Just when Che Chen thought he would sleep in the wilderness again tonight, a line of wild ducks flew up from the pond not far away.

    Then he heard bursts of female cries for help in a male duck voice.

    Originally, Cherchen intended to follow the voice to help the people asking for help, but Pedro stopped him. Pedro said it was strange to meet people asking for help one after another in the wilderness. Moreover, when he was a mercenary in Germany, he heard such a legend: some robbers would disguise as victims in the wilderness, and then attract passing travelers to help. When the travelers lost their guard, the robbers disguised as victims would smash the travelers'' heads with axes or short flails hidden in their sleeves for wealth and murder.

    After listening to Pedro''s horror legend, Chechen hesitated.

    But Michael said: "These legends are nonsense. My team and I went to the front line from Polotsk a few days ago, but we never heard such legends mentioned by Polotsk officials and caravans. I think we should go and have a look. If the people in the nearby village or manor are in trouble, we can ask him to lead the way and find a place to stay 。”

    Michael''s words were obviously mainly out of consideration for taking care of the injured old man. The cold wind in the field at night was obviously unfavorable to the old man''s injury.

    With that, the little Knight rode in the direction of the cry for help without waiting for Cherchen''s consent.

    Chechen and others couldn''t, so they had to keep up with the past.

    Inside the pond, the wheel of a carriage did sink into the pond. The bottom of the pond was obviously full of mud. No matter how hard the pack horse tried, the wheel could not get out. On the carriage stood two women, old and young. The male duck cry for help was made by the old woman.

    Seeing a group of people coming, the old woman quickly said: "Please, kind-hearted passers-by! Help us get the carriage out of the pond. We were going to visit relatives, but the horse was frightened on the way and ran into the pond uncontrollably. It''s going to be dark and our home is nearby. And please take it easy. Our family is also a decent person with a family emblem."

    Michael got off his horse at once. He went into the pond, picked up the young woman and sent her ashore. Then he took the old woman ashore. In this way, the weight of the car was much lighter.

    Michael went down the pond again and pushed the back of the carriage. Pedro saw that Michael worked so hard and found that there was really no danger around, so he hurried down to help.

    With the cooperation of the two men, the carriage finally drove away from the pond.

    "Thank you very much, gentlemen." the old woman thanked again and again.

    When she heard that Michael and others were going to sleep outdoors, the old woman quickly invited them to their manor for a night.

    "Please make it your home. My son and I will entertain you with our hearts," said the old woman.

    As she said, the old woman pushed the young woman beside her, and the young woman quickly expressed the same meaning.

    After a few polite words, Michael accepted the old woman''s invitation.

    The old woman''s carriage went ahead, and the carriages of Cherchen and others followed. The old woman always looked at Cherchen''s carriage and urged them to follow closely.

    "Old mother, is this your daughter?" Michael hit the horse and leveled with the carriage and asked the old woman.

    "This is my daughter-in-law." when the old woman spoke normally, her voice was still very thick, like a man.

    "What about your husband?" Pedro, sitting in the back carriage, also heard the conversation between the old woman and Michael and asked interestingly.

    "My husband died long ago. I raised my six sons alone, and now they are as strong as bears." the old woman looked back and said.

    Although she talked about her dead husband, the old woman had no grief, as if she were talking about someone who didn''t want to do it.

    The two carriages crossed the two hills. When the sun set, they finally came to the manor the old woman said.

    The manor was built in the valley. But it was not so much a noble manor as a fortress. In front of the gate of the manor, there was a ditch two meters wide and more than three meters deep, which was covered with spikes. These spikes were made of wood, but their tips were carbonized by fire.

    The gate of the manor is made of oak more than half a finger thick, and the tower on the door is also densely covered with shooting holes.

    "My sons," cried the old woman in front of the manor.

    Immediately, a hunchbacked old servant popped his head out of the tower.

    "Yes, master, you are back," said the hunchback.

    "Where are my sons?"

    "Young men are preparing dinner. I''ll come down and open the door right away."

    The hunchbacked old servant said and disappeared behind the tower. Soon, the gate of the manor was opened.

    "Please come in, please come in." the old woman was the first to enter the manor, and then welcomed her at the gate.

    At this time, although they saw that the manor was too strange, it was dark and it was too late to return. Moreover, the old woman did not show any malice, so they chose to go in.

    The houses in the manor are "L" shaped, with a patio in the middle. There is a well in the patio. Next to the well, a bear is bound with an iron chain. One forelimb and one hind leg of the bear have been cut off. Now the overlord of the forest can only lie on the ground and slowly wait for death.

    The windows of every house in the manor are covered with cow bladder instead of the usual glass of houses in the city. The room directly opposite the manor gate was obviously a restaurant, where the chimney was constantly smoking.

    At this time, a young man came out of the door of the restaurant.

    "Mom, you''re back," the young man said to the old woman. He bent down and saluted, but his eyes were lifted up and kept looking at Cherchen and Michael and others.

    "My carriage sank into the pond. It was these kind people who saved me. They will stay here in the evening. You should treat these kind people like me," said the old woman.

    The young man saluted them again and thanked them. Then without saying a word, he pulled the young woman into the house.

    "Old mother, one of our companions is injured. Please let him go to the room and lie down first," Michael said to the old woman.

    "There are plenty of rooms." the old woman immediately pointed to a room, and then ordered the wounded man who was followed by the hunchback servant to enter.

    But Michael did not trust the hunchback servant. He insisted on helping the old man in by himself.