King

At dawn, Beitlun Port also turned into a sea of ​​fire. Except for sporadic resistance forces in the city, the rest were permanently lying down in the flames of war.

"The bait we have laid will not confuse the enemy for long, and they will soon discover our true purpose. Pass the order and have the people below quickly destroy the port, and then retreat immediately!"

Duke Daniel said solemnly.

It can be seen from personally leading the team and commanding that the real target of this surprise attack is Beit Lun Port. Launching sneak attacks in multiple places at the same time is mainly to distract the enemy's sight.

As the commander-in-chief of the army, he not only has to consider completing the strategic raid, but also considers the evacuation of the army.

Running deep behind enemy lines is inherently dangerous. Once the enemy discovers their destination, even if they can complete a sneak attack, they will never be able to escape unscathed.

War is inherently anti-human behavior. The more impossible something is, the more likely it will become the key to victory or defeat on the battlefield.

A sneak attack on more than ten fortresses at the same time is almost impossible militarily. A mistake in any link could lead to heavy losses for the army, but Duke Daniel did it anyway.

Except for Beitlun Port, which is bound to be won, the rest are just chasing hay and hunting rabbits. It's best if you can conquer it, but it doesn't matter if you can't.

From the beginning of formulating the plan, the characterization given to the various armies is - feint attack. Using the army to attack the city as a cover, a small number of masters were sent to sneak into the city to burn the enemy's food and grass.

There are no mandatory mission objectives. Every time a warehouse of strategic materials is burned, you will earn money. The main focus is to cause destruction.

Since it is a feint attack, the corresponding troop deployment will naturally not be too many. In addition to the ten thousand troops led by Daniel himself, there were two to three thousand cavalry on each battlefield.

With the cover of night, it is not difficult to create the momentum of thousands of troops. The enemy couldn't figure out the situation and could only retreat and defend themselves.

Even if it is discovered that the territory is under enemy attack, the nearby troops will not dare to dispatch easily when everything is uncertain.

People tend to have pros and cons. Without receiving military orders from above, there is no responsibility for standing still. If one goes out without permission and is defeated, he will be held accountable.

As soon as the sky lightened up, the orc cavalry who failed to attack the city began to evacuate one after another.

After all, this is the territory of the Alpha Kingdom. If it takes a long time, as soon as the nearby armies gather, it will be their turn to be unlucky.

The capture of Zijingguan was just an accident, and more of the capital troops just completed the task of feint attack. However, they still caught the defenders off guard and took the opportunity to burn a lot of strategic supplies.

Everything developed according to Duke Daniel's plan. The only difference was that during the evacuation, they did not encounter the pursuers of the Alpha Kingdom.

…

In the Emerald Palace, looking at the battle report in his hand, Caesar IV said it was impossible. There was no problem on the front line, but the rear became chaotic first.

If wars are fought like this, what are the frontline defenders doing?

Even if we can't stop the enemy, we must at least send back the news of the enemy's entry in advance!

"What does James do for a living, and why do he let so many enemies go deep into the rear?"

Caesar IV asked almost roaringly.

Deep down, in addition to regret, he still regretted it. Just by keeping James in office for less than a month, he created such a big trap that the king couldn't stop it!

If I had known this would happen, I should have replaced him early. Warning documents from the front line actually arrived later than letters asking for help from various places.

Whether it was the officers on the front line who were inefficient and derelict in their duties, or whether they were incompetent and did not realize the enemy's sinister intentions in advance, it is not important now.

Things have already happened. Beitlun Port has been destroyed, and the kingdom's material transportation capacity to the northern Xinjiang has dropped by at least 50%.

In addition, there were many material storage areas including Zijing Pass, which suffered heavy losses from enemy sneak attacks.

According to data compiled from the front line, the enemy's sneak attack last night caused nearly 30,000 casualties to the Kingdom's army, and tens of thousands of tons of strategic supplies were lost in the flames of war.

Caesar IV was furious, and the expressions of his officials were not much better. The kingdom's strategic supplies hoarded on the front line lost 70% overnight.

The most direct consequence is: the army on the front line is in danger.

A large amount of strategic materials were lost, and there was no way to make up for the gap in a short period of time. It's not that the kingdom doesn't have supplies, it's that the front line doesn't have supplies.

Now that transportation capacity has declined, logistics transportation speed cannot keep up with consumption, and the material inventory on the front line alone cannot sustain it for long.

"Your Majesty, everything has happened, let's find a way to deal with the aftermath first!

The enemy's sneak attack came very suddenly, and the defenders were completely unprepared. It is not surprising to achieve such a result.

It can be seen that the commander of the enemy army is not simple. Throughout history, this is the first time that cavalry has been used in this way. It is understandable that Marquis James did not find out.

The top priority is to stabilize our position first, restore the Beit Port as soon as possible, and ensure the smooth flow of maritime transportation lines.

If nothing can be done, we will abandon some areas, shrink the strategic defense line, and shorten our transportation lines to ensure the supply of logistical supplies.

In order to reduce unnecessary losses, let’s first let the people in several provinces in northern Xinjiang evacuate!

After covering the evacuation of the people, the private troops of the nobles in the border areas no longer need to stick to the castle and can directly operate with the army. "

Hudson suggested objectively.

As the commander-in-chief, Marquis James was definitely to blame for the war reaching this situation, but more importantly, it was the overall lack of quality of the kingdom's army.

Since ancient times, there have been only a handful of cases of cavalry attacking cities. Not to mention rushing behind enemy lines and launching sneak attacks to seize the city.

Looking at the final result, we can see that as long as the defenders are alert enough, the enemy troops will be blocked from the city gate.

Anyone who is successfully attacked by the enemy has serious problems with the defenders themselves, and the defenders are absolutely derelict in their duties.

These guys deserved what they deserved. There is no pity. Dying on the battlefield is the best choice. When they come back and be held accountable, everyone will look bad.

But for the noble lords of Northern Xinjiang, Hudson still had to reach out and give them a hand. As the leader among the emerging nobility, even if he is only the boss in name, he must also contribute.

In fact, even if Hudson doesn't mention it, there will still be others who will jump out and be the "good guys".

In name, they are emerging nobles, but in essence they are branches of various families. The so-called "emerging" is actually just the political need to set an example.

The leader of Hudson is in name only. The biggest reason is that most of the emerging nobles come from the old nobles. The conflicts between the two sides do exist, but they are not as sharp as it seems from the outside world.

If you really think that the emerging aristocrats and the established aristocrats will never fight to the death, then just wait to be tricked to death!

The real conflicts with the established aristocrats are rising stars like the Koslow family.

"The marshal is right. The most important thing now is to stabilize the situation. However, it is not enough to shrink the front line and restore logistics and transportation.

The battle on the frontline has turned out like this, and Marquis James must be held responsible for this. I propose that he be removed from the position of commander, detained and returned to the royal capital for accountability, and that Marshal Hudson take over the position of commander. "

The Grand Duke of Newfoundland said murderously.

Looking at the ferocious expression, it seemed as if he wanted to tear Marquis James into pieces. However, the expressions of politicians are often full of deception.

Nobles need to save face, especially high-level commanders like this. Even if he wants to kill someone, he will give him a dignified death.

For example: the five former Dukes of the North all committed suicide instead of being put to death after trial and conviction.

That still involves the Human Alliance. If a high-ranking noble is executed within the kingdom, their death will be more dignified. They usually die in battle or die of accidental illness.

If he really wanted to kill Marquis James, there would be no need to detain him at all, and he would just let Hudson go and take over as commander-in-chief.

When the time comes, all he needs to do is deal with it coldly. For the sake of the honor of the nobility, Marquis James will find an opportunity to die on the battlefield, retaining his last dignity.

The Grand Duke of Newfoundland couldn't help but choose to lend a hand at this time. He is not only the prime minister of the kingdom, but also a member of the royal family.

Marquis James is a general directly related to the royal family. If he is to be dealt with seriously, then the following generals who are close to the royal family will also be responsible.

The royal family's influence in the military has only recovered somewhat in the past two years. If it is purged now, it will be difficult to restore it in the future.

Factional struggles are everywhere, and the opportunity to weaken the royal family is gone. The kingdom's great nobles will not show mercy.

Now that we are dealing with it, the situation is pretty good. Most of the great nobles were absent from the royal capital, and the power of the royal family dominated the court.

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone turned their attention to Hudson. Whether he punished Marquis James severely or let him go, it was inseparable from the nod of the commander-in-chief, Hudson.

"It's a taboo for military strategists to change generals on the spot. What's more, there are still affairs with the expeditionary force to deal with, and I can't leave for the time being.

Let Marquis James stabilize the situation first and gradually shrink the front line based on the actual situation on the battlefield.

After the expeditionary corps has taken some rest and replenished its troops, I will take them to the front line.

By the way, I will take this opportunity to train the new recruits gathered from various places. "

Hudson said in a difficult tone.

If there is a mess, just throw it to him and try to turn the tide every time he goes out. That would be too bullying. If he hadn't expressed anything, I would have thought he had lost his temper.

Since the enemy is moving, it can never be just these actions. Regarding the situation on the front line, Hudson knew very little about it, and who knew how many pitfalls there would be in the future.

If you are in a hurry to take over, then bear the thunder for Marquis James. The friendship between the two has not reached this level yet, so there is no need to be in such a hurry to get together.

Anyway, the situation has deteriorated, and no matter how bad it gets, it won't get any better. It is no longer what it used to be. Even if the orcs are given a chance, they are unable to swallow up the army on the front line.

Caesar IV was about to speak, but finally closed his mouth helplessly. Just after the war on the Western Front ended, the Ministry of War proposed a change of commander. For political needs, he proposed and decided to retain Marquis James.

Now that this happened, the label of unknown person was slapped directly on his forehead.

Coupled with the inherent character of "not familiar with military affairs", Caesar IV himself had a lot of troubles, not to mention reaching out to Marquis James.

Now it is carrying out strategic contraction. Although it is voluntarily giving up territory, it is still "lost city and territory" in the eyes of the outside world.

Hudson, who cherished his feathers, was unwilling to take the blame. As a king, he could not force others to do anything. Otherwise, if something goes wrong later, the responsibility will fall on him again.

Looking for help, I turned to the ministers, but unfortunately everyone was smart and knew what blame to bear and what blame to bear.

Especially when it comes to military matters, if you don't understand, it's best not to make blind comparisons, otherwise the consequences will be very serious.

"Your Majesty, the Marshal is right. The losses of strategic supplies are too heavy now. For some time in the future, it is best for the Kingdom to choose to be on the defensive.

Even if we want to counterattack, we have to wait until we raise enough strategic materials. Otherwise, even if it defeats the orc army, the kingdom will not be able to expand its results. "

Grand Duke Efiero said accordingly.

The front line suffered a defeat, but the main force of the kingdom's army was not damaged, mainly because of the shortage of strategic supplies.

Make bricks without straw.

If the gap in supplies is not resolved, it will be the same no matter who takes command of the army. In this case, why offend others?

At least Hudson gave the royal family face and did not demand severe punishment for Marquis James. As for the charge of "losing the city and losing the land", that should be shouldered by him as the coach.

Compared with these issues, what the Ministry of Military Affairs needs to consider is how to give an explanation to the domestic nobles in the future.

As soon as he finished speaking, Marquis Delgado's face turned dark. To make up for the strategic material gap, it cannot be solved with a few words. It also requires the Ministry of Finance to pay for it.

If such a big hole suddenly appears, what can you do to fill it?

"Your Majesty, too many supplies have been lost this time. In a short period of time, it will be difficult to make up for the gap just by raising funds from domestic sources.

The best option is to speed up self-financing of supplies while procuring strategic supplies from overseas.

At present, the kingdom is already heavily in debt, and the debt owed by the Ministry of Finance to lords everywhere has reached an extremely terrifying figure.

…”

The finance minister came directly to complain about poverty, which made everyone even more depressed. Everyone knows that the kingdom is short of money, but there is no way, the war will consume it!

"Raising" is easy to say, but the question is where to raise it?

It is impossible to raise taxes, and the lives of noble lords everywhere are also difficult now.

As far as Hudson knows, there have been incidents in some areas where small nobles went bankrupt and big nobles advanced taxes on their behalf.

The help was not in vain. I owed such a huge favor and it would be impossible not to be attached to a big noble in the future.

Everyone present has some sense of moral integrity, and no one can do anything that could shake the foundation of the kingdom.

"Your Majesty, the financial difficulties of the Kingdom are a fact. The only solution for now is to issue bonds to meet the urgent needs.

However, the kingdom already owes a large amount of debt, and people may not be willing to simply issue bonds. Even if it can be sold, the high interest rate on funds will make the kingdom breathless.

It would be best to add a layer of security to the bonds. I propose to use the land on the orc prairie as security to issue land bonds.

1 mu of land is equivalent to 1 gold coin, which can be directly bet on. As long as the kingdom wins the war, everyone can hold bonds and exchange them for land.

In order to enhance confidence, Your Majesty is requested to set an example and assure the outside world that land bonds will be paid first.

After the war, the nobles were awarded rewards, with priority given to protecting the fiefdoms of small nobles, followed by middle nobles, and then by large nobles and the royal family.

If the harvested land is not enough to be divided, then we people will not be divided.

Of course, if the kingdom is defeated, then these land bonds will be directly void! "

Hudson said nonchalantly.

Such rebellious remarks are simply a provocation to the aristocratic system. The royal family and the nobles have always taken the lion's share, so how could there be any reason to let the people below get the first share?

"Marshal, being able to obtain a fief with a little money is simply an insult to the nobility!

us……"

Before the Secretary of the Interior could finish speaking, Hudson interrupted: "If your Excellency has a better way, then even if I didn't say it.

If you can't think of a way, then please keep your mouth shut. What is needed now is to solve problems, not to discuss the pros and cons of solutions.

As for whether it will impact the aristocratic system, I think this worry is unnecessary. The matter of buying and selling fiefdoms is not without precedent on the mainland.

One gold coin per acre of land is indeed very cheap. But the land is on the prairie and there is no strength at all. Can it be developed?

Once you get the land, you have to pay taxes. If you can't develop it, it's not wealth, but a burden. "

If the hint reaches this point, if you still can't react, everyone will be in the officialdom in vain.

It seems that anyone can buy land bonds, but those who have the money to buy them and the strength to develop them are the great nobles in the kingdom.

The meat is still in the pot after all, the only difference is that those who take the biggest share of the pie pay to support this war.

After figuring this out, everyone's anger was almost exhausted.

In the later stages of the orc invasions, the finances were on the verge of collapse, and vested interest groups inevitably wanted to cut off their flesh.

The land bond proposed by Hudson is nothing more than a way for everyone to pay money in another way.

The order of distribution of spoils was placed last, and it seemed that the large noble group paid a heavy price. But the power of distribution is in everyone's hands. No matter how big the loss is, how big can it be?

Making such a gesture to the outside world can also boost the morale of the military and calm the inner grievances of the small and medium-sized nobles.

After a slight hesitation, seeing no one objected, Caesar IV said slowly: "Since no one objects, let's try issuing a batch of land bonds first!"