Chapter 1990 - 539: The Hyena Follows Up (Part 2)

"Then I should drink a bit more."

The crowd burst into laughter, but soon no one could laugh anymore.

A squad of cavalry swiftly took control of the dock, and the neighing of their warhorses scared off the boatmen who were trying to untie the ropes and flee. Immediately after, infantry carrying firearms and long halberds rushed in.

Seeing the soldiers meant business, the townspeople finally panicked. The townsfolk hurried back home to lock their windows and doors, while the merchants in haste raced back to the river port, colliding headlong with those who were forced back.

Watching the mass of people squirming like entwined maggots, Heigmer rode out from the military formation on horseback.

"What do you plan to do?" A man with a panicked expression summoned his courage and shouted at the knight on horseback.

Heigmer ignored him and instead glanced at the eager deputy officer, along with the hundreds of hungry young men behind him.

"Take it over."

With the command given, hundreds of famished knights surged toward the dock, like sharks that had smelled blood.

The terrified crowd retreated, crouched, or even fell to the ground, realizing that the young men were not charging at them but at the ships behind them.

The gangplank was briskly laid onto the ship's side, breaking the river's tranquility with the clanging of armor.

When the first oilcloth was lifted by the spear, the sight of the golden grain nearly blinded everyone.

It wasn't gold coins, but it drove these young men wilder than gold coins and ignited an uncontrollable fury in their eyes.

A mountain of wheat, not only full and plump but also exuding an enticing grain aroma!

Besides those grains, barrels of premium salted meat were neatly stacked, with the oozing wood oil glistening like fish scales.

There was more.

Cheese and vegetables, even beer whose taste they couldn't recall, and tightly bound wool and leather.

"These beasts..." a soldier couldn't help but curse under his breath, feeling both the urge to feast and the desire to set it all ablaze.

The boatmen, squeezed into a corner, looked at each other not understanding why these guys were so riled up or what they were angry about.

They were merely trying to make a living, so how did they become beasts?

Yet the soldiers' curses were not directed at them, although the ensuing anger and fear were equally shared by all.

Finally, someone who could speak up arrived.

A corpulent merchant squeezed through the bustling crowd, hurrying over from the direction of the town.

"Stop! Everyone stop! This is Duke Eiffel's property!"

Waving a piece of parchment in his hand, facing the gleaming swords, his face showed some panic but more of an arrogant confidence.

"We... are legitimate merchants with a franchise! Sir Knight, your bravery is commendable, but I still suggest you have your men sheathe their swords. Otherwise, if the Duke holds you accountable, even being His Majesty's brother might be hard to explain."

The implication was clear: you are causing trouble for His Majesty.

Heigmer rode up to the merchant, looking down at the greasy-faced man, and removed his helmet.

"Legal trade?"

Heigmer's gaze passed the merchant, landing on the grains, the fury in his eyes nearly boiling the cold river water.

"My brothers at the front line are so hungry they're about to chew on tree bark, and the King's subjects are shivering in the cold wind. And you're going to ship this grain south to sell to our neighboring country?"

"It's business... sir. We are selling these goods to our neighbors, not giving them away. We won't return with empty ships."

The merchant's mouth twitched, wanting to explain to this thick-headed man that he was going south to exchange for cloth and ironware but didn't know where to begin explaining.

Perhaps the Minister should explain why he issued such foolish orders.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't know how to explain, and coincidentally Heigmer didn't want to listen; nor did the soldiers standing behind him.

The deputy officer rode two steps forward, glaring fiercely at the greasy man and began to curse.

"Stop your sophistry! Don't think I don't know your tricks! Half a year ago, you took Ryan Kingdom's silver coins to exchange for their scrap iron, and now you want to trade our grain for their waste paper! You've betrayed our kingdom!"

"Waste paper?"

The merchant, hearing such an absurd accusation, couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

"Ha... my esteemed Knight Master, have you been away from the Royal Capital for too long? Even Campbell people's waste paper is better than your brittle pottery shards. At least we can use waste paper to get bread. If you feel discontent, go seize it, while your riding spears are still stiff."

He also had a bellyful of rage.

If it weren't for the Third Level Conference passing that damn law, and the nobles degrading etiquette and shame to the dust, he should be sitting in Roland City drinking red wine, waiting for Campbell people to come begging him to trade.

Instead of having to run downstream himself, begging those descendants of the maze to sell a bit more to solve Roland City's urgent needs.

If these knights truly loved their majesty, they should be seizing Campbell people's goods, not pointing their swords at someone still serving His Majesty because of a problem.