Moments later.
A few soldiers carrying a maid quickly walked out of the residence and reported to Lynn, "Master, we didn't find Aiden, but the maid said that Aiden has already escaped with his followers."
Lynn's gaze shifted, looking at the frail maid.
Before he could inquire, the maid spoke with a trembling voice, "Master Aiden... Aiden... left with his followers and maid half an hour ago."
"He said he was going to the Viscount's Castle of Chambers!"
Clearly.
Facing the threat of death, Aiden had decisively abandoned his territory and manor temporarily!
Lynn's gaze turned to Rose, "Lead a small team and intercept him before he reaches Wind Hill!"
Rose's face tightened with determination and, without hesitation, replied, "Yes, master!"
Rose summoned a team of fifty, mounted their warhorses, and galloped towards Wind Hill.
Not long after.
The cavalry led by Rose disappeared into the night.
Lynn looked at Earl by his side, "Gather all the people in this territory here with the soldiers."
Earl responded with a nod and, taking dozens of people, headed into the manor behind the residence.
Lynn dismounted from Mo Ying and entered the three-story high residence.
Scanning the surroundings, he found that compared to the castle he currently resided in, the decorations within the residence were richer and more complex.
Murals, statues, and various embroidered draperies...
Even specimens of various beast heads.
All of which required a wealth of time or a deep-rooted family legacy to possess such a multitude of decorations.
Lynn wasn't particularly interested in exploring what valuable items might be hidden within the residence.
Sitting on a chair, he proceeded to wait.
An hour later.
The sky had gradually begun to brighten.
Earl, who had gathered everyone in the territory, came before Lynn.
He reported, "Master, the gathering is complete."
Lynn stood up and walked outside the residence.
The open space ahead was filled with figures standing close together.
Their clothing was simple, barely covering their essential parts.
They were thin and emaciated, seemingly having exhausted the last of their body fat to survive this winter.
They hung their heads, under the watchful eyes of the soldiers, not daring to show any disrespect.
They were the peasants and servants from Aiden's territory!
Standing beside Lynn, Earl explained, "Master, there are a total of eighteen hundred peasants and servants combined."
"According to the peasants, some people took advantage of the night to flee the manor. It might be challenging to find them back..."
"There's at least hundreds of thousands of pounds of grain stored in the warehouse—barley, wheat, peas, vegetables, and meat, among others."
"There's also a lot of wine in the cellar."
"And plenty of linen cloth and wool..."
Listening to Earl's explanation, Lynn nodded.
Eighteen hundred people fell short of the several thousand he had initially anticipated.
But with these eighteen hundred, he could at least temporarily fill the labor gap in his territory!
However, the goods Aiden had stored satisfied him.
At this moment.
Wesley, who had been clearing the battlefield, brought a group of captives to the right side of the gathering.
Wesley approached Lynn and explained, "Master, the battle situation has been tallied."
"In this battle, ten of our soldiers died, twenty-five were injured, five hundred and fifty enemies were slain, and two hundred and twenty were captured!"
Lynn acknowledged.
Despite the protection of standard plate armor, and against a crowd of followers with not much combat power.
Wanting to win against seven hundred weapon-wielding enemies without any losses.
Was indeed somewhat unrealistic!
Ten deaths and twenty-some injuries were within Lynn's acceptable range!
Scanning around, Lynn instructed Earl and Wesley, "Transport all the labor forces, stored grain, livestock, ironware, and so forth from the territory, back to our place!"
Wesley and Earl simultaneously responded, "Yes."
With those words, the two retreated and coordinated the soldiers to arrange for the transport of all these peasants and captives back to the territory.
Watching the teams of carts and cavalry heading in the direction they came from, Lynn mounted his horse and rode on Mo Ying.
Until the team gradually faded into the distance, Lynn once more looked far away.
He did not see the cavalry led by Rose, who had pursued, returning yet.
Retracting his gaze.
Lynn rode Mo Ying, following behind the team.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Amidst a dense forest.
A caravan was traveling swiftly.
Sitting in the carriage, Aiden no longer felt like he did before, playing with the maid in the carriage.
He sat solemnly, occasionally looking back at the road behind him.
Aiden naturally didn't expect that group of followers to defeat the intruders!
As long as they could delay time, allowing his carriage to safely reach Wind Hill, to the Viscount's Castle.
Then there was still a chance!
At worst, he could share half of the output from the three mines with Viscount Qianbosen.
No, half is too much.
At most, a third!
Viscount Qianbosen would surely be willing to send troops to suppress the enemy!
By then, relying on the walls, occupying the fertile land behind, he could start developing.
As long as given enough time, he could even build a Steel Corps!
By then, what would a Viscount Qianbosen, what would a Marquis Ducas be?
He could trample all his enemies beneath his feet!
Ruthlessly crush them!
Just as Aiden was lost in his fantasies of the future.
A persistent sound of horses galloping surged into his ears.
Aiden abruptly turned his head, looking intently at what lay behind.
There, dozens of cavalrymen, clad in plate armor, were rushing towards him.
Their speed far outstripped that of his carriage!
Aiden realized that it wouldn't be long before they were caught and stopped.
Seeing those black-clad heavy cavalry like devils, a furnace raged in Aiden's heart.
"Useless!"
"Truly useless!"
"Seven hundred couldn't block the attack, and let them chase us down?"
The twin maids beside felt Aiden's fury, their faces filled with terror.
They crouched fearfully by the carriage door.
Ed, with a twisted expression, shouted, "What?"
"Are you afraid of me now?"
"It was I who bought you from the slavers."
"If not for me, you would have long been sent to a brothel, to be toyed with by countless men!"
"I freed you!"
"Your lives are mine!"
"Even when fleeing, I brought you along, and now you're afraid of me?"
"Come here, I want you to come here!"
The twin maids remained terrified, not daring to draw near.
Aiden's expression changed, "Not coming, huh?"
"Then get lost!"
With those words, Aiden moved, kicking the maid on the right in the stomach.
With that force, the maid and the carriage door behind her were sent flying out.
As the carriage sped on, the maid's body tumbled over the path strewn with rocks.
Ultimately crashing into a large rock, lifeless.
Aiden paused not for a moment, looking again to the left.
Without giving the maid a chance to speak, he kicked again.
The remaining maid likewise flew out of the carriage, rolling a few times on the ground before striking a roadside tree trunk...
Aiden showed a sinister smile, "Your lives were given by me, I dictate your living, and I dictate your death!"
The followers alongside the carriage furrowed their brows.
Feared Aiden might kill them too if he went mad.
Da da~
Da da~
Hearing the approaching gallops behind, Aiden turned his gaze back.
Only to see dozens of heavy cavalrymen now within five or six meters behind him!
In Aiden's eyes, despair filled his gaze...