This young master truly has the ambition of a hero.

In the Empire, the slave trade was a long-standing "traditional business," and in the southern regions, the lords' extensive development of plantation economies led to severe land consolidation problems, resulting in a large number of landless migrants who lost their land.

Some people lost their land, but still had some assets to cover travel expenses and start-up capital, so they migrated north to become settlers. However, many more people were so impoverished that they had no chance of turning their lives around and could only sell themselves into slavery to serve the lords like cattle and horses in exchange for a bite to eat to survive.

How many serfs were there in the North? A conservative estimate is over ten million, roughly one in six people was a serf who had signed a contract of servitude. The lives of free people weren't much better. Even without real natural disasters or man-made calamities, a sudden torrential rain could easily shatter thousands of families in an instant.

Dick thought about it. Population was indeed a "resource" that he urgently needed and would need for a long time, but he couldn't trade it in the way these slave traders did.

Soldiers are not serfs, and veterans are the foundation of the army. These old Southern nobles are used to not treating commoners as human beings, but if Dick were to follow their example, the morale and fighting spirit he has painstakingly built up over the years would likely crumble in an instant.

Therefore, Dick firmly rejected these people, but he would consider exchanging serfs for weapons.

Late at night, after the banquet, Dick declined numerous invitations and insisted on returning to his own ship.

As soon as they boarded the ship, they saw a row of more than a dozen people kneeling on the deck, all looking dejected, but they all gritted their teeth and remained silent.

Seeing this, Dick couldn't help but laugh.

"The ecology in the south is really good; there are so many water monkeys in the port."

Dick knew without asking that these were intruders who had tried to board the ship while he was at the banquet. Some might have been sent to conduct reconnaissance, but others were there with sabotage in mind, as could be easily guessed from the numerous flammable materials they carried.

It can only be said that the waters in the South are indeed very deep, and without strength, one really cannot handle them. Don't be fooled by the smiling faces of those nobles at the banquet, who seem both gentlemanly and friendly. They are constantly making underhanded moves. Once they discover that you are not strong enough, they will immediately tear off their hypocritical facade and directly take action to rob you.

Dick knew this very well, which is why he made such a big fuss about personally visiting the South.

If they only send an ordinary chamber of commerce representative, they'll probably be devoured by these local bullies in no time.

Chapter 251: Hanging by a Thread

The next morning, many people who came to the dock to work or do business were attracted by the "strange sight" in the berth and stopped to watch.

On the side of a large paddle steamer flying a flag emblazoned with the wind and frost, a dozen or so large people were hanging like salted fish being dried. All of them had been stripped naked, covered with hoods to conceal their faces, and bound tightly, the way the ropes were tied even somewhat erotically.

The crowd immediately started discussing, asking whose boat it was and who the people tied up were.

Generally speaking, if this is a nobleman enforcing "family law" on a servant who has made a mistake, as long as no one is killed, it is within the scope of imperial law.

Among the crowd, some people looked quite grim and hurriedly left the scene.

At this moment, Dick was doing stretching exercises with Feng Wuxi on the upper deck of the ship. After adjusting his daily routine and strengthening his physical exercise, Dick could clearly feel that his physical fitness was improving day by day. After finishing a set of exercises, Belfast pushed a food cart and brought breakfast, followed by Kelsa and Tartu, two little girls who were not small at all.

Because of their meritorious service in escorting the fleet along the way, and their repeated use of depth charges to drive away large sea monsters that tried to approach, the two female escorts were rewarded and resupplyed. Last night, they went into Dick's room with Belfast and received oral sex until dawn.

It's worth mentioning that last night was Tartu's first time, but she was surprised to find that Kael Saint, who was summoned at the same time as her and always seemed timid and somewhat insecure, was visibly much more experienced than her, and even knew many positions that she didn't know.

This discovery shocked Tartu, who had no idea when her best friend had run away!

How come you're so skilled at this?! How many times have you secretly slept with the Commander?

When the secret was discovered, Keldon could only sit on a lotus throne and confess to his friend the many "crimes" he had committed. It took him more than five minutes to finish his confession, which made Belfast shake her head.

There isn't a single proper nun in the church. You're just taking advantage of the fact that the God of Winter is fast asleep. Otherwise, when divine punishment comes down, no one will be able to escape!

Soon, the other girls on the boat also gathered together to have breakfast. At this time, many caravans arrived at the dock pier, all of them buyers who had gotten up early to pick up their goods.

Perhaps it was the intimidating presence of the string of salted fish hanging on the ship's side that made those who came to pick up the goods generally adopt a humble attitude, paying without haggling and paying very readily.

Sometimes, getting along with others requires a balance of firmness and gentleness.

If you only have a smiling face, people will take advantage of you.

If you only have fists, people will avoid you.

You have to use a smile and a fist the size of a sandbag to earn money standing up!

In fact, simply sending a few exploratory cannon fodder as spies didn't demonstrate Dick's true strength, but it at least showed his attitude. The hoods on those assassins' heads were a gesture of respect he was giving them.

Throughout the morning, people came in droves to pick up their goods. Two-thirds of the weapons brought by the fleet were quickly transported away, while more than forty boxes of gold coins were received, and there were also a large number of additional orders.

Of the remaining equipment, five hundred sets were specifically reserved for the Maws Harbor Guard.

Dick didn't really want to do business with these soldiers who liked to get things for free, but he didn't want to strain his relationship with the local bullies, so he agreed to a barter system, exchanging weapons for food.

The commander of the Imperial Guard immediately patted his chest confidently and said there was no problem.

"You want grain, huh! I'll steal it for you tomorrow!"

"???"

Dick's expression at the time suggested he wanted to say something, but after thinking it over, he didn't say anything.

　While selling goods, Dick also used the cash he received to purchase various daily necessities needed by Laguge from local merchants. Hongyu Zhitong and Ding'an's negotiation skills were beyond doubt. In addition, with the market research done for them in advance by the intelligence department as a reference, their bargaining skills were deadly, leaving all those who tried to raise prices defeated.

According to Ruby Eyes' estimate, the entire procurement process is expected to take about a week to complete. Mousse Port is an important shipping hub in the southern region, so as long as you have money, you can buy almost anything here.

While they were making large-scale purchases, the southern front was temporarily locked in a stalemate.

This wasn't because the Imperial Army had successfully reversed the tide and stabilized the front lines, but rather because the Kingdom's Army needed to rest and regroup, clearly preparing for the next phase of the battle.

During this rare respite, what was the Third Prince doing after fleeing back to the rear?

He's withdrawn!

The Third Prince has clearly lost his composure this time, and has been staying indoors, refusing to see anyone.

In fact, by this time, seventy to eighty thousand defeated soldiers had already fled back to Charles City. Although the Kingdom's army had successively defeated the three armies of the Empire, it had not been able to annihilate them all. Moreover, after several major battles, they were also exhausted and could only let the defeated soldiers flee back to the north.

If the Third Prince can rally his spirits and arrive in Charles City in time to take charge, theoretically he could reorganize these routed soldiers and restore some of their organization and morale. Even if a counterattack fails, at least they could hold Charles City and perhaps hold out until a turning point arrives.

However, there are no "what ifs." The Third Prince did nothing, leaving the Second Eastern Army Corps, still south of the Linzao Basin, in a dilemma. Although they still had some fighting strength, their supplies were running low, and they might not be able to hold out until they captured the kingdom's fortress. Furthermore, the main force of the Twenty-Three Kingdoms Army was resting and regrouping behind them, which gave Reinhard, the army corps commander, a major headache.

To be honest, Dick had previously looked down on his older brother, but after this battle, he couldn't help but look at him with new respect.

Putting aside his other skills, his ability to withstand pressure alone makes one want to give him a thumbs up.

It's truly remarkable that he's managed to persevere this long with almost all of his teammates being terrible.

However, at this time, Reinhardt's actual mental state, as part of the East Second Army Corps at the forefront of the battle, was far less resilient than Dick had imagined.

Reason kept telling him that this battle was basically unwinnable, and he, who had hoped to make a name for himself in this battle, would now become a laughing stock for others to ridicule, and would have to bear the label of "incompetent" for the rest of his life, never able to hold his head up, and destined never to become a war general like his father!

However, what Reinhardt feared most deep down, more than the ridicule of others, was the disappointed look in his own mother's eyes.

From the time Reinhardt was old enough to understand, his mother placed high hopes on him and strictly required him to do everything to the best of his ability, especially not to lose to his other half-brothers!

This expectation is both the driving force for Reinhardt, enabling him to persevere to this day, and a long-term mental burden that has suppressed him, as failure means utter ruin.

So beneath his outward strength, Reinhardt's spirit was actually extremely fragile, and he was praying almost desperately in his heart.

Anyone, please help me!

Chapter 252: "Good Brothers"

The current Second Eastern Army Corps, having merged with some remnants of the First Eastern Army Corps, has a total strength of about 140,000 men. However, after excluding the wounded, baggage train, and the incompetent private armies of the lords of Fira, only slightly more than 40,000 are truly usable combat troops, resulting in a severe decline in overall combat effectiveness.

But what's truly deadly is the dwindling food supplies!

At the start of the war, the four army groups only carried enough rations for a week's consumption, intending to reduce their burden and ensure their marching speed. However, the Kingdom's army did not follow the rules of war and used tunnels to flank and attack Charles City. They captured the city and burned a large amount of military rations that had been stockpiled in advance.

Fortunately, before the fall of Charles City, the first batch of supply convoys had been sent to the front lines, which the Kingdom's army, not wanting to alert the enemy, deliberately let go.

Reinhardt's East Second Legion was the fastest to arrive at the enemy city, so the Third Prince, who had not yet fallen into despair, ordered the transport teams to prioritize supplying the East Second Legion. He even transferred some magic cannon shells from his own West First Legion to send over.

After all, Bailey had always regarded Reinhardt as his trusted right-hand man and intended to let him take the credit; otherwise, he would not have entrusted an entire legion to him for command.

Without this batch of priority supplies, the Second Eastern Army Corps might have run out of food three days ago.

Reinhard realized with dismay that his Second Eastern Army Corps was probably just a piece of meat laid out for the enemy to devour. The reason they weren't in a hurry to eat them was probably to wait until these hundreds of thousands of soldiers were completely starved and had lost their strength and will to fight before taking action.

In recent days, Reinhard had also heard many rumors about the "Guardian Saintess". It was said that she was a brilliant strategist, loved her soldiers like her own children, and was merciful even to her enemies. Many soldiers of the Empire could save their lives as long as they laid down their weapons and surrendered.

When Reinhardt first heard these rumors, he admired his opponent's benevolence, but he quickly realized that these rumors, which were clearly being deliberately spread, would seriously shake the morale of his own troops.

In contrast, the northern regions, facing orcs, did not have this concern.

Reinhardt considered himself a nobleman and soldier with integrity and a sense of honor, so he would never surrender to the enemy, but he couldn't think of a way to escape. This feeling of helplessness and despair tormented his spirit at all times.

Just as he was at his wit's end, a commotion suddenly arose outside the tent. A guard rushed in to report that several mages bearing imperial banners had flown in from the east, requesting an audience with the Legion Commander. The leader of these men was a half-elf youth who presented the Best family crest, claiming to be Reinhardt's brother.

Upon hearing the description, Reinhardt immediately thought of his fifth brother, Dick, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

Why is he here?

Soon, the newcomer was brought to Reinhardt's central army camp. Several Saint-level experts from the Eastern Second Legion were all with Reinhardt. When they saw the newcomer lift the hood of his cloak, Reinhardt immediately became excited.

"Fifth brother!"

"Brother! I heard you're in trouble, so I've come to help."

Dick's words were so sincere and heartfelt that Reinhardt was deeply moved.

Reinhardt was born into the Duke's household, and his biological mother instilled in him from a young age the idea that "brothers are all competitors eyeing the title." Therefore, although the Best family had many children, Reinhardt did not get along with any of them. However, when he encountered danger several times, it was his fifth brother, whom he had always looked down upon, who took the initiative to help him out.

"Fifth brother, you shouldn't have come. I know you have the strength of a Saint-level expert and the ability to take me away from here. But I've made up my mind to stand with my soldiers and I won't abandon them."

Reinhardt's words lacked conviction, but were nonetheless resolute. He knew he wasn't capable enough to turn the tide, but he refused to be a deserter in the face of defeat!

Seeing this, Dick couldn't help but chuckle.

"Brother, I didn't mean for you to desert. I really have a way to help you and your hundreds of thousands of brothers in the army. Trust me."

Upon hearing Dick's words, Reinhardt, who had been looking gloomy, immediately perked up.

Reinhardt had heard about Dick's series of feats in the North and realized that his seemingly harmless little brother was actually very cunning. He had endured for eighteen years at the Duke's mansion, which could be said to have fooled everyone, making them really think that he was just a bookish nerd with some magical talent.

Now everyone knows that the youngest son of the Best family not only has an outrageously strong magical talent, but is also an all-around lord with a multitude of powerful generals under his command, a large number of top talents, and rumor has it that they are all stunning beauties, making others extremely envious.

So even though he was still not entirely convinced, Reinhardt now at least admitted that his younger brother was very capable, and that if he said he could help him, he might actually be able to!

As for why Dick wanted to help him, Reinhardt hadn't thought that much about it. His head was buzzing and he couldn't think about too many things at once.

In fact, Dick deliberately came to the extremely risky front line to help his brother, but his reason for helping was not out of brotherhood. Rather, he planned to hold on to Reinhardt's East 2nd Army Corps on the front line, so that the war could last longer.

Dick was happily selling arms in Mouth Harbor when a letter suddenly arrived from the capital saying that Maple Dew had sent a delegation to negotiate a ceasefire with the Empire.

This shows that the top management of Maple Dew were not blinded by victory; they were still able to make clear and rational judgments and wanted to know when to stop while they were ahead.

After all, the size difference between the two countries is obvious. The Maple Dew leadership is not naive enough to think that just because they won a few battles with ingenious strategies, they really have the ability to wipe out an empire many times larger than themselves in one fell swoop.

Therefore, their troops are currently resting south of Charles City, appearing ready to continue their northward offensive, putting constant pressure on the southern nobles of the empire, but without actually breaking in.

Meanwhile, on the empire's side, the high command is currently hesitant. Hessian VII has directly deposed the monarch, becoming a hands-off ruler, and it's unclear what he's doing all day long, holed up in the deep palace.

In this situation, the southern nobles generally supported a ceasefire because they were genuinely afraid that the opposing kingdom's army would invade and turn their territory into a battlefield.

I have so many pots and jars at home, I really can't bear to part with them.

In light of this, Dick felt he should lend the Empire a hand and show the high-ranking officials in the capital, who harbored a gambler's mentality, that there was still a chance to turn the tide in the war they had initiated.

Therefore, the only unit in the Linzhao Basin that still retains its complete structure and combat capability is the East Second Army Corps, which has become crucial. They cannot afford to fall now!

Chapter 253: Holding Firmly, There's a Way

As the last remaining army corps on the southern front, the Second Eastern Army Corps is now in a critical and awkward situation. If they cannot stand firm, they will be a piece of meat in the kingdom's mouth. But if they can stand firm, they will be a sharp thorn stuck in the throat of the enemy!

The principle is not complicated; even without Dick's explanation, Reinhardt himself understood it.

The most pressing problem now is that they are about to run out of food. Their supply lines have been cut off, and the remaining provisions cannot be delivered. The daily needs of 140,000 people are not a small number. Even if Reinhardt is very frugal, their current food reserves can only last for three to four days at most. If they kill the cavalry's horses, they can last for another two or three days.

And then what? They can't possibly start eating people, can they?

Therefore, in Reinhardt's view, his only chance now is to take advantage of the fact that his legion still has some fighting strength and break through to the rear with all his might, killing as many as he can.

This is indeed a glimmer of hope, but it also requires the courage to make tough decisions.

The kingdom's army blocking their retreat numbered nearly 250,000, and according to intelligence, its core force consisted of the Maple Dew Kingdom's elite 100,000-strong Red Guard, a professional force on par with the Imperial Guard. The remaining 100,000 auxiliary troops were mostly elite private armies recruited by the kingdom's nobles. They were all closely united around the Holy Maiden who protected the nation, a unity that seemed utterly unbelievable to the empire, which was rife with internal factions and constant sabotage.

In fact, when Dick attended aristocratic banquets in the south, he often heard the nobles of the empire shouting and cursing, saying that the Holy Maiden of the Kingdom must be a witch with the ability to bewitch people, otherwise how could those nobles of the Kingdom be so obedient to a woman as if they had lost their minds?

Some of the "shrimp-headed men," based on the rumors that "the saintess is also a beauty," felt that this woman must have "won over" those male nobles of the kingdom with her body, and might even be throwing lavish parties in the military camp every day. These lewd speculations made Dick feel very uncomfortable.

He felt that this bastard was making a veiled attack, but he had no evidence!

In short, Reinhard himself was not confident of a successful breakout. The enemy was superior to the Second Eastern Army Corps in terms of quantity, quality, and morale. If he charged headlong into the enemy, it would be more like courting death than a breakout!

However, Dick then offered him a completely opposite idea—not to break through.

"Not break out? You mean continue attacking the kingdom's fortress and try to break through?"

"No, it's not about attacking. On the way here, I sneaked a look at the kingdom. The fortress there has plenty of soldiers and food, and it will be difficult to break through in a short time. If your four armies could have arrived as planned and your logistics hadn't been cut off, there would still be a chance to fight a siege. But your armies don't have these conditions now, so it's pointless to stubbornly attack the fortress."

"If you don't break through or launch a full-scale attack, what do you mean?"