Chapter 1210 General Tristan who is not an earl is better than an earl
Blue Fox doesn't care about the rain at all. As long as the team follows the previous speed, they can retreat to the riverside camp in Maastricht in two days. Even if it rains, the army can camp on the spot and wait. Anyway, there is not much loot. The grain was seized, and the rest of the spoils did not matter to Linshui.
What he was most worried about was still being attacked by a sneak attack, and his continued worry even made him a little nervous. His eyes were especially fixed on the young men of the Seventh Flag. This group of brats were too hot, and many of them took off their Russian army robes. Folded down, like many rough adults, they walked in line with their thin shoulders and backs exposed. This group of half-grown men had more or less wonderful tattoos on their bodies, many of which were domineering.
This surprised Princess Gisla.
She has already learned that those young Norman warriors are generally only twelve years old. What did the Normans grow up on? At the age of twelve, they are basically adults. She had to take off their shirts when the warriors who were too hot did not notice this. People are not strong enough yet.
The entire army was led by soldiers wearing breastplates. They rolled up their sleeves one after another, and their helmets were tied with ropes to the belt buckles on the sides of the breastplates. Their pure gold-like hair shone in the scorching sun.
How can it not be hot? Old Grund persisted. Fortunately, the whole army was not short of water.
In this way, the elite of the Russian army both personally set an example and drove from the rear. The plundering army carrying a large amount of loot could be regarded as maintaining a compact team that stretched for two kilometers.
Thanks to the hard rammed earth of the Aachen Avenue, the Roman-crafted road gave the Russian army the basis for a calm evacuation, which naturally also made it easier for possible Frankish pursuers.
They passed Liangyou Village smoothly. Most of the corpses of the slave workers they had slaughtered before were not buried. Many corpses were still in the streets and alleys of the villages and towns, and even lying next to the mainland. When the army passed by, foxes eating carrion hurriedly escape.
Now, another "fox" is back with the army and land.
Helplessly enduring the indescribable stench, the army passed by Liangqian Village and even passed the bridge over the Geul River.
This bridge was marked early on during the operation, and it still survives today entirely because Blue Fox wants to leave a way for itself to retreat.
When the entire army passed the bridge one after another, the two centurions at the end were ordered to carry forest axes and smash all the most critical wooden beams of the bridge. After a sweaty operation, the bridge collapsed.
Is this the only bridge across the Geul River? I'm afraid there are others, but it is this bridge that ensures the smooth flow of the Aachen Avenue.
The bridge collapsed, and Blue Fox's heart was at ease.
In this way, the possible enemy forces will not be able to follow the traces of the coalition forces and fight back. In just one day, the coalition forces can return to the starting point, and then they will gather for the second time and withdraw gloriously back to the mouth of the Inn River.
In fact, for Gisla and Alicia, they used to be canaries raised in the palace. At most, they could approach the city wall of Aachen. It was wishful thinking to leave the city without the king's permission.
Everything they saw now was novel. They saw dense forests, farmland and dark shadows in the distance. It was obvious that they were ordinary people's villages.
The canary flew out of the birdcage, they gained freedom, and basically lost the protection of the palace wall. They had to face the real and cruel world.
Just like in the bright lead village that she passed by, the rotting corpses exuded a stench. Gisla couldn't help but cover her mouth and nose after witnessing the horror. Her scalp was numb and her whole body was trembling. She had obviously witnessed horrific killings in Aachen, but now she was even more... Feeling an unforgettable fear.
What happened to the Normans? Those teenagers could at most cover their noses, and then still maintained an orderly queue, as if they were used to death and didn't care about it.
Everyone is eager to bring a large amount of loot back to the camp on the Maas River as soon as possible and transport it to the boat.
Everyone believed that the companions in the camp over there were impatient to wait. Due to the bad summer heat, those guys would jump into the river to swim and bathe for fun. On the other hand, they had to endure the heat and continue marching.
The bridge has been demolished, is it still necessary to continue wearing armor?
The first standard troops of the Standing Army wore breastplates and spontaneously went bare-backed. The golden hair on their chests and backs could not hide the most domineering tattoos. Some guys even had the image of a dragon-headed longship tattooed on their body.
They returned to the camp happily singing northern songs. So, was the camp really safe and sound?
After Blue Fox's attack on Aachen, the main army was passively cut off from the remaining camp and the Swedish army stationed in Maastricht. Blue Fox had no idea whether they encountered good or bad things.
He was worried about being attacked by the Franks, which was obviously very likely to happen. Therefore, when the victorious coalition finally returned to the camp, another situation unfolded in front of the army.
His eyes were as sharp as those of other northerners, and the Maas River was relatively wide. Even so, he still saw a cross flag flying in the city, especially on the city wall.
"It's weird, since when did the people of Mellaren believe in God?! No! It's a scam!"
Blue Fox was taken aback. He first ordered the elite Russian troops at the head of the team to be on alert immediately. With the front team setting an example, as the road became crowded, the soldiers in the rear team also had to be alert.
Grund hurriedly put on his iron helmet. His eyesight had declined due to aging and he could not see clearly the flag in the distance. A soldier with outstanding eyes among his subordinates explained what he saw, and he became equally nervous.
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He approached Blue Fox, and the two wily guys got together.
"The front is obviously our camp, but I feel it's too empty on the other side of the river." Grund estimated nervously: "I suspect it is some kind of counterattack launched by the Frank army."
"I think so too. I don't believe that their army is a bunch of idiots. If their heavy cavalry suddenly comes and kills..."
"What are you going to say? Are you talking about the Elbe River?" Grund couldn't help but think of the bloody battle that happened to him.
"Yes. If the elite heavy cavalry really rushes over, will the Mellaren people be defeated?"
"Then continue to advance vigilantly. I will now order the soldiers to put on full armor and stomach."
Blue Fox patted Grund on the shoulder: "You have to work. And I also have to wear armor."
The horn began to sound, and the Ross Army's Maas River camp was immediately attracted by the sound of the horn. The soldiers, who were quite depressed, hurriedly looked towards the Aachen Avenue and looked towards the depths of the road. In their ears was the most unique Nordic horn, among which the Ross people
You can hear the meaning behind the melody of the trumpets, and the figures in the distance begin to reflect violently in the afternoon sun. There is no doubt that they are the expeditionary troops that everyone is talking about.
They are back!
Like a dying tree coming back to life, the Russians, Mellarens, and Danes who stayed behind all rejoiced.
Bjorn, who is the most depressed in spirit, is in a more complicated mood now. He is happy that the friendly forces have finally arrived, but also sad about his current embarrassing appearance.
To be fair, Bjorn's ability to lead a group of Swedish warriors to the other side of the Maas River is already a manifestation of the gods.
Because, after a lot of efforts by the fugitives and messengers, the news of the attack on Maastricht and Liege was finally delivered to a key general.
Tristan, a standing army general who was born in the king's bodyguard, is a man with the title of "Marcas". Lothair can give him a fief, and even promise to grant him the status of earl. He can do this but deliberately uses it as a bait to drive Tristan
Ristan always gives his best.
The officers of Lothair's standing army can eventually become vassal nobles, spending their old age in a certain fiefdom with titles of different levels, and the titles are hereditary to the next generation. Each banner captain can theoretically obtain a baron title in the end, and then
They were assigned their own territory during the great geographical reshuffle after the civil war.
It is fair to say that Lothair was not as good as his father Louis the Pious, and Louis was not as good as his father Charlemagne.
The abilities of the members of the royal family were simply decreasing from generation to generation. When Lothair took control of the power, he was unable to eliminate his younger brothers and had absolute power, so he took the initiative to provoke a civil war. He also did not maintain a standing army of 150,000 people like his grandfather the Great.
With his super courage and ability, the standing army inherited to the present is really a gold-swallowing behemoth. Obviously, the most cost-effective way is to maintain a small number of personal soldiers, rely on the troops of nobles from various places, and piece together a joint army in the name of Frank during the war.
The war can be won.
The nobles of the imperial faction should be rewarded and used to win the civil war. The standing army on hand should also be aristocratic, and officers who lack titles and titles can be canonized at the appropriate time.
Lothair believed that the right time was just after the victory of the Civil War.
However, for the strategic garrison in Brussels, which has actually expanded to ten banner corps, with a total strength of nearly 5,000 people, Supreme Commander Tristan is enough to scare many great nobles.
This person was a close vassal of Lothair and was stationed in Brussels. This person had the power to recruit troops and was authorized to use local taxes. Brussels originally belonged to the old count of Masgao, but now it is a pure bishopric. Of course, Lothair can be granted another title.
A Count of Masgao, perhaps this person is Tristan.
Many junior officers recognized this possibility. The general defended the peace of the western territory for the king and deserved a major reward.
He was so valued by Lothair that when he learned that the barbaric Normans were destroying all the way along the Meuse River and even destroying two large cities, he was furious and felt that he had failed the king's love.
If he couldn't regain the tranquility of the entire Maas River, he might as well die on the battlefield.
The army under his command has expanded to ten flag corps. Due to the current situation, four of the flag corps are purely infantry. The soldiers composed of local villagers still need to be trained. Fortunately, the weapons and equipment of these people are much better than those of the previous Liège militia.
One and a half stars.
The main garrison in Brussels must be retained. For security reasons, Tristan weighed it again and decided to take a risk.
It has been half a year. If the Flemish people take the initiative to attack, they should take action. It is almost the autumn harvest season, and they will never stop the farming season and attack.
Completely different from them, the Frankish army in Brussels relies on the transportation of material supplies from the rear for a large part of its supplies. The current situation is that the rear communication lines are cut off. Of course, the army can persist in frugality, but after doing so, the combat effectiveness of the entire army will be reduced.
will gradually weaken.
The most dangerous thing is next year. If a large number of farmers are unable to harvest the golden autumn wheat due to war, not to mention how these farmers will survive next year, the army's supplies next year will be greatly reduced.
As long as the Normans entrenched on the Meuse River don't get out, the entire area will be in trouble.
No, General Tristan placed all the infantry in the military camp and ordered the talkers in the nearby villages to form strongholds to protect themselves. The border with Flanders County was completely on the defensive, so he decided to personally bring the infantry with him.
The motorized cavalry of three banner corps stormed Maastricht.
He did not act alone. The attacking army encountered Count Lamontgau's army coming from the direction of Liège.
What is the situation in Liège? The city was destroyed, the ruins of the cathedral are still smoldering, and entire residential areas are in ruins. In the future, people will have to rebuild the city on scorched earth.
What is even more terrifying is the river beach next to the looted and destroyed fortress. There is a stench that can stun people. Everywhere you look, there are soldiers who died in battle. No one is collecting their corpses. Wild wolves and foxes are eating the dead.
The crows flying in the sky create a hell-like scene here.
Count Ramengau is the Count Gilbert who stole Lothair's third princess.
The kidnapping of the princess can be described as a scandal among the nobles. Tristan admires this kid for being a ruthless person, that's all.
This time, however, the two armies met near Maastricht.
One side has just experienced strong mental stimulation in the ruins and battlefields of Liege, and the other side is rushing towards the target city with all its strength.
Both sides that met lit up their flags, and nothing can be more representative than a high-flying cross flag.
The two armies met, and both sides negotiated. Both sides were surprised by the identity of the other party.
The kidnapping method of marrying a princess was deemed legal this year. Now, as Lothair's son-in-law, the young and passionate Count Ramengau feels the need to prove his masculine charm in front of his wife.
He was only in his early twenties, and he was more willing to prove that he was a loyal minister to the king than to destroy the Normans.
The two loyal ministers gathered the existing cavalry together, and a behemoth of two thousand cavalry was born!
Only Count Ramongao brought his urgently recruited militia. These relatively large infantry forces were still dilly-dallying, and now they were given an important task - to collect the bodies of the victims everywhere in the ruins of Liege, which continued to smolder.
.
This will be an excruciating process. After all, many days have passed since the Russian army left. It has rained and been exposed to the sun. There are more than 3,000 dead bodies near the entire town of Liege. The arduous operation of collecting corpses is enough to torture the soldiers.
Mental breakdown.
The count explained this to Tristan in horror. Even in his full blood, he sighed: "I have never seen such a battlefield! The corpses of our army's dead are everywhere. What the refugees who fled to my territory said
It's all true. Those Normans killed the poorest of all, and they clearly wanted to kill every Frank. We must eradicate them completely, tooth for tooth."
Liege was in ruins, and Maastricht, which was occupied by the Normans, must have been in equally bad shape.
This is indeed the case. On the battlefield outside the city, the Russian coalition forces had no time to collect the corpses of the Frank army. Now that the Swedish Mellaren Army in the coalition forces is staying in the city for nothing, they will not go to collect the corpses. Thanks.
The southerly wind has been blowing in recent days, and the stench from the battlefield in the city will only continue to drift north. The Swedish army in the city is still feasting and dancing.
Most of these Swedish warriors were debtor farmers and debt slaves. They snapped up money and now unscrupulously filled their stomachs with the food in the warehouse. Taking advantage of this perfect opportunity, the warriors ate and drank every day.
Everyone gained weight in a short period of time, so much so that the belt buckle had to be moved back one or two holes.
However, the Frankish army came.
Hundreds of Swedes and a small number of Danish fishermen occupy the city of Maastricht. How can these few people hold the entire city? Not to mention the commander, Count Bjorn of Mälaren, since he abdicated
The King of Sweden, now that he has taken such a big advantage, his heart naturally swells again.
He drank ale all day long in the city, gorged on wheat, jam, cheese, and had red meat every day. The gluttony of a rich man was vividly displayed, and he was worthy of the blue fox's rebuke: he is just a big man from the north.
Just a landlord.
The occupied city had no defense at all, the city gates were always open, and the Swedish soldiers were dispersedly distributed.
The Frankish army that rescued the city was all cavalry. Horse hooves stirred up endless mud on the still wet ground after the rain. A large cavalry army suddenly appeared in the west of the city. They were almost a step away from the city wall but not a single Swede noticed it.
There are even some guys who have drunk too much ale but are not good at curing hangovers. They sit in the city square with the guys and tilt their heads. There are also a large number of people who still carry tools and hit the stone wall in order to hear the empty sound.
The sound and image determined that there was a hidden treasure in the dark room.
Is it an empty city strategy? The city gates are open, and the whole city feels deserted. Could it be that the Normans have left? Or may there be an ambush?
When Tristan was stationed in Brussels, he learned some stories from the past. The so-called small army of Flanders had carried out sneak attacks for the purpose of robbery. Some of the so-called enemies were actually the real Danes who dominated the Port of Durist back then.
people.
Danes are Normans! This is Tristan's simple understanding. Anyway, in his opinion, a guy with blond hair, tattoos, a big buckler and who is good at sailing is a Norman, or a Dane, no matter what his name is.
.
He ordered the mixed cavalry, which was continuing on its way and had become somewhat chaotic, to pause and rest.
"Why stop? The door is open, let's rush in directly." The young Count Gilbert of Ramongo urged impatiently.
"No. We are afraid of an ambush by the Normans. When the cavalry enters the city, we may encounter a sneak attack in the streets."
"Forget it. What we need now is courage! Uncle, have you lost your courage because you are old?" The count was very rude to Tristan. After all, he is the legal son-in-law of Lothair and is now serving in the army.
A critical moment for the father to relieve his worries.
He called on all Ramon's high cavalry, completely ignoring the command of Tristan, who had greater individual combat effectiveness, and rushed into Maastricht at the head of the army.
"Damn it! You reckless fool!" Gritting his teeth, Tristan simply drew his sword and called on the entire army to rush into the city from the west gate without blowing trumpets.
As a result, the Swedish Mälaren soldiers, who had fainted after eating and drinking in the city, encountered a strong attack by the Frankish cavalry. Even though the streets in the city were not conducive to cavalry operations, the unsuspecting Swedes were even more disadvantaged.
In an instant, the Swedish army collapsed. The bodies of the killed could not be dragged away, the wounded were deliberately trampled to death by Frankish horses, and the surviving people ran away without even bothering to take the soft goods.
Bjorn himself was also dragged to the pier, carried by his own soldiers onto a longboat, and then rushed to the Russian camp on the other side to survive.
However, the Frank cavalry rushed all the way to the dock. The Swedish soldiers and Danes who could escape had already withdrawn to the other side. There were not many people who had successfully escaped. The worst thing was that a large amount of loot was still in the city. Even! Some of them were long.
Because the ship had no time to row away, it was unexpectedly captured by Frankish cavalry.
Thanks to the help of the wounded rehabilitators of the Ross army, they took the missing bows and made an emergency rowing trip on the Meuse River. They took advantage of the Frank cavalry's disadvantage of not being able to enter the water, and forced them back with missing arrows and torque slingshots.
It had to be this way, and the Swedes got their ships back. The sad result was that the city camp was lost, and Bjorn had to face a painful reality. He was responsible for his arrogance and negligence after his victory.