The Rise of the European Emperor

Next, Frundsberg took Karl to the warehouse first, and found the gold and silver treasures that he didn't pay much attention to before. Although gold and silver treasures are not as important as food during the war, those mercenaries who recognize money but not people like it the most.

"Find someone to push these boxes of gold and silver and follow me to the prisoner-of-war camp!"

Then, under the protection of a group of elite guards, Frundsberg took a lot of gold and silver treasures and went to the prisoner-of-war camp where the mercenaries were...

He first led people into the camp where the mercenary generals were, and asked with a smile:

"Are you willing to accept my employment?"

Those captured mercenary generals took the lead for a collective moment, and then a certain mercenary general who was stunned gave a "bah" and shouted:

"Never serve the lackeys of the Habsburgs!"

Frundsberg smiled unabated, but turned around and told Karl:

"Pull him out and kill him!"

Then, the mercenary leader who firmly opposed the Habsburg family was directly dragged out and sliced...

The remaining mercenary generals were frightened immediately, and one mercenary general asked fearfully:

"My lord, even if we agree to accept your employment, are you willing to trust us? Aren't you afraid that we will stab you in the back?"

Frundsberg shook his head and said:

"I don't trust you, and I'm afraid of stabbing you in the back. But this time, I'm not here to hire you, but I hope you can help me persuade your mercenaries to join my army!"

"Then how should we arrange it?" The general was taken aback for a moment, and then became nervous—could we be killed?

The atmosphere in the tent suddenly became tense, but Frundsberg calmly asked Karl to bring over a box of gold and silver, and then said:

"Although I don't believe you, if you are willing to persuade your men to join my army, I can share this box of gold and silver with you. Then, I will let you go..."

Frundsberg was also a mercenary, and he knew that most of those mercenaries were stupid, and some had a bad temper, but they all listened to the words of these mercenary generals. If I don't pass these mercenary generals, it's hard to persuade those stubborn mercenaries. But it is very easy for these mercenary generals to persuade those mercenaries to join them. After all, these people were the original leaders of those mercenaries. Therefore, he needs the cooperation of these people...

Looking at these hesitant mercenary generals, Frundsberg asked in a flat tone:

"Have you thought about it? Agreed, take the money and go home after finishing this matter. If you don't agree, then go to hell!"

"My lord, you can't do this! There is no tradition in Europe to kill captured officers!" a mercenary general protested.

Frundsberger glanced at him and explained:

"In Europe, there is only a tradition of not killing captured nobles, but no tradition of not killing captured officers. In the past, officers were all nobles, but most of the mercenary officers were not nobles, and killing them would not violate the rules."

Indeed, since the rise of German mercenaries, many local heroes of civilian origin have also formed mercenary regiments. Most of those cavalry mercenary leaders are nobles. However, many leaders of infantry and mercenaries are not nobles, and are not within the rules that cannot be killed.

At this time,

The two mercenary generals stood up and said with a smile:

"We are nobles!" Obviously, they thought that Frundsberg would not dare to kill them.

Frundsberg frowned and said:

"It's true that I can't kill you casually, but I can let you 'die in battle'..." This was Chi Guoguo's threat. As soon as the words fell, the guards of Frundsberg were ready to move, as if they wanted to pull the two out and let them "fight to death"...

Seeing how ferocious Frundsberg was, the mercenary leaders in the camp were all scared...

After all, they are mercenaries in order to earn money to support their families, and they are not willing to die like this... Moreover, those who can be leaders are not stupid...

...

Under the persuasion of these former mercenary leaders, 15,000 of the 18,000 captured mercenaries agreed to join Frundsberg's army. Then they were broken up and organized into various teams in Frundsberg. As a result, Frundsberg, which had only 12,000 main troops left, expanded to 27,000 troops overnight.

However, Frundsberg also knew that although the troop strength had more than doubled, those newly recruited mercenaries had not yet been able to cooperate with the soldiers under his command, nor had they experienced regular training.

Therefore, even with so many soldiers and horses, he didn't think about counterattack, but planned to continue to defend. Wait until these surrendered soldiers cooperate with the original veterans tacitly, and then plan a formal counterattack.

In addition, in order to save food, Frundsberg also ruthlessly drove away nearly 40,000 people from the allied forces of the princes who had been captured before, and rushed to Basel. The allied forces of the princes are currently huddled in the city of Basel to lick their wounds, and Frundsberg does not intend to make them feel better. It is definitely not a good thing to return the nearly 40,000 people to them. Because these nearly 40,000 people are strong and have no combat effectiveness. Sending it back to the coalition forces of the princes will only increase the food consumption of the coalition forces of the princes. After all, that's nearly 40,000 mouths. However, the coalition forces of the princes lost most of their food and grass, and if these people went back to eat with them, the coalition forces of the princes themselves would not be able to bear it...

This trick was also mentioned by Marin, that is, before the ancient Eastern army attacked the city, they deliberately drove many local people into the city. In this way, the food consumption in the city has greatly increased. As long as the siege is longer, there will be more people who were driven into the city, and the food consumption will increase greatly. When the food in the city runs out, they can only surrender without a fight.

As for those mercenaries who refused to surrender themselves, as well as those conscripts who were captured, Frundsberg did not let them go back. Because these people can enhance the combat effectiveness of the coalition forces of the princes when they go back.

So, Frundsberg kept these people as coolies...

...

After that, Frundsberg divided the army into two-he personally led 15,000 people and rushed back to Lucerne with some food and grass to continue to guard against the French army. The remaining 12,000 troops escorted another 3,000 mercenary prisoners of war and 9,000 conscript prisoners of war, and headed to Aarau in the southeast with food, supplies, most of the gold and silver. It is the capital city of Aargau, which is more conducive to defense.

In addition, Aarau is the pass to the Eagle Fort, the ancestral home of the Habsburg family. By defending Aarau, the enemy can prevent the invasion of the Habsburg family's ancestral Eagle Fort.

Although Eagle Fort is not considered an important town, it has little strategic value in the eyes of outsiders. However, if Eagle Fort is lost, members of the Habsburg family will definitely make trouble for themselves. These people may not be able to help Frundsberg, but what can harm him is their ability. Therefore, Eagle Castle cannot be easily lost.

In addition, Aarau, as a pass in the north, can also prevent the French army or the coalition forces of the princes from going around behind Lucerne. Lucerne is an important town in the south of the central valley of Switzerland, while Aarau is an important town in the north of the central valley. After controlling the two important towns in the north and the south, the French army and the allied forces of the princes did not dare to easily go around to the east. Otherwise, there is a huge risk of being cut off from the retreat...

Moreover, the echoes of the two towns from the north to the south can also make the French army and the coalition forces of the princes fearful. Previously, Frundsberg did not dare to divide his troops because of insufficient troops. Now, the troops are sufficient, and it is completely possible to divide the troops and garrison them. With tens of thousands of troops guarding the city, even if the enemy army has double the number of soldiers and horses, they will be desperate. Because, with tens of thousands of troops, it is absolutely possible to fill the walls of the small city, leaving no loopholes for the enemy to exploit...

In addition, Frundsberg seized a large amount of food from the coalition forces of the princes this time, so he can hold on for a long time without worrying about food. He is not afraid of the long-term siege by the French army and the coalition forces of the princes...

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