Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 520 Heavy Bait
Guerrero, the commander of the Highland City cavalry, walked down the steps of the city wall and headed towards the cavalry station while listening to the report from his personal guards.

"Hasn't the messenger sent to Langya Ridge returned yet? To suddenly order a border blockade during winter, when supplies are at their most scarce, is sheer nonsense!"

The captain of the guard bowed and replied, "This autumn, Earl Wolf Fang couldn't contain his greed and sent a cavalry unit disguised as bandits into Daeus, raiding several border towns. They were caught red-handed by the Daeus Mage Warband patrolling the border. The Earl's second son was defeated and captured. This is probably why Earl Wolf Fang suddenly sealed off the border, strictly guarding against any mage assassins infiltrating from the Wizard Kingdom."

Guerrero tutted his words and said with disgust, "I heard that when his youngest son was sent back, his tongue was cut out and his eyes were blinded. Those blasphemous wizards were really cruel..."

Although there are reasons for this, if the border remains closed, the freight trade of most of the Southern Border Chambers will be affected. Isengard is located in the northeast of the Southern Border, and the country is mostly grassland and desert. Apart from the abundant gold deposits in the Divine Spine Mountains, the country's survival is mainly based on animal husbandry. Crucial materials such as food and cloth are all shipped back from abroad at high prices. Highland City is an important transit point for domestic trade and transportation. Most of the people and nobles living in the city are also engaged in commodity trade.

"However... although our people haven't sent back any news yet, one chamber of commerce has successfully established connections and successfully entered the country from Langya Ridge. We can find their people and ask them what the situation is like across the border."

Guerrero nodded and said casually, "Go call the head of that chamber of commerce. Don't delay... We must quickly urge Langya Ridge to reopen the pass and let the caravan in before the first snow falls!"

……

"Good afternoon, respected Commander Guerrero."

"You are..." Guerrero looked at the thin old man with pale hair and beard in front of him. He always felt that the other party had a very different temperament from the slick businessmen he had dealt with in the past. His every move seemed more like an elegant aristocratic tutor.

"Randy Hughes, please call me Old Hughes. I'm the trading post manager assigned to Isengard by the Stoneheart Merchant Guild... Hehe, come to think of it, Glenmore is also where I was born and raised!"

"Oh? You're from Glenmore?" Guerrero raised an eyebrow. "I've never seen you in Highland City before."

Old Hughes bowed his head and smiled humbly, "I only recently returned to my hometown. The head of the Chamber of Commerce felt that I was too old to lead a caravan on long journeys, so he directly assigned me to take over the trading post he had set up in my hometown. I can say I'm semi-retired."

He then pulled out a purse embroidered with intricate silk threads and handed it to Guerrero in a flattering manner. "I heard that the city lord, Earl Isaac, patrols the Holy City of Goris year-round... From now on, the Stoneheart Merchant Guild in Highland City will be entirely dependent on you, the Lord Commander!"

Guerrero weighed the purse, pried it open with his fingertips, and, as he had hoped, saw seven or eight smooth, gleaming gemstones inside. He nodded with satisfaction, "Mr. Hughes, you're too polite. Highland City, as a vital transit point for our country's trade, welcomes all law-abiding chambers of commerce. If you have any difficulties in the future, please feel free to ask... Even if we need to dispatch cavalry to escort the caravan, it's our duty."

Of course, paying tribute to the cavalry commander is one thing, but hiring cavalry to guard the caravan is another price altogether.

Hearing this, Old Hughes gathered his sleeves with his hands and said with a delighted expression, "That's great! A large caravan from the Stoneheart Merchants Guild has just arrived from Wolf Fang Ridge. They should arrive at Highland City as early as tomorrow evening. When that happens, please, Commander, inform the city gate guards to let them in as soon as possible..."

"A large caravan entering during winter?" Guerrero's heart raced, and he quickly inquired, "Earl Wolf Fang sealed the border. How did you manage to get in so easily? What important goods are you transporting?" Old Hughes smiled and replied sincerely, "Of course, the food, cotton, and spices that are in short supply in the country..."

Then he carefully leaned close to Guerrero's ear and whispered, "And there are also gemstones like the ones you hold in your hands."

Gemstone ore? The Stoneheart Merchant Guild is also trading with the dwarves of Hill's Breath? This is smuggling that violates the Covenant of the Southern Kingdoms! These merchants, who only care about money, are truly audacious!
Since it is smuggled goods, even if something unexpected happens during the journey and it is robbed and looted by bandits...it is not anyone else's fault.

Guerrero smiled and winked at the captain of the personal guard beside him. His subordinate immediately understood and turned away with a sinister smile on his face. He had just accepted a large bribe from the other party, so it was not easy for him to turn his face against him in person. However, this did not prevent Guerrero from arranging his cavalry to leave the city immediately, intercept the Chamber of Commerce that was heading towards Highland City halfway, and then swallow up this batch of valuable gem ore as a matter of course!

Of course, such a large chamber of commerce that can conduct long-distance trade across the southern countries naturally has many caravan mercenaries and warrior bodyguards under its command. Among them there are even extraordinary spellcasters and bloodline warriors. To deal with them, you can't rely on just a few private soldiers, you have to mobilize a whole group of elite cavalry.

So after receiving Guerrero's hint, the captain of the guard immediately rushed to the cavalry regiment's base, dispatched half of the troops without hesitation, and took advantage of the sudden strong sandstorm in the evening... and rode out of the city in a hurry.

There are always sandstorms in Glenmore Prairie in winter. These dark and windy winter nights are the perfect time for murder and robbery. This is not the first time they have done such a thing over the years, and they are completely familiar with it.

……

"Did our agents inside Highland City actually manage to trick the City Guards out?" Duff said in disbelief. "So, isn't Highland City now a completely defenseless, empty city? What are we waiting for..."

Wayne, holding a cigarette between his lips, lit the secret letter paper in his hand and said with a sinister smile, "What's the rush? First, we'll take down this elite cavalry trying to leave the city to plunder. Later in the night, we'll disguise ourselves as them and trick the city gates open... Old man Hughes only tricked away half of the defending cavalry. If we use the remaining defense force to attack head-on, it will still consume a lot of our ammunition reserves. What a waste!"

Dave rubbed his hands and grinned, "How many cavalrymen are here?"

"Highland City originally only has less than a thousand garrisons. I estimate that no more than five hundred cavalry will leave the city to plunder. Prepare your battalion for an ambush... But be sure not to let any of them slip through the net, as this will complicate our subsequent raid!"

"Hey, less than 500 cavalrymen? Just give me an hour! I promise to even clean up the battlefield!"

After saying that, he left the command tent without looking back and headed towards the ambush area at the bottom of the hill.

(End of this chapter)