You were made to farm, and now you're the emperor of an empire?

Chapter 378 What did you protect!
“His Highness didn’t say it would rain today,” said Yulun, a think tank member.

“Because dark clouds rise from the earth.” A shadow fell over Ed’s face.

Their prince has the ability to foresee the future. Regardless of wind or rain, he will give reminders and adjust the agricultural production schedule for the day according to the weather.

What impressed him most was the flood three years ago, when His Highness led them to dig canals and divert water during the torrential rain.

That experience was so profound, so deeply etched into their bones, that they would never forget it for the rest of their lives.

"Something worse than a natural disaster has happened," the soldiers all said.

They may not understand Romans' definition of an army, but they certainly understand what a feudal army is like.

When those bandits, like locusts, passed through, they would plunder everything they could, leaving nothing behind, because no one would blame them for it.

“What they’re doing is an act that will wipe out their lineage,” Yulun said with a sneer.

Nothing could be more evil than this.

He had heard of the scorched earth policy. His Highness was passionate about production and construction and abhorred all acts that destroyed production. He also hated war, but now he had no choice but to go to the battlefield himself.

Ed climbed to the top of the hill and looked out, where he could vaguely see firelight several kilometers away.

But their destination was definitely not the burning village.

The 13th Brigade walked for more than two hours and saw that many manors and villages had been ruined, and the air was filled with the smell of burning.

In the past, some of those manors belonged to the territory of Shane, some to Baron Leicester, and some small villages were under the jurisdiction of the conquering knights. However, all those lords were killed by the River Valley Army, because the River Valley Army only respected one true lord, the true king.

Not all the poor were willing to be taken to the City of Abundance. Some would escape and hide in the forest. Those who were captured would rather die than go. Many said that the blasphemers were demons, and that making them obey the blasphemers was tantamount to falling into hell, where they would be unable to go to the kingdom of the gods after death.

The reason why we didn't forcibly take everyone away is that the land carrying capacity of Plenty City is limited. It's impossible to take everyone away; that would just be a waste of effort.

Just use intimidation to take away those cowardly people.

Anyone who goes to the City of Abundance, stays for a few days, and once they get used to it, no one thinks about coming back.

During his march, Ed encountered a small enemy force of about a hundred men. They didn't seem like scouts, but rather a grain requisition team escorting looted supplies.

This was an unexpected encounter, but the Valley Brigade reacted even faster, surrounding them. Upon seeing this, the thirty or forty mounted mercenaries immediately turned and fled.

Their companions were either killed or captured.

Where did you get these supplies?

"You may take everything that has been confiscated, sirs, we don't want a penny," the prisoners replied. They smelled of a swamp and were dressed as mercenaries, wearing chainmail and half-helmets.

Why have you come?

“We’re paid to do things,” they said, vying with each other.

"Where's the money?"

The prisoners pointed to the sacks on the cart, still stained with blood, and said, "Whoever stole them owns them. His Majesty the King hired us with these things to quell the rebellion and ensure this land is not desecrated... by Lord Roman's actions."

"What have you protected!" Ed coldly beheaded them.

Thick smoke filled the air, choking and acrid. He could see in the distance that the burned villages had been reduced to ruins. The manor's fence was quite sturdy, but it was no match for the professional bandits. Charred corpses were stuck in the sharpened wooden stakes of the ramparts.

It's only been a few days?

How many horrific tragedies did this gang of bandits commit as they marched along the Black Iron Road?
They plundered, massacred villages, set fires, and looted food and wealth; only fortified castles escaped unscathed. The Origin City and the Valley Army kidnapped people to make them work and create greater value, not to destroy their worth, so they could eat the food they grew themselves. The Valley Army never committed needless massacres.

The original legal code contains such laws.

Only those who break the law will be punished and sentenced to death.

Everyone who is alive must do what they can to earn a living, and as long as they can work, they will be provided with three meals a day.

But the bandits had their reasons for killing: food was limited, and their band of bandits was too large to meet their needs.

Leaving aside the four-pronged approach, let's just talk about the initial route.

The labor of 40,000 transport workers was needed to support 30,000 soldiers, meaning the army had to obtain food supplies from the areas they passed through. Large-scale looting by the soldiers was inevitable.

Moreover, this wilderness had long been regarded by outside forces as Roman's front garden.

Therefore, it is quite normal for the attacking side to burn, kill, and plunder in the city of Plenty, for many reasons, such as to damage the morale of the Valley Army, distract Plenty's attention, and reduce the war potential of the blasphemers.

Therefore, the biggest sin of these dead people was eating the food they themselves grew.

Ed wanted to ask, "Is this fair?"
He had never dared to think this way before, but now, one question after another popped into his mind.

Does Your Highness know about these things? Of course he does. That other prince probably knew even earlier than him. With the army pressing in, some people are going to suffer.

But His Highness couldn't possibly ignore the enormous threat in the middle lane and turn to fight the top lane just to save the scattered villagers.

Is the city of abundance more important, or are those old farmers who refuse to submit to the King of the Valley more important?
The answer is beyond doubt.

The families of his soldiers all live in Plenty.

The 13th Battalion advanced for another half hour and encountered more small enemy forces, all cavalry, without any supplies, clearly scouts on the way.

Ed quickly made contact with his own scouts.

He learned that Captain Weimar had joined up with the guards of the other fortresses and was now on his way.

Unfortunately, the enemy's main force was also advancing at full speed, and they had dispatched elite cavalry to catch up at breakneck speed.

In another half hour at most, we will encounter the 13th Brigade head-on.

The swamp mercenaries learned of the crushing defeat in the bottom lane and that the Defiler was charging towards the middle lane with all his might. Taking advantage of the weakened defenses in Plenty City, they quickly destroyed Roman's crystal.

“We can’t let them get close to Plenty!” Ed said.

This instantly became a consensus among everyone; otherwise, no one knew what these beasts would do, and they had to be stopped, no matter the cost.

Of course, the army on the front line is mercenary in nature, and they will most likely not fight to the death with them. Once they find it too difficult to overcome, they will definitely retreat.

The death of a few hundred people would be enough to honor the Black Iron King.

“We’ll stand ready here,” Yuren suggested.

What if they bypass us?

"The battalion guarding the Xiaen territory fortress is our Third Special Forces Battalion. They also have cavalry, so they should be able to help us plug the gap." The think tank drew a simple map on the ground.

(End of this chapter)