Traveling through The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

"Boss, we brothers are all well-known figures in our hometown of Hammerfell Province. How come we followed you and became highway robbers? Besides, even if we are robbing, we should choose a business with good profits. How much money can the porters carrying grain carry?"

Masinissa held a straw stalk in his mouth and kept complaining incoherently.

"You don't understand. This is called a rat pulling a shovel."

"Yes, yes, yes. Aren't all the grain stealers rats?"

"Shut up! They are coming, let the brothers grab their weapons."

Masinisa turned to leave, but turned back and winked at Lai Mei beside me.

"Hey, Fatty, don't stab me in the back when we're doing this."

Lei Mei frowned and ignored him. In fact, she had not spoken to any Red Guard since the conflict between the two. Masinisha flirted with her several times, but was ignored. What's worse, because she was dissatisfied with the way the bodies of the Whiterun soldiers were handled, this girl didn't look good to me. She was held down by me so that she didn't run away. At this time, she must be full of anger and had nowhere to vent. I could feel the gloomy aura on her.

Our ambush location is southeast of the Gukar Monument and due west of the Sleeping Tree. There are several hills on the north side of the official road. In my memory, there is a vampire camp called Broken Tooth Cave in the game, which should be nearby. This place is exactly in the middle of the two camps of the Imperial Legion, but it is two or three hours closer to Granite Village than Sunny Garden Fortress.

The reason why I chose this position to do the first job was because I wanted to play it safe. I split the team, which was already small in number, again, and now there are only seven people and a dog left. I think that after the transport team has safely delivered the first batch of supplies and there is only half a day left to travel, they will more or less relax their vigilance.

The target came into view. It was a long convoy. Dozens of ox carts were carrying countless grains, arrows, and about twenty wine barrels. Each barrel was about half a meter in diameter and about four or five meters high. Each cart was followed by two drivers. Five fully armed soldiers led by the captain walked in the front. There were ten soldiers on each side guarding the flanks of the column. The situation in the rear was not clear for the time being.

I took a quick look and didn't see any familiar faces, but I wasn't completely sure that there were no fellow villagers among the drivers.

"Everyone, prepare your bows and arrows. Remember, only target the soldiers, don't kill them indiscriminately! Masinissa, have the brothers slaughter all the cattle, get enough food for three days, and withdraw from the battle immediately. Agis, prepare the fire, you are responsible for chiseling open the wine barrels and then setting fire. Lydia, the captain is in your hands."

Lei Mei nodded silently, Agis was busy checking the flint and fire starter, and Masinissa still had a playful look on his face.

"This cow is great. It would be a pity to kill it. If we could drive one away, it would be enough for us to eat for several days."

I wiped the sweat off my palms, held the spear tightly, and silently recited the spell to summon the fire element again. The Red Guards were not so nervous. Except for a bald man, everyone took out a small wooden comb and combed their hair carefully. It was said that this was their pre-war ritual.

When the convoy was halfway through, I raised my left hand and heard the creaking sound of a bowstring being pulled. The driver and the soldiers looked happy, talking and laughing, and they obviously had not yet realized the danger.

"put!"

hum-

The two unlucky soldiers were shot in the face and fell to the ground. The driver who was chatting with them was stunned for several seconds, then screamed loudly and fled behind the car.

"Enemy attack! Don't panic! Raise your shields and line up!"

The guy who looked like a small leader called out to the other soldiers, but the next moment, an elf covered in flames suddenly appeared and completely shattered their defense. Agis and I were still shooting arrows, and the Red Guards had already rushed over with two swords in hand. The soldiers were unable to resist and were soon chopped to the ground.

The captain's reaction was not slow, but unfortunately the fleeing drivers scattered the soldiers on the other side, so he could only bring the five people around him to support him and hope that his companions behind him would arrive as soon as possible. However, his way was blocked by a black-haired girl.

"Miss Lydia? How did you...become a robber?"

The captain took off his helmet, revealing a young face.

"I'm not a robber." Lai Mei didn't expect to meet an old friend and didn't know how to explain for a moment, "Surrender, or I can't protect you."

"impossible!"

The young man forced out a bitter smile, then raised his sword and fought with Lai Mei. However, his sword skills were sparse, and his men were unable to form an encirclement in the first place. Lai Mei moved lightly, shuttling between the gaps of the ox carts, still persuading her to surrender, but her opponent only responded with the long sword in his hand. Seeing the Red Guards rushing up like wolves, Lydia became more and more anxious.

Agis and I started to set fire everywhere. The oxen pulling the carts were frightened and ran away, breaking up the enemy's formation that had been assembled with great difficulty. At this point, the battle was no longer suspenseful. Masinissa called on his men to grab food from the flames. Lydia threw her sword aside and knelt beside the captain.

"Why don't you surrender? Why?"

The young man opened his eyelids with difficulty and looked at me standing behind Lai Mei.

"I have my own...dignity and honor...besides, I recognized you, he...won't let me live..."

He tried to raise his hands, but ultimately failed.

"Miss Lydia... turn back..."

Lai Mei hugged his body and cried loudly.

Three days later, Lei Mei and I returned to our hiding place north of the Gukar Monument. The Red Guards were scattered and wandering around, while Agis went to scout the town of Loristed.

According to my original calculation, after the first grain robbery, the Western Army besieging the Sunshine Garden Fortress was not affected, so Tullius would definitely distribute the supplies to the Eastern Army first, and then send people back to Loristed Town to urge them to transport them to the front line again. Of course, if the empty vehicles of the transport team did not return, the rear would sooner or later realize that something was wrong and would arrange to inquire. I would ambush on the road, kill the messenger, and use mobility to try to attack in different locations to interfere with the enemy's judgment.

As long as we do this for half a month, Tullius will have to deploy heavy troops to protect the food route, and the pressure on the front line will inevitably be reduced. Cutting off food will also disrupt the morale of the army. With the experience of my father and Tager, it will not be difficult to find an opportunity. As long as they can defeat the Eastern Route Army in Granite Village, we will basically have a sure win.

But the variable now is that our strongest fighter, Lydia, has an emotional breakdown.

This morning, she calmed down a little and took the initiative to talk to me about the transport captain who was killed.

As a knight of Snowman Territory, Lei Mei's father had a farm outside the city. Although the scale was far smaller than the large farm of Zhan Kuang's family, it was enough to support a decent life. The young man's family was a tenant farmer who farmed for her family. This man was one or two years older than Lei Mei, but their status was very different, so they did not have much interaction when they were young.

When her father died, her younger brother was still too young. In order to keep the family's land, Lei Mei had to pick up the sword and shield left by her father and serve the lord. She was only fourteen years old at the time, and she had a very hard time in the army and had no time to take care of her family. As an orphan and a widow, she was not good at business, so some treacherous servants secretly plotted and stole the master's property. As a result, her family's living conditions deteriorated. It was only with the support of honest and decent people like the young man that they could get by.

When Lei Mei had completely established herself, life at home was gradually getting back on track. But less than a year later, Ulfric started a rebellion. The extremely corrupt Empire was unable to suppress the rebellion, but was unwilling to see its northern provinces become independent, so it sent General Tullius to recruit troops locally. The young man responded to the call and joined the Imperial Legion. The two lost contact from then on, and when they met again, they had already served different masters.

You attack and I defend, brothers hurt each other. It is good to meet each other in a thousand ways, but not on the battlefield.

The young man had no special abilities, and he had not made a name for himself in the army, but he did not do anything to help his family when it was in the most difficult time, and he had been silently contributing, which made Lydia grateful. It was easy to imagine how much it was a blow to her to see such a person being hacked to death in front of her eyes.

And this was just the final blow that caused Leslie to collapse.

Before she met me, the life of this black-haired girl was not complicated. Born into a small noble family, she had a carefree childhood. She encountered a sudden change in her teenage years, but she survived safely with her father's legacy and her own efforts. She received an orthodox knight family education since she was a child. In addition to martial arts, she believed in loyalty, bravery, justice and mercy.

When Lord Balgruuf appointed her as my bodyguard, she thought it was a normal personnel change. Although she knew that I was born a commoner and had no noble blood - this was nothing in my eyes, but it was a big deal in the eyes of the nobles. How could a child of a noble family endure such a great humiliation?

However, Lord Balgruuf did not confer the title on me on a whim, but planned it in advance. Lydia did not just happen to pass by, but received a notice the day before, and entered Dragon's Peak Palace in the early morning, waiting for the moment to perform on stage.

This girl is not stupid. She has never mentioned her worries in front of me because she knows that it is impossible for me to trust her unconditionally as soon as we meet.

Her father's friends were not wealthy, so they helped her join the army and barely support the family business, which was the most they could do. Since she had no connections, she could only sigh in despair at the unfortunate fate of being a subordinate of a peasant. But Lai Mei felt wronged after all, and after learning about her tragic fate, she ran to her bestie to complain. To her surprise, Adrian thought this might not be a bad thing.

Traditionally, although Nords do not believe that women have no right to inherit, in most cases male offspring are given priority, unless, like the Lord of Mosal City, the son is not only young but also mentally unstable. Lydia knows very well that her brother is already twelve years old and as strong as a calf. Sooner or later, he will take over the family business. She is just temporarily managing it.

The handover between the siblings is just a matter of opportunity, such as the sister's wedding.

For a young man like Lydia who supports her brother but cannot afford a decent dowry, who would dare to propose marriage to her if she is poor? Adrian warned that if she does not plan early, she may be forced to marry a wealthy old widower. It may seem decent to outsiders, and her family can get subsidies, but her life will be boring for the rest of her life.

The two hid in the boudoir and talked about some gossips. They mentioned Danica, the priestess of Ginales, who married an old man when she was young, but ended up being a widow in her early thirties. It was also rumored that she had an affair with her stepson. Later, the stepson got married and despised her for being an eyesore, so he forced her to serve the Holy Spirit in the temple. For the sake of a comfortable life in her twenties, the rest of her life was ruined.

On the other hand, Adrian, as the daughter of the steward, had no difficulty in marrying into a wealthy family, but she chose Ulfbeth of the War Bear family. Fortunately, her father Proventus did not intend to use his daughter's marriage to consolidate his political position. The lovers finally got married, and the young couple lived in harmony and enjoyed their lives. The steward himself was more trusted by the lord because he did not marry a great noble.

My best friend further analyzed that even if Lai Mei asked someone to speak up for her now, it would be too late. Not only would it not change the outcome, but it would also leave the impression of being picky in the eyes of the lord, and her career would be completely over. It would be better to just accept it, at least there is still hope for a better future. What's more, following me might not be a bad opportunity.

A lucky bastard, by chance, caught the lord's attention and was able to become a human being.

This was the two unfortunate women's initial assessment of me.

Adrian said excitedly, "I have a shallow foundation and a weak foundation, and I have fewer talents than the hair on the head of the commander of the Whiterun garrison. Do I have any other choice besides reusing Lydia? As far as they know, I have some status in Falkreath. Then, if Lydia can please me, it will not be difficult to get some property in other territories. In the future, even if she gives the ancestral property to her brother, she will have the capital to make a living and will not be at the mercy of others."

Lai Mei was convinced. She was very confident in her ability and believed that as long as she followed the spirit of chivalry and performed her duties faithfully, I would definitely rely on her. Not long after, she did gain my trust. Unfortunately, the price was a broken left arm and the loss of the best performance opportunity.

Taking two cats and Helgi to sneak into Hafengar, this is the most glorious operation I have ever done. Along the way, I defeated demons, brought back old Lot, and gained the friendship of my comrades. At the same time, I also trained the team, especially Aigis, who made obvious progress. Lydia, who stayed in the Blood Throne, was responsible for searching for the secret passage in the Jerrol Mountains, but made no progress. Later, I was ordered to protect Helgi, but I lost him.

Lai Mei thought that when I said she was my strongest subordinate, it was just a polite remark, and I was actually very disappointed in her. Accordingly, as she got to know me better, she found it increasingly difficult to agree with my style and philosophy.

She could understand making friends with the Companions and the Richmen; she could tolerate being with werewolves and Barbas; but she was shocked to see them collude with hags and vampires, two monsters that are generally considered evil. But she still convinced herself silently that she only needed to follow my orders and try not to get involved in those dirty things. But I went even further, not only intercepting people's food supply in a despicable way, but also killing the soldiers of Whiterun.

Lydia was in deep pain, and finally decided to confront me. She told me solemnly that she would not betray her oath and fight me, but if my order went against her will, she would definitely refuse to execute it.

For example, she now refuses to kill the messenger, and I have to keep her by my side.

The original free hunting time was four days, but Aigis and the Red Guards returned early at the same time and brought me a confusing news.