Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 454 Wolf Cubs (Part 1)

  [Green Valley]

  [The second day of Felt’s presence in Green Valley]

   In the morning, when the first deserter with bad news appeared outside the town of Green Valley, Major Alder Felt didn't pay much attention.

   Even if the deserter cried in tears and swore that he had not lied, Major Felt just ordered him to be held incommunicado for later disposal.

Because in Major Felt's view, deserters are not trustworthy - in order to avoid military punishment, they can make up all kinds of exaggerated and bizarre stories; their poisonous oaths have no meaning, they have become deserters, and they can be expected to have A sense of honor?

   More importantly, Major Felt has more eyebrow-raising problems than the bad news from the deserters.

  Because the rebels "goodwill" released all the prisoners, Felt's troops instantly recovered to the size of six brigades and nearly 3,000 people.

   Among them, the released prisoners were not only deprived of weapons, clothes and shoes, but also deprived of their will and dignity. If you want them to regain their fighting power, they must not only fill their stomachs, but also fill their self-esteem.

   But the reality was that the Major couldn't even fill their stomachs.

   No matter whether a soldier can fight or not, he still needs to eat, drink, and have a place to live.

  Lvgu Town suddenly had nearly 3,000 more soldiers to eat, drink and live, which made the small town overwhelmed.

   In addition, when the rebels withdrew from the Green Valley, they scavenged the townsmen's grain and public treasury reserves. Therefore, Felt's department, which had lost all the carriages and carriages, had just entered the Green Valley, and immediately fell into the dilemma of running out of food.

  Hungry soldiers broke into the homes of residents, rudely rummaging and forcibly fetching food, while the officers could only turn a blind eye. But even if the soldiers acquiesced in turning the Green Valley upside down and finding out all the food that the residents had stashed away, it would be impossible for a small town to meet the needs of 3,000 people.

   Before the morale of the army was completely flattened, Felt organized more than ten small-scale patrols that day and sent them to nearby farms to collect supplies.

   As a result, all the soldiers who stepped out of Green Valley Town were gone.

  At the same time, the residents of Green Valley Town fled with their families.

  In the beginning, it was just a few families who packed up and left the town to go to their relatives and friends while taking advantage of the chaos. However, with the rapid spread of panic, many townspeople didn't even want anything, just to escape from the Green Valley as soon as possible.

  No one dared to stay for even a second in this "siege" where thousands of hungry, desperate and restless soldiers were imprisoned.

On the one hand, Felt acquiesced in allowing the townspeople to flee, because the commoners had to eat and drink as well, and one less commoner meant one less mouth.

   On the other hand, the lost property immediately sparked scrambles and fights among the soldiers, and even the gendarmerie could not stop it.

   Just when Felt was devastated, a deserter shouting "Our army is defeated" appeared outside Green Valley Town, and Felt couldn't help but be suspicious.

   There are various signs that there are still rebel activities around Green Valley. The disappearance of the patrol team is one piece of evidence, and the fact that the messengers sent to Maplestone City have not been heard from so far is another piece of evidence.

   How can a deserter pass through the blockade of the rebels?

Major    Felt vaguely felt that there was a fraud, but he didn't tell his subordinates - after all, "a conspiracy to wipe out our army" is much more terrible than "a deserter full of lies".

   Felt didn't want to spread more panic in the army until there was conclusive evidence.

  …

   In the afternoon, when the second deserter appeared outside the town of Green Valley, Major Felt was organizing the second batch of grain requisition patrols.

   After listening to the second deserter's confession, Major Felt's attitude changed from dismissive to skeptical.

  Because unlike the first deserter who spoke upside down, the second deserter clearly stated his troop, military rank and position, and also stated the location and process of the battle, which did not seem to be made up.

   Let him and the first deserter question each other, except for some small details, most of the information can be mutually confirmed.

   But no matter how detailed the second deserter's confession was, Alder Felt could never believe that the main force commanded by Colonel Nagy and Colonel Sarnell would suffer defeat.

  Because he has searched all over the Republic of Palatu, there are few people who know better than Felt what kind of capital Grove Magnus has put out this time.

  The reinforcements provided by the castles to Colonel Sarnell were not one legion on the account—that was the number for the rebels on the other side, but twenty brigades, two full legions.

   These included ten brigades from the Sixth Army, four main brigades from the Fifth Army, and six battalions of reserve soldiers.

   The Fifth Legion currently remaining in the castles is essentially an empty shell. In order to hide this as much as possible, the four brigades of the Fifth Army boarded the ship with the flag and designation of the Sixth Army.

  Grove Magnus sent all the field troops to New Reclaimed Province with astonishing vigour. The only and clear purpose is to wipe out the rebels in the new reclaimed land in one fell swoop and completely remove the hidden dangers within the new republic.

   "How can you lose?" Major Felt was puzzled: "How can you lose?"

   Felt quickly came up with a reasonable guess: the description of the two deserters who fled to Green Valley was probably just an outpost before the main force of the two armies clashed.

   In any case, Felt always believed that even if Colonel Nagy and Colonel Sarnell really lost the battle, they would have enough strength to retreat and regroup, and look for an opportunity to launch a second decisive battle.

   And the mission of Felt’s department is to nail down the rebels’ back path so that they can’t escape.

  …

  At night, a third "deserter" appeared outside Green Valley Town—to be precise, not a deserter, but an officer.

   "I'm Lieutenant Bathory of the Fifth Legion. Nineteenth, Cavalry Section."

  The officer who was brought before Major Felt said only a few words, and then he stopped talking, and just looked at the major fixedly.

   Felt waved his hand with a stern face, signalling the recorder and the guards to leave.

When the gap between the door panel and the door frame disappeared, Felt rushed to the officer who claimed to be Lieutenant Bathory, grabbed the latter's shoulder tightly, and asked in shock and urgency: "[Old language] Why? What's the matter?"

   Lieutenant Bathory's expression darkened, his shoulders and back slumped: "[Old phrase] defeated."

   "[Old language] I know I lost." Major Felt gritted his teeth and squeezed out a roar between his teeth: "[Old language] I'm asking how much you lost!"

   The lieutenant's Adam's apple turned up and down with difficulty: "[Old saying] The whole army was annihilated."

   "[Old language] The whole army was wiped out?" Felt only felt as if a heavy cannon was exploding on his forehead, and everything around him became trance and unreal, and a sense of powerlessness spread from his toes to the top of his head. He didn't know what else to ask: "The whole army was wiped out? How could the whole army be wiped out?"

This time it was Bathory's turn to support the almost unsteady major, and the lieutenant replied in a low voice: "[Old saying] the rebels fought hard...but we still had the upper hand...but at the last moment, the iron peak county rebels appeared On our flanks, and at the same time attacked our camp..."

   Felt actually couldn't hear what the other party was saying. His mind was completely occupied by the loss of the main force of the parliamentary army and the catastrophic consequences it would cause. The lieutenant's voice seemed to come from another world.

   But vaguely Felt heard a word in the ethereal syllables:

   "Tiefeng County Rebels".

"[Old language] Tiefeng County rebels? How could they be Tiefeng County rebels?!" Major Felt shoved the lieutenant away, took a few steps back and pulled out his saber, and asked sharply: "[Old language] The Tiefeng County rebels were still here yesterday! You lied! Who the **** sent you?!"

"[Old language] Tiefeng County Army was still in Green Valley yesterday?" Lieutenant Bathory was even more surprised than the major: "[Old language] But how could it be... Those who appeared on the flank of our army and attacked the main camp were indeed The Tiefeng County rebels have no intention. The ghost of Styx also appeared on the battlefield, and he personally went into battle..."

Halfway through the words, Lieutenant Bathory shuddered involuntarily, he let out a low growl, punched himself in the leg, raised his head and looked directly at the major: "[Old saying] How did the Tiefeng County Army arrive on the battlefield? It doesn't matter, Major Felt!"

"[Old language] What's so important?" Felt still held his saber tightly, his eyes full of remorse, self-blame and grievance: "[Old language] The Tiefeng County rebels were still in Green Valley yesterday! I swear! I just fought them!"

   "[Old language] I believe in you, Major." Lieutenant Bathory stepped forward slowly and carefully took the saber from Felt's hand: "[Old language] I believe in you."

   Felt slumped back in his chair.

"[Old saying] But the main battle is over, and the rebels are coming towards Green Valley." Lieutenant Bathory said in a deep voice: "[Old saying] If your troops are also wiped out, Maplestone City and Maple Leaf Fort will be lost. The troops are available, and the newly cultivated province will fall completely into the hands of the rebels."

   Lieutenant Bathory stared at the major's eyes and said word by word: "[Old language] Your men are now the last loyal troops in the New Reclamation Province!"

  …

  …

  [Green Valley]

  [The third day of Felt’s presence in Green Valley Town]

  The sun was just rising, and the north gate of Green Valley Town also opened a small crack.

   A small group of people squeezed out one by one from the crack of the door that could only accommodate one person to pass sideways.

  When the ankle of the last person was pulled out from between the two door panels, the heavy door closed again immediately, as if for fear that something would take the opportunity to enter.

   This small group of people briefly organized the team outside the north gate. Forty-odd soldiers in brown coats, led by an officer, stalked to the downstream village.

   Soldiers were given a simple order—requisition.

   But there is also a particular point about collecting grain: you can't go in broad daylight, otherwise the villagers will find out; you can't have too many people dispatched at one time, otherwise, the villagers will also be disturbed.

   Half a centurion is just right, no more, no less. Unobtrusive, but enough to dissuade any farmer who wants to resist.

   In addition, there was an officer leading the team this time, and the soldiers were all confident and vowed to have a full meal.

   However, although the brown-clothed soldiers thought their actions were sufficiently secretive, they had been under strict surveillance from the moment they walked out of Green Valley Town.

   A two-person observation post outside Green Valley Town noticed their movement immediately. One of the sentries stayed to continue monitoring, and the other quietly retreated.

   After retreating to a mile away, the sentinel pulled out the saddled mount from the bushes and galloped upstream.

The    sentry went through the forest and passed the post, and finally dismounted from a valley in the northwest of Green Valley Town, and ran into the valley with the mount.

  In the valley, about a hundred and ten horses are freely foraging for food, and another hundred and ten saddled war horses are burying their heads in the temporary stalls made of fallen wood.

   There were no campfires and no tents in the valley. On a small piece of flat ground at the bottom of the valley, there were Tiefeng County cavalrymen sleeping in clothes, making it impossible to go anywhere.

   But the cavalry slept very deadly, even if they were accidentally stepped on by the sentinel, they just turned over and continued to sleep.

   In the corner of the camp, the sentry found the commanders of this cavalry unit: Vashka Morozov and Pierre Mitchell.

The    Sentinel immediately reported the emergency, but the response of the two commanders was surprisingly flat. After simply listening to the report, let the sentry go back to continue monitoring.

   "Really." Washka yawned while looking for lice in her clothes, waiting for the sentry to walk away before opening her mouth: "Why does he still have the time to shave the common people?"

   "If Felt is determined to withdraw to Maplestone City." Pierre lowered his head to sketch on the map, his face was poor, but his eyes were bright: "He needs more supplies."

Vashka took a deep breath and muttered in a low voice: "If I tell you, those deserters should not be sent to report. When the centurion comes back, if you don't want to pinch him, you can pinch him? It's better now, he's in a hurry. Now, I want to run, what should I do?"

   Pierre rolled up the map and replied calmly: "Let them know the news of the defeat of the main force, which can destroy their morale."

   "Okay, okay, anyway, you have the final say." Vashka tossed her clothes a few times, then put them back on her body and urged, "Just tell me what to do."

   "If Felt wants to run, he has to ask us if we will answer." Pierre carefully put the rolled up map into a sealed leather tube, and then carefully closed the leather tube.

After all this was done, Pierre stood up and slapped the dirt and straw on his clothes: "Anyway, let's eat his small army first. Since he dares to send troops out, if we don't laugh at it, we will Impolite."

  Washka grinned, put her fingers to her lips, and let out a loud whistle.

   The light cavalrymen who had just stepped on them could not wake up when they heard the whistle, jumped up one after another, ran to their respective war horses, and then led the war horses to the outside of the valley—in order to avoid disturbing the straying horses.

   Pierre silently counted, and in less than a hundred breaths, his light cavalry was ready to go.

   He waved his hand, and the rumbling hoofs sounded outside the valley, penetrated the coniferous forest, startled a flock of birds, and finally dissipated in the green hills and the sky.

  …

   There are not many troops left under the command of Alder Felt that can still be used.

   Therefore, those who can be selected into the small unit called the patrol team, which is actually the food requisition team, are the most capable soldiers in Felt’s department at present.

  Pierre, Vashka, and every Ironpeak Hussar knew this clearly, and none of them dared to relax.

   Therefore, when the hussars saw the white flag waving above the enemy's head from a distance, they felt uncomfortable with a punch on the cotton.

   Before the light cavalry of Tiefeng County was in place, the soldiers of the 40-man grain requisition team had already stood in line;

   Before the Tiefeng County light cavalry was encircled on all sides, the weapons of the grain collection team had already been handed over, and they were neatly arranged in two circles.

   The officer who led the patrol sat on a large rock and waved at Pierre and Vashka from a distance.

   After repeatedly confirming that there was no ambush, Pierre and Vashka slowly rode to the officer.

   "Excuse me." Pierre had never experienced such a thing before, and didn't know if there was any special etiquette, so he took a business-like attitude: "Are you going to surrender?"

   The officer leading the patrol was a handsome young man about the same age as Pierre.

   He sat comfortably on the boulder on the river bank as if he were sitting on a soft chair in his living room, and said lightly, "Yes, surrender, don't fight. Give me some water to drink."

  Pierre and Vashka looked at each other, the former nodded, the latter undid the water bag and threw it to the other.

  The young officer took the water bag, took a sip, and looked up at Pierre: "Is there anything to eat?"

  Pierre stared at the young officer for a while, and the young officer stared at Pierre with big innocent eyes.

   Finally, Pierre nodded, and Vashka took out another paper bag from the saddlebag and threw it to the other party.

   The young officer couldn't wait to open the paper bag and found that there was air-dried horse meat in the paper bag. He asked with a bitter face, "Just give me this?"

   Pierre replied, frowning: "That's what we eat too."

  The young officer no longer complained. He tore off a small piece of air-dried horse meat with great difficulty.

From the corner of his eye, Pierre saw that his subordinates had surrounded the brown-clothed soldiers, and answered truthfully: "Go northwest along the road and cross the Qingyin Mountain Pass. There is a supply station. First, I will give you something to eat, and then I will leave. Go to Long Lake Town, there's a captive camp there."

   The young officer nodded, as if accepting the arrangement, and asked, "Did Winters Montagne really win?"

   "Of course." Pierre replied without hesitation.

   The young officer looked up at Pierre: "Really?"

  Pierre was not afraid to meet the eyes of the other party: "Really."

   The young officer sighed, stood up, and handed back the paper package of dried horsemeat to Vashka, but looked at Pierre: "Take me to Captain Montagne."

  Washika burst out laughing, but the next moment her face suddenly changed, and she was about to scold the brazen little officer in front of her.

   But Pierre raised his hand to stop Vashka.

Pierre dismounted and looked at the young officer: "I will convey your request to His Excellency the Tribunal. But whether you can see His Excellency the Tribunal is up to His Excellency the Tribunal to decide. I am Pierre Gui Radnovich Mitchell, commissioned cavalry commander of the Iron Peak Garrison."

   Such a polite and respectful reply made the young officer's face change drastically, with surprise, confusion, and serious expressions appearing on his face one after another.

He did not provide his identity according to the etiquette, but frowned, folded his arms, and questioned Pierre: "Since Captain Montagne's main force has not returned, why did you trick Major Felt to withdraw to Maplestone City ahead of schedule? ?"

   The young officer paused: "Lieutenant Bathory?"

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   (end of this chapter)