novelAbuy #381 - Who to ask for help?
#381 - Who to ask for help?
The hot wind blew through the white gauze curtains, and in the study of the Megedi blockhouse, a group of men and women with bitter faces sat.
They were either senior partners of the chamber of commerce, or civic leaders of some guild.
The hot weather made their sweat soak their armpits and chests, and they could only pick up feather fans and fan themselves constantly.
The previous big ice block was moved to the inner room, which was Catherine's bedroom.
Even near the door of the bedroom, you could feel bursts of cold air gushing out from inside.
However, no one dared to suggest bringing the ice block and ice skull outside, after all, the honorable governor Catherine was sleeping soundly in the room.
After repelling the imperial army's attack, Catherine fainted on the spot due to the exhaustion of mana.
After being confirmed unharmed by the wizards present, she was transported to the headquarters of the Megedi chamber of commerce.
And this post-war meeting was to be held in the study outside her door.
"We have good news and bad news." Pettier sat by the window, feeling hotter and hotter from the hot wind outside the window. "The good news is that the imperial army suffered heavy casualties and will not launch an attack in the next three to five days, and we have a short break."
"What's the bad news?"
Pettier did not speak, but just looked at the door panel of Catherine's bedroom, while the others tacitly shifted their gaze.
"What are our casualties?"
"Still being tallied." Pettier took out a hard-backed notebook from under his butt. "But I estimate the casualties to be about five hundred people, while the imperial army left more than two hundred corpses on the wall, half of whom were transcendent knights."
"Do you think the decree legion will reorganize?" Karl's nostrils were blocked with a handkerchief, and the end of the handkerchief was stained with scarlet blood.
"It is highly likely to reorganize..."
Leaving aside the mercenaries and guard units outside the city, the empire also has the three main decree legion.
Although they say there are three decree legion, in fact, only one formation, namely the decree legion formation of Edmund company commander, is complete.
In his company, none of the one hundred decree knights died.
Although a single-digit number of banner knights and squire knights were killed in battle, sharp-toothed knight Armand quickly recruited local knights and mercenary cavalry to replenish.
In addition, there are two half- formation decree legion led by Ellard and Balzesa.
Since the main force of decree knights was not completely annihilated, these two decree legion were reduced to 90 to 120 decree knights by Moriarty.
Coupled with the locally recruited transcendent knights and the transcendent knights transferred from Langsand County, they barely formed two full- formation decree legion in the early stage.
However, in the previous battles, through red dragon breath and a series of battles of all sizes, the decree knights suffered heavy losses once again.
Especially in the wave last night, Catherine killed at least 30 decree knights through blood-sucking vines.
According to Karl's estimate, the two and a half- formation decree legion of the imperial army outside the city probably have less than 80 decree knights.
As a result, they are very likely to form a new decree legion.
After all, it is difficult for less than half of the decree legion to exert their combat advantage of decree knights.
"Can we have reinforcements?" Pettier, sitting by the window, turned his head and looked at the people in the room.
Although this Pettier was an unknown person more than a month ago, his importance has become self-evident after this period of time.
Although he interrupted everyone's discussion, everyone still had to listen to what he said when he opened his mouth.
Mitnie sat on the armchair, swaying, playing a balancing game with only two chair legs.
"After the last defeat, they recognized the current situation, and currently the citizens of Small Pond City are funding and recruiting troops, I don't know when they will arrive."
In fact, the first wave of reinforcements from Kasha County arrived more than a week ago.
After half a year of wrangling, under the changes of the general environment and situation, the atmosphere in Kasha County is gradually changing.
Especially the Holy Path Sect represented by international student Armand and local Martin, whose ideology is rapidly spreading among low-level monks.
Some insightful people in Kasha County, including local citizens and knight nobles, influenced by this, decided to aid Rapid Current City.
It is a pity that the two commanders belong to the two factions of citizens and knights, and the two sides split their forces due to arguing on the way.
They also euphemistically called it: pincer offensive.
As a result, they were not only three days late, but also discovered by the decree legion on the first day of their arrival, defeated one by one, and more than a thousand prisoners were captured.
If it weren't for the royal charter knights of Fran making trouble and deliberately blocking the road, the remaining Kasha County allied forces would probably have to explain/meet their end in Rapid Current City.
However, Rapid Current City received hundreds of transcendent defeated soldiers from Kasha County allied forces into the city, which is considered to be barely supported by Kasha County.
Supported, but not completely supported.
"What should we do next, do you have any ideas?" Mitnie rocked his body back and forth, and the chair made a harsh squeaking sound under his rocking. "After all, the second wave of allied forces from Kasha County will not arrive until mid-August at the earliest."
The partners present looked at each other, but none of them spoke.
Occasionally someone would offer an opinion, but it would be to the extent that Karl's blood pressure would soar and he would scold " absurd theories, full of foolish words".
For example, poisoning the river to poison the imperial army outside the city.
For example, writing letters to the commanders outside the city, and putting red dragon breath in the letterboxes to blow them up.
Some people even proposed opening the city gate to scare off the enemy.
Anyway, most of them are from various knight novels and folk tales, or they are poisoning and assassination.
After all, this is the part of their daily life that they are more familiar with.
Unlike the Horn and Moriarty groups, both of these groups have struggled in bloody wars, and Catherine's military and political group is seizing power by usurpation.
They have not experienced too tragic wars, or even a few decent field battles, of course, they have no experience.
Catherine is very familiar with how to develop business, how to govern cities, and how to manipulate the market.
But when it comes to how to fight a war, it is estimated that her level is not even half of Horn's level, or even a quarter of Moriarty's level.
You must know that Horn and his group rolled out of swords and knives, and rarely lost their status except in the early days.
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"I think, with Lord Catherine here, it's enough to cooperate with Lord Catherine, right?"
A person in charge of a sub-chamber of commerce of the Megedi chamber of commerce said cautiously.
As soon as she finished speaking, the people around her were silent.
Everyone could see what Catherine did last night, and they had some questions in addition to escaping death.
If Catherine is a witch, is their uprising really correct? Could it be a devil's conspiracy?
"Actually, the scout cavalry got some news yesterday." After coughing, Karl opened his mouth to divert the topic. "The imperial army outside the city sent out hundreds of transcendent knights, but their whereabouts are unknown. They may be going to attack Small Pond City, or the east."
"The defense of Joan of Arc Fortress in the east is empty, it is estimated that they are going to Joan of Arc Fortress, right..."
"Not necessarily, Small Pond City is also quite empty."
The annoying sound of Mitnie shaking the chair stopped: "Someone said before that the Salvation Army defeated the Ibe Knights in Monkrus decisively defeated? Who has the latest news?"
The leaders and senior partners present whispered to each other, and one of them raised his hand.
"I heard that they set off for Black Mountain Fortress a week ago."
The whispering in the room became louder.
" Black Mountain Fortress? I remember that is the middle zone of Golden River Township, right?"
"Impossible, will they advance so fast?"
"But Nidsar of Red Copper Fortress also offered aid..."
Karl knocked on the table impatiently: "Quiet! Quiet!"
Seeing everyone quiet down, Karl did not continue to say anything. He looked at the floor not far in front of him, and his fingers kept picking at the table.
The frequency was so fast and the force was so great that even the people present heard a sound like sawing wood, but the sound stopped after Karl's fingernail lid flipped up.
"I think, we have to ask for help from the Salvation Army." Karl, who said this sentence, seemed dispirited. "At least, at least they really have a record of defeating decree legion in the wild, and we... we... are not as strong as we thought."
This opinion is something that many partners are unwilling to mention, because Horn's Salvation Army government has a strong control attitude towards merchants.
Not only does it often use decrees to force workshops, but it also increases consumption tax, property transfer tax and other commercial taxes.
It levies a outrageous tax of 50 dinars per barrel on high-proof liquor such as wine, and doubles the property tax on properties that are not inhabited every year.
Especially that rule that prohibits usury, which really wants the lives of the merchants.
" hiss, I think, it's not that urgent yet, right?" A guild leader asked tentatively.
"What is the point of supporting an army composed of farmers?"
"And I think, no matter how much we overestimate their strength, can they conquer Golden River Township in a month? They are probably still fighting with the Ibe Knights!"
"What time is it? Why are you still thinking about your little jars and pots?" Karl looked at them incredulously.
"You can't say that." A senior partner said with a忠！诚！(忠！诚！: loyal! sincere!) face, "I am considering it for Catherine's administration."
"Yes, when they come to save us, we have to agree to whatever conditions they propose."
Just as the partners and city councilors were arguing noisily, a weak but firm voice came from the side.
" Ask for help from the Salvation Army."
Although the voice was weak, it immediately stopped all the voices on the scene.
That was the voice of the Honorable Governor Catherine. Holding the door frame, Catherine, whose face was as pale as paper, said firmly: "My opinion is to ask for help from the Salvation Army."