Fifteen miles east of Besançon, thick smoke rose. This once peaceful and prosperous village was now in chaos. Dozens of villagers were driven out of the village by a sudden appearance of the team.
In fact, five days ago, the county had sent an order from the Besançon Palace, requiring all villages and manors around the county to be cleared to prevent the enemy from getting a grain of food from nearby.
The noble and wealthy households in the village naturally packed up their things and fled into the county. They were also worried that the rebels would rob their wealth and kill their precious lives. However, for ordinary civilians, they will become homeless refugees after leaving that house. Starving to death on the streets is likely to be their final destination, so they would rather wait for the rebels to come and kill them than run away with their families.
They did not wait for the rebels before they ushered in the purged Western Army.
Before entering the village, more than a dozen Western troops made a mess at the entrance of the village, telling the villagers to pack up their things and get out immediately. Then, without giving the villagers any time, they pulled out their swords and searched from house to house. Of course, the most important place they searched was where money might be hidden, followed by livestock and food at home, and finally they searched (collected) whatever they liked.
If anyone dares to resist, he will cut him down with a sword without even using his words.
In a farmhouse in the north of the village, Oliver and three of his soldiers looked at the pigs with bones and no fat in the house and felt worried. They searched the village and found no horses or animals that could be ridden. It was not easy to escape from the pursuers while fleeing north.
“Captain, what should we do? I’m afraid they will be suspicious if we run north like this, and there are no horses to ride here, so running by force is impossible.” A soldier said to the worried officer Oliver.
Oliver looked at the pigs in the house that were eating the wooden bed boards, and suddenly he had an idea, "Drive these three pigs out of the room and drive north!"
Several soldiers drove the pigs out of the house, and then pulled them from their waists He took out his weapon and stabbed it in the pig's butt. The skinny pig was in pain and ran northward... "Sir, a few guys ran north." A soldier on guard outside ran to the village and reported to the commander of the purge mission.
"Running north? Why are they running north? Did they defect?" The commander immediately became alert.
“No, no, no, no, they ran away after a few pigs, there seemed to be three of them.” The soldier quickly added.
"At first glance, they look like bastards who have never seen the world. How much can a pig be worth?" The commander pursed his lips. He knew that these guys got this fat job by giving benefits to the Chinese military officials. He just assumed that these guys had no experience in robbing civilians.
"Wait at the entrance of the village for a while. When they come back and ask for a pig, just say it's mine." The commander was worried that those guys didn't know the rules, so he asked the sentry to remind them that they had to submit an offering to the superior.
"Yes, sir~"
After the sentry finished speaking, he looked at the accomplices in the village who were still searching for and solving them, and his eyes almost popped out.
The commander kicked the soldier on the butt, "Look, I won't give you any benefits. Go and stand guard outside the village! Don't let the untouchables escape!"
The soldier laughed and carried his short spear, turning around three times at a time and reluctantly returned to the outside of the village to stand guard.
"Idiot, what's the point of chasing a few skinny pigs~" The soldier scolded the guys in the north...
"How is it? Is there anyone chasing after you?" Oliver asked the soldiers at the rear.
· The soldier stepped forward and looked at the smoke-filled village behind him, "Those bastards are busy searching for property? How can they have time to pay attention to us."
· Oliver stopped and took a breath, "If I had known better, I would have grabbed something and then left in a big way."
“Deputy Steward, look!” Another soldier magically pulled out four bulging money bags from his arms.
"When did you—" Oliver stopped asking. He remembered that the guy who took out the money bag was a master thief. He had just been in the village to get close to the few commanders and trusted soldiers who were in charge of wealthy families in the village. He thought that these money bags came from those guys.
The soldier threw several heavy money bags to the other people, "Deputy steward, one for each of the four brothers. Whether it contains gold coins or copper coins depends on luck. Let's just celebrate our return home."
Oliver took a money bag, weighed it and put it into his arms, "Thanks, man!"
"Let's go! Ready to go home..."
...
There is an abandoned windmill 40 miles northeast of Besançon. This is already the critical area of power between the east and west camps. Since there are no castles and fortresses around, neither side has stationed soldiers to guard it.
There are looming sentry figures on the roads outside the mill and in the dense forests on the hills.
In a mill with dilapidated walls and overgrown weeds, a group of people wearing various clothes gathered here from all over the west. Some of them were dressed as merchants and vendors, some were dressed as civilian farmers, some were dressed as guards and mercenaries, and there were even a few skinny guys dressed in rags, looking like homeless beggars.
These people are the task force sentries of the Wells Legion scattered throughout the Western Territory to collect enemy information. They came here to assemble as agreed.
A bonfire was burning in the open space of the mill. Several strong men were sitting around. Two little suckling pigs were roasting on the bonfire.
"Captain, everyone is here. Except for two guys who pretended to be refugees and were bullied and beaten by the Spanish soldiers, all the others have returned with minor injuries." The deputy captain of the task force, Dawson, was dressed like a peddler. There was also a cowhide bag containing coins hanging on his shoulders. With his face glowing red, he looked exactly like a vendor selling fur goods in the streets.
Stanley, who was dressed in civilian linen shorts, jokingly said to Dawson: "Dawson, it's a pity that you don't want to be a merchant dressed like this."
Several people around him also laughed a few times.
"Alright everyone, the military situation is urgent. Let's summarize the information we have collected, and then discuss the route back to the east."
「我先说说贝桑松城附近的敌军兵力部署......」
............
博姆莱达姆城，勃艮第伯国东军指挥营帐（机构）所在地。
The entrance to the circular inner fort in the center of the city was filled with soldiers wearing armor and holding sharp swords. Dozens of baron and above-ranking officers gathered in the heavily guarded inner fort hall.
The stone castle was very dark, so the eight candlesticks around the hall were all lit.
Behind the table on the steps at the top of the hall, Flanders and Baldwin, both in iron armor, were sitting on leather armchairs.
There are now four counts in the province of Yona. In addition to the people on the stage, there are also two court counts who moved from Besancon to the city of Yona. However, this is the front line of the war. The counts who are not army commanders stay in the city of Yona to take charge of the general affairs in the east.
Baldwin needless to say, he had moved his command camp here from the city of Yona long ago; Flanders blocked two attacks by the Western Army after occupying the Black Iron Castle, and the Western Army focused on the city of Besançon. Before the two attacks were carried out, the Western Army abandoned the Black Iron Castle and compressed the army near Besancon.
After the Black Iron Castle was stabilized, Flanders asked his adjutant to lead the army to guard it, while he himself rushed to the city of Bomledam with a hundred-man guard to gather dozens of teams to discuss an attack plan on the city of Besançon.
“…After our army captured the Black Iron Castle, the Western Army gradually evacuated the troops gathered at the border. Currently, the enemy troops are mainly stationed in the city of Besancon. Several important castles and fortresses around Besancon are also stationed by the Western Army. According to our preliminary military information, nearly 100 troops have been gathered in the city of Besancon. There are two thousand soldiers, and more than a thousand people are stationed in several cities and fortresses near Besançon. "
"However, the specific deployment situation of the Western Army's army types, army sources, and armament is still unclear. Baron Art has arranged for people to go to the enemy's hidden outposts to investigate, and the news should be brought back soon."
"Speaking of which, I have to praise Baron Art. He had already sent people to sneak into the enemy's territory before the war between the east and west armies began, and he also made outstanding achievements in the siege of Vaal City last month. "
As he spoke, Baldwin glanced at Art, who was sitting at the back end of the hall, and made a special compliment.
In such a place where powerful lords gather, although the strength of the Welsh Army is strong enough compared to the border barons who only have a hundred or so soldiers, Art is only an insignificant role compared to those viscounts and court barons, so he sits quietly behind the crowd and is very low-key.
Everyone in the hall turned to look at Art in the corner.
Art quickly stood up and bowed deeply to Baldwin and Flanders who were at the head, "Thank you, Lord Count, for the compliment. This is all due to the command and coordination of these two adults. I am just loyal to the Eastern Army and the two adults."
Baldwin smiled and nodded when he heard this, and turned to talk to Flanders beside him.
Flender just nodded slightly towards Art, without showing any appreciation or special attention.
Baldwin inadvertently glanced at Flanders's expression, and continued to speak loudly to everyone in the hall: "This time the commanders of the Eastern Army's armies were summoned here for a military meeting, mainly to assemble and reorganize our existing armies and determine the military system." The meeting of ministers discussed and decided that from now on, the Eastern Border Army and the Longxia Army will join forces to form the Burgundy Liberation Army. Flanders Otto, Count of Longxia in the Principality of Burgundy, heir to the Marquis of Burgundy, Crown Prince of Burgundy, and ruler of the Yona Palace, will personally serve as the commander-in-chief of the Liberation Army; I, the Count of Burgundy, Prime Minister of the Yona Palace, and Minister of Military Affairs, will serve as the commander-in-chief of the Liberation Army. "
There was a buzz in the hall, followed by cheers.
Flander Otto is the legal heir to the Iron Throne of the County of Burgundy. His ability to personally serve as the commander of the Restoration Army means that the Eastern Army can exist in a more legitimate name.
And all the officers in the east have heard the news that as soon as Flanders captures the city of Besançon, which symbolizes the rule of the County of Burgundy, Flanders will immediately declare his succession. At that time, Flanders will become the Marquis of Flanders, and these officers and dignitaries of all levels under Flanders will also have the opportunity to be promoted...
"The Liberation Army has four legions, namely the Central Guards Corps, the Left Wing Legion, the Right Wing Legion and the Forward Corps."
"The Central Guards Corps has two infantry regiments and one cavalry regiment. The Longxia Legion, Wells Legion, and Jonah Legion Cavalry Regiments are included in the Central Guards Legion."
“The Forward Army has two infantry regiments, the First Regiment of the Eastern Border Army and the Second Regiment of the Jonah Army are included in the Forward Army..."
…