The joy on the faces of the father and daughter when they left formed a sharp contrast with the deathly silence in the hall.
Evelyn looked at Tox who was still pinned to the ground by Hek. Her voice was no longer gentle, but full of severity and coercion, pressing on Tox:
"Tox! Look up! Look at me!"
Tox raised his head in shame and met those eyes that made him shudder.
"Do you know what kind of crime you committed today?"
"Do you know, if Lord Suleiman were here, how he would punish you!"
Tox's body trembled violently and he was so ashamed that he thought he was dead, or at least would be deprived of his military position and driven out like a dog.
He can die, but he cannot die in such a shameful way. His family was killed by Wildlings, and it was Lord Suleiman who helped him avenge his bloody revenge. His life is no longer his own, and the kindness has not yet been repaid.
Evelyn's eyes swept over Hek, as well as the veterans who regarded Hek as enemies at this moment, with angry expressions and clenched weapons. She had a headache, Although Hek is also an officer, Tox is Suleiman's personal military affairs officer. Hek has no right to treat him like this, and besides, it is really indecent to treat him like this.
She waved her hand gently. "Hek, let him go."
Hek hesitated for a moment, but under Evelyn's unquestionable gaze, he let go of his hand and stepped aside. He immediately felt the hostile gazes from the surrounding veterans, which almost burned him through.
Evelyn walked up to him, looked at Tox condescendingly, and said in a cold voice, "When you go back, immediately apologize for your behavior in front of all Military Town citizens."
"And you have to use your actions to make that family not only stop hating you, but even thank you from the bottom of their hearts, do you understand?"
She paused, and there was a hint of inquiry in her tone.
"If you really lack a wife or money, why don't you report it directly to Lord Suleiman?"
When he asked this question, Evelyn himself was stunned for a moment. A forgotten memory fragment came to mind. A long time ago, it seemed that a group of veterans had reported similar problems to Suleiman.
They are all refugees whose families were almost all killed by Wildlings during the war when Suleiman expelled Wildlings for House Deddings. Suleiman gathered them in the name of revenge and gave them land wealth and glory.
But after the war, they discovered that they had been given a large amount of land, but they were the only ones in the family without even a helper for farming. In other lords' territories, this was simply not a problem. The lords usually directly gave these Warrior female subjects as wives to appease people's hearts.
This is the right of the lord. Everything in the territory, including the people, belongs to him. Suleiman knew about this before, but did not do it, as if he had forgotten about it.
Thinking of this, Evelyn looked at the sinner on the ground with a slightly more complicated look. Perhaps Suleiman himself was also involved in the root cause of this matter.
And Tox, when he heard Evelyn's question, his soul seemed to be struck by a thunderbolt.
Yes... Why didn't you tell the adults?
Your Excellency is so generous, generous, and wise. You have given yourself so much land, status, and wealth, dignity, and even glory that you have never had before. As long as you open your mouth, how can you be stingy with a woman?
But what have you done?
Like an out-of-control beast, he used the most despicable way to tarnish the glory brought by his status and status, and smeared shit on his glorious flag!
If you come back and learn of the crime you have committed.::::
How would adults view themselves? What would adults think of themselves? An indescribable guilt and pain, like a flood that broke a bank, completely submerged Tox in an instant.
Tox could no longer hold on, and fell to the ground violently, crying loudly like a child:
"I committed a crime while drunk... I'm sorry, sir... I'm sorry, sir!"
He beat the cold stone floor crazily with his fists. At this moment, his inner defense completely collapsed, leaving only endless regret.
When I think about the fact that the adults come back and know about this, even if I don't punish myself afterwards, how can I stand in front of the adults... It's better to just die! I'm too shameless to see you again, sir!!
Just as the hall was enveloped by the suppressed cries, the heavy door was pushed open violently.
Lushen, wearing a dusty chainmail suit, strode in. He glanced at Tox who was crying on the ground, frowned, and sighed.
But he didn't have time to pay attention to this, but walked straight to Evelyn with an extremely solemn expression:
"Madam! The scouts are here to report urgently!"
Lushen's voice was quick and loud, instantly overwhelming Tox's cries.
"There is a long boat Ironborn, speeding towards us along Green Fork!"
"The number of people is about one or two hundred!"
Evelyn's heart sank suddenly, Lushen added a few more words, making her heart sink even deeper.
"Most of the goods we transferred to the High Mountains are still piled up in Crossroads Town. It will take at least two days to transport them all into the mountains!"
Lushen's voice is sonorous and powerful, full of fighting spirit.
"I request to light the beacon immediately, gather all Military Town troops, take the initiative, and destroy this Ironborn before they arrive at Crossroads Town!"
Evelyn, however, fell into a fierce struggle to assemble the troops. Currently, the territory can only gather up to 400 veteran leaders. It can also recruit more than 50 Wildlings from Kepi. More than 450 people fight against more than 200 Ironborn. Such a small number of people can fight against the legendary invincible and terrifying Ironborn on the sea and rivers.
She didn't dare, she really didn't dare, what if she failed? Should she give up all the goods immediately and evacuate everyone into the High Mountains, which is the safest choice?
But in that case, what to do with those goods? Everything that happened has already caused all the investment in the early construction to be lost. If you throw everything to Ironborn, there will really be nothing left.
This decision was so important that she could hardly breathe. At this moment, an unspeakable resentment surged deep in her heart.
Suleiman! It would be great if you were here! You bastard! Why do you have to make me alone to bear such a big decision!
Seeing that Evelyn's face was uncertain and he still didn't give the order, Lushen became anxious.
He took a deep breath, shouted at Evelyn in an almost roaring manner:
"Ms. Evelyn! Don't wait any longer! Please give the order to assemble the troops!"