Chapter 87: Chapter 78: Dare to Hand Me a Knife, and I’ll Cut You Down
Claude watched Henry’s expression change from displeasure to delight and knew Baron Sura was in for a world of hurt.
"By the way, now that I’m a Baron, calling you Government Housekeeper is a bit inappropriate. From now on, you and Tommy will be known within the fief as the Minister of State Affairs and the Minister of Internal Affairs, respectively. You’ll each get a raise of two Dinars per month."
Claude was caught off guard by the sudden promotion. He quickly bowed his head and said, "Thank you, my lord."
After paying his respects, Claude left to find Tommy. They would take inventory of the grain and prepare the carriages together.
Baron Sura had essentially handed him the perfect excuse, which put Henry in an excellent mood. He even ate an extra bowl of Mai Mi at dinner.
「Two days later.」
Henry, clad in armor, stood on the high inspection platform. His gaze was like a torch, sweeping over the neatly arranged soldiers below.
The barracks grounds were packed with people, yet the soldiers maintained strict discipline, showing not a hint of disorder.
The newly trained soldiers were mostly clad in Cotton Armor or Cloth Armor, tightly gripping iron weapons or shields emblazoned with the Bro Family Emblem.
Henry took a deep breath and shouted, "Soldiers, your training is complete! Over the past month, you have improved by leaps and bounds! You are now Warriors!
Answer me, how will you prove your courage and loyalty?!"
"WAR!"
The soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the very earth. The sound startled the several hundred commoners in the district outside, who turned to look nervously at the military camp.
Standing to the side, Claude and Tommy found their breath catching in their throats from the sheer force of the sound. The impact of a thousand armed men shouting "WAR!" together was overwhelming for them.
Bain, clutching a banner, let his gaze drift over the armed shepherd slaves.
’If I could command this many Cavalry on the battlefield,’ he thought, ’I could kill a few more enemies just for fun.’
"Now, a foolish, ugly nobleman has provoked me! He has plundered my village! What do we do? Tell me!"
"KILL!"
The soldiers’ emotions were completely ignited. They raised their weapons and let out a deafening war cry.
Henry nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Claude beside him. "Prepare to move out. Let these soldiers show our strength to everyone around."
Claude nodded and immediately dispatched the Record Keepers to relay the orders. The soldiers began to move in an orderly fashion, preparing for departure.
Outside the camp, the veterans joined the new recruits. Accompanied by three hundred serfs pulling carriages, they set off on the road to Baron Sura’s fief.
The garrison was arranged according to the usual protocol. In addition to the forty soldiers under Tommy’s command, Henry left two squads of infantry to guard the castle.
The serfs on the various farms were issued wooden spears, which would be enough to handle any unexpected incidents. After all, bandits, robbers, and highwaymen had already been driven to extinction near Henry’s fief.
Henry’s army began its slow advance, like a great dragon snaking its way through the fields and farms of the fief.
The soldiers’ footsteps made the snow CRUNCH beneath them, and their steel weapons glinted coldly in the sunlight.
Henry rode his warhorse at the head of the column, followed by Bain and five noble Knights.
Though they had fallen on hard times, they had thankfully not abandoned their armor, weapons, or warhorses. Once they donned their armor and mounted their steeds, they were still the awe-inspiring Heavy Cavalry.
Their serfs and servants had all been assigned to the logistics train to pull carriages, truly putting everyone to good use. If anyone dared to repeat the corrupt practices of a previous Quartermaster, Henry would certainly give them an unforgettable "reward."
When the army reached Chaimudi Village, Henry ordered the column to halt. The villagers stopped their work and stared curiously at the massive army.
The noble’s banner was both familiar and strange; they only knew it was their lord’s flag.
Henry had Claude and Tommy lead a squad of soldiers to distribute some of the grain to the villagers. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to see them through.
’As long as they pay their taxes, I will protect them.’
The villagers looked at Henry with gratitude, a flicker of trust now in their eyes.
Henry did not linger. He ordered the army to continue its march. As the army advanced, news of its movement spread rapidly through the densely populated Westwood Laine.
People began to talk about Henry’s good deeds, his powerful army, and the impending war.
「After a week of marching.」
Henry’s army finally approached Baron Sura’s fief—Xi’an Castle.
It was a sturdy wooden fortress, surrounded by a thick earthen wall. It sat upon a stretch of fertile land, encircled by vast fields.
Since Henry had no intention of launching a surprise attack, Baron Sura had received advance warning. He had gathered his people and grain from the area into his wooden fortress. He could hold out within his earthen fort until he died of old age.
Baron Sura hadn’t expected Henry to be so crazy. It was just the looting of a single village, yet here Henry was, coming at him with a massive army.
’At worst, you could have just looted one of my villages in return,’ Sura thought. ’Why surround my fort looking like you want a fight to the death?’
An assault on a fortified position was imminent. Henry ordered the Cavalry to scout the terrain around the earthen fort for any reinforcements or ambushes from other nobles.
The soldiers, meanwhile, made camp and began constructing simple scaling ladders in preparation for the next day’s attack.
The sun set, and bonfires burned throughout the camp as soldiers gathered around them for warmth. Henry was in his tent, drawing up a battle plan with his officers, including Bain, Philip, and Vasco.
"My lord, we didn’t bring many serfs this time. If we launch a frontal assault, our casualties could be quite high."
Philip strongly agreed with Bain’s assessment. "My lord," he said, "we can’t have the Cavalry dismount to attack the walls. That would be too great a waste. We can send the Cavalry out to raid Baron Sura’s other villages and farms instead.
That way, we can obtain a large amount of grain, as well as plenty of serfs and prisoners to take back for farming."
Seeing Henry in thought, Claude asked, "My lord, do we need to occupy this place?"
Henry shook his head. "Of course not. It’s too far from my own fief; it would be beyond my reach to manage effectively. My path of conquest lies to the east."
’If I were to occupy this place, I’d end up bordering even more nobles. Am I supposed to tell the emperor right now that I’m planning to rebel?’
He just wanted to chop off one of Baron Sura’s hands and drain him of all his wealth while he was at it.
Henry pondered for a moment, understanding Claude’s point. He then nodded. "We’ll do that. Bain, you will lead all the Grassland Warriors and raid his territory. I want all their grain and all their people."
"As you command, my lord."
"Vasco, you will be in command of the armored infantry for the assault. Philip, you will take the Knights, Heavy Cavalry, and grassland horsemen to closely monitor the movements of the surrounding nobles and ensure our battle is not disturbed."
Philip stood up straight and said, "Yes, my lord!"
The officers took their leave, and Henry turned his attention back to the map.
