After Major Leedfunk left, and a few days passed, the number of pedestrians on the mountain road gradually became sparse. Those who needed to escape had almost left, and the few people who came occasionally braved the cold to earn some hard money.
Small traders. They led a donkey and carried two large bamboo baskets filled with various small commodities. They stopped in villages along the mountain road to sell the goods they brought, trying to earn a few copper coins from the villagers...
However, in Squirrel Village, they are more willing to exchange their goods for a kind of ointment owned by the villagers, a dark green rice paste-like ointment. It is said that this ointment is extremely effective in treating headaches, fevers, and colds in children. Claude thinks this may be
Planting folk remedies. The villagers here do not have pharmacists to provide treatment services when they are sick. In their long life, they have developed the experience of using herbs in the mountains to treat these common diseases and turned the herbs into this ointment.
It's already mid-February, which is the snow melting period. The frozen snow on the mountain trails has begun to melt, and everything is wet. Every step on the road will bring up a foot of mud. This is very annoying weather, and it is obviously getting worse.
It's cold, but the ground heat rises, melting the ice and snow, and the humidity is heavy. If you're not careful, you can easily catch a cold or have a fever.
Claude had no choice but to reduce the number of soldiers on duty. Some time ago, Markchi and his squadron set up card collection on the mountain road, which earned a lot of money. Apart from the proportion turned over to the battalion headquarters, Claude could share it personally.
When he got about two gold crowns, each soldier in the squadron could also get more than one silver thaler. Naturally, Claude looked down upon this little money and ordered his share to be transferred to the public account to buy a few pigs, sheep and a few pigs.
Barrels of rye were provided to feed the soldiers.
Recalling what Major Leedfunk said about the sack, Claude asked McJack to call the village elder and tell him about it. He originally thought that this way of making extra money would make the village elder very happy, but unexpectedly the village elder was
The village elder was very embarrassed to tell Claude that the village was so poor that they didn’t even have any extra reserves of twine for weaving sacks. However, the village elder suggested that maybe they could go to the mountains to find some old vines to weave rattan baskets to replace the sacks. Claude
Think about it and agree.
The ammunition and food reserves promised by Major Lederfunk were quickly delivered, and he also brought a light live-fire artillery to Claude. This is an infantry field artillery produced by the Principality of Eskiline.
It is used to fire solid projectiles as big as a fist. The maximum range is only about 300 meters. It cannot fire shotshells. It is a light artillery that has been eliminated. Its only advantage is that it is relatively lightweight and can be disassembled into several parts and placed on the pack horse to follow the team.
.
The Blue Feather Corps looked down upon this kind of light artillery that could only fire solid projectiles and had a short range. Major Leedfunk sent one to Claude with the idea of being prepared. The person responsible for transporting these logistical supplies was Murray.
Ed, after transporting this batch of supplies, the squadron he led was ordered to set up a camp in Blackstone Village, another village on the mountain road more than 20 miles away from Squirrel Village, on Claude's back road, so as to set up a camp on Claude's side.
After a war breaks out, he is responsible for coming to reinforce and respond.
As soon as he saw Claude, Muriel complained that the mountain road was too difficult to walk. Not to mention the mud and potholes, the main reason was that after walking for a while, the hooves and wheels of the packhorse had to be removed. Fortunately, although most of the road surface
The snow was still solid enough for a two-wheeled carriage to pass through.
Claude estimates that the baggage supplies delivered this time are enough for his sixty or so people for more than two months. Even if an enemy attacks him, he can persist for a long time with the help of the favorable location and sufficient ammunition. In addition, Murray will be behind him.
With the support of Ed's squadron, it will not be difficult to seal this mountain road, ensuring that the enemy will not be allowed to enter the three southern counties through this mountain road.
Murray Ed said that after inspecting all the road traffic checkpoints guarded by the 1st Ranger Battalion, Major Ledfunk ordered the dismantling of more than a dozen less important outposts and reorganized various garrison points. Now the battalion has more
The reserve strength of two squadrons was obtained. Even the checkpoint he originally guarded was withdrawn, and his squadron was ordered to be deployed to Black Rock Village as Claude's backup support, and was responsible for setting up a second line of defense in Black Rock Village.
Another piece of news is that the transportation road in the Picklet Mountain area has been initially repaired, and all kinds of large artillery needed by the Blue Feather Army have been continuously transported. Currently, the Blue Feather Army is dispatching all manpower and material resources to the three southern counties and Limo.
A defensive front was built at the dangerous border of the Principality of Deira, and countless migrant workers were recruited from the three southern counties, forcing them to help build defense facilities...
The anti-Austrian coalition forces of the Principality of Rimodra have learned about the loss of the three southern counties of the Principality of Eskiline, and their military morale is somewhat unstable. Several lines of defense on the front line have been breached by the Army of the Kingdom of Ovelas. They have mobilized
A light cavalryman from the Principality of Karnas came to the three southern counties to check the real situation, but was ambushed by the Blue Feather Army in the Crumbo Valley on the border. The entire army was almost wiped out, and only a few hundred cavalrymen escaped. Even the top leaders of the coalition believed that
They had been surrounded by heavy troops and were hunkered down in the Principality of Limodra, not daring to move, giving the Blue Feather Legion time to build a defensive front.
This time, the Blue Feather Army crossed over the Picklet Mountains, and unexpected troops descended from the sky to capture the three southern counties of the Eskiline Principality. It can be said to be the biggest highlight in this war that swept all the countries in the eastern region of the continent. The Kingdom of Ovelas occupied
Taking advantage of the right time and location, we climbed over the Picklet Mountains, which are regarded as natural chasms, in the cold winter season, achieving an unexpected effect.
Especially in winter, the general custom is not to go out for activities. Just like the Anti-Austrian Allied Forces in the Principality of Rimodra, in addition to maintaining the garrison strength of the frontline defensive positions, most of the armed forces from various countries are holed up in the camp.
There was no timely and effective response. When I first received the intelligence that the enemy had appeared in the three southern counties, I thought someone was drunk and joking.
By the time it was confirmed that the three southern counties of the Eskiline Principality had been captured by the enemy, more than a month had passed, giving the Blue Feathers enough time to respond. At this time, the top leaders of the coalition still believed that this was probably Ovelas.
The kingdom sent a small number of troops to invade the three southern counties to carry out harassment. They were unwilling to use a large number of troops to carry out counterattacks in the winter, fearing that this would drag down the troops.
On the other hand, the army of the Kingdom of Ovelas has strengthened its offensive posture on the front line of the Principality of Rimodra, maintaining a lot of pressure on the coalition forces. Many top leaders of the coalition believe that this is likely to be an attack on the east and the west by the army of the Kingdom of Ovelas.
The purpose of the strategy was to prevent the coalition forces from running back and forth in the winter to rest and restore their morale. Therefore, after discussing for several days, they decided to dispatch a light cavalry from the Principality of Karnas to the three southern counties to see what was going on.
However, the Blue Feather Legion's response was very good. The frontline scouts found that the enemy had only dispatched one light cavalry, so the Blue Feather Legion left the nest empty and set up in the Crumbo Valley, the only place to go to the three southern counties.
They laid an ambush and almost wiped out the light cavalry. After receiving this blow, the senior officials of the anti-Austrian alliance became suspicious. They believed that the appearance of the Blue Feather Legion in the three southern counties showed that the Kingdom of Ovelas was heavily suppressed and did not dare to attack the territory for a while.
Then the counterattack force was sent out, which gave the Blue Feather Legion time to build a defensive front.
Claude was very interested in the fact that the two second-line legions were able to build a road capable of transporting large artillery in the Picklet Mountains in such a short period of time. The 1st Ranger Battalion served as the pathfinder and pioneer of the Blue Feather Legion.
Claude had a lot of trouble finding roads in the Picklet Mountains. Claude knew very well what the roads there were like. It was one thing to climb over it with light equipment. In his opinion, it was very difficult to transport heavy equipment such as large artillery. There were many places.
If a person can climb over it, there is no way the four-wheeled freight wagon can be turned over.
However, Murray Ed was well-informed, and he found out a lot of inside information. He told Claude that this time the Blue Feather Army sent surprise troops to cross the Picklet Mountains, and built roads in the Picklate Mountains. In addition, the Blue Feather Army snake traps
Encircling and annihilating the enemy's light cavalry were all planned by a major general in the kingdom.
It is said that this major general is called Michel Priest. He was born as a civilian. He is now 48 years old and serves as a lecturer on war history at the Sterling Military Academy in the royal capital. This time he came to the front line with the army as an aide to the eldest prince.
In the stalemate between the kingdom's army and the anti-Austrian alliance forces, he devised a strategy to cross the Picklet Mountains to surprise the three southern counties. He was appreciated by the eldest prince and promoted him to serve as the new chief of staff of the Blue Feather Army.
After crossing the Piclite Mountains, General Michelci Priest commanded the two second-line armies to cut down trees and pave the road. In more than two months, a trestle was built in the Piclite Mountains that could be used to transport large artillery and other heavy equipment.
Road. After receiving information that the anti-Austrian alliance forces of the Principality of Modera sent a light cavalry to the three southern counties, they rushed back to the Blue Feather Legion overnight and persuaded all the high-level command troops of the legion to leave their nests.
An ambush was set up in the Lembo Valley, and the light cavalry was surrounded and annihilated. This gave the enemy the illusion that the Blue Feathers were preparing to launch an attack, and they quickly and passively defended, buying the Blue Feathers valuable time.
Murray's eyes were shining with starlight, and his tone was full of admiration: "The latest news is that General Michel Priest was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general by the prince because of these three great achievements. There is also news that
The eldest prince has asked His Majesty the King for instructions, and is preparing to make him a viscount and give him the title of Gram. If this news is true, then General Michelci Priest will be the first person in the kingdom to receive a title since the beginning of this war.
soldiers..."
Obviously, General Michelci Priest was a rising star in the Kingdom of Overas during the war. But Claude was a little confused. The original rank of this general was Major General. According to the
Common sense says that the generals of the kingdom are all nobles, so why is he still a commoner? Even a citizen should be granted a noble title after being promoted to major general, but he is not. Is there some story behind this?
It's a pity that Murield is not Belklin. That guy is very good at getting information. If he is interested in a person, he can even find out clearly what color pajamas he likes to wear at night. Murield admires this guy.
General Michel Priest was just out of the respect soldiers had for a victorious general. No soldier didn't want to serve under such a general who could win battles.
Murield stayed for one night and then went back with his troops. Claude spent the next few days very leisurely. He wanted to organize the troops for training, but after looking at the weather, there was really nothing for his soldiers to do.
Apart from looking at the dense clouds in the sky, Claude, who was bored, had nothing to do but went to Squirrel Village to see the quality of the rattan baskets woven by the village elders and others.
Occasionally, I heard the village elder and other villagers talk about a waterfall and a large pool in the mountains. Claude got his mind on it and prepared to go there. However, when the village elder and the others saw Claude asking about the location of the waterfall and the large pool, their expressions changed.
Somewhat panicked, I quickly told about the water monsters in the big pool, wild wolves in the mountains, and ferocious black bears. Especially now that it was the end of February, the rainy season was coming, and many of the hibernating black bears had already woken up and were looking for food in the mountains and forests. It would be very difficult for people to go there.
Danger etc.
In short, these villagers wanted to dissuade Claude from going to the mountains, which made Claude suspicious. They seemed to be hiding something. Of course, on the surface, Claude pretended to accept their suggestions humbly and decided not to
After going for a stroll in the mountains, he found that the village elder and the villagers were obviously relieved.
"McJack, please pay attention in the past few days to see if there is anything weird about the villagers. I suspect they are hiding something..." After returning to the camp, Claude called Michael and ordered him to secretly keep an eye on the villagers.
movement.
One day later, Mike reported back with red eyes: "Sir, last night I found that the old woman from the village chief's house went out to the mountain at ten o'clock in the evening, but she didn't go far and put down her hand in the woods on the hillside.
She carried a small basket and then went down the mountain. This morning I found that she went up the mountain again and got back the small basket in the grove. But the appearance of her small basket changed. I remember that what she took was a flat one.
I took a rectangular basket, but what I got back was a round straight basket..."
Claude nodded. Those villagers were indeed hiding something: "You haven't slept all night. You've worked hard. Go and rest first. Ask Germi to take turns with you at night. If you find any villagers going up the mountain again, call me immediately.
"
Two days later, as soon as Claude lay down to rest, Michael called him up: "Sir, the old woman from the village chief's family is carrying a basket up the mountain again..."