Iron Powder and Spellcaster

The "Wolf Cavalry" marched along the river, turned a corner in front of the waterhole where the infantrymen washed their clothes, and galloped towards the military camp.

The infantry looked enviously at the new jackets, breeches and boots worn by the light cavalry, while they themselves were washing the old coarse cloth clothes they had worn when they enlisted in the army. Even when it comes to old clothes, many people only have one set, and they have nothing to wear after washing them.

"Hey! Have you seen Yishui'er's new clothes and new breeches! Which squadron is so rich?"

The reply came in a lukewarm voice: "Who else could it be? Of course it's the 'Wolf Cavalry'. Huh, they made a fortune by eating six of Green Valley's brigades in one go."

"But... weren't Green Valley's puppet troops defeated by us?" Someone asked doubtfully: "And Lord Blood Wolf personally ordered that prisoners are not allowed to take off their clothes."

The respondent pounded his clothes and curled his lips contemptuously: "What's the use of talking about this now? It's a bargain for them! Pierre Michel's men are either Dussac or mixed-race bastards. As soon as the battle was over, they put on new clothes, how could they be as obedient as us..."

"That's enough!" Lu Xirong stood up, his eyes briefly rested on Captain Bunir, and scolded him with a straight face: "What nonsense are you talking about? If you don't say anything, no one will think you are dumb!"

Only then did the others remember: the first company commander was still sitting on the edge. Everyone consciously kept their mouths shut, and only the muffled sound of beating clothes could be heard near the pool.

Only Peter Burnier didn't notice, still shirtless, immersed in washing the only old shirt he had.

…

Following the precedent, the Tiefeng County army camped outside the city of Artemis.

Because it has to accommodate three battalions of infantry, three squadrons of cavalry, and baggage troops, the size of the camp is larger than many towns, and it feels like a small city.

Pierre, Vashka and the light cavalry dismounted in front of the third guard post and led their mounts towards the camp.

On the way, I met Li Wei, the commander of the seventh company.

Livy did not belong to the "old men of the Centurion" because he did not participate in the Battle of the Wilderness.

But before the first army was founded, Li Wei had followed the "Montagne Garrison" to ambush the grain collection team, so his relationship with Pierre was also very deep.

From a long distance away, Levi greeted enthusiastically and loudly: "Adjutant Mitchell! Vasya!"

Pierre also smiled and waved.

Levi and the clerk beside him gave a few instructions, then put the hard-cover book in his arm under his arm and walked towards Pierre.

He glanced at Pierre's subordinates, leaned back slightly, and exclaimed exaggeratedly: "Hey! We haven't seen each other for just a few days, and they are all wearing new clothes!"

Before Pierre could speak, Vashika replied with a proud look on his face: "That's right! When did our Dusak ever treat us badly?"

Li Wei grinned, shook his head helplessly, changed the topic, and asked: "Did the 'horse roping' go smoothly?"

"Of course it went well." Vashika magically took out a leather bag from the saddle bag, proudly held it in front of Levi and waved it: "Look at this!"

Pierre frowned slightly and stopped in a deep voice: "Put it away."

Vashika shrugged and obediently stuffed the bag back into the saddlebag.

During the whole process, the sound of "clinking" metal was heard constantly coming from the package.

"What about you? Levi? What are you busy with? Aren't you going to rest?" Pierre glanced at the hard-cover book under Levi's arm and asked with a hint of disbelief: "I saw everyone on the road. They are all broken down, and have no energy left to fight - does the tribune allow this to happen?"

Li Wei listened with a smile and said warmly: "I understand what you mean, but we can't let everyone be tense all the time! The soldiers are exhausted. They haven't rested for a day since they left Jevaudan. We also fought a big battle. We finally returned to a safe area and let the soldiers take a bath. That’s what they should do.”

"Artemis can't be called safe - the other side of the river is Leiqun County." Pierre frowned: "What's more, the battle is not over yet."

"That is something for your Excellencies to consider." Li Wei laughed and said with a smile: "Don't worry about Leiqun County, there are special personnel watching, and no disturbance on the other side of the river can escape your eyes. Besides, even tomorrow, If we want to continue fighting, it won’t be a problem for everyone to have a good rest today.”

Pierre nodded slowly.

Levi changed the topic without leaving a trace. He held the hard-cover book under his arm in his hand: "As for me? I'm busy rewarding you."

Li Wei smiled and explained: "Your Excellency has an order to let everyone eat more good food. But there is nothing in the baggage carriage except flour, dried meat and gunpowder.

There is no choice but to purchase on site. But you don’t know how difficult it is to go to the village to buy something. Often, before we even enter the village, all the villagers have fled.

Your Excellency taught me a way to set up a market next to the military camp, where I could openly buy fruits, vegetables, cattle and sheep, and wait for the nearby villagers to bring the things over. "

"You said the centurion taught you..." Vashika was confused: "Draw a circle on the ground and call it a market, and the farmers will obediently bring the things to you?"

"As long as the offer is attractive enough." Levi patted the cover of the ledger.

"Isn't that still a big loss?"

"Of course, the highest bid was only on the first day, and then it got lower every time. However, people who want to sell things will still come to sell because they already trust us."

Levi paused and said meaningfully: "Of course, it is most cost-effective to grab it directly, but you are too soft-hearted to do that kind of thing."

Vashika snorted and smiled: "Is the Centurion soft-hearted?"

Pierre raised his hand to interrupt Vashika. He pursed his lips and nodded deeply to Levi: "Thank you."

"Thank you for what?" Li Wei smiled carelessly - the son of a traveling businessman always looked cheerful: "I won't delay you to report on your work, I will come back to you later."

After that, Levi nodded to Pierre and Vashika, raised his legs and left.

"Who is in charge of the division of camps now?" asked Pierre.

"Go to Rolf and ask him to arrange a place for you." Levi turned around and bowed comically backwards: "Let your people spare their stomachs! Let's eat beef stewed with radish tonight. One pound of beef per person. , Carrots are enough!"

Pierre smiled and returned the salute. Seeing his old friend made him feel better.

"Let's go." Pierre ordered loudly: "Find a place to live."

Continuing to walk towards the military camp, passing through the trench, the fence, the second trench and the wall, Pierre nodded slightly.

Although it was only a short-term stay, the camp's defenses were all in place, and there was no slacking off at all - indicating that the Tiefeng County Army was not as lax as it seemed.

Outside the main entrance of the military camp, Pierre waited for Rolf, the commander of the twelfth company.

When he learned that "Adjutant Mitchell" had returned to the hospital, Rolf trotted all the way to the main entrance.

Without saying a word, Rolf directly assigned four ready-made barracks to Pierre's men. He also enthusiastically prepared fodder and stables for Pierre's men, and prepared entry and exit badges.

This saved Pierre a lot of energy. Because the light cavalry under his command neither carried tents nor cooking utensils, all the equipment together could not fit into two saddle bags.

Pierre thanked Rolf, but the twelfth company commander just blushed and waved his hands.

"Adjutant Mitchell." Rolf was a little nervous: "You haven't seen the Centurion yet?"

"Not yet." Pierre shook his head.

"Then go quickly, go quickly." Rolf urged kindly: "Don't worry, leave your subordinates to me. I will keep them until you come back. The horses will be well fed."

"What's wrong?" Pierre asked keenly: "What happened?"

Rolf did not answer, but urged: "Go see the centurion quickly, go quickly."

Pierre put away his doubts and asked calmly: "Is your lord the tribune in the camp?"

"No, in the city. After leaving the military camp, go directly to Artemis. The people from the first battalion are responsible for guarding the city gate, and they will let you in directly."

"Oh well."

Pierre unhooked the saddle rope from the saddle and handed the saddle reins to Vasya.

"I won't go with you." Vashika took out the leather bag from the saddle bag, handed it to his friend, and said with self-knowledge: "If I go, I will definitely get scolded."

Pierre took the bag, nodded, then mounted the stirrup on the horse, as if it was on the saddle, and galloped towards the city of Artemis.

After the first battle of Green Valley, Pierre broke away from the direct command of Blood Wolf and led two squadrons of light cavalry to act alone.

It is undoubtedly a privilege to independently command operations. Because except for the orthodox officers at the tribune level, there is no precedent for anyone else in the Tiefeng County Army to lead an army on their own.

But on the other hand, this arrangement also put Pierre in an extremely vulnerable position.

Others may not agree with Pierre's views, but for the sensitive and attentive Pierre, less than half a month after the division of troops, he could already feel the vague estrangement from his comrades.

There is about a mile between the military camp and the city wall, and it can be reached in a blink of an eye on horseback.

The company commander guarding the city gate recognized "Adjutant Mitchell", so he omitted the process of checking the identity badge and directly ordered his subordinates to move the roadblock.

Pierre thanked him, rode towards the city, and met Andrea Cellini who was about to leave the city.

Andre was originally very unhappy, but when he saw Pierre, he unexpectedly smiled a little: "When did you come back?"

"Just now." Pierre said with great humility, "Sir, what are you going to do?"

Andre snorted: "Go fishing."

Pierre looked over the shoulder of the tribune Cellini and saw a young man carrying two fishing rods following the tribune. Pierre vaguely remembered that the other party was also born in Dussac, and his name seemed to be Nicholas? Or Alexander? He couldn't remember clearly. So Pierre didn't call her by name, but just nodded as a greeting.

The young man carrying the fishing rod immediately nodded solemnly in return.

Pierre smiled and asked the tribune: "When did you develop your hobby of fishing?"

"What a hoot!" Andre spat: "Just hiding for a while!"

He explained impatiently: "The rich families in the city wanted to beg Winters to release the prisoners so that their precious sons and grandsons could go home. But what? These bastards didn't dare to come forward themselves, so they pushed away the prisoners from nearby villages and towns. The farmers came out and asked a group of old men to petition...it’s annoying to watch!”

"The tribune of Montagne is receiving the petitioners?" Pierre asked cautiously.

"Bard is dealing with them." Andre yawned before reacting: "You want to see Winters? Go directly to the garrison. Your centurion can hide more easily than me, how can he receive anything? Bullshit petitioner?”

André laughed loudly, and Pierre laughed a few times too.

Andre, who had laughed enough, stretched out his big hand like a bear's paw and patted Pierre's shoulder boldly: "You fought beautifully in the Green Valley battle. Don't be afraid of people gossiping. No matter what, you won the battle. That’s the most important thing!”

With that, Tribune Andrea Cellini stabbed his horse in the ribs and walked away. Nicholas, who was carrying the fishing rod, saluted Pierre and followed in a hurry.

Pierre rubbed his sore shoulders and walked into Artemis.

There are no traces of the fighting in the city. The streets have been cleaned and the shops along the streets have resumed business.

It’s just that the pace of pedestrians on the road is a little hurried. The men have their heads lowered and the women are wrapped in scarves, trying not to attract attention as much as possible. Especially when they saw Pierre, who was fully armed, everyone subconsciously avoided him.

Pierre arrived at the garrison in the county of Vergne without any hindrance.

The layout of the Warnie County garrison is similar to that of the Tiefeng County garrison. They are both a two-story building, a playground and a wall.

Walking through the gate and into the stables, Pierre saw a familiar figure humming and brushing Changfeng's fur. And not far away, Red Mane was tied firmly to the stable beams.

Hongmane and Changfeng stared at each other, glaring at each other.

Pierre had no doubt that the two uncastrated stallions would fight to the death as soon as their reins were loosened.

The horse groomer heard the footsteps, turned to look at Pierre, and shouted in surprise: "Pierre!"

Pierre also laughed heartily: "Angelou."

Angelou threw away the brush and ran to Pierre, and the two hugged each other vigorously, kissing each other on the cheek again and again according to the Dussac tradition - but not on the mouth, because that is what old men do.

"Why are you here?" Pierre asked.

"I came with Bard Tribune." Angelou replied with a smile: "The Tribune brought many people, and this time he will completely take over Wargne County."

"Where is Bell?"

"He is still hanging around outside the boundary river, receiving the returning Hud people."

Pierre looked at Angelou carefully. The former young stable boy had lost his childishness and became capable and calm.

He didn't know what to say, so he hugged Angelou and kissed the latter's cheek hard.

The two chatted for a while.

Angelou said naggingly: "... Wargne County is also a big problem. The land must be measured as soon as possible and the new batch of land allocated. If you are lucky, you can catch up with the autumn plowing, which can alleviate the problem. It's a big burden. If you miss the season, you have to wait until next year..."

Pierre listened patiently for a while and then asked abruptly: "You don't think you will fight again?"

"Who knows?" Angelou smiled bitterly and deliberately avoided Pierre's question: "I only know that because the tribunes recruited too many horses, even lame horses in Tiefeng County are hitched to plows. . Even if the war continues, the horses must get some fat back. Also, while the weather is warm, the horses need to be bred as soon as possible. Otherwise, in a few months, the weather will turn cold, and the foals will have to be Being born in autumn, it is difficult to survive the winter..."

As he was talking, Angelou woke up suddenly, slapped his forehead, and asked Pierre: "Are you here to see the Centurion?"

Pierre nodded, then shook his head: "Don't worry, I want to hear more about Tiefeng County from you."

"You can talk about these things at any time. You'd better go see the centurion first."

Angelou paused: "Blood Wolf, waiting for you."

[There have been a lot of things at work recently, and the plot has been moving slowly. What should have been written in one chapter can now only be divided into three chapters, upper, middle and lower. Sorry, Orz]

[But there should still be three updates this week (\u003e people \u003c;)]