A civil war broke out between the Otto family and the Iron Seat that lasted for half a year. The east and west borders with Besançon as the center line were burned into scorched ruins by the war. Countless civilians were rushed to the battlefield to be killed or massacred, and countless lands were soaked with blood.
War has never been beautiful. A tragic and long-lasting war will only consume a country's people and savings for a hundred years. Today, the County of Burgundy has become increasingly tired. Both the Jonah Province in the east and the Saône Province in the west have drained all their accumulated strength. Now the war for the East-West Successor is almost entirely supported by the newly added provinces of Codor and Lucesne.
But this situation cannot last long. For a small country with only four provinces and more than 20 counties and less than 700,000 citizens, nearly 10,000 troops are fighting (and more troops have been added after the addition of Kodor and Lucesian). The consumption of supplies and military pay is simply a disaster. What's more, the war brings not only the rapid depletion of national power, but also the stagnation and decline of agriculture and business.
Not to mention the huge consumption of maintaining tens of thousands of troops, the military expenditures wasted by Art since he went north to recruit has exceeded 900,000. Especially since the Eastern Border Army was convened, the daily expenditure on paying military salaries and supplying food and fodder has exceeded 10,000 pfennigs, not to mention the loss and production of military supplies and weapons.
The war in the Northland has caused a huge impact on the European trading companies. The profits earned from the trade route to the Kingdom of France in the west and the smuggling of Swabia from the east can just barely maintain the operation of the European trading companies. The food, wages and luggage provided by the Jonah court to Art are far from enough. Feeling the pressure...
On January 26, the Christian New Year, Besançon was defeated. The Liberation Army entered the city of Besançon, which symbolized the center of the rule of the Burgundy County. Flanders led his army into the palace in a mighty manner and sat on the iron seat of the County.
Fighting for half a year, the final city of Besançon alone was besieged for more than two months. The Liberation Army finally won the first stage of victory.
It snowed heavily the day after the city of Besançon was destroyed. It was the heaviest snow since the beginning of winter, almost swallowing up the entire world. The destruction of the city of Besançon and the heavy snowfall also seemed to become a freezing point in the war between the East and the West. The flames of war seemed to suddenly freeze into ice.
Across the pale border of the province of Yona, at the southern wall of Wallonburg, an important town on the eastern border of Burgundy, Art stood alone in the snow, letting the snowflakes fall on his shoulders and cover him into a snowman. The soldiers standing guard on both sides of Art saw that Art was not moving at all, and did not dare to make any move. They could only endure the torture of the ice and snow cold weather with a grimace.
On the inside of the city wall behind At, it was occasionally heard that the military priest and ideological officer Dennis was praying and encouraging the soldiers in the church next to the lord's hall.
This is the twenty-first day after the recapture of Geneborg. In these twenty days, Riat did three major things.
The first thing is that on the fourth day after the recapture of Geneborg, the snow had just melted. The Swabian army, led by a leading viscount, attacked the Burgundian army that had just established a foothold in Geneborg.
Matter did not intend to waste time and energy with the Swabians anymore. He selected a thousand soldiers to fight against 700 elite Swabian troops in Geneborg. The battle lasted for a day, but the casualties on both sides were not heavy. The Swabians also knew that it was impossible to capture Geneborg again, so they only sent troops to symbolically attack, leaving dozens of corpses on both sides of the enemy and us, and then returned angrily. After this battle, most of the Swabian army never crossed the eastern border of the County of Burgundy.
Later, Art sent Stanley to personally lead a task force to sneak into the city of Onan to spy. He learned that Earl Randy was criticized by his domestic political opponents due to the unfavorable war, and was temporarily deprived of the command of the army by the Swabian court. From this incident, it can be seen that the internal affairs of the Swabian Principality are not monolithic about the attack on the Burgundy County, and Swabia has no intention of committing a national crime.
Burgundy's eastern border defense has been temporarily stabilized.
The second thing is that ten days ago, Yat received an urgent military intelligence battle report from Tyniec in the south. From the battle report, Yat learned that Kodor sent troops to attack Sarp Fort. The commander of Sarp Army, Felix, led the army and civilians in the territory to resist the five attacks of Kodor Army and blocked Kodor Army at the Stone Fort. Felix's men suffered a lot of losses, but Kodor Army paid a heavy price.
As of the time when the military intelligence report was sent, the Kodor army was still increasing its troops, so Cooper, the civil affairs officer who stayed in the valley, and Bas, the commander of the valley garrison, decided to urgently recruit half of the garrison at the border outpost and once again recruited fifty peasant soldiers to support the Sapp Baron.
Matt also just learned the news about Kodor joining the Western Territory from Sir David who led the army to support the war in the Eastern Territory. Unexpectedly, he received an emergency letter a few days later that Fort Sarp was attacked; what worried Art even more was that it was said that there were also people in Tyniec County. The forces in the West are ready to move, and Art is extremely disgusted with these bone-attached maggots. Fortunately, Baron Antayas of Andermatt Castle has begun to clean up the hostile forces on both sides of the road leading to Andermatt Castle. With Baron Antayas sitting in Tinets, Art can feel a little more relieved.
However, the enemies in the west were attacking his home base, and Art could not sit idly by. So the day after receiving the military information, he ordered some of the severely damaged squadrons of the original Wells Army, totaling 120 people (the sergeants with relatively low morale). Soldiers) returned to the valley barony with thirty wounded soldiers, prisoners of war, and supplies (plundered from Bufan County) stored in Bramont City under the carriage of the European trading company. With this group of soldiers who had experienced blood and fire stationed in the rear, Art could continue to fight with peace of mind.
The third thing is that just seven days ago, Art asked Angus, David, Baron Caitlan, and Odo to divide into two groups and lead an army of 600 men each to march towards Fort Mediere and Fort Capulediere.
Yate himself led the remaining troops to guard the two most important castles and fortresses, Geneborg and Wallonborg. Compared with the two southern mountain fortresses that were about to be attacked, the strategic positions of Gennebourg and Wallonborg were more important. Even if the remaining two castles and fortresses could not regain Yate, they could still use Wallonborg and Geneborg in exchange for a real son from the new monarch. The title of Lord...
Art was still staring blankly at the southwest. He held in his hand the pile of private letters sent from the valley. The letters were written by his wife Lottie. The language was sentimental, sentimental, and long and complicated. The thick stack of letters was summed up in one sentence - Tell Art to stop fighting and go home immediately.
"Woman~" Art let out a long sigh in the direction of the valley, then waved his hand to brush off the thick snow on his shoulders. He said a few words of caution to the soldiers standing guard on the city wall, then turned around and walked down the stone stairs towards the church...
In the church sanctuary of Wallonborg, more than thirty commanders and selected soldiers of the remaining army sat on the benches of the temple with pious faces and listened to the holy prayer of the military priest Robert.
After Robert's ceremony was completed, Dennis, the ideological and political officer of the army, then walked to the steps of the temple, holding a thick stack of beautifully made parchment in his hand.
Dennis is the ideological and political officer of the Yona Border Guard Corps. This kind-faced guy often goes in and out of the army. Soldiers and officers all know this guy who is particularly good at talking, and everyone also likes the ideological and political officer very much.
"Brother officers and soldiers, Father Robert has just told God about the blood and sweat you have paid for justice in the world. Just as Father Robert said, one day when your bodies die, your souls will ascend to heaven and rest in eternal rest."
The officers and soldiers were in high spirits.
Dennis said, raising the parchment in his hand, intending to raise the atmosphere to a climax, "What I hold in my hand is the church's indulgence. It was specially given by Bishop Olof of the Lucese Diocese to Lord Art and his warriors. Today, I am ordered by your Lord to grant indulgences to the bravest warriors among you. The moment your names are transcribed on the indulgences, it means that the original sins you were born with have been forgiven by God..."
At the door of the temple, looking at the officers and soldiers who were getting more and more excited, Art couldn't help but praise Denis in his heart.
The so-called indulgences given by Bishop Olof are simply a lie. Those talisman-like things were made by Dennis inciting Father Robert to make his own. However, these officers and soldiers firmly believed in these nihilistic things.
For people who have been struggling to survive in the bloody storm all year round, their bodies have become low and cheap, and countless bodies have been broken after a fierce battle. The only sustenance and comfort for these people is the rest and enjoyment of their souls.
So under normal circumstances, as long as they are not crazy villains, almost no army dares to invade the territory of the church. Looting, slaughtering civilians or even killing secular nobles will only result in lost condemnation and contempt. As long as they are strong enough, no one will dare to pursue them. However, if someone dares to invade the church territory, even the most dilapidated church, he will be attacked by the entire church world. This is why he never dares to peek into those churches that hide countless gold and silver. Even if he dares to order officers and soldiers, they will not execute it.
The power of religious beliefs is powerful. Although Art is not firm about these things deep in his soul, he will not refuse as long as it can be turned into a means to control people's hearts.
Sure enough, when the officers and soldiers who were declared to have received indulgences went up to the stage to receive the indulgences from Dennis and Father Robert wrote their names with a pen, the officers and soldiers were so excited that they almost held Robert's feet and kissed them...
"Sir, are you here?" Ron's hurried voice sounded behind him.
Matt turned around and extended his index finger to Ron with a silencing gesture, "What's the matter?"
"Mediel and Capulediere were recaptured at noon yesterday!"
Ron quickly handed a piece of paper as a letter to Art, which was passed back through the snow by the army messenger who attacked Medier.
Ate looked confused, "Both castles have been recaptured? Why so fast? Didn't you just start the attack the day before yesterday?"
"The messenger said that the Swabians did not resist at all. Yesterday morning, the Swabian army stationed in the two castles suddenly led their troops to retreat..."
Ate quickly opened the letter of victory, and gradually the corners of his mouth rose...