I was a knight in the Middle Ages

Chapter 366 The Shrinking Empire

The cold wind was like a knife, cutting through this weathered land. On the large farm, the densely packed people were like frightened ants, huddled together in panic. The originally flat land was trampled into mud by the panicked footsteps of the people.

"Everyone, be quiet, be quiet!" A rough shout instantly penetrated the noise. A burly man strode towards the temporary platform. The heavy footsteps seemed to hit everyone's heart. After he stood still, he raised his hand high and signaled everyone to be quiet.

The strong man's voice was carried by the wind and echoed in the crowd. "I know that everyone is panicking and has no idea what to do. The Ottoman army retreated three days ago! When they left, they took away all the supplies like a swarm of locusts. They didn't leave any for us. They are determined to starve us to death!"

As soon as these words came out, the crowd exploded instantly, like a flaming gunpowder barrel. The people who were originally listlessly doing meaningless work stopped what they were doing, suddenly raised their heads, and looked at the strong man on the platform. Their eyes were full of confusion and fear, just like lambs who lost their way in the dark, completely unaware of what kind of misfortune was waiting for them next.

"They just walked away without saying anything and took all our stuff with them. They're trying to kill us all! We can't just wait to die. We have to resist!" The strong man became more and more excited. He waved his arms, and every movement seemed to be declaring war on fate.

The anger and despair of the crowd were completely ignited at this moment, reaching a peak in an instant. People began to whisper to each other, the voices getting louder and louder, and they were discussing fiercely how to deal with this sudden desperate situation. Some people clenched their fists, some people had red eyes, and everyone was driven by the desire to survive. As long as they could survive, they seemed willing to try anything.

"Everyone, be quiet!" the sturdy man spoke again, and after everyone was quiet for a while, he changed the subject, "Now, the nearest place with food to us is Grand Duke Hilma's manor. The food there is piled up like a mountain, and that should be ours. We have to take it back!" He deliberately dragged out the tone, and each word sounded like a carefully planted seed.

These words were like a spark that fell accurately into a pile of dry wood, instantly igniting a raging fire. The emotions of the crowd were completely ignited, and they began to cheer, as if the food in the nearby manor had already been in their pockets, and the dawn of hope was just around the corner.

However, just as everyone was immersed in the fantasy of taking back the food, an inappropriate figure climbed up the platform made of haystacks with difficulty. It was a thin man with a pale face. Every step he took seemed to have exhausted all his strength. But his eyes were extremely firm, revealing an unyielding spirit. It was obvious that he had gone through a fierce struggle in his heart before he mustered up the courage to stand here.

He took a deep breath and tried to make his voice steady. Although his voice was weak, it was like a sharp sword that pierced through the noise. "Wait, everyone, listen to me! Grand Duke Hilma has always been protecting us and has provided us with a lot of aid. If we just go and rob his food, we will be treacherous and no different from those robbers who rob houses."

These words hit everyone's heart like a heavy hammer, and everyone present fell into deep thought. People looked at each other and began to re-examine the crazy action they were about to make. Yes, Archduke Hilma has always been their protector, giving them help and support in difficult times. If they betray him like this, who will be able to help them in difficult times in the future? What will they have left?

"What's the point of protecting us?" The sturdy man was not willing to give up and immediately jumped out to refute. His voice became louder and louder, as if to drown out everyone else. "If it weren't for the fact that these nobles are incompetent and incapable, how could we be occupied by the Ottoman Empire? All this is the fault of the nobles! If we just want to survive now, we have to overthrow their rule!" As he spoke, he gestured excitedly, inciting the emotions of the crowd.

This statement stirred up a thousand waves again, and the anger and dissatisfaction in people's hearts were aroused again. Everyone nodded. In their opinion, the nobles were high and mighty, enjoying wealth and splendor, but they failed to protect them, allowing them to fall into such a miserable situation. The culprits of everything were those nobles.

"In the referendum that year, it was all of us who decided that King Otzi should give up resistance and accept the rule of the Ottoman Empire. This was not a unilateral choice of the nobles. We can't put all the blame on them!" The thin man was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead. He tried his best to persuade everyone to calm down.

But at this moment, anger had blinded people's eyes, and they simply could not listen. In their minds, even if the decision was a mistake, those nobles were also to blame, so why didn't they stand up and stop it? After thinking about it, everything was still the nobles' fault.

"We just want to live, we did nothing wrong!" Zhuang Han said firmly, continuing to guide the emotions of the crowd. He knew that in the face of the fear of death, even the most obvious mistakes would be selectively forgotten by people, and the instinct to survive would make them do whatever it takes.

"We can ask Grand Duke Hilma for help!" The thin man saw that his persuasion was fruitless, but he still did not give up and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Now that the Ottoman Empire is gone, we should ask the Grand Duke to let the Otzi royal family come back. Maybe this way we can rebuild our home and live a stable life!"

This voice was like a loud bell ringing in a bustling market, causing the entire place to instantly fall into a deathly silence. Everyone was stunned, as if wondering whether this completely different path would work...

Looking back on the past, the people of this land, with their ardent vision of a glorious future and full of expectations that their lives would undergo earth-shaking changes, somehow made a decision that changed the fate of the country - to allow the Ottoman Empire to directly enter.

At that passionate yet slightly blindly optimistic moment, the temptation of power and glory was like bright stars, flashing before the eyes of the people, making them chase after them involuntarily.

As for who would lead the country, it seemed unimportant in the atmosphere of fanaticism at the time. As a result, the royal family and a large number of nobles left in frustration and reluctance, and the country's power structure was completely rewritten.

As time goes by, the cruel reality is like a heavy slap in the face, mercilessly awakening the people who were immersed in the illusory dream. They finally woke up from the dream and clearly realized how absurd and wrong their original decision was. The vision they had once had was shattered like a bubble, leaving only devastation and endless regret. At this moment, a strong desire surged from the depths of their hearts, that is, to do their best to recover everything they had lost and regain the dignity and glory of the past.

However, ideals are full of hope, but reality is extremely bleak. It is still unknown whether Archduke Hilma is willing to lend a hand and help them. If the royal family can return, whether they are really capable of rebuilding their homes and revitalizing this vicissitudes of life, there are too many uncertainties. Although the road ahead is confusing, the fire of hope has been burning in people's hearts. They can no longer tolerate the status quo and are eager to change and regain everything they have lost.

"No, these originally belonged to us. We are just taking back what originally belonged to us. We are not wrong! The Otzi royal family failed to make us prosperous, and the Ottoman Empire could not give us the life we ​​truly desire. In this case, we must rely on our own strength to take back everything that belongs to us!" The strong man's loud and firm voice echoed in the crowd like a huge bell, and every word was full of unquestionable determination. His words, like a burning torch, ignited the unyielding spirit in people's hearts and made everyone's blood boil.

At this critical moment that determines the fate of the country, the strong man and the thin man stood up like two dazzling stars and became the light of hope and leaders in the hearts of the people. Their courage and firm determination, like spring rain, moistened everyone's dry heart and made people believe that as long as everyone works together and unites as one, there will be no difficulties that cannot be overcome and the dreams in their hearts will be realized.

But their philosophies are very different, like two opposing paths.

The thin man was nostalgic for the past. In his opinion, if he went back to the past, even if he could not become rich, he could at least maintain a relatively stable life and would not get worse. He longed for the familiar, routine days and longed to regain the peace and beauty of his past life.

The strong man has a strong desire for self-government. As for whether this desire is for the happiness and well-being of the people or for the pursuit of supreme power, others do not know. But he firmly believes that he may be able to open up a broad road to a better future, even if he may face the risk of irreparable destruction, he is willing to do so.

The road ahead is undoubtedly full of thorns and difficulties. But they have taken this crucial step without hesitation. Ahead, countless challenges and difficulties are waiting for them to overcome one by one. But deep in their hearts, they firmly believe that as long as they persevere and persevere, they will be able to break through the darkness and usher in a bright future full of hope. This is destined to be a legendary story about courage, enlightenment and hope, and also a magnificent chapter of people bravely embarking on a new journey in order to redeem past mistakes.

With the fierce collision of ideas, the crowd inevitably split into two camps. One side followed the strong man closely, full of ambition and ambition, ready to fight for their ideals; the other side stood firmly behind the thin man, eager to return to the past and regain the stability of the past. The remaining people stood there blankly, their eyes full of helplessness and confusion, at a loss. Deep in their hearts, they only wanted to live a peaceful life, and were filled with deep fear and resistance to war.

These people do not ask for much, just to live peacefully every day on this land. They do not want to be involved in any conflict or fighting. The destruction and harm caused by war have long been deeply imprinted in their hearts, making them shudder at the mention of it. They would rather choose to escape and hide in their own little world than step into the battlefield full of blood and death.

However, the cruel reality is like an insurmountable wall that stands before them. They gradually realize that even if they try to avoid war, the shadow of war is still with them and may still shroud them mercilessly. They may have to face the cruel risk of being forced to choose a camp or being involved in a battle.

In this desperate dilemma, these people felt extremely confused and helpless. They were eager to find a proper solution that could protect the safety of themselves and their families while cleverly avoiding participation in the war. They began to rack their brains to think about whether they could resolve differences through diplomatic means, negotiations, or other peaceful means to achieve peaceful coexistence and restore the tranquility and peace of the past to this war-torn land.

……

The biting cold wind whistled past, as if to sweep away everything in the world. In front of the grand and solemn manor of Grand Duke Hilma, Matthews, a thin representative who carried the earnest expectations of 3,000 suffering people, stood there with a sincere face. His clothes were tattered and fluttered in the cold wind, like a weathered flag.

"Grand Duke Hilma, I'm Matthews." His voice trembled slightly due to nervousness and excitement, but with an unquestionable firmness. "On behalf of the vast majority of people, I come here with great respect and eagerness to ask you for help. You also know that the Ottoman Empire's army is like a group of barbaric robbers who took away everything from us without explanation. Now, we have nothing and our lives are plunged into endless darkness. Winter is coming soon, and the biting cold wind has begun to rage. Our days are getting more and more difficult, and every moment seems to be struggling on the brink of life and death. Grand Duke, in this desperate situation, we are really desperate and can only pin all our hopes on you. I beg you to show mercy and lend us some food. This is our life-saving straw! We solemnly promise you that next year, we will definitely return it double, without a second thought!"

Outside the manor, the people were crowded like a tide, their faces full of fatigue, fear and expectation. They were all poor people who had experienced the baptism of war, displaced in the smoke of war, their former homes turned into ruins, their relatives separated, and now they could only shiver in the cold wind, eagerly hoping to get help from Grand Duke Hilma.

The guard stood at the gate of the manor, looking at the crowd in front of him, knowing that he could not make the decision on his own. A trace of anxiety flashed in his eyes, and without thinking too much, he turned around and rushed into the manor like a gust of wind to report the emergency to the Grand Duke. During this waiting moment, every minute and every second was infinitely stretched, and the refugees' hearts were hanging in their throats. They could only suffer silently in anxiety and expectation, their eyes full of uneasiness about the unknown results.

In the luxuriously decorated hall of the manor, Grand Duke Hilma sat on the magnificent seat, quietly listening to Matthews' request. His eyes were deep and solemn, as if he was thinking about something. The tragic experiences of the people in front of him were like sharp blades, piercing his heart. He knew very well that these people were innocent victims of the war. In that cruel war, they were just pitiful pawns manipulated by fate.

However, when the Grand Duke was about to stand up and step out of the manor to respond to the people's request, he was stopped by his subordinates. The subordinate looked serious, his tone was firm, and he said with a hint of anger: "Grand Duke, in my opinion, these people deserve it. When the enemy attacked, they easily chose to surrender through a referendum, allowing the enemy to enter our territory easily. This led to the Otzi royal family being forced to leave their homes, wandering around, and even being robbed and killed. All these disasters were caused by themselves!" It is not difficult to see that the staff officer was extremely disgusted with these people who surrendered easily and changed their attitude according to the situation, and his heart was full of hatred.

However, another wise man had a completely different view. He took a step forward and said respectfully but clearly, "Grand Duke, we should indeed lend a helping hand, but we must act with caution and understand the situation. According to reliable intelligence I have received, some of these refugees are ready to make a move and attempt to govern themselves. They are everywhere deceiving the people and inciting them, and they have even set their sights on our manor, trying to seize everything from us."

When Grand Duke Hilma heard this, his heart tightened and he sighed helplessly: "Autonomy? These people are simply crazy! Although the Ottoman Empire has temporarily withdrawn, their wolfish ambitions are known to everyone and they may come back at any time. We have finally exchanged 60% of our supplies for partial autonomy. If these evil-minded people are allowed to take power, then our country will be completely finished!"

At this moment, the wise man's eyes flashed with excitement, and he said expectantly: "Grand Duke Hilma, you may not know that the Otzi royal family has sent envoys to contact us ten days ago. Now, the royal family members are probably on their way. This is a great opportunity for us to turn things around! We can't endure and survive under the rule of the Ottoman Empire like this for the rest of our lives!"