industrial lord

Chapter 732 Marching Towards Promotion and Rank
The north wind howled through the military camp, and the flags standing on the walls were suddenly pulled by the wind, making a rapid and loud fluttering sound.

The main force of the Rhine Alliance set up camp a few kilometers away from Flensburg to prepare for the upcoming battle.

Inside Rudolf's large tent, a military conference was underway, with a huge map spread out in the center, clearly showing Flensburg and its surrounding terrain.

Count Shu Yun Stiga pointed to the map with his baton and introduced the enemy situation: "Frensburg's defenses have been constantly adjusted after several sieges. Now, a defensive system has been built with tower firing points as the main force, supplemented by moats and firing platforms."

"The castle is currently short of supplies, and our army must take advantage of this to completely seal it off."

"I suggest that we first eliminate their outer strongholds, cut off their possible supply sources, compress their operational space, and further deplete their resources before attacking the city."

Shu Yun Stigaber originally intended to launch a surprise attack, but according to Reiner, who came with Rank to persuade them to surrender, the area was always prepared for battle and there was no possibility of a sneak attack.

Therefore, the battle plan was changed. The main force surrounded the castle, while the armies of the minor nobles occupied the surrounding villages and towns, thus besieging Flensburg from all sides.

There's a problem here. Shu Yun Stiga used his baton to highlight a small point near the river in the northeast direction and said, "This port is very important. It's two kilometers from the castle, and the waterway connects to the moat. There are bunkers and low walls on both sides of the waterway. If the enemy uses it for resupply or to harass our flanks and rear, it will be quite troublesome."

Rudolf sat in the main seat, the intelligence reported by Count Rank a few days ago that "Frensburg's morale is high but its supplies are scarce" kept swirling in his mind. At this moment, he nodded and said, "We must capture this port before the battle."

Many ambitious officers and nobles immediately straightened their backs, seeing this as a top-notch achievement that they could not miss.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a slightly urgent voice rang out: "Your Majesty, I am willing to seize this port for you!"

All eyes were on the speaker—Baron Sende.

He was not a seasoned general, but a young master who inherited his title from his family. He was somewhat famous in the field of clothing design and had made a lot of money exporting dyes to the Duchy of Weisen over the years. His army was mainly composed of mercenaries.

In recent years, Sende has gained Queen Antonia's favor through his clothing designs, frequently entering and leaving the palace and often appearing at royal military meetings.

Everyone knows he is the queen's confidant, but he also has another identity—a quill pen strategist.

“Your Majesty,” Sende rose, his face displaying just the right amount of respect and confidence, “the port is not large and the garrison is weak. I am willing to lead my troops there, and I will surely capture it for Your Majesty within a day!”

"My troops may not be the kingdom's elite, but they are well-equipped and highly motivated, making them perfectly capable of this task. I humbly request Your Majesty to grant me this opportunity to achieve merit!"

He spoke earnestly, looking intently at Rudolf.

In the past few days, Send bribed many scouts and learned a lot about the enemy's military situation. He also found out that the port garrison consisted of fewer than twenty men, as well as some laborers carrying things.

A brief silence fell over the tent, each person lost in their own thoughts.

For the great nobles, attacking this small port was of little merit, merely like sauerkraut placed under a roasted pork knuckle; it would be a loss to affect the subsequent distribution of the meat.

The minor nobles were somewhat frustrated. Sende was a member of the Queen's faction. Back in Hamma City, the King and Queen were busy creating an heir and were deeply in love, so the King naturally favored him.

So, since the queen's gloves volunteered, who would be willing to offend her and embarrass him?

Shu Yun Stiga frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

Rudolf looked at Baron Sende, recalling the Queen's praise of him, and considering that capturing the port was merely an appetizer before the siege, it would be perfect to let this "one of our own" earn merit and solidify his position in the army. A satisfied smile appeared on his face: "Good, Baron Sende is commendable for his loyalty and bravery. This task is entrusted to you. I hope you will finish this quickly!"

"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty!" Baron Sende bowed excitedly to accept the order, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

Just as he was about to sit down, Shu Yun Stiga's deep voice rang out, with his usual seriousness, "Baron Sende."

Sende immediately stood up straight and looked at the de facto commander.

Count Shu Yun Stiga's gaze was sharp as he looked directly into his eyes and instructed, "Count Yurmand is no ordinary man, having managed to hold out here for two years."

"This man is cautious in his military tactics and his fortifications are well-prepared. Although the port is small, we should not underestimate him."

"Be sure to scout carefully, proceed steadily and surely, and do not be greedy for quick success or make rash advances. Resist the reinforcements coming from the direction of the castle."

His instructions were clear and direct.

Baron Sende's smile remained unchanged as he bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Earl."

He readily agreed verbally, but inwardly he was skeptical. What tricks could a garrison commander, besieged for two years and struggling to get enough to eat, possibly pull off in a small port with fewer than twenty men?
Count Shu Yun Stiga is far too cautious, even a bit... old.

All he could think about was how to take the port easily, how to curry favor with the Queen and the King, and how to use this opportunity to climb into the true core of power.

After a hearty lunch, Baron Sende led his army out in high spirits.

Five hundred mercenaries, equipped with fairly good leather armor and weapons, and with three reasonably capable mages in the group, breaching the city gates would not be a problem.

With flags flying high and the army in full force, Baron Sende felt a surge of pride.

He could almost see the port trembling beneath his feet, and the king's approving gaze and the queen's satisfied smile as he returned in triumph.

The prospect of being granted a fiefdom and a noble title seems imminent.

The march went smoothly, and the several kilometers were quickly covered. The port came into view: it was indeed not large in scale, with more than ten warehouses built along the river. Behind the warehouses were a large number of wooden houses, surrounded by a low wooden and stone wall. There were arrow towers only on both sides of the city gate and near the water. Several small boats were moored at the dock.

A few dozen guards stood sparsely on the city walls and arrow towers, seemingly unprepared for their arrival, and the bugle calls were not loud.

A ballista on an arrow tower fired an arrow as thick as an arm, which landed far on the ground, and the dust it kicked up was dispersed by the wind before it even reached the army formation.

Baron Send felt the title of Earl beckoning to him.

As a quill-pen military strategist, he still understood some basic battlefield knowledge and could recall it even when he seemed to have a significant advantage.

He rode on his horse, took a long-barreled precision shotgun from his attendant, pointed it forward, and confidently ordered the five hundred mercenaries: "Companies 1 to 4 shall launch a rolling attack on the city gate, Company 5 shall defend the castle, and the three gentlemen shall follow me to provide support from the rear of the company."

(End of this chapter)