MTL - The Law of the Silent Gentleman-Chapter 18 jail
The bard put the lute at his feet, gathered his robes, and stood up.
"This master, a bard in the lower district, just sells and sings for a living. I don't know where he offended the master?"
"Bard? Huh! I think it's a spy!" The captain snorted, "Today someone saw you sneaking around the mansion of Lord Viscount, you must be looking for information!"
"This must be a misunderstanding." The bard said calmly, "I went to Lord Viscount's mansion just to see Lord Viscount and sing a song for him. I didn't expect Lord Viscount to be ill, so I had to give up. It was definitely not to inquire about information. "
"Who wants to listen to your nonsense! Catch him!"
Two soldiers grabbed the bard's arm, left and right, and cut his hands behind his back. The poet had to arch his back and was escorted out of the tavern by soldiers. He has never been in a hurry, his face is calm, and he does not have the sense of urgency of ordinary people who have been wronged.
This group of soldiers arbitrarily captured a person, which naturally aroused the disgust of everyone present. However, the guests were afraid of the captain's authority and dared not speak out. However, among the crowd, there was one person who took the case and said angrily: "There is no proof, how can you arrest people casually? Is there any law for the king!"
The young Antoine glared, holding the hilt of the sword at his waist with one hand, "Master Viscount is obviously not in the city, who ordered you to do this?"
The captain looked at Antoine coldly, and a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Oh? You know a lot about Lord Viscount!" He took a few steps towards Antoine, narrowing his eyes, "I know you, You have also been to the mansion of the lord today, and you are still looking around... You are the accomplice of the bard!"
Antoine was taken aback, and became even more angry: "What nonsense are you talking about! I don't know him at all! I went to see Lord Viscount to ask for something important, and the Viscount's steward can testify for me!"
"The steward? Ha! The steward reported that there are suspicious people around the mansion!" After finishing speaking, the captain winked to the left and right, and several soldiers slowly dispersed, forming an encirclement formation, encircling Antoine in the center. The surrounding guests retreated knowingly, leaving an open space.
Antoine drew his sword.
Giuliano moved, trying to back off like the other guests, but Enzo grabbed his shoulders and pushed him **** the seat. The assassin stared at the sword in Antoine's hand, as if thinking about something.
The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder, and it only took a spark to set off a huge explosion.
Antoine took a slight step forward. Giuliano was taken aback. He knew that the young swordsman was about to make a move!
Enzo made a lightning strike, picked up the wooden fork on the table, and threw it at Antoine. Like a spear thrown by a god, the fork hit the young swordsman's elbow. An Tuowan let go of his hand in pain, and the long sword fell to the ground with a "dang". Enzo was behind Antoine so that no one except Giuliano saw him in action. The soldiers didn't understand why he surrendered so suddenly, they took the opportunity to rush on Antoine and pin him to the ground.
"Let go! Let me go! You wronged a good man!"
A soldier kicked him in the stomach. Antoine obediently kept his mouth shut.
Giuliano looked at Enzo in amazement. Why did he sneak up on Antoine? No matter how you look at it, these soldiers are unreasonable first. Even if Enzo doesn't help Antoine, he can't hurt him!
"Don't move." Enzo said softly.
After subduing Antoine, the captain turned his anger on the other two who were at the same table with him. "Who are you?" His knife-like eyes wandered over the faces of Enzo and Giuliano, "You are sitting with the boy, are you his accomplice?"
"Misunderstanding." Enzo said in a calm voice, "We don't know him at all."
The captain obviously didn't want to waste time listening to Enzo's justification, and would rather kill a thousand by mistake than let one go. He ordered two of his men to capture Enzo and Giuliano together. Giuliano stared at Enzo, as long as the assassin gave him an order, he would immediately use what he had learned to fight these soldiers. Unexpectedly, Enzo would be captured honestly, and even handed over his weapons! Just now they were still a pair of killers hiding in the crowd, and they became prisoners in the blink of an eye, and they were voluntary! He could hardly believe it! Is this really the Reticent who killed him on the streets of Vanessa?
"Take them away and put them in the dungeon!" the captain ordered.
"go in!"
The jailer gave a rude push. Giuliano staggered into the cell, bumped into Antoine head-on, and the two rolled into the musty straw together. Enzo then came in, but he was much more graceful and calm. When the jailer pushed him, he lightly brushed the jailer's shoulder, pushed him away with four or two jins, and entered the cell by himself, leaving the jailer alone look on in despair.
In the cell, the bard was one step ahead and was waiting for them. He sat cross-legged against the wall, in his spotless white robe, as if this was not a dank, rat-infested cell but a cozy tavern, and if he had been given a violin, he would have been able to perform in no time. Giuliano remembered that the poet's violin had been left in the "Romantic Exile" tavern, and he had no chance to carefully distinguish whether it was the work of Ignacio Antillion.
The jailer locked the door, grinned at them, showing his rotten teeth, and slapped his left hand quickly on the neck, as if mocking their imminent death. Giuliano grabbed the edge of the cell railing and watched the jailer go away. As soon as the limping figure of the first jailer disappeared around a dark corner, he turned and grabbed Enzo by the collar, nearly tearing the assassin's fine clothes.
"What do you mean?" he growled uncontrollably.
The bard watched them both with interest, and Antoine hugged his knees and huddled in the corner, trying to reduce his sense of existence and prevent being accidentally injured by the furious Giuliano. Enzo gestured for Giuliano to be quiet. It's a pity that his apprentice didn't want to listen to his instructions at all.
"What about work? Ah? We can't do anything in prison! Thank you for being calm! Now, not only the weapons have been taken away, but we have also lost our freedom! What do you think?"
Enzo frowned impatiently, grabbed Giuliano's shoulders, and pressed him hard against the railing. Giuliano screamed, and a curse was on his lips. Enzo raised his left index finger and tapped his lips, signaling him to be quiet. Then the assassin opened his mouth and spat out a wire.
Giuliano's eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets.
"You...you...you keep this in your mouth?" Just thinking about the taste of the wire made him gag, "When did you...?"
"Just when you threatened the jailer, 'Don't take our luggage, or I'll make you look good'."
"You can pick the lock?" Giuliano said angrily, "Then what are you waiting for? Get us out quickly! No! Why did you take the trouble to get us in?"
"Giuliano, Giuliano," Enzo called his name helplessly while shaking his head, "You still have a lot to learn."
"Don't be a fool, just say it!"
"Did you notice that jailer's livery?" Giuliano shook his head. Enzo explained: "His livery is different from that of the soldiers. The jailer only has the coat of arms of the Vicomte de Ranchocourt embroidered on it, while the coat of arms of the soldiers has a comet above it."
"What does this mean?"
"I know, I know!" Antoine suddenly took an active part in the conversation between the teacher and the student, "I've seen the same ornamentation! It's in the territory of Baron de Navigne! Do you still remember that I once Did you say that the Vicomte de Ranchocourt sent an army to occupy the baron's land? That army flew the same banner - white lilies on a red background, with a comet on it. It was the same as the Vicomte de Ranchocourt's own home The emblem is different, right?" He looked at Enzo anxiously, like a good student waiting for the teacher's instructions. The bard next to him cast a curious glance at him.
Giuliano is still bewildered. The bard cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. That's when the other three realized they didn't know the jailed poet.
"Are you...?" Antoine asked respectfully.
"Please call me Lexi," said the poet. The four exchanged names, and the atmosphere between them suddenly became like walking on eggshells. The poet didn't take it seriously, as if he had long been used to the situation of being cautious and afraid of saying a wrong sentence.
"As a bard, I am familiar with the coats of arms of various countries and territories, as well as the emblems of various groups and organizations." He said, "The comet decoration belongs to the 'Northern Comet' mercenary group. Other than that, I don't know There are other lords or groups that use comets as emblems."
Giuliano was even more confused. Antoine was obviously just like him, just a giant question mark on his face. "The comet decoration belongs to a certain mercenary regiment, how could it appear on the uniforms of the soldiers in Ponto City?" Giuliano murmured, "Could it be that the group of soldiers were not the guards of the Viscount de Ranchogu, but were killed by The mercenaries hired by the Viscount? I have heard that some mercenaries will add the coat of arms of their employers to themselves to show their affiliation. Mercenary group?"
Antoine patted his thigh: "What if he is really lacking? Occupying the Baron de Navigne's territory and suppressing the rebels will require a lot of manpower. The number of guards in Ponto City may not be enough, so he would rather spend money to hire a guard." An army came to work for him."
"If the 'Northern Comet' mercenary regiment has been sent out, then who are the soldiers who captured us?" Giuliano asked Antoine, "I don't believe that Viscount de Ranchogu will allow a group of foreign mercenaries to take over as the manager The security of the city. He himself is not without guards."
Neither of them accepted the other, so they both turned to Enzo. They had met Antoine not long ago, but the young swordsman had already regarded Enzo as a trustworthy elder invisibly.
"Perhaps there are not enough guards in Ponto City." Enzo smiled half-smile, "Didn't Antoine say that before? A few months ago, the lord and a group of subordinates left the city and have not returned yet. According to my guess, Most of the guards in the city were taken away by the lord at that time, only some old, weak, sick and disabled remained, such as the lame jailer just now. After the guards left, the 'Northern Comet' mercenary group took over the defense of Ponto City and was responsible for picketing Law and order, and it is especially taboo for others to inquire about the whereabouts of the lord, and no one who is 'suspicious' will be spared, and even related people—such as the two of us—will suffer accordingly.”
Enzo laughed lowly, and the laughter lingered in the dark cell, forming a creepy echo, "The Viscount de Ranchocourt must be hiding a big secret."
Giuliano shuddered: "What secret?" He winked at Enzo, meaning: Is it related to our mission?
"Antoine, you have been to the Baron de Navigne, tell me, is there rich land or rich products?"
Antoine raised his head and thought for a while. "It seems to be nothing special. It's about the same as my hometown. Not only is it not rich, it can even be considered 'poor'."
"Since that is the case, why did Viscount de Ranchocourt spend a lot of money to hire the 'Northern Comet'? Could it be to occupy a poor border territory? I am afraid that ten years of tax revenue there will not be worth the commission of the Corps."
"That... what you said makes sense..." Antoine scratched his head, "but the fact is that the viscount really covets that territory. Could it be that he is plotting something other than the land itself?"
The smile on Enzo's face was even stronger. When the students performed outstandingly, he would show such an expression of approval. Giuliano stared at Antoine, suddenly a nameless anger rose in his heart. Enzo used to only smile at him like this. Where did this poor boy come from, and why did he take away the reward that only belonged to him. After a while, the anger was extinguished. Giuliano was a little sad again. Antoine thought of something he hadn't thought of. His thinking is not as fast as this young swordsman. Antoine was about the same age as him, and he dared to go out alone, but he still had to rely on Enzo... Did he let Enzo down?
The assassin didn't ignore Giuliano's lost expression. He touched the young apprentice's hand meaningfully, and continued to Antoine: "Is there any ruins of forts or fortresses on the hill near your hometown-that is, the one occupied by robbers? A watchtower or something?"
Antoine was dumbfounded, his eyes filled with admiration: "Yes, yes! How do you know! Have you ever been there?"
"I haven't been there, I'm just speculating." Enzo said, "I guess what the Viscount really wants to seize is the mountain, to be precise, what's hidden in the mountain. And the bandits who suddenly occupied the mountain recently..."
He raised the corner of his mouth, "It must be the Viscount de Ranchocourt himself and his subordinates pretending."
