industrial lord

Chapter 729 Harmony with Mud

The drizzle fell on the huge waterwheel, wetting the red wood and making its color even darker.

Rudolf looked up at the waterwheel, which was nearly two stories high, and asked with great interest, "Can you make it turn?"

The local lord readily agreed, leading his men to the water's edge. They pulled up the sluice gate of the waterwheel, and the rushing river water surged into the waterway. The deep red wooden wheel turned heavily and slowly, and the millstone in the mill made a thunderous sound.

Count Rank carefully examined the enormous waterwheel, which was said to be two hundred years old, and discovered that it had bearings installed on its axle. He had never seen such large bearings before.

After showing Rank, Shuyun Stiga, and Pistor around the waterwheel, Rudolf went into the mill, ordered the waterwheel to be stopped, and cleared away all other people, leaving only the four of them.

Rudolf patted the huge millstone, pushed himself up and sat down, facing north. Twenty kilometers away was Flensburg, the target of this operation.

He gestured for the other three to find something to sit on, then asked Rank, "When will the supplies expire?"

Lankel turned an empty wooden barrel upside down, placed a burlap sack under it, and sat down, replying, "Your Majesty, all supplies will arrive in five days."

Rudolf was impatient and wanted to take Flensburg as soon as possible to enjoy the joy of victory.

After carefully considering his words, he said, "It's not worth wasting five days here. Can we take some action?"

Rank thought to himself that these five days were not a waste, but rather an opportunity to assist the army of the Duchy of Bain in building a fortress and establishing a solid rear base.

Just as he was about to advise Rudolf not to rush, Shu Yun Stiga pointed north and said, "Frensburg is in sight. Our main force has been assembled and morale is high."

"I believe we should advance immediately, not giving the defenders more time to fortify the city's defenses. Speed ​​is victory."

"Don't worry about logistics. We can squeeze out five days' worth of supplies. The sooner we capture Flensburg, the more supplies we can save."

His tone was resolute, with the directness characteristic of a soldier.

Rudolf looked at Shu Yun Stiga's determined eyes and nodded, saying, "You're right, speed is of the essence in war."

He was inclined towards this direct and powerful solution.

Shu Yun Stiga represented the interests of several high-ranking nobles, the Royal Knights, and the Royal Mage Order. All of them had been in Hanma City for two years, eager to enjoy the victory and then go home.

However, they were not the only ones who stayed in Hanma City for two years. Many minor nobles also spent more than 700 days here. Some of them had newborn babies back home.

Their family is small and their business is small, so they go out to fight to make a fortune.

Everyone who passed by witnessed the Duchy of Wesen taking over Storkport. No one dared to challenge the Grand Duke of Wesen, but the Duchy of Mainz's actions in Hawthorn Village reminded everyone that the Rhine Alliance still had that ancient and effective law.

Therefore, Pisto, the spokesperson for the minor nobles, immediately stood up from the empty wine barrel, his voice smooth yet urgent: "Your Majesty, Count Shuyun Stiga's strategy is naturally far-sighted, and the enemy will surely surrender at the mere sight of our army."

"However, while Flensburg is the primary objective, the primary objective will also be affected if the secondary objectives are not resolved."

"There are still many villages and towns around us that have not pledged allegiance to us, and they may cause us trouble when our army attacks Flensburg, preventing our army from concentrating on attacking the city."

"For this reason, I suggest that troops be sent first to clear these villages and towns, eliminate the threat, and protect our rear and flanks."

He made a lot of sense, but everyone could tell that these minor nobles wanted to emulate the Duchy of Mainz and seize territory.

Rudolf's brow twitched slightly; Pistor's words had struck a chord with the political reality.

Don't underestimate those nobles just because they aren't individually powerful. They've formed small groups through marriage alliances and other means, and they make a huge fuss. He needs their support. "Pistol's concerns...are also valid."

Rudolf hesitated, his gaze shifting between the two counts.

Shu Yun Stiga's brows furrowed even more, and his voice rose a few decibels: "Your Majesty, Count Pistor only sees the immediate petty gains!"

"The threat from the North! We must take the Kingdom of Sverrière into account."

"Kosdorf is no ordinary man. The wars of the past two years have shown him to be as cunning as a fox. If our army is divided and scattered, our main force will be trapped under the fortified city, our strength will be dispersed, and our defenses will be full of holes. How could Kosdorf let go of such a good opportunity?"

"If he allows the Suomi Kingdom to nibble away at the border regions of his homeland, and then suddenly sends his main force south to attack my scattered troops or vulnerable supply lines, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

"If our main force is lost, we will likely face a huge disaster."

His words struck Rudolf's nerves like a cold hammer.

Rudolf was perplexed by these diametrically opposed yet equally reasonable opinions.

He looked at Earl Rank, his eyes pleading: "Earl Rank, what do you think?"

Rank observed in silence.

He was well aware of the king's indecisiveness and understood the power and demands represented by the two senior ministers.

He had only one thing to do, and said in a steady and clear voice: “Your Majesty, both counts have spoken out of consideration for the great cause of the kingdom. Count Shuyun Stiga’s concerns concern the overall safety of the kingdom, while Count Pistor’s proposal involves the morale of the army. Neither should be disregarded.”

He paused for a moment to organize his thoughts: "I think that Earl Shu Yun Stiga should lead the main forces, including the Royal Knights and the Royal Mage Order, to set off as soon as possible, take Flensburg directly, maintain pressure, and achieve the strategic objective."

"At the same time, the army coordinated by Count Pistor is allowed to clear out the villages and towns around Flensburg within a limited area around the main force, search for and eliminate the remaining enemy, and obtain necessary supplies and spoils of war."

He emphasized: "But strict constraints must be imposed: the area where troops are deployed must not be more than a day's cavalry journey away from the main force, and close communication must be maintained so that they can be deployed by the main force at any time."

Count Ranke was a court nobleman who did not have his own military force, nor did he hire mercenaries to seek opportunities to acquire land in wars like some other court nobles. Therefore, he could only compromise on military matters.

After listening, Rudolf's furrowed brows finally relaxed. This plan seemed to take all parties into consideration, at least superficially resolving the current dispute.

“Good! Ranke’s words are excellent, let’s proceed accordingly!” He immediately made the decision, eager to get rid of the dilemma. “Count Shu Yun Stiga, you must immediately assemble the army and set off! Count Pistor, coordinate the division of troops, and make sure that each unit does not stray far from its post, nor does it venture deep into enemy territory or stray far from its post!”

Count Shu Yun Stiga's expression remained serious. His lips moved as if he wanted to emphasize the risks again, but in the end he only bowed deeply: "Yes, Your Majesty."

He turned and strode away, his armor clanging loudly.

Count Pistor's face lit up with joy, and he bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise! I will certainly keep the lords in check to ensure they share Your Majesty's burdens and do not jeopardize important matters!"

He also hurriedly took his leave to arrange the division of troops.

As Rudolf watched the two counts depart, a surge of pride and a sense of control over a vast army rose within him.

Seeing Rudolf's expression, Count Rank thought this was a good start. Although there had been unexpected incidents like those at Stork Harbor and Hawthorn Village, these were minor problems. As long as they fought this next battle well and established their authority, they could deal with the rest later.

(End of this chapter)