Chapter 14: Five Thousand Ducks!

“What? Buy all the chickens and ducks? Are you joking? That’s thousands of them!”

Thomas pulled out a bulging money bag from his chest, revealing over a dozen gold coins.

“I am the Civil Administrator of Stormhold. Our newly appointed lord ordered me to purchase these—here is the payment!”

Seeing the gold coins and knowing he acted on the lord’s behalf, the rest became simple.

The shop’s attendant immediately notified the castle steward, who granted permission; the group proceeded directly to the farm.

After an hour of counting and binding, they gathered roughly two thousand chickens and ducks, eight-tenths of which were ducks.

The price was thirty copper coins per bird—roughly three birds per silver coin.

Thus, the total cost for over two thousand chickens and ducks came to seven gold coins.

For this, the Kane Castle steward generously gifted Thomas a batch of bamboo baskets to load the poultry.

Thomas pressed on without pause, racing toward the next noble’s territory while time remained.

This time, the lord had given him fifteen gold coins and instructed him to spend every last one!

Watching Thomas’s retreating figure, the Kane steward could not hide his confusion.

“Steward, why did they buy so many chickens and ducks? They bought every last one from our farm!”

“I don’t know. Perhaps the new lord wants to learn poultry farming? Either way, it’s a big sale—today’s income will surely please the baron!”

By dusk, Thomas, exhausted, gazed at the three wagons behind him and finally ordered: “Let’s go. The lord said we must return to Stormhold before nightfall!”

Thus, Thomas and his party began slowly leaving the small town of Blackstone.

But barely beyond the town’s edge, near a village, the peasant in front suddenly called out: “Civil Administrator Thomas, look over there!”

Looking up, they saw flames roaring high above the field embankment outside the village.

Thomas was startled, initially thinking bandits had raided it.

If so, they must turn back and flee immediately—their convoy carried goods worth over a dozen gold coins.

But upon closer look, he saw only peasants running around a fire, shouting, faint cries of “No!” and “It’s over!” piercing the air.

“I’ll go check. You two, guard the wagons!” Thomas requested of his two knightly attendants, then hurried toward the village with the peasant.

As he neared the village, Thomas suddenly felt insects battering his face.

“Ah! What the hell are these? So many!”

“Yes! How could there be so many insects?”

The two peasants beside him cried out in alarm.

Thomas swiftly caught one, examining it under the moonlight: “Locusts!”

Thomas’s heart sank halfway. The cries ahead now rang clear.

“No! Damned locusts, leave my fields! My wheat!”

“It’s over. Too late. Damned locusts!”

“Locusts? This… it’s over. Even Blackstone has a locust plague—then Stormhold… we’re doomed. We’ll starve this year!”

The two peasants who had been grumbling now clearly saw the swarming insects.

They knew well the devastation locusts brought; their faces turned ashen, no better off than the villagers frantically chasing the insects from their fields.

“Wait—we still have ducks and chickens! All those poultry—they can eat countless locusts!” Thomas suddenly realized.

“Ah, right! We bought over five thousand chickens and ducks—they’ll devour the locusts!”

“Ha! Did the lord know this disaster was coming and ordered us to buy so many poultry? Our lord is mighty!” The two peasants woke up too, overcome with excitement.

“Quick! Move now! Go at once!” Thomas had no time for joy—he’d been a steward; he knew what must be done now.

Under Thomas’s orders, everyone sprinted forward, sweat pouring, refusing to rest, racing for Stormhold at top speed.

Meanwhile, Baron Kane was enjoying dinner in his lavish dining hall.

“Oh? So we made at least three gold coins today?”

“Yes, my lord. Nearly all adult chickens and ducks have been sold.”

“Excellent. I hope more nobles like this come around. I love generous neighbors—ha!” Baron Kane was pleased with today’s earnings.

“Dong! Dong! Dong!”

“What’s that?” Before his laughter faded, urgent alarm bells rang outside the window.

“Report! My lord, disaster! Locusts—a vast swarm, like a black cloud!”

“What? Locusts?”

When Baron Kane and the castle steward stepped outside, they saw a vast swarm of locusts, like a black cloud, blotting out the setting sun and advancing toward the castle.

“Quick—go to the farm and bring the chickens and ducks…” Baron Kane’s words halted mid-sentence; his face turned ashen.

Nearly all the poultry had been sold—only newly hatched chicks remained.

Similar situations unfolded across several other lordships.

Upon receiving reports, every lord ordered the immediate mobilization of poultry to combat the locust plague.

Then they remembered—just hours ago, they’d been delighted at having sold so many chickens and ducks.

“Chase them! Hurry after them!”

Baron Mil cried to his men—the Stormhold convoy couldn’t be far; they might still catch them!

But with Gervas’s orders and the sight of locusts approaching, Civil Administrator Thomas had his men sprinting like their lives depended on it.

Even along the way, they callously dumped brush and felled trees to hinder pursuit.

It was ruthless—but they made it safely back to Stormhold.

“My lord! I’m back!”

When Gervas heard the news and rushed to the castle, Thomas and his men were drenched in sweat, nearly collapsed.

“John, bring water to Civil Administrator Thomas!” Gervas said, then stared at the three full wagons of poultry. “Thomas, you are Stormhold’s hero!”

“No, my lord. I merely followed your orders. This is all due to your mercy toward our people!” Thomas shuddered at the thought—if not for these poultry, half the populace would starve this year.

“Also, my lord, due to time constraints, I purchased only five thousand chickens and ducks.”

“Enough! They’ll save Stormhold’s farmland!”

Meanwhile, villagers who heard the news hurried toward the castle.

The afternoon locust plague had thrown them into panic, but now they’d heard Thomas returned with thousands of poultry—they rushed over without delay.

Seeing them, many peasants burst into excited shouts.

“It’s true! Thomas really brought back three wagons of poultry!”

“We’re saved! Stormhold is saved!”

Thomas stepped forward at once: “My friends, I announce good news! By Lord Gervas’s orders, I purchased a large number of chickens and ducks from neighboring lands today—spending fifteen gold coins!”

“And these gold coins were entirely advanced by Lord Gervas himself—to eliminate the locusts! Let us cheer for the great Lord Gervas!”

Indeed, this civil administrator was highly competent—educating peasants and spreading the lord’s greatness was part of his duty.

Without being instructed, he had already proclaimed Gervas’s achievement to all.

Naturally, the people responded with gratitude and reverence.

“Our lord is mighty!”

“Our lord is benevolent!”

Amid these cheers, the newly appointed lord won overwhelming popular support on his very first day.