Blood tax

Chapter 480 The Battle of the Five Armies ([-])

The wise senate issued a call--

All legions, irregulars and allied forces deployed in Verona are to be mobilized.

According to intelligence, nearly 4 rebel troops launched this march, about 12 of whom restrained the [-]th Army of Bayeran in the north, and thousands of people harassed the town of Harmanli in the south and took the town of Bayeran. The army was split into two separate divisions.

The main body of the rebel army, no fewer than 24000 men, was advancing along the Broad Avenue after the defeat of MacDonald's 4th Army.The regular army near the old town is only a part of the 16th Army, and it is absolutely impossible to hold the position without support.

"Xia Boyang's army is highly disciplined and difficult to fight against."

"We don't have enough troops."

"The battle situation is too unfavorable for our soldiers!"

"Please gather more troops."

The local Verona officers in the conference room complained with the officials.Berthier conveyed the battle plan to them and prepared to dispatch the whole army.However, administrators and local lords repeatedly emphasized that supplies were insufficient, and sufficient manpower could not be spared to support the army.At the thought of using less than 5000 troops to attack the main force of the rebel army, the army that had just been reorganized was shaken.

The two battalions reorganized and commanded by Russell and Warren Haydon were the first to waver. Their commanders were obviously helpless, and it was impossible to organize the troops tightly in such a short period of time.The battalions sent by the Counts of La Mole and Chalon were not much better - they were locals and militiamen, and the fiercest battles they had participated in in the past were just to wipe out a nest of bandits.

The "Storm" cavalry squadrons, the "Black Wolf" dragoon squadrons, and the cavalry squadrons formed by Murat fully supported the decision of the Front Enemy Committee.They were all professional soldiers, or local nobles who had a deep hatred for the rebels.

Berthier nodded when he heard everyone complaining; Lanaan sat quietly, neither objecting nor scolding.After a while, he received a report, turned around with a slight smile and whispered to Pashu who had arrived with the Fusiliers Battalion, then stood up and stood beside Berthier, "Everyone, listen to me..."

"No, we have insurmountable difficulties!" A group of people shouted immediately.

"I'm not going to say this..."

Lansada in the audience felt that the chaotic venue was boring.She quietly nudged Desai who hadn't seen her for a long time.The second-level team leader hastily leaned his head over, and heard the trainee nun cover her mouth and ask in a low voice:

"What do you do when you encounter such a thing?"

"Hang a few, and the rest will be safe," Desai replied immediately, "The captain and the others did that in the Verona campaign last time."

"We can also use faith to inspire everyone~" Lansada shook his head disapprovingly, "Give everyone confidence and encouragement!"

"Oh—~" Desai responded with a long voice, "That must be like Raven. But, how to do it? Let's go, we are wasting time here, go and find out what the captain can do."

……

Three days had passed since Galadia arrived.Griffith did not intend to attack at all, and did not even participate in the general military meeting.

Desai and Lansada climbed up the mage tower, came outside the commander's room, and found Paxiu with a complicated expression, moving bookcases and sundries at the door.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Lansada looked at him curiously, "Did you tell the captain about the army's unresolute fighting spirit?"

"Then, of course, it is said."

"What did the captain say?"

"He said," Paxiu thought for a while, "Well, let me remove the things blocking the corridor, so as not to hurt people later."

"..."

The inexplicable lady apprentice nun knocked on the door: "Captain, I'm Lansada!"

Everyone vaguely heard a pleasant voice whispering in the room: "Oh, it's that little wild cat~" Then, a particularly loud "come in" covered the voice in front.

Lansada immediately pushed the door open, followed by Desai and Paxiu.When I came to the reception room, I saw Griffith writing something behind the desk, and there was a beautiful girl reclining on the couch beside her.She has eyes like morning stars, a slender figure, waterfall-like long hair hanging down her waist, and a short skirt revealing a pair of white and tight long legs.

Desai and Paxiu immediately lowered their heads.Lansada suddenly had a stomachache, and subconsciously looked behind the bookcase and under the table.

"You guys, are you here to tell me about the lack of fighting spirit in the army?" Griffith didn't look up, and asked while writing, "If this is what you care about, why don't you help Paxiu clean up the corridor together? .”

"However, I heard that the rebels have already started to attack." Lansada was a little anxious, "If we don't start yet, they will be left behind. What happened to Desai and the others shows that the rebels are very mobile. !"

"This time, that time."

Griffith took out two letters and handed them forward.

According to these reports, the rebels had been marching from the camp for two days.

In the ranks of this great army, more and more insubordination and breaches of discipline began to occur.Now this brigade, now that brigade, and sometimes even whole columns attacking passing towns and then looting.

Last night, they took a town that had no strategic significance at all, burned the market, and kidnapped the citizens.

The appalling title was written on the letterhead of the report:

"The ogre demon has taken all the citizens of Lebovoux."

"Kazan is burning in the fire."

"A horde of locusts sacked Zagora."

"Refugees flee to Old Town."

According to the content of the report, the soldiers and civilians along the way were looted as auxiliary soldiers, and then their families were used as hostages to force them to attack the fortresses and towns along the way first.They died in battle, and the citizens of the occupied area became the next batch of troops to charge forward.

How could this be... Lansada's face turned pale.The rebel army is sweeping across the sky, destroying all civilizations along the way.

Griffith looked at the time, stood up, and said to Miss Elf on the couch, "It's almost time, you'd better change your clothes. I can already hear footsteps on the stairs."

At this moment, there was a commotion downstairs.The noise boiled up.Then thunderstorm footsteps rushed up the stairs, tripped several in the hallway, and the rest swarmed into Griffith's office.

"Commander, did you see it?!"

"Verona is going to be destroyed!"

"The evil god is coming!"

The chaotic words became more and more outrageous, and Lansada was pushed into a corner by the crowd, listening to the petitions of the military officers and administrators who were emphasizing various difficulties just now.They were all blushing and hoarse.

"Let's fight the rebels!
"No more, nothing more!"

"Lead us to fight!"

"The rebels are approaching Yambol!"

Lansada rubbed his forehead, thinking he was hallucinating.The people who were still downstairs just now were suddenly full of fighting spirit, wishing to fight the rebels now!

The majestic Lana stood out from the crowd: "Everyone be quiet, please our commander, declare his will."

The crowd fell silent immediately, looking at the tall commander eagerly.

Griffith looked sad, and Lansada suddenly began to worry whether the Ravenel leader who took care of him some time ago also suffered.He said in a heavy, heart-shattering voice:

"The rebels destroyed our homeland and our noble citizens became refugees."

Everyone present clenched their fists, probably thinking of the burned houses and the barren land.Bursts of thunder waved lightning in their eyes.

Griffith drew out Hanguang, holding the sword in his hand:
"However, the rebels cannot destroy our will! Because the strong will connects the hearts of each of us and unites us in suffering. Today, we set out to take back our homeland and take back our everything!
"Victory—long live!"

The bugle sounded, accompanied by drums, and all the troops in Harmanli Town came out in full force.

Rana's direct troops acted as the vanguard, and Griffith set off with the main force.It is extremely difficult to keep the whole army in step during the movement, and it is necessary to have a reliable army to intercept the rebels.

This was the most dangerous mission, almost rushing into the crowd of rebels, but it was nothing more than normal for Shutoral.

Griffith came to Lana and handed him a bottle of wine: "I won't say too much, just be careful, for Fiona's sake, don't be reckless."

Lana took the wine: "For the wise Senate and Fiona, long live victory!"

He took two swigs, put the wine bottle into his arms, and took the eagle flag with golden cord from the flag bearer's hand and walked out proudly.Behind, with the drumbeat, one squadron after another started to move.

Rana's Chalon infantry battalion and the "Black Wolf" dragoon squadron were the first to set off.Countless people crowded both sides of the road, scrambling to stuff bread, wine and meat into the soldiers' pockets.

"Hit well!"

"Kill them!"

Walking in the forefront is a dragoon riding a horse, with a saber on his waist and a flintlock in the holster of the saddle.

Pikemen wore fine plate armor and iron helmets, and their greaves and boots rumbled across the ground.Next came the Musketeers.They carried gun-barrels on their shoulders, and each wore handsome leather breastplates and tall bearskin hats.

From this point of view, they were the elite troops, the vanguards who were going to fight the first battle with the rebels, and everyone had high hopes for them.

The town mayor and administrators took out all the stocks, recruited all the peasants, and sent official letters to the towns and villages along the way, asking them to go all out to cooperate with the army's work.

(End of this chapter)