The hummingbird-like red sandalwood burns slowly, and the bird's eyes sparkle with red sparks. The sun-shaped white jade stove gradually warmed up, exuding wisps of deep fragrance. In the commander's tent, all the generals were thinking about it, their expressions solemn and solemn, as if they were enveloped by divine power.
After hearing Natalie's statement, Shulot nodded with satisfaction. The devout Divine Blessing Legion is an incredibly sharp obsidian dagger. With the support of faith, they can launch fearless and powerful attacks, but they are also easy to break. These blessed warriors have lost thousands of people, and the remaining warriors are still mentally stable and can participate in fierce field battles and sieges.
At this point in the military discussion, the generals in the tent each led an army. After all the reports were completed, they tied their hands and waited on both sides. Only Bertard was injured and recuperating, leaving the longbowmen without a leader for the time being. Shulot personally commanded 500 jaguar warriors, 1,000 longbow guards, and 1,500 royal longbow warriors, totaling 3,000 elites. These elites always follow the Black Wolf's flag and are used with caution. They can be regarded as the marshal's personal troops.
The young commander looked around and saw that the current situation of every unit of the Northern Army of Mexico was clear. Afterwards, he concentrated on thinking and silently calculated the overall strength and provisions.
The Northern Wooden Fortress is crossed out along with the Ottopan Legion. The Hekou Fortress has 5,500 warriors guarding the city and nearly 5,000 naval troops. Huayamo Fortress gathers the main force of the Northern Army, with 12,000 warriors capable of fighting, 8,000 spear corps, as well as longbow hunters, Otomi militia, various dog descendants, and Tarasco troops, a total of 1 More than 12,000 militiamen.
Based on this calculation, there are more than 30,000 troops on the Huayamo front line, of which 20,000 are trustworthy elites!
The logistics of the army came from the mouth of the northern river. The food was first transported by water to the southernmost bank of Lake Quiceo, and then transferred on land. The entire grain road journey takes about four days, which is not a long time. The legion successively captured two key fortresses and captured a large amount of food from the Tarascans. Now, the food stocks on the front line can feed 30,000 people for two months. The dry season will last for three more months, so the food loss in the fortress is not large, and the amount of food stored is also within a safe range!
Thinking of this, Shulot opened the curtain of the big tent. In the fresh long wind, he looked towards the south again, with burning desire in his eyes and fierce pride in his chest.
"The royal capital of Tarasco, the prosperous Qincongcan City, is more than a hundred miles away in the south! I want to move the army south, surround the enemy's capital, and cut off the food routes of the royal army of Tarasco! One battle will decide the world. , Generals, do you have any objections?!"
Hearing this, Toltec was the first to come out and shouted loudly.
"Your Highness, I, the black wolf Toltec, am willing to be the vanguard of the army!"
Natalie took a step slower and responded with the same solemnity.
"Praise the Lord God and die for God! The Divine Blessing Legion is willing to be the vanguard!"
Barda opened his mouth, but remembered that His Highness arranged for him to garrison the fortress. He paused for a moment and then whispered.
"Your Highness, the royal warriors are the most elite, and Barda is willing to be the vanguard!"
Shulot laughed loudly. He waited for a moment, but the call for battle ended there, and the three most trusted generals remained silent. The young commander looked back. The teacher Orosh looked worried, the veteran Etalik touched his chin, and the monkey Kuruka's eyes flickered. The three of them were thinking about something at the same time.
After a while, Orosh, who had the closest relationship and the most special status, spoke first.
"Your Highness, as the army moves south, how many people will be left behind at Huayamo Fortress?"
Shulot had a plan and said with a smile.
"Two to three thousand warriors and three to four thousand militiamen are enough to defend it!"
"The Chapala Army is in Sacapu State, which is only a week away from here. They have 30,000 soldiers, and it is estimated that one-third of them are warriors who can fight. If they attack with a whole army, surround the fortress and cut off our army's food routes, they will What should I do?”
Orosh asked worriedly.
"He must attack! If the 30,000-strong Chapala Army hides in Sacapu State and defends it, the army will really be unable to do anything to them for a while... I will leave a new type of wooden structure in the Huayamo Fortress. Artillery, assist in defense. As long as they come and attack the fortress, I will lead the army back and completely defeat them in one fell swoop!"
"What if they remain cautious and just send troops to harass and continuously attack our food roads?"
"The fortress's food route only lasts a few days, so we can try our best to maintain it. The Royal Tarasco Legion in the south has more people and less food! They are fighting with the main force of the Southern Army of the Alliance. The battle area is already a white field, and their logistics relies entirely on the lake area. Supply. As long as the food route at Patzquali is cut off for one to two months, the Tarascan army in the south will inevitably collapse without a fight! By then, the main force of the southern alliance will break through the strong fortress group in one fell swoop, and the Tarascans will There will no longer be any danger to defend, and the world will be settled from now on!"
Shulote has everything he needs to know. He has been thinking about it for a long time, this is the fastest plan! Qincongcan's fortified city was difficult to dismount, but the defenders were unable to fight. As long as the siege is not attacked, and the food transportation of Patzcuari dozens of miles to the southeast is cut off...before April, the two western expedition armies can meet in the royal capital of Tarasco for the final siege!
Hearing this, Orosh was speechless for a moment. Etalik, who had been silent for a long time, slowly opened his mouth and asked in a deep voice.
"Your Highness, if King Suangua of Tarasco abandons the southern fortress and directly leads his army back, what will happen to our army?"
Shulot laughed. He said with a smile.
"Then we will wait for him on his way back and intercept his return! At that time, the Royal Tarasco Army will retreat in a hurry, with the pursuing Southern Mexica Army behind and the blocking Northern Mexica Army in front. Let his whole army be wiped out in one battle!"
Then, the young commander sighed with some yearning.
"If we can capture the king of Tarasco, we may be able to surrender the city of Qincongcan and rule the world without a fight! The prosperous Patzcuaro Lake District is in decline. If everything goes well, we can still make up for this year's spring farming!"
Hearing His Highness's emotion, Monkey Kuruka raised his head and stared at His Highness's sincere face, with a bright light shining in his eyes. Veteran Etalik paused for a moment. He looked around at the generals around him, his eyes becoming solemn. Then, he spoke softly.
"Your Highness is merciful! But, Your Highness, what if the Confederate Army does not appear in time? What if we are the only ones to face the returning Royal Tarasco Army? What if the Chapala Army from the northwest also arrives at this time?... At that time, the Northern Army went deep alone, with reinforcements hundreds of miles away. There were the Royal Tarasco Army in front of us, and the Chapala reinforcements behind us. We were the ones who were destroyed in the first battle!"
Hearing this, Shulot was stunned for a moment. He looked at the veteran Etalik. The loyal Holy City warrior lowered his head and saluted, lying on the ground in solemn silence.
The young commander stood quietly, comprehending the veteran's unfinished thoughts. At this moment, the passion in his chest had not been extinguished, but he felt a little cold. Just like a cold bath in winter, it suddenly pours on the body, alternating between hot and cold in an instant, making people feel melancholy.
Barda thought for a while before reacting suddenly. His eyes widened and he shouted in disbelief.
"His Royal Highness is a branch of the royal family, the king's nephew, the king's son-in-law, and the heir to the alliance! His Highness has a long-standing reputation and a virtuous name. He was victorious all the way to the Western Expedition and was even more famous. All the warriors were convinced! The war-savvy king personally If the Confederate Army is in charge, they will definitely pursue the enemy in time, and they will come to the rescue all night long, so how can they allow the Northern Army to be surrounded?!"
Shulot's face was expressionless and he didn't speak. He looked at Natalie from the Divine Blessing Legion and stared at the opponent's right hand on his neck.
Witnessing this scene before him, the young captain of the Otomi Army flashed his eyes thoughtfully. With the trust of His Highness, he would step ahead of the poet Páramo and step into the top decision-making level of the Mexican Alliance. Then, his eyes met His Highness's cold gaze, and he suddenly felt cold.
Then, Natalie was blessed with a sudden inspiration. He finally let go of the sun amulet in his hand, put his hands on the ground, and lowered his forehead to the ground, paying allegiance to His Royal Highness in the traditional way of the Otomi people.
"Your Highness, Natalie of Hilotepec pledges allegiance to you! Fight for the gods and die for you!"
Natalie said earnestly. On his young face, piety and sincerity blended together, like a twining vine, looking for the sacred tree on which everything could be placed.
Shulot looked at the other person's face, stood silent for a moment, and nodded slowly.
"Natalie, under the witness of the Lord God, I accept your allegiance and promise you a bright future!"
Then, he took a step forward, calmly pulled out the obsidian dagger from his waist, and swung it towards Natalie who was lying on the ground. Then, he cut off half of the other person's hair, threw it into the bonfire in the corner, and then slowly lifted the other person up. The burnt smell spreads in the air, mixing with the distant sandalwood, creating an inexplicable solemnity.
There was silence in the big tent for a while. The generals also silently watched, watching the two people in the center until the sudden allegiance ceremony was completely over.
Barda remained silent. Only then did the monkey Kuruka speak up, changing the subject.
"When marching and fighting, it is difficult to determine what happens. The military situation is often changing, and it is difficult to coordinate the march on time. If the Royal Tarasco army leaves a rear warrior to die, it can indeed rely on the last fortress to hinder the south. The march speed of the legion. After capturing the fortress, the southern legion may need to rest, or may not have enough food to advance... Your Highness, our army went south to besiege the city in an attempt to win a quick victory, but it is a bit risky after all!"
"Spring plowing starts in May. We can first organize civilians and militia, distribute food seeds, and resume farming in the controlled area. These actions to resume farming, no matter how effective they are, will definitely unite the hearts of the civilians in Tarasco. Just like His Highness just said Mentioned, draw them to our side and become our friends!”
Hearing this, Shulot's expression softened and he nodded. He smiled slightly, looked at the monkey Kuruka, and admired deeply.
"Monkey, you are indeed smart!"
Afterwards, the young commander fell into deep thought. He recalled the admonitions of the generals and re-evaluated the development of the situation and the responses of all parties. After a while, he made up his mind and spoke loudly.
"What the generals said makes sense! Since a quick victory is hard to come by, the army must be cautious. Food on the frontline must be hoarded as much as possible, the warriors must recharge their batteries, and the number of militiamen must be reduced! Dispatch the remaining four thousand Otomi militiamen and station them there Go to the river mouth fortress and come under the command of the deputy marshal!"
If victory cannot be achieved quickly, the fortress at the mouth of the river must be defended cautiously. There are currently only the royal warriors of Turro and the noble private soldiers of the western city-states in the fortress. Shulot then handed over the Otomi militia to his father as a force directly under him to strengthen the defense of the fortress. This will reduce food consumption on the front line on the one hand, and maintain the balance of forces in the river mouth fortress on the other.
"Deploy Ezpan's five thousand Tarasco troops to surrender, go to the river mouth fortress and Huayamo, and station on the spot. Order him to clean up the noble estates in various places, collect food and supplies, and command to maintain the order of governance in the controlled area! He is allowed to promote auxiliary peace officers from local civilians, and the list needs to be reviewed by the deputy marshal of the Bayou Fortress!"
After thinking for a moment, Shulot ordered again. Tarasco's troops were on the front line, and there were always some hidden dangers. Since there is no rush to go south for the time being, the surrender troops will be transferred to the rear to further clean up the area and increase their loyalty. After nearly 10,000 militiamen leave, the food pressure on the front line can be greatly reduced. The elite warrior corps will also be more flexible and can march quickly and travel hundreds of miles away.
"Send hundreds of Jaguar warriors to spy on the movements of the Northwestern Chapala Army at any time! Determine their specific proportion of warriors, possible march routes, and find a suitable location for an ambush! Let Anatri leave half of the navy to ensure that they Around the Quetzeo Lake area, the warrior army can be mobilized quickly!"
After calming down, Shulot's target shifted from the royal capital in the south and the royal army further south to the Chapala reinforcements in the northwest. This regiment has a size of 30,000. It is the last field regiment in the north of Tarasco and the biggest threat to the Northern Army's rear path. He thought for a moment and continued to order.
"Contact the dispatched northern caravan and continue to encourage the Guamar canine descendants to go south and invade the Chapala Lake area! I will provide them with a new batch of supplies. Next, they will mobilize all their forces. The larger the canine intrusion, the better. ! Send an envoy again to take a detour from the dog descendants in the north to contact the northern tribe of Tekos and inform them that the main army in the lake area has left and the local Tarasco people are at their weakest! The Mexica Alliance is willing Form an alliance with them and divide the Lake Chapala region equally!"
Then, Shulot put his hands behind his back and stared at the vast south. There is the plain of the Lake District, which stretches as far as the eye can see and is easy to march. Until Sitacuaro in the southeast, there are rolling hills and mountains.
The young man thought for a moment and decided again.
"Even if the army cannot go south and completely cut off the food supply of King Tarasco's army, it cannot make their food routes smooth! Toltec, replenish your troops as soon as possible, and then lead the longbow militia south to raid the food outside Patzquali transportation!"
"Yes, Your Highness! Black Wolf Toltec will never let the Wolf King down!"
After getting the opportunity to lead the expedition alone, Toltec was in high spirits, with excitement on his face and boiling with murderous intent.
"Hei Lang, you mainly focus on harassment, don't fight to the death, pay attention to reconnaissance! I will allocate you another hundred elite jaguars, keep in touch with Huayamo at any time! If there are any signs of the powerful enemy troops dispatching, hurry up. Report to me quickly. If the royal army from the south is really detected, harass it once, roughly determine the strength of the troops, and then evacuate quickly. Don’t be obsessed with fighting!"
"Do your will!"
Toltec's expression became serious, he bowed his head deeply and made a solemn promise.
Shulot reached out and patted the black wolf on the shoulder. Then, he looked around at everyone solemnly and gave orders loudly.
"The rest of the warriors in the army should rest patiently, recharge their batteries, and wait for the fighter plane to arrive!"
All the generals bowed their heads at the same time and agreed with a loud voice!
