Money Isn't Important, but Having Money Is

"We need supplies, food, and weapons," Thorin asked the man. "Can you help us?"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures!" Aaron shook his head, rubbing his forehead, utterly speechless.

To be honest, he understood Thorin's feelings. After all, they were about to reach Lonely Mountain, and going to face the dragon without preparation was no different from being sent to hell.

But if you're going to ask for help, at least find someone with a little financial means!

It's already quite an achievement for this guy to be able to support his family; supplies and food might be a problem, let alone weapons.

The man didn't answer, but touched the arrow marks on the wine barrels. "I know where these wine barrels came from."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know what you and the elves did, but it seems the result wasn't good."

Only the mayor can bring people into town. His only source of income is dealing with the Woodland King. To avoid angering Thranduil, he will imprison you.

As the man spoke, he prepared to pack his things and set sail. He could take ordinary merchants into town as a favor, but these people were clearly not merchants. Taking people who had offended the elves into town would carry a certain risk.

"Wait a moment," Aaron suddenly said, then pulled a gold coin from his pocket and tossed it to the man. "What's your name?"

"Bard".

"Okay, Bard, I completely understand your predicament, but fortune favors the bold..."

Bard looked at the gold coins in his hand, a struggle flashing in his eyes. "I have children to raise, and I don't really want to take any risks."

"I understand." Aaron snapped his fingers and slipped another gold coin into his hand. "Risk and reward are proportional, aren't they?"

"But what if the mayor catches me..."

"There must be another way to get into town!" Aaron patted his shoulder meaningfully. "I don't think a man who knows that kind of archery is really some nobody."

Bard looked at Aaron with surprise, as if he had made up his mind, "How much money are you willing to pay me?"

"We'll pay double," Balin immediately said.

On the other side, the Woodland Realm.

The captured orcs were brought before the throne by Tauriel and Legolas.

After Thranduil finished his perfunctory speech, Legolas began to press Orc for his purpose.

This orc acted extremely arrogantly, showing absolutely no awareness of being a prisoner, yet in some ways he was remarkably cooperative.

First, he told the group that the dwarves were about to suffer casualties, and that Kili Morgul arrow and would soon die.

This news made Tauriel uneasy. If it weren't for the king's orders, she would have killed this orc in a heartbeat.

Afterwards, he utterly scorned Thorin Oakenshield: that dwarf could never become king.

Legolas found this viewpoint more convincing; as long as Smaug was alive, no one would dare enter the Lonely Mountain.

Finally, he stated that the age of orcs was coming, and that his master served the Supreme One.

Upon hearing the word "Supreme One," Thranduil lost his composure. Having lived for countless years, he instantly forgot about many things and directly severed the orc's head.

"The border, all roads, and river passes must be doubled in guard. No one is allowed to move without my permission."

No one can enter this kingdom, and no one can leave it.

Thranduil issued the order to close the kingdom off. He knew the world might not be peaceful in the future, but that had nothing to do with the Woodland Realm. As long as the war didn't reach there, he didn't need to get involved.

Legolas was puzzled, but it was the king's and his kin's command, and he could only obey.

However, when he ordered the gates to be closed, he learned from the guards in the air that Tauriel had gone to the forest fully armed, which made him very uneasy.

With no other choice, he had to leave the Woodland Realm to find Tauriel.

Bard steered the boat carefully around the thin ice on the lake, moving slowly through the thick fog.

"Careful."

Suddenly Bofur shouted, and a large area of broken walls and ruins appeared in the thick fog.

Bard immediately steered the vehicle around the obstacles.

"Your skills are pretty good!" Aaron said meaningfully. "Someone like you shouldn't be doing so badly, with your clothes all torn like this."

"It's none of your business."

"But I want to know," Aaron said. "Right now, all I know is that Long Lake Town has a rather incompetent mayor. I need to know more."

Bard sighed helplessly, "It's none of your business, don't make me say it a third time."

"Okay! I'll figure out what I need to figure out."

However, before that, I have something else I'd like to ask you.

"What is it?" Bard frowned.

"I need medicine; you can find all kinds of medicinal herbs."

Because there's a fool in our group who doesn't want to hold the team back, and he just shoulders his injuries alone, I have to find a way to heal him.

Bard glanced at Kili. "Is it him?"

"Obviously." Aaron shrugged. "I still need the tools to brew the medicine. Of course, I will pay you accordingly, and I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

"I understand."

"Brothers, give us the money," Balin said. "We need to pay our fare."

The dwarves took out their wallets and collected a pile of silver coins.

Balin counted the coins, his expression turning slightly grim. "There's a little trouble here; we're still short ten silver coins."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone turned their attention to Aaron, who was talking to Bard.

"Hey, hey, hey, why are you all staring at me like that?" Aaron instinctively clutched his purse. "I've paid for more than half of the expenses along the way. Even if I made a small fortune along the way, you can't keep ripping off a kid like this!"

No one spoke; they just stared at him intently.

Aaron rolled his eyes, realizing that he probably couldn't refuse to pay.

"Facts prove that money isn't important, but having money is very important." Aaron said with emotion, then took out ten gold coins and put them into Bard's pocket. "Consider the extra one as a deposit for finding medicine."

Bard didn't refuse; he did need the money.

He continued sailing on the lake until he could see the town through the thick fog, at which point he stopped.

"There are guards ahead, hurry up and get into the barrel."

If you don't want to be discovered, do as I say.

The group looked at each other, but decided to trust him for the time being.

On the shore of Bard, Bilbo observed from a distance through a hole in a barrel.

"What is he doing?" Dwalin asked.

"He was talking to someone... He was pointing at us... They shook hands."

"Can you stop talking like that?" Aaron said speechlessly. "It's like Bard sold us out."

"Maybe he has already betrayed us," Dwalin said unhappily.

"Calm down, everyone. This is normal negotiation. Don't be impulsive," Aaron said immediately. "Don't cause any trouble before we're sure he's betrayed us."

As soon as the words were spoken, the sound of an iron chain being pulled reached everyone's ears, followed by a large number of fish being poured into a wooden barrel, covering them up.

Now everyone understood what Bilbo meant by those three words, but this method was really too uncomfortable.

With the fish as cover, Bard dared to lead them into the checkpoint.

"Stop the ship. Cargo inspection. Please show your documents." The checkpoint officer emerged from the building carrying a lantern. "Oh, it's you, Bard."

Good morning, Percy.

"Is there anything I need to declare through customs?"

"No, but I'm cold and hungry." Bard handed him a document. "I just want to go home."

"Likewise." Percy took the document and went back inside to stamp it. "Alright, everything is fine."

"Wait a minute." A pale-faced, hunched-over man snatched the documents. The moment Bard saw him, his expression turned ugly.

"I was commissioned to transport wooden barrels from the Woodland Realm."

But the bucket is full right now, isn't it, Bard?

If I remember correctly, according to the registration, you are a boatman, not a fisherman.

"That's none of your business."

"You're wrong. Anything that involves the mayor is related to me."

A lackey, a pure and simple lackey.

Aaron immediately labeled this person as unlucky to run into someone like this checking up on him.

Hopefully Bard can survive this! Otherwise, he'll have no choice but to take action.

He hadn't learned the Imperius Curse yet, but he was quite familiar with the Memory Curse.

"Alright, Alfred, have some compassion, everyone needs to eat," Bard said helplessly.

Alfred, however, had no sympathy whatsoever. He immediately labeled the fish as illegal and ordered his men to dump them all.

No matter how much Bard brought up the issue of the town's residents' basic needs, Alfred remained unmoved.

Seeing that Alfred remained stubborn, Bard could only bring up the mayor, "What if people heard that the mayor dumped fish into the lake?"

If they revolt, that's none of your business!

Upon hearing this, Alfred's already pale face turned even paler, and he immediately waved for his men to stop pouring out the fish.

"Always want to be a hero, huh, Bard?"

You might want to protect the common people, and they might support you now, but that won't last long.

The gate opened, and the ship passed through security smoothly.

"The mayor has been watching you closely. You'd better remember this. We know where you live," Alfred said coldly.

"This is a small town," Bard retorted directly. "Everyone knows where everyone lives."

Once the boat reached a safe spot, Bard kicked over the barrel, and the expedition members crawled out from the pile of fish, their bodies covered in the fishy smell.

Bard paid off an acquaintance on the shore with a silver coin and a boatload of fish, telling him not to reveal that he had seen fish.

Aaron took a deep breath of the not-so-fresh air before he truly began to take in Long Lake Town.

The entire town was built on the surface of Lake Hu, but it lacked any vitality. Dirty, chaotic, and poor were his first impressions of the place.

"I understand why you're so poor. Anyone who can afford to live in a place like this is probably just getting by!"

"At least he's still alive," Bard said calmly.

"Ha! Someone like you shouldn't be buried here." Aaron said earnestly, "You should also have a wider world to explore, and you will have a place in the human capital."

Bard smiled and shook his head, subtly changing the subject, "Let's go to my place first!"

"No, your family is currently being monitored."

The henchman didn't seem to mind, but henchmen usually mean what they say when they make threats. "For your safety and the safety of your family, I suggest we go somewhere else," Aaron murmured.

"No other place can take in so many of you," Bard shook his head. "You can only stay at my house."

"Aaron, it's alright," said the old man from Balin. "I believe Mr. Bard must have found a way to avoid being monitored."

"Yes, it is, but..." Bard looked troubled, "You might not be able to accept it."

"It's acceptable, it's acceptable, it's necessary," Bilbo said. They had endured so much hardship and suffering along the way, and safety was truly more important than anything else.