Iron Powder and Spellcaster

Gevaudan, the stables of the officers' quarters.

"I'm a little confused." Andre hung up the brush, leaned on the stable fence and asked Winters: "Who is that old man? What order?"

"Kaman didn't say it clearly, but I feel that the old man should be some kind of spy who has been lurking for a long time."

Winters shoveled the dung of the two ponies. Even though the pony looks small, it is a manure-making machine that cannot be underestimated, which made Winters sweat from exhaustion.

"Long-term? How long-term?"

"Kaman accidentally said that the old man was about the same age as you and me when he entered the wasteland, that is, he was in his early twenties, and Plato was still a principality." Winters wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeves: "Thirty or forty years at least. ."

"Thirty or forty years?" Andre laughed dumbly: "What secret is worth hiding for thirty or forty years? Staying in the wilderness for thirty or forty years? Wouldn't that make you a complete Hurd?"

"What else can there be? The secret of the Hed Shaman! In my opinion, if the priest is sent to lurk for a long time, the old man may have the idea of ​​becoming a Hed Shaman."

"Is it possible for an outsider to be a Hud shaman?"

"You also said that after staying in the wasteland for thirty or forty years, do you think he is an Imperial or a Hud?"

"Put aside the church matters for now, I have more important things to do." Mason came over carrying two bundles of straw and asked angrily: "When did I become the director of the horse farm again?"

Andre's attention was easily distracted: "Aren't you always in charge of the racecourse anyway?"

"no the same!"

Bud was coordinating the return of refugees in Lower Tiefeng County. Don Juan, who was very happy, followed Antonio back to Veneta. Lieutenant Colonel Moritz slept most of the time.

The military resolution meeting with an extremely flat structure has actually been paralyzed, and Tiefeng County's administrative system has completely degenerated into a model where "everyone is responsible for their own affairs."

On a cold day, Winters and Andre really didn't want to go to the garrison just to use the conference room. The two of them tacitly gathered around Senior Mason Quan at the stables every morning for meetings - and groomed the horses on the way.

By the way, because Senior Mason handles big and small matters diligently, Winters doesn't even sit at work on weekdays, and he is the first person in the Tiefeng County military to be absent from work.

"Actually, you have already explained your thoughts by asking us." Andre said carelessly: "Do you still have to think about this? The Catholic Church wants to take the spies back, so just give them back, it's all for nothing A lot of money, isn’t it?”

"That's the truth." Winters pushed the cart full of horse manure out of the stable, looking distressed: "But I can't bear to part with it. Priest, a living priest! If I weren't really embarrassed to speak, I would have asked the old man, 'Um...please ask...are you willing to donate your body after receiving the Lord's great grace?'"

"Then keep it." Andre patted the fence: "No matter how powerful the Catholic Church is, it will only be in the Empire, where there are oathbreakers to support them. In the Alliance, they can't change the world."

Mason poked his head out: "That's not the case. Plato is not Veneta, let alone the United Provinces. The vast majority of Plato people are Catholic believers, especially those who were born and raised. The Catholic Church is in Plato. The influence is profound, and a word from many local priests is more effective than an order from the town mayor."

Andre snorted, turned around and asked Winters: "Do you really want to save that old man?"

Winters thought carefully and drew a line: "If conditions permit, I want to keep Brother Saul as much as possible. But it is difficult. The Catholic Church cannot tolerate the defection of a priest - not to mention that the old man did not defect at all. idea.”

"I have an idea." Andre narrowed his eyes and showed the fierce look that Winters was familiar with: "It can not only save the old man, but also prevent the Catholic Church from causing trouble to us in the future."

Winters covered his face: "No, stop talking."

"Give the Cathedral of Gévaudin a fire. It's winter anyway, so fires are normal." Andre gritted his teeth: "The old man has been saved, and all the insiders have been killed, and maybe we can get the money. "

Mason looked at Winters, and Winters looked at Mason.

Andre is still continuing to perfect the plan: "...it's best to leave a few alive first to check whether they have sent the message out. If they have sent it out, they have to send someone to be the courier. Lose……"

"Is he sworn to be apostate?" Mason asked doubtfully.

"I don't know either."

Andre hammered the last nail: "If you want to take action, it's best to blockade Tiefeng County and Gevaudan Cathedral as soon as possible. No, you can leave the cathedral alone so as not to alert the snake. But leaving the city and the county The road needs to be blocked now, the sooner the better."

Mason heard the whole plan, walked to Andre and Winters, and looked at Winters deeply: "To some extent... maybe it is really a good plan. What do you think?"

"Kaman didn't come to me directly, so it was already too late when I got the news." Winters did not deny Andre directly, but analyzed the flaws of the plan: "I estimate that the letter from the Gevaudan Church has been sent to Maple In the hands of Bishop Shicheng. We can’t kill all the Diocese of Maplestone City.”

Andre grinned: "Why not?"

"According to this logic." Winters sighed: "We have to kill all the way to the Pope."

"Then what should we do?" Andre smacked his lips: "Fake death? Give the corpse of a death row prisoner to Edmond?"

"He came to me yesterday asking for someone, and today he died." Winters said helplessly, "It's too much of a coincidence."

"Then I have no choice." Andre spread his hands, walked into the little pony's stable, and patted the little pony's round belly: "Hey, these bald guys are quite good at raising horses. You have to use it recently. These two ponies?”

"No. Anna can ride a horse, and Catherine said she would rather die than ride these two dwarfs." Winters asked in confusion: "What's wrong?"

Andre was very happy: "Then lend it to me for a few days."

"Okay, but didn't you say you don't ride a pony?"

"I don't ride." Andre said, already on the pony's back: "But the cavalry team has recruited a new group of novices, and it just so happens that they can practice riding ponies first... Well, it's very secure."

Mason also came over: "Isn't there anything he can do about Father Carman's trouble?"

"He had a way, but he didn't tell me. He just asked me to help him buy some time." Winters sighed again: "After thinking about it, Kaman's way is nothing more than sending the person away and hiding him. He also What can be done?”

Mason was silent for a moment, then slowly leaned forward and approached Winters, and asked thoughtfully: "You said... would the Magical Warfare Bureau be interested in a living, accessible priest...?"

…

Tiefeng County, Manyun Valley.

The alarm bell sounded quickly and urgently. The bell ringer saw large smoke and dust rising in the west, and an unidentified huge cavalry was approaching.

The shadow brought by the Hed barbarians has not yet dissipated, and the whole town feels like it is facing a formidable enemy. The men with sullen faces raised their weapons and ran towards the wall, while the women holding their children hid in basements and churches.

It wasn't until several light cavalry came to report under green flags that the residents of Manyun Valley were relieved.

The cavalry came from Jevaudan, and according to the messenger's report, they were here to build a bridge over Manyun Valley.

Since the Manyun Bridge was demolished by Xuelang, cross-strait communication has only been by rowing, which is very inconvenient.

When he learned that someone was going to build a bridge in Manyun Valley, the mayor was so enthusiastic that he not only expressed his willingness to provide manpower, but also took the initiative to provide food and accommodation for the cavalry team.

"What?" The nominal leader of the cavalry team [Tamas] looked behind him inquiringly.

The man standing behind Tamas wore a mask and said in an impatient voice: "You are the appointed commander, what do you want me to do?"

"Let's do this." Tamas made up his mind and replied to the mayor: "Thank you for the food and drink, forget about accommodation, we will camp outside the town."

The mayor hurriedly said hello several times, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief - letting a group of large-scale soldiers enter the town might cause a lot of trouble.

The tense heartstrings relaxed a little, and the mayor couldn't help but feel a little proud of his ability to retreat in order to advance. After all, the soldier really wanted to enter Manyun Valley, and he couldn't stop him, so he might as well just sell his favor.

The man wearing the mask seemed to see through the mayor's little thoughts and snorted disdainfully.

"By the way, Mr. Mayor." Tamas stopped the mayor of Manyun Valley who was leaving: "Your Excellency Montagne asked me to bring you a few messages."

The mayor's heart began to rise again. He thought about it for a while, and the image of a "green horse" in his memory corresponded to this name.

"The tribune asked me to tell you that the circuit court has been resumed, and Manyun Valley will be scheduled for the second week of next month. As for the bridge, we will make do with a floating bridge for a while. He promised to give the people of Manyun Valley a 'better and stronger one' He will not break his promise to build a more beautiful bridge. Please rest assured and please tell the townspeople."

The mayor was startled and nodded.

After the mayor of Manyun Valley left, Captain Moro, who was wearing a mask, said: "He is bullying you, didn't you see it?"

"Maybe." Tamas replied: "It doesn't matter."

The order was quickly passed on, and the cavalry turned northeast and camped in a flat open space outside the town and beside the river.

"Why?" The monkey was extremely unhappy. He knocked on the tent pegs and groaned: "Why do we still have to pitch a tent in the wild when we obviously have a house?"

[Lu Xirong]—Monkey’s current captain of ten, and Monkey’s sergeant when he was in the militia—got angry when he saw Monkey’s grumbling, he raised his leg and kicked Monkey: “You’re the only one who talks too much! The company commander lives in a tent, so what’s wrong with letting you live in a tent? Sergeant Bunir didn’t even complain, so what are you complaining about?”

The monkey was kicked and was not angry at all. He rubbed his buttocks and approached Lu Xirong with a smile: "Sergeant?"

"I am a captain of ten now, not a sergeant." Lu Xirong said with a dark face as he hit the tent pegs with stones.

"Hi, sooner or later."

"Leave far away."

"I have something to ask..."

"If you fart, hurry up."

The monkey asked coyly: "When will our new recruits be given land? When can we be given land?"

Lu Xirong put down the stone, turned around and stared at the monkey: "Why do you ask?"

"Isn't this an itch in my heart?" The monkey sighed: "Don't talk about land, I haven't even had a new piece of clothing since I was a child. When I think about granting land, my heart feels like a cat scratching me. With land, maybe I can also marry Wife. Alas, I haven’t touched a pussy yet.”

Lu Xirong hated the indestructible lesson: "You don't have a single head skill, why are you in a hurry? Look at your fellow countryman, he has picked off three heads, and there is also a green feather! He is not in a hurry. What are you anxious about?"

The monkey still smiled playfully: "Young master, you are in a hurry. If I have three first-level skills, I won't be in a hurry."

Knowing that the unattractive little man in front of him was the famous Sergeant Bunir, Monkey immediately agreed to become a soldier.

Doug was already packing his bags, but when he saw that his partner had decided to join the army, he also stayed silently.

As a result, the two were separated as soon as they moved into the camp.

Monkey was assigned to Roussillon's ten-man unit, while Doug was picked up by Sergeant Peter Bunier and now serves as a messenger for the acting battalion commander.

Lu Xirong ignored the monkey and turned around to pound the nails. The monkey also sensed that the captain was unhappy, so he shut up and went back to work.

Soon, a tent for six people was set up. Everyone set up iron pots and made some hot food before dark.

When they were drinking soup around the fire, Lu Xirong finally said: "I guess you recruits won't be treated like us."

"What? Why?" The monkey became anxious upon hearing this.

"What was the situation then? What is the situation now? It's different."

If he was a stupid guy, he would definitely have to chase Lu Xirong and continue to ask questions. However, the monkey's brain was bright and he immediately figured out the joints,

Tiefeng County's army can currently be roughly divided into three tiers, with the most senior subordinates of the Blood Wolf at the top. It is easy to tell them apart, because only they will call the blood wolf "centurion", and only they can use this title.

Many of the veterans who remained in the army had become company commanders, such as Tamas and Bart Schalling. Those who retired due to injuries often went to work under the tribune of Bard.

The middle level is Lu Xirong's group of "first-time army builders". Most of them are in the ranks of captains and sergeants, and the land under their names is at least as small as that of small landowners, but they have not yet been realized.

The third level consists of prisoners who were forcibly incorporated into the three centuries when they were expanded into infantry regiments.

At first, they reluctantly and half-heartedly became Blood Wolf's soldiers, but now they are the backbone of the army.

Among them, the one with the most outstanding military exploits was none other than Sergeant Peter Chimu Bunier. He has no military exploits, but as long as he is still alive, he still has the basic three hundred acres of land granting law in his name.

As for the newly recruited soldiers such as Monkey and Doug, they are not even qualified to be included in this three-level pyramid.

Lu Xirong said that the situation was different. He meant that it was difficult for the Blood Wolf to recruit troops in the past, and it was impossible to retain people without coaxing, deceiving, and promising generous rewards.

What now? The news that you can get three hundred acres if you join the army has spread throughout Tiefeng County, making many people jealous.

The bloody battle that took place in the valley was a lingering nightmare for many survivors, but there were also many who wanted to give it a try.

Recruiting soldiers is easier, and the conditions will naturally not be so generous.

Even after he figured it out, the monkey was still unwilling, but he had no choice but to sigh in frustration.

"You don't have to worry." Lu Xirong glanced at the monkey: "The blood wolf never treats his people badly."

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