In the quiet winter, come to Engau in the Hesse Mountains, at the foot of the Taunus Mountains.

Relying on the support of the two last loyal knights and a batch of food from the Normans, the dignified Earl of Ingol hibernated quietly in the remote manor below the mountain like a hibernating bear.

Only two knights are willing to continue their allegiance to this lord. For their own benefit, the other vassals have pledged allegiance to the more powerful Duke of Bavaria, King Ludwig of East Francia, and summoned their retinues to join the army of the King of the East. , in order to reap greater benefits in the new year's war.

The old aristocrat who used to be all-powerful, now he can only lick his face and go to the barbarian to get some food.

The family can no longer live in fine clothes and fine food. Those servants and a few attendants who never give up are touching. For those people, what the old nobleman can give is the same food as himself.

On such a painful day, some servants died quietly on a certain snowy night. The helpless people endured the wind and snow and buried the dead under the mountain.

The gloomy sky accompanied the bleak scene, and the accidental death of a horse directly broke the old nobleman's defenses.

Robert didn't cry, it's just that there was no sunshine these days, everyone hid in the barely warm house and suffered, and the situation of relying on oatmeal to survive the day also had to consider saving firewood expenses.

Wearing a coarse robe and a furry hat covering the entire head, there is a brazier on the floor of the house, where the dignified earl's family warms up.

The premise of Robert's release by Ludwig was that he handed over a ransom, and a batch of gold and silver utensils in the family were exchanged for ransom. In this way, Ludwig used the donkey under the **** to publicize the "voluntary release". He took this batch of precious metals and slightly eased his military expenditure.

As a price, almost all military strength was lost, the family's century-old wealth was greatly lost, and even the old manor was sold.

Living in seclusion under the Taunus Mountain is not a long-term solution, because the balance has been exhausted, and if you continue to stay here, you may live worse than a slave in the future.

"Nantes, Tours. What can your brother give us? Can it be a fiefdom?" He stared blankly at the flames as he was roasting, and threw some wood into it.

His wife had also had enough of such a miserable life, leaned against her husband, and denounced Ludwig's domineering and arrogant.

Adelaide, daughter of the old Earl of Tours. Although remarrying Robert next to him was an expedient measure back then, now she looks at her desolate husband and her son who suffers. Her heart was bleeding.

"Ludwig was unfair to us, Lothair was just as brutal. Perhaps, Charlie could."

"Charlie..." Robert sighed, "Your brother came here Charlie because my father-in-law opposed Lothair. Your family lost Alsace, and I went to Tours... your brother."

"At least for the sake of me being her sister, we must be given a piece of territory to live on. Besides, didn't the Norman in Nassau say that he will give us enough money in spring."

"Do you really believe them?" Robert couldn't help but look at his wife's haggard face.

"Otherwise? Staying here is more painful than killing me."

Thinking of an unpredictable future, Robert crossed his chest: "Be patient. We will go to Nassau with our family in the spring, and we will wait there. Those Normans have converted to God, and they should keep their promises. "

Because including the servants and the last retinue soldiers, the surplus food in the hands of the whole family is only enough to last until spring.

These people don't know how to farm at all, and they never want to open up wasteland under the mountains. They lack the ability to rely on themselves, so they are down-and-out nobles.

Engaged in agricultural production to save themselves, this kind of thing must be laughed out loud by other nobles.

Especially his wife Adelaide, as a peasant woman, she might as well go to a monastery to become a monk. Because, my sister is the queen of King Lothar! I have the same status as myself, but it's a big deal, I went to Burgundy to join my ex-husband's family, and to join my son who was born before.

Although this kind of thing, the current husband Robert is more reluctant.

Where is the sisterhood now? At least his brother-in-law Lothair is going to rule his family to death. It seems that his brother-in-law is more vicious than the Norman pirates. Even those Normans would

Saxon nobles who were dissatisfied and rebellious had a good time drinking and talking.

Spring came earlier in the Hessen Mountains. The towering Taunus Mountains shed their snow tops quickly, and the snowmelt made the streams violent. The land was muddy at first, and then quickly dried out under the continuous scorching sun.

When they noticed the protruding shoots of the pine forest, the preparations to leave the "Mountain Villa" had already begun.

First of all, two messengers rushed to the two villages in the nearby mountain valley on horseback, and communicated the earl's order with the local knight lord.

The knights of Eti (now Yindestein) and Bleidenstadt (now Taunusstein), the two lords knew very well that the earl's family must leave, and what would they do if the earl left.

The knights came from different directions, and even the Bredenstad knight brought the local abbey bishop to the meeting in person.

"My lord, the distinguished guest you are looking forward to has arrived." The attendant nervously reported the situation to the downcast earl.

Things came a bit suddenly, although he was downcast, Robert hurriedly asked, "Have you all come yet?"

"They're all here." The half-kneeling attendant hurriedly got up, "Both knights have arrived."

"Huh? They still come together?"

"And...Father Weinbach of Bredenstad Abbey."

"He? And them? That's fine. Tell them to wait a moment, I have to tidy up. Me! It's the earl after all!"

Just like the Robert family wanted to put on their best clothes, he decisively put on his own armor, which took some time.

Then when he reappeared, the two knights saw the lord and felt that he was about to ride into battle.

The two knights bowed half-kneeling one after another, declaring their continued loyalty to the earl with this big gift.

For a moment, Robert, who had been silent for the whole winter, had a sore nose.

"Gilbert von Eitkenstein, Ballard von Bredenstadt. Get up! And you." Robert nodded slightly in turn: "Father Weinbach."

These two knights were actually successors, whose father had died on the banks of the Elbe.

The eldest son automatically inherited the title, and the two young nobles seriously lacked opinions on how to operate the Knights' Territory.

The **** young man wanted to avenge his father who died in battle, but something embarrassing happened. His lord made peace with the Normans, who were supposed to be enemies. On the other hand, Ludwig, the king of the East, was the reason for his miserable life as a lord.

Were the Normans really villains? The two knights who had never been on the battlefield didn't know much about it. They only knew that there was a new master in Nassau, and a group of Normans converted to God. They heard that the lives of the local people immediately improved.

Converted to God, friendly to the peasants, and life in the local monastery improved. Letters from local priests were sent to Bubredenstad Abbey. The priest believed the description of his friend Father Konrad and also believed the description of Father Bachbert of Koblenz Abbey.

Who can expect much from the Normans? However, the people of Koblenz and Nassau, the converted Norman troops, were greedy. The famine did not happen, and the monastery was not looted. On the contrary, the lives of the priests of the two monasteries were improved.

All they got were some positive descriptions, which had a great impact on the thoughts of the three nobles. The claims against the Normans are indeed true, but the Normans entrenched in Nassau and Koblenz may be outliers.

It was possible to get in touch with them, because the two knights and Father Weinbach had to rediscover their positions after the Count left.

They spent the winter studying to understand where they should go.

Taking advantage of this meeting with the Earl, they want to re-state their position.

The servants cleaned the reception hall, but just entering here, everyone shook the mud from their boots, and they were still facing the bleak wooden house.

The Lyingau region in March is already quite warm, but the Hesse Mountains are still too cool.

Backed by the towering Taunus Mountains, hidden in the mountains and dense forests, this is a good place for seclusion, but a prison for the ambitious.

Two young knights brought the wooden bench, and they

Out of instinct, he was so in awe of Robert that he stuttered when he spoke.

But the **** is more sophisticated, he especially wears a bishop's high hat inlaid with gemstones, holds a gold-plated cross in his arms, and sits quietly in a black robe.

Robert was the first to relieve the embarrassment: "I have thought about it a lot. The fathers of the two of you are real warriors. God ordered me to die, and I survived by luck. So, do you hate those Normans?"

The two knights looked at each other, and only Gilbert of Eitkenstein spoke first: "Hate! Why don't you hate! But... now, I don't know who to hate."

"Me too." Ballard sighed softly, "Your Earl was also ordered to go north to fight, and my father is obliged to follow you. There is even the Baron of Nassau. Maybe all of this was a conspiracy from the beginning! It was Ludwig My lord...he is persecuting all of us." When he said this, the knight Ballard also went all out.

"You! Young and vigorous! How dare you attack the noble king!?" Robert asked with a sullen face on purpose.

"Isn't it? The Baron of Nassau is now mixed with the Normans, and their life is better. And Ludoff of Westphalia, now he is actually the Duke of Saxony."

"Good boy." Liudov, who squinted his eyes, was a little surprised: "You know so much?"

Ballard, a young man who spoke vigorously, became more and more angry: "Everyone knows what I don't know? Maybe we didn't need to fight the Normans in the first place. It was Ludwig who ordered us to go north and fight them bloody." I! Never want to fight for that man again. I don't want to die without honor."

The boy was very talkative, but he helped Robert to vent his anger. He asked again, "Maybe so! Alas. So, what should you two think about your future?"

"This..." Ballard hesitated suddenly.

"What about you?" Robert looked at Gilbert again.

"I...I plan to..."

At this moment, Robert had already guessed the attitude of the two vassals, and a greater sense of desolation emerged spontaneously. He still wanted to insist: "The Norman nobles will buy the height of Lyingau, or the baron of Nassau will buy this area. The baron can now call himself the earl, and I will give up here. I will destroy it with my own hands. The foundation of the family! They promised me a huge sum of money and took me to Tours. I will leave the Eastern Kingdom forever, how about you? I advise you two to follow me! When I make a comeback, you two will not be knights .If I become an earl again in the west, you must be barons!"

For a moment, the two young people were really moved.

However, they had reached a consensus before coming - not to go.

The two exchanged glances, then suddenly half-kneeled.

Ballard spoke first: "My lord, please forgive us. Here are the tombs of our ancestors, our relatives are here, as well as our farmland and vineyards. I... don't want to give up."

Gilbert also had the same attitude: "My lord, please forgive me. I will not go."

"I just spoke with great pride. Now I have no ambitions!" Robert had already expected such a result, he clenched his fist and slammed his thigh, and then lamented: "Forget it! At least you have your own land, your own wife and children , as well as servants, retinues, and farmers. And me! The noble earl needs the help of the two of you this winter. Perhaps in your eyes, this earl is like a burden.

"Don't dare! We dare not!" Ballard hastily denied.

"Forget it! I still want to thank the two of you for giving some food. This is your homeland, and I can understand that you don't want to leave. I must go! I have left, and I have no ability to give you some good gifts. .So...whose vassals are you going to be again? You should know that I am no longer worthy of your allegiance.

With that said, Roald was criticizing the betrayal of the two with ironic words.

To be fair, the two of them did intend to betray. From another point of view, the other knights have already betrayed. It is really rare for the two of them to persist until now.

Facing the silent two, Robert didn't bother to sigh: "Let's do this. I will leave the villa and go to Nassau. You can take refuge in the Baron of Nassau, even if this baron is a woman, she

Her husband was a pure Norman. It was a Norman nobleman, but he didn't know that you were killing your father and your enemy. Even the nobleman was about your age, knew Latin and was converted, and above all against Lothair. Nassau has been your neighbor since ancient times. If you defect to Nassau, your life will be the same or even better. "

"It seems that this is the only way to go." Following the earl's words, the young Ballard explained that he had already planned, and so did Gilbert.

If the two knights are loyal to Nassau, then the black fox living in Nassau village will control the entire southern Hesse Mountains.

The two knights did not take the initiative to betray Robert. If the earl did not take the initiative to leave, they would always live as vassals. Because the area is a mountainous area, the traffic is blocked and there is not much external communication. The population controlled by the two knights is very small, and there are only two settlements in the mountains in the huge mountainous area, which makes the scope of the knights' territory extremely large in theory.

Although the territory is large, the vast mountains and forests are actually no-man's land. Villagers have to beware of leopards, wild boars and bears. In contrast, the legends of the Normans are nothing.

So what if the knight defected to Ludwig, who had a huge garrison in the Eastern Plains? My father and some of the subordinate soldiers died because of that guy's militarism. Should we continue to bleed him? Especially in the past summer and autumn of 841, Ludwig fought a "defeated battle" in Kaiserslautern without success. Although he declared victory, why did thousands of soldiers die in battle?

Do you want the peasants in the valley to continue to bleed for him?

Two knights and a priest, they still need these three to do something for themselves after their family leaves.

Robert was willing to be an introducer and took the two knights to Nassau, so that they would serve as knights to the real Baron Sophia Nassau and serve as her knights. In this way, the two are not loyal to the Normans, and there is no legal problem.

In addition, they were neighbors with the Nassau family since ancient times, and the nobles who were loyal to the Nassau family did not have any psychological grievances with the knight.

Regarding the mountain villa where I live, in principle, it belongs to the Knights of Bredenstad, or the Taunusstein area in a broad sense. The Villa was at least a settlement, and its property rights were transferred to the monastery, which was managed by Father Weinbach.

I still have a group of servants and retinues~www.mtlnovel.com~ Robert no longer insists on these people. Those servants and servants who are willing to stay will be given to the two knights, and even the last horse as a gift. The Robert family wanted to leave with ease, as long as they kept the huge sum of hundreds of pounds of silver coins promised by the Normans.

Could it be said that the Normans would not play tricks on the voyage? To go to Tours by sea is indeed a feat.

Robert was also worried, but thinking of his past glory...

In the past, my family had a huge fiefdom of Laingao-Worms. Today, Worms is completely under the jurisdiction of the bishop, and Ludwig has completely occupied his own Lyingau plain, leaving only a part of the mountainous area to maintain the dignity of the so-called Earl of Lyingau.

Even if it sells land, what Nassau can buy can only control the inaccessible mountainous areas of Laingau, and the rich places such as Wiesbaden, Mainz, and Frankfurt are all in Ludwig's hands.

There is nothing left to lose!

Robert, preferring to believe in the promise of the "Fox Brothers" instructed by Rurik, King of Ross, finally began to emigrate with his family.