Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 156 Chance Encounter
On the day they crossed the River Styx, the supply train camped at the bridgehead.

In the dead of night, a panicked night watchman burst into Lieutenant Montagne's tent: "Sir! Wake up!"

The lieutenant, still groggy, stammered, "Um... what are you doing?"

"Something happened!"

Completely awake, Winters jumped onto his cot: "What's wrong?"

"It's raining salt from the sky!"

Without even bothering to put on his clothes, Winters rushed out of the tent.

Looking around, he didn't see any salt being sprinkled, but there was an even more astonishing sight—thousands upon thousands of willow catkins were swirling and falling from the sky.

It was rare for this land to receive snow.

……

Two days later.

West of the Courvalleja River, an unnamed area.

Andrei and Winters rode side by side, chatting idly. Their hooves pounded in the mud, making a "plop, plop" sound.

For the Parat people, snow existed in two forms: written records and the perennial snow on the main peak of the Golden Summit Mountains.

There is very little snow that you can actually touch.

Younger Dusaks have never even experienced snowfall; their concept of "snow" comes entirely from their parents' descriptions.

The ground temperature had not yet reached freezing point, and the snow that fell to the ground quickly melted into water, with only some snow remaining on the distant hillsides.

The meadow in front of us was still green, but the hillsides on the horizon were covered with snow. This strange sight was so real that even seeing it with our own eyes couldn't make it seem real.

But the supply train crew had no time to appreciate the scenery; they had more pressing concerns.

The meadows, which were originally quite firm in winter, were suddenly soaked with moisture by the snowfall.

Once crushed by wheels, it inevitably turns into mud.

The large carts left muddy trails, and the mud seeped into the axles, making it even harder for the wheels to turn. Occasionally, horse-drawn carriages would get stuck in muddy puddles.

Originally, the ruts left by the carriages in front would make it easier for the carriages behind to move, but now it is the carriages in front that have an easier time, while the carriages further back have a more difficult time.

After a day of trekking, Lieutenant Colonel Jessica ordered a change to a double column formation the next day, shortening the long lines of the troops.

However, the double column formation does not seem to be very effective, and Winters estimates that they may have to try a triple or even a quadruple column formation next.

"This... fucking rotten land!" Andrei cursed. "Did the people above them fill their brains with shit, coming all this way to this place to fight the Hed people?"

It is often only when something is lacking that its value is realized. Compared to the well-developed network of roads and waterways in Venetia, the grasslands of the Hed tribes were indeed a wasteland.

The road was difficult to travel—there was no road at all, and the population was sparse. There was nothing but grass and trees, and it didn't look like anything productive.

Brother Reid on the carriage laughed twice: "You Venetians are like well-fed men who don't know the hunger of starving men. Even if the wasteland is used for grazing sheep, it will still produce something. You think this land is not good, but you don't know that every year the Hed tribes fight each other to fight for the pasture."

“That’s because the Hed people are dirt poor,” Andrei immediately retorted. “The Parat people can’t be poorer than the Hed people, can they?”

“Red apples are easy to pick,” the old monk quoted a Freeman proverb, and asked in return, “Does that mean no one picks green apples? Plato’s desire for land is partly your responsibility as well.”

"What responsibility?" Andrei was very indignant.

“The wool textile industry of Frosland and Veneta needs more raw materials, and Palatour needs more sheep. The second sons, youngest sons, and illegitimate sons of your two noble families bring money to buy land, and Palatour has a large number of manors and manor owners. Don’t you understand?”

Andrei was a little confused: "What does this have to do with anything?"

"Ultimately, it is the needs of your coastal regions that drive the Paratians to set foot here." The mendicant monk sighed, a hint of pity in his eyes as if he were looking at a fool. "If one day Venetia's textile industry abandons wool and switches to producing cotton, then the Paratians will slaughter their sheep and use the land to grow cotton. Do you understand?"

"Don't we need cotton now?" Andrei asked timidly.

“This kid is even dumber than you!” the old monk said to Winters, pointing at Andrei.

"Don't drag me into this!" Winters retorted. "Veneta has a responsibility, but you don't? Do you dare say that the war between the Platutians and the Heds had no religious reasons? Wasn't it a campaign against heretics?"

The old monk chuckled to himself.

A rider ran from far behind the convoy, galloping all the way to the two officers before pulling on the reins.

It was Pierre, who nervously reported to Andrei: "Sir! I saw a figure on the northern hillside."

"Figures? How many people?"

"On a."

"And then what? Follow us?"

"No, it was just a fleeting moment. I couldn't see him anymore once he went back behind the hillside."

Andrei thought for a moment, then frowned and asked, "It's not another shepherd, is it?"

……

There have been some funny incidents involving shepherds before.

On the very first day they entered the buffer zone, militia members noticed that someone seemed to be following them along the ridgelines of the hillsides on both sides.

The tense Andrei thought they were scouts from the Hed people and immediately led his cavalry to attack.

The riders brandished their sabers and howled wildly as they charged towards the enemy, only to find that they were just a few shepherds.

They didn't catch the Herdsmen, but they scared the shepherds half to death, which infuriated Andrei.

During the subsequent march through the buffer zone, they encountered several groups of shepherds every day.

Having been fooled by false alarms several times, Andrei became too lazy to pay attention to such reports anymore. However, Lieutenant Colonel Deshka tirelessly sent Andrei to contact the shepherd.

"Lieutenant Cellini!" the lieutenant colonel liked to say. "Go take a look! Bring some supplies with you!"

One of the lieutenant colonel's purposes was to gather intelligence—but Andrei thought that was pure nonsense. In his view, the lieutenant colonel's real purpose was mutton, sheep's milk, and sheep's cheese.

The Palatine shepherds primarily herded the famous Merino sheep, known for their soft and smooth wool, a breed even the Venetians like Winters and Andrei had heard of.

Merino sheep are considered a controlled commodity in Plato, and the breed has been strictly prohibited from leaving the country since ancient times, with violators facing execution.

There is another less well-known breed, the Jura sheep. Its wool is not as good as that of the Merino, but its meat and milk are far superior to its cousin.

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica especially loved the Jura sheep cheese.

Shepherds wander the wilderness year-round, leading a dull and monotonous life. Therefore, they are happy to exchange sheep and milk for consumables such as tobacco, sugar, and alcohol.

The lieutenant colonel specifically asked Andrei to come over so he could bring back the meat and milk.

With fresh meat and milk every day, the officers were all happy. Except for Andrei, who was thoroughly annoyed by the constant fuss. The lieutenant colonel specifically requested him to do it, and no one else could do it for him.

[Note: The officer rank includes officers, clergy, and professional doctors; a battalion will not be assigned a professional doctor.]
……

Upon hearing Lieutenant Cellini's question, Pierre scratched the back of his head and said, "I don't know if he was a shepherd or not. That man even waved at me."

"Didn't you see the attire clearly?"

"It's too far to see clearly."

"Take your men and go see him," Andrei instructed. "Take the flares with you, but don't make a fool of yourself like yesterday."

Yesterday, the first day after crossing the "River Styx", Andrei received another report: there were people on the ridgeline.

Once across the River Styx, we'll be in the territory of the Hed people, there can't be any mistake, right? Andrei mustered his men and charged forward with murderous intent.

But he was tricked again, this time by a shepherd who had crossed the pontoon bridge a few days earlier.

Wherever Plato's banner went, the shepherds followed. On the west bank of the Styx lay rock salt, essential for sheep, and the shepherds followed the army after they crossed.

According to the shepherd, the nearby Hud people had long since migrated westward, and the nearest battleground was a hundred kilometers to the west.

To escape the advance of Palatul's army, the Herds' herds, tents, cattle, and sheep were all moved away. Now only Palatul's shepherds roam this land.

Pierre received the order, saluted, and prepared to leave.

"Wait a minute." Andrei called out to him, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I'll take the men. You go to the back and report to the lieutenant colonel."

Pierre saluted, pulled on the reins, and spurred his horse away.

Winters pulled a revolver from his holster and tossed it to Andrei: "Take this."

In order to avoid revealing the spellcaster's identity, Winters also purchased a double-barreled spring-loaded short gun in Maplestone City, in addition to rarely using spells in public.

He felt that in this way, even if there were rumors that he could fire a gun without an open flame, people would just think it was a revolver gun.

“No need.” Andrei waved his hand with a smile: “A few shepherds would find it a burden to carry this heavy thing.”

……

Andrei mustered a group of riders and galloped toward the north hillside.

He was reluctant to call these Dussaks cavalry, because in his view they were merely riders, not qualified cavalrymen. The squad leader, a thirty-four-year-old "old" Dussak—compared to the underage Dussaks, the Blackwater man was an unlucky fellow chosen by lottery.

The remaining children in the same tent, Shego, Kryuch, Marungott, Rasov, and Kapu, were all underage Dusaks.

Andrei thought Asta was older and more reliable, so he appointed Asta as a deputy commander.

As the saying goes, "Looking at a mountain makes a horse run itself to death," and it took Andrei and his six riders quite a while to finally reach the ridge of the hillside.

Standing atop the earthen slope, the supply train members looked no bigger than grains of soybeans.

The procession stretched across the plains like a clumsy snake, but only half of it could be seen, the other half completely obscured by the undulating terrain.

When you're in it, you often don't realize it; only when you stand on high ground can you see that the wilderness is not flat.

The rolling hills are like folds on a blanket; once you cross a ridge or go around a mound, the view disappears.

"There seem to be some livestock over there, sir," Asta said, pointing with his riding crop to a ravine to the east.

"Go over and have a look."

As the riders traveled along the ridge and rounded several bends, a flock of sheep suddenly appeared in the valley on the other side.

Light brown sheep are scattered in the gullies, grazing peacefully.

The two shepherds noticed the cavalrymen at the top of the hill and waved their hats at them.

"Did you bring the things?" Andrei asked the squad leader.

“Of course, sir.” Asta patted the saddlebag. “I knew I was coming to exchange things.”

Andrei would trade meat, cheese, and fresh milk with the shepherds, and the Dussacs who came along would also trade some sheep's milk for it.

"Go change," Andrei said casually. "The usual."

Asta whistled and led Klüch toward the bottom of the ravine.

Andrei yawned: "Damn it, all we eat is mutton and goat milk. I'm starting to smell like mutton myself."

“Then I’ll share your burden,” Dusak Shego joked.

“Alright.” Andrei laughed heartily and lightly whipped Shego with his riding crop. “I’ll discuss it with the lieutenant colonel and find an opportunity to improve things for everyone.”

"Thank you, sir!" Xie Ge shouted happily.

"What the hell!" Rasov cried out in terror, "What the hell... Lord!"

Asta, at the bottom of the ditch, first lazily leaned to one side, then suddenly threw his hands up and fell off the saddle.

Kliuch, who had gone with him, had been dragged off his horse by the shepherd and was struggling and shouting desperately.

The sudden turn of events left the Dussacs speechless.

"Go down and save him!" Andrei spurred his horse's ribs, drew his saber, and charged down the hillside.

The Dussacks were a few horse lengths behind before they realized what was happening and hurriedly caught up.

Using the terrain, the cavalry rushed to the bottom of the slope in the blink of an eye, but this was precisely why the enemy did not kill Kliuqi.

Seeing the cavalry officer charge down the hillside, the shepherd immediately took out his horn and blew it loudly.

In the blink of an eye, Lieutenant Cellini severed the shepherd's horn along with his jaw.

But it was too late; the dull horn sound had already echoed out of the valley, followed by the thunderous sound of hooves.

At the edge of the hillside outline, first the tips of swaying spears appeared, then the feathers on helmets swayed.

A dozen or so fierce riders, armed with spears and bows, charged out from the opposite slope of the hillside, howling as they charged toward the Palatine cavalry at the bottom of the slope.

"Hedeman!" Shego shouted hoarsely, "It's Hedeman!"

This was a planned ambush. Andrei yanked on the reins and roared, "Go!"

The riders turned their horses around and galloped back up the hill they had come from. Even the most valiant riders were now desperately stabbing their mounts in the ribs with their spurs.

Klüch had barely gotten to his feet when the Heds attacked him. Little Dusak stood there dumbfounded as a lance pierced his chest, pinning him to the ground.

Klüch did not die immediately, but no one paid him any attention. Hart's cavalry swept past, their target the fleeing hussar officer.

The sound of the Herdsmen's hooves struck Andrei's heart like hail. He kept looking back and saw a thick beard, a gloomy face, and a skilled riding posture.

“One of them has red feathers, the rest are white.” Andrei tried desperately to calm down: “That guy must be an official.”

He saw the Hud man reaching behind his leg to pull something out.

"Arrows!" Andrei roared, "Get down!"

Upon hearing the lieutenant's roar, the Palatine rider leaned down on his horse, pressing his body as low as possible.

Arrows, whistling through the air, came hurtling from behind. The cavalrymen gritted their teeth, praying as they whipped their horses.

Rasov let out a scream, shouting, "I've been shot! I've been shot!"

"Blow the horn! Alarm the battalion!" Andrei ordered the bugler, Kap.

The lieutenant had to call out three times before Karp finally snapped out of his daze. He shakily took the bugle off his neck, but couldn't produce a single note.

The horses of the Hed were not large, but their speed was no less than that of Andrei's tall horses.

The distance between the fleeing and pursuing groups closed rapidly, and everyone could clearly hear the Hed people shouting in their language.

The burly Hedman with red feathers caught up with Andrei and thrust his spear fiercely into his back. The spearhead pierced through his leather belt and penetrated diagonally into his back, about a finger's width deep.

Andrei wasn't wearing the breastplate issued to officers, and he felt a chill run down his spine. He swung his saber to deflect the second spear thrust, letting out a desperate roar: "There's no escape! I'll fight to the death!"

Andrea reared up on his horse and slashed at the back of the Hedman who was charging past on his left.

He was surrounded, and a Herd horse collided with his black warhorse, nearly knocking it over.

Shego was the first to turn around and rescue, but a Hed man chased him aside.

Xie Ge bared his teeth, his face ashen, and slashed wildly at his opponent with no rhyme or reason.

Bugler Kapp didn't look back and fled straight toward the convoy. But Marungott and Rasov, who had been shot in the arm, followed closely behind Shego and rushed back.

The riders huddled together on a small patch of pitiful mud, fighting and scrambling. The Paratus were terrified, but the Heds were in no better shape.

Swords clashed, sparks flew, and the fighting was fierce and chaotic.

The horse was also frightened and wouldn't obey the rider's commands. It stumbled around in a daze and collapsed to the ground in a confused state.

Six Hart men surrounded Andrei, intending to capture him alive. Andrei stood up in the stirrups and, with all his might, swung his saber around the saddle like a whirlwind.

The spear tip drew a bloody gash across his neck, which he retaliated with a deep, bone-revealing wound. The glint of a sharp blade flashed before his eyes, and he raised his own to parry.

A Hed man shouted in an unfamiliar language, and Andrei used all his strength to chop the man's skull with his sword.

The man from Hed screamed and fell off his horse, but Andrei's saber was also knocked away by the enemy's iron helmet.

He immediately snatched a spear from a nearby Hart cavalryman and swung it as if he were on the training ground.

Several Hud men used their spears to force Andrei away and rescued the Hud man who had just fallen.

Andrei then noticed that the Hed man's helmet had red feathers.

The unconscious Hurd chieftain was placed on his horse and fled north. The other Hurd cavalrymen ceased fighting and followed their chieftain in retreat.

A fallen Hud man carried another wounded Hud man on his back and struggled to escape into the ravine.

The Palatine cavalry did not pursue; as soon as they broke contact, they rode straight toward the convoy.

Two groups of people who had not yet mastered the skill of killing their own kind met by chance. Driven by extreme fear, they fought and fought each other in a chaotic melee, hacking and slashing wildly. They were all covered in wounds and eventually fled. This is what just happened.

Andrei hastily wiped the blood off his face, only then realizing the pain from his wounds.

Shego and Marengot's lips trembled uncontrollably, and their clothes were stained with bright red blood.

The arrow in Rasov's arm had broken off sometime during the night. He was pale and swaying precariously on his horse.

"Rasov! Hang in there!" Andrei shouted, fighting back tears. "There will be a doctor when we get back to the convoy!"

They sped along the mountain ridge, rounded a bend, and the convoy gradually came into view behind the outline of the hills.

The caravan had been overrun by Hart's cavalry.

This is a battle from "And Quiet Flows the Don" that I remember vividly.

Thank you to all the readers who voted for the book before;
Thank you to readers nanhaiNo8 and 春风豫何人 for their generous donations;
Thanks to readers Taijingtou, agent12580, nnahaiNo8, Jiangxue Diaoweng, and Xianxia Shuchong.

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(End of this chapter)