Chapter 28: captive
Chapter 28 Captive
The tall canopy of the tree is like an open giant umbrella covering the sky, and the sun's rays can only shine into the forest through the gaps in the branches and leaves.
The mottled light spots are constantly changing with the shaking of the branches, disturbing the sight of people walking in the forest.
Fortunately, they are all savages who were born and raised here. They have long been accustomed to the changes of light and shadow in the forest, and know how to maintain keen perception and vigilance in such an environment.
Ucha carried a bag of dried meat and walked at the end of the line, turning his head from time to time to ensure that no foraging beasts followed behind him.
"Look, it's almost there!"
A cry from the front startled Wucha slightly, he looked forward quickly, and through the layers of branches and leaves, he also saw the deep valley from afar.
Memories from a few days ago came to my mind, making Ucha couldn't help shivering.
It was the scariest night he had ever experienced.
Blood, screams, fighting, and corpses all over the ground...often woke him up in the middle of the night, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Fortunately, Ucha ran fast at that time, so he didn't die in the valley or become a prisoner.
Fortunately, the aristocrat was a kind person. Not only did he not hold the Huya tribe accountable for their crimes, but he accepted them as the people.
Ucha didn't know exactly what the difference was between the people and the savages, but he didn't have much resistance to the change in his identity.
At least we don't have to fight those horrible Reach people anymore.
And you can eat delicious white bread.
Wu Cha still remembers the delicious taste that melts in his mouth. This time he brought dried meat to Yingzui Islet, and he also wanted to change some bread back.
Of course, this is just incidental.
The more important task is to help my sister find a man.
Many girls in the village have married to Yingzui Islet. After World War I, the ratio of men to women in Huya Village has been seriously out of balance. If the girls in the village don’t want to die alone, they can only marry out.
Moreover, the savages have always had the tradition of being strong.
The people of Hewan have already proved their strength, so the girls in Huya Village will naturally not have any resistance to marrying outsiders.
What's more, the lord also promised to reward the girls who marry to Yingzui Island.
In the past few days, many girls from Huya Village have gone to Yingzui Island to choose a man.
Yes, these girls living in the mountains have always been very active.
Ucha's older sister, Wuna, is a bit reserved due to her outstanding looks, but now she doesn't dare to wait any longer, otherwise the river bend warriors will be picked out.
At that time, only craftsmen will be left.
After walking for a while, the team was already close to Taniguchi.
The scene gradually became lively. Hundreds of savages were busy cutting down trees here. The originally dense woods were now much sparser, and there was a large area near the mouth of the valley.
Wucha knew that these loggers were all his former clansmen, and they stayed in Yingzui Island after being captured to build a castle for the lord.
He originally thought that these people would have a miserable life, not having enough food, not sleeping well, having to do heavy work, and even being beaten and abused in various ways.
But looking along the way, I found that this is not the case.
These lumberjacks are full of energy and energy, not like prisoners at all.
"uncle!"
Ucha heard his sister's voice, turned his head quickly, and saw his uncle wielding an ax in front of a thick oak tree.
"Hey, Wuna, Wucha, why are you two here?" The uncle stopped his movements, then seemed to remember something, and smiled, "Is it to pick a man for Wuna?"
Wu Na nodded generously, and she wasn't too shy, but she was a little worried: "Uncle, those Hewan people won't bully us savages, right?"
"No. The lord has already promulgated the decree. The people of Hewan and the savages are equal. If they bully others, they will be punished."
"That's good." Wu Na nodded, and seemed to finally relax.
"Uncle, how are you doing..." Ucha asked with some guilt.
He always felt that it was a cowardly act for him to run away alone that night, and he also made his uncle a prisoner.
"I'm fine. Some eat, some sleep, and I get paid."
"Is there still money?" Ucha was startled.
"Yes." The uncle picked up the ax again, "I'll tell you later, I have to finish today's task, or I will lose my work points."
After speaking, ignoring the confused Wucha brothers and sisters, they waved the ax in their hands again.
boom! boom! boom!
After the tree creaked, the leading man signaled his subordinates to pull the thick rope that had already been attached to the treetop.
The already crumbling tall trees finally fell to the ground under the concerted efforts of everyone, stirring up a large cloud of dust.
After cleaning up the excess branches, everyone carried the log on their shoulders and walked into the valley.
The Wucha siblings also followed.
"Uncle, did you just say you still have money?"
"Yes. The lord said that we are captives, not slaves, and we should be paid for our work. However, after all, we are atoning for our previous mistakes, so the reward is not high, and we cannot get it immediately."
"When can I get it?"
"When the castle is completed, the lord will settle the settlement with us in a unified way. Now we will record the work points first."
"Work points?"
"Yes, you can get one point for completing the prescribed work every day. In addition, each person in the group that does the most work will get an extra point, and this point is equivalent to a copper plate. Don't underestimate it, you know, my lord It’s in charge of our food and our fullness!”
"That's really good." Seeing that his uncle was doing well, Wucha breathed a sigh of relief.
"What a benevolent lord!" Wuna also sighed, looking forward to marrying Yingzui Island even more in her heart.
"Yes, the only bad thing is that every six days of work, we have to stop for one day. The lord said this is a rest day for us. Hey, but this day will not earn work points." Uncle said with a long sigh, "I have I don't know what to do today. What is there to rest for?"
"You can go back to Huya Village to have a look. Oh yes, uncle, can you leave Yingzui Island?"
"Yes. The lord did not restrict our freedom. However, why should I go back? The woman has remarried, and my mother and son are now living in the orphanage in Yingzui Island. Huya Village no longer has my home .”
"Aunt, she thought you died in battle, so..."
"Okay, don't make excuses for her, I have nothing to do with her. After I build the castle for the lord and get the wages, it will not be easy for me to find another woman. Anyway, there are a lot of widows in the village now."
Wucha scratched the back of his head, and didn't say much more.
After walking for a while, I saw a small group of people gathered in front of them, and there seemed to be a dispute.
Ucha recognized from the appearance of the other party that those were all members of the Longbeard tribe, and they also participated in the Battle of the Canyon under the call of the three Cheka brothers.
The road in the valley is very narrow, and Wucha and others inevitably heard some conversations when they passed by.
"Tell the Patriarch that we are not going back."
"Why? Since the people in Hewan haven't restricted your freedom, why don't you run away?"
"Why do you want to run? Here you can eat enough, sleep well, and get paid. I won't go back."
"But here, you have to keep working."
"Isn't going back to hunting? In comparison, cutting down trees is not life-threatening."
"But...but...the Horde needs you!"
"Why don't the patriarch also submit to Lord Caesar, just like the Huya tribe."
"That's right, that's right, so we can all become Lord Caesar's subjects."
"Bastard! Have you forgotten the glory of the Longbeard tribe!"
"What glory is there... I have been beaten like that..."
"Shut up! You ungrateful bastards! I bought you for a few coppers!"
"It's more than a few copper coins! It will take a long time until the castle is built, but... a lot of copper coins! If you run away now, the previous work points will not be counted, anyway, I won't leave."
"Yes, I'm not leaving either."
"Me too."
…
"Only fools will run away." Listening to the disputes among the Longbeard tribe, the uncle commented, "Not only did no one escape, but these days, the number of people in our prison camp has actually increased."
"It has increased?" Wucha was a little stunned when he heard the words, "Is there anyone else who volunteered to be a prisoner?"
"Yeah, you heard it yourself, the prisoners here are treated so well, why don't you come here." The uncle glanced at his nephew, and suddenly said, "Wucha, why don't you stay as a prisoner too. Anyway, your sister also If you want to get married, you can have someone to take care of you if you stay."
"What?" Ucha was dumbfounded.
But after thinking about it, it seems that this is not bad.
Yes... but how can anyone become a prisoner by himself? What about the glory of the wildling warriors?
For a while, Wucha was in a tangle.
(end of this chapter)