Chapter 1220 Ludwig's Verbal Promise and Black Fox's Further Expansion of Ambitions
The black fox who continued to destroy along the Saar River successfully returned to Koblenz with a large amount of loot.
The operation was very successful and the harvest was extremely huge. Black Fox couldn't help but feel giddy. It seemed that as long as he had more troops, he could carry out larger-scale destruction, and what he could gain might not be just wealth.
If there is a chance, can we get more land? After all, the farther south you go, the warmer the climate becomes, which is as tempting to northerners as honey.
The Frankish ships that Black Fox knew were some small sampans. It was not because he was ignorant, in fact, all he could see were some small boats.
On the other hand, one's own longships can easily transport thirty or more warriors. Although the warriors can only launch plunder along the river, Frank's main cities are built along the river, which invisibly provides them with plundering opportunities.
"Perhaps, if I have more soldiers, I can still loot Metz."
The young black fox was as fat as a fat seal. He didn't eat well or sleep well during this expedition. He would have been miserable if he hadn't made a fortune.
He was forced to lose some weight, and his keen-eyed subordinates noticed this. Especially himself, the buckle of the wide belt that tied his waist had to be retracted to a hole to buckle it.
After returning, they celebrated their great victory in the village of Nassau, eating freshly slaughtered sheep and drinking real cider.
A large amount of loot was piled up in the village of Nassau. The local militiamen who followed the army on the expedition also moved into their homes with practical loot, and their families counted the money excitedly.
Priest Conrad, wearing a black robe, stood at the dock where the fleet landed with his subordinate priests.
He just watched quietly and whispered frankly: "The most pious people are also bewitched by them. Our countess and her baron husband have become robbers!"
His pessimism was naturally heard by the lower-level priests: "Then, will God punish them?"
"Punishment? Only God knows."
"But they were going to rob. If Rome knew about this, wouldn't they be excommunicated?"
"Excommunication?" Father Conrad smiled bitterly, "Do they really care? After all, they are Normans. Besides..."
Conrad's words came to an abrupt end. As the saying goes, there are things that can be known but cannot be stated. He knew from the beginning that it was true that Black Fox, a fat boy from the north, was robbing people, and that it was also true that he was working for King Ludwig.
To be fair, this guy works quickly, brutally, efficiently and with excellent results.
Besides, the income from the church tithe was deducted, and the monastery desperately needed the funds provided by the countess to live on, which meant that Conrad and other priests passively enjoyed the dividends of plunder.
How to prove that you really destroyed the Saar River Bridge and gained a lot? Some tokens are enough to prove this.
Black Fox has been granted the title of Baron of Wiesbaden. To a large extent, he and Sophia Nassau have obtained Leingau in a geographical sense. The couple are de facto Counts of Leingau, but times have changed, and now there are
, is the Earl of Nassau with a larger territory.
A strong political and military force emerged in the small Lanhe River Valley, which was like acquiring a ferocious dog for Ludwig.
This ferocious dog can also easily injure its owner, so as long as it is well controlled, there will be no problems. Besides, even if there are some problems, they are not the current big problem.
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The autumn harvest season is now, and it is almost a tacit agreement between the two warring parties that there will be no fighting during the last two weeks of the autumn harvest period.
However, in the eyes of his eldest brother, he was the one who must be killed, so Ludwig decided not to talk about martial ethics. In August, during the autumn harvest, he wanted to take the initiative to launch an attack and attack Kaiserslautern along the Roman Avenue.
He did not know whether the "black-hand troops" he sent actually destroyed the Saar River Bridge, but this matter was not very important to the entire war situation. It would be best if the bridge collapsed, even if it did not collapse, it would not delay the entire army's offensive.
A huge problem is plaguing Ludwig. There are problems with too many soldiers. The number of soldiers has expanded to 30,000. Even though there are a large number of armed militia inside, 30,000 mouths need food every day!
Ludwig originally did not have such a large army. He had more than 20,000 troops directly under his command, and the rest of the troops were all allies of the great nobles.
Because the Duke of Saxony, Liudov, really came with an army of five thousand!
The Saxon army was all dressed in black, and the armor rate of the army was very low. However, the soldiers used spears on a large scale. They tried to form a neat team and walked through the Duke's old fiefdom of Westphalia, following the existing Roman roads in a very orderly manner.
They had to walk into Frankfurt close to the edge of the territory of the Margrave of Thuringia, and then reach Mainz along the way. In Liudov's surprised eyes, his five thousand army relied on Ludwig's lease to obtain the Vikings.
The long boat successfully crossed the Inn River.
The supplies carried by the five thousand Saxon troops were limited, and in the end they had to force Ludwig to spend money. The latter was able to obtain a batch of food and money from Cologne to support the army, but he could not last long. There was no war in the winter, and the Eastern Kingdom did not
He did not have the ability to support 30,000 troops stationed until next summer, and he also pinned his hopes on a big victory and directly killed his eldest brother.
Thirty thousand troops may be enough! If the Norman nobleman Paul Black Fox, the Earl of Coblenz-Nassau, whom he just ennobled, and his soldiers can do things smoothly.
So is there a possibility?
"If I directly occupy the entire Saar region, can I directly besiege Strasbourg and capture the city this year? If Lothair is in the city, can I force him to sign an alliance under the city?"
In the final analysis, Ludwig did not want to deny his eldest brother's power, but he could not lose the power given to him by his father.
The nobles of the Eastern Kingdom are increasing their troops, and the Kingdom's army in Kaiserslautern is very aware of this.
Part of Count Metz's army, part of the standing army loyal to Lothair, and even a militia composed of men captured from local villages, they are in Kaiserslautern, a mountain col protected by two mountains, one large and one small.
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A large number of mountain passes in the Palatinate Mountains and the Northern Vosges Mountains can hide troops. The Lauter River flows through Kaiserslautern, and there is a mountain pass with a width of only one kilometer to the north. Perhaps as long as both of the two mountain passes are blocked, the rest of the troops can be hidden.
The army inside is like a turtle in a urn.
Ludwig thought of a good strategy. He needed to have a good chat with his nobles. It was at this time that Black Fox and his wife happily arrived in Mainz with trophies that could prove their achievements.
The ferry area is busy with shipping, and leased longboats are the main transportation force.
"Strange, are you very smart? I thought you were not good at rowing. Oh? What are those? They are actually Saxons? Are they really here?"
Just floating on the river, looking left and right at the black fox, I noticed the expansion of Ludwig's army.
The flag of Rus is very obvious. Currently, the County of Nassau has not designed its own flag. The Black Fox simply still considers itself the Rus army.
Of course, he also had his own ideas. He was nicknamed Black Fox, and the nickname became his name. I'm afraid the nobles of the Eastern Kingdom would jokingly call him "Fox", right?
When the Earl of Nassau's army, wearing blue stripes and white robes, landed, the people on the wharf avoided it. After all, they were genuine Normans. A large number of soldiers from the Eastern Kingdom did not think they were friendly forces and got too close to them.
If not, you will encounter bad luck.
"Ridiculous? Are you still hiding from us?" Wadi was angry and twisted his neck. He didn't want to delay any more, so he persuaded the black fox: "This time, let's not just stand here stupidly. Let's just walk through the city with the loot!"
"I think it will work, no one will dare to stop us."
The Ross flag was held high, and the assembly was completed on the trolley unloaded from the long ship. The wooden boxes on the trolley contained a large number of Frank-style helmets, and even tokens that should prove that Baron Sal was killed.
Just a piece of clothing is enough to force the guards at the gate to retreat in fear.
These Nordic men were as strong as giant bears, and the nobles they guarded were clad in jewels and jewels, and the helmets on those carts clearly recorded their killings.
Which soldier dares to stop it?
Entering the city, Mainz still looked dirty and messy. Although Archbishop Odegaard used Mainz Cathedral as the seat of the bishop, all the priests at that time could not imagine that the city would become a huge military camp.
A large number of wooden shacks have appeared outside the city, and a large number of soldiers live in the shacks. Every day there is a bustle of people outside. The huge army stationed here not only has 30,000 mouths to eat, but also causes great harm to the local residents due to poor discipline.
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Women in villages near Mainz were raped by soldiers from afar, who turned into robbers and stole.
Not only the army of the Margrave of Thuringia did this, but the newly arrived army of the Duke of Saxony also protected the indulgence of its soldiers.
The people could not complain, and even if the news reached the ears of the archbishop, Bishop Ortega could only act as if nothing had happened without conscience.
Ortega can still be a bishop, which essentially means he has made a political deal with Ludwig himself, and he has to endorse all actions of the Eastern Kingdom Army.
As for the armies of the great nobles, Ludwig's attitude could be described as one of love and hate.
The palace guard hurriedly approached the door of Ludwig's palace and cautiously called a great nobleman to request an audience.
Ludwig was awakened from his nap, and when he got up he was very angry. He cursed a few times before asking who was coming.
The guard's heart was pounding, and he said again: "It's a fox! It's a fox! They claim to have really destroyed the Saar River Bridge and killed the local nobles."
"What? The bridge over the Saar River collapsed?"
"Yes! That's what the fox said, and brought a large number of... helmets as evidence."
Now Ludwig woke up quickly. He cleared his throat and roared: "How dare you, the Baron of Wiesbaden whom I have created, can be called a fox by a guard. You! Send a message to the fox...ah, no. Let Wiesbaden be called a fox."
Baron Baden came to see me."
Obviously it was Ludwig who first called the fox a fox, and everyone started calling him a fox.
The black fox didn't think this was an insult. Since he had the king's permission, he put his arm around his wife's shoulders and the two of them walked directly into Ludwig's palace.
Maybe a woman shouldn't go to see the king rashly, unless she is a high-ranking female noble.
Sophia of Nassau is the real countess. She can be called the daughter of the Lanhe River, and she is also the link between the settlements in the Lanhe River Basin and the external Norman army.
No, two young men stood in front of Ludwig. According to his age, he was qualified to be their father.
Ludwig needs obedient nobles who can win the battle for him, and now Black Fox has proven with practical actions that he has full utilization value.
So, in the eyes of the Black Fox, what does the arrogant Ludwig mean now? A king? No! Just a high-status nobleman, nothing more.
Compared to Sophia's restraint, Black Fox is very open-minded. He just won the battle, and now he is arrogant.
"The guards told me that you really destroyed Sarabrücken?" Ludwig asked calmly.
"Of course. After a great battle, I won!"
Looking at the boy's high chin, if there was sunshine now, his chin would be tanned.
Ludwig chuckled: "So, what can you do to prove that you really destroyed it?"
"What, are you questioning me?"
"Why do you ask that? Isn't it a normal suspicion? That is the only way for the southern army to go north, and you destroyed it so easily?"
"We fought some wars. This is not a problem." As he said that, Black Fox shook his head and said arrogantly: "You know that force is very important in this world. In fact, I don't need to defend myself at all. Let's talk about that.
The bridge is not important to me either."
"Oh? So what's important to you?"
"Wealth! What I want is wealth. This time we looted many monasteries, not only destroyed bridges, but also burned down cities and granaries. I took away all the food and wine that could be taken away. And you still have to give
I’ll pay you a favor.”
The more confident he became, the more he made it clear. Ludwig was secretly happy. "What do you want? Money? Land? The king has already consecrated you as Baron Wiesbaden. Isn't that enough?"
"I want more land."
"You? Greedy!" Ludwig said with a smile on his face, but his eyelids were trembling with excitement: "You want me to make you a noble? Do you know that no one has openly asked me for a fief?"
"But I am not a Frank. I am a Russian." Black Fox beat his chest: "My loyalty to you is like betraying Russia. You must give me more rewards."
"You kid!" Ludwig not only bared his wolf-like fangs, "Listen, as the head of the nobles who guard the east of the empire, all I admire are those who open up new territories. You want a fiefdom?"
, then go and fight it yourself, and I can approve the territory you fight."
"This is exactly what I want." Black Fox smiled secretly, "I already have a goal."
"where?"
"Sargao."
"Are you serious? That's not my territory."
Black Fox shook his head: "If the king wins the civil war, wouldn't your elder brother's large fiefdoms be yours? The nobles loyal to your elder brother were killed anyway, and I am loyal to you. I will be a noble in these empty areas. Is there any way?
Isn’t that right? Besides, I was the one who plundered the Saar River, and I like it very much!”
"You? Do you still want to be a great noble?"
"Am I not qualified?" Black Fox said casually: "I don't care, my wife is the real Earl of Nassau, and my son must also be the Earl of Nassau. We have contributed a lot to your civil war, and we deserve more.
What a reward. Give me a good time! Let my wife also serve as Count Salgao."
Sofia had been listening, and when she heard what her husband said, she was so surprised that she kept trembling. She subconsciously felt something was wrong, and when she thought about it carefully, she felt guilty. After all, the army that looted the Saar River was essentially the Nassau Army, and she wanted to do the looting.
Du Ze.
But Sophia has no interest in killing and will scream in shock when she sees a dead body.
Looking at the surprised face of the little girl, her eyes seemed to be resisting. Is resisting useful? Ludwig pinched his beard and couldn't help but think about it. The so-called Black Fox group would not have thought of this if they failed.
The delusion must be based on the annihilation of Count Salgao's family and their replacement by tenants. It is estimated that the Black Fox has really succeeded.
Besides, if the war ends with peace talks, the territory of the Eastern Kingdom must be expanded southward to the Saar River, and the entire Lainland region serves as a strategic buffer. What would happen if the great nobles here were the Nassau family of Black Fox and Sophia?
Baron Sal was related to many nobles in the south, so Black Fox would offend too many people by raising his troops to kill him. How could such a good thing happen if a stupid boy was willing to act as a shield?
Ludwig didn't know whether this kid was really confident or cutely stupid, or if he had a conspiracy.
It doesn't matter, the army is about to go south, and now that there is an additional black fox joining, I am even stronger.
Even before he had time to appreciate the trophies brought back by the black fox, Ludwig had already made a major decision, even if it was only verbal now.
"Okay, I'll name you Count Salgao. As long as you like it, you will naturally bear any risks."
"That's natural. If I didn't have this awareness, I wouldn't make such a request." Black Fox said.
It is said that Black Fox's move was not a whim. He did raise troops to plunder the Saar River. However, the local climate and scenery were better than Nassau. At that time, cider and cherry wine were abundant, and the environment was good enough to produce more.
wine.
These wines can be exported to the north on a large scale. The black foxes who pursue wealth want to understand this and want to replace them. As for the local people who are indiscriminately killed, it doesn't matter. They can occupy the territory first and immigrate from the northern fiefdom to the south in the future.
Black Fox just wants to prove his abilities to his relatives and friends, and he will never let go of this opportunity.