The sudden outbreak of banditry on the southern border finally reached the Minister of Security of the Palace of Besançon.
However, the Minister of Public Security seemed not to be surprised at all, because a few days ago, Earl Baldwin had miraculously "predicted" this sudden and intensive outbreak of banditry to the Minister of Public Security.
The Minister of Public Security brought the matter to the Council of Ministers for a brief discussion and immediately signed an order document. The content of the document was very simple - ordering the palace's southern patrol officer Art Wood Wells to immediately quell the banditry and temporarily detain Dean and his son, who were suspected of being bandits, for investigation.
Will Count Bernard tolerate the suppression of the Dean family? It didn't happen before, but it does recently. Because Bernard must minimize contact with the Dean family, others don't know the reason, but he himself knows very well that for the Dean family, this is just the prelude to the storm, and the next period of time will be the real test of life and death.
At Count Baldwin's residence in the west of Besançon, the cavalryman who carried the message from Tinets Pegasus was standing directly in front of Count Baldwin. This was not the first time he saw Count Baldwin, but the innate fear still could not dissipate.
Baldwin was not too polite to such a small character. He directly handed an order document signed by the Palace Minister of Security to the cavalry and said: "Take this order letter and rush back to the south immediately. As for your fight, I have already received news about the sale of the Dean family's business, and I have already arranged people to deal with it. Tell Art that there will be a bowl of broth for him after the matter is completed. "
"Yes, sir."
“In addition, Art once asked me to borrow a pigeon trainer to train carrier pigeons to deliver news. I can’t borrow the pigeon trainer, but I have recently trained more than a dozen carrier pigeons. You can bring two back this time. Things that are not confidential in the future can be conveyed by carrier pigeons.”
"You have a message for your adults, either you don't do something or you must do it. Don't leave a tail for your opponent."
"Yes!"
Riding On the day when the soldiers went south with the order from the Palace Minister of Security, many premeditated caravan robberies suddenly occurred in the North. Three caravans secretly entering Besançon transporting valuable goods were intercepted and killed. All the caravan goods were robbed, and none of the escorts survived.
The 1.6 million pfennigs raised by the Dean family from selling off their property evaporated in an instant. This amount of money is completely enough to support the salary and consumption of two thousand legionnaires for a year...
With their life-saving money robbed, the Dean family seems destined to not escape the justice of the Inquisition. However, the Deans should feel lucky that they will not have to go to the stake of the Inquisition.
On the third day of the intensive outbreak of banditry in Tyniec County, the patrol team's messenger was still on the way to Besançon, and the Wells Army had already gathered its officers to hold a legion combat meeting.
The big stone house of Beiguan Army Fort is not only an academy for training officers, but also a place where the Welsh Legion holds important military meetings and celebration banquets.
A number of officers from the Wells Corps and the Valley Garrison Corps gathered in the room, including officers of the legion squadron level and above, commanders of border outposts and patrols, commanders of the Valley Garrison Corps and three subordinate officers. Civil Affairs Officer Cooper was also specially invited to attend the military meeting.
Dennis, the ideological and political officer of the legion who has not yet been officially appointed, was specially approved by Odo to participate in the military meeting due to his outstanding performance during this period. Because the legion is about to fight, those recruits who have never had combat experience will definitely be very nervous and anxious. Dennis, who was born as a small businessman, has a skill in calming the soldiers and boosting their morale.
Those officers who were promoted step by step based on their military achievements did not particularly like Dennis, who became an officer with his eloquent mouth. However, the recruits were very accepting of this ideological and political officer. He is kind and kind like a priest in the army, but not as serious and dull as a priest. He greets the soldiers every day and is approachable.
After the officers arrived one after another, Angus and Odo sat on the long table in front of the room, and everyone began to calm down slowly.
"Everyone, following the orders from your lord and the palace of Besançon, the Wells Army is about to assemble and prepare for war. The main target of this battle is the Dean family who is plundering the county. Most of you here have a blood feud with the Dean family, and everyone has been holding a bad breath in their hearts. Let me tell you, the opportunity for revenge has come."
“Some time ago, a brother asked me how to quickly increase the combat power of soldiers. Today I will tell you the best shortcut, which is to soak the swords in the hands of soldiers with the blood of the enemy. When the swords are covered with blood, their combat power will naturally become stronger. Most of you here have been killed by ordinary soldiers with one sword. You should know that a blood-stained army is the best. A strong army."
Odo paused, "Time is urgent, your morale does not need to be boosted, as for the morale of the soldiers, it is up to the officers and Denis to work together. Now please tell us, Lord Angus, how these people are spying on the enemy."
Odo made a gesture of invitation to Angus.
Angus went straight to the point, "In recent days, we have found out the number and deployment of the Dean family's troops. Let me briefly explain."
“Today, the Dean family has recalled all the caravan guards, plus the private army they recruited last year, the elite guards of the Dean family, and the border army transferred from Thorne Province, a total of 280 people. Among these nearly 300 people, the real combat power is the elite guards of the Dean family, the western border army, and the merchants. There are a small number of elite guards in the army, numbering about 150 people. "
"There are twenty people in the Western Border Army wearing armor, and the thirty elite guards have armors and long and short weapons. These fifty people are well-armed and powerful. As for the others, they are basically civilian farmers who have taken up arms."
"The three hundred or so enemy troops were stationed in two places, namely the farm in the southwest of the county and the Wincheston Manor. The southwest farm is the home of the Dean family, but the outer wall was breached by bandits. The Dean family has basically moved their home to Wincheston, and now it is basically occupied by serfs and farmhands of the Dean family. Mainly To store the food of the Dean family, there are less than thirty ordinary guards stationed at the southwest farm, and their weapons and armor are very rudimentary. Angus stood up and picked up a thin stick, pointed at a diagram of the manor drawn with a carbon rod by Civil Affairs Officer Cooper on a large piece of spliced wood behind him, and said loudly:
"Wincheston Manor is different. After the Dean family was granted the title of Wincheston Manor, they spent a lot of money to repair it. Not to mention the inside of the manor, they also built an outer wall around the manor. There are all fighting positions and arrow towers on the wall. There is only a wooden door to go out, and trenches are dug around the outer wall. We have set up defensive horses, there are fifteen crossbows, more than 30 strong bows and more than 6,000 arrows in the manor, as well as a lot of kerosene and other weapons for defending the city. "
"Wincheston Manor is a tough nut to crack, so our main task is to capture Wincheston Manor..."
"...Next, I will assign combat tasks."
All the officers immediately sat up straight. Spencer, the baggage officer, and Dennis, the proposed ideological and political officer, who were sitting in the last row, were already drowsy when they heard it. The officers around them suddenly sat up straight, which made them tremble in fright, and they quickly followed suit and tensed up their bodies.
Angus's tone increased again, "From now on, the Valley Guard Corps has entered a wartime state. Beiguan and the Baron of the Valley are under your garrison. The valley's registered peasant soldiers are immediately recruited for training, the security team patrols day and night, and the new army (which is training the second batch of thirty recruits) stops training and is ready to replenish battle losses."
"Yes!" Bass in the front row stood up and replied.
“One of the three squadrons of the patrol team was left to garrison the camp in Jushi Town, while the remaining two squadrons were fully armed and went to various parts of the county to eliminate bandits, patrol public security, and check for banditry in the county. They also told peasants and private soldiers in various places to strictly guard their territories and not to leave the territory without orders. Otherwise, they will be punished for banditry.”
"Border outpost, control border checkpoints, any troops or caravans, convoys and pedestrians carrying weapons and armor are not allowed to enter, unless they are our own people or friendly forces."
"Yes, follow the order!" The one-armed Simon also stood up to accept the order.
"The entire first and fourth flag team of the legion and the fourth flag team of the second company, as well as the cavalry team, crossbow team, and baggage team each sent a small team, a total of ninety-eight people to attack the southwest farm, Bangeda is in charge of the overall command."
Bangada, Passat, Lusignan, Jason and Spencer stood up to answer.
"Stanley Task Force (not disbanded) set out immediately and lurked near the target as sentinels. Keep an eye on Dean and his son, and intercept and kill them immediately if they escape."
"Yes." Stanley replied loudly.
"Ron, from now on, the legion will implement wartime military law."
"Yes." Ron's voice was very low. Enforcing wartime law means that many military disciplines that usually involve whipping, beating, beating or imprisoning will become direct executions.
"The baggage corps arsenal immediately issued weapons and armor, prepared materials and equipment for siege equipment, and began to calculate wartime military pay and combat readiness supplies."
“Okay! Lord Angus.” Spencer also imitated other officers and stood up to respond, but his momentum was just a little less impressive.
Angus turned around and said to Cooper politely: "Old housekeeper, the Civil Affairs side also asks you to immediately recruit laborers and be ready to go north to support."
"The Civil Affairs side has been prepared in advance." Cooper replied firmly.
"The rest of the Welsh Army gathered at Wincheston Manor, and wiped out the Dean family in one day."
"Yes!" The rest of the officers all stood up and responded in unison.
"The combat officers above the flag captain stayed to discuss the specific battle plan, while the rest went back to receive armaments, control the soldiers, and mobilize before the war."
...
The Welsh Army, which had been dormant for more than ten days due to the suspension of training due to the snowy winter, suddenly became noisy and busy.
· High-ranking officers discussed the final details of the battle in Beiguan Army Fort; middle- and low-ranking officers were busy controlling and encouraging the soldiers to relax their nervous and anxious hearts; ideological and political officers also followed the military priests to each flag squadron to pray and bless.
But the busiest thing is the baggage train. They have been preparing for a week in advance. The eight baggage soldiers in the arsenal have not touched the ground. The infantry has short spears, halberds, swords, axes, hammers and shields, leather armor, iron armor, scales and chains. The capital must be distributed to the squadron level according to the document. The crossbows and arrows and heavy armor of the crossbow team and the heavy armored infantry team need to be distributed separately; in addition, all miscellaneous tasks such as food, tents, medical care, etc. must be prepared for the soldiers during the battle...
Fortunately, the Civil Affairs and Valley Guard Corps sent more than twenty peasant soldiers and laborers into the baggage train to help, otherwise the baggage train would have been paralyzed.