Iron Powder and Spellcaster

Tiefeng County, Jevaudan.

In the winter of 559 in the Imperial Calendar, Tiefeng County's battle against the Terdun tribe has not yet been officially named.

But privately, people in Tiefeng County refer to that final battle as the "Battle of Blood and Quagmire".

With so much use, the "Battle of Blood and Mud" has gradually become a synonym for all battles on both sides of the Bighorn River in a broad sense.

How this name came about, no one can tell. A more credible theory is that because both sides shed so much blood, the battlefield turned from frozen farmland into a swamp, hence the name Blood Mud Battle.

In any case, on the afternoon of Bard's return to Gévaudan, Winters Montagne stepped into Gévaudan garrison for the first time after the Battle of Blood Mud.

The guard on duty watched the blood wolf walking in front of him, even forgetting how to salute.

Similarly, for Winters, the two-story building of the garrison has become a bit strange. There were many unknown faces among the people coming in and out, probably newly hired clerks.

Winters recognized the guard—Second Army Enlisted, Little Rock native. But for some reason, he couldn't name the guard.

But it didn't matter, because the guard recognized him too.

"Who's there?" Winters asked.

"Captain Bart Shilling." After the guard finished answering, he remembered to add: "Report!"

Winters nodded. The guard raised his hand in return, and Winters returned the salute.

Among the Tiefeng County Infantry Regiment, the companies that were still fully organized were sent to Manyun Valley, while the incomplete companies stayed in Shengke Town to rest and recuperate. Currently, there is only the second company stationed in Jevaudan.

When he learned that the centurion had appeared, Bart Xialing took the initiative to rush to the garrison as soon as possible without waiting for the summons.

Today, the Gévaudan garrison—a modest two-story masonry building—is the real heart and brain of Tiefeng County, not the county seat, nor the city hall.

The centralized power of the new garrison is far beyond that of the old garrison in the "Ronald Era". All military and administrative orders in Tiefeng County are now issued by the new garrison. The original semi-autonomous system has suffered a serious impact invisibly.

Winters had never worked in the garrison, so he did not have a dedicated office.

Bart Xialing knew this, so he climbed up to the second floor in three steps and two steps at a time. He pushed open the door of the conference room with a little uneasiness. Unsurprisingly, he saw the familiar cane on the table.

"Your Excellency!" Bart Shilling immediately saluted, and when his eyes turned slightly, he saw another person: "Your Excellency, Bard!"

"You came very quickly." Bud smiled and motioned for the second company commander to take a seat.

"Where is Tribune Mason?" Winters asked.

"I just left the city at noon." Bart Xialing was still standing: "I'm going to find Mr. Mason and come back?"

"No need." Winters was writing something: "You sit down too."

Bart Schalling then sat down, but he didn't sit too deeply, leaving at least a foot between his spine and the back of the chair.

Seeing the sitting posture of the second company commander, Bud shook his head slightly.

"Shall I call two scribes?" Bart Xialing asked in a low voice.

Winters didn't even raise his head: "Do not disclose the following content to anyone below the company level."

"yes."

"I am going to send each company to various towns for the winter." Winters glanced at the second company commander: "The second company is going to Hammer Castle."

Bart Schalling knows exactly when to show what attitude. He put away his cautious look and asked seriously: "Are the supplies still provided by Gévaudin?"

When giving the order to the second company commander, Winters never needed to explain too much: "If conditions permit, recruit as much as possible by yourself."

"Recruiting on the spot?" Bart Shilling said bluntly: "I'm afraid it won't look good."

"I'm not asking you to forcefully collect it." Winters stopped writing: "Each company will be allocated a small value of land coupons."

"Is it the 'small denomination' military merit certificate mentioned in the previous announcement?"

"right."

"Ordinary people...will accept it?"

"Of course they will accept it, at least not too reluctantly." Winters said word for word: "As long as the county government allows anyone to 'cultivate land first and pay the coupon later.'"

The conference room became quiet, and Bart Xialing stood up and asked: "You mean, next year's spring plowing will allow farmers to first demarcate land to open up wasteland? As for the process of replacing land with military merit certificates, can it be done later?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I'm afraid..."

"There will be countless encroachments, and the interests of the garrison will be damaged, right?"

Bart Schalling nodded.

"If all the farmers in Tiefeng County can be made to think that they have taken advantage, then this matter will be considered a success." Winters said in a brisk tone: "It's okay to suffer a little loss. If you insist on settling the accounts, you will probably still make a profit."

Bart Xialing thought hard to no avail: "In addition to collecting supplies on the spot, are there any other orders? Your arrangement must have a deeper meaning, but my subordinates can't figure it out..."

"Yes, and there are many." Winters never played charades with his subordinates: "The county government clerks will be stationed in each town with you. Their mission is to count the population and clear the land. You must cooperate, assist and protect them."

"County government? Where do the people from the county government come from?" Bart Xialing was puzzled. As we all know, the county government of Tiefeng County is an empty shell.

Bud, who had been silent, replied: "It is tentatively planned to hire people from the accounting school, and some people from the farm will also be transferred to help."

"Measuring land...are students from accounting schools competent?" Bart Schalling was still skeptical: "I'm afraid there isn't enough time."

Wouldn't it be more convenient to send clerks directly to the camp? Bart Schalling wanted to ask this question, but he was keenly aware of the profound meaning, so he did not reveal it.

"It is precisely because time is tight that we need to let them familiarize themselves and practice as soon as possible." Bud explained patiently: "There are exercises in the army, and this winter's inspection of the area can also be regarded as an exercise."

The tribune's reasons were very good. Bart Schalling could not find any reason to refute, so he had to nod his head.

Winters stroked a small knife: "Including Jevaudan, there are seventeen towns in Tiefeng County. You and the county government personnel will be sent to the [Eight North Towns] first. Tiefeng County is currently so far away from each other. It’s time to end the situation. The eight northern towns must be formally brought under the jurisdiction of the county government, and tax revenue must be raised at least next year.”

"Yes!" Bart Xialing, who had just sat down, suddenly stood up: "It should have been like this a long time ago!"

But then he thought of something, and asked with a hint of worry: "But... what about Shovel Port? I'm afraid Shovel Port will not accept our troops to enter easily."

"Shovel Port won't be sending anyone there for the time being. I have other plans."

"yes."

"In addition to protecting and assisting the county government, I have other tasks for you." Winters lowered his eyes and looked at the file in front of him: "I have seen your application for additional troops. I do not intend to make it public in Gevaudan. Recruiting troops is too obvious - it is a good opportunity to garrison in various towns. The specific plan... Tribune Mason will prepare it for you."

"yes."

"According to the current establishment, one company is full of one hundred and twenty men." Winters' fingertips touched the table: "By next year, it will become two companies of two hundred and forty men."

Bart Schalling was stunned at first, then suddenly thought about it and responded excitedly: "Yes!"

"Also...many farmers couldn't survive and ran into the mountains and forests to become robbers and bandits. [South Eight Towns], I took you to clean it up. As for [North Eight Towns], we were beyond our reach at that time. But it is different now. , since we have to collect taxes from the Eight Bei Towns, we must also fulfill our responsibilities to the Eight Bei Towns, do you understand what I mean?"

Bart Xialing understood everything. He grinned and said, "To be honest, I'm worried that there are too few bandits to kill."

Bard coughed lightly: "Kill as little as possible."

"yes!"

"The most difficult thing about gangs is not their fighting power, but the fact that they have two legs - they can run. It is not difficult to deal with farmers who turn to bandits just for food and drink. What is difficult to deal with are the habitual criminals and bandits." Winters said. To the map hanging on the wall: "I prepared a place for them to go."

Bart Xialing followed the centurion's line of sight and landed on Shovel Harbor, a town in the northeast of Tiefeng County.

"What do you mean?" Bart Xialing bit his lip and asked tentatively: "Hunting?"

"The place most likely to breed banditry is the junction of the two administrative regions. If the bandits and robbers in Tiefeng County escape into Wargne County or Baishan County, there will be no eradication." Winters' eyebrows unintentionally A deep trench grew: "So don't tighten it on the outside and loosen it on the inside. Don't let any gangsters escape from Tiefeng County. Drive them all to Shovel Harbor."

"But……"

"I know what you're worried about. I've decided."

"yes."

"Do you know why I only need you to come to the meeting?"

"...This subordinate is stupid."

"You are the smartest and most capable among the twelve company commanders." Winters placed the drafted memorandum in front of the second company commander: "What I said to you will not be reflected in the announcement, so I I want you to go to Shengke Town and Manyun Valley in person to convey orders to other company commanders."

Bart Xialing stood up suddenly: "Yes!"

At this moment, Winters had a sense of urgency that "it must be done as soon as possible", and this sense of urgency made him become harsh unconsciously. Looking at the second company commander's sunken cheeks and wrists, he realized this.

"In terms of qualifications, among the first batch of twelve company commanders, you are second only to Tamas. In terms of merit, Tamas is not as good as you. Since Tamas became the first acting battalion commander, then the second acting battalion commander The battalion commander should be yours no matter what. But until now you are still the second company commander. You should feel aggrieved or complain about me." Facing his most capable subordinate, Winters said guiltily:

"Because I want you to be promoted through a compliant process, instead of being directly appointed like Tamas. I set a very bad precedent with Tamas, so I want to correct it with you. But The reason is not your responsibility, so I'm sorry."

Bart Xialing opened and closed his lips as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he couldn't utter any words. He raised his hand and saluted.

Winters responded: "Let's go and get to Shengke Town and Manyun Valley as soon as possible. I have written the specific deployment in the memo, and the formal announcement will be sent out the day after tomorrow at the latest."

Bart Xialing nodded, turned and walked towards the door. Just as he touched the door handle, he was stopped again.

"There is one more thing." There were too many problems to deal with, and Winters's thinking was a little confused. He smiled and told the second company commander: "Select ten people from among your subordinates. It is best to be literate and able to do arithmetic." , who are young and have a bright mind, or who have made meritorious deeds and have good qualities.”

Bart Xialing was stunned. He replied with a grimace: "Where can I find you ten young, literate, arithmetic, smart, and... good-quality warriors with meritorious service?"

Winters also felt that it seemed too extravagant: "Meet the requirements as much as possible, or you pick ten fighters you think are the best."

Bart Xialing's second company now only has seven ten-captains left in total. Picking away the ten best warriors is tantamount to taking half of the company's backbone.

"Are you planning to form a guard?" Bart Xialing gritted his teeth: "If so, I will find ten for you at any cost."

"That's not true." Winters' eyes flashed with fire: "I am planning to build a special military school... let other company commanders select ten people according to this standard."

Bart Schalling's emotions were somewhat complicated.

Although his militia career was short, Bart Schalling learned many nicknames for officers from veterans of the standing army, such as: Leather Boots, Big White Goose, Officer...

On the one hand, these nicknames satirize the arrogance of the officers, and on the other hand, they also imply admiration and jealousy.

Bart Xialing can barely be considered an "officer" now, but he knows in his heart: after searching Tiefeng County, there are only four real officers. As for which four they are, there is no need to list them one by one.

"Military...military school?" Bart Schalling asked awkwardly: "What...when does it start...start..."

Winters sighed: "It will be at least two months later. As for the graduates, we will temporarily let them serve as your assistant officers. Under the current situation, it is impossible to appoint them directly."

In two months, Bart Shilling keenly captured the key words. Thinking of the centurion's abnormal behavior today, Bart Xialing couldn't help but become suspicious.

He asked tentatively: "You haven't shown up before, and you have so many things assigned all at once today..."

"My old injury has recurred and I need to go back to Wolf Town to recuperate." Winters said expressionlessly, "After today, I won't be able to appear in public for at least two months."

Bart Xialing fell into a huge panic. He rushed to the centurion's side, and he was so anxious that he stammered: "Where is the injury? Your leg injury is not serious? What on earth is..."

"That's the public reason."

"So... what about the actual reason?"

"I want to go on a long trip." Winters gritted his teeth and said with hatred: "Being used as a knife wielder - hum, I admit it. But at least, I want to see the hand holding the knife with my own eyes. Chihe The ministry invited me to be a guest, just in time, I also want to visit the white lion Yasin."

Bud on the side looked out the window and sighed heavily.

Bart Schalling was dumbfounded. His reason wanted to stop the centurion, but what the other party said was so unbelievable that he didn't even know where to dissuade him.

"Don't worry, I'm still useful. The white lion won't kill me." Winters glanced at Bart Shilling: "Besides, it's time to dig out that lump of gold."

[This...this...this is from last week]

[It was very difficult to write the transitional chapter, but I finally finished it, Spread the Flowers]

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