radicalducati Chapter 141 Loyal Dog
Chapter 141 Loyal Dog
Chapter 141 Loyal Dog
Dick later learned the reason why he had met the loyal dog at the Daozhong Hotel earlier than planned.
Due to the unexpected death of the former Lord of the Montero Hills, Duke Pena, Earl Hubert rode alone to Kew Gardens.
To mourn the deceased feudal lord.
It is said that the loyal dog was the Duke's most loyal subject, which is the origin of his title "Loyal Dog".
When the two were still very young, they forged a deep friendship that far exceeded the relationship between ruler and subject.
However, during his time serving Earl Hubert, Dick had never heard the Earl mention his past, so he could not be sure if the rumor was true.
But there was one rumor that Dick believed wholeheartedly.
That is, Hubert was the most outstanding vassal under old Pena.
Although they hadn't known each other for long, he had already witnessed Hubert's wisdom and brilliance on several occasions.
After the Duke's funeral, Earl Hubert knelt before the newly appointed monarch's chair and immediately set off alone on horseback back to Trough Harbour, just as he had come alone.
Then, she met Dick at that hotel.
As for why Hubert, despite being an earl who could have traveled to his lord's city with the support of the army, chose to act alone despite the danger, Master Horney provided an explanation.
Master Horney was getting on in years. He said he had served Earl Hubert’s grandfather and always regretted that his two previous masters had not lived long enough.
Now, Master Horney is physically gaunt and frail, but his mind remains clear.
He said that from a certain day onwards, Earl Hubert suddenly reduced his trips away from his fiefdom, and he mostly refused invitations and requests for help from other nobles.
But just when Horney thought that even the most renowned loyal dog had grown old, he discovered that the Earl was away every day.
He lived alone within his territory, running around freely.
Horney then realized that his master intended to focus on managing the household affairs.
But Hubert was, after all, a regional ruler. Although Yuanbo was wise, it was hard to say that he wasn't resented or envied by some petty person.
Thus, they secretly plotted against him.
Even if a loyal dog is incredibly strong, it cannot guarantee that it can handle all conspiracies and plots.
Even within his own territory, traveling alone without any attendants was, in Horney's opinion, extremely dangerous and inappropriate, especially since the Earl of Peyton had long since stopped wearing armor and now didn't even bother carrying a sword.
Horney was genuinely worried about the Earl's safety and therefore spoke up on his behalf on several occasions.
But the loyal dog was not easily swayed, and his advice had no effect; his master continued to do as he pleased.
The loyal dog's stubbornness, whether pleaded or threatened, often infuriated Horney.
But after all, he had served the loyal dog for decades, and he understood his master's temperament very well, as well as how to get the loyal dog to give in.
Horney's suggestion was to recruit a knight squire to manage the various affairs within the territory while also training a young man to increase the talent pool within the territory.
The fact that Dick is here now means that Earl Hubert has agreed to Horney's plan.
However, Horney also made it clear to Dick that he did not expect much talent or ability from him, but only hoped that Dick could stay by Earl Peyton's side so that the lord would have someone to look after and help him in case anything happened.
Regardless of Horny's reasons, Dick felt that graduating from the Desert Knight Academy and obtaining a squire position was undoubtedly thanks to Horny's advice, and therefore he was grateful to his master, Horny.
A true knight is strict with himself, Dick thought, but he couldn't expect others to always have the heart of a saint.
Regardless of his reasons for coming here, fulfilling his duties is the minimum requirement for a knight.
As a knight's squire, he must stay by his master's side as much as possible.
Therefore, Dick had to wait at the door of Earl Hubert's bedroom before getting up, and only leave after the other man went to bed. Hubert, however, got up early every day to go to the training ground to practice swordsmanship. Although he was over fifty years old, he was still full of energy and did not return to his room until very late every night.
Therefore, Dick had to get up early and go to bed late, leaving him with very little free time.
As a warrior, one must never stop honing one's physical skills and martial arts abilities. Therefore, even under such harsh conditions, he still managed to squeeze out some time each day to train his martial arts skills.
Since the last battle at the hotel, Dick realized that the book "How to Train Your Dragon Uriel's Fitness Manual" contained immense power, so he began to study and practice the contents of the book more carefully and rigorously.
This was so that when she met Anne's father, she could make a good impression on the old man who was in charge of the building.
At the same time, Dick sincerely believed that these incredible methods in the book could greatly help him improve his strength.
After becoming a servant, although he had less time to hone his martial arts skills, he was still making steady progress, and his study of that book was also continuing.
However, although cultivation is a personal matter, Dick couldn't help but hope that the famous loyal dog Hubert Peyton could give him some pointers.
Even if it's just when the loyal dog is training in the training ground, it would be good to let Dick spar with him.
But Count Hubert simply repeated simple sword swings, showing no intention of practicing any moves, let alone sparring with anyone.
Normally, the Earl would not casually strike up a conversation with Dick, let alone instruct him on how to handle and think about specific matters.
Dick really was just a lackey of Earl Hubert; perhaps replacing him with a mute clown would have been more fitting for a loyal dog.
There shouldn't be any difference.
However, Dick patiently served the loyal dog, treating it as a test. To become a rider, one must encounter all sorts of dangers and setbacks, not just physical and mental pain.
In the castle's audience hall, Earl Hubert was receiving the last group of his subjects who had come to see him.
Hubert sat in a chair, while Dick, dressed in military uniform, stood guard below.
A slightly overweight man dragged a thin man to a spot not far from the platform.
The fat man shoved the man he was holding to the ground, and then knelt before Earl Peyton himself.
"My lord, please seek justice for me. For the past six months, things have been disappearing from my house from time to time. At first, I didn't pay any attention, but recently I realized that my house must have been burgled."
"So I staked out the place for several nights and actually caught the thief. But I never expected that the thief would be my neighbor!"
"Damn it, I've never treated their family badly. I share food with them during holidays, and yet he treats me like this."
"Lord Payton, please, you must help me with this matter."
After the fat man finished speaking, Dick pricked up his ears so that he could memorize every word of Earl Hubert's words. Although Hubert had never given Dick any instruction, Dick felt that by following Hubert and observing how he handled various matters, he would surely learn a lot.
As a servant, one must seize every opportunity to learn from one's master in order to grow quickly.
The loyal dog quickly spoke up: "Then, who are those people following behind?"
Behind the two individuals were a woman holding an infant in her arms, leading a toddler by the hand, and standing on either side of her a child.
The fat man said, "It's that beast's wife and children. When that woman saw I was going to bring her husband to see you, she brought the children along. What a stupid woman, letting her children come to see their old man in this state."
The loyal dog asked again, "So, what do you want?"
"I just want to recover my losses, sir."
The fat man answered,
"Although this bastard doesn't steal much each time, it adds up to several large silver coins. I'm just an ordinary businessman, and these losses are not insignificant to me."
The loyal dog turned to the accused man: "So, do you have anything to say in your defense?"
However, the man simply knelt down with his head down, his body trembling violently, clearly terrified, yet unable to utter a single word.
For a moment, the audience hall was completely silent.
Finally, the man's wife, with her children, came forward, knelt on the ground, and said:
"Sir, my husband was forced into this situation. We have too many children, and our parents didn't leave any inheritance when they passed away."
My husband's meager salary is not enough to support our large family.
"If we hadn't been so hungry, we wouldn't have committed theft and left a mark of sin in the eyes of the Lord. And what we stole has already been exchanged for food and eaten. Our family is now destitute and has no money to compensate for what we have stolen."
"How can this be!" the fat man exclaimed, spreading his hands. "Am I just supposed to suffer this loss for nothing? Sir, you must do me justice!"
The loyal dog thought for only a few seconds before coming up with a plan:
"Since he can't pay it back, I can't conjure up silver coins out of thin air; his wages weren't even enough to support his family before, so it's even less likely that he'll be able to spare any money to pay you back."
"I can't recover your losses, but I can punish him and avenge you. According to the law, a thief's hand should be severed."
Upon hearing this, the defendant collapsed to the ground, letting out a terrified scream.
The woman hurriedly pleaded, "Please, sir, don't do this! If his hand is cut off, he won't be able to earn money anymore, and our whole family will starve! Sir, please, have mercy!"
The loyal dog's voice suddenly turned icy: "Under my rule, how could anyone who works hard not even be able to support a few children? It only proves that he's inherently lazy, and why would I be soft-hearted towards a lazybones!"
Upon hearing this, the fat man immediately added:
"Sir, cutting off his hand means nothing to me, and I don't need to vent my anger. As long as they promise to make up for my losses, I am willing to forgive him."
"Yes, of course I'm willing!"
The woman readily agreed and then jabbed her kneeling husband hard.
"You useless man, say something!"
The man was already terrified, and only now did he raise his head slightly, looking dazed.
But he still dared not look directly at anyone, his eyes darting around, unfocused.
"Yes, I will work hard in the future—"
"Look, sir," the fat man said immediately with a smile, "that's enough. Thank you for granting me justice."
Seeing the case develop to this point, Dick thought the matter should end happily, but Hubert suddenly spoke up:
"Wait a minute."
Everyone looked at the loyal dog, even Dick couldn't help but turn around.
The loyal dog continued, "Your willingness to forgive this person shows your kind heart, which I greatly admire. However, he has indeed broken the laws of this territory, and I cannot turn a blind eye. Otherwise, one day everyone will treat the law as their law, and within this territory..."
Where is there any peace and stability left?
"Sir, please have mercy!" the woman pleaded immediately, crying. "We truly know we were wrong, we will never do it again. Please give us a chance to reform, otherwise, my family will surely not survive this winter!"
The fat man quickly nodded and said, "That's right, sir, punish him now too—"
"There's no need to discuss this further," the loyal dog commanded, stopping the others. "I've made myself clear enough. This matter could affect the security of the territory; it can't be dealt with lightly. Man, tell me, which hand did you use to steal? Oh, right, this was a burglary. You couldn't have done it with just one hand—"
The fat man quickly said, "Sir, no, my house has a special layout; one hand is enough to steal it. Besides, I'm certain he used his left hand to steal it."
The loyal dog stared intently at the defendant: "Man, what do you mean?"
The man still dared not say anything, and Dick could sense his despair.
In the end, he simply nodded expressionlessly.
Upon seeing this, the woman nearby burst into tears.
This also caused the children beside her to cry as well.
Even though a true knight-errant must be as hard as stone, Dick couldn't help but feel pity.
But the loyal dog seemed completely unaffected. In a voice as cold as ice, he slowly gave the order:
"Then you are sentenced to have your hand cut off. Your left hand will be severed. Buchanan, you will carry out the sentence."
Upon hearing this, Dick paused for a moment, then turned to face his loyal dog:
"My lord, a knight's sword is not meant to harm the weak."
"The sword of the earth rider is for carrying out missions."
The loyal dog slightly raised its chin, a hint of disdain playing at the corners of its mouth.
"Besides, you're not a knight."
Dick was speechless. In the end, he could only reply with a "yes" before dragging the man to the open space outside the hall.
The knights will not hesitate.
Dick took a deep breath and aimed at the man's left wrist; the left hand rolled one and a half times after landing.
Through this case, Dick learned two things.
The Knight's Sword, Mission First.
And, loyal dogs are truly cold-blooded and ruthless.
But he remained Hubert Peyton's squire, and after ordering these men to be sent out of the castle, he had to return immediately to his loyal hound.
At this moment, the loyal dog had already stood up from the chair, and Master Horney, also stooping, entered the audience hall.
As Dick approached, he overheard Master Horney saying:
"Lord Peyton, our guest has been waiting for quite some time."
"I'll go see him right now."
After saying that, the loyal dog glanced in Dick's direction, then turned and moved away.
Seeing this, Dick quickly followed.
Hubert led Dick to the study, and the moment he opened the door, Dick saw a young man who had been sitting in the chair.
He hurriedly stood up.
This person looked even younger than Dick, probably fifteen or sixteen years old, definitely no older than eighteen.
He bowed to the loyal dog and said, "Uncle Hubert."
Hubert didn't reply, but walked inside the desk and sat down in the chair, while Dick stood to Hubert's side and slightly behind.
The loyal dog tapped its finger twice on the table, waited a moment, and then turned to look at Dick:
"Don't you understand yet, Buchanan? Waitstaff need to be perceptive. At times like this, they should be thinking of preparing drinks for me and the guests."
Upon hearing the reprimand, Dick's heart tightened. After apologizing, he hurriedly went to carry it out.
But he was also a little happy, because it made him realize that if he made a mistake, his loyal dog would take the initiative to correct him.
It seems that the Earl of Peyton is not entirely indifferent to Dick.
Dick poured a glass of red wine for both the loyal dog and the guest, and the loyal dog finally spoke up to ask:
"What's the matter?"
The young man swallowed hard before speaking:
"Uncle Hubert, do you remember me?"
"If I remember correctly, your name is Renato. I've seen you a few times, at the Duke of Pena's funeral, you were standing next to your father, Harrison."
"Yes, Uncle, my father wanted to bring me here to say hello, since you were comrades who fought together on the battlefield."
Renato nodded and said,
"He also had something to say to you, but given the occasion of the funeral and considering your relationship with Duke Pena before his death, it would have been inappropriate to bring it up then. However, when we wanted to talk to you in detail after the funeral, we found that you had already left Kew Gardens."
"Once things in Kew Gardens are settled," said the loyal dog, "I will leave immediately."
Renato nodded: "That's the problem. That's why I'm here."
"Stop beating around the bush, Renato, just get to the point," the loyal dog urged without a trace of emotion.
"Yes," Renato nodded. "To put it simply, I would like to ask you to propose marriage on my behalf. The eldest granddaughter of the Earl of Belmont in Blue Stripe City has just reached marriageable age, sir. I would like to ask you to act as my matchmaker."
The loyal dog picked up his glass, took a sip, swirled the wine, and stared at the dark liquid swirling within:
"Baron Harrison's title is the Duke of Montero, not me. You've come to the wrong person."
"That's right, Uncle Hubert. You know, the Earl of Belmont is not a vassal of the Hills, and he may not give face to the newly enthroned Duke of Montero. Besides, the Duke has just ascended the throne and probably has many things to attend to. I can't let such a small matter distract him."
Renato said,
"But my father said that the Earl of Belmont seems to have a good relationship with you. You fought alongside him in battle and later had many business collaborations and close trade relations. He will definitely value your matchmaking."
The loyal dog then raised its head and looked at Renato:
"Renato, I thought you came on personal business."
"Huh?" Renato looked like he didn't understand.
"Isn't that right? You call me uncle, not by my title."
"That would seem more intimate, and besides, it's a private matter."
Dick heard a chuckle, and the loyal dog immediately responded:
"I don't even know if our two families have ever intermarried. It would be a bit inappropriate for me to acknowledge you as my relative."
"I did fight your father. He was very young then, but he dared to speak his mind, and I admired him. But the war was almost entirely under my control, with few setbacks. It's hard for me to say, against my conscience, how deep a battlefield friendship I formed with your father."
"So, Renato, what personal relationship do you want me to have with you for?"
Dick looked at Renato and noticed that the young man immediately looked panicked when questioned by the loyal dog, clearly unsure how to answer.
But he quickly stammered, "Then, then, Uncle Hubert, what if I'm here on official business?"
"Then you shouldn't call me 'uncle'."
Renato's expression turned serious. He bowed slightly to his loyal dog and called out:
"The Earl of Peyton."
"Since it's for official business," Hubert's tone suddenly turned sharp, "then I must consider your situation from the perspective of my own family and territory. Renato, I ask you, what benefit would it bring me to propose marriage on your behalf?"
"It will bring us friendship within our family."
"Did our two families have a really bad relationship before?"
Renato was taken aback, clearly not expecting the loyal dog to answer like that, and was speechless for a moment.
But the loyal dog quickly added, "Besides, when it comes to fighting, I don't need to ask anyone for help. In terms of wealth, few people in the hills are richer than those in Caogang. In terms of connections, I am at least no less than your family. Otherwise, it would be me who should be asking for help to propose marriage."
After he finished speaking, Dick saw that Renato's expression had become quite unpleasant.
It seems he hadn't expected the loyal dog to reject him.
Hubert also stood up from his seat and walked over to Renato:
"You are very courageous to come to me alone to negotiate, which is similar to your father. However, you have also inherited his flaw of only being able to see things from your own perspective. You are still young and there is room for improvement. I hope that you will be better prepared next time you come to negotiate with me."
Renato bowed slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on the floor, as if he had been quite taken aback.
"Is there anything else?" the loyal dog asked again.
"That's all, Earl Peyton. I'll be leaving now."
After speaking, Renato bowed deeply to the loyal dog, then turned and walked out of the study.
"Oh, right," the count suddenly called out.
"Sir, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing important, I just want to ask you, do you know why your father didn't come himself, but instead sent you to negotiate with me alone?"
Renato shook his head.
The loyal dog replied, "Because he knows that if he comes, I will refuse without hesitation and won't make up any excuses. But if only you come, he thinks I might agree to your request out of consideration for a promising junior."
"So, Renato, this is something even your father couldn't do. What you should be thinking about is how to surpass him."
Renato expressed his gratitude to Count Hubert, bowed, and left the room.
Dick could imagine that the young nobleman would flee the harbor at the first opportunity.
Hubert walked to the window, stood quietly, and looked out.
Dick felt that the loyal dog was always frighteningly rational, always sniffing the other person's scent with vigilance, as if it had no emotions at all.
But then again, I felt that Count Hubert's final words to Renato seemed somewhat superfluous.
If Dick had heard it from someone else, he would never have believed that these were the words spoken by the loyal dog.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
"Go in," the loyal dog replied.
A person dressed in plain clothes pushed open the door and entered, bowing and saying:
"Your Excellency."
Hubert nodded slightly, and the man stepped forward, whispering something to the loyal dog, but Dick didn't hear it.
The loyal dog suddenly nodded: "Understood, you can go now."
The man bowed again and then left the room.
The loyal dog immediately said to Dick, "Buchanan, take off your armor and come with me."
"Now?" Dick asked.
"Okay, go back to your room and change into your simplest clothes."
Dick didn't understand what the loyal dog wanted to do, but he nodded anyway and asked:
"Can I bring a sword?"
"You can bring a dagger or a short sword," the loyal dog said, "provided you can hide it under your clothes."
Dick said no more, bowed, and immediately got to work.
Carrying only a dagger wouldn't put Dick at ease, but he didn't have a short sword.
If this happens frequently, Dick plans to find I need to forge a decent short sword.
When Dick changed his clothes and returned to Hubert's study, he found that the Earl had also changed his clothes.
It was a simple olive-colored robe with few embellishments; the most exquisite part was the row of dog-tooth corner buttons.
Her shoes and pants were very ordinary, and she wasn't wearing any jewelry.
Afterwards, Hubert took Dick and left the castle from a more secluded direction.
They walked towards the residential area, one in front of the other, along the street.
Suddenly, Hubert stopped in front of a single-story house.
There are obvious black marks on the exterior walls of the house, which have seeped into the walls, indicating that the house is quite old.
Families living in such houses are unlikely to be wealthy.
Hubert took out a cloth bag and handed it to Dick:
"Check which window is open, throw it into the house, and remember, don't let the homeowner find out, and don't let anyone else see it."
Dick took the small bag: "What if they're all locked up?"
"Then figure it out yourself, sir."
Dick asked no more questions and immediately took action.
The small bag is somewhat heavy. When you walk around, the contents inside collide with each other, making a pleasant, sharp sound, indicating that it contains some kind of metallic substance.
Dick focused on the task at hand, and went around to the back of the house to try and push open the window.
Unfortunately, all the windows were bolted.
Having no other option, Dick pulled out a dagger after confirming that no one was around.
He inserted the blade into the gap between the fan blades and tried to move the window bolt.
"A knight's sword should never be used to cut a thread," Dick tried to reassure himself, "but this is not a sword."
Besides, I am merely carrying out my master's orders; the knight's sword takes precedence over duty.
Soon, Dick pried open the window.
He pushed the door open a crack and found himself in the bedroom, with a person lying on the bed.
Dick took out the small cloth bag and gently tossed it into the room so as not to disturb the person in bed.
Then, the window was closed again.
Dick didn't see the person's face, but he could tell who it was.
The man draped his left arm over the edge of the bed, but his hand was not visible. Thick bandages were wrapped around his wrist, and blood soaked through them, making it wet and red.
Dick recognized the wound, for it was the one he had made with his own sword.
He had never spoken to this man, but he clearly remembered the tone of the man's screams.
Upon returning to Earl Hubert's side, he merely nodded slightly, and the loyal dog immediately turned and continued walking down the street.
Although it is already winter, the climate in the Montero Hills is much milder and warmer than that of the Avery Desert.
People were all exposing their palms to the air while doing delicate work.
At the end of the road, you can even see several large trees.
For Dick, who had lived in the desert for many years, this was a symbol of vitality and abundance.
Although the elm tree has lost all its leaves, its upright trunk and thick branches are still showing off its robust growth to humankind.
The top of the rue tree still retains some vibrant green.
Dick looked at Hubert, who seemed unconcerned about the trees but was carefully observing the people he encountered along the way.
At that moment, Dick suddenly felt an urge to ask Hubert for advice.
Hubert publicly punished the thief, but secretly brought Dick to deliver money to someone, which Dick could understand.
Not wanting to see the men's children starve to death is a perfectly valid reason.
but-
Dick took two steps forward to catch up: "Sir."
The loyal dog glanced back at Dick, said nothing, and then turned away.
But Hubert slowed his pace slightly, and Dick knew that the Earl was waiting for him to finish speaking:
"My lord, if I'm not mistaken, what you asked me to deliver to that family was coins, wasn't it?"
"Stop talking nonsense," the loyal dog said in a deep voice. "Get to the point."
"Yes," Dick nodded behind the loyal dog. "Judging by the feel, you gave that family all small silver coins, but judging from the weight, those small silver coins are equivalent to a gold coin. In that case, why not just give him a gold coin? Carrying a big bag of money is inconvenient and easy to be discovered."
"Hmph," the loyal dog sneered, "Can't you even see that?"
Dick frowned: "Please enlighten me!"
"His left hand was cut off, so his theft can no longer be concealed, and the scandal will soon spread throughout the neighborhood."
The loyal dog explained slowly,
"If I give him gold coins, people will inevitably suspect that his money is stolen, or even that someone might take advantage of his past crimes to bully him, causing the money I left him to save his life to be seized by someone else."
Dick recalled the man's weakness that day and felt there was a high probability that this would happen again.
He looked up at Hubert's retreating figure.
Loyal dog, indeed living up to its name, it was able to consider things so meticulously and thoroughly.
Afterwards, the loyal dog led Dick to the docks and the market.
Countless porters moved back and forth on the gangplank, carrying goods on and off the ship.
Merchants would visit each ship docked in port to sell their goods or inquire about the cargo already on board.
The market transactions were orderly, but occasionally some shops were packed with customers, who crowded in and took up space in front of the shops next door.
This provoked the bosses to shout and curse repeatedly.
Dick saw all sorts of goods: iron cookware, enormous fruits, thick fur coats, and exquisite carpets.
Everyone was struggling to survive, but Dick felt that those under Count Hubert's rule, protected by loyal dogs, must have had an easier time than most.
The count suddenly came to a fruit stand, bent down, and began to select fruit.
That's a green hill mandarin orange, a specialty fruit of the Montero Hills.
Earl Hubert seemed to have a particular fondness for Aoyama oranges, and Dick could always find them in the Earl's study and bedroom.
The shopkeeper weighed the green mandarins Hubert had selected on a scale and said:
"Three pounds and a quarter ounces, I'll give you three pounds," the shopkeeper said, "four silver coins and eight copper coins."
"One small silver and thirty-six coppers a pound?" Hubert frowned. "Are your fruit peels made of gold or your fruit kernels?"
The shop owner smiled and said, "This is a great price! These are the first batch of Qingshan tangerines before the Lunar New Year, they're very fresh!"
"We're all hill folk, everyone knows each other," Hubert said. "Outsiders are scrambling to buy it, but which hill folk is lacking fruit? If you can't sell it all, it'll just rot in your hands."
"Alright, alright, I'll round it down to four silver dollars! How about that?" The boss held up four fingers.
Hubert shook his head: "Three little silvers."
"How can that be!" the boss shook his head repeatedly. "I'd go bankrupt!"
"This is the market price. If you wholesale to sea merchants, the price will only be lower," said Loyal Dog. "I'll add ten more copper coins."
"Alright, alright, sir, you know your stuff, I won't lie to you. Three small silver coins and fifty copper coins, I'll sell it to you! I'll just make a little money to cover my stall expenses. Fifteen copper coins, it's settled then."
As he spoke, Hubert took out three small silver coins and fifteen copper coins, slapped them onto the table the shopkeeper was holding up, and then faced Dick.
"I'll go back first. Pack up the tangerines and take them to my room."
After speaking, Hubert turned and left.
Look at those light steps, they seem to be in a very good mood.
Watching this scene, Dick couldn't help but frown.
He just gave someone a gold coin for free without batting an eye, but now he's haggling over a few dozen copper coins with a merchant.
Besides, they said they weren't making much money; it was already a cheap sale.
Dick couldn't understand what the loyal dog was thinking. How was this any different from oppressing the people?
After packing the green tangerines, he took out thirty-five copper coins and wanted to hand them to the shopkeeper.
The boss asked, "Young man, what's this?"
"Didn't you just say fifty copper coins? I gave it to him on his behalf."
However, the boss just smiled and shook his head, pushing Dick's hand back.
Dick was puzzled and couldn't help but ask:
"Why not accept it?"
The shopkeeper chuckled, "Ha, young man, you must have only been following the Earl for a short time."
Dick was greatly surprised upon hearing this:
"You knew he was an earl?"
"Of course I know! In this harbor, who doesn't know the loyal dog Hubert Peyton!"
"Then what you just did—"
"In the past, when the Earl came to town to buy things, he was recognized by the people, who even wanted to give them to him for free. However, the Earl gave them a sum of money that far exceeded the value of the goods, and he left in a rage."
"We later realized that he had deliberately traveled in disguise to investigate the actual trade situation within the territory, so as not to be recognized."
"Therefore, ever since then, whenever the adults dressed simply, we would pretend not to know him and even treat him as a stranger when doing business with him."
"And every time this happened, the adults would leave satisfied, and everyone had developed this habit in order to make the Earl happy."
"Why did you go to such lengths?" Dick asked, puzzled.
"Hardship always outweighs comfort. Not to mention faraway places, just in the Montero Hills, apart from us people from Chau Harbour, who isn't worried about making a living every day? Although we can't say we're living a life of luxury in Chau Harbour, as long as we work hard, we can guarantee that our family won't starve."
"And there's no need to worry about being bullied. The adults are upright and impartial, treating everyone equally. If anyone abuses their power to bully others..."
If we appeal to the authorities, they will surely uphold justice and show no favoritism.
"We all know that it was Lord Peyton who brought all this to Chau Harbor. He is the pride of Chau Harbor, so, people of Chau Harbor,
They all wanted to do something for him.
Dick then realized that Hubert Peyton, the loyal dog, was not only famous outside the community, but also deeply appreciated by his fellow villagers.
He held a bag of green tangerines, feeling a mix of emotions, but unsure how to express them.
Dick remembered what Mick had told him: the loyal dog was the most manly man Mick had ever met.
Perhaps Mick was right, but Dick, as a loyal servant, couldn't help but wonder how he could become as strong and well-rounded as a loyal dog.
At this moment, the boss said to Dick:
"However, young man, you must not tell what I'm telling you to the Earl. If he finds out that the people have conspired to cheat him, he will be very upset and will lose the fun of bargaining with us."
Dick frowned: "So you think I was part of your scheme to lie to him?"
"That's right," the boss nodded without hesitation.
The real rider, Dick thought, should never lie.
but.
"I see!"