Well, after that, everything is trivial, factional struggle, intrigue ... as a result, they all got ... Lee-Ban returned with the task, but lost the tamga coin, the same thing happened with Dara ... he was sent to the village where Javed already lived ... and what to do in a village, an ambitious merchant, a virtuoso thief, a wise politician and a former chief minister? Of course, try to make more money to change your destiny!
They did not kill themselves in the desert, grinding their hands to the bones, to the blood, planting new shoots to stop the sands. They simply gave money from the stash to the guards, they closed their eyes on them, gave more money to the local people to work for them.
They themselves have equipped a detachment of local residents, who used to be warriors, gunners, border guards, customs officers, fighters. These were all exiles from the principality Small An and spies from the principality He, who were exposed.
Former scientists, nobles and spies, did not want to be killed in the desert. If there was money, it was possible to pay off from hard labor. However, when they were exiled to the village, all their money was taken from them by the guards, by order of the king. But in the case of the Chief Minister and Dara, the guards did not dare to go against the powerful, even if they were in disgrace. Since their supporters were still in force in the principality. If anything, the guard who showed zeal could simply not live to see the next dawn. And who will risk their lives? Yes, and the king did not demand the head of the chief minister, as did Sir Pei. Only it was necessary to observe the pro forma, to show that the guilty were punished.
A cunning old man, the former Chief Minister, knew Dara, and Dara was his. They found a common language. Javed, he was first beaten, and then he was taken to the company. The king loved gold and precious stones. Therefore, they decided to give him an expensive gift ... Sir Pei, gave instructions to keep away from the palace and the city of the former Chief Minister and Daru for 10 years ... while Le-Ban arrived in punishment in the Lob Norr desert.
But they didn't want to suffer, just as Li-Ban, like learning life, these three people already knew how the world works, but they didn't want to learn by force. Spend 10 years of your life on slave labor, who wanted to die young? Not reaching your goals? Work 20 hours a day, eat poorly, starve, freeze in the winter, roast in the sun in the summer?
These three knew and knew how to live! They could find a common language with the guards and guards, their chief and nobleman in charge of the guards and the supervision of the exiles in the village.
The nobleman was given a garden, a pond, a two-storey house in the elite area of the capital of the principality, one of the hundreds of the chief minister already former. The warden granny was very happy, the water was a canopy of gold, such a house cost 1000 gold, but without protection in the palace, such a grandee as he could not have bought a house for 10,000 gold. So the grandee closed his eyes to everything, and, as was already said, the former chief minister was not a traitor, not a conspirator, not a rebel, but just a little missed before his overlord and he did not harbor any hatred for him. The grandee knew that in a couple of years, the former chief minister would again be called to the palace, if not the chief ministers, then the adviser to the king for sure. Why spit against the wind? And so it was still possible to curry favor in the future and get a promotion. And the acceptance of such a gift as a garden was just considered the manifestation of obedience and loyalty to the powerful of the world!
The chief of the guard received as a gift two horses, a set of armor, a good steel sword and 10 gold coins. He was not the seventh heaven!
Each guard got 1 silver coin and a set of leather armor and an iron sword. It was a gift unheard of for them. Therefore, the guard was very pleased.
The guards got 50 copper coins and an iron dagger.
To the spies of the palace, they gave each jade pendant who guaranteed them three pardons from the king. What happened during their dangerous work was like a lifeline in a storm.
The former chief minister knew how to buy the hearts of those who were to create problems for him and restrict his movement. The old, sly, fox, former chief minister knew how this rotten world worked. Therefore, even in such a hole as the village "Terrible poverty as you hear the name run as fast as possible" on the border of the civilized world and the wild, he lived quite happily.
In the village for the first time since its existence - the first stone house appeared, so as not to stand out against the general background, the stone walls were covered with lime made of clay mixed with straw. And then just covered with lime, which is known since the Bronze Age.
The house turned out big and strong, warm. Even being exiled from the former chief minister had his own security, only 30 people. All excellent swordsmen and also there were 20 hidden masters of martial arts. He was still the owner of state secrets. So the king ordered to strengthen the protection of the village, putting from it within a radius of 10 whether the hidden guards of the secret police of the principality, there were about 300. As it happens. Apparently the prototype - the security service and control. The guards not only guarded their "objects" of the nobles, but also watched them, collected material, what they did, with whom they communicated, where they went, and the information was transferred to the secret protection of the king. Trust by verification! There was such a time when intrigues, conspiracies, betrayals were in honor.
So, the king knew the dark affairs of his chief minister and did not fear his betrayal, he was an ordinary person who loved money, which means he was a loyal subject. Could not fear too much of him. Own! Not that incomprehensible scientists searching for light, truth, exploring distant mountains, ravines, deserts, whose eyes are burning from the search for new knowledge and not money. Are they not idiots? Are not madmen? After all, information and money is the most important thing! These scientists are idiots! They are looking for something there instead of putting money for money! Therefore, they will always ask for money from us. Well, okay, what to talk about them ...