One day's journey southeast of Marseille Castle, the carriageway connecting the north and south on the west side of the foothills traverses the fertile land outside the hills. The land divided by the low hills extending from the foothills is dotted with scattered farmhouses.
There is a white stone castle at the northern end of the carriage road. This is the ruling center of the entire farm estate - the lord's mansion.
In normal times, there should be cars and people coming and going here. Caravans traveling south and north transport goods from the northern Côte d'Or, Saône, the Principality of Burgundy and even the Kingdom of France through this trade route to countries such as Provence in the south.
· However, a war cut off this "golden river".
At this time, the open space outside the White Castle House of the Farm Manor has become a temporary military camp, where hundreds of Welsh Legion soldiers wearing gray and white tight-fitting robes are stationed here.
The owner of the farm estate was Galvin's former business ally, and it was also an important gateway for Sapp's caravan to the north. Affected by the civil strife, the owner of the farm also became a force of the Western Army.
However, the country's war had nothing to do with personal friendships. Galvin's alliance with the farmers still existed, so when Art led the Welsh Army to raid here, the army did not commit mass murder and arson.
After Art revealed his relationship with Galvin, the farmer immediately opened the castle gate to greet him personally. Of course, the fundamental reason was that the farmer was unable to resist.
In the lobby of the luxurious lord's mansion in the White Castle, a middle-aged man dressed gorgeously but groveling was almost flattering to Art, who was wearing armor and holding a sword and holding a wine glass by the fireplace.
"Lord Art, three fat pigs, ten sheep, ten barrels of wine, two hundred pieces of baked bread, six hundred pounds of finely ground wheat flour, and two thousand pounds of shelled wheat have all been delivered to the military camp. Do you think this military ration is enough? If not, I will have someone prepare it immediately." The middle-aged man smiled with a smile on his face, and the corners of his mouth almost touched his eyebrows.
Matt swung the wine glass in his hand, and the mellow aroma of the wine immediately floated out of the glass. He shifted his gaze from the portrait of the Virgin on the fireplace to the middle-aged man, "Thank you, my friend. Purchase military rations and supplies. "Have I paid you the full amount of money?"
The middle-aged man nodded, "It's enough! It's enough! The baggage official paid you in full. But I'm really embarrassed to accept your money for such a small thing."
"Okay, my friend. War is temporary, but peace is permanent. Once the civil strife subsides, my father-in-law still needs the support of a gentleman friend like you..."
While the two were having a friendly exchange, Ron opened the door and walked in. He glanced at the middle-aged man, who bowed to Art very wisely and then exited the room and closed the door behind him.
"Say!" Art put down the wine glass in his hand.
Ron lowered his right hand on the hilt of the sword and reported to Art in a low voice, "Sir, three urgent military situations. First, the mountain people army led by Long Xia has completed the task of attracting troops. They retreated, leaving only a hundred elite soldiers stationed on the border."
"Second, Codor's army has seen through our marching route. La Paz County and Riole County have begun to gather troops from all over the country to rush towards us. The number of troops exceeds 900, almost in full force. The sergeant major has just returned the military information from the rear blocking battlefield, and our cavalry has already engaged the pursuing enemy outposts. Both sides have their own forces. Damage. The sergeant major expects that most of the enemy troops will catch up here by tomorrow evening at least." Art placed his hand on the weighted ball on the hilt of the sword and rubbed the cross pattern on it. "The enemy's reaction speed was faster than I expected, and they have already caught up in just three days. Fortunately, we have a carriage that can move quickly."
"The third thing is that the guards who were ordered to approach Fort Marsi have just returned. Fort Marsi may have been warned by flying pigeons, and they have closed the fort gate and put the entire city under martial law."
"Have all of our people gone in?"
h "Two guards in disguise sneaked in before the city was closed. Together with the task force soldiers led by Stanley, there are a total of thirteen of our elite in Fort Marsi. According to the agreement, they will attack the city gate defenders immediately after we send the signal to assist us. Destroy the city."
Art patted the knight's sword on his waist and said, "Okay! Pass the order."
"First, order the sergeant major to continue to lead the cavalry to block the pursuing enemy forward, and also transfer two infantry flag teams to the sergeant major to block the enemy's forward cavalry for me."
“Second, order Kazak to lead Colin’s company to attack the villages and settlements near Marsi overnight with light equipment, force labor and tools and wood to make siege equipment and establish a peripheral defense line on the battlefield; order Odo to lead the rest of the army to set off before noon tomorrow. Go to Marsi. After most of the army arrived at Marsi, the chariot convoy immediately returned to join the sergeant major, and worked together to fend off the pursuing troops behind them." "Yes, sir." Ron stood up to receive the order, turned around and walked out of the room quickly to deliver the order.
In a dilapidated thatched hut under the wall of Marcy Fort, rain kept dripping down the holed roof. A deep pit had been carved out of the mud of the thatched hut. The reflection of the bouncing bonfire on the water surface of the pit illuminated a dozen tired faces huddled in the thatched hut. This was a labor house in Marcy Fort, and it was also the base where the Wells Legion task force ambushed Marcy Fort.
Although they were exhausted, the eyes of everyone in the thatched house were shining brightly, because at this time, two "newcomers" who had just been "forced" to join the labor force were delivering good news to everyone.
...Our army was like entering uninhabited territory, crossing the two counties for three consecutive days, and no enemy army dared to resist along the way. According to your plan, we can reach here in two days at most, and then it will be your chance to get your first victory." After a "newcomer" finished talking about the recent glorious achievements of the Wells Army, he took a big gulp of boiling water that had just been warmed from the hands of a laborer.
"It's been almost a month, and it's finally over. These guys are really being used as laborers. If you wait any longer, you will be exhausted to death." A thin guy tore off the rags on his shoulders, revealing his scarred shoulders.
“Sir Ron said before setting off that after this battle everyone in the task force will be rewarded heavily, and the two who killed the enemy will be promoted to the first level of the military rank.” Another “newcomer” who had just been captured to build the city wall conveyed Ron’s encouragement.
Everyone in the thatched cottage was excited.
The city of Thorne in the province of Thorne, one hundred and sixty miles north of Marseille, should at this time be called the Court of Thorne, County of Burgundy (symbol of political power).
The most luxurious mansion in Thorne City is undoubtedly the Earl's Palace of Bernard, which is also the ruling center of the entire Thorne Province.
In the middle of the Earl's mansion, which occupies a vast area and has luxurious buildings, there is a roaring sound in a five-story building.
"...One moment it reports four to five hundred people, and another time it reports two to three thousand people, are all those bastards in Codor blind and idiots? It's been three or four days, and they haven't even figured out the number of enemy troops! A bunch of useless things!"
Bernard was already furious. He didn't expect that Codor would be suddenly attacked when the situation in the Count of Burgundy was delicate and all forces were in a dilemma.
· Kodor is not a strategic location, but as a rear base it supports the backbone of the entire Western Army. Once Kodor is captured, the Western Army will lose the entire northern battlefield support force.
Bernard touched the drool gushing from his beard and forced himself to calm down, "Have you figured out the origin of the other party?"
The messenger was already trembling with fear, "Your Majesty, Sir, it's not the army led by Longxia. We guess it should be the Welsh Army lurking in the southern border counties~"
"It's the Welsh Army again!" Bernard's palms immediately clenched into fists.
"Come here! Send orders to the Northern Front Army~" Bernard's voice stopped immediately.
After hesitating for a moment, he changed his military order, "Instruct the troops in the northern part of Kodor to immediately assemble in Kodor City. After the assembly is completed, they will immediately go south to clear out the enemy troops. They must hold the enemy troops south of Diguan and drive them away step by step."
The advisers around Bernard listened to Bernard's military order and carefully reminded: "Sir, the enemy's strength has not been determined yet. If it is three to five hundred people, it will be fine. If it is really one or two thousand people, I am afraid that the combat power of the Cordor army will not be able to stop the enemy."
Bernard snorted, "If even a single province cannot stop the enemy, Count Codor should also be ravaged."
After that, he sighed again, "Now we have finally managed to maintain a balanced situation on the northern front. All parties are competing, and the north is the current focus. I can't use the northern defense force, as that will unbalance my carefully planned situation. At least not yet. ......"
.........
In the palace of Besançon, which is far to the east of Thorne City, Flanders was leaning on the iron seat in the main hall of the palace and silently watching the debate under the iron seat. Also watching with indifference like Flanders was the Prime Minister of the Palace, Earl Baldwin, who was sitting on the high chair next to the iron seat with his eyebrows huddled together.
As the second phase of the succession war increasingly reached a stalemate, the powerful ministers of the new monarch Flanders also became restless.
Two factions, the main war faction and the main peace faction, have gradually formed.
The backbone of the main war faction are the dignitaries who originally belonged to the Earl of Longxia. They are not willing to spend all their money to follow Flanders to fight north. Of course, their goals are not small and they have a strong will to fight. In addition, some of the original young dignitaries and military officers of the Count of Burgundy were also enthusiastic and strong, and they were the main force of the war faction.
The main force of the Peace Faction is the older old-school dignitaries. These people were originally the noble people of the County of Burgundy. The war broke their peaceful and comfortable ruling life. At first, they joined the new king's faction with the dream of expanding their power, but now that the new king's momentum has been hindered, this group of people has wavered.
The main warlord and the two factions have been at each other's throats recently, with both sides arguing endlessly.
Earl Baldwin's originally not strong heart was already shaken, but because Flanders had not expressed his position, he remained silent and allowed the people in the hall to argue.
"New King (Flanders has not yet been granted the title of Marquis), Lord Chancellor of the Palace, could you please say something? Now that the East and West are relatively evenly matched, we can still demarcate the border and rule by asking Bernard for peace. If the balance really tips to the west, we will not be qualified to negotiate for peace!" The person who spoke was the new Palace Finance Minister, an old-school dignitary.
"I object! Anyone who expects peace and demarcation of borders and governance are fools! We are now gaining momentum. If we cannot completely gain control of the entire county now, we will definitely attack the Western Territory in the future after it has breathed its last breath. Do you think Bernard will join us in demarcating borders and governing?" The person who sternly refuted it was the new palace military minister and the former adjutant of the Longxia Army.
After the tit-for-tat confrontation between the two leaders, the people behind each also started arguing, and the hall became extremely noisy again.
Just when the anxious Earl Baldwin couldn't help but wanted to give advice to the indifferent Flanders, the palace guard opened the door of the main hall, and the herald ran towards the iron seat with a secret letter from a flying pigeon...