Chapter 266 - The Panic of the Merchants
Chapter 266: The Panic of the Merchants
Kant led his team and rode closer.
The horseshoes struck the sand with a dull sound. It was like the muffled thunder of winter. The group of people from the trade caravan kept retreating. Even the guards of the trade caravan, who were holding their weapons, subconsciously lowered their weapons.
Facing over a hundred heavy cavalry soldiers with horses and heavy armors, no one dared to provoke them.
Not to mention that they were right in front of them.
120 Sarrandian horsemen and 240 desert bandits were not to be trifled with!
The heads of the merchants who had led the trouble were drenched in cold sweat. They looked at each other, wanting the others to go up and explain to Kant. However, there was more fear in their eyes and an uncontrollable panic on their faces.
No one would have thought that the plan that could have been discussed and negotiated would suddenly change.
As a lord.
Kant, who had the identity of a baron, showed up.
He also brought 103 heavy cavalry soldiers who were fully armored.
He broke the balance between the two sides that still contend against each other. This caused the merchants who had ulterior motives to ally together not only become the weaker party, but also began to have the possibility of splitting up.
The principle of self-preservation was quite common in the circle of merchants.
But Kant did not care at all.
He indeed had the advantage, so he could ignore these merchants who were covered in cold sweat and even gave them a flattering smile.
Riding his horse in front, he came to Rolf’s side and asked with a frown, “What’s going on? This is my estate. You are my cavalry. Why are you confronting these merchants of unknown origin?”
Before Kant could finish his words, cold sweat broke out on the heads of those merchants.
Unknown origin.
This word had already proved Kant’s meaning.
The hearts of all the merchants jumped. They knew that if they did not explain clearly today, they would probably have to stay here.
Staying here was not a good idea.
Perhaps it also meant that they would die here!
“They have been in collusion since yesterday. It seems that they have a problem with the decree you issued.”
Rolf glanced at the terrified merchants.
A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, but it was a ferocious smile. “Then, I recalled all the cavalries and found that these merchants have also joined forces and want to have a showdown with me.”
“Oh? Interesting.”, Kant chuckled and turned his head to look at the merchants. “A showdown? What showdown?”
The merchants subconsciously took half a step back.
Many of the merchants at the back, who were originally speculators, had their eyes wandering.
It was obvious that they were not on the same page. In the face of the current situation, they realized that the danger factor had increased. They began to retreat continuously. They even urged their close companions to immediately run to the edge and surrender if Kant made any move. Then, they would just have to identify the person who organized the riot at the front!
The merchants were not stupid. They had sharp brains. Otherwise, they would not have been able to muddle along like a fish in water in this feudal era where the business environment was harsh. They even had their own trade caravan.
Even if they were actually acting as agents, there were nobles behind them and controlling them.
However, that did not mean that they had no brains.
Even the three merchants at the front who had instigated all the merchants to unite and confront Rolf had become estranged from each other. They didn’t want to escape or resist. Instead, they wanted to push the other two out so that they could survive.
It was enough for them to die.
“The reason for the showdown is, of course, that they want to enter the deeper part of the Nahrin Desert.”
Rolf spoke with a calm tone, “Or rather, they want to defy your order and go deeper into the desert to search for something. After all, before this, I have always been on the defensive, forbidding anyone from entering the depths of the desert.”
“Oh, interesting, really interesting.”, Kant nodded. There was not a hint of emotion on his face.
But the cold sweat on the faces of the merchants grew more and more.
Because they saw that right behind Kant, the Swadian knights, Sarrandian horsemen, and the desert bandits all drew their scimitars from their waists, raised their lance, and stared at them viciously, just like a fierce wolf discovering a fat lamb!
Although there were many merchants, adding up to more than 500 people, it was completely useless.
Most of them were ordinary merchants and servants.
Only a small number of them were trade caravan guards.
But even if they were trade caravan guards, to be honest, they only knew how to ride horses and simply fight with knives and axes.
If they were to fight against the regular army, especially the elite heavy cavalry led by Kant, it would be as laughable as hitting a rock with an egg. That scene was too funny to imagine!
When they had gathered earlier, they still had some confidence.
Rolf and the 120 Sarrandian horsemen were indeed part of the regular army. It was terrifying.
The desert bandits were also unruly. They looked like bandits, but their equipment was slightly inferior.
The source of the merchants’ confidence was the noble behind them.
They were sure that as long as they charged through this posthouse and gathered together, they could use the power of the noble behind everyone to pressure that young and immature Baron Kant, who probably did not understand what a political struggle was. Then they would successfully break through the posthouse, they went to the Oasis Lookout and even found the specific location of the salt mine.
But now they realized that they were wrong. The young and immature Baron Kant was just like an old noble who maintained his prestige and did not speak to them, but that imposing manner made their hearts tremble.
This was the calmness that only a true noble had.
After staying with the noble for a long time, they could understand more clearly the unmerciful hidden under this calmness.
The difference was whether Kant’s hands were willing to be stained with blood or not!
Kant did not have any objection to having his hands stained with blood.
Or rather, he did not care about it.
He just raised his head and looked at these merchants calmly. He said indifferently, “Can anyone give me an explanation?”
“Uh…”
Instead, the response was the blank gazes of these merchants.
Including the three instigators in front, they all had blank eyes, as if they were little white sheep who did not know anything.
“Hehe, it seems like you don’t want to give an explanation?”
Kant chuckled.
However, his smile immediately disappeared, and he said to Rolf in a deep voice, “Then let them know the consequences of daring to violate my laws in my estate!”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh
The sound of swords being unsheathed could be heard continuously.
The already nervous guards of the trade caravan all drew their weapons.
However, the experienced merchants and guards of the trade caravan at the front looked even more embarrassed.
This was because Kant had yet to say what the consequences would be. This group of rookies had stupidly pulled out their weapons. This was basically giving Kant something to use against them and make themselves looked like they were against a noble!
Ordinary people who loved “peace” would not aim their weapons at the noble.
Even a down-and-out noble baron.
In the court of the nobles of the Dukedom of Leo, it was still an existence that commoners like them could not offend a noble!
Because this was the dignity of the noble class!
“Heh.”, Kant saw the uncertain faces of the trade caravan’s guards, as well as the panic in their eyes. How could he not notice that the other party was extremely scared?
There were also the rookies of the trade caravan’s guards at the back. They were so nervous that they were covered in sweat. They could not even hold their short swords or scimitars firmly. It was estimated that once Kant’s cavalries charged, this group of trade caravan’s guards would be instantly killed until they broke down and fled, they did not pose any threat at all!
Even so, the Sarrandian horsemen still raised their spears at these merchants. The desert bandits all raised their scimitars, allowing the dusk light to reflect the awe-inspiring sword light.
Even the Swadian knights stared at the group of guards and raised the lance in their hands.
They were all prepared to charge forward.
In a short distance of less than 10 meters, they could still launch the initial charge.
When the sharp lance pierced through the enemies in the front row, the enemies in the back row would flee. In the end, they would completely annihilate the enemy’s troops in the pursuit, allowing the desert bandits to pass through the enemy’s fleeing troops, using the scimitars to chop down the pitiful creatures that had lost their will to resist, the bandits were quite skilled at this.
They were only waiting for Kant’s order to charge!
But the merchants felt that something was wrong.
They panted heavily, looking at the cavalries’ gazes at them in panic, becoming more and more malevolent.
Just like those real bandits.
“No… Baron Kant…”
Finally, the merchants in the front row waved their hands and shouted in fear, “This is a misunderstanding! This is a misunderstanding! We… we didn’t want to riot, we didn’t want to go to the depths of the desert! This is a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”
“That’s right! This is a misunderstanding! Baron Kant! Baron Kant! This is a misunderstanding!”
“Spare us! Lord Kant! We didn’t dare to go to the depths of the desert! It was the three people in the front who gathered us! We didn’t want to cause trouble! We didn’t want to show our cards!”
“It was the three merchants at the front! That’s right! They instigated us!”
“You damned fellows, the three of us were obviously coerced by you and pushed to the front!”
“Don’t spout nonsense. Lord Kant can prove our innocence here. How could the three of us dare to touch Baron Kant’s authority? It was you who coerced us. That’s right, you coerced us!”
The merchants shouted in panic.
Everyone was scrambling to point at others, saying that they were the bad guys with ulterior motives.
The scene was chaotic.
However, Kant’s expression was calm. He only looked at them coldly. He turned to Rolf and said, “I’m very disappointed that you didn’t manage to clean up these guys.”
“No, Lord Kant, you misunderstood.”
Rolf Shrugged. “I want to wait for them to finish gathering before I kill them all.”. As he said that, he revealed a sinister smile. “Killing them in one go can solve a lot of problems. It can also get rid of those merchants in the later stages so that they don’t dare to come over. However, since Lord Kant has appeared, I’ve chosen to wait.”
“Oh.”, Kant turned his head and looked at the cavalries who were already prepared to charge. He nodded and said, “That’s right. It seems that I’ve really disturbed you this time.”
“No, Lord Kant. They are just a bunch of mobs.”
Rolf swept his gaze over the merchants who were quarrelling and criticizing each other. He laughed sinisterly and said, “Just this group of happy people is not enough to become my enemies. Even the weakest trade caravan in Caradia can at least resist a little.”