"Hurry, clean the battlefield immediately, take away everything you can, and burn whatever you can't take away. Lock up all the prisoners first and wait for the Chinese army's camp to deal with them." On the frontline battlefield of the Liberation Army, an officer was giving orders to the soldiers who had just finished a small-scale battle.
Early this morning, the Liberation Army command camp received a battle report from the front line, saying that the direction of Thorn City sent several troops of about a hundred people to various places on the front line to support the Western Army. After the Liberation Army fought against this army, they found that they were not the main force of the Western Army at all. According to the prisoners' accounts, these "troops" are farmers and refugees from around Thorne City. They don't even know how to use the most basic weapons. They go to the front line to fight just to have a mouthful of food so as not to starve to death on the streets.
………
“Everyone, what do you think of this matter?” Flanders, who had just finished a battle on the front line, was walking on a country road in Saône Province wearing a battle armor and holding a broad sword, and asked the core officers who followed him all the way.
"Your Majesty, Marquis, are you talking about those farmers and refugees?"
"Yes!"
"Your Majesty, Marquis, Bernard is obviously gathering his main army secretly towards Thorne City to prepare for the defense of the city. These farmers who are sent to the front line are destined to die." An officer behind Flanders analyzed.
"You are right, Bernard is insidious enough, more cunning than a fox." Flanders wiped off the blood on the sword with linen cloth. As the commander of the Liberation Army and the future ruler of the country, he had few chances to kill the enemy with his own hands.
“No matter how cunning the fox is, he cannot hide from the eyes of the eagle.” Another officer said.
Flender did not speak, but just kept walking forward...
"The peripheral battle is basically over now, and now we have to worry about the attack on Thorne City."
Several officers behind him glanced at each other, their expressions mixed with joy and worry.
"Immediately lead your troops to eliminate the remaining enemies and try not to allow them to escape into Thorne City. At the same time, send troops to guard the important castle areas that have been captured to prevent enemy sneak attacks."
"Yes, Your Majesty the Marquis!"
"Your Majesty the Marquis, what should I do with the prisoners?" an officer asked.
"Kill them all for me."
After speaking, Flanders stopped and turned around, skillfully inserting the broadsword into the scabbard. The officers stood upright, with no sympathy on their faces.
"In addition, let my uncle, Viscount Galvin, prepare the food, grass and baggage for marching into Thorne City. This time is different from the past. After we penetrated deep into the hinterland of Thorne Province, the battle line was stretched too long, and the food and grass baggage could not be replenished in the enemy's territory. Thorne City also has high walls and thick walls. I am afraid it will be difficult to conquer in a short time. We must be prepared for a long-term siege."
"Also, send someone to escort the prepared siege equipment, and follow the army to Thorne City when it moves towards Thorne Province."
"I will give you one day to clear the way for the army to advance. After one day, I will personally lead the liberation army to approach Thorne City." There was no room for doubt in Flanders' tone.
At this time, near a manor one day's walk south of Thorne City, the outpost of the Wells Army had just engaged in a small battle with Thorne soldiers who were blocking the southern army here. Nearly twenty enemies were killed, five were captured, and six escaped.
This is already the third blockade encountered by the Welsh Army on its way north, but the number of people blocking the blockade is getting smaller and smaller, and the scale is getting smaller and smaller. Therefore, this small-scale blockade will not have any impact on the marching speed of the Welsh Army.
"Sir, they are coming~" A soldier of the Welsh Legion who was cleaning the battlefield saw Art walking in front of the team and immediately ran forward and held Art's horse.
"Sir." Seeing that Art had arrived, Angus hurried over.
"Sergeant major, thank you for your hard work. Are any of our people injured?" Art asked with concern.
"One infantryman was killed and three were slightly wounded." Angus wiped the blood on his face with a look of remorse.
"Sergeant, treat the wounded immediately and bury the dead. May our Lord bless them. Amen~"
"Amen~" Angus also bowed his head and prayed.
"Ron, bring the wine to quench the sergeant major's thirst." Art said to Ron.
"Thank you, sir."
"Give me the order to rest the army for a while. Then call all the officers above the flag captain over."
"Yes, sir."
"The whole army is resting on the spot~"
"The whole army is resting on the spot~"
Following Ron's order, the order to rest was passed from the front to the end of the team.
In the temporary Chinese army command camp, Art waited for all the officers to arrive before he began to arrange the next tasks.
…We are currently only one day away from Thorne City. The Liberation Army in the east is also clearing out the remaining remnants. We are also only one day away from Thorne City. According to the order of the Marquis, the Wells Army must start tomorrow Arrive and set up camp three miles south of Thorne City before falling. By then, the Liberation Army will also camp by the woods one mile east of Thorne City."
"But," Art looked at the officers who were discussing in low voices, and continued, "The Thorne army will definitely not let us get close to Thorne City easily."
The officers did not say anything.
"Sir, you mean that we will definitely clash with them outside Thorne City." Odo, who had not said a word just now, suddenly spoke.
"Odo, you are right. Bernard is not an easy guy to deal with. How could he easily let us get close to Thorne City. This is like the meat in your bowl. Will you let others take it easily?" Art made an analogy.
"It depends on whether his skull can withstand my heavy hammer blow!" Otto's words made everyone laugh.
"So I guess Bernard also prepared a heavy hammer for us outside Thorne City."
"Okay, let's assign tasks. Otto, you are responsible for the legion's baggage. You will gather the vacated carriages and go to various manors and villages along the way to collect grain. Although we brought our own grain and grass baggage, we also purchased some in the city of Codor, plus 50,000 pounds of grain from the Count of Codor, which will not be used in the short term. Worry about the food and fodder problem. However, Thorne City will definitely not be captured so easily. Therefore, we must be prepared for a long-term siege. With food in hand, the soldiers will not panic. "
"Sir, don't worry, leave the food and fodder issue to me." Odo took the order.
"In addition, we are getting closer to the city of Thorne, and the enemy is likely to send a large number of cavalry to attack. Therefore, the sergeant major and Lusignan are responsible for leading the cavalry to defend the outer perimeter of the army."
"Yes, sir."
"There is another point, and the most important point. The enemy is likely to come and burn our food and baggage. Once there is no food, we will be unable to move. Therefore, we must send heavy troops to protect the food and grass transported by the baggage team. This task will be given to Kazak."
"Yes, sir, please don't worry." Kazak stood up and said.
"Remaining commanders, you must control the soldiers under your command. We have been fighting for a long time, and the soldiers will inevitably have strange feelings. Commanders, with the help of the ideological and political officers, must firmly control the morale of the soldiers..."
"Is the mission clear to everyone?"
"Clear!"
"Okay, here's the order for the whole army to set off. The target is Thorne City!" Art pointed his finger to the north.
"Yes, sir." Everyone stood up to receive the order.
………
One day later, the Welsh Army in the south and the Liberation Army in the east both arrived at their destinations as scheduled. The Welsh Army and the Longxia Army were stationed in an open space three miles south of Thorne City, surrounded by wheat fields that had long been destroyed. The Liberation Army's camp is located in a wheat field 1.5 miles east of Thorne City. To the south of the camp is a dense forest. It is not large, but it is enough to hide an army of 500 people.
As the two armies approached Thorne City, Thorne troops continued to come to harass them. Fortunately, the damage caused was not too great. The food and baggage accompanying the army were also heavily guarded, so the Thorne soldiers who were harassing the army could not get close.
………
The garrison of the Welsh Regiment. After arranging the defense around the camp, Art ordered Ron to invite Viscount Leander, the leader of the Longxia Legion, to his tent.
After receiving a secret message from Flanders, the Longxia Mountain Legion, under the leadership of Viscount Leander, left the Longxia Territory and went to Marsyburg to join Art's army. It played an important role in the elimination of the southern army of Codor. Although they were just some mountain people who stayed behind and could not keep up with the regular army that followed Flanders, the bravery and skill of these people still left a deep impression on Phoenix. The Mountain Legion later participated in the battle to encircle and suppress the northern army of Kodor, and then followed the Wells Legion north to Kodor City, and then all the way north to Thorne City.
As an army with strong combat effectiveness, Art certainly hopes that the Longxia Mountain Legion will stay with him. But now that Flanders is east of Thorne City, Art has no reason to command this army to fight for himself. It can only be returned to Flanders.
"Sir, Lord Leander is here." Ron, who was outside the tent, said to Art.
"Viscount Leander, please come in quickly." Art called Leander to his tent. "Ron, serve the wine."
"Yes, sir."
"Viscount Leonde, thank you for supporting me all the time." Art said sincerely.
"Lord Ater, you are too polite. We all serve the new king, and we cannot support him." Leonde said straightforwardly.
"You are right, we are all serving the new king. Come, wish you a victory in this war, cheers!"
"Cheers!"
The two of them drank the wine in one go.
"Viscount Leonde, now that the Marquis has arrived to the east of Thorne City, what are your plans?" Art asked tentatively after putting down his wine glass.
"We are all under the eyes of the Marquis. Of course, I will bring my army to join the new king and accept his command." Leander said without thinking.
At originally hoped that Leander would stay in his army, but after hearing what Leander said, he no longer wanted to force others into trouble.
"Viscount Leander is right. It just so happens that I am going to ask the Marquis for orders, so why don't we go there together."
"Okay, Viscount Art."
After deciding to go to the Flanders army camp with the Longchal Army led by Leander to ask for orders, Ater temporarily handed over the affairs of the army to Angus and Odo. He led Ron and the guards towards the Flanders army command camp east of Thorne City.
Following the crowd were 20,000 pounds of grain and 30,000 pfennig military expenses provided by Art to Flanders...