I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 465 Unexpected Visitor

The heavy footsteps, the creaking of wheels over stones, the clanging of armor and weapons, and the occasional officer's command intertwined to create a dull and oppressive marching symphony, stubbornly seeping through the cracks in the carriage walls, attempting to disturb the only thinker in this mobile office.

Diu Ni Rem, or rather, Diu Ni Rem's Minister of Transport, was already used to this.

His brain seemed to be precisely divided into several independent zones, and one ear subconsciously picked up on the changes in the marching rhythm outside... It was a habit he had developed after commanding the Holy Expeditionary Army for a long time, using sound to confirm that the troops' march was still orderly.

Meanwhile, Diu Ni Rem's main focus was completely absorbed in a completely different pile of documents in front of him.

Unfolded on his left was an extremely detailed drawing, with the ink still fresh: "Feasibility Report and Budget Request (Revised Draft) for the First Phase of the Double-Track Railway Project Connecting Tavitsky and Suvano".

The blueprints are crisscrossed with densely packed data: slope, curve radius, bridge load-bearing capacity, estimated earthwork volume... Next to them is a thick stack of calculation paper, filled with formulas for sleeper density, rail type, and labor cost accounting.

His right hand was holding a fine-tipped pen, and he was quickly annotating a document entitled "Outline for the Construction of the Kingdom Railway Corps and Wartime Emergency Response Plan".

The quill pen tip glides across the paper, making a soft rustling sound that creates a peculiar duet with the metallic roar outside the window.

"...Article 5 stipulates that the engineers of the railway corps must be equipped with standardized multi-functional road construction equipment, rather than traditional entrenching tools... Damn it, did those idiots in the quartermaster department even read my previous memorandum?"

He muttered a complaint under his breath, forcefully wrote a reiteration next to the clause, and drew two thick lines below it.

After approving this one, Diu Ni Rem, without looking up, reached into the pile of military documents on the right and precisely pulled out a preliminary reconnaissance report, quickly glancing at it.

"Spring is coming soon. The snake people trapped in Suvanone are making unusual movements, and they seem to be trying to break out... Good, it seems we can save some effort."

He muttered to himself, tossed the report back into the "military" pile, and his attention was instantly drawn back to the railway documents on his left.

The snake people have stopped causing much trouble.

The strategy of advancing step by step and building up defenses layer by layer is very effective against these creatures that rely on swamps and complex caves. The presence of flamethrowers, flintlock muskets, and tiger crouching cannons further prevents them from engaging in direct combat.

Are the snake people planning a guerrilla war?
Sorry, they don't have the environment or conditions to fight them. They can only trade blows with players. By the late winter, snake warriors are already rare monsters. What players see most now are short and thin snake laborers and underdeveloped baby snakes.

The snake people did attempt to save themselves, one of which was to head north. Unfortunately, winter came, and the snake people heading north were attacked from both sides by the desperate Minisian soldiers and civilians. This wave of snake people was like frozen pork thrown into a meat grinder, disappearing in a few seconds.

The fall of Suvano shocked the Minisians so much that they feared a second time.

The snake-men's struggle failed. They tried to summon the evil god they believed in, but unfortunately, the world still adhered to the principle of energy conservation. Without enough sacrifices, no matter how evil the god was, it could not be summoned.

When spring arrived and the weather was no longer so cold, the drainage work reached its final stage, which was when the Suvano snake people were completely wiped out.

Unfortunately, Diu Ni Rem and the Holy Expeditionary Force didn't have the chance to wait until then, because a great opportunity arose in Treasure Island City, so much so that he brought the Holy Expeditionary Force over.

As for the snake people in Suvanone, Diu Ni Rem handed them over to the Railway Legion to deal with. The latter has now swelled into an army of over 10,000, which is more than enough to surround the snake people.

As for whether the Railway Legion will get out of control, Diu Ni Rem isn't afraid. The more of them there are, the less likely they are to rebel against the Kingdom of Bagnia... because the more soldiers there are, the more mouths there are to feed.

Without Bagnia's logistical support, they would have to fight amongst themselves and be wiped out within a month.

Therefore, Rem is very confident in the Railway Corps.

Throw your Rem and keep working.

"...the newly procured steam locomotives..."

He continued writing in the outline.

"The supply of its spare parts must be included in the wartime logistics support system, with the same priority as gunpowder and food..."

At this moment, the carriage jolted violently again, and the cup of cold tea on the corner of the table finally gave way and fell over. The dark tea quickly soaked a mediation letter issued to a Minisian village regarding a dispute over compensation for the expropriation of railway land within its territory.

"damn it……"

"Damn it!" Rem cursed under his breath, frantically trying to salvage the other documents, and futilely wiping away the water stains with a rag whose original color was no longer recognizable.

Ugh, so annoying.

At that moment, Diu Ni Rem felt the carriage slowly coming to a stop, and he subconsciously picked up the pocket watch on his chest and glanced at it.

Oh, so it's lunch break time.

Meanwhile, the continuous roar of marching outside the car receded rapidly like a tide. Diu Ni Rem got up, pounded his slightly numb legs, pushed open the car door, and jumped out.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, a staff officer led several soldiers and walked quickly toward him.

"Sir..."

How far are we from Taiwan?

The staff officer immediately stood at attention, gave a crisp salute, and spoke clearly and precisely.

"Reporting to the commander, the advance scouts reported half an hour ago that our vanguard is less than 20 kilometers from the outer edge of the city. At the current normal marching speed, the main force is expected to reach the pre-set positions outside the city by noon tomorrow."

He paused slightly and added more details.

"No large-scale enemy obstruction was found along the way; only scattered stragglers and refugees were encountered, which were dispersed or taken in as ordered."

The road conditions are acceptable, but with spring rains approaching, the roads may become muddy, potentially slightly affecting the speed of heavy artillery and supply convoys.

After hearing this, Diu Ni Rem looked puzzled. His gaze swept past the officer and over the group of players around him who were taking a noisy and efficient lunch break.

"A day's journey..."

He repeated the sentence in a low voice.

"Didn't the Minieses from the direction of Taiwan notice us?"

"Based on the current situation, it's impossible that they haven't discovered us, sir."

"They've come all this way, and the Minicians still haven't reacted?"

Diu Ni Rem was puzzled. After thinking for a moment, he gave the order. "Increase the marching speed in the afternoon. The engineer battalion of the Railway Corps will set off two hours earlier, with the vanguard providing cover. They will be responsible for reconnaissance of the last section of the route, especially the main road leading to Treasure Island City and the areas on both sides where ambushes may be set up, to ensure the main force can pass without hindrance."

If necessary, local materials should be used to reinforce bridges and level dangerous road sections.

"Yes, sir!"

The staff officer quickly jotted down the order.

"That's it, all done."

The officer saluted again, turned and strode away to relay the instructions to the messengers.

Diu Ni Rem stood still, hands behind his back, and glanced once more in the general direction of Treasure Island City.

What's going on over there?
The players still alive in Treasure Island City don't know this either, so they can't tell you the information you need.

All they could say was that the place was in chaos, the city was filled with black smoke and corpses, and although the battle between the Royal Guard and the nobles' private armies had ended, the Royal Guard's looting of the city and its inhabitants was still ongoing.

Just as Diu Ni Rem was gazing towards the island, pondering various possibilities, a messenger rode up at full speed, reined in his horse in front of him, and reported with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Sir, a small group has been intercepted at the outpost ahead. They are flying white flags, and the leader claims to be the chief court scribe of the Kingdom of Minicia. They are requesting an audience with the supreme commander of the Holy Expeditionary Force, claiming to be carrying important diplomatic missions."

Diu Ni Rem's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

Chief Secretary of the Palace?
He was neither a military general nor a nobleman, but a civil official.
At this critical juncture, why would we travel to a place so close to Taiwan?

"Take them to the temporary command tent. Increase security, and after a thorough search, only the leader and a maximum of two guards are allowed inside."

He calmly gave the order, his mind rapidly considering all possibilities… a feigned surrender? Espionage? Or had some unexpected upheaval occurred within the city?

Soon, inside a hastily erected marching tent, Diu Ni Rem met this uninvited guest.

The visitor was indeed wearing a slightly worn but still decent dark-colored civil official robe. His face was haggard, but his eyes revealed a caution and shrewdness unique to civil officials.

Behind him followed two Minisian Guard soldiers, their eyes filled with vigilance and unease, their armor even bearing traces of smoke and fire.

After a brief, diplomatic introduction and polite greeting, the atmosphere inside the tent remained tense and delicate.

Diu Ni Rem sat expressionlessly on the simple folding stool, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the table, waiting for the other party to get to the point.

The clerk took a deep breath, seemingly considering his words, and finally, he raised his head, looked directly at Diu Ni Rem, and spoke in a tone that was as calm as possible but could not hide his nervousness.

"Your Excellency, I have come here on the orders of my King... well, or rather, on behalf of the greatest consensus that can be reached within the capital of Minicia."

He paused, observing Rem's reaction, but the latter simply stared at him silently, like a rock.

The clerk had no choice but to continue speaking cautiously.

“We have witnessed the might and power of your army, and we know... we know that continued resistance will only bring greater disaster to Taiwan and even the whole of Minicia. Therefore, we yearn for peace.”

He paused again, and then finally uttered that earth-shattering statement.

"We want to know how the Kingdom of Bagnia will treat its king, nobles, officials, soldiers, and citizens who are willing to lay down their arms if the Kingdom of Minicia chooses to end this unfortunate conflict."

What kind of treatment and guarantees can your country offer to those who surrender?

The tent was deathly silent, with only the faint sounds of troops resting in the distance coming from outside.

The finger that was deliberately tapping the table stopped, as the user used Rem to put psychological pressure on the other person.

Even with his extensive experience and countless schemes, he never expected to hear the enemy's offer to surrender when they were at the gates of the city.

Moreover, it was proposed by a civilian official, not a military representative.

His mind raced, instantly filtering through countless pieces of information: the infighting still raging in the city, the unusual looting by the Imperial Guard, and the barely perceptible despair and urgency deep in the eyes of this civil official...

This is not a trap.

At least not entirely; it's more like a group of desperate people trying to grasp at the last possible straw, even if that straw comes from the enemy.

Diu Ni Rem leaned forward slightly, crossed his hands on the table, and responded in his characteristically calm tone, devoid of any emotion.

“Sir, the Kingdom of Bagnia and His Majesty have always appreciated wise choices and have never hesitated to show tolerance in order to end hostilities and avoid unnecessary bloodshed.”

He began with lengthy and meticulous diplomatic rhetoric, neither immediately agreeing nor refusing, but rather carefully outlining a "possible" framework for surrender, progressing step by step.

This involves various aspects such as the disarmament of the military, the transition of officials, the handling of property, and personal safety. Every clause sounds reasonable, but each leaves room for interpretation and explanation.

Throughout the entire process, his sharp gaze never left the clerk's eyes, capturing every subtle change in his emotions, trying to piece together the truth behind the fog surrounding the city of Treasure Island.

This unexpected meeting seems to foreshadow that the fall of Taiwan may unfold in a bizarre and unpredictable manner.

The conversation lasted for more than two hours. Although the two sides did not reach an agreement on the surface, both the scribe and Rem were satisfied with the conversation.

The former confirmed the attitude of the Kingdom of Bagnia, thanks to Chris's good reputation for never killing or abusing prisoners and for treating enemy civilians kindly. He believed that the Holy Expeditionary Army was not a brutal army either.

The Holy Expeditionary Army was delayed by two hours in its march and could only set up camp on the spot, unable to continue its march.

Diu Ni Rem didn't mind this, because it confirmed that something had indeed happened in Treasure Island City, to the point that they were considering surrendering.

Suddenly, Diu Ni Rem thought of a fatal problem... If the Minesians surrender, wouldn't the players of the Holy Crusade be out of the game?
However, he quickly put his worries aside.

Because this doesn't seem to be a big problem. The fact that the Minisian royal family surrendered doesn't mean that the nobles and military generals were willing to surrender and go from being domineering lords to being wealthy people without privileges.

The privileged in Miniscia will surely cause trouble, and battle is clearly an essential element for the Holy Expeditionary Army to enter the island.

(End of this chapter)