I led the Goblin Culture to victory.

Chapter 174 The Tragic Livelihood

"oops."

not good!

Farol, who was leading the way, quickly went out.

Li Mosi and the other three quickened their pace.

As soon as they stepped outside, they saw the new tribesmen holding a little boy who looked only four or five years old.

"The leader has come out!"

"I'll listen to the leader!"

"Don't be afraid! Wheat seedlings, don't be afraid!"

The new tribesmen and goblins looked at Zi Yi at the same time, and Farol loudly comforted the little boy who was being held.

The boy was even barefoot, just like a goblin.

Zi Yi addressed them, "Release that person. What's going on?"

What can such a small child do?

Greedy Meat spoke first: "He just sneaked in. We don't know what he's up to. It seems like he's looking for something called Farol."

"Grandpa Farol! Waaah~"

After being released, the little boy ran straight into Farol's arms.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

Farol stroked the little boy's head.

At this moment, the sky was already bright with white light.

Only then did Li Mosi get a clear look at Farol's appearance.

His hair was almost completely white, his face, which was reddish-black, was covered with wrinkles, and he was wearing a set of coarse wool clothing consisting of a shirt, trousers, and a robe.

It's fairly tidy.

Although his body was slightly hunched, he still appeared strong in his movements.

He truly lives up to his reputation as an old blacksmith.

Li Mosi looked at the little boy again.

The boy was surrounded and didn't see the details clearly.

Looking at it now, the boy's arms are too thin, and his hair is an unhealthy, dry yellow.

Li Moss looked at Farol.

"Who is this boy to you?"

This shouldn't be Farol's child.

A blacksmith's family should at least be able to ensure that the children are well-fed.

Otherwise, where would they get the strength to forge iron?

"Yes, sir. He is not my child."

Farol stroked the little boy's head as he began to explain.

"His father was a soldier of Lord Valos, and was taken away by the knight just yesterday. His mother died in childbirth. There is no food left in his house. There are only a few livestock that the children cannot handle."

"He secretly came to me last night seeking help. I thought, since the knight left so much food, eating one more person's worth wouldn't be noticed. So I let him sneak over to me before dawn."

Then he was caught.

Li Mosi sensed something was wrong.

Shouldn't a soldier's child be this thin and weak?

"How could that soldier abandon the child?! He didn't even leave the child any food!"

Zi'an is furious!

Isn't this just letting the child die?!

"Ugh."

Farol sighed.

"His father was chosen from among the slaves by the knight, and his family owned no land. They even received their food from the knight every day. He had no choice."

The saintess frowned as she listened.

"They're soldiers, after all. Don't they have any rations left?"

She remembered that even the lowest-ranking soldiers should have income in addition to food.

"It's normal."

As Farol spoke, she hugged the little boy's head tightly with both arms, as if she didn't want him to hear.

"But his father had to borrow the four large snow dollars needed for the paperwork tax and the first night tax to marry his mother from the steward. The following year, his mother had a difficult childbirth, and there were expenses for herbal medicine, birth tax, boy tax, death tax, burial tax..."

The list of tax items left the furious Zi'an speechless.

But Farol wasn't finished speaking.

"His father borrowed twelve large silver coins from the steward. But then he needed to buy milk to feed the child until he was weaned. So the father and son ate the same portion of food that his father received from the steward each day."

"this……"

Zi'an's eyes began to redden, and her voice became choked with emotion.

She had so much to say, but didn't know where to begin.

Even fighting nobles didn't make her feel this bad!

Those nobles deserve to die!

Li Mosi patted her, then looked at Haji Saint, who was bowing his head in silence.

He then looked at Zi Yi, who had finished chattering with the goblins and was walking over again.

Zi Yi had obviously heard Farol's words, and both of his hands clenched into fists.

Zi'an looked at Li Mosi and spoke in a low voice.

"Master, should we leave them some food?"

Zi Yi frowned subconsciously, then nodded slightly.

"No rush."

Li Mosi waved her hand and looked at Farol.

"You say you're helping the steward manage the territory, but do you know how many people are left in the territory?"

"Yes, sir, I know."

Farol nodded.

"Originally there were fifty-six families, now there are forty-eight families with people left. If you remove the children who can't walk yet, there are one hundred and sixty-one people."

There are quite a few people in this manor.

Li Mosi remembered that the original owner's manor only had a little over a hundred people.

Moreover, the number of households and civilian houses that Farol mentioned match up.

Li Mosi opened the [Leshan Water] map again and took a look.

Perhaps it was because it was the off-season for farming, and because the lord had run away and there was no one to hire commoners to do the work, the people were still staying indoors.

He turned off the map and looked at Zi Yi again.

"Send four teams of warriors to the four ends of the dirt road, and then send the three teams of tribesmen from outside the old man's village to the three ends of the dirt road, to surround the manor. Tell them to let the people stay inside. The rest of you can stay here and rest. I'll take you to see the people first."

You should understand everything before making a decision.

Zi Yi gave orders to the tribesmen who had rested briefly, and Li Mosi looked at Farol.

"You will lead the way for us."

In his view, someone like Farol should be seen as a kind of local gentry.

That should be able to help.

"Yes, sir."

Although Farol did not know what they were going to do, he did not sense any malice.

It shouldn't get any worse than it is now.

Everyone stepped outside the main house.

After the tribesmen planned their own routes, they dispersed along the main road, while Farol led Li Moss and the other three southwards.

The little boy, who had been released from his arms, didn't know what to do, so he followed Farol.

"Sir, our houses are all located along the main road."

Farol said as he walked.

"If you want to see everything, you can go south to the intersection first, then west, then continue south, and finally east. You can come back after you've seen it all."

They're quite good at making arrangements.

Li Mosi nodded: "We'll do as you say."

"Yes, sir."

Farol led them south toward the main house.

There were several houses along the main road to the south of the main house, but he did not stop, seemingly intending to lead everyone past them.

Zi Yi pointed to the houses and asked, "Aren't these houses empty?"

"there is none left."

Farol glanced at it, shook his head, and continued forward.

"This was originally where soldiers and servants lived together. They lived here so that the steward and the knight could call them when needed."

These houses were indeed devoid of light.

They continued walking south for another hundred meters before Farol led a few people closer to the house.

Li Mosi looked up and sized her up.

Although the earthen house is small, it looks quite new; at least there are no obvious signs of peeling earth on the walls.

The thatched roof was tall and thick, and carefully tied up.

This is considered a decent house among the residents.

But Zian and the saintess still frowned.

"Master, this house doesn't seem like it's suitable for winter."

Zi'an felt puzzled.

The walls are too thin and the roof doesn't block the wind; it looks like it could catch fire at any moment.

"Ugh."

Li Mosi sighed.

"That's already pretty good."

He originally only wanted to scavenge some supplies.

However, after looting so many supplies at once, Li Mosi's thoughts changed.

Perhaps he could make use of this workforce.

It would also be a good opportunity to teach his two disciples a lesson.

He then spoke.

"I'm showing you around so you can get a feel for this place."

The lives of people living under the rule of the nobility were far worse than those of the slaves they had ever seen.