"Go down."
Green rubbed his aching forehead and drank with a sullen face. A young officer in front of him immediately straightened up, gave a military salute, and then turned around and walked out of the tent with his head held high.
When the curtain was lifted, a cold wind rushed in outside, and Green couldn't help shaking slightly.
The wind wasn't as cold as I imagined, but... Green's heart was really cold.
The officer just now was the logistics officer in the army - the logistics chief of the entire More County was Cato, who was known as the smuggler in the army, and the logistics system in the army was all Cato bundles. Not long after the army of the Northern Military Region was established, the logistics officers in the army were all recruited and selected by Cato. Divide the calendar.
Green has never been too involved in the logistics system. On the one hand, Cato's personality and loyalty to Xi Ya need not be repeated. With Cato's shrewdness and loyalty, Green is also very relieved to give him the burden of logistics and military supplies. . On the other hand, with the growth of Xia Ya's family and this small group, Green, an old man in the army, naturally has a little understanding of his own. He is very clear that in the small group of Xia Ya, his prestige and qualifications are second only to Xia Ya, and he is even rude to say that if he simply looks at his qualifications, his Green nickname is Mad Dog, and he has been famous for many years in the empire. A celebrity in the military, and a graduate of the imperial military academy with roots in the red . With his Green identity, if it were placed elsewhere, in this chaotic time, it was the time when the empire was employing people, and it was enough to assume the position of a commander.
The time for Xia Ya to form an army is still short, but Green has already wisely started to avoid suspicion - although he knows that Xia Ya will not doubt himself, but in this small group, others may not think so. In order to consolidate the stability of this small group, then it is necessary to establish the authority and core position of Xia Ya.
Therefore, for such an important opening as military supplies, Green almost let Xi Ya hand over to Cato to manage it, and he would never intervene easily on weekdays.
This time on the expedition, the accompanying military supplies were also arranged by Cato, and he did not place his own confidants.
This approach has maintained the stability of the small group in More County, and at the same time has made some people who have other thoughts hidden from their thoughts—Xia, after all, is a little less experienced, and annexed the remnants of the 6th and 7th Corps. Those two There is no shortage of veterans and veterans in the army. Although they had to obey due to the situation at that time, over time, under the command of a rookie in the army like Xia Ya, it is inevitable that there will be no other people in their hearts. mind to come. Not to mention anything else, in Denzel City, when Xia Ya left the city several times for several days, someone from below came to look for Green, vaguely expressing his meaning, hoping that Green would take the opportunity to seize power and even replace him!
In the hearts of those veteran soldiers, Green is still a person qualified to be a commander. After all, Mad Dog's fame and qualifications are there, and Xiaya... He is too tender.
Fortunately, Green's upright personality didn't pay attention to those hidden undercurrents. Instead, he simply let go of the power and did his best. This gradually calmed down some of the restlessness.
Although Green was a little dissatisfied with this expedition, at least in front of others, he did not openly question Xia Ya's order - any army, if the commander's majesty cannot be guaranteed, then this army, no matter how well equipped it is, will be a mess!
Since the expedition to the south, Green has kept in mind the plan negotiated with Xia Ya, and took this "main force" to the south, one battalion, one step at a time. It seems to be low-key and passive when withdrawing troops.
The army moved forward slowly and shrank into a ball. It was extremely stable and did not take any risky moves. Even if there were Odin's small army that blocked the way and repeatedly provoked provocations, he Green was only invisible, and the army slowly moved south. Go forward, step by step, carefully get into the cover arranged by Manninger...
But today, Green really can't hold it anymore!
When marching to fight, sometimes you have to take risks. How can Greene not understand this truth, but the problem is that the current situation is really dangerous!
Manninger mobilized garrisoned troops from all over the world to intercept, Odin's elite gathered, and the old foundation of Chixuejun was taken out by Manninger! This Odin Xiongjie, full of energy, made up his mind to eat the Byzantine army that broke into his own territory, the last resistance force in the north! In one fell swoop, the situation in the north was pacified, and the overall situation was completely defeated!
At this moment, entrenched around the lonely army of Green, in front of them are the elites of the tens of thousands of Chixue Army led by Manninger, thousands of Odin reindeer cavalry roaming on the two wings, and there is even a tens of thousands of Chixue Army copy After reaching Green's back, the retreat route of Green's army was cut off.
What's more, Green's department has already penetrated hundreds of miles into Sylvan County, and he is alone. Naturally, there is nowhere to supplement the heavy food and grass, and all around are staring at him.
The army was able to move slowly before, but two days ago, it was finally unable to move forward.
This cover, Manninger finally got into the hole!
No advance, no retreat, just now the logistics officer in the army came to report to Greene again, and the consumption of food and grass in the army was almost bottomed out.
People's food can last for a few more days. After all, the soldiers eat less and can delay for a few more days. But the fodder for the war horse was not enough. Originally, when they set out on the expedition, the supplies they carried with the army were not many. According to Xia Ya's plan, the food and grass that the army brought with them was only enough for half a month. No matter how much Greene uses it sparingly, as of today, this stock is almost exhausted!
That guy Manninger is also cunning. He clearly has his pockets tied, and he got in, but the other party is not in a hurry to attack, but instead waits quietly around him.
I think that this Odin Xiongjie also calculated how much food and forage he could carry when his alone army penetrated into the enemy's territory? If he goes on like this, when his army runs out of rations, the army's morale will definitely be unstable, and then he will swarm up, and the fight will naturally be multiplied with half the effort.
Just now, when the logistics officer in the army reported to him, Green knew that within three days, if there was no change, then his alone army would only have a dead end!
In fact, since yesterday, the daily rations distributed by soldiers in the army have been reduced to 70% of the standard ration.
Just now, the logistics officer took the initiative to propose a solution. This suggestion made Green feel a little surprised - what kind of subordinates did that smuggler Cato cultivate!
The officer looked a little too young. Although he stood up straight, after all, in the eyes of an old soldier like Green, his military posture was still a little immature. But it was such a young officer who looked like a rookie, but he came up with an idea that shocked Green!
"My lord, if things don't work, I have a way to suspend the morale fluctuation of the lack of food - the lord just needs to arrest me in front of the whole army, and then order me to be executed by military law! Just announce to the whole army, it is me Logistic officers embezzled ordnance food and grass, which led to the shortage of food in the army. As a result, the panic of soldiers lacking food will be transformed into resentment towards me... Although this method cannot eradicate the current predicament, it can at least delay the adults for two years. time of day!"
When the young officer said such words in a firm and even indifferent tone, even Green was moved.
Such a ruthless heart... Where did Xia find such a young man
After inquiring, he found out that this young logistics quartermaster, whose name was "Kevin", was a broken young man who was rescued from the Odins in the south by Xia Ya when he was out.
Because he is quite good at planning, he was finally asked by Cato to use it for his subordinates.
The method proposed by Kevin was extremely cruel and cold, and he didn't put his own life in his eyes at all. How could Green really use this method? After a few words of rebuke, the quartermaster was sent out.
It's just that the cost of the army is only so little. If there is no further progress in Xia Ya's place, the more than 10,000 people with him will really have no way to go to heaven and no way to enter the earth.
…
Just when Green racked his brains to think about countermeasures and worried about his situation. Manninger is in high spirits, as if he saw the most beautiful moment in his life!
Since the Chixue Army went south, in addition to the initial setbacks, but then it was overwhelming, wiping out the main force of the Byzantine Empire's Seventh Corps, making Manninger's prestige! In that battle, a corps of the Central Army of the Byzantine Empire was eaten in one bite. Such a prominent military feat was only achieved by Hasting, the god of war known as Odin's number one general in the Odin Empire!
And Manninger's achievements, after spreading to the country, are said to have caused the shock of the five major tribes, Chi Xuejun can be described as a battle to become famous! Manninger himself is different from ordinary Odin tribe leaders. He has ambition and ambition, and he is good at ingenuity. Whether it is knowledge or mind, he is not comparable to other savage Odins. He is very aware of the situation in the Odin Empire. Below the God Emperor Odin, the five major tribes do not belong to each other, and only the existence of such a powerful figure as the God Emperor can suppress all the tribes in awe and surrender. He Manninger has always held the thigh of the god emperor firmly, and is more likely to make his family and the royal family into marriage... It can be said that as long as the current god emperor Odin is in power, he Manninger and Basha There will be no problem with the power of the Ke family.
But Manninger thinks more long-term!
What he wants is not only the power and wealth of his own tribe's generation, but what he wants is that Basak can enjoy power and wealth for a generation, stand in the core of the power of the Odin Empire, and stand firm!
In addition to being closely aligned with the royal family, Manninger's wholeheartedness is to take advantage of the opportunity of the southern invasion of the Odin Empire to occupy a vast and fertile habitat for his tribe! Let your descendants of the tribes have a foundation on which to settle down!
The land of these counties in the north of the Byzantine Empire is a rich grain-producing area, and the climate is relatively suitable for the Odin people. Manninger is not only about looting and looting. Odin Empire The former war model has always been disdainful in Manninger's heart. In his opinion, it was just a war of robbers and robbers. Although it looked like a momentary glory, no matter how much money was robbed by slaves, where was the land worth? !
Only by truly occupying the land of the Byzantine Empire, turning the Byzantine people on this land into slaves of their own tribe, from generation to generation, slaves, slaves, families, generation after generation, and let their tribes live on this land Laying a foundation and firmly guarding this land will be the biggest capital for the prosperity of the Basak nationality in the future! Even after several generations, even if the tribe is no longer favored by the emperor, as long as there is such a large piece of land and countless slave people in hand, there will be no problem with Basak's prosperity!
Since going south, first annihilate the Byzantine Empire 7th Corps, then occupy the entire territory of Syltan County, and then march eastward to annex the Corsica Military Region! With the land in these two counties in hand, the land that has been laid has exceeded the land area owned by the Manninger clan in the country! And the population of the two counties is far more than the population of Manninger's tribe!
He has been working diligently for more than half a year, driving slaves, building new settlements, and preparing for the migration of his entire family!
As long as the winter is over and the roads are clear, a large number of ethnic groups can migrate from the country to come and breed here. As long as they gain a firm foothold in a few years, this land will be completely owned by their own clan!
This is capital, capital in hand!
I even have an impulse in my heart, and I can't help but think: If there is a change in the Odin Empire after a hundred years, if it encounters an era of weakening the royal family, as long as the Basak clan has such a strong strength... It is not necessarily that they have not won the power. Top opportunity!
Who knows what will happen in the future? Everything I do today is to lay a solid foundation for the future prosperity of my tribe!
In Manninger's view, the only last stumbling block in front of him now is the small resistance force behind Moor County entrenched there.
Before the winter, he sent his son Morka to the expedition, but suffered a small loss. Although Manninger was shocked, he didn't really care too much. After all, in his opinion, it was just a group of rabble. Ding Jingrui, however, was careless for a while. Although his son's incompetence made him a little disappointed, as long as he waited for the spring to raise enough food and grass, and led the army to go on a personal expedition, he would naturally be able to wipe out the rabble.
At that time, I will have tens of thousands of soldiers in my hands, and tens of thousands of soldiers who have surrendered to the army, sitting on the military districts of More County, Syltan County, and Corsica, the three largest grain-producing areas in the north of the Byzantine Empire, covering thousands of miles. Land, one million people - when that day comes, even the mighty God-Emperor Odin, he will have a high opinion of himself! !
Of the five clans in the Odin Empire, even if their own Basak cannot compete with the royal family, they are enough to surpass other clans!
Life is like this, and the highest achievements of his life are in front of him. In such a situation, how can Manninger not be happy, how can he not be reckless
But even with such a bright prospect in sight, Manninger always reminds himself to be cautious!
Now that his own army has set up a cover and has surrounded the lonely army in front of him, he still did not order to launch a general attack immediately, but restrained the impulse in his heart and continued to wait patiently...
He has to wait! When the opponent's food is exhausted and the army's heart is scattered, then the enemy will be defeated in one fell swoop!
After leading the army to fight for many years, Manninger did not fail to calculate that the other party would send a small group of surprise soldiers to the hinterland of his own territory to make trouble to attract his attention.
But under his arrangement, in the territory of Syltan County, every important town has a small group of Odin troops stationed, a small amount of Chixue Army plus a certain number of attached troops to descend, even if a small group of enemy soldiers come in Trouble, the troops left behind are always enough to deal with it! And in his old nest new city, he left his son Morka, 2,000 of the most elite soldiers of his own tribe, and thousands of attached troops surrendered. Even if there are tens of thousands of Byzantine troops attacking the city, it is enough to deal with it. !
No matter how Manninger calculated, he felt that the situation in front of him was foolproof! It is impossible for these small enemies under his command to have the opportunity to make waves again!
He led the ten thousand elites and stood in front of Green's army, waiting day after day.
Waiting for Manninger to worry about his own mind. It's just that he decided in his heart that if he waited one more day, the enemy army would be weaker!
This day, seeing as he waited patiently, finally came to an end.
In the evening, he ran out of the tent and patrolled the barracks - the Odin military system has always been rough, and his dignified commander patrolled around, not as strict as in the Byzantine army, and wherever he went, the soldiers were no more than just men. It is to salute respectfully, and then do not stop what you are doing, you should do things, and you should eat and eat. There are even Odin's brave warriors in the army. They take off their shirts and fight for fun when they have nothing to do. This is also a common scene in Odin's army.
Manninger toured the battalion, then ran to the camp gate in person, and watched for a while on the hastily built observation deck. The Byzantine army in the distance was still silent...
(Is morale low? Or is the enemy coach resigned to his fate?)
It just made Manninger feel a little uncomfortable, but there was still smoke from the Byzantine camp on the opposite side.
Just by looking at the smoke, you can at least know that the enemy has not run out of food.
(Looks like two more days...) Manninger sighed inwardly.
Although there is an impulse in his heart, he is a cunning and cunning person, and the more critical moment comes, the more he reminds himself to calm down.
After looking at it for a while, Manninger snorted and walked down from the lookout. He was about to return to his tent. He just took two steps, but suddenly he stopped!
A glimmer of light flashed in his eyes, and suddenly he turned around abruptly and climbed up the observation deck again to see it in the distance! After a while, a happy and proud smile appeared on his face!
"Hahaha!! It seems that the coach of this Byzantine army has some skills! He was almost fooled by him! Hehe!!"
He laughed very happily, and the brows that had been locked for several days were all stretched out. As the coach and the patriarch, Manninger naturally had other generals and subordinates accompanying him, and someone asked: "Chief, you are smiling like that. , but for what?"
Manninger smiled proudly, in high spirits, pointed to the Byzantine army camp in the distance, and shouted: "Do you see that smoke? Three times a day, morning, noon and evening, there will be smoke from the kitchen. Previously, I was the commander of the Byzantine army. Liar! When I saw the smoke from the cooking, I just assumed that they had surplus food, so it was not easy to attack immediately, but now, I have seen through his tricks!"
After a pause, he pointed to the distance: "What's wrong with the smoke?"
These subordinates around him are all rude Odin men, staring at them for a long time, where can they see anything? Manninger sighed in his heart. After all, the generals and leaders of these tribes around him, although they are very brave, but in terms of brains, they... secretly smiled bitterly, perhaps this is also destined, God gave the Odin people strength and bravery, However, it is rude and reckless, and there are really fewer Odins who are willing to use their brains like myself!
But this thought was only a moment's effort, and Manninger sneered immediately: "These days, the smoke from the kitchen on the other side is constantly flowing, but today I can see the flaw! Look carefully! If the smoke is real, the color of the smoke must be It's thin and thin, but you can see the smoke on the opposite side. The smoke is black and straight! Where is the smoke? It's clearly the smoke from the Byzantine army burning firewood on the opposite side. It pretended to be the smoke to deceive me! He was already short of food, but the enemy commander was afraid that I would take the opportunity to attack, so he let the army cut down firewood and burn it, using firewood smoke to pretend to be cooking smoke! This kind of tactic can be regarded as he bothered! I was deceived for a few days, Now that I have seen it clearly today, I will naturally not continue to sit back and watch!"
The more he talked, the more excited he became. He raised his hand and shouted loudly: "Return to the account, beat the drums! The leaders of the battalions gather to discuss!! Destroying the enemy is today!!"
After Manninger's order, the whole army was shaken. As the drums in the army sounded, the leaders of each battalion rushed towards the coach's tent.
In the tent, Manninger was already waiting, and when all the leaders and generals in his army gathered, Manninger was already fully armored, full of excitement and excitement, and high-spirited!
Seeing the dark crowd in the tent, all of them were the most heroic warriors in the family, Manninger was even more excited, so he shouted: "Everyone! After waiting for a long time, everyone must be I've been waiting anxiously! That mere lone army is under the eyelids, we have endured for many days, and today, we are going to eat this piece of fat in one bite!!"
In the big tent, the sound of slamming drinking almost overturned the tent!
The Odins are good at fighting, and after staying in this camp for many days, the soldiers below have long been impatient!
"I mean! Just tonight..."
Manninger blushed and was in a happy mood. He was about to give an order with impassioned enthusiasm. Suddenly, he heard a commotion outside the tent, and then the curtain of the tent was lifted, and there were messy footsteps. The direct line guards around him rushed in with a few Odin warriors embarrassed!
The few people who came in were all covered in blood, their armors were crooked, and some even had no weapons. As soon as they came in, they stumbled and threw themselves on the ground in front of Manninger. Someone immediately burst into tears!
Manninger's voice stopped abruptly. When he saw these people, he vaguely recognized the small leaders of his own elite army who stayed in the new city, and his heart suddenly sank!
"You, you... how..."
Manninger's face has changed, and he was about to ask, but suddenly he felt short of breath, as if he had a faint premonition in his heart.
A wolf-covered Odin warrior threw himself in front of him, knocked his head on the ground a few times, then got up, and was about to say something, but Manninger suddenly shouted: "Come here and whisper to me! "
The soldier was stunned for a moment, then walked up to Manninger, leaned over, and whispered in Manninger's ear for a moment.
I saw Manninger's face, from the red face before, it suddenly became pale! The blood on his face seemed to fade in an instant! The muscles on the cheeks, one by one, were shaking violently, the eyes were wide, and the face was hideous! The last look in his eyes was full of rage and grief!
Finally, he suddenly shouted: "Pain! It hurts me!!!!"
Manninger glared angrily, raised his foot and kicked the Odin warrior directly in front of him in the abdomen, kicking the man to the ground, his voice trembling so badly, his tone trembled: "You!! You bastards. How did I explain it before I came out! You, you! You!! You still have the face to see me alive! What are you doing with this kind of waste!!"
He pulled out the long knife around his waist at once, and with a swipe, he slashed! Seeing the blood, the head of the Odin warrior in front of him suddenly rolled out! !
This sudden change caused the entire tent to be stunned! It seemed that everyone was shocked, and no one dared to say a word for a long time!
Manninger held a long knife in his hand, but his body trembled violently, and finally swayed, and suddenly his hand was released, the knife was thrown on the ground, and his own person also sat on the ground!
There were already guards next to him and rushed up to support him on both sides before he was barely supported and placed on a chair covered with animal skins.
Manninger's breath was already weak, his eyes were closed, and his teeth were clenched!
This time, everyone panicked! Many generals and leaders rushed up, some shouted, some called, some ordered to summon guards, and some charged out to call the wizards in the army to heal.
After busying himself for a while, he heard Manninger lying there, groaning faintly, and slowly opened his eyes, looking at the crowded faces in front of him, Manninger's lips moved, just opened his mouth, With a puff, a mouthful of blood spurted out!
Blood spilled on his chest and chin, and the beard was also red, which was even more shocking!
"leader!"
"grown ups!"
"Patriarch..."
There was a call from the big tent, and Manninger's sloppy eyes finally showed a hint of sobriety.
He raised his fingers weakly, his lips moved, and his voice was soft, but this sentence was finally heard by everyone!
"Retreat... Retreat... The whole army assembles and returns to the new city!"