Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 423 Preparing for War (Part 1)

[Kyeongho County]
[Bazanaur]
"boom!"

The damp planks were laid on the pier.

"Go! Get out! Don't stop!"

Soldiers carrying weapons on their shoulders and bags in their hands unconsciously squinted as they tried to adjust to the glaring light outside the cabin as they left the deck and stepped onto the dock.

The name of the county seat of Kiangho County, "Bazenauer," originates from the Hede language and means "lake with abundant water and grass."

Even during the reign of the Khad tribes, Bazenaur was already a densely populated and agriculturally developed land. At the height of the Khad tribes' power, tens of thousands of serfs fled Palatul and came to this small plain nestled against the mountains and by the water to cultivate the land for the steppe Khan.

After Plato conquered the "newly reclaimed lands," Bazanaur's status and wealth soared, and thanks to its extensive waterways, it quickly became the trade and transportation center of the new lands.

Since the outbreak of the civil war, with the disruption of transportation and the decline of trade, the port of Bazanaur no longer sees a steady stream of merchant ships, and the outskirts of Bazanaur no longer see bustling caravans.

Apart from flocks of waterbirds and lone fishing boats returning home, no one else comes to visit this port on the shore of the "lake rich in water plants".

However, at this moment, the docks of Bazenaul are bustling with activity, a stark contrast to their usual quietness.

All the berths that could accommodate large ships were already occupied. People, supplies, and livestock were dumped out of the holds and swarmed onto the dock in a disorderly manner.

Even though the port of Bazenauer was the largest port in the newly reclaimed land, it was still completely congested.

Meanwhile, outside the port, more flat-bottomed barges from Jiangbei were waiting for berths.

"Neigh neigh neigh..."

At the exit of the pier, a beautiful, sturdy, jet-black horse, with not a single stray hair except for the lightning bolt pattern on its forehead, let out a piercing neigh and suddenly reared up.

Soldiers nearby were unable to dodge in time and were swept into the water one after another. Nearby soldiers hastily retreated, shoving those who hadn't yet left the pier backward.

The crowd of people was like an invisible wave spreading outwards. With two "thump" sounds, soldiers were pushed off the bridge at the end of the pier.

The jet-black horse was completely unaware of the chaos it had caused. Its blindfold fell off, revealing a pair of pale yellow eyes filled with fear and anger.

The horse was throwing a tantrum and stubbornly refused to get off the pier, no matter how the coachman tried to soothe it.

The piers at Bazanaur have two jetties extending into the deep water, but half of them were paralyzed by the loss of control of this pampered and beloved warhorse.

A dignified officer of medium build pushed aside the soldiers, walked through the crowd, and strode toward his dark warhorse.

The officer not only lacked the sideburns common among Platonic officers, but even his stubble was clean-shaven; his naturally silver hair was neatly combed back and tied into a sleek ponytail with a simple dark silk ribbon. Apart from the ribbon, he wore no other adornments.

He walked up to the black horse, drew his pistol, and methodically pushed open the medicine vat lid and snapped the flint. Before the others could react, he had already shot the out-of-control warhorse dead without even blinking.

"Push the horse carcass into the lake. Don't waste time." The officer took out a handkerchief, wiped his pistol covered in black dust, and loudly called to the soldiers who were still watching the commotion, "Continue the advance!"

The blocked passage was cleared, and the river, carrying people, horses, and supplies, resumed its flow.

"Colonel! Colonel Gaspar!" A lieutenant struggled against the flow of people to reach the colonel, saluted with sweat dripping down his face, and said, "Major Karkin, along with the mayor and representatives of Bazanaur, are waiting for you to receive them!"

“Tell Karkin I have no time for politicians right now,” Colonel Gaspar replied politely but ruthlessly. “And tell the mayor to get ready—I’m going to conscript every able-bodied man and woman in Bazenaul. He’ll protest, and then you’ll bring him to see me alone.”

The lieutenant knew his superior's personality very well, so he saluted without saying a word and turned to leave.

Colonel Gaspar, who remained at the dock, summoned the logistics officers in charge of the transport of supplies, took over the dock without explanation, and began to arrange work with ease:
"You! Go find a small boat and notify all the barges behind you—all supply barges, retreat to the harbor and wait for orders. Barges transporting warhorses and soldiers, please have priority to dock. What are you waiting for? Turn around and set off!"

"Soldiers and horses must not disembark together. Soldiers will use the east dock, and horses will use the west dock. Each will go their own way and avoid interfering with each other. This matter—you are in charge of it. Go now!"

"You! Go find Captain Pegra and have his hull cavalry squadron move out now. If Pegra's squadron's horses haven't been unloaded yet, relay my order to have the barges carrying Pegra's squadron's horses unloaded first."

"Clear the warehouse, set up guard posts, and store our supplies separately! Anyone suspected of spying on the warehouse should be arrested and interrogated immediately!"

"Clean up the barracks, dividing the area into sections by 100-man teams. No officer or soldier is permitted to stay in civilian homes without authorization!"

"Speed ​​up the pace!" Colonel Gaspar concluded emphatically. He turned to look at the vast Mirror Lake, deep lines unconsciously appearing between his brows, because he didn't know if Hongchuan's inland river fleet could withstand the puppet government's Jinliujiang Navy: "Every ship you unload increases our chances of survival."

The logistics officers received their orders and headed to their assigned posts.

The lieutenant who had been sent to deliver the message returned to Colonel Gaspar with a well-dressed, round-figured man. The man, upon seeing the colonel, immediately began to wail and cry:
“My lord! Colonel Gaspar! I’m just an unlucky fool who was pushed out here. I simply cannot fulfill your request! There has never been a precedent of conscripting all the citizens of Bazenaul. The citizens’ representatives will never agree. They dare not act presumptuously in front of you, so they will vent their anger on me. Please have mercy! My lord! At most, I can give you…”

“Mr. Mayor,” Colonel Gaspar interrupted the man’s lament, nodding slightly and saying politely, “there are three things you need to know.”

"First of all, based on my recent on-site investigation, the defenses of Bazenaul are extremely weak. In fact, you have no defenses at all."

"Secondly, the puppet government of Zhuwangbao will not sit idly by and watch Bazenaur fall. Sooner or later, there will definitely be a battle at Bazenaur."

"Finally, due to limited transport capacity, I currently only have two thousand infantry and three hundred cavalry. As for whether the follow-up troops can arrive on schedule, I don't know."

The mayor of Bazenaul unconsciously swallowed; the colonel had said too much information for him to fully process at once.

“Oh, and there’s one more thing you need to know,” Colonel Gaspar added casually. “Although there are only four battalions, we will fight to the last man. So, if you don’t want your family, house, and wealth to be destroyed in the war, go and gather the citizens now.”

…………

[Maplestone City District]
Maple Leaf Castle
"Our fleet has intercepted the Hongchuan rebel fleet." As soon as the officers arrived, Colonel Sanel immediately announced the good news that had just been delivered: "Except for a small number of those who escaped, the other rebel ships were either sunk, captured, or fled in disarray."

The other officers present were immediately invigorated.

Prior to this, Kiang Ho County had been under the control of the "New Reclamation Expeditionary Army".

The New Reclamation Expeditionary Army, as the name suggests, was the designation of the troops dispatched by the Grand Council of the Kingsburg to the New Reclamation Province.

Last winter, the "New Reclamation Expeditionary Force," which came to assist the New Reclamation Army in resisting the Telden tribe, did not withdraw immediately after the Telden tribe was defeated. Instead, they simply stationed themselves in Mirror Lake County.

The New Reclamation Corps also clashed with the Expeditionary Army several times as a result, with casualties on both sides.

In the end, General Adams chose to settle the matter peacefully and withdrew the New Reclamation Corps from Mirrorlake County.

Then came the Maplestone Incident, in which General Adams was killed, the Legion's direct troops were disarmed, and Maplestone and Mapleleaf Fort fell into the hands of the New Reclamation Expeditionary Force.

Although Colonel Sanel described the New Reclamation Army as easily defeated in the battle report, he knew very well that the most important reason he was able to capture Maplestone at a minimal cost was the coordinated attack from within and without, taking the enemy by surprise.

Looking across the entire newly reclaimed province, those who harbored hostility towards the Grand Council of Kingsburg far outnumbered those who were loyal to it.

Moreover, because of Adams' suicide, everyone who was dissatisfied with the Great Council of Kingsburg was stirring up trouble.

In fact, although the gunfire had not yet actually started, the preliminary battles had already begun: unidentified scouts appeared and disappeared on the trails, intercepting messengers and scouts; local troops in various counties successively sealed off the borders and set up numerous checkpoints on the main roads to check any suspicious pedestrians.

With the newly reclaimed land on the verge of collapse, in order to ensure the safety of Maplestone City, Colonel Sanel sent more than a dozen messengers to Kingsburg to request reinforcements, while decisively transferring the majority of the vanguard to Mapleleaf Castle, leaving only a small force in Mirrorlake County to maintain order.

While this deployment was safe, it left Mirror Lake County vulnerable in the short term.

Colonel Sanel believed that if they held out until reinforcements from Kingsburg arrived, the defenses of Mirrorlake County would be resolved. Therefore, the risk was worth taking.

However, he underestimated his enemy. His enemy was not Kevin J. Adams, whose edges had been smoothed out by the stable life in the newly established lands, but Palatine's most skilled general, Alpad Duyom.

Colonel Sanel, clinging to a sliver of hope, faced Palatour's most aggressive swordsman. The moment he revealed an opening, his opponent thrust forward without hesitation.

Fortunately—Sanel breathed a sigh of relief—the surface forces of Kingsburg, with the support and training of the United Provinces Navy, are now much stronger than before.

No matter how powerful Alpad is, if he can't defeat the fleet of Kingsburg, he can only stand on the north shore and watch helplessly.

Colonel Sanel cleared his throat, intending to say something more to boost morale, but someone had to spoil the mood.

"How many escaped?" Colonel Chloe Torrill asked sternly from the side. "Colonel Sanel."

Major Sanel narrowed his eyes, paused for a moment, and said, "Thirty to forty barges, the exact size of which... was not specified."

The smiles of some of the officers gradually faded, and the atmosphere in the room became somewhat heavy again.

“Then let’s calculate based on the most common flat-bottomed cargo ships in the newly reclaimed lands. One ship can carry about eighty soldiers and their equipment.” Colonel Chloe Torrill wouldn’t give up, continuing to press on for the “escaped fish.”

"In other words, we may be facing five to seven battalions of enemies. Considering that supplies also need to be transported, the actual number should be smaller, but it is still a force that should not be underestimated—and there is another premise, that is, the numbers given in the battle reports are correct and there is no concealment or exaggeration."

“Yes.” Colonel Sanel nodded slowly.

Currently, the forces in Maplestone City can be roughly divided into two factions:
One faction was the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army, the direct force of the Grand Council of the Kingsburg, consisting of four infantry battalions and six full-strength cavalry squadrons, commanded by Colonel Sanel.

The other faction consisted of troops directly under the headquarters of the New Reclamation Corps, the result of Adams' active expansion. After surrendering, they were reorganized and reorganized, totaling ten infantry battalions, a true "corps" in size, commanded by Colonel Chloe Torrill.

The latter is currently stationed in the Maplestone city area. The former, on the other hand, is stationed at the fortified Mapleleaf Keep, overlooking Maplestone.

Among them, the "New Reclamation Army Corps" underwent a round of purges, with the original officers either imprisoned, killed, or escaped, resulting in the corps' directly subordinate units, which were already severely lacking in organization, being even more lacking in junior officers.

The Legion Headquarters had to temporarily appoint a large number of "honorary officers"—free men who were willing to pay money to buy an officer's status.

Therefore, the "Reorganized Newly Reclaimed Land Corps" is currently in a state of reconstruction and is slowly recovering its combat effectiveness.

Incidentally, the Legion Headquarters originally included cavalry units. However, during the reorganization, all of Adams's warhorses were confiscated by the expeditionary force, so the current "Reorganized New Reclamation Legion" is a purely infantry unit.

However, the newly reorganized New Reclamation Legion remains an important part of Maplestone's armed forces, and if war breaks out tomorrow, Colonel Sanel will still have to rely on them to defend Maplestone.

Therefore, although Colonel Chloe Torrill displeased Sanel, Sanel still had to adopt an attitude of equality and respect.

“Colonel Chloe,” Sanel asked amiably, “what are your thoughts?”

Colonel Chloe, propping his forehead up with his hand and staring at the table, said to himself, “The main force of the Alpad rebels consists of veterans from the Fifth and Sixth Legions. However, the [Galloping Horses] and [Kings] suffered heavy losses in their expedition against the Hed barbarians two years ago, and after returning home, they fought one battle after another, and have never been able to achieve a true rebuilding, only constantly replenishing their ranks with new recruits. In other words, apart from some veterans as the backbone, the rebel forces are not much more elite than ours.”

Sanel remained unmoved: "So?"

Chloe raised her head and stared straight at Sanel without saying a word.

[I probably won't be able to finish a complete short story today, so I'll stop here for now. Sorry Orz]
[Supporting characters appearing in this story]
[Colonel Gaspar: A handsome silver-haired man with a ponytail. It should be noted that although he doesn't grow a beard, he is a genuine Paratul, not a Venetian.]
[Major Calkin: A skilled debater (lobbyist) who went alone to the newly reclaimed lands to persuade Bazenaul to surrender and instigate the change of allegiance in Mirror Lake County (and, strictly speaking, he was not alone, as he was accompanied by several guards)]
[Captain Pegra: Hussars captain under Gaspar]
[Colonel Sanel: Commander of the New Reclamation Expeditionary Force, loyal to the Grand Council, who rose to prominence in the eyes of Speaker Magnus for his "clever capture of Maplestone (New Reclamation)".]
[Colonel Chloe Torrill: Former officer of the New Reclamation Regiment, now loyal to the Grand Council, commander of the reorganized New Reclamation Regiment, who believes he is protecting the people of the New Reclamation. Having witnessed General Adams' tragic suicide, he suffered a mental breakdown.]
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[Thank you to all the readers for your collections, reading, subscriptions, recommendations, monthly tickets, donations, and comments. Thank you everyone!]
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(End of this chapter)