Chapter 312 The dragon roared above the clouds and
the rain pattered, making a crackling sound on the cowhide wrapped outside the tent.
This is Obersowden.
The Battle of Sodden Mountain two years ago seemed to be still close before our eyes, and the raindrops hit the ground, as if the souls of the dead were crying.
Unfortunately, after the Battle of Sodenden, the soldiers in the north returned to their homes, but the Nilfgaardians stayed here tenaciously, built complete military fortifications, and still stared at the north.
"Marshal?"
Emperor Emhyr's executive officer stood behind the tall man and asked tentatively.
Marshal Mennonite did not remove his armor, and wore a tight combination of chain mail and plate armor in the tent; he kept his original delicate mustache, but the long battle had left him neglecting to take care of his appearance for a long time.
Executor Peter looked at the Marshal's back with reverence, because that was the legend of Nilfgaard.
To put it more disrespectfully, even if Marshal Mennonite died suddenly on the spot, his status in the history of the empire would be worthy of the comment "one of the greatest generals".
If he could faithfully implement the emperor's war plan for the North - even half of it - it would be enough for him to go one step further and remove the word "one".
But at this moment, the great Imperial Marshal Menno Kuhorn frowned.
"Did His Majesty specifically ask you to bring this secret letter to me? Even though he sent a warlock to support him, he still asked you to make an extra trip to bring me this secret letter?" "Yes, Marshal." I
heard
. The emperor's executive officer replied. Marshal Menno's expression remained unchanged, but he sighed deeply in his heart.
The warlocks were clearly sent over, but the executioners were sent out unnecessarily. What does this mean?
——This shows that His Majesty the Emperor relies on the power of the Warlocks on the battlefield, but is unwilling to give the Warlocks sufficient trust and does not want them to have access to confidential information.
"There are three warlock troops, but they are all gathered in our Central Army Group, and there is not one in the Western Army Group, right?" "
Yes, Marshal."
...
The Marshal sighed in his heart again. After spending so many years on the battlefield and in the palace, how could he not understand the emperor's intentions?
If Lannister's record in the Eastern Army Group is true - no matter how he did it - then the current situation of the Western Army Group is definitely many times more critical than that of the Central Army Group.
But the emperor still made the order to send all the warlock troops to his side.
Your Majesty, why do you bring politics to the battlefield? There are so many means in the palace, why must the lives of frontline soldiers be sacrificed to achieve the goal?
Does Your Majesty want the entire Western Army to be buried with Duke Werther?
Marshal Menno clenched the letter tightly, feeling ups and downs in his heart, but his expression did not reveal anything.
"His Majesty also gave you a message before he gave you the secret message, right? What did he say?" The
executive officer's face immediately became solemn, and he vividly imitated Emperor Emhyr's tone and expression.
The soldiers who could be used to carry out the order were all people with outstanding memories. Menno closed his eyes and felt as if the emperor was right in front of him: [
Tell him, I am not angry, I just feel ashamed. Therefore, I asked him to send all the remaining divisions of Ad Fein and Alba to Rivia, and at the same time take with him the warlocks I sent to him. I want him to cleanse the Empire of its disgrace, rebuild the Army Group's right flank, and allow our strategy to continue. ]
After transmitting the message, the executive officer immediately regained his humble expression: "This is your Majesty's order."
The marshal nodded noncommittally: "I understand."
The problem became even bigger.
The message passed asked the remaining Ad Fein and Alba divisions to move eastward, but the secret message asked the marshal to send the 7th Cavalry Brigade of Dellani and the Nausicaa Division.
There is an essential difference between the two. The Ad Fein Division and the Alba Division belong to the Third Army. The Alba Division is a hybrid division of heavy cavalry and heavy infantry. Although the Ad Fein Division is a pure heavy cavalry division, it has been in Levi before. Most of Asia was knocked out.
The 7th Cavalry Brigade of Dellani and the Nausicaa Division belong to the 4th Cavalry Corps, purebred cavalry units with lighter equipment, greater mobility, and larger numbers.
The marching battle plans for sending these two are completely different.
This cannot be a problem with Peter's executive officer's memory. People who can be promoted to executive officers will never make such mistakes.
There is only one possibility - the emperor does not even trust his own executive officers.
And not only were the legions dispatched different, but the combat purposes were also different. The emperor's secret letter clearly stated that the primary purpose of this battle was to suppress Livia and Aedirn and force the Lannister to once again support the eastern war.
If the Lannister really comes with that weird magic, then the Marshal will send the entire Fourth Cavalry Legion and all the warlocks eastward to capture or destroy the Lannister.
If the Lannister doesn't come or runs away, then the next best thing is to occupy Livia and Lyria and rebuild the right wing of the legion.
...
This is very incredible from a tactical point of view. The emperor seems to have raised the value of the Lannister to a quarter or even a third higher than that of the North.
However, the marshal put down the secret message and after thinking about it again and again, he decided to faithfully carry out His Majesty the Emperor's order, no matter how unbelievable the order was.
There is a reason why the emperor is so suspicious. This shows that the political infighting in the empire has reached a very serious level. At this time, as the pillar of the empire, I can no longer cause trouble to the emperor.
Marshal Menno called over his adjutant and was about to give an order, but his eyes turned to the executive officer who was motionless.
"Did His Majesty give you an order on what to do next?"
The executive lowered his head: "Your Majesty asked me to follow you temporarily."
Menno was silent.
He even forgot to give his adjutant the order to set off the troops.
"I know."
After a while, he said in a complicated tone.
Turning his gaze, he looked towards the west.
Werther, wish yourself well.
——Joachim
de Wit sat at his desk.
There were several sheets of letter paper spread out in front of him, and he was manually copying the original document into several copies.
This kind of work should have been done by an adjutant or a servant, but because the content on the letter was too shocking, Werther did not dare to borrow it from others.
[My like-minded friends:
I heard a very bad rumor in the north. You may not have heard it in the south, or maybe the "person we all know" will deliberately block the news. But I have to say - we may be losing a worthy ally.
It's not just him. In recent days, I have often felt cold in the north. I can feel a biting chill crawling through my bones. There are various signs that I seem to be following our allies... As I write this letter,
I I want to give you a warning that I will continue to fight. But at the same time, we may have to put the plan that we once abandoned on the table again...elect a person who is more qualified to lead us to replace the current violent person who is ungrateful...] Various names in the letter
, The references are vague, but anyone who actually receives this letter will know what it means.
Duke Werther and his friends were very cautious. Even if the letters between them were intercepted, it would be difficult for the imperial intelligence agency to find materials that could be used as evidence in the imperial court.
However, they all ignored the fact that sometimes the emperor did not need evidence at all.
...
After copying the letters with shocking contents, Duke Werther sealed them one by one and kept them close to his body, waiting to be sent out at the appointed time.
Then he walked to the battlements at the top of the fortress, and immediately there were sentries on guard saluting him.
Duke Werther ignored them and just looked down along the jagged fence. Just in time to see the city gate open, another army with a black sun flag was stationed outside the city under the guidance of the sound of horns. Then the officers of the army led the team into the city to register.
"How many people have come to Ortaga Fortress in total?" Duke Witte couldn't help but frowned after hearing this, and asked the adjutant who had been following him step by step with his hand.
The adjutant is familiar with this information every day: "Sir, this is the fifth force in ten days. With their words, there are now 18,000 people gathered in Otaga Fortress." After finishing speaking, the
adjutant Carefully looking at Duke Werther's expression: "The resistance of the people of Sintra has been very strong recently, should we..." "
What strong method?"
The adjutant's words were interrupted by Duke Werther, and his thoughts were stifled and he stumbled. He said quietly: "Their guerrillas are harassing our troops outside everywhere, and they raided Hauchebuz some time ago..." "They are
just guerrillas, can they still attack our fortress?"
The adjutant was completely silent. .
Duke Werther saw the adjutant's expression and snorted: "The Emperor has long since stopped counting on us to capture Sintra. The role of our Western Army now is to build a good passage for Marshal Mennonite to ensure that the people of Sintra do not intercept the cavalry regiment. A way out."
"Yes, sir." The adjutant lowered his head.
The coach has already defined his entire army as a logistics unit. What else does his adjutant want to do?
...
"Sir, there is one more thing." However, even if the coach is decadent, the adjutant cannot just ignore everything.
He suddenly added: "Sir, there have been messages circulating around our fortress recently. It is said that Duke Darcy of the Eastern Group Army was attacked and captured by the Lions, and the Eastern Group Army has now collapsed. The soldiers are so impetuous now, and we are It's not time to gather the commanders of each battalion and brigade to discuss how to solve it..." "
This is not a rumor." Duke Werther interrupted.
"...Huh?"
Even though he had heard many of Duke Werther's outrageous remarks, the adjutant was really stunned by Duke Werther's response this time.
Duke Werther glanced at the adjutant who had lost control of his expression, and said slowly:
"I have heard of that so-called 'rumor' too. Darcy did make a miscalculation, and the Eastern Army did collapse." "
But that rumor included the Lannister The description is like a fairy tale... It can only be said that it really came from the people of Sintra. They can say anything to boost morale." "But no matter what,
Darcy did fail. It shows that the Lannister still has some methods. Therefore, during this period of time, I will not prevent the scattered troops outside from gathering into the fortress. This is the safest approach until the Lannister method is clear." "There is no need for logistics
. Worry, although we were attacked in Hauchebuz, there is still a steady stream of transportation channels coming from the south behind us. It's just that our military line has shrunk again, which is harmless." The adjutant stopped talking
. .
This tortoise-like tactic is harmless to Duke Werther, but it is difficult to accept for other Nilfgaardians who are advancing with great momentum from south to north.
"But if the soldiers are allowed to get confused like this, it may indeed lead to a catastrophe." Duke Werther thought, "Then tonight, you will inform the officers above the lieutenant colonel in each battalion and brigade..."
...
Witt The Duke spoke slowly, but the adjutant's expression gradually changed.
His attention was drawn away from the Duke's instructions and he suddenly looked in one direction.
"Sir!"
The adjutant interrupted Duke Werther for the first time, and the Duke, who was temporarily transferred from the palace to serve as the commander of the Western Army, also saw something wrong on the faces of his soldiers.
From the moment they were talking, the soldiers stationed outside the fortress had jumped to their feet.
The ground shook slightly, and several experienced officers and scouts took the lead in looking in one direction.
Thick clouds spread in the sky, and there was not a single animal on the ground, but it firmly caught everyone's attention.
"What happened?" Duke Werther was in a different state, but he could keenly sense that something was wrong with the atmosphere. "What happened? Answer me!" Duke Werther
lacked military experience. This is why an experienced adjutant is needed to take charge. Advice.
At this moment, the adjutant's expression had become very solemn: "It's the cavalry, sir. Coming from the north."
The ground rumbled and shook, and the sound of the hooves of the large group of cavalry could be heard for miles.
The soldiers outside the fortress were the first to feel it. At this moment, since even the soldiers on the battlements have begun to realize the pace of the cavalry, it means that the enemy is very close to them.
The urgent horn sounded immediately, and the soldiers who were still resting immediately gathered together; everyone's eyes were focused on Duke Werther, waiting for orders.
"The cavalry regiments led by the marshal are all stationed in Upper Soden in the east. The only ones coming from the north are..." "
Cintra people!" Duke Werther gritted his teeth, still wondering, "How dare they attack us? The fortress? Where are our scattered patrols and other security forces outside?" "
During this period, the troops outside have been concentrated in the fortress due to logistical problems, sir!" The adjutant said with cold sweat on his face, "And the scattered patrols encountered familiar terrain. The guerrillas have no chance of coming back!"
"Sir! Please give me the order!"
No matter how much Duke Werther avoids fighting, it does not mean that he is weak.
He is a duke after all.
A series of orders were issued, and the orderly sound of trumpets soon resounded throughout the fortress.
A black tide of soldiers penetrated into the castle in an orderly manner as if they were diverted by a lake, instantly arming the building for war.
Due to the large number of Nilfgaardians, the central fortress could not hold so many people, and more soldiers formed a phalanx around the outside of the fortress, completely turning the fortress, which was like an iron barrel, into a hedgehog.
Soon, the prepared Nilfgaardians saw a silver wavy line starting to rise and fall from the edge of their sight, and armored cavalry began to be caught by the naked eye.
The Three Lions flag fluttered in the air.
"Sure enough, he is from Cintra!"
Duke Werther exclaimed, but he was actually relieved.
The number of enemies was not large, or even too small. It looked like there were less than 5,000 enemies, and I didn't know how many more there were on my side.
...
Thinking of this, Duke Werther's expression relaxed. The troops in Cintra might not even be able to defeat the troops outside the fortress, let alone himself inside the fortress.
"And they are all cavalry, and we are inside the castle. Is Lannister stupid and wants to use cavalry to attack the city? Does he think his horses can fly?" "Blow the trumpet, prepare to meet the enemy
, and put up our flag! "Duke Witte turned back, "Since Lannister has given us a gift, we will not be polite..."
"Ouch - roar -"
"Ouch!!"
Two roars like ancient bells were heard in the soul. The explosion suddenly interrupted Duke Werther's words.
Everyone felt as if someone had slapped them on the back of their heads, their eyes widened sickly, and their necks were raised uncontrollably.
Above the dark clouds in the sky that firmly obscured everyone's sight, two black figures broke through the thick obstacles, bringing wisps of fog to their heads.
"That's..." Duke Werther heard his adjutant mutter to himself, "...a dragon?!"
(End of Chapter)