?In the conference room of the Lone Rock City Barracks, a gloomy-faced Zhannings sat on a chair, looked at the map in front of him, and said calmly: "So, as early as half a month ago, the enemy's fleet had already set off from the port.
, heading north."
"They bypassed the observation range of Lone Rock City, transported a large number of troops to the Yuexi Plain in the north, and then used a frontal attack to attract our attention."
The short, fat knight wearing the umbrella emblem nodded and responded: "Yes, this fleet landed in the north of Lone Rock City. It will wait for your message to ask for help before it begins to snipe the reinforcements."
Zhan Nings rubbed his brows and said irritably: "That's why the enemy troops at the gate of the outer city calmly negotiated peace with us. Because their purpose was to surround Lone Rock City and then defeat the approaching troops one by one.
reinforcements, so we didn’t rush to attack the city.”
The knight nodded again: "That's true."
Zhan Ningsi looked at him and asked: "I'm sorry, regarding your identity, can you...?"
The knight cleared his throat and saluted Jennings: "Knights of Muxi, Knight Commander Horn, salute you."
Jennings cast his gaze towards Randall in the corner and said, "I heard that you and your men were originally the guards escorting the Golden Skylark Troupe?"
Horn smiled bitterly and said: "Yes, originally we had escorted the Golden Skylark Troupe to a place close to the border, but I heard gunshots. In desperation, I could only split my men into two teams, and one team continued to escort.
The troupe returned to Muxi City, and the other one rushed to the battlefield and rescued the messenger... However, it was still a step too late..."
Jennings forced a smile: "Knight Commander Horn, please don't blame yourself. On behalf of everyone in Lone Rock City, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you. Without your help, I would never have thought of the enemy in my dreams.
It has reached the rear of the kingdom."
Horn and Jennings talked for a while longer, and the former excused himself and left the room first.
Randall looked at Horn's back, bowed and followed him out, leaving Jennings alone looking helplessly at the door.
"Knight Commander Horn, please take a step to speak." Randall followed the short and fat knight commander, tilting his head to indicate that the other party should follow him.
The two came to a hidden place, and Randall asked: "Approximately how many people are there in the imperial army landing from the north?"
Horn rubbed his chin and thought for a while, then replied: "I don't know the exact number, but it should be no less than 5,000 people, and there are quite a few cavalry."
"So, there are nine out of ten reinforcements from Lone Rock City..."
Horn sighed: "I'm afraid they will never come again... This tactic of surrounding a point for reinforcements has been used by the pagans in the south more than once."
Randall glanced at the knight commander: "When you return to Lone Rock City this time, I'm afraid it's not as simple as returning the messenger, right?"
Horn did not answer Randall's question, but asked instead: "Let me ask you, if Lone Rock City falls, what impact will it have on Muxi City?"
The latter replied without thinking: "If Lone Rock City falls into the hands of the Ayyubid Empire, it means that the enemy can directly pass through the mountains and enter the vast plains. If they march quickly, they can even reach Muxi City within a week.
"
"Lone Rock City is a strong city, but it is also a barrier, a barrier used to isolate the northern and southern worlds." Horn lowered his face and said seriously: "The southern empire is now unified by Saladin, regardless of population or technology.
, both the territory and the military are far stronger than the scattered north. Muxi City is the only kingdom in the northern diocese that has the potential to compete with it, but its development and growth still take time. And Gu Xicheng
The control of Yancheng is the biggest guarantee for Muxi City to obtain development time."
Horn said word for word: "The gains and losses of Lone Rock City not only involve a city, it also means whether the belief in God will fall into darkness forever."
Randall looked at Horn's face. The knight commander, who had always been playful and capricious, showed a serious face in front of him for the first time.
"So, you came here to defend this city."
Horn grinned and said: "No, I came here to protect God."
Randall shook his head slightly: "The situation in this city may be worse than you think."
"Tell me about it."
"There are less than a thousand defenders in the city. The long-term peace has left them with a lack of combat experience, and they are as timid as sheep when fighting. As for the residents, they are afraid of the empire's military strength and hide in their homes all day long. They only know that
Pray to God.”
Horn was slightly surprised when he heard the troop numbers from Randall, but soon he regained his composure and said to the latter: "While at the border, I wrote a letter and asked my subordinates to bring it to him.
Lord Cumberland, it won’t be long before the kingdom will send an army to help Lone Rock City.”
“When you say ‘it won’t take long’, how long exactly do you mean?”
"Ten days."
Randall moved his gaze to the distance, his face full of worry: "Ten days...can this city really support ten days?"
Horn's eyes suddenly widened and he patted Randall on the shoulder: "That's right! I almost forgot something very important!"
"What?"
Horn pointed his finger behind Randall and whispered: "While escorting the Golden Skylark Troupe back, there is a person who is unwilling to go back. He must follow us here to find you..."
Randall turned around and saw the man in Horn's mouth. He was startled for a moment. His brain seemed to have lost the ability to think, and his whole body stayed in place like a tree.
The beautiful Miss Barbara stood under the firelight not far away, still wearing the gorgeous armor on the stage, waving her arms towards him excitedly.
Three days later, it was dusk in Xicheng, the office of the Prime Minister.
Emerson, who looked tired, was nervously discussing the report in front of him with his assistants. Suddenly, there was a quarrel outside the door, and then, a big foot kicked hard on the door panel, and a man wearing armor and holding a sword came.
The old knight rushed into the room, pointed at the Prime Minister's nose, and began to curse.
"You eggless coward! Why haven't you responded to the report of the Knights sending troops to Lone Rock City yet?!"
Emerson didn't even need to look, he knew from the voice that the person coming could only be Cumberland.
Waving his hands to the left and right, indicating that they should leave first, Emerson asked Cumberland to sit down first and said, "You should know that it is the king's power whether Muxi City launches a war with other countries."
The latter shouted with lingering anger: "But His Majesty also said that if there is an emergency, the cabinet can make its own decision after discussion."
"That's the problem!" Emerson tapped his knuckles on the table and said in a deep voice: "The cabinet is not my cabinet alone! I need to discuss things like starting a war with other members before I can decide." The Economic Minister told
My treasury is tight this year, the Minister of Agriculture told me that there is insufficient labor in the farmland, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs will bring up the incident of the Holy Acropolis to warn me that it is unwise to enter the territory of another country without authorization!"
Cumberland stood up suddenly and kicked the chair under him: "Discuss, discuss! Discussion is nothing! Do you fucking know?! The southerners have already invaded the Yuexi Plain! In a few days, then
If you help the bastard, they can come to town and stab you in the ass!"
Emerson's face turned red with anger at the other party's words. He overturned the documents on the table and shouted loudly: "Do you think I am willing to watch the enemy approaching?! You know what the gang outside is called.
Mine?! Shadow King! Listen! Shadow King! If I don’t pay attention to my words and deeds at this time, sooner or later I will be..."
Cumberland interrupted Emerson coldly: "In the final analysis, what you worry about is only your own reputation and status. The old guy I knew who dared to think and do for his ideals turned out to be dead...
"
After saying this, Cumberland turned around and left the room without looking back.
Looking at Cumberland's retreating back, Emerson's face was dejected. As if he had exhausted all his strength, he slumped down on the chair, slowly closed his eyes, and said nothing for a long time.
"Your Majesty Prime Minister..."
An assistant cautiously poked his head in from the door of the room and looked at Emerson anxiously.
After a long time, Emerson let out a long breath. When he opened his eyes again, there was no hesitation in his eyes anymore.
While writing the words "War Cabinet" on the paper, he said to his assistant: "Notify all cabinet members to hold an emergency meeting. I have something important to announce."