The evening wind was blowing sharply and the night was already deep.
The long forest belt under the Baibu Mountains is quiet and peaceful.
Next to the small lake close to the forest, there was the sound of neat footsteps of soldiers' boots tapping the ground along with the passing soldier patrols from time to time.
The movement of the illuminated magic light ball suspended in mid-air reflected the outline of a huge camp.
This is where the vanguard army of the Second Prince's force is stationed.
This temporary military camp, tightly enclosed by sharpened solid wooden fences, is located in the corner between the forest and the lake.
This location can undoubtedly rely on the terrain to the maximum extent to ensure the safety of the camp.
A large number of Luzhai and Juma were also deployed outside the camp.
However, unlike the solid wooden fences that occasionally shimmer with magical light, these obstacles are not coated with anti-magic coatings.
At a glance, in this temporary military camp built by the lake, there are a large number of animal skin tents neatly arranged, and a large number of wooden archery towers are erected around it.
Due to the hasty garrison, most of these archery towers were built relatively low, but they could accommodate more archers to be deployed in them, which corresponded to the infantry regiment, which was mainly composed of longbowmen and light and heavy infantry.
However, compared with the closely defended opponent's cavalry regiment, the vigilance force in this Second Prince's regiment was undoubtedly much lazier.
Under the quiet moonlit night, whether they were in the arrow tower, at the entrance of the camp, or on patrol inside and outside the camp, the soldiers all looked listless, and many of them were yawning incessantly.
Since the station is far away from Kongqing Town, these soldiers of the Second Prince's Pioneer Corps marched quickly under the stars at night.
Compared with the larger prince's vanguard legion, although the marching speed is slower, in order to prevent the opponent's cavalry from attacking halfway, there is almost no rest in the middle, and the nerves must be kept tight at all times.
In addition, when we first arrived at the place, we worked non-stop and started logging nearby to build a camp.
As a result, even though almost all of these soldiers condensed energy vortices, most of them were still exhausted, resulting in their current state of malaise.
Not far from the Chinese army's tent, in a very ordinary-looking tent, a muscular middle-aged man dressed in high-end aristocratic clothing was pacing slowly with a straight face and furrowed eyebrows.
Surrounding him were a group of strong men exuding impressive aura.
Half of these powerful men were wearing fine leather armor, while the other half were wearing plate armor or heavy armor, and there were also a few magicians wearing robes.
Needless to say, this is the core of the Second Prince's vanguard army, the real tent of the Chinese army.
And that sturdy middle-aged man dressed in high-end noble clothing is none other than the commander of this vanguard army, Marquis Eriton.
This person also has another identity, that is, the current city lord of Gray Rock City and another affiliated city.
"Lord Eriton, everything is settled now. All we have to do is watch the fire from the other side and wait for the main army to arrive."
I saw a middle-aged staff officer wearing a green robe step forward and bow to report.
"You've done a great job. Even if you lend Navns his courage, I'm afraid he won't dare to take the initiative to provoke us and others. These pampered traditional nobles are just a bunch of useless guys who are strong on the outside."
Eriton nodded first, and then snorted coldly: "In the past two or three hundred years, if it hadn't been for the rise of new nobles like us, I'm afraid the Kingdom of Cold Flame would have been destroyed long ago."
"What Lord Eriton said is absolutely true. Those weak and rigid traditional nobles are just a group of worms in the kingdom. Sooner or later, we, the new nobles, will completely wipe them out."
The middle-aged staff officer smiled grimly and echoed: "By then, their fiefdoms and their wealth will be mine."
Hearing the sound, the other commanders also showed serious smiles.
"Lord Eriton, why are you still frowning?"
Looking at Eriton's eyebrows that were almost knit together, the middle-aged staff officer asked with concern: "Are you worried about the Broken Blade Knights who are stationed in Gray Rock City?"
"That guy Ryan has nothing to worry about. He's just a dog at my feet."
Eriton waved his hand disdainfully and said calmly: "Even if I lend that guy a hundred courages, he wouldn't dare to take advantage of the emptiness in Gray Rock City to do something treacherous."
"Lord Eriton is right. The Knights of the Broken Blade only have 3,000 people at full strength. Even if they are given a city the same size as Gray Rock City, they have no ability to defend it!"
Another skinny commander with a long bow on his back joked: "That guy is also a descendant of a traditional noble. I didn't expect that he has fallen to this level and become a dog beside an adult!"
After saying this, everyone else in the room burst into laughter.
"Lord Eriton, since you are not the Knights of the Broken Blade, are you worried about those young masters who are staying behind?"
The middle-aged staff officer lowered his head and thought for a moment, then raised his head and asked.
"Those disturbing boys are indeed a problem."
The corners of Eriton's mouth twitched and he stopped walking.
Ever since he was about to hand over another city that belonged to Gray Rock City to one of his sons, those unlearned boys began to fight openly and secretly.
Especially the youngest son Clifford spent a lot of money to hire an old barbarian animal trainer, and he trained some disgusting third-level monsters in the woods every day, and even played a game of hunting mercenaries.
"It doesn't matter if you kill some insignificant mercenaries, but if word spreads about raising such a ferocious beast outside the city, I'm afraid it will damage the family's reputation and be detrimental to the development of Gray Rock City."
Eriton frowned and thought secretly in his heart: "Besides, that boy Clifford hasn't appeared for a while, isn't he trying to do some tricks? Let's wait until the dust of this war has settled.
"
Having made up his mind, Eliton's frown immediately relaxed.
Then he said to the rather witty staff officer: "These are all minor problems. What I am really worried about is actually the upcoming war."
"The next battle?"
The middle-aged staff officer pondered again for a moment, and said in confusion: "Lord Eriton, our situation is very good at present. We only need to watch from the other side and watch the traditional nobles who serve the eldest prince fight against the fifth princess and the Lord of Kongqing City.
Just open up the relationship, so why worry about it?"
"The staff officer is right. When the Grand Prince's vanguard army suddenly launched a large-scale attack on the city today, my subordinates thought that Kongqing Town was about to be destroyed. Unexpectedly, it actually annihilated the vanguard army!"
The skinny commander carrying a long bow talked with great interest: "Those traditional nobles will definitely not give up after being defeated. Now there is something good to watch!"
"When the two are fighting to the death, it will naturally be time for me to appear."
The middle-aged staff officer straightened the folds of his robe and said with a sinister smile.
"You idiots are so naive."
Eriton glanced at everyone and said calmly: "Although I don't know who the commanders of those traditional nobles are, the other party will definitely not let me wait and watch the fight between tigers. There will definitely be other plans, and
This is exactly the risk we are about to face."
After Eliton finished speaking, the leather tent, which was originally filled with a cheerful atmosphere, suddenly became quiet.
A thoughtful look appeared on every commander's face, carefully considering the words of this high-ranking noble.
"As expected of Lord Eriton, he is indeed thoughtful and can wake up the dreamer with just one word."
The middle-aged staff officer gently stroked the staff on his waist and said in deep thought: "If you think about it carefully, being able to annihilate the vanguard army of the traditional nobles in such a short period of time shows that the new Lord Kong Qing and the fifth princess are definitely not the same ones.
Ordinary pool stuff.”
"The analysis is correct. When the news of the attack and defense of the fortress came out, I felt that there must be a lot of water in it. The purpose was to scare us and others, so as to ensure the safety of Kongqing Town."
Eriton first sat down on the animal skin throne behind him, and then a hint of grimness appeared in his sharp and cloudy eyes: "But now it seems that the new Lord Kong Qing and the fifth princess are indeed the second prince.
Your Highness’s obstacle to the throne.”
"What your Excellency said is absolutely true."
The middle-aged staff officer rubbed his chin and said in confusion: "I still have something unclear, little man. Why did Lord Kong Qing and the fifth princess take the risk of intervening in the border war? Even if the mountain fortress was captured, there are still more things to come.
The cities under the eldest prince's influence are blocking it."
"It's really puzzling."
The skinny commander with a long bow on his back raised his eyebrows and echoed: "In this way, the originally unknown Lord Kong Qing and the fifth princess have undoubtedly become the most attention-grabbing objects in Leng Yan after the three princes.
, what on earth are they thinking?”
"This is also something I've been thinking about."
Eriton, who was leaning on the animal skin throne, stared at the light crystal lamp beside him, and said in a deep voice: "As the saying goes, there must be extremely complicated reasons for this, and there may be more than one.
"
After a pause, Eriton frowned again and said slowly to the skinny commander carrying a long bow: "If it's not what I expected, one of the reasons is exactly what you are wondering about.
Like that.”
"oh?"
The skinny commander was stunned, and the confusion on his face became more intense. He thought for a while, and then he suddenly realized: "Lord Eriton, you are talking about the relationship between the new Lord Kong Qing and the fifth princess.
What you are pursuing is fame second only to the three princes?"
"That's right."
Eriton nodded slowly and affirmed: "Help the defenders of the mountain fortress who were at an absolute disadvantage to repel the invading Holy Night Army and avoid a catastrophic war. This will definitely
Gained a very good reputation."
"For such a good reputation, you make yourself the target of public criticism? Isn't this asking for death?"
The middle-aged staff officer still looked confused and asked quickly: "Judging from the actions of those traditional nobles, it is obvious that the Lord Kong Qing and the fifth princess are a thorn in their side. And even if the traditional nobles do not take action, we will naturally
Choosing the opportunity to destroy it, why would they put themselves in danger of annihilation just for the sake of that illusory reputation?"
"It's really puzzling."
A bone-chilling chill appeared in Eriton's eyes again, and he said coldly: "But there are not entirely no possible explanations. For example... the fifth princess and the Lord of Kongqing City, who calls himself the princess's guest, are also preparing to aspire for the throne.
Throne of Cold Flame!"
"What?!"
After hearing this unexpected answer, the faces of the commanders present were shocked.
But immediately, the shock on everyone's faces turned into disdain, as if they had heard a big joke.
"Sir, please forgive me for being blunt, but are you a little too worried?"
The middle-aged staff officer first bowed to Eriton, and then a touch of joking came over his face, and he snorted: "The fifth princess and the new Lord of Kongqing City are also preparing to compete with the resourceful Second Prince.
The throne? It’s so laughable!”
After the staff officer finished speaking, the other commanders also had expressions of contempt and snorted coldly.
"That's right, this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life!"
The skinny commander held his stomach, laughed and burst into tears and said: "Why do they? With a small Kongqing Town, if the fifth princess had this ability, she wouldn't have fled from the royal capital! Besides,
The new Lord of Kongqing City is said to be an ant-like lord from another world!"
"You, this group of blind and arrogant fools, are just like those arrogant and stupid traditional nobles. If they hadn't looked down upon us and other new nobles and then let down their guard, how could we have fought with that gang today?
Are the guys evenly matched?”
Eriton looked at the subordinates in front of him coldly and continued: "Furthermore, whether it was Kongqing Town or during the offensive and defensive battles of the fortress, there were rumors about the presence of fifth-level powerhouses. This must be guarded against.
"
"My lord, the lesson is that we are superficial."
The commanders immediately bowed and saluted, saying in unison.
However, despite saying this on the surface, disdain and contempt were still surging in everyone's hearts at this moment.
"That's all, I hope I'm worrying too much."
Keenly aware of what his subordinates were thinking, Eriton pondered for a moment, then continued: "Currently, the security in our camp is too loose. We will immediately triple the number of manpower at each post, and triple the number of secret sentries and patrols."
team in case something unexpected happens.”
"Sir, is this necessary? Those traditional nobles have just suffered a setback and will not come to attack. And the Lord of Kongqing City is even less likely to provoke us at will. He will never want to face us and those traditional nobles at the same time.
Attack together?"
The middle-aged staff officer's face was full of confusion as he said: "Our army is extremely tired now. This is a good opportunity to recharge our batteries."
Hearing this, other commanders also nodded their heads.
"It's better to be cautious in everything. How do I usually teach you?"
Eriton looked cold and said coldly: "Go and prepare quickly. If it's late, it may be too late."
"As you command, my lord!"
Although they felt that this matter was unnecessary, it was Lord Eriton's order after all. The commanders touched their chests and saluted, and immediately went to work.
As he walked out of the big tent, another look of disdain appeared on the face of the middle-aged staff officer.
Then he murmured to himself: "If those traditional nobles really attack, it is very likely that the Lord of Kongqing City is obstructing them. Only by letting us fight can he get a chance to relieve himself. But with his insignificant
Does the lord from another world have such great abilities?"
However, the middle-aged staff officer just thought of this.
A louder and louder cry of killing came from all directions in the camp.