After the events in the Hall of Valor and the distribution of loot, a wave of war-seeking waves arose in the camp.
The gladiators and barbarians who were unable to fight gathered outside the tribal hall every day, hoping that the leader would take them out to plunder again.
Todd had no such plan. Firstly, the population increased and the camp needed to be expanded again; secondly, the enemy was already alert and looting would become more difficult; thirdly, the production of snuff had entered a critical stage of preparation.
Need to be in the workshop.
On the fifth day after the banquet, Todd was sitting in the spice room of the workshop, holding a small bamboo tube, inserting one end into his nose, pointing the other end at a small amount of powder on the table, and inhaling hard.
A spicy and pungent smell made him sneeze several times.
"The smell is too strong!" Todd rubbed his nose vigorously: "What on earth did you add?"
Minnie looked at the grinding dish and said a little strangely: "They are all ordinary materials, tobacco leaves, pepper flowers, cremes..."
Todd listened for a while and gave two opinions: "First, reduce the proportion of tobacco leaf powder; second, remove some irritating materials and add some refreshing seasonings."
After explaining this, Todd stood up straight and twisted his waist, and saw Rachel standing at the door of the workshop and waving to him.
"What's wrong?" Todd walked out of the door, only to find that Rachel had no intention of stopping.
The latter came to a remote and uninhabited corner and said to Todd: "We interrogated the prisoners and learned something important."
"What happened?"
"Fiocha is dead."
As soon as Rachel opened her mouth, Todd was shocked.
"Fioca is dead?!" Todd asked again in disbelief: "Are you talking about the red circle supervisor?"
Rachel nodded: "The Crown Prince of Ulster, the only son of Fergus."
Todd, who had a good impression of the young man who loved martial arts and was modest and prudent, sighed softly: "How did he die?"
"The poisoning, although Conchieber doesn't admit it, almost everyone in Ulster believes that it was him."
Todd's face showed a look of hatred: "Is it because of power?"
"Conchiebo's prestige in the country is getting worse day by day, and more and more people support Fiocha's rise to power. Therefore, getting rid of Fiocha has become Conchiebo's only choice."
"What is the current situation in Ulster?"
"Chaos, disorder." Rachel frowned and said, "quarrels and accusations are staged in the council hall every day, and murder and kidnapping have long become a daily routine on the streets. After Fiocha's death, another major event occurred in the country.
"
"What?"
"Fiocha's father, Fergus, led five hundred of his family's warriors to leave Ulster and join Connaught."
Todd frowned at first, and then his eyes lit up: "You mean, Connaught will soon go to war with Ulster?"
"It's not that the war will start soon, but the war has started now. The treason of Fergus happened a month ago."
Todd listened to Rachel's words and drew a simple map of the northern region on the soil with tree branches.
Rachel looked at the map and asked, "Are you planning to take this opportunity to launch an offensive?"
Todd nodded and said: "If Ulster and Connaught go to war, then now is our best opportunity to expand our power."
"We just won a victory in Marozzi and captured enough food for the first half of the year, as well as nearly 500 prisoners. So where do you want to attack next?"
Todd squatted down, fidgeting with branches in his hands, and asked Rachel: "Where do you think is the best place to attack?"
The latter placed a stone to the north of the Froststone Camp: "How about Kaolantui Castle? According to Fergal's confession, there is a large amount of gold and silver treasures stored there. Looting it can greatly increase our strength."
"Inappropriate. After capturing Marrochy Castle, the Ulster people must be more vigilant about attacks from the south. Their troops are probably waiting on our way out, ready to fight us at any time."
Rachel thought for a while, then moved the stone to the south: "What about Kupur Pass? By conquering it, we can open up a land passage with the east, which will be beneficial to our snuff trade."
"Securing the Kupur Pass is indeed an important link in trade. But occupying it now means that we have to divide our forces to guard it. Moreover, the development of snus products is not going well. It will take some time before we can officially trade."
Rachel looked at the map again, rolled her eyes at Todd, and threw the stones at his feet: "I really can't think of it anymore!"
Todd smiled and picked up the stone, stretched out his arm as far as he could, and placed the stone at the northernmost point of the entire map under Rachel's surprised gaze.
"Do you still remember the port city we passed through on the way to the Kingdom of Shadows?"
Rachel rolled her eyes and exclaimed: "You want to go to Gugu City?!"
Todd gave her a silent gesture and whispered: "The ancient city of Gugu has the largest port and the largest slave trading market in the Kingdom of Ulster. The number of slaves detained in the slave house alone exceeds one
Thousands of people. If we can conquer there..."
Rachel shook her head vigorously: "Your plan is too whimsical! If it is a troop march, it will take ten days to walk from Froststone Camp to Gug City! Let's not talk about how to obtain supplies in enemy territory.
It’s the enemy troops blocking you on the road that will make it difficult for you to move forward!”
Todd looked at Rachel with a funny look: "Did you forget so quickly? The most convenient route from Froststone Camp to Gug City is not by land."
Rachel bit her lip: "Okay, even if you go by sea, how can you solve the disparity in military strength? There are two thousand people in the garrison of Gugu City, and there are three regiments of slave-catching troops stationed outside the city.
Not to mention the distance from Gugu City
Armagh, the capital of Ulster, is only a day's journey away. If the war cannot be resolved quickly, the capital's garrison will rush to reinforce the ancient city. By that time, we may have to face tens of thousands of troops."
Todd dropped the branch and laughed louder: "Behind Gugu City, although there is Ama City providing support to it, behind me, there is an entire kingdom's army."
——————————————
Dusk West City, Kingdom Council Hall.
Cabinet Prime Minister Emerson pounded the table and yelled angrily: "I'll say it again, there is no reason or necessity for the Kingdom of Muxi to accept the refugees from the Holy Acropolis!"
Terrence took off the crystal glasses on the bridge of his nose and said quarrelsomely: "There are already more than 5,000 refugees from the Holy Acropolis staying on the border. If we ignore them, these people will only slowly rot there!
"
Emerson rapped the report in front of him with his knuckles: "Five thousand people! Let me ask you, how are you going to put so many people in? If they have an unrest, how are you going to suppress it?! To say the least, these people
How do we prepare food for people?!"
Perhaps because he felt that his tone was a bit extreme, Emerson slowed down his speech: "His Majesty's five-year agricultural development plan has not even been completed half yet. Wayne's bloodworm edible breeding has encountered difficulties again. Let's put these five-year plans aside."
Thousands of people entering the city will bring immeasurable disaster to Muxi City!"
Ulysses, who was sitting next to Terrence, said worriedly: "You must be aware of the current situation in the Holy Guard City, right? The church's mission entered the city almost at the same time as Dion. Both sides are now in
For their respective factions, they compete for the support of as many nobles as possible, and these five thousand people are the key to winning support!"
Friar Qiao expressed his opinion at this time: "As for the five thousand people in Holy Acropolis, it's not that we don't want to help, but the food is really not enough! There are three places in need of assistance at the same time: Muxi City, Northern Camp, and Holy Acropolis
Consumption of food, and the food trade route from the south was temporarily interrupted due to the war between the Abbasid Empire and the Ayyubid Empire. Therefore, I do not agree to accept these five thousand refugees!"
Elijah, Terrence's favorite disciple, also persuaded him at this time: "These five thousand refugees are related to the ownership of the throne of the Holy Acropolis. If the Holy Acropolis is finally controlled by the church, then Muxi City will be controlled by the two major
Military force controls them at the same time. Therefore, I recommend accepting these five thousand refugees."
Seeing that the cabinet had been completely split into two factions, Emerson pinched his forehead helplessly: "You have not grasped the key point of the matter at all. The idea of asking Muxi City to accept refugees was most likely thought up by the church behind the scenes.
. Even if we accept everything this time, what about next time? What about next time?! The church has the unified jurisdiction of the secular kingdom. This is an aboveboard means of political aggression, but we have no way to deal with it.
.If you let go this time, your demands will only be more excessive next time..."
In the huge hall, Muxi City's cabinet was divided into two factions, Emerson, Friar Joe, and Wayne were on one side, and Terrence, Ulysses, and Elijah were on the other side.
While the two groups were arguing, Huggins, who had remained silent, suddenly said: "His Majesty sent a message that an emergency meeting will be held in the Kingdom of Heaven in five minutes, and no one will be absent."...