"I have only heard before that the skin color of the indigenous people of Nubisia is red, but I didn't expect that the sky, earth and ocean of Nubisia are all red..." Claude said, looking at the coastline that was getting closer and closer. .
It is really unexpected that it is still noon, but the clouds on the horizon are pink, the coastline is also dark red cliffs and beaches, and even the sea water looks light red. Not only Claude was surprised, but all the officers and soldiers who came to Nubicia for the first time crowded onto the deck and looked curiously at the sight they had never seen before.
"There's nothing strange about this." Captain Restin, the captain of the Tornado, said: "You are only so surprised when you see it for the first time. After staying for a long time, you will realize that it is no different. I remember that the kingdom sent an inspection team a few years ago. When a group came here, I heard a professor say that the red color here is actually because the soil of this continent is rich in some kind of red substance, so even the sea water looks red. In fact, the sea water is similar to that of our Farea continent. Similarly, it is said that the red clouds on the horizon are also reflected red by the lakes or mountains on the ground... "
"So that's it, Captain Restin, how much time will it take for us to land?" Claude asked.
Captain Restin looked at the busy harbor pier in front of him and shook his head: "It will probably take another two or three hours. We have to wait for them to drive away the fishing boats that are parked randomly to make room for us. This time we have two fleets. There are more than a hundred ships, which is enough for them to be busy for a while. In addition, the ship under our feet is the kingdom's first-class battleship. It has to take on the task of guarding before the transport fleet enters the port. Basically, it will be late before entering the port. "
"There are a lot of people at the pier of Copicius Port. As the capital of Tiersim, it looks pretty good and lively." Claude asked.
Captain Restin laughed: "The liveliness of Copicius Port is thanks to our new route. In the past, the kingdom followed the eastward route to Patrese, which is directly under the jurisdiction of Robisto on the mainland of Nubicia. After the port was later changed to this westward route, the port of Copicius began to be lively and prosperous, while the port of Patres became depressed and deserted. Count Falvat, the governor of the Robisto demesne, wrote a letter asking for an agreement with Tire. Viscount Cruz, the governor of Simm Territory, changed his position, and the two had a verbal spat for a while... "
"Is the governor of the Tiersim demesne or Viscount Jerryhausen Van Kruse?" Claude asked.
"Probably so. I don't know his name or given name very well. I only know that his surname is Cruz. But I heard that he has been the governor of the Tiersim Territory for seventeen years. He will be the governor for another three years. He is about to retire and return to the royal capital after his fourth term. Do you know this Governor?" Captain Restin asked curiously.
Claude shook his head: "I have never met him, and I have no impression of him. But my father, who has passed away long ago, once told me that he was my godfather, and he gave me my name."
"Then you can go see him now. I believe he will be very happy to see you." Captain Restin looked at Claude's lieutenant colonel epaulette and said meaningfully.
Claude laughed dumbly. He had no intention of recognizing himself as a godfather. According to the late Mr. Morsant, when Claude was born, Viscount Jerryhausen Van Kruse happened to pass through White Deer Town and received a banquet. When Mr. Morsanne learned the good news about the birth of his second son, Viscount Cruz, who was in high spirits, volunteered to be the child's godfather and named him Claude.
Seriously speaking, Mr. Morsant was trying to get along with Viscount Cruz at that time, and then he also took the initiative to write to Viscount Cruz to report on Claude's growth. Viscount Cruz also sent some gifts and toys. Come and give Claude this cheap godson. But later he went to the mainland of Nubisia to take over the post of admiral, and lost contact with Mr. Morsan. The last thing Mr. Morsan knew was that Viscount Cruz was promoted from admiral to governor of the Tiersim territory, and he never heard from him again.
Claude still remembered that when he was sixteen years old, his father, Mr. Morsan, planned to let him go to the Tiersim Direct Territory on the Nubisian continent to find his nominal godfather, Viscount Cruz, and become his bodyguard. one of them. Because this way you can avoid the kingdom’s mandatory conscription and then being sent to the battlefield. Serving in the guard under Viscount Cruz should be much safer than serving as a soldier in the kingdom’s legions, and it is also very convenient to receive meritorious service...
Poor parents in the world, Mr. Morsan did not expect that so many changes would happen later. He just made a wrong step and was doomed, and was eventually forced to commit suicide by jumping off the building. Claude, on the other hand, was recommended to join the army. As a result, he flourished in the war. Now he not only became the official lieutenant colonel officer of the kingdom, but also became a legend in White Deer City.
If Claude goes to see Viscount Cruz now and admits his relationship with his godson and godfather, then the Governor-General will definitely be very happy. Without him, just as Captain Restin hinted, Claude has become a lieutenant colonel at a young age and is in charge of a battalion by himself. It is conceivable that his future future will be better than that of him who will retire in three years. The Governor is much brighter.
But is this necessary? This route has been opened for eight years. If Viscount Cruz still remembered that he had a godson in White Deer Town, he would have written or sent someone to contact him and show concern. However, there was no exchange of letters. It should be said that he was treated as a passer-by. Maybe he actually asked about it. He just heard that Mr. Morsant committed suicide and Claude went to serve as a soldier. Then there was the five-year Eastern War. He might think that There is no need to pay attention to the Field family anymore.
Colonel Bolognik came over. He was Claude's senior and the leader of the 033rd Ranger Regiment. Like Claude, he was concerned about when he could dock, and asked a question by the way: "Captain Restin, do you know how many local garrison troops there are in Corpicius Port, the capital of the Tiersim Territory? ?"
Captain Restin thought for a while before answering: "There is an artillery garrison in the dock area and coastal fortresses, responsible for defending against pirate attacks. Then there is a local garrison stationed in the outer city military camp, under the jurisdiction of the admiral, responsible for city defense and suppression. The riots and rebellions of the indigenous people in the territory. In addition, the governor and the admiral have their own brigade of guards and soldiers to protect him and the safety of the official residence. That's probably it. I don't know much about the rest... "
Colonel Bolognik looked at the bustling pier in front of him. He could see groups of soldiers disembarking from the transport ships, lining up in neat queues, waiting for the ships transporting war horses to put down their mounts, and then He took his mount and started marching towards the city. Waves of cheers came from time to time from the crowds watching on both sides of the pier and the road.
"How many residents of our kingdom are there in the port of Copicius?" Colonel Bolognik asked again.
Captain Restin shook his head: "I don't know much about this. I've heard people say before that there are about 200,000 to 300,000 people in the entire Tiersim Direct Territory. As the capital of Copicius Port, I guess there should be 70,000 to 80,000 people." Right. But there are many mixed-race indigenous residents in the city. I estimate there are between thirty and four hundred thousand, and they are everywhere. You know, they are not counted as residents of the kingdom. They are only responsible for paying taxes and performing labor services to the kingdom... "
It wasn't until around three o'clock in the afternoon that the Tornado docked. The admiral of the fleet, Count Saramento, finally walked out of his cabin. After nodding with everyone on the deck, he was the first to get off the ship and got into a car at the dock. The waiting carriage took off with his bodyguard.
Captain Restin told Claude in a low voice: "The Count of Salamento hid his beauty in the golden house of Corbicius Port. He bought a manor and raised a pair of sisters. Every time he went to Corbicius Port, he went straight to his house. Manor, all official business is handled there. If the Governor holds a banquet tonight, he will definitely invite Count Saramento to attend. Maybe you can see the beauty of his sisters in the Governor's Mansion... "
When Claude and the two senior leaders disembarked from the battleship with their entourage, a group of people who had been waiting on the dock for a long time came to greet them.
The leader, a tall and thin middle-aged man, claimed to be the personal secretary of the Governor-General. He sent an invitation to Claude and the two captains. As Captain Restin expected, it was the Governor-General, Viscount Cruz, who would come to visit that night. A grand banquet and dance was held at his official residence, and all senior officers of the Ranger Regiment reinforcements were invited to participate. This senior officer refers to the rank of captain and above.
Then came the military governor of the demesne, the personal adjutant sent by the Admiral Baron Strathearn, the head of the local garrison at the Port of Corpicius, and the commander of the wharf artillery garrison battalion. They came to receive the reinforcements and were responsible for making arrangements. Camping and logistical supplies and many other matters.
Finally, there were some local celebrities in Copicius Port. Two gray-haired old men burst into tears, saying that they had not seen the kingdom's invincible army for many years. Now when I saw it, I discovered that the royal team was becoming more and more heroic and high-spirited. They blessed the kingdom's army to be invincible on the battlefield, and severely taught those ungrateful colonial garrison troops of the Kingdom of Hicks...
Claude believed that when General Michelich arrived with the follow-up troops, these so-called local celebrities would perform like this again. He looked around and found that most of the people watching at the pier were young, dark-skinned indigenous people. Their expressions were a little disappointing. I asked Captain Restin next to me, and the answer he got was that when the fleet arrived, these young natives were needed to board the ship and unload the cargo, and they relied on this to earn some labor money. Now that the army has arrived, they will not be needed for unloading the goods. Of course, they will be disappointed if they have no money to make...
After finally waiting for the two senior leaders and the local celebrities to finish their polite greetings, those who got on their horses got on their horses, those who got into the carriage got into the carriage, and they went their separate ways. However, we will still meet again at the banquet hosted by the Governor in the evening, and now we have to go back and prepare. Claude and the others naturally had to return to their new camp, and Captain Restin also said goodbye to Claude and the others. He had brought some personal cargo with him on the Tornado and needed to be disposed of.
Captain Hinks, the personal adjutant sent by Baron Strathern, the admiral of the Tiersim demesne, did not behave like a soldier at all, but like a shrewd businessman. He said that Lord Strathern had been seriously ill and bedridden for more than two months, otherwise he would have taken the local garrison to support the front line. It is a pity that when he heard the news of the invasion of Hicks Kingdom, the Baron happened to have a relapse of his old illness. He wanted to kill the enemy but could not get up from his bed to serve the kingdom...
Captain Hinks then asked the two senior captains if there were any excess military supplies for sale, because the weapons and equipment of the Admiral's personal guards were very backward. He expressed his willingness to pay to buy some excess advanced weapons and equipment from the two senior leaders. Even if the price is higher, it is okay. Everything is easy to discuss.
Lieutenant Colonel Everard, the leader of the local garrison in Port Corbichus, is a fat man who only knows how to be obedient. Colonel Bolonik asked him about the situation of the local garrison in the Tiersim Direct Territory, but his answers were incorrect. As for the local garrison strength in the other four towns under the direct jurisdiction of Tiersim, he did not know how many local garrison troops there were, and he plausibly replied that it was none of his business. He was only responsible for the garrison and local security affairs of Corbichus Port.
Corpicus Port is divided into an inner city and an outer city. There is a city wall checkpoint between the dock area and the inner city. After entering the city gate, I found that the houses in the inner city are well-proportioned and the commerce is prosperous. There are kings, women and children on both sides of the street from time to time. Salute to the Ranger Troops. Men took off their hats, women waved, and cheers sounded from time to time.
It was only after leaving the inner city that Claude discovered that the outer city was filled with low mud houses and broken wooden sheds built of red mud. The streets were full of potholes and were all dirt roads paved with red mud. Most of the people watching the march on both sides of the road were indigenous mixed-race residents with dark skin and numb expressions. It was rare to see neatly dressed white Kingdom residents.
The inner city and the outer city are simply two worlds.
"How many indigenous mixed-race residents are there? Have you counted them?" Claude asked the admiral's adjutant, Captain Hinks. He didn't bother to ask Lieutenant Colonel Everard, the fat man riding a horse next to him. I believed he wouldn't be able to answer if he asked him.
"Sorry, sir, I don't know much about this." Captain Hinks defended himself: "After all, our admiral is in charge of the military, and the governor is in charge of civil affairs. But I heard that five or six years ago, the Foreign Ministry There are nearly 200,000 mixed-race indigenous residents in the city..."
"What do they do for a living?" Claude asked again.
Captain Hinks shook his head: "Who knows, they either do odd jobs or go to the dock to work hard. Young women are selling meat in taverns and roadside. Some men are lucky enough to find long-term jobs in plantations and farms outside the city. work. I heard that some adults in the inner city jointly set up several workshops in the outer city and recruited many workers... "
"By the way, your admiral is sick and bedridden, so have you completed the task required by the Kingdom's Ministry of War to recruit local troops and form a new garrison?" Colonel Bolognik suddenly asked.
"This, I'm not sure about this. Lieutenant Colonel Everard should be in charge. He is the head of the local garrison..." Captain Hinks began to shirk responsibility.
The fat captain became a little anxious when he heard this: "The Admiral didn't send me a formal order. I have no money and no weapons. Where can I recruit troops..."
The two senior group leaders could only shake their heads. They had never expected to encounter such a situation. They could only say that the armaments of the directly-administered territory were irreparably eroded.
When they arrived at the camp in the outer city, even the two senior group leaders, no matter how good-tempered they were, were a little angry: "Is this the camp you arranged for us?"
The camp in front of us was so dilapidated that there were only a few pieces of wood on the fence gate, and most of the surrounding walls were covered by the fence. You could even cross it on foot, let alone riding a horse.
"Sorry, sir." Captain Hinks apologized sincerely: "This military camp is like this. As soon as the garrison leaves the city, those mixed-race bastards from the outer city will come over and steal bricks and tear down the walls. They will take whatever they see. . But apart from here, there is no other open space in Copicius Harbor for you to be stationed... "