Warhammer

Taylor sighed and put aside the unnecessary and messy thoughts from her mind. She didn't worry about the fact that the wealthy lady who could have spent her whole life eating, drinking and having fun as a naive young lady suddenly joined the "National Salvation Association", which was still an informal group at the time, and became one of the founders of the "Seven-Man National Salvation Association" in a daze. She was mainly responsible for providing power, wealth and upper-level channels, and now had such unreliable behavior that she couldn't even walk when she saw the beautiful boy.

After all, in comparison, the unreliability of Margarita's gang is much more exaggerated than their "lust" which does not affect their work at all.

He listened to the condemnations of the officers and advisers and agreed with them deeply. He wished he could get rid of those good-for-nothings who procrastinated, hesitated and let down at the critical moment, and watched the great opportunity slip away; a group of rich and powerful people who were filled with indignation during the small meeting and wished they could immediately rise up to drive out the greenskins and restore the kingdom, but when the time came, they valued their lives and their property and dared not give it a try. He twisted off the heads of those insects, stuffed their butts into the gun ports with their butts facing outwards, fired at Tranquil Harbor, and sent their repentance to the heroic spirits of the Invincible Fleet.

Finally, Al clenched his fist and rapped the table with the knuckles of his three middle fingers, putting an end to the row.

"Order the entire army to speed up and move eastward. I want to see the walls of Margherita before the day after tomorrow..."

"At the same time, send this 'notice' to the Southwestern Cities Representatives Conference, and let them take a good look at this proclamation of 'Margarita, the only and legitimate capital of the Kingdom of Estalia.'" Al spoke slowly, looking around the venue, especially pausing at Captain Taylor and Count Melisande, but he couldn't help but avoid the latter's fiery, undisguised stare at him, like a gourmet seeing a table full of delicacies.

"By the way, please convey my opinion..."

Al cleared his throat, threw the file in his hand to the ground, letting it fall into the dust, and said in a deep voice:

"In view of the situation since the Southwest Uprising and the launch of the Eastern Expedition by the Allied Forces, as well as the release of this statement, it can be considered that the Margarita Capital Council and the Goddess Church in the capital can no longer be regarded as the legitimate regime of the kingdom in terms of secular and religious matters. They have become corrupt and degenerated, serving the invaders, greenskins, pirates, and skaven, helping the invaders to enslave and oppress the residents of their own country, and being a puppet regime used by the enemy."

"I declare in the name of the coalition: I refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the city councils, guilds, and all Goddess Church organizations under enemy control in Margarita and all the currently occupied areas in the south, unless they publicly declare their break with the enemy and respond to the coalition's eastward expedition. All those who are driven by them to resist the coalition will be held accountable, regardless of those who are coerced. At the same time, the coalition refuses to recognize the legal status of the 'Southern Eagle' in the Goddess Church under enemy control in Margarita City. If necessary, they will be held accountable for all crimes they committed during the war to deceive the people!"

Taylor, with white hair and beard, felt that his hair seemed to have turned a few shades whiter. He stood up suddenly from his seat and wanted to say something, but he felt an oppression as if he was falling into an ice cellar. He had no strength to speak. He looked at the Estalia officers in the coalition with difficulty, but he did not see the emotions he wanted to see, doubt, surprise, dissatisfaction, opposition...

Everyone looked at the "Son of God" and "the only choice" walking on the earth with reverence and respect from the bottom of their hearts.

They stood up straight, following military etiquette, and then lowered their proud heads to express the highest obedience to the commander-in-chief.

Melisande, who was sitting next to Taylor, didn't notice anything wrong. She was still immersed in Al's beauty. When the boy's clear and charming voice confidently announced that he would "pursue the crimes of the 'Southern Eagle'", the Count even couldn't help but clamp his legs together, having a physiological reaction to the aggressive charm displayed by Al.

He had no idea how terrifying the information contained in the other party's words was, and how it would cause an uproar throughout the South.

"Judge the Southern Eagle for his crimes (Public Trial of the Pope)!"

Al, who dropped the bomb, is still going on. This decision has too much impact, but he has already taken corresponding measures.

He added:

"At the same time, in view of this situation, the coalition forces require all parts of the southwest to immediately select and send loyal and reliable personnel to be responsible for the establishment of the Margarita Congress and all corresponding affairs during this period."

This step is to give Southwest a pair of chopsticks to pick up food from the pot of fat meat... uh, a pair of knife and fork, and a chance to get on the table.

Of course, how much meat you can eat is still controlled by Al.

The Southwest can only support the decision of the coalition and follow El to completely defeat the old Royal Capital Council and the new Southern Eagle, because they have no choice.

Then, Al established his authority by following the example of Yi Yin, Huo Guang, and Prime Minister Dong... ahem, and he was able to depose and enthrone people. Naturally, he legitimately grasped the sword of Damocles that was hanging over the heads of Margarita and the existing forces in the southeast region. When it would fall, on whose head it would fall, and how it would be chopped off, were all decided by the tribe.

The central and southeastern regions fell completely under Al's control.

After that, you will follow the story of Cao Wei and Sima family, make those wavering people turn to you, cultivate your own power, purge and eliminate the ministers loyal to the old king, and finally the number of days will change and the artifacts will be easier...

"——Er, and all the soldiers of the coalition forces."

After Al finished his dictation, the clerk on the side handed over the paper at the right time.

He likes to speak slowly, which makes him appear more calm and dignified, and also makes it easier for his subordinates to hear him. After just a quick glance, they can remember everything he says, basically word for word, without any problem.

"The meeting is dismissed!"

The subordinates saluted and left. Captain Taylor stood there, neither standing nor sitting. On the other side, Melisande was still staring at Al in a daze, probably immersed in the "splendid beauty".

Al gave them a strange look, picked up the mask from the table and put it back on his face, then walked out of the conference table and walked towards Taylor and Melisande.

"cough!"

Perhaps it was the mask that obscured her features, the "Count" came to her senses instantly. She realized her own gaffe, felt embarrassed and awkward, and could only pretend to be uncomfortable. She opened the small fan she carried with her and covered the lower half of her face, pretending to clear her throat, while still keeping her eyes on Al.

"You two, on behalf of the coalition forces, I thank you for your continued help. Margarita's situation is not your fault. We will fight back soon..."

Taylor listened to Al's comforting words, gritted his teeth, and the old captain said: "Your Highness, first of all, we are very grateful for the tribe's help to us all the time, and we fully agree that necessary measures should be taken during wartime, but... the parliament and the church, can we..."

"Considering realistic factors, it's best not to take such radical measures..." Taylor looked at Al. The old captain lowered his head in front of the young man and added, "Most of them were coerced by the enemy and can be won over. I assure you of this. My companions went to Gavina for this very reason."

Al nodded.

"I understand your concerns."

"My words are to be said as harshly as possible, so that those powerful and wealthy businessmen will give up their illusions, take up arms and help us attack the enemy."

"Otherwise my warriors are bleeding for this land, while those who have wealth and armies will only hide behind the walls of the palace, defending their wealth with swords and soldiers until we bring salvation... This is unfair to those who are fighting on the front lines."

"This is true for the soldiers who marched east, and it is also true for the people in the north who persisted in resistance."

Al's words calmed the old captain's heart, and he bowed deeply to the young man.

"I admire your wisdom, which is as vast and deep as the ocean."

Al didn't respond and looked at the "Count".

The noble lady then came to her senses, stood up hastily, lifted her skirt, and bowed to the young man.

Strictly speaking, this etiquette is generally seen at balls, banquets, and among young women, and the countess is obviously... ahem.

The captain withdrew his gaze. Since Al had made a promise, he was relieved for the time being.

As for his companion, the noble lady who was famous in the kingdom, she would most likely have the honor of being the "most manly female hero" in the future. She was a naive and innocent woman with money, power and good looks. If she wanted to have some private interactions and exchanges with the leader of the Allied forces, that was a matter for "young people".

The captain didn't care.

The atmosphere in the meeting was rather silent. Perhaps it was because she recalled that she had stared at the other person's face and watched his behavior from beginning to end. The countess was very shy and did not even dare to speak except to bow.

And Al was wondering how a woman who looked so "silly" could become one of the founders of the resistance organization.

Taylor sighed inwardly and made a plan.

He took the initiative to say goodbye and introduced his companion, "Count" Melisande Skaya, who had been fleeing all the way and was now very tired. She hoped that Al, as her master, could prepare a safe and quiet place and servants for her to rest.

Al naturally agreed.

Taylor said goodbye and left. Before leaving, he saw the silly girl, whose temperament was not proportional to her age and status, gave him a look of gratitude and a little shyness.

"young people......"

The old captain thought to himself and left the meeting place.

Only Al and the blushing Melisande Skaya were left, an older noble lady, a young noblewoman, and a famous rich woman.

Chapter 76: Entering the City... An Imperfect Entry [Third Update Completed~]

"Kill the traitors! We have to do it!"

"Purge counter-revolutionaries! Without it, the country cannot be stable!"

The bulletin boards erected in various street squares are now all used to post notices from the coalition forces, and are staffed with articulate and loud-voiced personnel specifically responsible for the presentations.

"Everyone, think about it! Think about it!"

"We fight for the kingdom! Send fathers, husbands, sons, brothers! Send men to the battlefield!"

Many women in the audience could not hold back their tears. They often had male members in their families serving in the military. The lucky ones still had news of their deaths, but the unlucky ones had no idea where their bodies were buried.

"We built walls for the kingdom and strengthened its defenses under the enemy's artillery fire; we endured the lack of supplies under the enemy's blockade!"

"We are facing an enemy that is several times larger than us. We must rise up and resist! We will fulfill our duty to the country until the last moment! How much have we contributed to the kingdom?"

"many!"

Many men raised their arms and shouted. Many of them were missing arms and legs, and their bodies were more or less defective, with some parts missing and some scars.

The speaker who was very good at stirring up the atmosphere continued to shout: "When the greenskins attack, we fight to the end! When the pirates come, we fight to the death! When there is fire, we unite to save Margarita!"

"But there are some people! They are well-dressed, have mansions and servants, are surrounded by servants, and have guards to protect their wealth; they live in mansions and gardens, eat delicacies from land and sea, and are either rich or noble! Some people hold the 'key to the door' (the key to the door, symbolizing the power of the city council) in their hands, but never fulfill their duties as masters. Instead, they open the door to the enemy and close it to their own people!"

"Some people wear tall hats and hold scepters. They are followed by monks and believers. How sacred! How noble!"

"He claims to be a loyal servant of God, claiming to bring victory and oracles to the kingdom and the people!"

"But what did he do?"

The preacher deliberately asks people questions.

The noise was loud, but he didn't want a definite answer, at least not now.

"They call those who came to rescue us 'enemies'! They put the real invaders on the throne! They put on a shameless smile just to please those pirate bastards! They just want to protect their wealth and status, and they keep saying they want to 'protect Margarita's wealth and her people', but in the end, what did the invaders they tried to please give us!"

"A fire that destroys everything!"

"The bastards set fire to the city, they looted, they raped, they stole, they slaughtered the citizens like cattle!"

"But what did our 'gatekeepers' and 'robed monks' do? They guarded their mansions and temples, and turned a blind eye to the tragedy that happened so close to them, just to protect their own wealth. They even watched the fire spread and were unwilling to send people to put it out, just because they were worried about being robbed!"

"--They are all thieves! Traitors! Insects! Pigs!"

"Thief! Thief! Thief!"

The crowd's emotions were aroused at once. In that huge riot and the fire that destroyed everything, Margarita suffered too much loss. Almost one-third of the area was burned down, and the rest was more or less damaged to varying degrees.

In its heyday, Margherita had a permanent and floating population of nearly one million, but now there are less than 300,000 people left in the city.

The male-to-female ratio is nearly 1:2.5, and many of the men are elderly, children, and those with disabilities who are not eligible for military service.

Al once estimated that the damage caused by the greenskins to the south, even though the warlords intentionally controlled the situation and tried to avoid massacres, probably caused a population loss of about 10%.

Now it seems that the number is about the same, but for Margarita alone, as the city that had been held out for nearly a year and the first city to be broken into by war, the number must be much larger.

The number of deaths would certainly not be as exaggerated as 700,000. Most of the people killed by stray arrows fled to various places and scattered. However, the number of losses in the siege and the search for able-bodied men after surrender was no less than 100,000.

Many of them are still in the north, enslaved by the greenskins, and it is unknown whether they can return home.

It can be said that every family in Margarita is in mourning.

Now, the king’s army has arrived and the enemy has run away!

It looks like the good life is coming back but...

Al chooses, first of all, to bring justice to the people of Margarita!

"During the war, the congressmen were responsible for shouting slogans, the businessmen were responsible for money, the priests were responsible for praying, and the civilians were responsible for contributing men; after the war, the congressmen gained power, the businessmen gained more money, the priests' temples remained glorious, and the people looked for the graves of their loved ones!"

"The Royal Capital Council and the Southern Church played a completely negative role in the Eastern Expedition! They assisted the invaders and did not even dare to take up arms to resist when the situation was looking good! Those shameless statements brought great obstacles to the coalition's actions!"

"The pirates looted and burned the city, but the Royal Capital Council ordered the city defense forces to guard the wealthy area, refused to perform their city defense duties, and watched one-third of Margarita burn down. The reason was that they were 'worried that the pirates would take advantage of the chaos to hold the council hostage again'! What a bunch of greedy cowards!"

The streets were filled with excitement, and there were even signs that the situation in Weiling City had changed. The soldiers and civilians defending the city learned that because someone in the city council had rebelled and violated the covenant, Weiling had offended the allies who had just come from afar to rescue them. The allies were about to launch an attack on Weiling and attack the council, arresting all the rebellious members and sending them to the tribe for trial.

El stood in the restored Eagle's Nest Temple. Like Bilbarri in the north, the great temple of the goddess Myrmidia was built at the highest point of the city, and the huge statue of the goddess overlooked the entire city.

He held the wine glass and looked down at the city he had longed for.

The capital city in his grand blueprint of "balancing the south and ruling the four directions".

I just felt depressed and wanted to kill someone.

A huge city was half destroyed. The southern area by the sea was almost completely reduced to ruins in fires and explosions. The central and eastern urban areas also suffered more or less considerable losses. Only the northern area, where Al was standing, was barely intact.

The reason......

The pirates tricked him, and tricked everyone!

Even Al thought that the pirates were making a desperate counterattack, but it turned out that these guys, who deserved the name of "scumbags", had never thought of relying on a city with a population of hundreds of thousands - all of whom were occupied people who were dissatisfied with their actions - to resist Al.

After controlling the parliament and the church, perhaps stimulated by the desire to "make a final fortune", the pirates showed amazing efficiency and wisdom. They took over the defense of the entire city and sent the city defense forces to the southeast in batches in the name of temporary transfers. They then placed explosives in some key areas and gathered the defeated soldiers.

Finally, taking advantage of the dark night and strong wind, they set off explosions throughout the city. At the same time, they divided their troops into several groups, and formed units of pirates and mercenaries of all sizes, burning, killing, looting and creating chaos in the city.

Then, before the coalition forces entered the city, they all boarded the ships and fled to the sea.

Leave a burning Margarita, waiting for Al to take it.

I don't know why, or whether it was because they really trusted their promise, the pirates didn't set their sights on the main wealthy areas in the north, and the rich people more or less cooperated with the puppet parliament during the occupation...

The people who suffered the most damage were still civilians.

The nobles and wealthy also had their own private armed forces. Of course, there were also cases where private soldiers betrayed their masters, looted their employers' homes and then turned into pirates.

So Al is very depressed now.

He was fooled by a feint.

It was right before your mouth, and you could spend some time peeling, removing the fishy smell and cooking it well before you could eat the delicious meat. But someone took a bite of it and stepped on it, burning it, making it dirty.

Al took a deep breath and placed the wine glass on the plate held by the shivering nun who was standing beside him. The nun had not changed into her nun's attire yet and did not dare to raise her head.

"Thank you, it's none of your business, you can go now."

The latter was pardoned.

The first thing El did when he entered the city was the same as what the pirates did. He took control of the Royal Capital Council, and then "invited" a group of former celebrities and dignitaries of the city, led by the "Southern Eagle", the actual controllers, to gather in the palace and "temporarily endure the grievances".