On the border of Bern County, a two-story tower built of wood stands on the hills. An archer wearing an iron helmet and leather armor patrolled back and forth on the top of the tower. The wooden tower has a very wide view. If a person with bad behavior attempts to sneak into the county, the archer will bend his bow and arrow without hesitation.

Passing by a trail down the wooden tower, several soldiers of the Count of Bern blocked the road with a wooden pole, and many travelers and merchants lined up helplessly in front of the wooden pole.

"A person passing through the territory of the Earl of Bern, the traveler pays 60 ten sons, or 240 Finneys per person. The merchant pays a Kielde for each item according to the quantity of goods, but the count tax must also be paid in accordance with the traveler's way."

A fat man with a belly erect, sitting at a wooden table, holding a quill in his hand, and unfolding a piece of parchment in front of him. The man said to the people in line, dipping the quill in ink and writing on the parchment.

"It's so expensive to have 60 ten sons per person."

Travelers and merchants shook their heads after hearing this. The Earl of Bern was twice as high as the county next to them. However, although they thought the pass was really high, Bern was located on the north and south roads. Many merchants needed to go through Bern to the Principality of Lombardy, the Kingdom of Italy or Venice, where goods could be transported through the Mediterranean and sold to the distant Egypt or Byzantium.

The helpless merchants could only look at the wallet around their waists. Their fingers rubbed every silver coin inside. When their fingers felt the avatar of Barbarossa on the silver coin, the merchants felt even more bleeding in their hearts.

"Give it, let it go."

At this time, a sound came from behind the queue. The travelers and merchants lined up looked over in surprise and saw a flag appearing in people's sight.

"Fangqi, which Count's team is it?"

A traveler wearing a cuckold looked at the flag in confusion and asked casually.

"Isn't this the flag of Count Schwartz? How could it suddenly appear here?"

The merchant next to him recognized that the flag was the heraldic emblem of the neighbor of Count Schwartz, the neighbor of Bern County. But why Count Schwartz suddenly appeared here? An ominous premonition made the travelers and merchants panic.

"Did Bern and Schwartz have some dispute?"

What people fear is the private war between the nobles. Once the private war begins, both sides will definitely send troops to burn, kill, loot, and innocent people will be implicated.

At this time, not only were the travelers waiting in line to avoid panic, but even the Bern sentry at the level were extremely nervous. They picked up their spears that they placed beside them. On the wooden tower next to the trail, the archers also took off the bow on their backs with their other hand on the quiver beside them.

"Dear adults, why did you come to Bern?"

The tax collector who was collecting taxes at the level stood up from the wooden bench with difficulty. He took off his hat and grabbed it in his hand, and looked at the team in front of him curiously.

The leader of this sergeant in leather armor and a helmet was holding the flag of Count Schwartz, but the soldiers behind the sergeant seemed very shabby. They were ragged and held a simple spear in their hands.

However, after this beggar-like infantry, there were more than a dozen cavalry units. These light cavalry were wearing various armors, but they had swords on their waists. The leader of this cavalry was a very aristocratic young man.

"I am the eldest son of Count Schwartz, Rudolph von Habsburg. If we want to go to the Schwartz border to suppress the rebellion, we need to pass through Bern County."

It was Rudolph who led the cavalry, and he said arrogantly to the tax collector in front of the level.

"What, go to the Schwarz border to combat the rebellion, but why pass by Bern?"

The tax collector was confused. He didn't understand why Rudolph wanted to quell the rebellion through Bern.

"This is a military secret. Besides, as a noble, do I have no right to pass?"

Rudolph put his left hand on his waist, held the reins in his right hand, raised his chin, and said in a majestic voice.

"Of course, of course."

The tax collector sweated in his forehead. He was not qualified to question the rights of a nobleman and the heir to Count Schwartz.

"Then, can I pass? If I can successfully suppress the rebellion, Count Schwartz will thank Count Bern."

Seeing that Rudolph had almost scared the other party, he smiled and said to the tax collector.

“Yes, yes.”

The tax collector quickly raised his hands to the soldiers behind him, and the wooden pole blocking the road was lifted up. Rudolph immediately touched the head with his left hand, paid polite tribute, and then kicked the mount under his crotch and walked forward.

With the roar, the carriage behind Rudolph and others also followed. At this time, the tax collector looked at the convoy in surprise. He hurried to the front of the team and came to Rudolph.

"Dear sir, why do you have more carriages in your army than soldiers?"

The tax collector asked suspiciously.

"This is a secret, what do you mean by tax collector?"

Rudolph frowned and said with some dissatisfaction.

"But, but these people are like merchants. Are they soldiers?"

The tax collector glanced at Rudolph, dressed in a merchant dressed in a carriage, and continued to ask.

"Woo, I didn't expect to be seen through."

When the tax collector said this, Miloni and Sergeant Taylor, who were sitting in the carriage, became nervous. Merchant Miloni knew that if he illegally avoided tolls, he would definitely be punished if he was caught. Sergeant Taylor felt that this special horse was too embarrassing and actually asked the merchant to pretend to be a soldier to avoid tax collection.

However, Rudolf bent down from his horse with a serious expression and said to the tax collector.

"What, what does it mean?"

The tax collector had no idea what Rudolph meant at all. He blinked in surprise his little eyes that had narrowed because of his fatness.

"Does this understand this strategy? These people will put on makeup and become merchants, invade the rebels, get information, and then cooperate with each other at the right time. Well, I can't say more, even if the Earl of Bern comes to ask in person."

Rudolf said mysteriously to the tax collector.

"Oh, so that's what a clever strategy, sir."

The tax collector suddenly realized after hearing this. It turned out that this was a strategy to defeat the enemy. It had to be said that the Germans had really been stubborn from ancient times to the present. They really never thought of such a twists and turns, but the tax collector patted Rudolph's horse and said nothing more.

Under Rudolph's deception, the group passed the level successfully. As long as they passed the level and then went to the next border, there was no need to check. The merchant Miloni looked behind him from the carriage and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, Miloni, you saved a lot of money now, right?"

Rudolph slowed down his horse and walked side by side with the carriage. He smiled and said to the merchant Miloni.

"Thanks to you, Mr. Rudolph."

Miloni was in a good mood. Bern’s toll tax is the highest among all countries. As long as he saves this money, his goods can be much cheaper and he can have an advantage in the Italian market.

"Then, don't forget my reward."

Rudolph immediately reached out and patted Miloni on the shoulder, and said kindly with a big smile.

"Uh, yes, that's of course, that's of course, fifteen Kilds I'll pay you right away."

Miloni said happily that the so-called Kielde is the gold coin unit of the Holy Roman Empire. A Kielde can be exchanged for a Jingeroshen (large silver coins), 24 Groshen (Chinese silver coins), 60 crosses (small silver coins) and 240 Finney (copper coins).

"very good."

Rudolph was very satisfied. After he knew the exchange unit, he knew that fifteen gold coins were a lot. You should know that Earl Schwartz only gave him one hundred Finneys.

"Mr. Rudolph, I think you are different from other nobles."

When Miloni handed a bag of money to Rudolph, Rudolph immediately poured out the gold coins and counted them, bit them with his teeth, and then he was sure to put them in his arms with satisfaction. The sergeant Taylor, who was standing beside him, quickly looked at him. This was not a bit aristocratic, but Miloni felt very kind.

"Oh, what does it mean?"
Chapter completed!