King

Chaos, the entire Warhammer Kingdom is in chaos. Without the restraint of the expeditionary force, the major factions started a crazy internal fighting mode.

First, the resistance forces from all over the country joined forces to overthrow the exile faction, and then there was a split within the resistance forces, with grassroots factions and aristocratic factions fighting endlessly.

There is no doubt that there must be some Mossi people behind this. If there was no external provocation, even if there were conflicts, they would not intensify so quickly.

After all, in the previous wars, countless established nobles had been eliminated, leaving large tracts of unclaimed land for everyone to carve up.

None of this has anything to do with the returning Hudson. For Warhammer people, internal fighting is a very serious matter; but looking at the entire continent, it becomes a minor disturbance not worth mentioning.

The international impact it caused was not as high as the elves' rescue of prisoners, and it received as much attention.

But it was just concern, the Warhammer Kingdom was in a state of anarchy, and all parties who wanted to protest didn't know who to turn to.

It was as fast as the wind when it came, but it turned into a snail when it returned. It's not that the quality of the expeditionary force has declined, it's mainly that there are too many trophies.

Not many things were directly seized, but there were many gifts received. Hudson did not eat alone. It was common practice in the army to share the profits.

In order to transport the spoils of war, the horses used by everyone were now pulling carts. Not only did the cavalry become infantry, they also had to do part-time work as civilian laborers.

No matter how hard or tiring it is to transport one's loot, no one complains. Everyone has a lot of big and small bags, and on the surface they all seem to have similar gains.

The difference lies in the value. The more outstanding your military exploits, the higher the value of the spoils you receive.

Most of the trophies of the lower-level officers and soldiers are mainly practical. Cloth, salt, tea, gold coins...

It was obvious that Hudson had also worked hard on the distribution of the spoils. Be as fair and equitable as possible while meeting actual needs.

"Marshal, urgent report from the northern front!"

After receiving the battle report and briefly scanning it, Hudson said expressionlessly: "I got it."

He was startled and thought something big had happened, but he didn't expect that he had lost a line of defense.

It would be nice if the defensive line created in a hurry can be used, what else could I ask for.

If it is lost, it is lost. From the northern border to the southern border, the kingdom still has countless lines of defense.

Even the Orc Empire in its heyday had no way of breaking through the kingdom's defenses in a short period of time, let alone now.

The rich experience of being beaten allows the kingdom's army to preserve its effective strength to the maximum extent when the defense line is lost.

Data doesn't lie. A line of defense held back the orc army for more than a month, and the loss of 40,000 troops was completely acceptable to Hudson.

Of course, there is serious water content in these data. It is said that the enemy was delayed for more than a month, but the time for the enemy to actually launch an attack must be much shorter.

Hudson was sure that the orcs had no idea at the moment, but if they wanted to keep the newly recovered prairie, they had to continue this war.

According to his original plan, the Orc Empire invaded the kingdom with all its strength, and all the newly recovered provinces in northern Xinjiang fell, placing the battlefield on the territory of the five northern dukes.

This is not to deceive teammates, but because the five Dukes are often beaten, they are the most experienced in facing orc invasion, and the defenses in their territory are also the most complete.

In contrast, the newly recovered provinces did not work. The development time is too short, the infrastructure is imperfect, and where the battlefield is, logistics is a big problem.

If it weren't for Hudson's quick victory on the Western Front and the combined pressure of the two fronts, the kingdom wouldn't have been able to hold on for long.

The army moved forward slowly, as if completely unaffected by the defeat in Northern Xinjiang. Just because Hudson can sit there, it doesn't mean that a group of Northern Xinjiang nobles can also sit there.

Unlike ordinary human countries, the Alpha Kingdom is extremely strict in dealing with the loss of its lords' cities and territories.

During the previous orc invasions, countless noble lords died on the battlefield. It was not that they could not escape, but that they could not escape.

The orcs came to kill them, which was a test of life and death for the noble lords in the border areas.

In the Emerald Palace, Caesar IV felt both sad and happy. He had just received the good news of the armistice on the Western Front, and letters asking for help from northern Xinjiang were coming to him like snowflakes.

"How long does it take for the expeditionary force to arrive at the royal capital?"

Caesar IV asked with concern.

The "Expeditionary Force", this special army, has placed high hopes on the kingdom since its birth.

Facts have proved that the Kingdom made the right move. Relying on the high mobility of the elite cavalry, they quickly defeated the ancient alliance of survivors, which shocked the elves and laid the foundation for the signing of the non-aggression treaty.

These are only direct effects, and the indirect effects are even greater. After the Battle of the Warhammer Plains, the judgment of various countries on the strength of the Alpha Kingdom has once again increased invisibly.

The international status that had fallen due to the severe loss of vitality after the war suddenly returned.

"Heroes" are always susceptible to special attention. Especially the expeditionary force was made up of the private armies of various families, with the royal family being the main force.

Nearly 30% of the officers and soldiers in the expeditionary force came from the royal family. It can be said that the elite children of the younger generation of the royal family have basically been squeezed in.

The situation of each family was similar, and they all sent their best disciples to gain experience and learn how Hudson used his troops.

Compared with the expeditionary force's illustrious military exploits, they were actually more concerned about the safety of their own children.

The battle report sent by Hudson only had one number of casualties, and the identity of the deceased was not introduced in detail.

“Your Majesty, according to the current speed of the expeditionary force, it will take about ten days to reach the royal capital.

Do you think we should urge them to speed up? "

Archduke Efiero asked tentatively.

The news that the expeditionary force had gained a lot was no secret in the royal capital.

His own children are also in the military, and there is a high probability that they are also among those with vested interests. Naturally, no one will find fault with him.

Including the slow marching speed, it was also tacitly approved by everyone. What's more, after such a long period of high-intensity combat, it was time for the expeditionary force to rest and recuperate, but they couldn't waste their elite troops just because they were on the road.

"Forget it, they have a lot of luggage, so just slow down their marching speed!"

Caesar IV waved his hand and said.

When they came back, they were less than half as fast as when they set off. The expeditionary force set a record, which was completely contrary to the "returning like an arrow" of a normal march.

Caesar IV could not panic because when the time came to reap the fruits of victory on the Western Front, it was not unacceptable to temporarily abandon a few sparsely populated poor provinces in the north.

But it doesn't mean that other great nobles can endure it. In addition to letters asking for help, public relations in the royal capital were also inevitable.

"Your Majesty, there is no need to worry about the reward for the expeditionary force for the time being. However, the situation in northern Xinjiang is urgent. Since the war broke out, we have fallen to thirteen counties and many strategic locations are under threat.

Earl Oran, Earl Albert, Earl Doug, Earl Forbes... all sent emergency letters for help in the border areas.

Marquis James, the commander-in-chief of the front line, also sent a letter asking for help, claiming that the kingdom's defense lines deployed in the border areas were far from meeting the needs of the war.

According to his estimate, if there are no more reinforcements to join the war, the kingdom will lose the seven northern provinces again in the next three to six months. "

The Prime Minister, the Grand Duke of Newfoundland, said solemnly.

From a purely economic point of view, the seven provinces in northern Xinjiang have made a direct negative contribution to the kingdom, and the central government allocates funds for relief every year.

But that's not how it was settled. The Kingdom of Alpha only had more than thirty provinces in total. If seven provinces were lost at once, no one could bear the political impact.

If such a tragedy really happened, then the emerging aristocratic group that had just emerged would definitely suffer a devastating blow.

The political structure of the kingdom will definitely be affected. The voice of the old aristocrats has been further strengthened, leaving the emerging aristocrats with only Hudson.

There is no problem in self-preservation. If you want him to balance the power of the established nobles alone, then there is no need to fantasize. The greater possibility is to jump directly and join the established aristocratic camp.

Anyway, the internal camp confrontation in the Alpha Kingdom is not that sharp, and the boundaries between the old and new aristocratic groups have always been blurred.

The Koslow family has also been inherited for thousands of years, and the shortcomings of the inheritance have been made up by Hudson. As long as you are thick-skinned, you can join the circle.

"A nationwide mobilization?"

Caesar IV asked uncertainly.

Every time the orcs invade, the Alpha Kingdom mobilizes its entire nation. Logically speaking, this time will be no exception, but the reality does not allow it.

The strategic materials currently raised by the kingdom are far less than those in previous wars. If a nationwide mobilization is carried out, the biggest problem is how to solve the logistics of the army.

The seven newly recovered provinces in northern Xinjiang are all very poor. The local industrial economy is almost zero, and the food output is difficult to feed themselves.

Not to mention providing food and supplies for the army, it would be a good thing not to be held back. Maybe the kingdom will have to use precious strategic materials to rescue refugees caused by the war.

“Your Majesty, you must not!

The current situation has not reached that level yet. The impact of nationwide mobilization is too great, so it can only be the last choice.

Because of this war, the kingdom has experienced a new fiscal deficit of 3.86 million gold coins in the past month.

If you are short of money, you can still find a way, but you can't change strategic materials. There are wars happening everywhere now, and it is difficult to buy enough strategic supplies even if you have money.

We have gone to great lengths to raise supplies. The consumption of supplies for the more than 500,000 troops on the front line was driving everyone in the kingdom crazy. "

The finance minister, Marquis Delgado, cried bitterly.

Among the high positions in the Alpha Kingdom, the most difficult is the Ministry of Finance. It seems to be a high-ranking position, but in fact it is a mess.

Either on the way to filling the holes, or on the way to find ways to fill the holes. From domestic to foreign countries, their creditors are everywhere.

Every time in the dead of night, the bald Marquis Delgado was thinking about not just ruining the business, but directly going bankrupt.

But in the end, I can only think about this kind of thing that will last forever. If you really want to go bankrupt financially, you can't do it on your own.

Among the ministers of the kingdom, Marquis Delgado submitted the most letters of resignation. One person has contributed more resignation letters than all heads of government departments combined.

When Caesar IV first came to the throne, he once wanted to replace this carefree old man. However, after gaining an in-depth understanding of the kingdom's finances, he finally gave up this dangerous idea.

In any case, Marquis Delgado was able to cover the gap without causing a financial collapse.

If someone with poor ability were replaced, he might be in trouble all of a sudden. Caesar IV would be scared to see such a shocking hole.

"Marquis Delgado is right. Given the current situation in the kingdom, if a nationwide mobilization is launched, it can only last for more than five months at most.

In particular, the road conditions in these seven provinces are worrying, which has increased the logistical pressure. According to the estimates of our Ministry of Military Affairs, maintaining the current strength of troops on the front line is almost the limit.

The best option now is to let the front line hold on for a while, and then rush to the front line to fight the enemy decisively after the expeditionary force completes its rest.

This is also the opinion of Marshal Hudson! "

Archduke Efiero agreed.

As the Minister of Military Affairs, he knows the military well. The situation on the front line is indeed dangerous, but it is not about to collapse immediately.

Without the support of the Human Alliance, it is a miracle in itself to be able to support an army of 500,000 in combat by relying on its own strength.

"Your Majesty, what the two ministers said makes sense, but we have to consider the demands of the frontline nobles.

If reinforcements cannot be sent out within a short period of time, can we consider replacing him with a strong commander? "

As soon as the Prime Minister Grand Duke of Newfoundland finished speaking, Caesar IV understood instantly. At first, he was wondering what these issues were worth arguing about. His feelings were just acting for him, and the real purpose was to change coaches.

Hudson hadn't even arrived at the royal capital yet, so he was assigned a new position so quickly. The Marquis James who needed to be sacrificed happened to be his henchman.

Opposition was impossible. The most powerful people in the court had unified their position. A group of local nobles also made demands, and the king had no way to stop him.

It’s not that everyone doesn’t give Marquis James a chance, it’s really that he can’t win the battle! No matter what the reason is, if you lose, you lose.

Compared to a commander who suffered defeat, everyone was more willing to believe in Hudson, who beat the orcs to doubt their life in the last battle.

Even though Marquis James's performance was not bad and he was able to maintain the main force of the kingdom's army even when the enemy was strong and we were weak, he couldn't bear to make a comparison.

"It is a taboo for military strategists to change commanders before battle. Moreover, Marshal Hudson has just finished a battle and needs time to adjust and rest.

The expeditionary force that had just returned home also needed to restore its combat effectiveness, and it was also inseparable from Marshal Hudson.

Otherwise, let Marquis James continue to be the commander-in-chief of the front line first, and wait until Marshal Hudson has finished handling the affairs of the expeditionary force before taking over the command of the front line. "

Caesar IV fought hard.

After working hard for such a long time, he finally reached zero, and his heart collapsed. Unfortunately, his performance on the front line left him lacking the confidence to support Marquis James.

Fighting for time at this moment is also Caesar IV's last struggle. If Marquis James could win a big victory on the front line, he would also be able to gain some say in the military.

After everyone looked at each other, they all agreed. It can't be compared to Hudson, but compared to other generals in the kingdom, Marquis James at least has experience in commanding hundreds of thousands of troops.

During the last war, he served as deputy commander-in-chief with Hudson, and after the war he served as commander-in-chief of the standing army. He has very rich experience in leading troops.

In fact, no one wants the Hudson family to dominate. It's just that we can't find someone to check and balance, which is why we are in the current embarrassing situation.