industrial lord

Chapter 739 Rescue Plan
The Rhine Alliance's massive military camp had lost its former bustle and was now deathly still, like a pig being herded into a slaughterhouse, looking around in fear and despair.

The castle to the north stood silently amidst the snowflakes, seemingly oblivious to everything happening outside.

In the south, the Winged Hussars guarded the vital passage to Redwaterwheel Village. The wings on the backs of the hussars gleamed with a cold light under the gray sky, and at night they shone with a faint light, like a river of stars flowing on the ground.

To the northeast, King Suomi's landing army occupied the ruined port, ships crowded the small docks, and a new camp rose up to the east, with knights riding snow-white giant bears roaming around.

The Rhine Alliance dispatched one hundred cavalry and three hundred infantry to launch an attack and give Suomi's bear cavalry a taste of their power, but they were surrounded and annihilated by fifty bear cavalry, attracting a large group of slimes that were about to hibernate to devour the remains on the ground.

Kosdorf's elite troops, clad in animal skin coats, formed a slow-moving torrent of wild beasts blocking the west, completely sealing off their last escape route.

News of the initial defeat against the encircling enemy and the imminent depletion of supplies had already spread throughout the camp. The soldiers were ashen-faced, and the nobles clutched their few remaining wine barrels, their morale at rock bottom.

Inside the king's tent, the air seemed to freeze, so heavy it was suffocating.

Rudolf stood frozen before the enormous map table, his face ashen and his eyes vacant.

His fingers moved unconsciously across the map, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the marks representing Flensburg Camp and Redwaterwheel Village.

Retreat, or hold your ground?
These two thoughts clashed violently in his mind, like two invisible forces tearing at his will. Each weighing brought immense pain, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Retreat meant exposing the entire army to the blades of the Winged Hussars of the Kingdom of Piast, renowned for their speed and devastating charges.

Holding out meant sitting and waiting to die in this cold camp, pinning one's slim hopes on reinforcements who might arrive at any time or even if they never came.

The reinforcements are militarily powerful, but politically...

Rudolf dared not even think about it.

Count Pistor's voice broke the suffocating silence. He straightened his back, trying to hide the slight, uncontrollable tremor in his voice, and spoke clearly and logically: "Your Majesty, the moment of decision has arrived. The situation is extremely critical, and there is no room for hesitation!"

"I believe that we must immediately carry out the original plan, concentrate all our forces, and retreat in an orderly manner to the Hongshuiche Village fortress."

“The Bain army has been operating there for a long time, with strong defensive facilities and easier access to logistical supplies, making it a reliable base for holding out.”

He pointed forcefully at the map with his baton at Stork Harbor and Hawthorn Village, saying, "Immediately issue orders to the Weisen Army at Stork Harbor and the Mainz Army at Hawthorn Village, ordering them to defeat their respective enemy forces at all costs and as quickly as possible. Then, both armies must immediately advance and, together with our army and the Bain Army that have retreated there, launch a pincer attack on the besieging enemy. We will surely be able to turn defeat into victory!"

Pistor's proposal was a pre-arranged plan, painting a seemingly feasible picture of a defensive counter-attack and turning defeat into victory, much like an advertisement on an instant noodle package.

"Retreat?" Count Shu Yun Stiga suddenly raised his head, his sharp gaze piercing Pistor like a quenched steel needle.

He had now entered a cold, machine-like state, showing no mercy to anyone, and said sternly and angrily, "Pistol, do you want the main force of the entire Rhine Alliance to march in formation in front of Kazimierz's 50,000 winged cavalry?"

"Open your eyes and look outside. Look at that vast wilderness to the southeast, trampled flat by iron hooves. Those winged hussars are not scarecrows!"

"Once we leave the protection of the fortified camp, our massive infantry and baggage train will be an excellent target for their charge in the flat open field!"
"Retreat? That's not about survival; that's about sending the last hope of the entire kingdom to hell with your own hands. It's utter suicide!"

He turned sharply to Rudolf and said in a deep but exceptionally clear voice, with an undeniable weight, "Your Majesty, the situation has changed. The original plan was only aimed at one enemy, the Kingdom of Sverrières. With the appearance of the Winged Hussars and Bear Hussars, the plan must be changed."

"Our only way out is here. We must hold our ground, rely on the fortifications, trenches, and palisades we have built, and fight to the death while waiting for reinforcements!"

Shu Yun Stiga pointed his baton heavily at the location of Guankou: "Here, the Weisen Army of Guankou possesses the best equipment and the richest combat experience in the world, making it the most powerful fighting force in the world."

"Wei Senjun's invincibility is not just talk, it's a fact."

"Kasimir will definitely not touch Wessen's army. Only Kosdorf or Snellman will attack Stork Harbor, and they will inevitably be wiped out. At that time, the enemy's morale will definitely plummet!"

The most terrifying thing on the battlefield is not a desperate situation, but despair.

He praised Wei Senjun at this moment, reassuring everyone, restoring hope to the entire army, and boosting morale.

Shu Yun Stiga quickly moved his baton, pointing it at Hawthorn Village, and said, "After the Weisen Army defeats the enemy in front of them, they should immediately march up the river to eliminate the enemy forces besieging Hawthorn Village and join forces with the Mainz Army. At this time, the enemy's morale will drop even further, and they may even develop a sense of fear!"

Finally, he placed his baton on Hongshuiche Village and shouted, "After the two armies join forces, our strength will be greatly increased. Let's advance with all our might and repel the enemy forces besieging Hongshuiche Village!"

The baton finally pointed towards the main camp, and his voice grew increasingly excited: "When the powerful force of three armies arrives here, they will join us from within and without to defeat the enemy and turn defeat into victory!"

"Your Majesty, this is a chain of interconnected links, and each step takes time."

“Every moment we hold out here is buying precious time for reinforcements to save us!” He paused, his gaze sweeping over Pisto’s anxious face before finally settling on Rudolf’s pale face. “As for supplies? Tighten your belts! Reduce rations! It’s better for the soldiers to go hungry for a few days than to be trampled to pieces in the field tomorrow! We can hold on!”

Shu Yun Stiga's plan is cold and cruel, stripping away all illusory hopes and pointing directly to the core of the current predicament and the only possible way out.

Perhaps it was because of Wei Senjun, the nobles, both high and low, present showed smiles that had not been seen for a long time.

Pistor looked up at Shu Yun Stiga's resolute and imposing gaze, then glanced around at the other nobles in the tent. They were whispering amongst themselves, feeling that in the face of such a great victory, the logistical problems were not insurmountable.

Although there was still a hint of worry in everyone's eyes, hope was beginning to emerge.

Pistor's gaze swept across the map several times before he finally said resolutely, "I support Count Shuyun Stiga's plan."

“I suggest implementing logistical control, with all supplies in the general’s camp under unified management and distribution. Earl Rank can be in charge and first collect all supplies from my camp.”

He was willing to go all out for the final victory, even at the cost of offending others.

The other nobles' expressions changed slightly, but when they heard that Rank was in charge and that it would start with him, they didn't voice their objections.

Ranke was somewhat surprised. He had thought of this himself, but hadn't dared to bring it up. He hadn't expected Pistor to bring it up.

Shu Yun Stiga continued, "I'll be the second one."

After a moment's thought, Rank said, "Let's collect half of the supplies first, and we'll see if that's not enough."

He doesn't understand military affairs very well, but he understands human nature. This matter can't be resolved in one step; there needs to be a buffer period.

The other nobles breathed a slight sigh of relief and voiced their agreement.

Ranke looked at His Majesty the King, and his heart skipped a beat.

Rudolf's face grew increasingly grim.

A storm was brewing in his heart.

"Hold your ground and wait for reinforcements?"

"Waiting for Weisen's army?"

These two thoughts flowed through his body like the cold wind outside the tent.

Weisen, that's Weisen, Weisen who has the right to inherit the throne!
Besides Wei Senjun?

The Duchy of Mainz, the Duchy of Bain, and the Duchy of Wessen are one family!

Rudolf realized that it was a mistake to have placed these three armies outside.

He was terrified, utterly terrified, terrified that Wei Senjun had really come, not to rescue him, but to...

On the chaotic battlefield, a stray arrow or an "accidental" charge is enough to make an eyesore of a king disappear forever!

Once this terrible thought arises, it can never be shaken off.

Rudolf opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, his lips moving, but it was as if an invisible force was choking him, and he couldn't utter any clear command, not even a syllable.

More and more people looked at the king, awaiting his final command.

Time ticked by in the suffocating silence of the tent, each second feeling as heavy as lead.

Everyone—the nobles around the map and the servants at the edge of the tents—was unaware that Rudolf was worried about Frederick's usurpation; they only knew that they were discussing the current military situation.

They looked at their king, seeing him completely consumed by fear, indecisive to the point of near madness. The last vestiges of respect and expectation in his eyes were finally extinguished, replaced by undisguised disappointment, and even a hint of contempt.

Rank knew what he was thinking, realized the situation was bad, and countless ideas flashed through his clever mind. Finally, he came up with a good solution.

"Your Majesty!" Rank exclaimed, "I suggest you appoint the Queen as the military supervisor and immediately proceed to Stork Harbor to oversee the surrounding military operations."

He thought to himself that since the king was afraid that the Weisen army would cause trouble, then the queen should keep an eye on them; on this point, the two had a common interest.

Moreover, the Queen was in Hanma City recently in order to conceive a prince.

Once the enemy in front of Stork Harbor is defeated, the Queen can set sail from Hamma City in time to urge the Weisen army to send troops.

Everyone present paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

There are many stories and incidents in history of wives leading troops to rescue their husbands when they are trapped, which greatly helps to boost morale. It is rare that Earl Rank came up with this idea.

Rudolf, like a drowning man grabbing a lifebuoy, immediately said, "Okay, let's do it that way!"

(End of this chapter)