RPAGF #517 - Making a plan (Part 1)
#517 - Making a plan (Part 1)
Hearing Prince Kondé's words, Putzrio even wanted to force a wry smile.
He came here with almost no purpose or demands, originally just doing his aunt a small favor, but he didn't expect to get himself involved.
He had no opinions or thoughts on the Salvation Army or the Thousand River Valley battle situation; he just wanted to inherit the Duke's position step by step.
If he hadn't been afraid of his father discovering his relationship with his aunt, he wouldn't have agreed, otherwise this chain of lies would be exposed.
According to old Duke Omes's understanding, Putzrio and his younger brother, who commanded the Gravel Plains army, were both here in Thousand River Valley for training.
The battlefield of Thousand River Valley didn't involve too much politics, and wouldn't affect the whole situation like the Laya Civil War, making it perfect for training the family's heir and new recruits.
So he had to lie again: "My father sent troops here, first to help out out of consideration for Mizam and the old Pope's favor.
If you're willing, our family also has many beautiful and dignified noble ladies; it would be a good thing to secure that favor.
Second, it's to train the family's private soldiers and give the family's youth experience, so I'm afraid I have to tell you that we won't go all out after this battle."
"What if I ask you to carry out some difficult tasks?" Lacunio asked, following closely behind.
"Then I think I have the right to refuse; that's my bottom line," Putzrio said firmly. "To put it bluntly, this is gratuitous assistance, unless…"
"Unless what?"
"Your Highness Prince Kondé, of course we can go all out, but you also know that great rewards inspire courage. We're already providing assistance almost free of charge, shouldn't this great reward come from you?" Saying this, Putzrio seized the opportunity to do his family's young men a favor.
Anyway, since he was already here, why not kill two birds with one stone and seek some benefits for his family?
If these new generations of his family accepted the favor, Putzrio's voice would carry more weight within the Osla family in the future.
He even suspected that the old Duke had him bring these family newcomers to the battlefield partly because he hoped he could establish a firm foundation among the new generation.
"If you are willing to provide fiefs in Thousand River Valley for the Osla family's lads, they will naturally go all out."
For many territorial serfs, promotion through war and being knighted for military merit is their lifelong dream.
These territorial serfs are mostly from wealthy armed peasant backgrounds, becoming territorial serfs of the Osla family through employment.
Among them, the double-pay swordsmen are all from knightly families, and many are even branches of the Osla family, but they can't get land and manors, so they have to venture out.
For these two classes, the former is for class advancement, and the latter is to preserve their class, so they have an infinite thirst for fiefs and glory.
If Prince Kondé is willing to provide manors to these elite infantry, they will definitely be willing to fight to the death.
"How many manors do you want to get from me?" Prince Kondé was generous; anyway, Thousand River Valley is full of rebels, and it doesn't matter if more Laya nobles are installed.
"It depends on the performance of the family lads; just give it as you see fit," Putzrio replied equally readily. "I believe you are an honest and reasonable person."
"What key performance do you think this four-thousand-man army will have?" He glared at Prince Kondé speechlessly.
This Putzrio was putting Prince Kondé on a pedestal; to show his honesty, he might give out even more fiefs.
Although Lacunio knew the two were playing the good cop, bad cop routine, Prince Kondé was a bit too outrageous.
"We have two thousand five hundred territorial serfs, three hundred double-pay swordsmen, and more than eight hundred family knights; I believe this is worth a six-thousand-man ordinary Night's Watch."
In the Empire's system, the Night's Watch are simply trained tax-reducing conscript soldiers, while the armored soldiers are paid elite armed peasants.
Generally speaking, both are responsible for security warfare within the territory and small-scale battles of hundreds of people between lords, mostly emphasizing individual bravery.
After fighting too many security wars, they won't fight normal battles.
Once they encounter regular infantry like the Salvation Army, they will be swept away like in the previous Rapidwater City battle.
The territorial serfs are more special; they are regular combat infantry for external attacks, emphasizing discipline and organization, with individual bravery being secondary.
After the Windmill Land battle, because nobles in various places hired mercenaries for a long time, many mercenary groups directly became family private soldiers.
But their identities were difficult to determine, so they were defined as military servants outside the Imperial knight system; this is the origin of the territorial serfs.
Quite similar to mercenaries, their officers also subcontract, recruiting and training separately, and issuing fixed salaries to soldiers according to the number of people.
However, most nobles and cities can only afford short-term mercenaries; only great nobles can have an elite territorial serf force.
In duke-level territorial disputes, various nobles can call friends and pile up the number of people on the battlefield to tens of thousands.
It is on such large-scale battlefields that these territorial serfs have the opportunity to take action.
However, the Empire has been peaceful for a long time, and such opportunities are too few; not all great nobles are willing to spend money to create such an infantry force.
But the Osla family, which has gold and silver mines, has three such territorial serf forces, and even the most recent one was established in the last five years.
After all, they border the barbaric Norn people of Bearhammer Territory, and there are occasional skirmishes between the two sides.
Moreover, they have such a truly golden mountain; without enough troops, Duke Omes can't sleep at night.
"As the commander of the army, Your Highness, I implore you to entrust me with the important task of granting fiefs, as an incentive to the soldiers."
As the black-faced character, Lacunio took the initiative to take this responsibility from Prince Kondé, to prevent him from messing around and to prevent him from being too generous.
Blinking his eyes, Prince Kondé entrusted this task to Lacunio with great trust.
He would definitely disagree if it were someone else, but Prince Kondé had complete confidence in this teacher and old friend on the battlefield.
Lacunio breathed a sigh of relief; granting manors was a delicate job, requiring consideration from political, economic, and military perspectives, and ensuring that the vast majority of people were satisfied.
He didn't think his disciple could do it; what Prince Kondé needed most right now were a few good administrators and governors.
Everything went haywire after Mizam's death.
After the key political issues were settled, a consensus was quickly reached on the subsequent grain and grass issues, followed by the military issues affecting the current battle situation.
"…After Ludwig's death, the situation has changed."
"Kasha County is in chaos. Until the new Abbot of Brago Abbey is elected, they will remain in a state of chaos."
"The Gray Horse Knight Vayne recently departed from Longpeak Fortress, leading an army to the border of Honey River Township, and is expected to attack Honey River Township and Deer Antler Township."
"Due to the recent alliance between the witch Catherine of Rapidwater City, the Salvation Army, and the Secret Party, some monasteries in Kasha County have secretly surrendered to us."
Listing the conditions one by one, Lacunio placed a black stone on the map at the northwest location of Kasha County.
"With the current battle situation, coupled with your secret arrival, I have a bold plan: immediately launch a non-stop attack on Kasha County.
You and I will lead the local knights and your army directly into it. They will definitely not expect your fresh forces. With the surrendered monasteries and a policy of appeasement, Kasha County will inevitably fall completely.
If Kasha County falls completely, then the Salvation Army front in Langsand County will change from the original Rapidwater City line to the entire South Naoan River line, tripling the length of the front."
"And then we take the opportunity to wipe out the Salvation Army?"
"If there is a chance, we will wipe them out; if there is no chance, we will contain them," Lacunio drew several clear lines on the map.
"At the same time, the army of Honey River Township will retreat to Deer Antler Township, burning fields and houses to prevent the army from obtaining supplies.
The Gray Horse Knight will most likely continue to attack Deer Antler Township. At this time, Shar will lead the Edict Company to raid and cut off his retreat, while the Gravel Plains army will stand by in the north.
Once Shar succeeds, the Gravel Plains army will advance south to force the High Fort City, and the Salvation Army rebel defense line in the south is too long and the forces are scattered, so they cannot provide rescue.
If Molliarty advances, he will lose High Fort; if he defends, he will lose the Gray Horse Knight Vayne and the main knights.
If Molliarty advances, then we will besiege and strike at reinforcements; if Molliarty defends, then after we eat the Gray Horse Knight, we will attack Rapidwater City to the south.
With the Gravel Plains army in the north, Molliarty will also be unable to rescue the Salvation Army, and the Salvation Army's defense line will be stretched and the forces will inevitably be thin.
Our army will besiege Rapidwater City without attacking, and the Edict Company will raid Jeanne Fort, beheading that demon Horn, and then the Thousand River Valley battle situation will be settled."