Lord: I can see loyalty.

Chapter 254 The Considerations of the Golden Saddle Horse Clan Head

The setting sun dyed the city walls a dark red, like bloodstains flowing from the corpse of a stone giant.

After Renault was taken away, the sounds of fighting on the battlefield gradually subsided.

The soldiers of the Southern Territory began clearing the battlefield and treating the wounded. The knights of the Grey Wolf family also leaped off the backs of the giant wolves. The captain leading the group, Leon, landed on his feet, walked to Jimmy Noodles, and bowed slightly.

"Chief Jimmy, the Grey Wolf family has come to our aid on the Earl's orders, but we're too late."

Jimmy shook his head. "You've come at the perfect time. Fifteen minutes later, our lines would have collapsed."

His gaze fell on the panting giant wolves, and he couldn't help but look at them a few more times.

These gray wolves were enormous, almost as tall as warhorses! Their bodies were covered in silvery-gray fur that gleamed eerily in the twilight.

Their eyes were golden, with vertical pupils full of wildness, but under the restraint of the Grey Wolf Knights, they did not show any aggression.

"This—is this the mount of your Grey Wolf family?" Jimmy asked.

Leon nodded.

"The gray wolves are our family's partners and our comrades-in-arms. Every gray wolf grows up with the knight from a young age and is always loyal."

He patted the neck of the giant wolf beside him, and the wolf growled and rubbed its head against his hand.

In the distance, Vio, who had already arrived at the front line, was also riding his horse to catch up.

"Your Excellency the Earl," the two men said, rising to greet him.

Vio simply nodded, his gaze falling on the giant wolves, especially the one Leon was riding.

【Characteristics: Alpha wolf, agile, highly intelligent, fearless, sharp-toothed and cunning, thick-skinned, and acts in packs】

"Is this the support your father mentioned? It looks pretty good—" Vio looked at the information on the panel, somewhat surprised. This pack of giant wolves was clearly not bad; each one was at least at the level of a high-level knight in basic swordsmanship.

Of course, the training cost is unlikely to be low either.

"The Golden Saddle Horse family has golden-armored horses, the Gray Wolf family has giant wolves—could it be that the Golden Mane Griffin family really keeps griffins?"

Vio muttered to himself.

Leon laughed and said, "Your Excellency is too kind. Griffins are mythical creatures that can stand shoulder to shoulder with dragons. How could they possibly be subject to human control?"

He paused again, "However, the Golden Armor Horse of the Golden Saddle Horse family is real. It is a warhorse bred by their family for generations. It has great endurance, speed, and is unstoppable when charging."

"No wonder their cavalry were so troublesome." Vio dismounted and walked up to Leon. "The Southern and Western Borders will remember the kindness of the Grey Wolf family."

Leon bowed slightly. "Your Excellency is too kind. The Grey Wolf family was merely doing what they should have done."

Vio nodded, said nothing more, and simply looked north.

The outline of Jinma City was faintly visible in the twilight; it was the old lair of the Jin'anma family.

Although he captured Renault and defeated the main force of the Golden Saddle Horse family, the head of the Golden Saddle Horse family was still alive, the walls of Golden Horse City were still standing, and the battle was not over yet.

Golden Horse City, Council Hall.

The candlelight flickered in the draft, casting the portraits of the past heads of the Golden Saddle Horse family on the wall in a dim and intermittent manner.

Count Augustus sat in the main seat, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest; no one could discern his thoughts.

On either side of the long table sat the core members of the Jin'an Ma family and their vassal lords. The atmosphere in the council hall was as oppressive as the sky before a storm.

A messenger knelt in the center of the hall, trembling, his voice hoarse: "My lord, news from the front—the people of the South have defeated the main force led by Lord Renault."

"Lord Renault has been captured, Lord Godfrey is missing, and the army has been routed! The remaining militia and knights are retreating toward Golden Horse City."

The hall was deathly silent.

The core members looked at each other, some pale-faced, some clenching their fists, and some lowering their heads, not daring to speak.

No one expected that the main force of the Golden Saddle Ma family would be defeated so quickly and so miserably. Ten thousand troops, including five thousand elite knights and a great knight like Godfrey, were actually defeated by a young Earl of the Southern Territory.

"My lord, we must send troops immediately!" A young nobleman stood up, slamming his fist on the table and roaring, "Lord Renault is still in enemy hands, we cannot—"

"Send troops?" another voice interrupted him, laced with sarcasm. "What are you going to use to send troops? We've already sent out most of our main force; the rest are just garrison troops. Even the city walls are barely full. What will you use to defend the city if you send troops?"

"So what do you suggest we do? Just wait to die?"

"You two are both thinking of—"

"Enough." August's voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the hall.

He raised his head, letting the sunlight sweep across the anxious faces, his voice as calm as still water: "Reno has been captured, Godfrey is missing, and the army has been routed. These things have already happened, and we cannot change them."

"So we're just going to do nothing?" The young nobleman's voice was full of resentment.

August did not answer, but simply stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the gray sky.

As dusk fell, the walls of Jinma City were faintly visible, with soldiers patrolling the walls holding torches, casting shadows that appeared to grow longer and shorter.

This is the city he has protected his entire life, the foundation that the Jin Anma family has built over hundreds of years, and he cannot let it be lost in his hands.

"My lord, the people of the South have also made demands." The messenger swallowed hard. "They say that if we hand over Golden Horse City, they can guarantee the safety of the people in the city and also release Lord Renault."

"They even said—our allegiance is welcome at any time—"

"To pledge allegiance to them?!"

"Damn it! These southern barbarians are really pushing their luck!"

"Hand over Golden Horse City?" a vassal lord sneered. "What's the difference between that and surrender?!"

"What else can we do but surrender—" another vassal lord said in a low voice, clearly somewhat guilty. "We've lost most of our main force, and Cedric's reinforcements haven't arrived yet. When the southern invaders are at our gates, are we going to fight to the death?"

"We must defend it even if we can't. Jinma City is the foundation of our Jin'an Ma family for hundreds of years; we cannot lose it in our hands!"

The debate was in full swing, with the pro-war faction and a small number of pro-surrender and pro-delay factions arguing fiercely.

August did not join the argument, but simply gazed out the window at the twilight.

His son Reno was captured, his Grand Knight Godfrey went missing, and his army was routed.

These are facts that cannot be changed, but he is still alive, the walls of Jinma City are still standing, he still has nearly ten thousand garrison troops, and Cedric's reinforcements have not yet arrived.

As long as we can hold them off, wait for Cedric's army to march south, and wait for the Black Serpent's reinforcements to arrive, there is still hope for Golden Horse City.

If we surrender now, the Ma family of Kim An will be truly finished.

"Enough." August turned around, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Renault is my son. I am more heartbroken than any of you for his capture, but I am the head of the Golden Saddle Horse family. My responsibility is to preserve the centuries-old legacy of the Golden Saddle Horse family, not to protect one person."

"Your Excellency, you—"

"Send the order: martial law to be declared in Jinma City, all city gates closed, supplies inventoried, and militia to enter the city." August's voice was as calm as still water, his mind made up.

"We must hold Golden Horse City and hold out until His Majesty Cedric's reinforcements arrive. As for Reno—" he paused, "he is my son, he will understand."

Silence fell over the hall once again.

No one spoke again; everyone knew that the old count had made his decision.

Renault has been abandoned, and the Golden Horse family is determined to defend Golden Horse City to the death, gambling that Cedric's reinforcements will arrive in time.

If they win, the Kim An Ma family can still survive, and may fall out of the ranks of major families, but if they lose, the Kim An Ma family will be truly finished!

After leaving the hall, several confidants couldn't help but whisper among themselves; some sighed, some were angry, and some felt helpless.

"Lord Renault is the Earl's own son!"

"The Earl has no choice. If he doesn't give up on Renault, Golden Horse City will be lost. If Golden Horse City is lost, the Golden Saddle Horse family will be finished." The older vassal lord sighed.

"This is a really hard decision to make."

"Those people from the southern border—"

"Sigh, don't say anymore, I don't know." The older vassal lord shook his head. "Let's prepare for war, we have no other choice anyway."

As night deepened, the soldiers patrolling the Jinma City wall walked heavily, their eyes filled with fear as they gazed at the dark plains to the south.

Everyone knows that the Southern Army is approaching, and Golden Horse City is about to become the next battlefield.