"Quick, hurry up! Wipe the inscription on this stone-shooting cannon. The Master Mage said that this big thing must be wiped clean before it can be used!"
"Are the stones ready? The people at the bridge are urging again. The Earl's Mansion has said that the outer wall of the bridge must be repaired today!"
Beyond Northport, the River Dorne.
On the Northport Bridge, the only bridge that crosses the north and south of the Dorne River in the Castel Territory, craftsmen are busy repairing the outer wall of the bridge under the leadership of the mage apprentice.
Beigang Bridge.
As the only bridge across the Donne River across both banks, its role is as important as the Castres Bridge that connects Northport to the mainland.
If the Castel Bridge connecting the north shore of the mainland and North Port is the last line of defense to protect North Port, then the North Port Bridge connecting the north and south of the Dorne River is the only way to determine whether the rebels can continue to move north and to completely cut off the back road of North Port.
At this moment, the city walls on the north and south sides of the Beigang Bridge have been renovated, and craftsmen are busy preparing various defenses.
There is only one purpose, and that is to protect the bridge.
On the tower in the Earl's Palace.
Charlotte stood in front of the railing, looking at the busy North Port shrouded in war, at the warships wandering and patrolling inside and outside the port, at the re-launched stone-shooting cannons on the coastal defense walls and the north bank of the Dorne River. There are many campsites and tents, and I don’t know where my thoughts are wandering.
It wasn't until the sound of familiar footsteps came that she looked away, glanced at the person coming behind her, and chuckled:
"Did another noble surrender?"
Behind him, Viscount Len Castel hesitated for a moment and nodded:
"Yes, Lord Earl, there is news from the south that Boulder-Violet's army has captured the castle fortress closest to North Port. Tomorrow at the latest, I am afraid that the enemy's vanguard will arrive on the banks of the Dorne River."
"Oh? The last castle and fortress also fell? Which family does it belong to?"
Charlotte raised her eyebrows slightly.
Viscount Len-Castle looked a little embarrassed:
"Your Majesty the Earl... is... from our family."
Hearing this, Charlotte turned back and gave him a strange look.
Facing her gaze that seemed to be able to see through everything, the old Viscount suddenly felt his scalp numb and said quickly:
"Your Majesty, the loyalty of our Len Castel..."
"Don't worry, I won't blame you."
Charlotte interrupted the old Viscount.
She turned around and looked at the open plains, hills, criss-crossing water systems and dotted villages and towns in the Castel Territory in the distance, and then said:
"The speed of the fall of the south is a bit beyond my expectation, but it is understandable."
"After all... for a noble family, long-term survival is the most important thing."
"Eggs can never be put in one basket, and no matter how broken the basket is, it is still a spare basket."
Hearing this, Viscount Len Castel's expression became even more embarrassed.
He hesitated and said:
"Lord Earl, no matter what the other members of the family choose, since I have chosen to stand here, I will definitely fight with you until the last moment."
Charlotte glanced at him and nodded:
"I understand. I'm very satisfied that you can help me defend Beigang."
As she spoke, she chuckled again:
"To be honest, compared to those nobles who can only rely on their own armies to fight against their superior lords, I am very lucky to be able to pull up an army of more than 10,000 people."
After hearing Charlotte's words, the old Viscount was speechless for a moment.
And Charlotte did not continue to talk about this somewhat sensitive topic.
The fall of the south was indeed faster than she expected, and this could only be explained by the fact that many nobles did not resist to the death.
But Charlotte didn't have much indignation about this.
No matter how bad the reputation of the third prince was, in front of tens of thousands of troops, those noble territories on the front line had no other choice.
The binding force of feudal lords on their subjects was inherently limited. Compared with the relationship between monarchs and subjects in the Celestial Dynasty, the relationship was more like the relationship between company bosses and employees.
If the nobles could provide her with levies and taxes for the war, or even come to help in person, they had already fulfilled their obligations, and she could not force them all to fight to the death.
If they really want to achieve the latter, they must be those monarchs who have successfully strengthened centralization of power, have super charisma, and gain the enthusiastic admiration and loyalty of the nobles.
Not even Louis V could do this, and not many people in the past lives that Charlotte knew could do it.
"Is there anything else?"
Charlotte glanced at Viscount Len Castel and asked.
The old Viscount hesitated for a moment and said:
"Your Majesty, regarding the North Port Bridge...are you really not considering destroying it?"
"With all due respect, the North Port Bridge connects the north and the south. As long as we destroy it and control the Dorne River, we will be invincible... we can definitely compete with the Third Prince."
Charlotte shook her head:
"We can continue to use it up, but if we destroy the Beigang Bridge, won't our troops be unable to go south?"
The old Viscount was stunned for a moment, and then couldn't help but said:
"You...really plan to counterattack? But our army is too..."
"Wait a minute, are the reinforcements you mentioned true? Isn't it to comfort the nobles of Beigang?!"
Charlotte smiled:
"When did I say the reinforcements were fake?"
"Then, what exactly are the reinforcements you are talking about..."
…
The coalition forces were moving faster than the third prince had imagined.
Or to be more precise, compared to the poor Boulder and the violet forest everywhere, the road conditions in the better-developed Castells are obviously better, so that the army can move much faster.
Facing the overwhelming advantage of the coalition forces, the northern nobles were almost indifferent along the way. Except for some stubborn and overestimating "clowns", most areas failed to stop the army from moving north.
Only ten days had passed, and the mighty army arrived at the banks of the Dorne River.
The third prince Philip rides on the dragon scale horse.
Looking at the North Port Bridge across the Dorne River in the distance, and the North Port that is isolated overseas and has only one bridge connected to the north bank, a hint of greed that he must win flashed deep in his eyes.
The third prince turned around, raised his hand and pointed at the bustling city in the distance, then smiled to his left and right:
"From now on, the surname Castel will no longer be here."
"Notice down, rest for a day, and attack tomorrow!"
…
At the same time, the Roman Principality.
Falling Star Kingdom is located in Milai Port, the largest port on the mainland.
The fast galleys loaded with stone cannons and soldiers were also ready to set sail at any time.
Earl Jurst stood at the bow of the flagship, gently closing his eyes, and then slowly opened them after a long time.
"The time is almost here. Let us notify you. All ships will fly Castel's flag, raise their sails, and prepare to set sail."
He ordered to the vampire beside him.
