industrial lord

Chapter 190

The Rhine River has traveled thousands of miles all year round, and the convenient water transportation has brought huge wealth, and also watered large areas of plains on both sides of the river.

Now it is the autumn plowing season. In the farmland, the farmers are driving the cattle and horses to work, and some dilapidated or brand-new houses can be seen in the distance.

The sound of the horn on the river made the farmers look up. Now that the water level is low, the hull of the boat is blocked by the embankment, and only the golden double-headed eagle flag flying on the top of the mast can be seen.

There have been a lot of troop ships passing by on the Rhine recently, and the peasants knew that there was going to be a war again, because the knight master left with a dozen people and requisitioned an additional share of oats.

On the first boat of the Wessen state fleet, a conscripted militiaman said to Frederick: "Sir, there is a village behind the embankment, where I used to live."

Frederick asked him, "Don't you want to go back and have a look?"

The militiaman just shook his head with a wry smile, looking like he had some bad memories back home.

Frederick was about to change the subject when a young officer came to him: "Commander, the place where the ship rests today is coming."

Frederick looked up at the sun above his head, then turned around and said, "Okay, stop the ship as planned."

Before him was a young officer with a hooked nose, piercing eyes, and the air of an eagle.

Helmut was a good friend of Franz Jr. when he traveled around the world. He was born in a down-and-out knight family in the Principality of Mecklen. He was very smart and had many years of experience in combat.

Little Franz wrote to invite him after he came back to take up an important position in the Wessen Army, but communication was inconvenient in this era. The day after he came to Wessenburg City was the first anniversary of the victory of the Six-Day Defense War.

After the interview, Frederick agreed with Helmut to serve as the deputy staff officer to assist Franz Jr. in managing the staff.

This time, Frederick let little Franz guard the house, and the staff team was led by Helmut. [-]% of the team members were newcomers, so it was considered to be a monster for them to gain experience.

At the same time, Frederick's quota for dispatching troops this time is 1500 people. The number is not limited to death. You can bring more people, but the supplies provided by the royal logistics are only based on so many people.

1500 people are almost the size of an infantry regiment, so Frederick led his troops out according to the formation of an infantry regiment plus three cavalry companies.

The personnel of this force were drawn from the original two regiments. Helmut is currently serving as the head of the regiment, and the two regiments guarding the house are recruited in advance.

According to the plan of the Ministry of Military Affairs, the army needs to be gradually expanded to more than 1 people, the establishment needs to be adjusted, and a large-scale reorganization will be carried out after returning next year.

The fleet soon stopped to the right, and in the afternoon, the fleet of the Principality of Bain stopped on the left.

As night fell, Frederick and the Grand Duke of Bayern and the Grand Duke of Mainz, who had been waiting here for a long time, had a barbecue on the bank of the river, surrounded by guards guarding 100 meters away.

The Grand Duke of Mainz picked up a skewer of grilled pork belly and handed it to Frederick, and said with a smile: "Commander, you eat first."

Frederick did not pick up the skewers, but shook his head and said, "A commander in Peach Blossom Stone once said, 'If the military well is not drawn, you will not speak of thirst; Han; the military curtain is not set, the general will not be sleepy', the translation is... blah blah blah..."

His peach-blossom language taught by Psyche stunned the two old men for a moment, and after being translated into local dialect, they couldn't help nodding their heads in agreement.

"This is what a former commander said." Grand Duke Byrne said, "My grandfather and I said similar things, but I didn't fully understand the truth until I was 40 years old."

The Grand Duke of Mainz said to Frederick: "What else did he say, you have time to talk to us."

Frederick just nodded with a smile, and picked up a skewer of roast lamb and ate it himself. Just now, the Grand Duke of Mainz called himself the commander, and he was fooled by the matter of handing him the skewer.

Grand Duke Byrne said with a smile: "It seems that you are very sober."

Frederick asked as he ate, "Is it His Majesty William's fault?"

The troop dispatch this time is only for defense along the river. If they only manage their own defense areas, everyone will live in peace.

However, now the three of them are pinched together, led by Frederick, who has the lowest title, age, and seniority, and two highly respected grand dukes are under his command. Even if these three families are an alliance, it is not normal in any way.

Moreover, Frederick has 1500 soldiers, and the other two have 1000. It seems that the commander has the most soldiers, but his number does not account for an absolute majority. If the other two join forces to oppose him, they will have more people than him.

No matter how you look at it, this arrangement is meant to sow discord.

The Grand Duke of Mainz was more familiar with the affairs in the palace, and while brushing the chicken legs with oyster sauce, he said: "This matter was decided by the Minister of Military Affairs, Count Pistor, and the king must have nodded."

"Wesson, what are you going to do?"

Frederick shrugged, poured beer for the two, and then said: "I have three countermeasures, two of which actually mean the same thing, and one is unacceptable."

Grand Duke Byrne asked with great interest: "Oh, what's your idea?"

After taking a sip of beer, Frederick said: "The first one, the two seem to follow my command."

"Second, I divide the defense zone, and everyone manages their own."

"The third one, let's put Count Pistor in a sack and beat him up."

"Which one do you two choose?"

The Grand Duke of Mainz and the Grand Duke of Byrne immediately replied in unison: "The third one."

The corner of Frederick's mouth twitched for a while, and then he said, "Okay, I'll give you two guards."

The three ate barbecue in silence for a while, and Frederick said, "Well, let's divide the defense zone first."

"Anyway, as long as we want to defend, we should build fortresses in key places and leave a small number of soldiers on guard. If there are enemies coming, they will report to the rear. The main force in the rear will either attack the incoming enemies head-on, or find a place to ambush."

"The defense area is simple. With Hanma City as the center, the two guard the left and right, and I will go to the south side of Weisenling."

"We lined up along the river like this, supporting each other, like a snake, hitting its head will reach its tail, hitting its tail will reach its head, and hitting its middle will reach its head and tail."

This is the best way he can think of. When there are no enemies or when there are few enemies, everyone will go their own way, and if there are too many people, they will cooperate strategically.

Moreover, these two uncles lived comfortably relying on the defense of the big city, and it wouldn't be too bad to go to relatives' houses by themselves, and they were considered comprehensive.

Grand Duke Byrne seemed indifferent at this time, and agreed while eating the skewers.

The Grand Duke of Mainz said with a smile: "Don't be so nervous, this operation is actually just a show."

"The nobles along the boundary river are small nobles who have no right to speak and are used to consume the enemy in the war. The territories of the big nobles are behind them. It's just that what happened in April made those big nobles a little worried, so the king wants us to go. Garrison by the river, so that their hearts will be at ease."

"Anyway, many of the nobles by the river have gone to you. If you want to rob, there is nothing to rob. The opposite party will not do money-losing business."

"And those people on the other side of the Elbe River have followed the Osmarga Empire to fight against the Piast Kingdom. Who will cross the river?"

Frederick was taken aback when he heard this, and thought that this was just a show, so he asked, "So, this time, the king wants our nobles from the Rhine Valley to go to the east to play a show for the nobles from the west of the Elbe River?"

The Grand Duke of Mainz nodded and said, "Yes, anyway, the king paid for it."

"Believe it or not, everyone will be having a good time in Hanma City by then."

"I came here today to tell you about this in advance, and it will be enough to just pretend to be."

Frederick was speechless.

(End of this chapter)