Hasting smiled, but he did not answer regardless of what Xia Ya said.
The caravan went all the way east, first to the south, then to the east. Although it is not a war zone along the way, it is also a place where warlords are divided. Gradually, the further southeast is going, the more tense the atmosphere is. The towns and the troops of the local warlords are also more closely guarded. It's just that although the inspection was strict, it still did not cause any real obstacles to the caravan.
The father Ade quietly explained to Xia Ya: "Now the world is in chaos, if the warlords and governors in these regions want to continue their division, they must need the support of those chambers of commerce on the mainland, at least, those strategies such as military supplies, equipment, food and grass. Reserve, without the help of these big business associations in the world, it would never be possible, so although the warlord governors of these regions are strict, but if they encounter the teams of these first-class big business groups, they dare not go too far. Embarrassing people."
After a pause, he said with a low laugh: "So we small families, if we want to survive in this chaotic world, can only rely on these big business groups, pay some money to buy the road, and ask for peace."
After walking for about ten days, they had already entered the eastern part of the Byzantine Empire and arrived at the important town of the Corvester Military District in the eastern part of the empire. This time, the caravan finally encountered the iron plate. Even if the leader of the leading chamber of commerce came forward, the other party would not buy it.
I saw the team stopped, just in front of it, but it was a small town. This small town was between two hillsides, but it was a "cornered city". The city was built between the mountains. At the gap, from a distance, it seems like a checkpoint.
The team stopped outside the city, only to see that the city gate was half open and half closed. The soldiers above and below the city were fully armed, as if they were facing a great enemy. The leader of the business group in front, and the military officer under the city gate. After negotiating for a long time, the other party just shook his head. I saw that the leader stuffed a heavy bag into the officer's hand. The officer turned out that although his face was a little better, he still shook his head. Although his attitude was much more friendly, he still refused to let go.
Even if the caravan leader pointed at his own company's flag and said something soft and hard, the other party's attitude remained unchanged.
Xia Ya and others watched the fun from the back, and after watching for a while, they saw Father Ade squeezed back from the front, sweating, sighing and shaking his head: "Damn, it's just so unlucky! It's the front If you want to fight, they are blocked and not allowed to pass. I have said good things and bad things, and it is useless to put money in... It seems that it is not good to go out this time, I am afraid that I will have to pay a big loss."
After Xia heard it, she and Hasting looked at each other, and both read a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.
fight
What kind of battle can be fought here
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You must know that this is the eastern part of the empire, and it is still not far from the eastern frontier of the empire. It can be regarded as the only "land of peace" in the entire Byzantine Empire.
In the eastern part of the empire, where did the battle come from
This is far from the southern imperial capital of Osgilia. The battle to defend the imperial capital of Osgilia had never affected this place at all.
And the invasion of Odin in the north has far never hit this place.
The Great Southern Rebellion that occurred later, the Duke of Minas went south to quell the rebellion, and that was also far to the south.
In the eastern part of the empire, there are only a few small and medium-sized second-rate warlords who are the military governors of the military region. The power is not big or small, but it is just a shout in the red round table meeting.
The nearby warlords are all of the Red Round Table party, and there is no big hatred between each other, especially in today's season, knowing that everyone can survive if they stick together...
fight? Who fights who
Xia Ya and Hasting, one is the No. 1 tyrant in the empire today, and the other is the No. 1 general of the enemy country who has been plotting against the Byzantine Empire for half their life. Naturally, they know the current situation very well. As soon as I heard the news, I immediately felt that something was wrong. .
It stands to reason that there should never be any wars in the east.
At this moment, the caravan had stopped. Seeing that the road was blocked, all the merchants behind the team sent their subordinates to inquire about the news, and that old Ade was no exception. After a while, the person who was listening in front came back to report. When Father Ade heard it, his face was as pale as paper, he kept beating his chest and sighing. It's a payoff!"
You must know that this time he was on a business trip, he put a small half of his family property on the goods, and even the travel expenses plus the goods, plus the insurance money for joining the caravan, is already a huge burden— If you arrive at the holy city safely and make a profit from the transaction, you will naturally make a lot of money, but now you are blocked halfway, and you cannot go forward. If you go back to Karan City, then the freight and the insurance money for this trip will naturally be all. It was thrown into the water, and so many trucks were in my hands, where would I go to digest it
Originally, he was not a top big merchant, but he was a merchant with a wealth of wealth in Karan City. Although he was wealthy, he could not be called a rich man.
If this trip loses money, considering the investment in the early stage, there is still time delay, I am afraid that it will go bankrupt.
Father Ade was crying and mourning here, Xiaya jumped down immediately, and stopped the guys under Father Ade to ask a few questions. It was just about the war, and the soldiers in the city defense at the previous level would not say much, just know The city defense blocked the road, and the others could not find any valuable news.
The caravan stopped on the road, and someone came over to invite Father Ade to negotiate. It turned out that the large chamber of commerce leading the caravan invited the merchants in the team to discuss countermeasures together. Father Ade left with sweat all over his head, but when he came back, his face became more and more gloomy and ugly.
I heard him say that this level has been completely closed. The leaders of the caravan communicated in many ways, and they also had a lot of money and some relationships, but the other party did not dare to let them pass. Although the leading officer in Guanfang was also greedy for money, it was a matter of military order, and if something went wrong, it would be a big sin. Although money is lovely, if you have no brains, you will naturally have no blessings to enjoy.
Although the inside of the caravan was dejected, it was fortunate that they were not completely disappointed. The formation of such a caravan did not mean that it would just disperse. Everyone still planned to make more efforts. It's not that simple to ask them to give up so easily and turn around. Although there was no other way, everyone had to stay here and wait for news.
Fortunately, after bribing the officers of the defense army, although they were not allowed to pass, they could spend money to sell some food and drinking water in the city.
Everyone will wait on this road for the time being. It is said that the leading person in the chamber of commerce has sent an urgent messenger to invite some powerful people to come forward.
Just like that, the caravan waited outside the city defense for a day. At night, hundreds of people stayed by the road outside the city. Fortunately, everyone was traveling and doing business. The carts formed a circle, and then camped. Just seeing the city was right in front of them, but they couldn't enter the city. They could only drink cold air and eat cold dry food outside the city. Everyone was full of resentment.
Early the next morning, several merchants sent people to the gate of the city to find those defenders who were poking their tongues. Even if they didn't let them go, at least they had to inquire about some valuable news.
The defenders of the city defense finally stopped being so strict. Under the silver bullet attack of the merchants, they finally let go and revealed a lot of news. Then the news was passed to the caravan and let Xia Ya listen to it. , but couldn't help but stay for a while, and then his face couldn't help but get weird.
It turned out that the warning of war in this place was real, and there was indeed a battle to be fought!
On the other hand, the warring party was an old friend that Xia Ya was very familiar with.
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The caravan stayed here for another day, and at night, they were still preparing to camp as usual, but it was only getting dark, and suddenly people felt a tremor on the ground. Hearing this, everyone suddenly changed color, and even those mercenary warriors jumped up quickly to whistle and shout to their companions, and quickly ordered all kinds of people to retreat into the circle surrounded by carriages, and some warriors were already lying on the ground. , with his ears pressed to the ground, he raised his face and said loudly with a pale face: "South, a large cavalry! Not to mention two or three thousand cavalry!"
These mercenaries really judged very accurately. The caravan hid in the enclosures up and down. Some young and strong guys took out their weapons from their carts. When they were out, in addition to the hired mercenaries, their own Will not be unprepared. There are hundreds of people in this caravan. If there is an emergency, those who can use the guy can make up more than 200 people.
It wasn't long before it got dark, and on the south side of the road, you could still see a cloud of dust, which seemed to cover the sky and the sun.
Everyone in the caravan changed color, even those mercenaries who were accustomed to licking blood with their blades looked stern.
The dust on the road in the distance swept up, suddenly it was a cavalry!
That is to say, it is the Spring Festival now, and there has just been a spring rain a few days ago, and the road is not as dry as autumn, so the cavalry has come all the way, and can't see the dust until it is close. If it's in autumn, I'm afraid this dust can be seen from far away.
The cavalry came from afar, and the speed did not seem to be very fast, but kept marching at a constant speed. From the connoisseur of Xiaya, who is used to carrying soldiers, it is obvious that the generals of this army deliberately reserved horsepower and stayed close to the ground. Now, it can be seen that the other party's cavalry is on the march. The formation of the army is very neat, and it clearly looks like an elite. The governor of the third-rate warlord who is like a local tyrant in the countryside can't afford such a cavalry.
Among the forces of the Byzantine Empire in this world, there are very few cavalrymen who can raise such a scale.
And when the cavalry ran closer, people could see their flags and costumes, it was even more surprising.
It was actually the uniform of the Central Army of the Byzantine Empire!
The cavalry is a two-horse or even three-horse, such a configuration can be called a luxury. The cavalry's attire is also the black-patterned cavalry armor that can be configured by the Central Army.
The Central Army, this is the standard equipment of the cavalry of the Central Army of the Byzantine Empire!
Seeing that the eastern part of the empire, which was already under the control of the warlord party, suddenly appeared such a large group of cavalry from the Central Army, which immediately shocked everyone.
The only one who didn't have a surprised look on his face, but only a little weird, was our Uncle Xia Ya.
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The cavalry was still a long way away, and the city defense had already sounded the horn of warning frantically, and the army on the city wall gathered nervously.
And the caravan under the city has been stunned. At this moment, they are only a few hundred meters away from the city wall. This distance is not close or far. It is impossible to enter the city, and it is impossible to leave.
If the two sides fight, the first to suffer is the caravan!
Whether it was the merchants or the mercenaries, they all understood the truth in an instant. Many people were already pale, but only the mercenaries were still holding their weapons tightly, but they obviously didn't have much of their original spirit.
The cavalry that came from far away also discovered such a strange team under the city - such a caravan formed a circle with carriages under the city, which is naturally extremely eye-catching.
The cavalry team saw it from a distance, and soon came a burst of bugles, and Xia naturally recognized it. It was the order of the cavalry of the Central Army of the Empire to march. After a while, the cavalry slowed down and stopped at After getting into the distance, after regrouping, he stared at the caravan under the city.
This scene is extremely strange, and it is thought that this cavalry probably did not expect such a strange situation.
They rushed to the city, but they didn't expect that there would be such a caravan stationed outside the city.
In the caravan, half of the leaders of the leading merchants had already fainted from fright. Seeing that the cavalry stopped, the leaders of the chamber of commerce did not dare to let their subordinates make any response. This kind of thing is delicate. If If one's own people make any actions that the other party misunderstands as hostility, then it is suicide!
Don't look at yourself, there are still hundreds of young men with weapons, but when you encounter this kind of regular Central Army cavalry, in case the other party uses their own knife, this kind of miscellaneous blackheart encounters professional elites. Kill this person in your own house!
Fortunately, the owner of this caravan, since the big chamber of commerce is a wealthy family holding the holy city trade decree, the leader sent to lead the team is not mediocre. The commercial flag was hung high. Immediately, he opened the enclosure and rode his horse out in person. He raised his hands from afar, indicating that he had no weapons, and rode toward the cavalry team on the opposite side.
He also knew the rules, so he took the initiative to get off his horse when he was far away from the cavalry team, and walked over, rolling and crawling. Two cavalrymen came up to him and searched him up and down before taking him to the team, the leader of the caravan. He was brought to the front of a big man surrounded by heavy cavalry, and he knelt down and said something.
After a while, he was released, and he waved his hands high in front of him all the way. Here in the caravan, several prominent figures who stayed behind looked at his gestures, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.
Safe.
The cavalry came in a small team, and quickly forced the caravan's enclosure, and let them drive a carriage and quickly leave the station, away from the city defense. Relax.
Xia Ya in the team looked at it and smiled in a low voice: "Fortunately, I didn't treat us as cannon fodder, so I still have a conscience. It seems that the fight is about to begin."
Hasting listened, opened his eyes and glanced at the cavalry not far away, sneered, and then closed his eyes again. He is Odin, the invincible and famous general in the world. He doesn't know how many elite soldiers and horses of the Byzantine Empire have been destroyed. Among the central army of the empire, it can be said that except for the Roderian cavalry of the past, all the rest are his Hess Ting's men are defeated!
Although this Central Army cavalry is majestic, where will Hastings see it