novelhk Chapter 18 Finalizing the Raid Plan
Chapter 18 Finalizing the Raid Plan
"Your family isn't short of money right now, so why don't you help us out?" a tall, thin man chimed in.
Alina stood in the doorway, her left hand bracing against the doorframe: "I told you, this money isn't mine. I'm not lending it."
Her tone was firm, but the two remained relentless.
Alina made to close the door, but then caught a glimpse of Luo Xu in the moonlight, and her eyes lit up: "Luo Xu!"
The two men turned around abruptly and saw Luo Xu standing a few steps away; their expressions immediately changed.
"Then we won't bother you any longer." The woman awkwardly let go of the man's hand and hurriedly left.
Luo Xu looked at the two figures with a questioning expression, then stepped forward and asked, "Sister Alina, what's wrong?"
Alina didn't answer. She rushed forward and grabbed him, asking, "Didn't the herbalist tell you to lie down? Does your injury still hurt? Are you getting used to the food at Lord Galon's house?"
Alina asked several questions in a row, her voice somewhat muffled due to her urgency.
"Sister Alina, I'm much better," Luo Xu replied with a smile. "Look, I can walk now."
"Uncle Luo Xu!" Marcus and Leah suddenly rushed out of the door.
Alina quickly stopped them: "Uncle Luo Xu is injured, don't touch him."
Uncle Tom also came out. He looked at Luo Xu, a cloudy tear rolling down his cheek: "Luo Xu, thank you so much."
His lips moved, but he didn't continue speaking.
The group entered the house.
Alina turned on the light, and the darkness in the room was immediately dispelled.
Luo Xu glanced at the full grain sacks in the corner, then at Marcus and Leah, whose lips glistened with oil under the light.
Alina pulled Luo Xu to sit on the edge of the bed, then pulled a cloth bag out from under the bed.
"Roxu, here's your money. I spent 15 dinars." She took 35 dinars out of her pocket and stuffed them into Roxu's hand along with the cloth bag.
Luo Xu gave a brief reply, without even counting, and asked, "Sister Alina, why did those two people come to borrow money?"
Alina sighed and said slowly, "This morning I took 50 dinars to buy a bag of barley and a piece of cured meat. Someone saw me and probably thought we had a lot of money. People have been coming to borrow money all day."
Luo Xu frowned after hearing this.
This bag of money can't be left with Sister Alina, otherwise it will cause her a lot of trouble.
Luo Xu put away the cloth bag, but still held the 35 dinars in his hand. He then told Luo Xu about buying the sheep.
Alina nodded after listening: "That's a good idea. Wheat is only harvested once a year, and with sheep, we can exchange the wool and meat for money."
"Sister Alina, I need your help." Luo Xu paused for a moment before stating the purpose of his visit: "The militia pays very well, and I want to continue working there. I'll have to trouble you with the sheep situation."
"Consider this my advance payment for your wages." He handed over the 35 dinars.
Including the 15 dinars that Alina spent, the total comes to exactly 50 dinars.
Alina didn't take it. She shook her head and said, "We've never raised sheep before. We're afraid we won't be able to raise them well."
"I've raised sheep before, so just listen to me when the time comes."
"Alright." Alina hesitated for a moment, then accepted the 35 dinars. "But if I don't raise it properly, I won't take any wages."
Seeing that she had agreed, Luo Xu smiled with relief.
He turned to Uncle Tom and said, "Uncle Tom, could you please build a sheep pen as soon as possible? It doesn't need to be fancy, just something to keep out the wind and rain."
"Okay, I'll do it now." Uncle Tom started rummaging through his tools, his steps much faster than usual.
Luo Xu originally wanted to chat with Alina for a while, but Alina insisted that he go back to the Galon family as soon as possible.
"Elina, I'll be going now."
Get some rest.
Luo Xu stepped onto the muddy road, carrying a cloth bag in his hand, which he did not conceal.
Sigh, should I make some furniture...? Never mind, I'll just make do for now.
He walked and pondered.
At this moment, several prying eyes fell on him, and Luo Xu couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth slightly.
They probably won't bother Alina anymore.
He didn't return to the Galon family immediately, but instead went to find Walter.
Walter was squatting on a rock at the entrance of the village, sharpening an iron sword with a whetstone.
Seeing Luo Xu approaching, he looked up and sized him up: "You can walk now?"
"It's ready." Luo Xu sat down next to him and explained the revised raid plan.
"We overcomplicated things; those bandits were just a rabble."
Walter remained silent, hesitating several times before finally saying nothing.
Luo Xu knew what he was worried about.
Although this raid plan is feasible, if it fails, the consequences will be unbearable for the village of Lantas.
Luo Xu understood Walter's feelings and changed his tone: "How about we scout out the location of the bandit camp first, and then decide based on the situation?"
"Okay." Walter finally nodded in agreement. "Then I'll choose two people and we'll leave tomorrow night."
"Captain Walter, I've always had sharp eyes, please choose me first."
Luo Xu, having been enhanced by the Mount & Blade system to be able to walk in the dark, naturally volunteered to help.
"You?" Walter was stunned, clearly not expecting Luo Xu to say that. "No! Your body hasn't fully recovered yet."
"Then I'll stay on the waiting list. If I haven't recovered by then, I definitely won't participate in the operation."
Walter looked at Luo Xu for a while before nodding: "Alright."
"Here's your sword." He handed over the iron sword in his hand. "I've sharpened it for you."
Luo Xu took the sword, scratched his head, and said, "I... I don't know how to use a sword. You should give it to someone else first."
"Come to the village entrance tomorrow during the day, and I'll teach you a few basic sword techniques." Walter patted Luo Xu on the shoulder, but didn't take the sword away.
The two went over the raid plan again, finalizing every detail.
As he was leaving, Luo Xu opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Captain, there's something I've been wanting to ask. Our militia's equipment is terrible; we don't even have bows and arrows, but Mr. Galon's family doesn't seem to be short of money."
"Luo Xu, you are a stranger and do not understand the policies of the Southern Empire." Walter glanced at him and sighed deeply.
"The militia's equipment and salaries were originally paid by the lord's appropriation. In recent years, the harvests have been poor, and the lord's appropriation has been decreasing. Mr. Galon paid for it himself a few times, but found that if he paid for it once, he would pay for it again. So he stopped paying for it."
Luo Xu fell silent, while Walter continued speaking.
"Last year, a group of young men from the village were conscripted to the battlefield. According to regulations, they were required to bring their own equipment, but their families had nothing. In the end, Mr. Galon gave them a few usable cotton armors and wrist guards from the militia's armory. Since then, they have never received any more equipment."
"It's getting late, go back and rest. I'll teach you how to use a sword tomorrow during the day."
When they returned to Galon's house, the lights were still on.
Luo Xu walked on the gravel path in the front yard, his steps much heavier than before.
To be honest, Galon had always been seen as an egoist in his mind, but Walter's words today made him see Galon in a new light.
After handing the sword over to the steward for safekeeping and washing up, Luo Xu went into his room.
He hid the bag and then lay down on the bed.
My body is exhausted, but my mind is still racing.
He raised his hand and looked at his little finger, his eyes gradually becoming unfocused.
Sarah's room.
Sarah lay in bed, looking at her little finger, her pretty face slightly flushed.
"Sarah," Sarah's mother said, pushing open the door. "We need to talk."
"What's wrong?"
Sarah's mother looked at her blushing daughter, her eyes filled with worry: "Have you fallen for Luo Xu?"