I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 329 Besieged on all sides
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The Shattered Rock Empire.

Southern provinces.

The Lord's Manor in Stone City sits atop the highest point of the city, overlooking the entire city.

Inside the manor, in the lord's private council chamber, the heavy doors were tightly shut.

"Has Earl Red Griffin not yet chosen whom to pledge allegiance to?"

Prince Golden Hammer stood before the huge sand table map with a gloomy face, questioning the middle-aged man beside him.

The middle-aged man is the Earl of Blue Lake, a subordinate lord of the Prince of Golden Hammer.

Prince Golden Hammer had more than ten earls under his command, and Earl Blue Lake stood out from these vassals by virtue of his loyalty and strength.

As a top-tier knight, while Prince Golden Hammer was still hiding in the shadows accumulating power, Earl of Blue Lake had already been quietly plotting and working for him, becoming one of Prince Golden Hammer's most trusted confidants.

"No, Your Majesty."

The Earl of Blue Lake reported respectfully.

He bent slightly at the waist, his hands clasped in front of him.

"He still has not pledged allegiance to either side."

Earl of Blue Lake paused for a moment, then continued, "But Griffin City has been recruiting new soldiers, and the number has exceeded the normal defense needs."

"According to the reports from our scouts, Count Red Griffin seems to be preparing for war."

After Earl of Blue Lake finished his report, Prince Golden Hammer frowned slightly and speculated in a deep voice, "Could he have already secretly pledged allegiance to the First Princess or the Duke of Flowers?"

"What if his army launches a surprise attack on us at a crucial moment?"

Prince Golden Hammer stared at the sand table in front of him.

The Eastern Provinces are a power that Prince Golden Hammer has cultivated for many years, and most of the lords have already submitted to him.

The Red Griffin Earl's Griffin City is located in the northern part of the eastern province.

If Prince Golden Hammer's army were to go to war with the First Princess or the Duke of Flowers, and Count Red Griffin were to launch a surprise attack on their rear at that time, it would be a complete disaster.

The rear territories will fall into chaos, supply lines will likely be cut off, and the frontline troops will collapse due to the lack of support.

"Then you mean..."

Earl of Blue Lake lowered his voice and asked tentatively.

He had already guessed what Prince Golden Hammer was thinking, but such things had to be said by the lord himself.

Prince Golden Hammer raised his head, his eyes icy cold.

“Viscount Tyne has sworn allegiance to me, and as the brother of the Earl of the Red Griffin, he has the right to inherit the Red Griffin family.”

Prince Golden Hammer slowly ordered, "Go find Bishop Salido and have him arrange for someone to deal with Count Red Griffin."

“However, the Red Griffin family has close ties with Lord Rhodes, who possesses dragons, Your Majesty.”

The Earl of Blue Lake spoke hesitantly and cautiously.

"Haven't we always wanted to improve our relationship with Lord Rhodes?"

"If we kill Earl Red Griffin, will Lord Rhodes become our enemy?"

Lord Blue Lake knew that Rhodes' power in the North was not to be underestimated.

The existence of two dragons requires any lord to consider this carefully.

"I will give Lord Rhodes sufficient compensation."

Prince Golden Hammer said nonchalantly, "Everyone has a price."

"Lord Rhodes will accept this outcome as long as he is given enough land and gold."

“A portion of the Red Griffin family’s territory can be allocated to him.”

Prince Golden Hammer paused, pondering.

"Then I will arrange a marriage for him with the beautiful daughter of an earl, so that he can become one of our own."

Prince Golden Hammer turned his head and smiled at Earl Blue Lake.

How is your youngest daughter?

Prince Golden Hammer's tone lightened, "I heard she's the most beautiful girl in your territory."

The Earl of Blue Lake's eyes lit up.

"If I could make such a marriage happen, I would be very willing."

The Earl of Blue Lake's voice was filled with excitement.

If the Blue Lake family can establish a relationship with Lord Rhodes through marriage, they will surely rise to a higher level.

"I'm afraid Lord Rhodes won't accept this kindness," Earl Blue Lake said with a hint of worry.

"If he doesn't want to, then he doesn't need to exist."

Prince Golden Hammer stood with his hands behind his back and said, "They're just two dragons; they're not invincible."

“Bishop Salido has promised to send church forces to deal with those two beasts.”

"That's great."

The Earl of Blue Lake breathed a sigh of relief, his face showing a sense of relief.

If you can handle the dragon, then everything becomes simple.

The Earl of Blue Lake knew that Agnar's death was related to the church's mysterious magic, so he had no doubt that they possessed the ability to deal with dragons.

"I'll go and notify them now."

The Earl of Blue Lake bowed respectfully and turned to leave.

They had only taken a few steps when the doors to the council chamber were suddenly pushed open forcefully.

A guard rushed in, his face ashen.

The Earl of Blue Lake frowned slightly upon seeing this.

"Your panic and recklessness are due to the butler's failure to teach you manners?"

"Unauthorized entry into the lord's private council chamber—do you know what crime that is?"

The guard knelt on the ground, his voice trembling, "I'm sorry, sir!"

He looked up and reported nervously, "Urgent military situation!"

"Last night, the Red Griffin Clan launched a sudden attack! All three towns belonging to the Fiery Heart Clan have fallen!"

"The garrison troops were almost completely wiped out, with only a few deserters managing to escape back and report the news!"

The Earl of Blue Lake's brow twitched suddenly.

He quickly turned his head and looked at Prince Golden Hammer.

Prince Golden Hammer stood in front of the sand table, his face showing no sign of panic.

He remained unusually calm, gave a cold laugh, and his eyes were sharp.

"it is as expected."

Prince Golden Hammer's voice was icy, and he tapped his fingers hard on the sand table a few times.
"Since he has already shown no mercy, there's no need to hold back."

Prince Golden Hammer didn't think twice and immediately gave the order.

"Notify Viscount Tyne to immediately lead his army to wipe out Earl Red Griffin, with the Roar of the Great Bear Legion assisting in the attack."

“Tell Tyne that everything the Red Griffin family owns will be his once he completes his mission.”

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The Earl of Blue Lake bowed again in response.

This time, he didn't even have time to turn around and leave.

Another guard came running frantically from the end of the corridor, looking flustered.

"Something terrible has happened, sir!"

The guard rushed into the council chamber and nearly fell to the ground.

"Three days ago, Lord Rhodes of the north suddenly launched an attack on the Wuyan family on the edge of the eastern province!"

"The Earl of Wuyan has fallen in battle on the city walls! Wuyan City has fallen!"

"Rhodes' army is advancing eastward, and all the villages and towns along the way have fallen!"

"what?!"

Prince Golden Hammer's eyes widened suddenly.

"Damn Rhodes!"

Prince Golden Hammer couldn't help but curse.

"He must have sided with the Duke of Flowers! This is a premeditated joint attack!"

The Wuyan family is the northern gateway to the eastern provinces.

Wuyan City is located in an extremely important geographical position, guarding the main passage from the northern border into the eastern provinces.

Not far from the fall of Wuyan City lies a vast open plain, with no natural barriers to stop the invaders.

Rhodes' army can advance unimpeded and directly threaten the core territory of Prince Golden Hammer!

Prince Golden Hammer's face was ashen as he paced back and forth in the council chamber, his mind racing as he considered countermeasures.

"Immediately order the Glorious Warhammer Legion and the Crimson Whip Legion to set off!"

"At all costs, hold the line in the eastern provinces!"

"Inform Bishop Salido and tell him to deal with Rhodes regardless of the consequences!"

Prince Golden Hammer said sternly, "Tell him I'm willing to pay any price!"

The Earl of Blue Lake looked equally grim.

He was about to speak in response.

A third messenger burst into the council chamber.
"Urgent military situation!"

"Last night, the Golden Knights Legion of the Imperial Army invaded the territory of the Night Raven Clan!"

"Viscount Night Raven surrendered in less than half a day!"

"The Silver Thorn Legion under Duke Flower is marching toward Stone City!"

"They've broken through the outer defenses! They're still ninety miles from Boulder City!"

Prince Golden Hammer's body swayed violently, and he barely managed to stand by holding onto the edge of the sand table.

This was a meticulously planned siege!

……

……

Eastern Province, Bright Moon Plain.

"Boom boom boom——"

Heavy footsteps sounded.

The clanging of the armor plates produced a crisp metallic scraping sound. Under the sunlight, the army, reflecting a silvery light, marched slowly across the plain in neat rows.

From above, the army looked like a torrent of steel, slowly tearing a hole in the lush green grass.

At the forefront were the vanguard regiment's lightly armed infantry, followed by a small number of archers and javelin throwers, enabling them to react immediately upon encountering the enemy.

Although they were lightly armed, thanks to the Rhodes affix, they still wore breastplates and other protective gear to safeguard their vitals.

These things don't affect their actions at all.

The central section of the main column consisted of heavy infantry and shield guards, ensuring that they would not slow down the army's progress and could quickly change formations to respond to unexpected situations.

There will be a marching interval of about 15 meters between each 100-person team to prevent trampling or chaos.

The supply convoys, grain carts, and spare weapons were sandwiched in the middle of the main column, protected by shield bearers and archers behind them.

The army's flanks consisted of light cavalry and wolf riders.

They patrolled back and forth, keeping watch for any movement around them.

Rhodes's army was disciplined, and no one fell behind or made a sound; their footsteps were particularly noticeable.

In the sky, powerful falcons circled and soared, their sharp eyes scanning the surrounding woods and hills.

To protect the army and prevent any possibility of an ambush.

On the earthen slope, Rod stood quietly with Vivi, surveying everything before them.

"It looks like a wide, silvery river."

Vivian couldn't help but exclaim, "That's spectacular!"

She had never seen such a large-scale army march, a full ten thousand soldiers.

"I think it looks more like a silver spear."

Rhodes gazed at the hills at the edge of the plain. "It will pierce through the entire eastern province."

Vivian watched the advancing legion and nodded unconsciously in agreement.

Even with only the spearhead remaining, this spear had already pierced through the northern province.

At this moment, Gala quickly climbed up the hillside.
"Holy Lord!"

Gala respectfully reported, "The army is fifty li away from Moon Wolf City."

He paused and continued:

"The scout team just reported that they have discovered several strangely shaped giant crossbows on the city wall!"

A hint of worry flashed in Gala's eyes.
"Holy Lord, they seem to be specifically designed to deal with your dragons!"

Rhodes' expression remained unchanged as he calmly asked, "How many men are guarding the city?"

"Preliminary assessment indicates there are five thousand people!"

"But some of them were dressed in tattered linen clothes and carried spears,"

Gala continued to speculate, "They should be newly recruited civilians; their combat strength shouldn't be too high."

"Ah."

Rhodes nodded slightly, his expression remaining calm.

"What's the situation in the surrounding towns and villages?"

"The scouts report that everyone in the nearest town, Wolftail, has fled."

Gala immediately replied, "But they left in a hurry, and there are still many livestock tied up in the yard."

"The granary doors were unlocked, and there was still a lot of grain piled up inside."

"In several villages about 60 miles to the southeast, you can still see a lot of people fleeing further east."

Rhodes' vanguard and the Dragon's Breath Legion used a forced march.

The occupation and administration of the rear were all handled by Durant's troops.

The advance was so rapid that it gave the Moon Wolf Clan little time to react, and most of the villagers naturally didn't have time to take their food and livestock with them.

"Order Gunle, the vanguard regiment to change its route, bypass Moon Wolf City, and head towards the nearest Wolf Tail Town."

"Order Wolfhoof to raid nearby villages to collect food and conscript able-bodied men."

"Be merciful to those who surrender, but show no mercy to those who resist!"

"Yes, Holy Lord!"

Gala didn't question it at all, readily agreed, and immediately ran down to relay the order.

Vivian was a little curious and turned to look at Rhodes.

"Aren't you going to attack the city anymore?"

"The army has been marching for five days, and our soldiers need rest."

Rhodes smiled calmly and said, "Besides, the vast Moon Wolf Plains are full of wealth, so we are not the ones who should be in a hurry."

"Our primary objective is resources, and land is secondary."

Most armies can only advance for three days at most, while the Vanguard and Dragon's Breath are able to move quickly because of the bonuses they receive.

Even if the body doesn't feel tired, the mental strain is unbearable.

Prolonged, high-intensity marches can cause people to lose focus and slow down their reaction time.

The key is that Rhodes cannot completely exploit the army, otherwise they will have no power to resist enemy attacks.

Wolftail Town has ready-made houses and fences for defense, as well as granaries and water sources, which not only allows soldiers to rest well, but also saves a lot of the work of setting up camp.

Moreover, the terrain is flat and the villages are very densely packed.

Now, in late spring, during the winter wheat harvest season, everyone is very well-off.

The food consumed by the army during its march can be replenished entirely from these villages.

As for the slaves captured, it's pure profit.

Rhodes will not be led by the nose by the Moon Wolf family.

Since they had already made preparations to defend the city, Rhodes was naturally in no hurry to attack it.

The Moon Wolf Clan either has to accept the loss and continue to defend the city.

They watched helplessly as their villages were plundered one after another.

Wait until Rhodes has looted all the valuables and his army has rested before launching the siege.

Alternatively, the Moon Wolf Clan could send out their army to launch a proactive attack and engage in a decisive battle with Rhodes' army on the plains.

But in that case, the Moon Wolf Clan would lose the protection of the city walls.

Their carefully prepared fortifications and dragon-slaying crossbows were all rendered useless.

Of course, there was an important premise for Rhodes to do this.

That is, Prince Golden Hammer is currently under attack from three other armies at the same time and is completely unable to send reinforcements to support Moon Wolf City.

Vivian turned her head and looked intently at Rhodes, her eyes shining.
"This is really complicated. I've learned something new."

War is not just a matter of soldiers killing each other.

It's also a game of strategy between commanders, who must use everything around them to create favorable conditions for themselves.

Vivian, with her good education and extensive knowledge, is not stupid; she just doesn't like to think.

She understood everything after Rod explained it simply.

Rod smiled but didn't say anything more.

Take out a silver whistle, put it to your lips and blow it loudly.

Frost and thunder fell one after another.

The two then mounted the dragon and flew towards Wolf Tail Town.

No matter how fast the vanguard is, it can't match Long Fei's speed.

When they arrived on the streets of Wolftail Town, Rhodes was already standing in front of the legion, surveying the empty town.

Gunle led a squad of soldiers out from the depths of the town after completing the initial search.

Gunle strode up to Rhodes and bowed respectfully.

"My lord, there is no one inside."

"Those people left in a hurry; except for some valuables, everything else was left behind."

"The town's granary still has half a granary of freshly harvested grain!"

"Ah."

Rod nodded slightly, turned his head, and looked at Lusen standing to the side.

"Test the town's food and water supplies."

Rhodes meant to check whether the things at these entrances had been poisoned or cursed.

This is something the army must do before setting up camp each time.

Although Rhodes never experienced such a thing, such things happen in history, both in past and present lives.

Being careful and cautious is never a bad thing.

"Yes!"

Lu Sen understood immediately and quickly walked toward the town's well.

Just as Luxem was passing by the scouting team, he suddenly stopped.

Luxen stood still, slowly turned his head, and looked warily at the group that had just come out of the town.

Rhodes also sensed something was wrong and followed Lucien's gaze, finally fixing his eyes on one of the soldiers who had his head down and a blank, cold expression.

Gunther realized something was wrong and immediately turned around to look.

"Ryland, step forward!"

Gunle loudly commanded the soldiers who were watching Rhodes.

"You guys are quite vigilant."

Riland raised his head, his voice suddenly turning cold, and drew the longsword from his waist.
"But you will still die..."

Before he could finish speaking, Riland's voice suddenly changed!
"Shut up!"

A look of pain crossed his face, and his distinctly clear voice was filled with struggle and anger.
"I will never let you harm the lord!"

Riland suddenly raised his left hand and pressed it firmly against his right wrist, which was holding the sword!

He gripped his wrist with all his might, his nails digging into his flesh, forcing himself to loosen his grip on the sword hilt!

Riland's face was contorted in pain, and veins bulged on his forehead, as if a fierce battle was raging inside his body!
“I have enough work points…my sister will become a witch…”

Riland gritted her teeth, "Even if I die... you can't..."

Before he could finish speaking, Riland fell heavily to his knees with a thud!

"Damn it!"

The chilling voice rang out again!
A dark figure flew out in a disheveled state and crashed to the ground!

Without any hesitation, the dark figure fled swiftly into the town!

(End of this chapter)