"Crunch!"
The broad old wooden door made a sad cry, and Simon could feel that there were several doubtful or curious glances in the dim tower.
Even though there was a torch on every pillar in the tower, and even a disc chandelier with four candles hanging from the high ceiling in the tower, it still couldn't illuminate the hall. every inch of the corner.
The tower was damp and dark. Unlike the pure stench of excrement and urine outside, the Lord's Tower also had a bit more of the smell of sweat and mildew.
Simon stepped forward and walked into the door. There were candlesticks on the left and right sides of the door. The weak candlelight in the candlesticks swayed left and right with the air flowing in from outside the door, as if dancing to welcome Simon.
"Huh."
The two soldiers standing under the tall candlestick yawned, rubbed their eyes, and greedily sucked in the fresh air outside the door, trying to wake themselves up.
Moisture-proof hay was spread everywhere on the ground, but there was a lot of dirt and feces stuck to the grass, making it difficult to step on.
Simon could see a large chair covered with animal skins at the end of the hall, facing the door. Behind the chair was a tapestry with a simple knight's charge scene embroidered on an off-white background. On the left and right sides of the tapestry hang two family heraldic flags of the earl family.
There was a man sitting on the big chair, but it was difficult for Simon to see his face clearly in the dim light.
The ground in front of the chair was not spread with hay, but a long straight dark red carpet was spread on the hard stone tile floor, extending to a meter or two in front of the door.
There is a long wooden table and matching chairs on each side of the carpet. On the table are two silver candlesticks and a plate of leftovers that have not yet been confiscated.
The room was very lively, the two long wooden tables were full of people, and some minor nobles were standing in twos and threes in the small side corridor next to the dining table, talking about something.
Simon noticed that on the long wooden table on the left, sitting on the seat closest to the big armchair, was an old man wearing a gray-white robe like the Archbishop of Cologne. He must be the Bishop of Frankfurt.
"Sir, that is my master." The castle pager bent down and pointed to the man in the distance on the large armchair covered with animal skins, and then carefully exited the tower door.
Simon stepped on the long dark red carpet and walked towards Earl Rutbert's throne. Only then did Simon notice that there were wavy patterns embroidered with yellow silk thread on both sides of the carpet, and there were complex diamond-shaped plaid patterns on the wide carpet surface.
The nobles at the wine tables on both sides of the carpet did not stop drinking and bragging. They just glanced at Simon passing in front of them with the corner of their eyes.
When passing the bishop of Frankfurt, Simon quietly looked at him. This old man had a monk's Mediterranean hairstyle and had a serious and rigid face as rumored.
His white robe was covered with dirt, and it looked like it hadn't been washed for a long, long time. There was no wine glass on the table in front of the bishop. At this time, he was chatting in a low voice with a nobleman wearing a blue and white striped shirt next to him.
As if sensing Simon's gaze, the Bishop of Frankfurt, who was speaking in a low voice, raised his head slightly and glanced at Simon, who quickly withdrew his gaze.
"Are you Simon of Dorsten? I seem to have heard of you. In your sacred territory, it seems to be called Verde Village or Verdel Village. Sorry, I can't remember clearly. You wiped out a group of extremely vicious people. Norman pagan." The young Earl of Rutbert, wearing a yellow patterned robe that was obviously one size too big and ill-fitting, stretched out his hand with a gem ring.
"It's me, your esteemed Earl." Simon humbly knelt down on one knee and kissed Earl Rutbert's ring. But at this moment, in Simon's heart, he was really reluctant to kiss the ring that was covered in countless saliva.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, my lord Lord Ruterbert. I have something to say to this unknown knight named Simon face to face."
But at this moment, a slightly lazy and impatient voice came from the end of the long wooden table on the left.
Simon frowned in confusion and turned around, only to see a plump, fat lord standing up from his seat, holding his head high and rudely looking at him with provocative eyes. Simon looked from the top of his head to the soles of his feet.
"What the hell? Damn, it's just the bottom of a salt shaker, and the seat is so far away from the earl. I don't know when I offended this annoying fat fly!" Simon thought.
Next to the fat lord, a buck-toothed attendant came in at some point. At this time, the attendant was still whispering something in the fat lord's ear, and from time to time he would point at Simon with his dirty and thin hands.
"What happened, Baron Nora?" The young Earl Rutbert spoke with a bit of anger. Although Luterbert had just succeeded to the throne, he really could not tolerate the baron who had just re-sworn allegiance to him being so rude and rude to his guests.
"My lord, please calm down. I don't mean to offend you. Because my servants just told me that the visor of my vassal Sir Linton is hanging next to the saddle of this unknown knight, and there is still fresh blood on it. . I think I have enough reason to suspect that this guy murdered my loyal knight Linton." After the fat lord appeased Rutbert with a sorry smile on his face, he pointed at Simon tremblingly and said impassionedly, and he was instantly attracted Attention from everyone in the hall.
"Oh!" Many people exclaimed and pointed at Simon. For a time, the castle was filled with various discussions, and Simon even heard curses and spitting mixed in among them.
"Quiet, please be quiet!" Earl Rutbert shouted and stood up. After a while, the hall became quiet like a pot of boiling water being poured into a pot of ice water.
"Simon of Dorsten, my vassal is not my vassal, and I should have no business in this mess. But since Baron Nora accuses you in my hall of murdering his vassal, I must give He gave a satisfactory answer. Now, please answer truthfully, did you personally murder Sir Linton or did you send someone to murder him?" Earl Rutbert changed his previous amiable attitude and stared at Simon with a frown on his face. His eyes seemed to want to dig something out.
Ruterbert had just discussed the plan to conquer Württemberg with his vassals, and now he needed knights and men who could fight bravely. At this time, Simon from Dorsten almost held the heads of his vassals to congratulate him on his succession. I have to say that this was really an annoying "rich" gift.
"Oh, I killed Linton myself," Simon said contemptuously. For a moment, the fat lord became red-eyed and almost waved the guard at the door to arrest Simon. "But all the local villagers can testify that he was Those who die in a fair duel are all God’s decision.”
"Oh?" For a moment, the originally silent hall felt as if water dripped from a hot oil pan and exploded in an instant.
"Why should I believe your lies? Why didn't Linton's attendant come to report the news? Did you kill him too?" The fat lord's eyes widened in disbelief. However, he remembered Linton's arrogant character and speculated that Linton might have had a conflict with Simon at that time. In the duel, he was outskilled and was killed with a sword.
"You can just send someone to his village and ask the local villagers now. As for the attendant, he was not present during the duel. When he came back and saw Linton's body, he became insane and said to himself that he didn't know where he was. He was mumbling about something and disappeared after a while while riding the horse." Simon crossed his hands and sneered.
Simon is now confident. The only loophole is that even if the villagers tell the Fat Lord's spies that the squire Balder was last seen disappearing on the road to Rothenburg, as long as they cannot find the body of the squire, they will have no evidence to accuse themselves of murder. Linton's attendant. As for Sir Linton himself, it was known locally that he died in a just duel judged by God, and that his death was determined by God.
"Baron Nora, ask your people to investigate Sir Linton's village. It's not very far from Rothenburg anyway. No one should mention this unlucky thing again until the results of the investigation come out. Angelo , go and bring the musicians and clowns, we are going to enjoy the dinner soon!" Earl Rutbert pressed his hands and sat back on his comfortable animal skin-backed chair.
The fat lord's face was filled with uncertainty. After giving Simon a fierce look, he left his seat and rushed out of the door with his attendants.
"I heard Baron Nora mention his favorite vassal Sir Linton. It is said that he is an old warrior who is very good at using a sword. According to you, since you can kill Sir Linton honorably in a duel, your His swordsmanship should be better than his. I am preparing an expedition now and need a capable knight like you. Ahem, are you interested in joining my cause? Your land and gold will definitely be indispensable when I become successful." After everyone else in the hall calmed down, the young Earl Rutbert hooked his hand at Simon, asked him to come closer, and whispered to him.
Simon also had to get the crenellation permit and return to Fordeburg as soon as possible before the harsh winter arrived. In addition, he has no interest in helping a strange count fight an unknown battle, not to mention that he has just made a feud with his subordinate Baron Nora, and he really doesn't know what trouble will happen. So Simon politely declined Earl Ruterbert's invitation.
After dinner time, Simon found the bishop of Frankfurt and handed him a letter written by the priest of Wenden village.
But what surprised Simon was that the bishop of Frankfurt said that he met the monks and militiamen who came to ask for instructions on harvesting grapes in Mainz. However, it may be that some of them encountered an accident when they embarked on the journey back to the village of Wenden. , As a result, Wenden Village did not receive the news and the grapes rotted.
In addition, the Bishop of Frankfurt also fully praised and affirmed Simon. After all, in his opinion, in this dark age when everyone is selfish, being able to buy rotten grapes in the name of the church in order to contribute to the church is undoubtedly the most devout believer in God, and his virtues and good deeds should even be It was compiled into books and recited forever in the mouths of millions of believers.
At the same time, this also dispelled Earl Ruterbert's concern about whether Simon lied and said that he killed Linton in the duel rather than murdered Linton. He did not want a morally corrupt murderer smelling of blood to appear in his halls and towers.
