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Ludwig was caught in a conflict. He wanted to use these Russians as a group of vicious dogs to bite him mercilessly in order to weaken Lothair. If he did this, it would be a blasphemy against his faith.
To consecrate a baroness, Sophia is just an ordinary girl who seems to be a bit greedy. He is interested in the man next to this girl - the black fox of the Gould family.
Biquge
The blue fox that he loves and hates will leave, and the one who will stay in Nassau in the future is the little fat black fox. This kid is fat and has the unique impulse of young people, and his eagerness to build a career can be exploited.
Ludwig needed to think carefully, so he arranged for the few people who came to the city to live in the city.
Are you stationed in the really unimpressive city of Mainz?
Blue Fox reluctantly gave Ludwig some face, and by the way, he took a closer look at the bizarre life in this city under the rule of the Eastern Kingdom.
A large number of refugees stayed in the city with nothing to do, relying on the bread crumbs given by the priests and the watery wheat porridge to survive. Some women even resorted to blasphemy in order to survive, secretly having relations with the garrison, just to get a mouthful of food.
There was always a stinky smell in the air, and Blue Fox noticed that the residence provided for him by the so-called noble Ludwig was quite ordinary.
At least the stone building is sturdy enough, and the interior decoration is really simple. There are wooden beds but no bedding, and no other furniture.
The worst thing is that there are no toilets in the building, which makes them quite dissatisfied after adapting to life in the north.
"Weird thing. Does that king want us to defecate in the corner openly?" Black Fox complained with a suppressed voice. After all, he had just found a secluded place to resolve such private matters during the previous secret banquet.
"Otherwise? What do you think is going on with Dandan's stench?"
"It's really dirty." The Black Fox, who understood, lowered his face and said angrily: "It's better to live outside the city. They think they are noble, but they are not as good as us, who keep the village of Nassau in order."
"I advise you to calm down. This is that guy's territory. Continue to be humble and sell him face, even if it is just for show."
"It doesn't matter...she is the woman who has suffered me."
The two brothers complained to each other. Now that they had really shared the joys and sorrows with Ludwig, they couldn't feel how much of a king this guy looked.
Their entourage also moved into the same building one after another, each made a bunk on the floor, and all of them slept in their clothes under the hint of Blue Fox, holding the sword in their arms to guard against any unexpected events.
The poor hard bed made it difficult for the two of them to sleep soundly. At least Sofia slept well, perhaps because the black fox's fat belly was really comfortable to rest on.
Early in the morning in Mainz, the settlers started cleaning up the filth. The drainage system built by the Romans had basically collapsed, leaving only stone-paved main roads with grooves on both sides. Soldiers and civilians were throwing these things away, and they did not shy away from looking at them.
For the most commonplace thing.
The blue fox and the black fox had to follow the local customs. On the wall of the toilet, I saw that a lot of whitish things had long been deposited here.
It's soil saltpeter, which can be used as a combustion-supporting tool.
"Hey, brothers, don't be too busy pinching your noses, don't be too dirty. Use a knife to cut the wall here, and we'll add some combustion-supporting powder." The experienced Blue Fox ordered his subordinates to follow the instructions.
The efficiency of using a bow drill to make fire is good. If you pour the specially collected white powder while drilling wood, the ignition speed will be even higher. The Vikings discovered the use of natural saltpeter in their wild life, and then a few people
I started to collect it consciously, and now I started to make it intentionally.
Being in Mainz, Blue Fox and his party felt that this was an inferior barracks. The city was a mixed bag of people. It was visible to the naked eye that there were infantrymen wearing armor and cavalry everywhere, and there were cavalry cruising back and forth. Farmers wearing ordinary civilian clothes stepped on them.
Some rotten leather boots were driving a thin old horse, dragging a wooden cart filled with withered grass. The pile of withered grass was extremely high, and there were many wooden carts. It was obvious that someone was hoarding grain and grass intensively.
These grasses must be the winter reserves of the war horses. They gathered them in large quantities, and the blue fox was able to judge that Ludwig would be on the defensive from now on in late summer and early autumn.
"Thousands of soldiers have been lost and thousands more have died. Do you really have endless soldiers? If so, how long can you use them up? You have already lost 30,000 and now you have lost another 3,000. You are really not a smart king. You are not good at fighting at all."
." Blue Fox has secretly identified Ludwig as a king with noble status but not good at fighting and governing the country.
The Ross army and their large ships docked at the riverside. It was the first time for the standing army of the Eastern Kingdom in the city to see these "winners from the north" up close. A group of their colleagues died in the battle in the north, or the brothers had hatred in their hearts, but now the king
To make peace with the northerners, it is true that there is no way to vent their hatred. Now is the opportunity to carefully observe this group of new northerners with the identity of "Russ". Everyone does not dare to go to negotiate in person, so they can only watch from a distance with wide eyes.
It was indeed just a crowd of meddlesome warriors at first, but as the group of northerners openly set up a bargaining court in their riverside camp and listed some valuable goods, the transaction took place.
Because these standing army soldiers with salary stayed in Mainz, which was devastated by the war and fell into poverty. Even though they were always receiving salary, they could not buy anything good.
Merchants? Merchants pursue profit but are worried about war. Ever since the news spread that Ludwig forced a group of merchants to conscript goods last year, the traveling merchants who wandered around regardless of the division of noble territories stopped in Cologne and did not dare to come to Mainland again.
We do business in inland areas such as Frankfurt and Frankfurt.
The Norman Rus came up with two good things: common iron tools and coarse salt.
Especially salt!
In fact, Ludwig's fiefdom was not short of salt at all. His headquarters was Bavaria. This Bavaria is a big concept that includes the eastern jurisdiction, that is, Austria. There is a town named Salzburg in it.
, its original meaning is exactly "Yancheng".
The Salzburg salt mine was a very important source of wealth for Ludwig. Before the outbreak of the Civil War, he also made money by transporting rock salt to the northern Italian region in the south. He also used the salt to treat the slave Slavic Sorbs under his control, as well as people from Tulin.
Genhou earns profits in his hands.
The trouble is that the main force of the army is in Mainz, and the transportation cost of Salzburg salt is high. Unless the transportation is replaced by the Russian Viking longship, which then continuously moves on multiple rivers to reduce costs with high maneuverability.
Carrying heavy armor ordnance to participate in high-intensity military operations, the physical strength of the standing army was severely weakened. Their bodies were forced into a low-salinity state, which inhibited physical recovery and inhibited the progress of future military operations. Although Ludwig has been forcing Bavaria
The delivery effect of recruiting new soldiers and supplies to Mainz was really unsatisfactory.
The soldiers are not necessarily qualified. The Frankish standing army was adopted from the military household system reshaped by Charlemagne. The eldest son took over after his father died in battle. He was incorporated into the flag corps and served the king for generations. From generation to generation, he received the salary and the land granted by the monarch. These things.
The new recruits were not yet qualified, and the news of the defeat in the north had just returned to Bavaria. Those young men had to accept the sad news that their father had died in battle. In principle, they had already joined the kingdom's army, and they were still far from becoming qualified standing army soldiers. Even so,
Ludwig still ordered his subordinates in the rear to compile military boys who were fifteen years old and above. Even if they were unarmed, they had to transport them to Mainz as soon as possible, trying to deliver them before winter.
All kinds of personnel and materials must first be assembled in Regensburg, and then travel overland to the earldom of Grapfeld (the area on the upper Main River west of today's Nuremberg), passing through the fiefdom of Count Heinrich Poppo.
And here they will arrive directly at Frankfurt on the Main River via water transport on the Main River for general assembly.
Poor land transportation and poor water transportation capabilities restricted Ludwig from recruiting troops from his rear to the front. In fact, if Count Grapfield hadn't helped the king secure logistical routes, Ludwig would have been able to recruit troops in the United States.
Died due to internal strife on the front line.
A batch of salt obtained by the Russians from the Atlantic was sold at the temporary market in Mainz. One party was willing to sell and the other was willing to buy. The price offered by the Russians was actually higher, but the Mainz garrison had no choice.
Those Russians, they started doing business as soon as they arrived!
Ludwig observed this situation. He appreciated Blue Fox and his people for delivering key supplies to him, but unfortunately it could not solve the big problem.
After some thought, he suddenly had an idea: "They can indeed do things that are inconvenient for me to do."
Ludwig was still struggling with morality, faith and reality, and finally made a decision after going through a difficult ideological struggle.
So he secretly recruited Fred, the newly-promoted flag captain, to his palace.
Facing the Eastern King, Fred bowed obediently.
"No need to be formal. Fred, I must not have been assigned to my eldest brother's army as I wished. Now that you are loyal to me, is it indeed voluntary?" Ludwig asked straightforwardly and deliberately.
There is something in the words.
"Your Majesty, I voluntarily serve you."
"There is no basis for what you say. Now that you and your people are eating my military rations, how can you prove that you are truly loyal? You have to do something for me."
Fred consciously guessed it and beat his chest: "The other flag troops don't care. If the king wants to start a new battle, my brothers and I will fight with blood."
"That's what you said! Very good. Do you... know anything about Trier?"
"This..." Fred, who was stunned for a moment, rolled his eyes very fast. He was silent for a while and asked cautiously: "Does the king want our brothers to attack Trier?"
"Yes, not entirely. How much do you know about the local situation? Is there any Lothair garrison there?"
"There... there is a flag detachment stationed there, with about four hundred people. The flag captain is called Backhouse, and he is my colleague."
"Is this true?" Ludwig pinched his curly beard and widened his eyes with murderous intent: "Is he still your colleague now? No. This old colleague of yours will die."
"..." Fred felt that there was going to be a bloody storm, but Trier was too far from Mainz.
However, when he learned of Ludwig's real intention, he was so shocked that sweat was oozing from every pore in his body. He secretly cursed in his heart that this king was actually possessed by Satan, or that what he planned to do was to sell his soul to the devil.
.
Fred was already stuttering: "Really...really want this? They...allow them to go to Trier to destroy?"
"That's right. Just destroy it! It's not my fief anyway, and I don't intend to take it. You! I have already given Coblenz to the new Baron of Nassau, who is actually the group of Normans who captured you.
I plan to let them do this kind of thing, and I really need a guide, and you are obviously very suitable. Don't tell me that you refuse because of your conscience! To hell with your conscience! Lothair won't let me live.
I am your brother, so don’t blame me for being ruthless. Just lead those Normans to the right place, and any killings have nothing to do with you. Don’t worry, if God wants to punish me, he will punish me.”
Fred really couldn't refuse. Ludwig intended to reward and punish him for refusing. Out of his instinct to seek benefits and avoid disadvantages, he could only bite the bullet and agree.
Ludwig has figured out the bottom line of the Eastern Kingdom in this civil war. The area enclosed by Coblenz and the Saar River, that is, half of the Saar region (Linland and the Palatinate) will return to the Eastern Kingdom, and the rest will be returned to the Eastern Kingdom.
The territory is divided according to the treaty made by the previous king. Even if his strength is greatly weakened, he can still use the treaty of the northerners to borrow troops to help him regain face on the battlefield.
Besides, in the long run, it is not certain who will use whom! In the bitter cold land of the north, the so-called Russian troops that Ludwig saw have all been converted. As long as a large number of brave northerners convert and stationed in Nassau, he can
At the worst possible outcome, Nassau could be renamed from a barony to a count. This way, it would gain a group of powerful and powerful supporters, and its strength would be restored quickly.
At this stage, they have to exchange enough money and food for their work. The subordinates of the "Fox Brothers" are like a mercenary group. I don't have the money to pay them for the time being, but I can point them to a "treasure here", which should be able to exchange for them.
Combat strength.
After a few days of silence, the secret meeting between Ludwig and Blue Fox resumed.
Just like the first time, there was no red tape for the military aristocrats, Ludwig did not prepare a banquet, and he went straight to the point and directly stated his idea: "I will arrange an opportunity for you to make a fortune."
Opportunity to make a fortune? This time only Blue Fox and Black Fox participated. Although they were very interested, they didn't know why Ludwig, who was obviously not rich, said this.
"Can you give me a pile of gold?" Blue Fox asked deliberately.
"No. However, someone has a lot of gold. You can get it yourself. Listen, from your latest possession, Koblenz, push all the way upstream along the Moselle River. Arrive at the city called Trier.
The town is quite wealthy, but unfortunately they are loyal to Lothair. I authorize you to loot as much as you want. The looted property is yours. You can even burn Trier to the ground."
"This is a good opportunity to fight!" Black Fox was the first to hold back and was extremely excited.
Blue Fox pulled his younger brother's shoulders and looked at Ludwig: "It seems that the operation will go very smoothly? Can we make a fortune easily? I don't believe it. Since the local area is rich and it is Lothair's territory, the area must be heavily guarded.
.How can I trust you?”
Ludwig shrugged: "The opportunity to make a fortune is right in front of you. You can choose not to go. If you intend to go, I can provide guide support." After that, he clapped his hands, and a stony-faced Fred appeared and said
Stand beside him.
"That's him? A prisoner?" Blue Fox glanced with disdain.
"You are not a prisoner now, but one of my flag captains. He knows Trier very well and can help you succeed. Your ships are superior and you have many people, and he is also willing to support some of your warriors."
Then, Ludwig changed his words: "Paul Black Fox, is that your name? Your fiancée is just a little girl, and you are the de facto new Baron of Nassau. I admire you very much and authorize you to
You launch this attack. In this way, I send some soldiers to help you attack, which is a joint action between me and you. Listen, Black Fox, I need talented nobles now, and you do have talent. Think about it,
By doing things for me, you can build up great achievements, help me agree to the civil war, and your fiefdom will be bigger in the future. I don't know how you are in your hometown, but here, you will become stronger."
To be honest, the blue fox was disgusted with Ludwig's words. Looking at his younger brother's eyes that were spitting fire, he was convinced that his younger brother had gone crazy.
Forget it! The second son, third son, etc. of the Gould family can only inherit a little bit of the family wealth at most. The brothers must prosper based on their abilities. Now that my brother has a chance, how can he not kill me?
Blue Fox no longer hesitated and made a decision on behalf of his younger brother: "Okay! We will march. We just don't need your people, so we can handle this ourselves. We will act according to the cruel methods of the northerners, and we will not even fight.
We will fly under your banner, not under the name of Nassau. We are northerners! Now the northerners are here! Without some constraints, we can let go."
In other words, these guys also broke the promise they made when they converted. Ludwig had nothing to say, and he himself was half-hearted.
There were only three nobles in the secret meeting. The flames in the room were trembling, and the murderous aura in the room was leaking out. The three of them had already sentenced Trier to death, but the locals had no idea...