wealth

Manor, in the medieval context, is the most fundamental production unit.

A manor is primarily owned by a noble and managed by a steward. It is protected by walls and houses several workshops such as blacksmiths and carpenters, responsible for maintaining daily tools and providing weapons during warfare.

There are also a few tenant farmers, as well as stables for noble's warhorses and livestock. Additionally, there are a large number of serfs, commonly referred to as bonded laborers.

Serfs lack personal freedom; the land they cultivate belongs to the noble and the church. They cannot leave the manor without permission, nor can they marry, dispose of property, or engage in other affairs without consent. They are considered as attached property to the land they work on.

The lord typically compels them to work in the fields, tend to pigs, clean stables, repair walls, and perform various other tasks. Serfs even have to pay taxes to get married.

Generally, about forty percent of the cultivated land in a manor belongs to the nobility, thirty percent is controlled by the church, and the remaining thirty percent is farmed by tenant farmers, craftsmen, and other households.

However, this doesn't imply that the latter are wealthier than the former.

Because lords prefer to lease land to serfs, collecting produce taxes and head taxes. Lords often don't have the feudal obligation to protect free farmers, so the latter may apply for protection and become serfs of the lord.

Abbot Scoke, the head of the monastery, occupies a large tract of land nearby.This is because although he is a church member, his family is of local nobility.

Following the medieval noble's principle of the eldest son inheriting the family estate and the youngest son entering the church, Scoke and his brother Howard respectively wield power in their respective systems, thereby forming an alliance between the two brothers.

"Burn! Burn! Burn!"

The guards at the main gate couldn't escape the rage of elite longbowmen. Several rounds of shooting wiped out Scoke's men.

Damian knew there were hundreds of households in the manor, and nearby villages had knightly families supporting them. He had to quickly find evidence of Scoke's past atrocities. So Damian threw a fire on the courtyard wall, diverting people's attention.

The city gate caught fire, and people quickly gathered under the steward's drumming to come and put out the fire voluntarily.

Meanwhile, Damian had already taken away the arrows and, with his men, was heading towards Scoke's mansion via a detour.

A medieval countryside mansion is like a large earthen fort. Situated on high ground, it is surrounded by narrow mud walls forming a cramped fortress where the noble family gathers, always wary of neighbor's aggression, bandit attacks, and mischief from the subjects.

Damian, being a monk, was familiar with the area and the routes, and he arrived at the door with ease.

"Damian? Why is it you again?" The guard lowered his head in surprise.

Damian smiled faintly, "There's a fire at the manor gate, I've come to get help to put it out."

Believing him, the guard opened the city gate and shouted for a group of people to come out.

No one expected that a mere servant working for the abbot could bring out an army for a surprise attack?

When Damian and others ran out of the city gate, the guards found dozens of longbowmen aiming at them.

"I'm not to blame, why are you serving Scoke?"

Damian regretfully took a step back as dozens of sharp arrows pierced through them like a skewer of candied fruit.

Now Damian's army had wiped out the regular forces in the manor, meaning a small army could not act. With the enemy diminished and his forces increased, Damian felt he was three steps closer to victory.

Breaking into the gate, he looked up at the narrow houses, and to the right was the noble's stables. Attached to the high walls was a three-story building, Scoke's residence.

The maids were in chaos, servants and attendants shivering in their rooms, afraid to move. The steward overseeing everything was nowhere to be found.

Inside the mansion, Scoke's mistress and illegitimate son were helping each other flash through the second-floor window, escaping towards the highest watchtower.

Like scattered sand.

Damian immediately called on the Crusader longbowmen and some pilgrims to rush up the stairs towards the tower above.

The mistress was named Marianne, a charming woman in her thirties.

Originally the wife of a local noble, her husband died in battle, and she got involved with Scoke, bearing him a son.

However, since Scoke already had a wife, this child was actually an illegitimate son with no inheritance rights.

Damian, wielding a long spear, charged straight at the tower, knocking aside two foolish servants and kicking open the door.

The door banged open, prompting a startled cry from Marianne, and three half-grown boys dared to counter-attack Damian with swords!

Damian, a tall and sturdy man, knocked them down with a swing of his staff.

"Don't, they're all nobles!"

Marianne hurriedly gathered the children in her arms and pleaded with Damian, "Young man, they are nobles, we are willing to pay ransom."

Damian observed coldly.

The so-called nobles were respectable individuals with status.

Marianne's child was a bastard, at best half a noble. The other two children, dressed in finery, young and tender, were obviously legitimate sons from a prestigious family.

Without much thought, Damian could guess that these two were surely Scoke's brothers, the heirs of Howard, the leader of the rebellion.

"Is your father Howard? Am I right?"

Damian walked over and asked calmly.

The howling wind filled the air. Moonlight streamed into the room, and Marianne screamed in horror, "Don't speak!"

The eldest son had rosy lips and white teeth, sneering at Damian, "That's right, you bastard! My father will kill you!"

Before Damian could intervene, Greb, the leader of the archers who had suffered under nobles, stepped forward and gave the eldest son a resounding slap, sending him sprawling to the ground.

He scolded angrily, "You assholes, how dare you disrespect Reverend Damian!"

Greb completely saw Howard as one of the nobles who had persecuted him.

Damian didn't stop him but instead scolded Marianne, "Open Scoke and Howard's treasure vault for me, I know you have the key!"

Seeing Howard's sons hiding in Scoke's house, Damian suddenly realized.

Did Howard not fear when he betrayed and schemed against Constance?

He was afraid too.

According to the strict hierarchy among nobles, Howard's rebellion this time risked his lifelong honor. Once failed, he would be ruined. He must have planned an escape route for himself.

He hid his children and wealth with his brother, so even if he fell, wouldn't his brother help take care of them?

Therefore, Damian gladly accepted Howard and Scoke's wealth!

...

At this moment, the moon was high in the sky.

The personnel of the Count's court in Gothingen County were hiding behind a collapsed hill, shivering in the chilly wind.

The knights were all suggesting, in a state of disarray, to go and seek refuge with the Grand Duke of the Duchy.

Conosa, who was adamantly against marriage, found herself in dire straits.

Even her own knights didn't support her anymore.

Would Damian, the flirtatious and confident monk, be able to help her?

Would he come back?