I will be crowned king

Chapter 356 Lenore Emmanuel’s Loyalty

Early morning, Salted Village.

The earth under the dark night was shrouded in a faint moist vapor; standing on the top of the hills and looking down, one could only vaguely see the outline of the high mountains of Aiden and the dots of fishing fires on the sea.

Among the steep and rugged mountain roads, hundreds of figures holding red unicorn and thorn flower military flags and wearing various military uniforms loomed in the mist; bugles, orders and occasional curses were intertwined, heading northwest Advance direction.

After only two days of hasty rest, the coalition forces that had just completed their rendezvous couldn't wait to set off.

After successfully defeating and capturing the Imperial Earth Fleet Tasien, and subsequent various Imperial expeditionary forces—including the inexplicable battle two days ago—the coalition command finally figured out what the enemy was going to do next. plan of.

It seems very complicated, but it can be summed up in one sentence: The empire cannot afford to delay and does not want to delay, so it plans to defeat all the resistance forces in Hantu as quickly as possible.

Well, then kill them all and kill the whole family.

Anson was amazed, outraged, and even a little envious by being so nonchalant, not pretentious at all, and not even bothering to cover up.

Start a war when you say it's going to start, leave no one alive when you say it's a massacre, don't care about what your vassals and subordinates think, and can even ignore the protests of the church. This is really... what is an empire?

After confirming that the Mist Army had been completely wiped out and that the Imperial Expeditionary Force had circled around to the area of ​​Wildstone Castle and prepared to conquer the only supply point west of Aiden, Anson realized that he did not have much time left.

He must leave immediately. Even if he cannot reach the battlefield immediately, he must put pressure on the Imperial Expeditionary Force and desperately increase his presence.

Whether this "pressure" deters the "Empire Rats" and makes them hesitate, or whether it further strengthens the enemy's determination to attack quickly and end the battle, is beyond Anson's control.

So even though he was very confident in his plan, Anson decided to add a layer of insurance to the "original version".

His nearly 20,000-strong coalition force was once again divided into two - Anson, who personally commanded the large army, advanced towards the area of ​​the Wild Stone Castle, while Fabian, who was once again "ordered in the face of danger", led the Grenadier Regiment (Storm Regiment) to the summit tower. fortress.

This is of course because the summit tower fortress is very crucial. If it is successfully captured and defended, Hantu will almost be in an invincible position; but the more critical point is that it is a bait deliberately released by the imperial expeditionary force.

Before a real big fish eats the bait with peace of mind, the fisherman will not take the hook for a "little shrimp worth mentioning".

"So my mission is to cooperate with Archduke Aiden to capture the Summit Tower Fortress - if the fortress has not been captured yet?"

Fabian frowned slightly, not quite understanding Anson's decision.

"No, it is more accurate to say that it is to 'test' the reality of the summit tower fortress. If there is a chance, then capture it before Archduke Ayden conquers it." Anson shook his index finger, corrected and added:

"But if it's obviously a trap, or there's anything you feel is not quite right - don't hesitate, retreat immediately, do everything possible to keep the unit intact, and don't engage in any meaningless battles!"

Compared with the entire Storm Division, this reinforced regiment of nearly a thousand people is his real "basic base" - all soldiers are cultivated and trained bit by bit from recruitment to training.

Even the "officer corps" of the entire infantry regiment are all graduates of the Royal Military Academy. They all come from the same skirmisher department as Anson, and many of them are "disciples" who are only one or two years behind him.

In the military, which is known as the "second seniority organization in the world," there is no closer relationship than having the same discipline + fellow seniors + the first resume after graduation.

Considering the original nature of the Storm Regiment, this group of people, like Anson, were labeled "Franz" and "Church" by the Army. They basically cut off the possibility of smoothly "changing jobs" and had to go all the way.

Fabian suddenly understood, and he understood immediately when he said this.

As for Lenore Emmanuel, Anson explained that this was for the sake of balance between the two parties. After all, the current unification of Hantu is achieved by the unity of the two major families of Emmanuel and Francois. Therefore, As the "middleman", I must work hard to maintain the unity of both parties.

Moreover, compared to the Hantu Army, the Clovis Storm Regiment had more experience against the Empire; an infantry regiment may not have many, but these professionally trained officers could give Archduke Ayden many valuable opinions.

This kind of inconsistency, the "excuse" that you can think of something wrong with just a little thought, is obviously not as effective against Lenore as it is against Leon - or it can only be effective against little Leon.

In Renaud's eyes, this "shameless and greedy" Clovis man just wanted to take advantage of his military exploits; just like he agreed to directly assist the reconstruction plan of Carindia Port, he just didn't want to be used by the second-hand merchants of the François family. Just make the difference.

But he did not expose Anson, and even pretended that he completely believed this nonsense; not only took the initiative to provide a very detailed and thoughtful map of the summit tower fortress, but also told this guy the private communication signals between Aiden's troops to facilitate the storm. The group contacted Archduke Aiden as soon as possible.

Renault's wishful thinking is that as long as the Storm Group also hopes to conquer the Summit Tower Fortress, they must not give up the symbolic meaning of "being the first to enter the city", which can be widely publicized in Hantu and the Kingdom of Clovis. Iconic military exploits”.

And Archduke Ayden...his own father was able to take advantage of his greed and send this elite infantry regiment to fight the most critical siege battle, allowing the Clovis and Imperials to fight head-on and regain the Summit Tower with minimal casualties.

Anyway, this fortress is the territory of the Duke of Aiden. As long as the control of the fortress is still in the hands of the Emmanuel family, it doesn't matter to him and the Duke of Aiden who is the first to break the city.

Such an obvious little thought, of course, could not escape Anson's eyes - so he did not expect Fabian to regain the summit tower fortress from the beginning. He only thought about whether he could take advantage of the Imperial Expeditionary Force's attention to the Hantu Army. On the other hand, look for the right opportunity to take advantage.

But on the surface, Anson still expressed his unparalleled gratitude for Lenore's cooperation: "It is precisely because of this seamless and united friendship that I firmly believe that the empire is destined to fail, and victory will ultimately belong to our!"

"That's right, unity is the key and top priority to defeat the empire." Renault nodded slightly seriously. The past few months of getting along with Anson taught him what it means to remain calm:

"In terms of our attitude towards the alliance, our Emmanuel family has always been loyal and will never betray our comrades!"

The two people who showed their true feelings held each other's hands tightly and hid their hidden intentions in their eyes, keeping everything in silence.

After a sincere display of sincere unity, the two sides had a simple exchange of views on the command authority of the coalition forces.

To put it simply, Lenore Emmanuel, who had lost all his 10,000-strong Hantu Army, wanted to gain command of the 8,000-man Ayden Army of the Allied Forces.

But Anson didn't want to give it.

The future of the next battle is uncertain, and there is no possibility of a head-on confrontation with the Imperial Expeditionary Force. Although the Ayden Army's individual soldiers are slightly inferior in quality and obedience to orders, in terms of fighting will and hand-to-hand combat with bayonet charges, there is no doubt that they are the best. the best.

Return them to Lenore. If he takes someone to find his father, where will Anson get such excellent vanguards (cannon fodder)?

"But they are Aiden people... Moreover, I am not competing with you for the command of the entire coalition army." Renault asked:

"I just want to make a suggestion to you. As the heir of the Emmanuel family, I can serve as their commander, so that these Aiden people can perform even better!"

"This is the standard old army model, and it is also the key to the Hantu Army's inability to compete with the Empire!" Anson tapped the edge of the table with his fingers and said with great sadness:

"Only by completely getting rid of the regional concept and using scientific means to establish a modern military organization and management model can the fearless Hantu Army become stronger!"

"Science, do you understand? As devout believers in the Circle of Order, we must believe in science!"

Science... The corner of Renault's mouth twitched slightly. He had also listened to several sermons organized by Archbishop Hantu, and this was the first time he heard this word from a self-proclaimed devout believer.

Perhaps for the Kingdom of Clovis, which gave birth to Saint Isaac, this is the only thing that makes them proud, right?

"I respect your...'scientific' suggestion, but I also said that this is just a well-intentioned proposal." Lenore turned his attention to Anson again:

"And I can assure you that this time I will not go against my pre-planned plans like Carindia Port did, and will strictly abide by your orders, just like...just like a devout believer who believes in 'science' should do That way.”

"real?"

Looking at those sincere eyes, Anson suddenly raised the corners of his mouth with a malicious expression: "Even if I order you to hand over your military power, stay behind in Salt Village and wait for instructions?"

Lenore Emmanuel: “…”

"Okay, okay, I'm just kidding."

Before Leno's head, which was trembling with blood and clenched his fists, completely exploded, Anson interrupted in time: "No problem, I can leave the Aiden Army to your command."

"real?!"

The blushing little Renault was suddenly startled, and had not fully recovered from the tangle just now.

"Of course it's true. I... Anson Bach, the dignified deputy commander of the army, when did I ever break my promise?" Anson nodded seriously:

"From now on, the Aiden Legion in the coalition will be under your command."

"But you didn't say anything just now..."

Just as Renault was about to ask a question, he was immediately interrupted by Anson raising his hand: "Yes, I said it... Overemphasis on regionalism is one of the main reasons why the Hantu army's combat effectiveness is not as good as that of the Empire."

"But since it is the main reason, it is not so easy to eliminate; the war is coming, we must recognize the reality clearly and consider our own practical factors... Blind pursuit of advancement and modernization is also undesirable."

"But……"

Renault was completely speechless and simply didn't know what to say.

You are the one who demands to believe in science, and you are the one who demands to respect reality... You have said everything, what do you want from me?

"It's nothing, it's settled." Anson crossed his fingers and said seriously to Renault:

"I can trust you, right?"

"……certainly."

"Then what else do I have to worry about?" Anson smiled slightly:

"With you as the commander, the Aiden Corps will definitely be able to complete all tasks and become the sharpest bayonet of the coalition forces. It will rid the imperial cavalry that tries to bypass them with holes, and then use the most perfect charge to defeat all stubborn enemies from the front. !”

The auxiliaries covering the flanks and the vanguard during the charge, this is basically Anson's definition of Aiden's Army.

"I……"

Renault was slightly startled. Although he had a vague feeling that something was not right with the other party, he could not tell what it was specifically.

And he did get what he wanted most - the command of the 8,000-strong Aiden Army.

"I promise to do it!"

"And I absolutely believe in your promise."

Anson smiled slightly, secretly breathing a sigh of relief while praising his intelligence from the bottom of his heart.

Lenore is different from Leon. The heir to the Principality of Ayden is very cautious, and for some reason he always seems to be a little suspicious of his evil intentions. It is very difficult to gain his trust and sincere obedience.

With the lessons of the Battle of Carindia Port, the goodwill gained through post-war reconstruction, and some piecemeal efforts, the other party made a proactive statement, and finally acknowledged it himself... After an extremely complicated set of operations, he allowed He temporarily became his subordinate.

Well, temporarily.

This is the shortcoming of the non-modern army... To win over the Thun Army depends on the previous strong assistance, as well as the "blood relationship" between Anson himself and the Francois family; to win over the Ayden Army, it depends on Renault, Ayden The heir's personal loyalty can prevent this force, which accounts for half of the coalition forces, from defecting on the spot like all heartless mercenaries at a critical moment.

How different from our Clovis levy regiment...a standard modern army with strict discipline, and even rebellion and rout are particularly efficient!

The coalition forces, which were finally "united", continued to march along the mountain road towards the Wild Stone Castle. According to Anson's prediction, the Imperial Expeditionary Force should still be in the outflanking stage, trying to move the Hantu army away from Claude Fran. Sova set up the battlefield and tried to attack his flank.

The reason is simple. The empire only has 20,000 troops. No matter how fierce the firepower is, a frontal attack cannot defeat a heavily defended fortress with twice their strength. The battlefield must be moved to the wild to rely on the high mobility and strength of the imperial cavalry. The power of artillery poses a threat to the vast army.

This judgment convinced the entire coalition officer corps—including Anson himself—until a messenger who claimed to be Claude Francois' messenger appeared in the coalition camp and proudly handed a letter to Anson. myself.

"What, the Imperial Expeditionary Force has arrived outside the Deserted Stone Castle?"

"What, they are still planning to attack the Wild Stone Castle?!"

I'm late, sorry