novelODS Chapter 14 Old Yar of Broken Amber Village
Chapter 14 Old Yar of Broken Amber Village
The morning breeze carried the dampness of early morning, making the air feel cold and humid.
The open space in the militia square of Duanpo Village gradually filled with people. Most of the able-bodied villagers had come, and even many young and strong women were standing in the crowd with pitchforks in their arms.
Almost everyone carried their most handy weapon from home: a woodcutter's axe, harpoon, pitchfork, spear, and a few with connections who could get their hands on an iron sword.
The protective gear they wore was incredibly varied, including leather armor, cowhide vests, metal arm guards, and so on.
The crowd had almost all gathered; at a glance, there were more than two hundred men and women.
Gis stood silently in the crowd, and every now and then his close friends would come up to greet him.
The arena was bustling with noise, everyone eagerly awaiting the arrival of the village "Yar." Many young people were experiencing such a scene for the first time, muttering to their companions:
"Those bastards from Gangde Village really have no bottom line..."
I heard they have thirty or forty regular, skilled militiamen, while we only have a dozen or so... With our meager resources, can we possibly defeat them?"
Upon hearing this, someone nearby immediately spat.
"What are you afraid of!"
We, the people of Duanpo Village, are descendants of sea wolves!
We're always the ones taking from others, but this time we've been robbed! If we don't even talk back or fight back, if our territory is seized and we don't dare ask for it back, we might as well just jump into East Lake and drown. Living is a waste of food!
As soon as he said this, cheers immediately erupted from the surrounding crowd.
On this land,
This people, formed by the fusion of the ancient Pendors and the Vanskerry pirates, believed in both the spirit of contracts and the honor of warriors.
Breaking oaths and breaching contracts, retreating and cowardly behavior have always been despised by them.
The villagers of Duanpo Village had their catch and nets stolen by the neighboring village, and they even tried to seize the mudflats that the villagers had relied on for generations. They were also injured by the villagers. There was no room for retreat for the people of Duanpo Village.
Even if the weapons of the village of Gangde are a grade higher than theirs, they absolutely cannot shrink back and swallow their anger.
To gain a foothold in this country, one has always relied on a ruthless spirit of daring to fight and struggle.
Blindly giving in will only lead to more escalating bullying!
In the end, they will only be seen as weaklings and bullied at will.
……
The venue was noisy with people when suddenly someone yelled at the top of their lungs:
"Yar has arrived!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the noise in the room gradually subsided, and more than two hundred people turned their heads to look at the stage.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, four figures slowly walked out.
Leading the way was the old man who had met Giss that morning. The old man had thick eyebrows, small eyes, and white hair. He held a crooked wooden stick as a cane, his back was straight, and his white beard was neatly combed again.
Judging by his physique alone, the old man appeared thin, but he had a very large frame and was extremely tall, suggesting that he must have been a formidable figure in his youth.
In the territory of the northern frozen islands, the word "Yar" generally refers to the leader of the Vanscare pirates, or the title of a large tribe or the highest leader.
And this elder, who holds absolute authority in the village, is none other than Old Yar, the most respected elder and head of Duanpo Village.
Rogge, Gode, and Virgil were quietly following behind the old man. When the old man walked up to the platform, they stopped at the side of the platform and observed the hundreds of people below.
As soon as Roger and his two companions opened the door, they found the old man waiting at the entrance. They quickly and respectfully invited him into the house.
Jarl got straight to the point, inviting Rogge and his two companions to travel to Gonde Village together.
Some time ago, when Rogge and his two companions were stranded here, it was this Jarl who took them in and even sponsored them with the anvils and hammers they needed for forging.
However, the standoff and even armed conflict between the two villages could easily result in death if not handled carefully. Roger and his two companions did not want to get involved, but in the end, they could not resist the old man's kind persuasion.
The old man patted his chest and assured the three of them that they were just going to get an explanation and that there was a high probability that a fight would not break out.
Even if it really escalates to the point of armed conflict, the three of them can leave whenever they want, and no one will stop them.
According to Old Yar, the reason for inviting the three men along was simply because they were all tall and strong, and each carried weapons. Their presence alone could intimidate the crowd and give them some support!
Having said that, the three of them finally gave up and had no choice but to come along.
Roger thought to himself that the old man probably didn't want to leave the three burly men and the group of women and children in the village...
However, it was also a good opportunity for him to broaden his horizons, so he came along.
Standing on the edge of the platform, Roger scanned the more than two hundred people below and was surprised to find that there were dozens of women in the audience!
Some of them held pitchforks, others carried sickles, dressed similarly to most of the men, and stood in the line with expressions even more resolute than some of the men.
Roger was stunned for a moment, then he realized what was happening.
This is Fieldsway!
The Fieldsway City-State Alliance differs greatly from other regions, with a strong emphasis on gender equality in its social atmosphere, and women holding a very high status in Fieldsway society.
This was unusual throughout the entire continent of Pendor; in other countries, women would only be subordinates, with an even lower status.
In Fieldsway, even women could join the army, become knights, or even become lords!
For Fieldsway women, it is perfectly normal for women to take up arms to defend their homes; it is not surprising at all in this land.
……
On the table, the old man leaned on his hardwood cane, his gaze sweeping over the hundreds of villagers below. The once noisy place was now completely silent.
The old man cleared his throat and slowly began to speak:
"Yesterday, the people from Gangde Village stole the catch from more than ten of our boats."
They say that the mudflats to the north belong to them... but we've been making a living in that area for decades!
"We know they're short of food lately, we could have sat down and talked..."
Yar spoke calmly, then his voice suddenly rose:
"but!
They actually robbed us!
They didn't just steal a few baskets of fish or a few nets! They stole the very foundation upon which we depend for survival!
Their biggest mistake was mistaking our concession for weakness!
Two good young men patrolling the mudflats were beaten by them because of their superior numbers, and now they're so badly beaten they can't even get out of bed!
The old man's voice was slightly hoarse, but powerful and resonant, neither arrogant nor humble, and it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.
He recounted the conflict that had occurred the previous day to everyone, even though everyone already knew the details of the incident.
"I've been tolerating this again and again, but this is going too far!"
After what happened yesterday, can we continue to tolerate this?
Old Jarl questioned everyone present, and in an instant, a deafening shout erupted from the hundreds-strong crowd:
No! No!
revenge!
Compensation is required!
……
The crowd below was furious. On stage, old Jarre waited in silence for a moment. When he raised his hand, the roars from the crowd gradually subsided.
Seeing the agitated crowd below, the old man continued speaking loudly:
"This is absolutely unacceptable!"
The people of Duanpo Village have been rooted here for generations.
"A long time ago, this place was called Jade Amber Village. See that mountain range to the east? It used to produce jade and emeralds! We used to live off the land!"
Later, the jade in the mountains dried up!
Now our village is called Duanpo Village! All that's left of Duanpo Village is this lake area, and a few scattered patches of mudflats!
"We've lived here for generations, relying solely on this lake and this land! Now they want to seize our mudflats; they're cutting off our lifeline!"
"We are the descendants of sea wolves, and we must not cower! We have no reason to hand over our livelihood to others!"
Old Yar's white beard trembled more and more as he spoke, and the veins on his thin, bony arms, which gripped his cane tightly, bulged.
"If anyone dares to cut off our livelihood, we'll fight them to the death!"
"Well said! Well said!"
A deafening roar erupted from below the stage. Everyone's eyes turned red, and they raised their weapons and shouted incessantly. Those who had previously been afraid of Gangde Village had now thrown their fear to the winds.
Old Jarre's agitated emotions subsided, and he raised his hand again, instantly silencing the audience.
Old Jarrell's voice became calm, yet carried an undeniable resolve:
"The people of Duanpo Village will not allow themselves to be bullied, nor will they be afraid of anyone."
Today, we're going to confront them and demand an explanation. We want them to know that the land we've lived on for generations will not be allowed to be trampled upon!
"We want our catch and nets back! Those two good lads won't be able to get out of bed for at least half a month. We also want them to compensate us for our losses and pay extra damages for our reputation!"
"Demand compensation!"
Demand compensation!
Enraged, Old Yar left a small number of people to guard the village, and under his leadership, more than two hundred villagers marched out of the village and headed towards Gangde Village.
……