On the northern border of the Lampali Kingdom, the temperature always drops faster than in other places.
Autumn had just begun, and a few rays of chill were clearly felt in the early morning air. Even Viscount Leslie, who always prided himself on being strong, had to tighten his military cotton coat and shrink down.
Feeling that the thinness of the cotton coat on his body did not bring him much warmth, Viscount Leslie couldn't help but frown.
"Didn't the military department say that they want to improve the armament standards of our Zhenbei Army? Why is it that it's almost winter now and the new cotton coats haven't been issued yet?"
Walking next to him was Muller, a colleague from the Logistics Department of the Zhenbei Army. Hearing this, he smiled bitterly and said: "The military department says this every year, but you have been in our Zhenbei Army for more than two years. What's wrong?" Once you saw it implemented?”
"Isn't this right? Compared with the military magic machines sent during the counterattack on the Muerto Mountains at the beginning of the year, how much is a mere cotton coat worth?" Leslie was a little puzzled.
The wry smile on Mueller's face became even stronger.
"Leslie, you've been working in the Logistics Department for the past two years. It's impossible that you don't know the situation of our Zhenbei Army, right? Although those military magic machines are expensive, the quantity delivered at one time is not large. It's only a few hundred thousand gold coins. But if we want to comprehensively improve all the armaments of our Zhenbei Army, it will cost too much. If nothing else, our Zhenbei Army currently totals almost 30,000 people. Even a brand-new cotton coat for each person costs at least 50,000 gold coins. Plus other messy living supplies, do you think the military can afford it?" "Thirty thousand cotton coats cost more than 50,000 gold coins? Isn’t the average price close to two gold coins?” Leslie frowned deeply. "In the past two years, I have only been responsible for distributing supplies in the Logistics Department, but I have rarely asked about the specific prices of these daily supplies. How can they be so expensive?"
Mueller took a deep look at Leslie: "Leslie, you are leaving soon. I will boldly tell you today. Tell the truth. The cotton coat you are wearing is One gold coin costs eighty silver coins, but the actual purchase price is only ninety silver coins at most.”
Leslie narrowed his eyes and did not continue to ask Mueller where the ninety silver coins went.
After all, he comes from a noble family like the Stark family, and his knowledge is far beyond that of ordinary people. In addition, he has come into contact with some insider information while working at the Zhenbei Army Logistics Agency in the past two years. Now he was reminded by Mueller. There is no way to guess the fishiness involved.
I thought about how many soldiers of the Zhenbei Army I had seen with my own eyes in the past two years were killed in battles or became disabled due to serious injuries. Viscount Leslie couldn't help but sneered and said nothing.
After the two of them walked along the same route in silence for a while, Muller probably felt that the atmosphere was too heavy, so he forced a smile and said: "Leslie, your transfer order should have been issued, right? It's a lot of words." Sli nodded: "It was approved the day before yesterday. I could have left yesterday, but I wanted to stay for two more days and decided to leave tomorrow."
Muller glanced at Leslie, thought for a while and said: "You are transferred back to the Military Staff Headquarters this time. I think with the power of your family, you will be promoted quickly in the Military Department in the future. You haven't left Zhenbei yet. Jun, I want to tell you something from the bottom of my heart. If you have the chance, please help our Zhenbei Army. It has been really hard for us for so many years..."
Leslie nodded slowly, with a solemn expression: "I will."
Mueller patted Leslie's shoulder hard, hesitated for a moment, then sighed, but after all, he still didn't say the next words.
Leslie shook his head and patted Mueller on the shoulder.
The two were silent again.
After completing the lap, Mueller's expression finally returned to normal, and he smiled at Leslie and said: "Since you are leaving tomorrow, how about I find some colleagues to hold a farewell party for you tonight?"...
"That's not necessary." Leslie shook his head. "Didn't you already have a farewell party when you learned the news two days ago? To hold it again is just to use this excuse to drink. Of course, if possible, I also hope to have another good drink with you, but It’s a pity that I have something to do today and I may have to leave soon.”
"Yeah?". Mueller stared at Leslie blankly for a while, then suddenly stretched out his arms to hug him. "Then I wish you success in your future promotion."
Leslie hugged Mueller with his backhand, slapped him hard on the back, and said in a deep voice: "Take care."
The two of them exerted their arms at the same time, then separated. Mueller raised his hand and left.
Looking at Mueller's back as he left without looking back, Leslie thought to himself that this soldier who had experienced blood and fire was different, and there would never be any sloppiness.
After turning his head to look north for a while, Leslie turned around and returned to his single room in the garrison.
The Brunei housekeeper had already led two servants to pack up all of Leslie's belongings. When he saw Leslie coming back, he said, "Master, let's go now? His Royal Highness the Prince has been waiting for a long time. "
"Your Highness the Prince..." A slightly contemptuous smile appeared at the corner of Leslie's mouth, but then he quickly withdrew it and nodded to the Brunei housekeeper: "Let's go."
The news that Leslie left the Zhenbei Army did not cause much reaction, because in the past two years, except for a few people in the Zhenbei Army, including Muller, there was no one in the Zhenbei Army. People knew he was from the Stark family.
He was transferred to the Military Staff Headquarters by a transfer order from the military ministry, and not many people knew about it.
For the more than 30,000 people in the Zhenbei Army, he was just an inconspicuous one among them.
Of course, apart from him, there were only a few people in the Zhenbei Army who could be hosted by Prince Eric himself for a banquet.
Leslie followed the Brunei housekeeper to the Zhenbei Army's garrison in a small town closest to the Muerto Mountains, and met His Royal Highness Prince Eric, who came here specifically to inspect the Zhenbei Army. .
As soon as they met, His Royal Highness Prince Eric immediately gave Leslie a big hug and laughed loudly: "Haha, Leslie, I haven't seen you for more than two years. You are a lot darker than before. You look back like this If you go to Anvilmar, you won’t be welcomed by those ladies and ladies like before.”
Leslie smiled and touched his cheek: "There is no way, the border area is very dry in winter, and there is no way to take care of the skin. Besides, he is a soldier after all, he is too white to look good, right? That's a lot of words."
His Royal Highness Prince Eric laughed again: "Haha, it seems that after more than two years in the Zhenbei Army, you have really changed a lot than before. Come on, sit down, let's eat and chat ”
Although the time was short, the banquet hosted by His Royal Highness Prince Eric to invite Leslie was still extremely sumptuous.
In this small town close to the border, he actually prepared a set of expensive bright silver tableware, and spread a fine velvet blanket on the table, along with a dozen fragrant and finely crafted dishes on the table. Just by looking at it, you can tell that this meal is definitely expensive.
Leslie glanced at the situation on the dining table and silently calculated the cost of the lunch that only she and Prince Eric would enjoy. The military cotton jacket she had just worn flashed through her mind. Coat, couldn't help but frown slightly.
His Royal Highness Prince Eric had been paying attention to the expression on Leslie's face. Naturally, this slight change in expression could not escape his eyes. He quickly asked: "What? Leslie, are you not satisfied with these dishes? Okay?" OK, I’ll ask someone to remove it and redo it, but I think it will take a while, and you’ll have to be hungry for a while.”…
Leslie quickly wiped away the strange color on his face, smiled and waved his hand and said: "It's not that I am dissatisfied. It's just that I have been eating rough food in the Zhenbei Army, and I haven't enjoyed this kind of delicious food for a long time. I’m afraid my stomach won’t be able to bear it.”
His Royal Highness Prince Eric laughed loudly: "It seems that you have had a really hard time in the Zhenbei Army in the past two years. But it doesn't matter. When you return to Anvilmar City, I guarantee that you will adapt to your old life again immediately. Come, sit down, today's meal is a celebration that you finally got rid of the hard days in the army."
Leslie sat down silently and glanced at the sumptuous dishes on the table. After all, he couldn't help but shook his head and sighed softly: "I am not the only one in the Zhenbei Army who has lived such a hard life. The entire Zhenbei Army Thirty thousand soldiers, all of them are like me, and many of them are even worse off than me.”
"Of course, as a soldier, how can life be good? When you decided to serve in the Zhenbei Army more than two years ago, you should have been mentally prepared, right? A lot of words."
Seeing that Prince Eric didn't care about the hidden meaning in his words, Leslie nodded, stopped continuing the topic, and started talking to him about the city of Anvilmar.
In the middle of the meal, Leslie suddenly asked casually: "By the way, Your Highness, I heard that you plan to reorganize the Zhenbei Army and then counterattack the Sack Kingdom?"
"That's right." His Royal Highness Prince Eric put down the tableware and said seriously: "We have always had disputes with the Sark Kingdom over the years, but the Sark Kingdom has always taken the initiative. Now we have finally controlled the entire Muerto Mountains. The situation has taken the initiative. It would be unreasonable not to take this opportunity to counterattack the Sac Kingdom. By the way, Leslie, why do you call me Your Highness? This is too foreign to us. Is this necessary for our relationship? Just call me by my name as before."
"Now is different from before." Leslie shook his head with a smile, pondered for a moment, and then said: "Judging from the situation, we do have the conditions for a counterattack. But Your Highness, have you ever thought about taking the initiative to attack the Sark Kingdom? How much?"
"Spend money?" His Royal Highness Prince Eric frowned, glanced at Leslie, and then showed a gentle smile. "Of course war costs money. But I think with the full support of your Stark family, this won't be a problem."
Leslie turned his head and looked at the Brunei butler, who nodded slightly to him.
"If that's the case..." Leslie nodded in understanding, turned to raise his glass to His Royal Highness Prince Eric. "Then I wish the Zhenbei Army a great success in their counterattack."
His Royal Highness Prince Eric came down with a haha, raised his wine glass, clinked it with Leslie from a distance, and then drank it all in one gulp.
Leslie drank it up, just in time to block the sneer raised at the corner of his mouth behind the glass.
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