really not lying. The grassland people, both men and women, have superb riding skills, archery skills like gods, and are fierce and brave. They have two horses, eagles and dogs, can shoot steppe marmots 200 meters away with a recurve bow on horseback, dare to fight brown bears hand-to-hand with scimitars, and small groups of jackal bandits do not dare to confront steppe warriors at all. Abel said with a strange face: "The herdsmen do not harm the travelers, but their enthusiasm is unbearable......

"When the herdsmen meet small caravans or travelers, they will be warmly entertained. Don't get the guests drunk, they don't give up, and then ...... They let their beautiful and amorous wives or daughters accompany their guests. ”

Lilia's face was slightly red, and Victor asked playfully, "What about the guests after they wake up?" Abel shook his head and smiled, "Then don't go, be a herdsman with peace of mind!" If you force yourself to leave...... Victor put down the silver spoon and said: "The wine has been drunk, the meat has been eaten, the women have slept, and if you want to leave, it will be an insult to the steppe people, and it will be in the wild...... Hehe, even the people and the goods are left behind. ”

"Aren't the warriors of the herdsmen knights......? So arrogant?" Lilia said with a blushing face.

Abel smiled contemptuously: "Warriors can also be considered nobles, they have long lost their family names and the glory of knights, they have mixed blood, and the strongest warriors also rely on the refining potions provided by the Sasang Empire to be promoted to trainee knights." The behavior of the herdsmen's warriors is no different from that of ordinary herdsmen, and some of them are not even the leaders of the herdsmen. ”

The Church and the Lord of Sassan ruled the Holy Armor City, which was a sanctuary, a supply depot, a trading port, a military stronghold, and a church for the followers of the steppe people. Despite the great influence of the clergy on the steppe herders, the herders were still semi-savage. The steppe people lived nomadically and had no fixed residence, and although they had faith, they could not pray in churches from time to time, nor did they need to worship their lords, who could only obtain supplies from the herdsmen through trade. So, the three do not build a stable relationship of protection, redemption, and devotion. The steppe herders are similar to the mountain people, except that the herders are stronger and more united, and they have even formed their own culture and traditions, which can be called the Whartons.

In order to curb the spread of orc power, those in power must tolerate the semi-independence of the Whartons. For nomads, population resources are extremely important, and the spirit of hospitality and mutual assistance is the root of their unity and prosperity among their compatriots. This is exactly the same as the habit of the mountain people to accept the victims.

Imagine a small herdsman tribe attacked by jackals, the tribe members scattered and fled, they lost their cattle and sheep for their livelihood, and were either starved to death or eaten by wild beasts in the vast savannah, if other herdsmen tribes did not lend a hand, then the overall strength of the Whartons would continue to weaken, and it was inevitable that they would die out in the cruel competition for survival. No Wharton herder wants to end up in the same miserable situation, and when all people need it, the custom of keeping wives and guests becomes a matter of course.

Then again, without the threat of the Gnoll Clan, the Whartons will become like the Huns on Earth, relying on war to plunder population and wealth.

In fact, Lilia doesn't care at all whether the steppe people are enthusiastic or arrogant, this custom has become an obstacle for the free folk caravan to go north, then it can't work! Lord Abel also had a sneer on his face, it seems that the large merchant group will trade with the enthusiastic Wharton people even if they will not be annexed, and the 20% of the jaggery sugar is sold to the herdsmen in this way, as for the herdsmen to ensure the peace of the trade route, he will never consider it.

The ass decides that the head is nothing more than that. Victor thought it was funny, but he had to admit that it was impossible for a small smuggling caravan to cross the Wharton Prairie.

Abel picked up his cup, took a sip of fragrant and bitter coffee, and continued: "The caravan rested for a while in Horseshoe Town on the border of the Sassan Empire, and then walked north for four days to reach the Bronze Halberd City, the main city of the Diocletian family, and the end point of the caravan. There we deliver the goods, fill the wagons with barley and linen, and return along the road. ”

Lilia asked curiously, "Is the city of the Sarsanians like a village of savages?"

"Uh...... Madame, although the barbaric reputation of the Sassanians has been circulating in the Three Kingdoms, I assure you that this is not true. Abel paused and said, "Halberd City is the most prosperous city I have ever seen, it is densely populated, trade-oriented, orderly, and the streets are clean...... Of course, its environment and order can't be compared to the Yorkist family's Jinshui City, let alone Pinghu Town, but its size is four times that of Jinshui City, with a population of nearly 300,000......" Victor interjected and asked: "How many people does the Sassanian Empire have? How many troops? What are the specialties? Which goods are in short supply? What are the internal forces of the empire?"

Abel said embarrassedly: "My lord, I don't know much about the Sasangian Empire...... Our Stag Merchant Group has only been to Bronze Halberd City. The Wimbledon family of the Sassan Empire has a chamber of commerce in Bronze Halberd City, and we just need to trade with them. We don't need to go far unless we're going to the Barbarian Bazaar hosted by the Duchy of Teuton, and that's the mission of the Sabertooth Tiger Merchants, who are Sophia's henchmen......"

"Say you know. Victor waved his hand disappreciatively.