Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 154 Mobilization
Without the jingling of gold and silver, war cannot break out.

The old Duke of Lothair once bluntly told his son-in-law, Holy Emperor Richard IV, "There are three things needed to wage war: money! money! And the third is still money!"

With periodic financial bankruptcies, Richard IV lost his best generals and all his territories south of the Shade Mountains.

But in essence, money cannot be directly used for war.

Gold cannot be used as gunpowder, and casting silver into weapons and armor is not worthwhile. War requires money because money can purchase war resources.

Brother Rhett once told Winters, "The weapon that kills the most people in the world is not the sword, but mobilization."

At that time, Winters didn't understand; he just thought the old charlatan was making a fuss.

However, after seeing the ordinary people in Matou Town waving war bonds and listening to the old mendicant monk explain how the Republic of Platu raised one war fund after another.

Although Lieutenant Winters Montagne still didn't quite understand the word "mobilization," he felt a deep sense of dread.

The military history course at the Army Academy reveals the truth that war is a game for the few, at least before the cake is divided.

Wars between kingdoms are, in reality, wars between kings.

Ordinary people had to pay taxes and serve in the king's wars, but they were forced to do so.

No one wants to participate in war without pay. Some people didn't believe it, so they didn't pay their soldiers, and they all ended up in dire straits.

Taxes, military service, and feudal obligations can still be considered a form of property for the monarch. In essence, the monarch is still using his private property and his treasury to support his wars.

Therefore, excessive taxation, heavy corvée labor, and excessive exploitation of vassals leading to overthrow is tantamount to bankruptcy.

Therefore, there are countless dynasties and empires that, despite having superior population, wealth, and culture, were destroyed by barbarian tribes that rose up in remote areas.

It is not uncommon to find wealthy countries with bankrupt royal families;

In terms of population, land, and wealth, the Duchy of Fersland was insignificant compared to the Holy Empire, but in the end, it was the "peddlers and rabble" that the emperor spoke of who had the last laugh.

Ultimately, war is not about how much gold, silver, or people you control, but about how much gold, silver, and people you can mobilize for the war.

Of the republics, Palatine has the second smallest population and is far less wealthy than Venetta, the United Provinces, and Van.

If she were still the Duchy of Palatour, the constant warfare would have already cost the Grand Duke his head—either the Hed or the Palatours would have done it.

But her territory is the largest, and it keeps growing.

Where does the Republic of Palatine get the money to fight?

Answer: Borrowed.

It was common for monarchs to borrow money for war, but it was essentially a private loan. The borrowers were limited to wealthy merchants, the church, knightly orders, and bankers.

Most of the time, he borrows and repays, but occasionally he defaults.

Thirty years ago, Palatine was beset by internal rebellions by royalists and external invasions by Hart's cavalry. The republicans, trapped in the castles of princes, were busy holding public trials and sending people to the guillotine.

Faced with a mess of manpower shortages, food shortages, and most importantly, a lack of money, General Ned pioneered another method of raising military funds: special war bonds.

[Note: Ned Smith was a general at that time.]
These bonds have small face values ​​and are open to purchase by everyone.

There is no collateral; repayment is expected to be made from all proceeds of the war, including unconfiscated noble property, spoils from future battles against the Hards, and so on.

It sounds like getting something for nothing, but perhaps that's why the bonds are sold so cheaply.

Bonds with a face value of four silver shields were sold for only one silver shield—and even then, there were very few buyers.

Then Ned Smith won a minor victory and raided the home of a knight.

Valuables, land, houses... all spoils of war are listed for sale at low prices, but can only be purchased with bonds.

Because they could be exchanged for physical goods, people gradually began to buy the bonds, but the price of the bonds with a face value of four silver shields rose to two silver shields.

Then Ned Smith won another minor victory, confiscating the property of an earl.

The spoils were handled as before, and the price of bonds with a face value of four silver shields had risen to three silver shields.

Ned Smith's soldiers gradually began to agree to be paid in the form of bonds—at market prices, of course.

Bond buyers became shareholders, and the military became employees.

War has become a business, or rather, a gamble.

Every Paratite who bought the bonds prayed that Ned Smith would win more victories and plunder more spoils.

After winning his eighth battle, General Ned announced that all bonds would be repaid in a unified manner after the war ended.

There are two reasons: First, during wartime, the largest category of spoils, immovable property, cannot be sold at a good price; second, he wants to continue to invest the movable property in the war, which is equivalent to using the profits to expand his business.

This decision is a major blow to confidence in bonds, but Ned Smith still has a backup plan.

"Open bonds can be freely traded."

General Ned also announced the establishment of the Kingsburg Bond Exchange in order to enable bond buyers to recoup their investments.

If you don't want your bonds anymore, you can sell them at the trading floor. You might lose money or make a profit; it all depends on your skill.

The world's first bond exchange was thus established three months after the birth of war bonds.

Through this financing method, Ned Smith mobilized money from ordinary people such as artisans, merchants, and maids, turning it into war funds.

Through this financing method, Ned Smith transformed the infighting between one small group and another into a war between the Republic of Palatine and yet another small group.

No one is willing to serve for free, but everyone who buys war bonds is voluntarily contributing to this war.

……

"Wait, what if we lose the war? Then we'll lose all the bonds?" Winters asked the old charlatan, frowning.

“It’s simple, just don’t lose.” Brother Reed sneered, “Don’t forget, that’s Ned Smith! The invincible iron man!”

……

After the One Year War ended, the royalists were purged, and the Heds fled in disarray. The Republic of Palatine was formally established and became the third member state of the Cenas Union.

All bonds issued during the war were repaid at face value, and Ned Smith removed the sign for the "Special War Bond Exchange" and returned to the United Provinces.

He received news that Richard IV was about to lead a military campaign in person.

This time, the emperor was determined to crush the rebels completely.

……

"This is mobilization, a nation's ability to invest resources in war," the old monk said slowly. "War between nations is like two clumsy drunkards wrestling. Even the strongest man, if he can only exert one-tenth of his strength, will be overwhelmed by a weak man who can exert half his strength."

Winters listened intently.

"The crudest form of mobilization is conscription of manpower, such as military service, corvée labor, and your militia; a more sophisticated form of mobilization is the allocation of money, where money brings manpower, as Ned Smith did, as did taxation; and beyond that? I don't know. Perhaps it is to pour everything into the war, to turn the entire nation into a weapon."

How is it cast?

"If you want to forge an entire nation into a single weapon, then everyone must be of one mind. Hmph, the human heart?" The old cultivator chuckled coldly. "The human heart is the most unpredictable thing in the world. I really can't think of any way to manipulate it."

Upon hearing this, Winters couldn't help but sarcastically remark, "The people in the caravan practically worship you like a saint, and you still don't know how to manipulate people's hearts?"

"You can't learn the things about life and death even if I teach you." The old monk gave Winters a hard knock on the head. "If you had Ned Smith's skills, you would be invincible."

……

Once you cross the turbulent boundary river via the pontoon bridge, there is no road under your feet.

The world was a vast expanse of white, with only faint tire tracks pointing the way across the expansive plains.

The horse was foaming at the mouth and struggling to move forward, while militiamen carrying muskets and spears walked beside it, helping to lift the wheels out of the mud from time to time.

More than two hundred trucks wound their way through the wilderness, eventually forming a long queue of over two kilometers. The ones in front would often disappear from the sight of those behind after simply going over a slope or around a mound.

Winters patrolled back and forth to ensure the order of the march. Any wagon that broke down was quickly pulled out of the column and awaited rescue by Lieutenant Bud, who was in charge of cleaning up the rear.

Crossing the border river meant legally leaving the Republic of Palatine, and everyone was somewhat nervous.

Fortunately, the journey was uneventful, except for one carriage whose rear wheel fell off.

The tension quickly subsided, and fatigue washed over me.

Marching is an extremely tedious task; it's basically just walking non-stop. Furthermore, the lieutenant colonel strictly forbids his men from loading weapons or miscellaneous items onto the carts.

The militiamen carried 30 to 40 kilograms on their backs, trudging through the wilderness, their only thought being to rest.

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica strictly controlled the marching pace, and the troops could only take a short break after the hourglass turned twice—about an hour later.

It wasn't until noon that the lieutenant colonel ordered the bugle to sound for a long rest.

……

The "buffer zone" between the Hed tribes and Plato has existed since ancient times.

For hundreds of years, the two sides have been at war and at peace. Whenever disaster strikes, the Hed people go to Palat to hunt for grain. When Palat is powerful, it will also send troops to conquer the Hed tribes and plunder livestock and slaves.

Historian Bonnie Seifer described them thus: "The Paratut were essentially agricultural, Catholic Hed people. Even to the uneducated Monta people, the Paratut were far too barbaric."

The Hede tribes were unwilling to graze on the grasslands near Palat, and the Palat people dared not settle near the Hede tribes, eventually forming a no-man's-land.

Thirty years ago, when Field Marshal Ned signed a peace treaty with Hart's three ministries.

Furthermore, it was stipulated in writing that "within two hundred li of this area, the Palat people shall not cultivate the land, and the Hede people shall not graze livestock," thus providing a formal legal basis for the buffer zone.

According to Ned Smith, maintaining distance might be the best way to avoid military conflict.

But the reality was exactly the opposite of what he thought.

[Note: In Imperial Year 526, the Butcher Arlian was defeated and killed. The following year, internal strife broke out in the Duchy of Palatour, with royalists and republicans fighting each other. Taking advantage of this, Khad Khan "Shiban Jueye" launched an eastward invasion. Ned Smith led the allied forces to a great victory, killing Jueye Khan in battle. Khad's tribes never recovered from this defeat.]
……

"No wonder they chose to send troops out in winter!" A voice came from afar: "This rotten land is only a little easier to travel in winter. In spring and summer, when it rains, the land will definitely be full of mud, and large carts will not be able to move at all."

Before you see him, you hear his voice; it's clearly Lieutenant Andrea Cellini. Lieutenant Cellini is currently recognized as the loudest voice in the JASKS Brigade.

However, there are also rumors circulating that although it is not obvious on the surface, Lieutenant Montagne's voice can be terrifyingly loud when he gets angry.

Tracing its origins, it was probably when a militiaman from Wolf Town, in a drunken frenzy, vividly recounted a story of a lieutenant who "scared the notorious bandit Ivan the horse handler to death with a single roar."

Andrei strode towards Bader and the others, rubbing his hands together and laughing as he asked, "Belion, what are we having for lunch today?"

Bard, Father Kaman, and Brother Reid sat on the ground beneath a large canvas.

Everyone was waiting for the food to be served, but Bud made a special trip from the back of the convoy to come over.

Since Berleon was transferred to the position of orderly, more and more people have been having lunch and dinner with Winters.

"The main course is slow-cooked pork knuckle, sir," the chef replied, carrying a wok. "And cream of mixed vegetables soup, though the bread is from yesterday."

Berrian lifted the lid of the pot, revealing a pork knuckle simmering slowly with sugar and sauce, steaming hot. The meat, tender and juicy from the stewing process, easily came off the bone with a gentle pull.

"You've been to the camp ahead?" Winters jumped off the carriage carrying a basket of bread. "You're back early enough, aren't you?"

Andrei stared at the pot and casually replied, "How long would it take to go 20 kilometers round trip?"

As they talked, the group gathered around the iron pot began to divide the meat, and Berian returned to the carriage and brought out a pot of mixed vegetable soup.

Brother Reid took a small sip and exclaimed in admiration, "Mr. Berion, with your skills, I think you'd be more than qualified to be the emperor's chef."

The blacksmith smiled but didn't say anything.

"Which emperor's court have you been to? Richard the Madman's? The Oathbreaker's?" Winters couldn't help but retort.

As a true-blue soldier of the Republic, Mr. Montagne was most disgusted by descriptions such as "royal".

"I've never been there, but that doesn't affect my evaluation criteria." The old monk remained calm and unmoved.

……

The supply convoy leader's rest time was also lunchtime. Most people in the convoy ate dry rations, or at best, some pickled vegetables.

The most important meal during the march was dinner, because there was only time to start a fire at night; the other two meals were just something to eat.

Before Berlione was transferred to the position of clerk, Winters usually ate cold bread for breakfast and lunch.

But since Berlean took over the catering, Winterston has been able to get hot meals.

The blacksmith forged a special iron furnace. The furnace was about half a person's height, made of pure iron, and consisted of three layers: upper, middle, and lower.

The middle layer is the combustion chamber, where firewood and coal can be burned;

The remaining ash falls to the bottom layer, where there is a small sliding door that can be used to remove ash and adjust ventilation to control the fire.
The top floor was used to hold the pot, and a chimney was installed behind the stove.

The most ingenious thing about this iron stove is that it doesn't let in any open flame. Using a stone slab as a base will prevent the wood from catching fire, and it also allows you to control the burning speed.

Berrian placed an iron stove on the carriage and started cooking something on a low flame before setting off in the morning. Winters would then have a hot meal during the midday break.

Moreover, according to Winters' observation, this iron stove is far more fuel-efficient than a campfire.

……

There was no dining table in the wild, so Winters and his friends spread out a cloth and sat on the ground, which was somewhat like a picnic.

“When we were besieging Gusa, I dreamed of having a bowl of hot soup,” Bad said with emotion. “If we had had an iron furnace like that back then, we wouldn’t have had to suffer so much.”

“Berion,” Winters chimed in, “If you take one of these iron furnaces to Oceania to sell, you’ll make a killing.”

Andrei disagreed: "It's good, but look at how much iron the furnace used! It's enough to make ten breastplates, right? How many people can afford that?"

Winters immediately retorted, "Are cast iron and steel the same thing? There's also a cost for the breastplate's workmanship. The more iron used, the better the materials. This furnace can last for decades without any problem. Some people are willing to pay a one-time fee for something that can last a lifetime! When I get home, I'll install one in my study."

The two Venetians argued back and forth, while Berrian just kept eating in silence.

He also sat among this small circle of people, dining with the centurions and priests—this was at Lieutenant Montagne's special request.

The blacksmith refused no matter what, but the lieutenant insisted, "It's just eating, there aren't that many rules about hierarchy."

Winters didn't have many thoughts, except that he was very uncomfortable when Berion was initially assigned to be a clerk and was prepared to serve him meals like a servant.

A short while later, Winters' military police officers Heinrich and Charles arrived. The two saluted and then sat down to eat.

The soldiers in the ten-man squad would take turns preparing food, but the military police were directly under the centurion and not under any ten-man squad.

Winters then had Charles and Heinrich join him in cooking.

Other officers might not have accepted it, but Bard, Andrei, Father Kaman, and Brother Reid were not people who cared much about hierarchical concepts.

Everyone sat together eating and chatting, and the atmosphere was quite relaxed.

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica, however, came to the scene during his inspection, and without saying a word, turned his horse and left.

The supply train arrived safely at the camp. Winters and the others had their usual meal together, which was once again seen by Lieutenant Colonel Jessica, who still didn't say anything.

The following evening, the lieutenant colonel stopped the three second lieutenants and said, "From today onwards, the three of you will be eating with me."

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(End of this chapter)