industrial lord

Chapter 722 Departure
Only a few wisps of gray appeared on the horizon, and the camp had already awakened. The lingering smoke from the embers of the campfire drifted like a thin veil in the chilly morning breeze.

Soldiers emerged from their tents, figures moving about between the tents. The clanging of armor, the sharp sound of daggers being drawn, and the muffled thud of horses' hooves disrupted the morning's tranquility.

The new recruits' faces were flushed with excitement, their fingers trembling as they tried to tighten their belts, loudly discussing how they would definitely buy a motorcycle after receiving military merit awards; while the veterans were as steady as rocks, their eyes calm, silently checking their personal belongings, equipment, and medicines for anything missing, and giving their shoes a final check, as if they were about to embark on a long journey.

The sunlight struggled to pierce through the layers of clouds, like a dull golden dagger, reflecting a blinding, cold light onto the armor and bayonets of the troops.

The bugle call suddenly pierced the thin mist, loud and desolate, echoing endlessly above the military camp.

Amidst this tense yet orderly commotion, the king appeared.

Rudolf was not wearing heavy armor, but only a finely crafted chainmail, over which was a purple velvet robe embroidered with a roaring lion in gold thread.

The sun had not yet fully risen, but the jewels inlaid on his helmet and the large golden reliquary on his chest already shimmered with a cold and noble aura in the morning sun.

Inside the reliquary is a royal gold ring passed down through generations. Legend has it that it was worn by the first paladin of the Church of Light and could protect the wearer from any harm on the battlefield.

Several royal knights in magnificent plate armor stood like iron towers guarding Rudolf on either side, while the standard-bearer held aloft a huge royal banner, the fluttering flag bearing the majestic emblem of the kingdom.

But few people around him paid him any attention, because this was the camp of the Weisen army. Even if Frederick himself came, everyone would just salute and continue with their own business.

My vassal's vassal is not my vassal; Rudolf could do nothing about these soldiers ignoring him.

Inside the command tent, Franz Jr. looked at the telegram from Burling and felt a bit of a toothache. He turned to Eugene and said, "Metzger is quite the businessman. He managed to get enough military rations for you to eat until next spring."

Eugene shrugged and said, "In the Duchy of Wessen, it's harder to find someone who can't do business than to find a three-legged horse."

"But I never expected the Piast army to sell so much military rations. Aren't they afraid of dying?"

"The Gallic army also traded supplies, but only wine, meat and onions; no one dared to sell large quantities of flour and wheat."

He was ostracized in the Gallic army for not participating in the resale of military supplies, so he was well aware of these matters and never expected that the Piast army would be so audacious.

An army can get by with a lack of food, but a lack of staple food is a real problem; a mutiny could happen in no time.

Franz thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps they are particularly resistant to hunger."

"After you go there, you can get more grain before winter. Anyway, once they go out to sea, they don't know where to transport it. You can transport it directly to Hanma City."

Eugene nodded and said, "That's good. The canal connecting Hamma City to the sea over there has also been dug, so we don't have to go around the war zone anymore."

As the two were talking, everything in the command post was moved out, and the tents began to be packed up.

According to the General Staff's plan, the first wave of Weisen's army would set sail to occupy Stork Harbor, thus opening a passage for the Rhine Alliance army.

Next, the second batch of Mainz troops occupied Hawthorn Village, and the Bavarian troops occupied Redwaterwheel Village. Subsequently, the main force arrived at Redwaterwheel Village, and after assembling, headed north to Flensburg.

The military camp's kitchen and mess hall were the last to be moved; there was no rush to move them away at that time. The aroma of breakfast made the soldiers tidying up the camp keep swallowing their saliva.

Heinz went to the kitchen to inspect the preparation of today's breakfast.

As the commander of the 1st Division, he was known for his strictness, which extended not only to military discipline but also to all aspects of the army's development.

Among all the officers and soldiers in Wei Senjun, only he would personally weigh the steamed bread and meat bun fillings with a spring scale. If the weight was not up to standard, someone would be in trouble.

Heinz had just weighed a steamed bread and found it to be the correct weight. Upon seeing Rudolf approach, he immediately bowed politely and said, "Your Majesty, good morning."

Rudolf asked Heinz enthusiastically, "What would you like to eat this morning?"

He was very enthusiastic about Frederick's men and had always dreamed of poaching them. Although he had sent people to hint at it many times, all of which had failed, he did not stop. Heinz replied: "Today's standard breakfast is two standard steamed breads, a serving of Elizabethan potato stew with pork belly, a bowl of vegetable soup, a piece of standard cheese, and two oranges."

Rudolf exclaimed for the umpteenth time, "Your food is really good."

In other military units, breakfast usually consists of a bowl of oatmeal and a piece of cheese, with meat only available at dinner, not to mention southern fruits like oranges.

On Citrus Island, someone cultivated oranges that matured earlier and had thicker peels that were easier to store. They transported them all directly to Hanma City for the Weisen Army, leaving none in Weisenburg City.

Heinz replied, "Because we're setting off today, breakfast is a bit more substantial than usual."

Rudolf asked him, "May I have breakfast here?"

Heinz replied, "Wessen Army welcomes Your Majesty to dine here."

Rudolf and his entourage happily found a place to sit in the mess hall, but after waiting for a while, they found that no one brought them any food.

His royal knight, Bastian, whispered, “Your Majesty, the Wessen army is disciplined.”

"When soldiers have no water, officers do not complain of thirst; when soldiers have no food, officers do not complain of hunger."

“Even Grand Duke Wessen did the same.”

Rudolf had heard about these things and could only wait.

After packing their luggage, the officers and soldiers of the Weisen Army quickly assembled in front of the canteen. After their routine singing, they put down their weapons and luggage and lined up to eat in the canteen.

The king and his knights naturally enjoyed the highest level of treatment, with unlimited standard meals as well as extra dishes such as fried eggs and fried sausages.

This made Rudolf a little embarrassed. He had come here to freeload some oranges, but now that he could take as many as he wanted, it was really inappropriate to take too many.

Greedy kings and nobles have always been the subject of ridicule in folk tales. Rudolf's great-grandfather earned the nickname "King of the Wild Ducks" because he stole someone else's wild duck while hunting, and he certainly didn't want to be called "King of the Oranges."

So he can only eat two, and take two.

The soldiers wolfed down their breakfast, and many company commanders paid for extra meals for their men out of their own pockets; some bought sausages, and others bought cheese.

Rudolf saw this and told Bastian to go find Franz. He said that His Majesty the King would pay for all the drinks for the entire Wessen team today.

Thanks and praise always make people feel good, especially when they come from Weisenjun. Rudolph felt like he was floating on clouds until the bill arrived.

Now, Weisen's army has three main corps gathered in Hanma City, and they have all been invited.

After finishing their breakfast, the soldiers in the mess hall all took out their lunchboxes, and someone distributed their lunch and dinner for the day.

One day, Frederick recalled baked buns, and some people thought they would be a good choice as military rations. They had a sturdy outer layer of bread and fillings such as meat or cheese, which were very filling and wouldn't break if placed in a mess kit, making them suitable for short missions.

Everything is ready, everyone board the ship.

There was no noise, no pushing or shoving.

The soldiers stood in neat square formations, like steel statues awaiting inspection.

Signposts were prepared along the road from the military camp to the port, and each ship displayed the flag of its corresponding unit. The troops set off in turn, advancing along the roadside according to the instructions of their respective companies, without any confusion.

Unbeknownst to everyone, they were heading towards a turning point in history.

(End of this chapter)