N-M #283 - It's entirely possible!
#283 - It's entirely possible!
In this small room, the clinking of silver coins rang out continuously, accompanied by the rustling sound of ledger pages turning.
The entire financial activity of Rapid Falls City was concentrated in this small area.
Since mid-February, the Megdi Merchant Guild had essentially taken over all activities of the Rapid Falls City Council, especially finance.
It had almost entirely moved into the Megdi Merchant Guild headquarters, stepping into the red turret.
After all, the current mistress of the Megdi Merchant Guild, Catherine, was the temporary governor of Rapid Falls City and the commander of the Rapid Falls Army.
In Rapid Falls City's current wartime cabinet, four out of six people were Catherine's men.
During this time, citizens and artisans had been actively raising funds, contributing manpower and resources to continuously expand the army, purchase weapons and equipment, and repair the city walls.
The first batch of 1200 Franconian mercenaries had already arrived in Rapid Falls City via Kashia County.
Currently, Rapid Falls City had a city guard of 2000 men, 1200 Franconian mercenaries, 1400 Hillfolk mercenaries, and Catherine's own 900-man direct guard.
She had initially relied on her direct guard's cavalry to seize the city gates of Rapid Falls City, drowning the original church-appointed mayor in a water tank.
Afterward, Catherine quickly hired a 1400-man Hillfolk mercenary force, and with the help of the Black Knights bought from Darnell, she launched a surprise attack and defeated the temple knights stationed nearby, thus securing her position.
These days, Carter and Mitney ran around, using both soft and hard tactics, coupled with the Elven's funding, successfully gaining the allegiance of nearly half of Lower Reaver County.
Currently, the southwestern region of Rapid Falls City bordering Kashia County was basically under Catherine's rule.
Rather than rule, this relationship was more like a vassalage and dependency.
However, this was only temporary. The church was caught off guard by a series of uprisings. The next six months would be the decisive period.
As the logistics director of the Rapid Falls Army, Pettier had heard Lady Catherine's analysis of the situation in the previous meeting and naturally did not dare to slack off.
Holding a slide rule, aligning the multipliers, Pettier mentally calculated while organizing the accounts neatly and systematically.
"Come quickly, come quickly, I have something good to see..."
"What is this? Is it the new 'Nun in Distress'?"
"More exciting than 'Nun in Distress,' it's the Jeanne d'Arc Fort battle report!"
Putting down the slide rule, Pettier rubbed his eyes and walked around the solid wood table to the clerk responsible for receiving and sending letters near the door.
"What's wrong?"
"It's the battle report from the Jeanne d'Arc Fort Salvation Army."
Jeanne d'Arc Fort, Salvation Army?
Pettier had heard this name. He often heard it from friends during the months he was sick in bed.
It was said to be a group of peasant rebels who had fled from the Black Bone Swamp.
A decree company was stationed at Jeanne d'Arc Fort to capture this group of peasant rebels.
Since it was a battle report, were they wiped out?
Jeanne d'Arc Fort was located behind Rapid Falls City. If the Salvation Army, which was holding up the decree company, was destroyed, then they would be next.
"Let me see!"
Snatching the battle report from his subordinate, Pettier reached out and grabbed the battle report, reading it quickly.
But after only a few glances, he suddenly leaned his head towards the paper, his eyes almost touching the paper.
"Mr. Pettier, is there a word you don't recognize?"
Amused laughter immediately sounded next to him. Pettier was easygoing and had a good relationship with these subordinates.
But today, he didn't laugh along. Instead, he pointed to a name as if in a dream and asked, "Horn Gallard, is this the Pope's real name?"
"Yes, didn't you know?"
"I was sick from July last year and had been recuperating. I only recovered in February and joined the Rapid Falls City Citizen Guard... So the leader of that Salvation Army is Horn Gallard, not Hoss Gallard?"
"No, that's his uncle."
"His uncle is called Segall, how did he become Hoss?"
Several subordinates looked at each other, one of them tentatively asked, "Do you know him?"
"More than just know him, he and I were both accounting apprentices at the general store guild. We rented an attic and slept together for more than a year!"
While responding, Pettier continued to read the battle report. He read the battle report several times before falling back into his chair in disbelief.
"This, how could he, he is the Holy Grandson, he..."
This kind of shock was like finding out that your roommate in college, who always picked his feet and then played the flute, had become a major warlord in Southeast Asia half a year after graduation.
Who could recover from that?
Before Pettier could recover, Karl, holding the fresh battle report, pushed the door open and entered.
"Impossible, this is impossible!"
Behind him followed a smug Cici, wearing a neat and fitted hunting outfit. Even though it was a man wearing men's clothing, it looked like a woman dressed as a man.
"It's entirely possible." Cici greeted the distraught Pettier and followed Carter upstairs. "If you ask Lady Catherine, you'll get the same result."
Ignoring Cici, Karl stubbornly stomped upstairs and arrived at Catherine's office.
Catherine wasn't sitting in the office, but rather in the tea room outside the office, discussing a booklet with Martin, a monk from the Brago Monastery.
Seeing Karl rushing over in a hurry, Catherine knew what was going on at a glance. Before Karl could speak, she said directly:
"They're not playing you, I've confirmed it, it's true." Catherine pointed to the office. "The heads of three decree knights are inside, hopefully, it can break your prejudice."
Karl was struck dumb by Catherine's words. He muttered twice and quickly walked to the door of the room. After hesitating for half a second, he pushed the door open and entered.
"How does your Brago Monastery view this Holy Grandson? His identity as Pope..." Catherine asked as if casually.
"Dean Juanano once said a word, if it's good for Thousand River Valley, then we'll believe it." Picking up the 'Holy Way Salvation Training,' Martin casually flipped through it. "We may not be able to clearly state that he is the Pope, but we can deny that he is the devil."
"As long as he continues to win and deny that he's the devil, then he can only be the Holy Grandson and the Pope." Picking up the whirlpool-patterned porcelain teacup, Catherine took a sip of the steaming black tea and stuffed a biscuit into her mouth.
Holding the statue of the saint, Martin smiled without saying a word.
The previously closed mahogany door opened again, and Karl walked out as if sleepwalking, followed by the smirking Cici:
"How is it? It's true, right."
"That's 100 decree knights, if I could see it with my own eyes..."
"That won't do." Elegantly putting down the teacup, Catherine stretched lazily. "I still need you to help me deal with those fickle knights and the allied forces of the northern temple knights."
Karl slumped into a chair: "I never thought that the biggest hidden danger behind us would be solved by this group of farmers... Salvation Army."
"Yes." Sweeping the biscuit crumbs off her lap onto the ground, a lot more smiles appeared on Catherine's face, which had been worried for several days. "This way, those trash knights can be more stable, and we can finally free up our hands."
Initially, Catherine's lowest expectation was that the Salvation Army would entangle the decree company, and the highest expectation was to defeat the decree company and drive them out.
But the Salvation Army gave everyone a big surprise.
Not only did they defeat the decree company, leaving only a few dozen squire knights to escape, but even King Hixon was driven away.
The difference between defeating and annihilating is too big!
Under the current situation, as long as Catherine successfully opens the road to the east.
Then Langsand County, Norse County, Southern Mound County, Lower Reaver County, and Kashia County can immediately be connected as one.
The fierce hill people of Norse and Southern Mound counties, the grain of Ibe Plain and Kashia County, and the secret party army of Black Serpent Bay in the south can continuously advance.
With the decree company of Jeanne d'Arc Fort eliminated, as long as the middle can be connected, the whole game will come alive.
Advancing can directly approach Flying Falls Fort, and retreating can go north to meet with Melia Te.
At that time, the battle force will reach 20,000. Prince Conde's current nine decree companies, oh no, eight decree companies, will have to think carefully about whether to take action.
The Kingdom of Leia is currently on the verge of civil war and cannot spare the resources to manage them.
The dream of Thousand River Valley's independence has never been so close!
It's a pity that teacher can't see it, Catherine's expression suddenly darkened, teacher can't see it.
"It's getting late, I should go." Martin stood up, drew a 屮-shaped cross, and bowed to Catherine.
Cici smiled and handed him the backpack: "Is Dean Ludwig so anxious? You just came and he's calling you back?"
"No, I'm not going back." Martin stuffed the booklet into the backpack. "I'm going to Jeanne d'Arc Fort to see with my own eyes how this Lord Horn plans to build a world in 'Holy Way Salvation Training'."
After saying goodbye to several people, Martin put on his hood and disappeared into the stairwell.
Looking at Martin's departing back, Catherine suddenly opened her mouth: "Cici, what are the usual hobbies of this Holy Grandson Horn? Does he have any living relatives and friends? Is he married?
Like this, you list these in detail, the more details the better, tomorrow, um, give it to Mitney before tonight.
Tomorrow, you prepare and go to Jeanne d'Arc Fort the day after tomorrow to discuss with the respected Lord Horn about jointly attacking the church forces in Dog Fox Township."
If this Salvation Army really has the strength to defeat the decree company, then as long as they are won over, wouldn't there be a force to balance the existence of Melia Te?
In this era, whoever controls violence has the most say.
"Ah?" Cici blinked her eyes. "I still have to go to the pier to clear customs this afternoon."
"A couple of days won't make it run away." Pinching Cici's shoulders, Catherine said earnestly, "You have to distinguish between primary and secondary tasks."