Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 336 Arrangement
Tiefeng County, Rewodan.

The battle fought by the Iron Peak County against the Teldun tribe in the winter of Imperial Year 559 has yet to be officially named.

However, in private, the people of Tiefeng County used the phrase "Battle of Blood and Mud" to refer to that final battle.

With repeated use, "Battle of Blood Mud" gradually came to be a general term for all battles fought on both sides of the Big Horn River.

No one knows exactly how the name came about. A more credible explanation is that the battlefield was so swamped with blood that the frozen farmland was turned into a muddy swamp, hence the name "Battle of Blood and Mud".

In any case, on the afternoon of the day Bard returned to Gévodan, Winters Montagne stepped into the Gévodan garrison for the first time since the end of the Battle of Bloodslid.

The guards on duty stared intently as the Blood Wolf walked up to them, even forgetting how to salute.

Similarly, the two-story building at the garrison also felt somewhat unfamiliar to Winters. Among the people coming and going were many unfamiliar faces, probably newly hired clerks.

Winters recognized the guard—a second-time enlistmentee from Little Rock. But for some reason, he couldn't recall the guard's name.

But it doesn't matter, because the guards recognize him.

“Who’s there?” Winters asked.

"Company Commander Bart Sharling," the guard replied, then added, "Reporting!"

Winters nodded. The guard raised his hand in return, and Winters returned the salute.

In the Iron Peak County Infantry Regiment, the companies that were still fully organized were sent to Manyun Valley, while the companies that were not fully organized remained in Saint Ke Town to rest and reorganize. Currently, only the Second Company is stationed in Revodan.

Upon learning of the centurion's appearance, Bart Sharing did not wait for the summons and rushed to the garrison immediately.

Today, the Revodan Garrison—this not-so-large two-story brick and stone building—is the true heart and brain of Tiefeng County, not the county seat, much less the city hall.

The power centralized in the new garrison is far greater than that of the old garrison during the "Ronald era." All military and political orders in Iron Peak County are now issued by the new garrison, and the original semi-autonomous system has been severely impacted.

Winters never worked at the garrison and therefore did not have a dedicated office.

Bart Sharing knew this, so he rushed up to the second floor, and with a little trepidation, pushed open the conference room door. As expected, he saw that familiar cane on the table.

"Your Excellency!" Bart Sharling immediately saluted, then turned his gaze slightly to another person: "Lord Bard!"

"You came quickly." Bard smiled and gestured for the second company commander to sit down.

“Where is the tribunal for the probate?” Winters asked.

"I just left the city at noon." Bart Sharling was still standing. "Should I go find Lord Mason and bring him back?"

“No need.” Winters was writing something: “You sit down too.”

Bart Sharling then sat down, but not too deeply, leaving at least a foot of space between his spine and the back of the chair.

Seeing the Second Company Commander's sitting posture, Bader shook his head slightly.

"Should I go and call two scribes?" Bart Sharling asked in a low voice.

Winters, without looking up, said, "Don't reveal the following information to anyone below the rank of company commander."

"Yes."

“I plan to send each company to various towns for the winter.” Winters glanced at the Second Company Commander: “Second Company, to Hammerburg.”

Bart Sharling knew all too well when to take which stance. He abandoned his cautious demeanor and asked seriously, "Will the supplies still be provided by Revodan?"

When giving orders to the second company commander, Winters never needed to explain much: "Recruit as many people as possible on your own, if conditions permit."

"Recruit locally?" Bart Sharing bluntly stated, "It might not turn out well."

“It’s not about forcibly seizing land.” Winters paused writing. “Each company will be allocated a small-denomination land certificate.”

"Is it the kind of 'small denomination' military merit certificate mentioned in the previous announcement?"

"Correct."

"Would an ordinary person...accept that?"

“They will certainly accept it, or at least not too reluctantly,” Winters said, emphasizing each word: “as long as the county government allows anyone to ‘clear the land first, then pay the voucher’.”

The meeting room fell silent. Bart Sharing stood up and asked, "You mean, next spring, farmers will be allowed to clear land and begin cultivation? As for the process of exchanging military merit certificates for land, that can be completed later?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I'm afraid..."

“There will be countless acts of encroachment, and the interests of the garrison will be harmed, right?”

Bart Sharling nodded.

"If all the farmers in Iron Peak County feel they've gotten a good deal, then this will be a success," Winters said in a light tone. "Taking a small loss is nothing; if you really want to calculate it, you'll probably still make a profit."

Bart Sharing pondered deeply without success: "Besides gathering supplies locally, are there any other orders? Your arrangements must have a deeper meaning, but I can't figure it out..."

“Yes, and many.” Winters never beat around the bush with his subordinates: “County government officials will be stationed in the towns with you. Their task is to count the population and survey the land. You must cooperate with, assist and protect them.”

"The county government? Where would the county government come from?" Bart Xia Ling asked, puzzled. It was common knowledge that the county government of Iron Peak County was just an empty shell.

Bud, who had been silent until now, replied, "It's tentatively planned that the accounting school will provide the personnel, and some people will also be transferred from the farm to help."

“Surveying land…can accounting school students handle it?” Bart Sharing remained skeptical: “There probably isn’t enough time.”

Wouldn't it be more convenient to directly assign a clerk to the garrison? Bart Sharling wanted to ask that, but he keenly sensed a deeper meaning and didn't point it out.

“It is precisely because time is tight that we need to get them familiar with and trained as quickly as possible.” Bud explained patiently, “There are exercises in the military, and this winter’s land inspection can also be regarded as an exercise.”

The tribunal's reasoning was sound, and Bart Sharing could find no grounds for rebuttal, so he could only nod in agreement.

Winters stroked a small knife: "Including Revodan, Iron Peak County has seventeen towns. You and the county government personnel will be given priority to be assigned to [the eight northern towns]. The current ambiguous state of Upper Iron Peak County needs to end. The eight northern towns must be formally incorporated into the county government's jurisdiction, and at least next year, they should be able to collect taxes."

“Yes!” Bart Sharling, who had just sat down, stood up abruptly: “It should have been done a long time ago!” But then he remembered something and asked with a hint of worry: “But… what about Shovel Harbor? I’m afraid Shovel Harbor will not easily accept our troops to set up here.”

"I will not be sending anyone to Shovel Harbor for the time being; I have other plans."

"Yes."

“Besides protecting and assisting the county government, I have other tasks for you.” Winters lowered his eyes and looked at the files in front of him. “I have seen your applications for reinforcements. I don’t plan to openly recruit in Gevordan; it’s too obvious—stationing troops in the towns is a good opportunity. As for the specific plans… Tribunal Mason will prepare them for you.”

"Yes."

“At the current level, a full-strength company has 120 men.” Winters’ fingertips lightly tapped the table. “By next year, it will become two companies with 240 men each.”

Bart Sharing was initially stunned, but then, after a sudden realization, he excitedly replied, "Yes!"

"And... many farmers couldn't survive, so they ran into the mountains and became robbers and bandits. I led you to clean up the [Southern Eight Towns]. As for the [Northern Eight Towns], we were too far away to reach them back then. But it's different now. Since we're going to collect taxes from the Northern Eight Towns, we also have to fulfill our responsibilities to them. Do you understand what I mean?"

Bart Sharling understood immediately. He grinned and said, "To be honest, I'm more worried that there aren't enough bandits to kill."

Bard coughed lightly: "Kill as few people as possible."

"Yes!"

“The most troublesome thing about bandits isn’t their fighting strength, but that they have two legs—they can run away. Farmers who turn to banditry for food and drink aren’t hard to deal with, but those habitual criminals and bandits are the hard ones to deal with.” Winters looked at the map hanging on the wall: “I’ve prepared a place for them to go.”

Bart Sharling followed the centurion's gaze and looked down at a town in the northeast of Iron Peak County—Shovel Harbor.

"You mean...?" Bart Sharling bit his lip and asked tentatively, "A hunt?"

“The place most prone to banditry is the border between two administrative districts. If the bandits and robbers of Iron Peak County escape into Warner County or White Mountain County, then there is no way to eradicate them.” Winters’ brow furrowed unintentionally. “Therefore, we must be strict on the outside but lenient on the inside. Do not let any bandits escape from Iron Peak County. Drive them all to Shovel Harbor.”

"But……"

"I know what you're worried about, but I've already made up my mind."

"Yes."

"Do you know why only you come to the meeting?"

"...Your subordinate is dull-witted."

“Of the twelve company commanders, you are the smartest and the most capable.” Winters placed the draft memo in front of the second company commander: “What I’m telling you won’t be included in the announcement, so I need you to go to Saint-King Town and Manyun Valley in person to convey the orders to the other company commanders.”

Bart Sharling jumped to his feet: "Yes!"

Winters felt an urgent need to "get this done as soon as possible," a urgency that unconsciously made him stern. He realized this as he looked at the platoon leader's sunken cheeks and wrists.

“In terms of seniority, you were second only to Tamas among the first twelve company commanders. In terms of merit, Tamas was even less accomplished than you. Since Tamas became the first acting battalion commander, the second acting battalion commander should have been you no matter what. But you're still the second company commander. It's understandable that you feel wronged or resentful towards me.” Winters said guiltily to his most trusted subordinate.

“Because I want you to be promoted through the proper channels, instead of being directly appointed like Tamas did. I set a very bad precedent with Tamas, so I want to correct it with you. But ultimately, it's not your fault, so I'm sorry.”

Bart Sharling's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, no words came out. He raised his hand and saluted.

Winters returned the greeting: "Let's go, get to Saint K Town and Manyun Valley as soon as possible. I've written down the specific plans in my memo, and the official announcement will be sent out no later than the day after tomorrow."

Bart Sharling nodded and turned to walk towards the door. He had just touched the doorknob when he was called back.

"There's one more thing." With too many issues to deal with, Winters' thoughts were a bit chaotic. He smiled and told the Second Company Commander, "Select ten men from your men. Ideally, they should be literate, good at arithmetic, young, quick-witted, or have made meritorious contributions and be of good character."

Bart Sharing was stunned. He replied with a bitter face, "Where am I supposed to find you ten young soldiers who are literate, good at arithmetic, quick-witted, and... have meritorious service records and good character?"

Winters also realized that he might be asking for too much: "Just meet the requirements as much as possible, or you can pick out ten of the best warriors you think are the best."

Bart Sharling's Second Company now has only seven deputies left. Taking away ten of the best soldiers is tantamount to removing half of the company's backbone.

"Are you planning to form a guard?" Bart Sharing gritted his teeth: "If so, I'll find you ten no matter what."

“No, that’s not it.” Winters’ eyes flashed with fire. “I’m setting up a special military school… so that other company commanders can also select ten men according to this standard.”

Bart Sharing's emotions were somewhat complicated.

Although his militia career was short, Bart Sharing learned many officer nicknames from veterans of the regular army, such as: Boots, Big White Goose, Officer...

These nicknames were, on the one hand, a satire of the officers' arrogant behavior, and on the other hand, an implication of admiration and envy.

Bart Xia Ling can now be considered an "official" in a nutshell, but he knows in his heart that there are only four real military officers in Iron Peak County, and there is no need to list them all.

“Military…military school?” Bart Sharing asked awkwardly, “What…when does it start…start…”

Winters sighed. "It will be at least two months from now. As for the graduates, we'll tentatively have them serve as your assistants. Given the current situation, it's impossible to appoint them directly."

Two months later, Bart Sharing astutely picked up on the key words. Considering the centurion's unusual behavior today, Bart Sharing couldn't help but become suspicious.

He asked tentatively, "You haven't shown up before, but today you've suddenly assigned so many tasks..."

“My old injury has flared up again, and I need to go back to Wolf Town to recuperate.” Winters said expressionlessly, “After today, I won’t be able to appear in public for at least two months.”

Bart Sharing was gripped by panic. He rushed to the centurion's side, stammering anxiously, "Where is the wound? Your leg injury wasn't serious, was it...?"

"The reason for making this public is as follows."

"Then... what's the actual reason?"

"I'm going on a long trip." Winters gritted his teeth and said angrily, "Being used as a tool—I accept it. But at least I want to see the hand that wields the knife with my own eyes. The Red River Tribe invited me to visit, and I'd also like to pay a visit to the White Lion Yasin."

Bard, standing to the side, looked out the window and sighed heavily.

Bart Sharing was speechless. His reason wanted to stop the centurion, but what the man was saying was so absurd that he didn't even know where to begin to dissuade him.

“Don’t worry, I still have value. The White Lion won’t kill me.” Winters glanced at Bart Sharing. “Besides, it’s time to dig out that lump of gold.”

[This...this...this is from last week]
[This transitional chapter was difficult to write, but I finally finished it! Hooray!]
[Thank you to all the readers for your collections, reading, subscriptions, recommendations, monthly tickets, rewards, and comments. Thank you everyone!]
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(End of this chapter)