September 15, 1786, Universal Calendar. Angry Bear City, capital of Northland.
"...His Majesty the King's strategic intent is to divide our forces into two columns. Our Northland Four Family Alliance will form one column, striking out from Magik Province to attack Andwolfe Province and Portoorge Province. The
The Second Prince will be responsible for clearing the northwestern region, destroying the Zitulam Duchy, then launching a three-pronged assault on Campona Province. Finally, he will advance to Malibia Province and Armenia Province of the former Rulm Duchy, using the might of a million-strong army to force the Commercial Alliance and us into negotiations to return those two provinces, achieving the strategic goal of imperial unification."
Lorist tapped the large map hanging on the wall with a small wooden stick. "Our king has set the launch date for this surprise offensive in December, and that is precisely why he insists our
In this regard, His Majesty is quite self-aware. Whether his so-called Blizzard Surprise Corps, trained for three years, can actually clear and raid the northwestern region remains far from certain. So we must be prepared. Perhaps after we complete the task of seizing Andwolfe Province and Portoorge Province, we'll need to continue attacking Campona Province on our own, then head to the northwest to assist His Majesty in destroying the Zitulam Duchy."
Fatty Shi wasn't wrong. The Norton family's military was responsible for capturing two provinces—especially Portoorge Province, the territory of the Vicia Trading Company, one of the seven giants of the Commercial Alliance. The Vicia Trading Company had always been the largest weapons manufacturer within the Commercial Alliance. During the war between the Commercial Alliance and the Central-South Kingdom's allied forces, the Vicia Trading Company legion hadn't marched to the Chickede Trading Company's territory. Instead, after defeating the Central-South Kingdom's allied forces at the Commercial Alliance border, it had returned to the company's own territory. Even if the Norton family forces launched a surprise attack借助 the winter's freezing climate, the elite Vicia Trading Company legion would still be a tough nut to crack.
The Norton family elders present began murmuring among themselves, voicing their dissatisfaction with the task the Second Prince had assigned.
Lorist rapped the table with his wooden stick, cutting off the idle grumbling—if he let them keep going, they'd be raising banners of rebellion next. After all, none of these fellows had any fondness for the Second Prince...
"Enough, stop complaining. The fact that we've secured jurisdiction over Muyeyuan Province from His Majesty is already an excellent outcome. We owe that to Grand Duke Fisablen's strong cooperation, which managed to fool His Majesty. Now, let me outline the task assignments for this campaign and our family's development goals for the coming years. I expect everyone to give their all and contribute to our family's rise to glory."
Lorist looked over his subordinates and began calling names. "For this campaign, I plan to deploy both the Stone Legion and the Flying Tiger Legion. First, the Flying Tiger Legion will advance to seize Andwolfe Province, eliminating all hostile forces and resistance throughout the province. Then Andwolfe Province will be handed over to the Fisablen family to manage, and the Flying Tiger Legion will proceed to Portoorge Province to provide support.
The Stone Legion, meanwhile, will strike directly at Portoorge Province. Speed is the essence of war—they will seize Fedeliga Royal City first, which is the Vicia Trading Company's headquarters. Once we hold Fedeliga Royal City, we'll be in an invincible position, and the surrounding strongholds and Vicia Trading Company forces can be cleaned up at our leisure. Once the Flying Tiger Legion arrives, we can clear the entire province and push south into Campona Province..."
Jost stood up. "Your Highness, I protest! Why is it that every time the family's forces go on campaign, the Hunter Rider Legion is left out?"
Lorist laughed. "Now that Muyeyuan Province falls under our family's jurisdiction, your Hunter Rider Legion's task is to go and take possession of it, sweeping away all the barbarian tribes on the surrounding steppes that refuse to submit to our family's rule. But this time there's no need to slaughter them all—Muyeyuan Province needs people. Our family hopes to change these nomadic tribes' ways, teaching them to practice settled herding, build towns and marketplaces, and transform these barbarians into our family's subjects.
Jost looked somewhat deflated. "Your Highness, competing with those barbarian tribes is really no fun. I truly want to join this surprise offensive—that's where the real action is."
Think of it as hard work, but having him around as a bodyguard wouldn't be bad.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Jost's face lit up with joy. He grabbed Al beside him. "Come on, Al, let's go complete the mission Our Highness assigned to our legion first."
"Sit down—no matter how urgent it is, it can't be this urgent. You can leave after the meeting." Fatty Shi was annoyed and scolded Jost, who sat back down reluctantly. Fatty Shi then asked, "Your Highness, how many forces is the Fisablen family planning to commit this time?"
Lorist thought for a moment. "The Fisablen family's deployment this time is the same as last—a Border Patrol Rider Legion and a reserve legion composed of barbarian cavalry. They're only keeping two Garrison Legions and one Border Patrol Rider Legion in their own territory. However, Grand Duke Fisablen let slip that he intends to draw troops from the remaining Border Patrol Rider Legion and the two Garrison Legions to form a new Garrison Legion of over thirty thousand men, which will serve as the garrison force for the new Fisablen family territory in Andwolfe Province once we've captured it."
"Your Highness, could the Fisablen family's deployment of this new Garrison Legion to Andwolfe Province adversely affect our supply lines?" Fatty Shi immediately seized on the critical issue.
Lorist shook his head. "No. In the private agreement I reached with Grand Duke Fisablen, this Garrison Legion won't set out from the Eastern Wastes Province until after the rainy season, and won't arrive in Andwolfe Province until around June or July next year. The reason for such a slow journey is that they need to escort the Fisablen family's relatives and clansmen to their respective assigned territories to assume their posts.
This time, Grand Duke Fisablen plans to appoint one Marquis, three Counts, seven Viscounts, and over forty Barons in Andwolfe Province. Once this newly formed Garrison Legion arrives, it will be disbanded and distributed to those lords as garrison forces. Therefore, it poses no threat to our family's military. This is also the main reason Grand Duke Fisablen has asked us to clear out all resistance forces and local noble powers throughout Andwolfe Province on their behalf."
"I see." Fatty Shi nodded. "It seems Grand Duke Fisablen genuinely wants to maintain a good relationship with our family. In that case, the Fisablen family shouldn't pose a threat to our campaign or our newly acquired Muyeyuan Province. But Your Highness, are we really going to help Grand Duke Fisablen for nothing in return?"
"Heh heh..." Lorist replied with a smile. "Of course not. Andwolfe Province has a total population of nearly five to six hundred thousand. I promised Grand Duke Fisablen that we wouldn't cause excessive destruction there. After seizing Andwolfe Province, the spoils from purging the nobles and local powers will belong to our family. Additionally, we'll receive one hundred thousand settlers—that was a condition we agreed upon in advance."
"But Your Highness, didn't you say our Northland Four Family Alliance would be one column? What do the other three families get out of this?" Fatty Shi still had a frown on his face.
"They get nothing." Lorist replied. "Although our Northland Four Family Alliance forms one column, only we alone will carry out the winter offensive to seize the two provinces. The other three families won't set out until after the rainy season to link up with us. Their role is to concentrate forces and pressure the Commercial Alliance, and to join the fighting if negotiations between the Commercial Alliance and His Majesty break down—just like Grand Duke Fisablen and the allied noble armies."
"I still think our family is getting the short end of the stick," Fatty Shi complained. "No wonder His Majesty has been pestering Your Highness, insisting our family's forces must join the campaign. By doing this, he's placing the entire burden of this surprise offensive on our Norton family's forces, while all the other nobles stand by and watch, contributing nothing. And if this offensive fails, I suspect His Majesty will pin all the blame on our family."
Lorist waved his hand dismissively. "There's no need to haggle with him over this. I trust in the combat prowess of our Norton family's forces—unstoppable, with no enemy capable of blocking our advance. In fact, our real payoff lies here."
Lorist tapped the map with his wooden stick at the location of Portoorge Province. "Fedeliga Royal City is the heart of the Vicia Trading Company's territory. As long as we can capture it, then all the accumulation of the Vicia Trading Company over so many years will become our spoils. I'm not just talking about wealth—I believe we'll also reap a great harvest of talent.
Since Portoorge Province became the Vicia Trading Company's territory, through the company's meticulous management, the population has grown to approximately eight hundred thousand. The Vicia Trading Company also relocated tens of thousands of professional miners, forging craftsmen, and refiners—various technical specialists—to Fedeliga Royal City, essentially moving the entire company's assets here.
Everyone probably remembers that seven or eight years ago, our family tried to open a military equipment trade route to the Commercial Alliance using standardized weapons and armor. Unfortunately, our efforts were crushed by the Vicia Trading Company. As the Commercial Alliance's largest military equipment manufacturer, the Vicia Trading Company would never allow our family to enter the arms market they monopolized. So whether publicly or privately, the Vicia Trading Company is our Norton family's enemy.
Since they've become our family's enemy, their only fate is destruction. In fact, regardless of whether His Majesty grants our family jurisdiction over Muyeyuan Province, the Vicia Trading Company alone is worth our family's military intervention. That is precisely why I plan to deploy both the Stone Legion and the Flying Tiger Legion. Strike the snake at its vital point—as long as we capture Fedeliga Royal City in one stroke, we'll have uprooted the Vicia Trading Company entirely. They'll never regain their strength, and the Commercial Alliance will lose one of its giants..."
"Are there any restrictions or requirements from His Majesty regarding Portoorge Province and the Vicia Trading Company?"
Lorist burst into laughter. "His Majesty was so addled from the arguing between me and Grand Duke Fisablen over Muyeyuan Province that he forgot about this. But I imagine he thinks it's impossible for us to capture Fedeliga Royal City in one strike—after all, the Vicia Trading Company legion's elite forty-eight thousand soldiers are stationed in the city. It's not like when he raided the royal city and there were only the First Prince's three thousand defenders. He probably thinks our family's forces will hit a solid wall...
Second, His Majesty has already promised Portoorge Province to Grand Duke Sabaji as family territory, so whatever we do with it is none of his concern. He doesn't care. There's also the possibility that he thinks our Norton family wouldn't dare easily offend the Vicia Trading Company, one of the Commercial Alliance's seven giants—even if we capture Fedeliga Royal City, we'd treat their people with courtesy and host them as honored guests. Heh, he doesn't know about the grudge between us and the Vicia Trading Company..."
After a few laughs, Lorist spoke seriously. "Therefore, after we capture Fedeliga Royal City and clear Portoorge Province, the Stone Legion will remain behind and be responsible for relocating all the technical personnel. Portoorge Province has a population of over eight hundred thousand, and I intend to relocate five hundred thousand of them to Northland. This is the finest opportunity to strengthen our family. Baron Bodfeng, Baron Malek—the two of you will be in charge of this. Understood?"
The Stone Legion's two commanders, the legion chief and deputy, stood up. "Yes, Your Highness."
Lorist gestured for them to sit, then turned and tapped the map on the wall with his stick. "Today is September fifteenth. There are three months until the great winter snows arrive in December, but from Northland to Magik Province, the route passes through nine provinces—Winston Province, Southern Province, Limad Province, Meishan Province, Chickeses Province, Folivord Province, Perolina Province, Westwood Province, and Dramak Province. Adding Magik Province makes ten. If not for our Norton family's expertise in winter surprise attacks, and the assistance of sled vehicles and skis, merely reaching the front lines would count as an exhausting expedition.
Baron Kamora, with you in command and
Baron Faleya, I'm drawing two regiments from the Third Imperial Guard Corps in Dremek Province and two regiments from the Fourth Imperial Guard Corps in Winston Province to temporarily form the Fifth Imperial Guard Corps. They will guard these ten supply camp points—one Imperial Guard battalion stationed at each camp, with the rest responsible for escorting supplies and patrolling the route, maintaining order and safety during the resettlement process.
Additionally, the Second Imperial Guard Corps stationed in southern Northland will also provide two regiments. After the Flying Tiger Legion departs the Podorichi Mountain region in Southern Province, one Imperial Guard regiment will take over the position, while the other will be stationed in Magik Province to garrison it after the Flying Tiger Legion captures Andwolfe Province—until the Fisablen family's Garrison Legion arrives to take over.
Furthermore, the Angry Bear Knights led by Baron
All the family elders stood and answered in unison, "Understood, Your Highness! We are willing to serve the family!"