Chapter 545 The Idiots of Gravel Plain
Politics is a bloodless war; war is a bloody politics.
All wars serve political goals and are not wars for the sake of war.
Why should we fight? How long should we fight? The answers to these questions must be thought out before the war begins.
This is what Horn once said to Meliati.
Although Meliati followed Horne in the form of a sister or daughter, she learned more than she imagined.
Astronomy, geography, military politics, how to divide groups of people, how to establish organizations, how to sort out internal relationships...
Some of his experiences even made Meliaty wonder whether he was born to rebel.
You know, for some of Horn's experiences, she looked through books but couldn't find anything that could be used as a similar reference.
Either Horn reasoned it out on his own, or he was born with it.
Now that she thinks about it now, she can't help but wonder if Hornpappa is really possessed by some angel?
After all, where could he, an unknown accounting apprentice, learn these things?
But Meliati knew that was impossible. The church could not tolerate another angel escaping from their hands, especially from an opposing position.
Unlike the spring breeze that has already been felt on the Vern side, on the dividing line of Upper River County, the high mountains block the spread of spring.
The weather in Upper River County has strangely dropped in temperature since the beginning of spring, and it is even close to the beginning of winter.
When Meliaty's horse's hooves stepped on the dirt road, the snow on the side of the road had not even completely melted away.
Among the withered branches and scattered patches of snow, an army of nearly ten thousand people marched beside the foaming Honey River.
This is already Hedge Country, Horn's hometown.
The village of Moulin Rouge they just passed was the place where Saint Sunhorn was born.
If their marching speed remained unchanged, they would most likely have to camp in the high castle if they moved forward.
The small village of Moulin Rouge not only gave birth to two heroic figures, Horn and Jeanne.
First-class military and political talents such as Jeshka, Das, Moncey, and Boussac emerged, and a number of young geniuses such as Armand, Rene, and Du Vallon emerged.
If the scope is extended to Sheihe Township, there are currently seven cardinals in the Castle of Joan of Arc, including five from Sheihe Township.
There are sixteen legions in the two major armies, among which ten are from Hedge Country as legion commanders.
Judging from the Salvation Army's military and political governance, these people are not just idle idiots.
I don’t know whether I should say that the Salvation Army’s talent training system is excellent, or that Hedge Township is a place with outstanding people.
It's just that the Salvation Army has so many talents, but do I, Meliati, have a shortage of people?
"How many days has Sentry Fort been besieged?" Meliati, riding on a horse, suddenly asked Lannes who was standing aside.
Lannes, riding a tall horse and wearing shining plate armor, accompanied the duchess with his head held high.
No one would have thought that Lannes, who was the son of a groom more than two years ago, has now become the knight commander of the cavalry escort.
This position is specially used by Meliati to cultivate talents.
Although Lannes has a low status, he has fought bravely since he became a mountain knight. He always took the lead and quickly rose to prominence in the army.
In the promotion system of the Duchy of Hema Stone, the Duchess has always been generous with rewards and punishments.
As a result, he was promoted almost like a rocket. The boy who could only sit in the grain truck and drive horses before was now able to talk to the Duke.
Lannes bowed his head respectfully and said: "This is the third day since we set out, and the fifth day since the sentry fort was besieged."
After receiving the news that Sentry Fort was besieged, Meliati immediately set off with the army and headed towards Lujiao Township.
After receiving the news from Kasha County, she had been gathering troops, preparing to go south to help Wein attack Lujiao Township and meet up with Horn as soon as possible.
But just as the front foot was ready, the back foot received the news that the sentry fort was besieged.
Due to the early preparations, she did not need to conduct any more gatherings. She set off the next day with 4,500 Northern Mound knights on foot, 1,000 surrendering knights, and more than 2,000 accompanying serfs.
If someone who doesn't know this lineup sees it, they might wonder why Meliati doesn't bring infantry.
But anyone familiar with mountain people knows that mountain knights lack good horses. Most of the so-called knights usually ride donkeys or attack as infantry. But it’s not that they don’t know how to ride a horse, it’s that the horse needs to be kept at home to plow the fields.
Don't bring it out unless necessary, because if you take it out you will die of illness and in battle, and the whole family will starve in the coming year.
Therefore, when they are at their peak, they can smoothly switch between infantry, cavalry, archers and cavalry at any time.
Meliati relied on these multi-functional cavalry to slap the faces of several princes who were far more powerful than herself in the previous war against the Norn Kingdom's Cod Castle.
As a result, Meliati gained the recognition and favor of the Norn Lords.
Norns, that's it.
During this uprising, Meliati used her territory as collateral to borrow more than 200,000 gold pounds from various Norn lords, not to mention free assistance such as war horses and armor.
This is still external, but internally there is also plunder.
Without external borrowing and internal oppression, Meliati would not have the army in front of her.
Of the 4,500 infantry knights in North Mound County, two-thirds of them have war horses, and the remaining one-third have ordinary horses.
Half of the people have three-quarter armor, and the remaining half are chain mail or half-body armor, with a 100% extraordinary rate.
Each person is equipped with a 120-pound heavy bow, 50 armor-piercing arrows, 100 conical arrows, two bottles of khan potion, and a donkey or a riding horse.
Meliati has staked everything, and what she wants is to join forces with the Salvation Army here and annihilate Prince Condai who besieged the sentry fort in one fell swoop.
The chaos in the Thousand River Valley that has lasted for a year and a half should be over. According to the news from the Norn Lords, the window period of the Thousand River Valley will soon pass.
Because the civil war in Leia is coming to an end.
The brothers Luel and Duke Neidbach, supported by the enemy's nobles, have advanced the battle line to the island area on the river.
In half a year at most, this civil war of royal succession should be over.
At most, in a year, the Leians can calm down the internal chaos, and then they will reach out to the Thousand Valleys again.
Prince Condai couldn't afford to wait, and Meliati couldn't even wait.
"Hurry up and march." After listening to Rannes' report, an unquestionable voice buzzed under the Duchess's iron mask, "We must reach High Castle before dark."
"As you command, Your Excellency."
Under the orders of knight officers at all levels, the originally slow-moving team immediately increased its speed.
Everyone gritted their teeth and moved forward quickly.
Along the Honey River and through the Silver Grasshopper River, the army traveling down the river really arrived at Gaobao City before dark.
After stationed overnight, replenishing supplies and summoning local knights, the Archduke ordered the army to assemble and move forward early in the morning.
However, this time they didn't leave the city for long. Around noon, the Grand Duke received an urgent cavalry from North Mound County in the army.
"Say it again?" Lannes squeezed the messenger's wrist, "What happened to the army in Gravelfield?"
"They said that a sheep came to us, and they said they would bring people to look for it, but whoever is looking for sheep came with an army of more than 10,000 people..." the urgent letter cavalry said aggrievedly.
"Looking for sheep? Are you sure?"
"What does this mean? Threat? Or containment?"
"They won't really go south, right?"
The chaotic voices of the knights exploded instantly, and everyone started talking.
"Stop guessing." Meliati's calm voice sounded from behind the iron mask, "It's just the idiots from Gravel Plain who are trying to get involved."
All the knight officers gathered together were speechless, and everyone's eyes were focused on the Grand Duchess.
"Then let's..."
"Ignore it and keep walking."
Pulling the reins, the first one continued to move forward. The Grand Duchess's voice was still calm, but her face under the iron mask was already extremely ugly.
(End of chapter)