That night, the burning city hall seemed to have turned into a death vortex with no return; no matter how many people rushed in, they could never come out to report the news. So much so that when the west gate of the city was opened and invaded by unknown armed men who raided it from inside and outside.
From the stations at other city gates, temporary messengers who came one after another to ask for help and look for their superiors also disappeared in the town hall one after another. Until daybreak, the city lost command and each fought against the Lombard army. The last resistance force also laid down its weapons in despair.
Only then did someone re-enter the city hall, and found dozens of corpses of various soldiers who reported messages and asked for help lying dead between the foyer and the pillars; almost all of them were killed at the moment when they had no defense or backhand. Killed on the spot. Afterwards, dozens of trucks were used to transport the bodies.
As for the initiator of all this, the middle and upper levels of the Free Army have maintained a rare and unanimous silence; only some ordinary soldiers are left with far-fetched conjectures and rumors that cannot withstand scrutiny.
When the flag with a blue background and a smiling golden sun was fluttering at the top of the spire of Rudel Cathedral and Our Lady of the Rosary, the highest point in Liefron City, there were finally soldiers and civilians hiding behind the doors and windows who were watching carefully, speaking with local accents. The soldiers took turns to shout and took to the streets in twos and threes.
The most ragged poor people in the shanty towns began to receive the food rations that were publicly distributed in small squares on the streets, just in case. Then some relatively neatly dressed civilians also came up Come and line up for freshly made bean soup and rusks.
In the end, even some of the originally well-to-do and wealthy classes put on hand-woven and embroidered underwear and shabby clothes that didn't fit well, and secretly joined the queue to receive food; because during the occupation of the Lombards, not only did the Lombards plunder them several times, The rations of the soldiers and the people were obtained.
Through various black market reselling operations under the connivance of Officer Lombard, the savings and wealth of citizens from all walks of life were harvested back and forth several times. Therefore, even the once prosperous/wealthy families had to suffer from hunger.
Therefore, under the psychological gap between one and the other, most people in the middle and lower classes can easily tilt towards the victors who are now subjects of the kingdom and even fellow locals in terms of psychological expectations; and they cheer and cheer. Call it the Liberator/Restoration Army.
Under such circumstances, even if there were a few dissident voices who did not agree with this, or were secretly disappointed, they had no choice but to be forced by the situation and join the light and dust in the clamor of victory. So, after three days of food rations were distributed, things changed again.
However, it was the Free Army that began to register the personal identities and family circumstances of citizens who came to receive food in various small squares in the city. The corresponding explanation and reason were also very simple. In order to rebuild household registrations that had been disrupted by the invaders, and to prevent people from taking risks. Fraud in receiving or receiving too much food;
Immediately afterwards, the priests and nuns who had been hiding in the city were also summoned again; public services and requiem masses were held for the victims; scholars were also summoned and hired for a fee, public facilities in the city were renovated and restored, and those who had fled were recalled Low-level officials and employees.
Next, Jiang Tian will collect books from various cities and recruit talents with various specialties to form a larger municipal/civilian team with fine division of labor; establish a stable officer corps and non-commissioned officer selection system, and set up an enlightenment program for joining the army Night schools, and short-term accelerated reading and writing schools.
Later, Jiang Tian also unexpectedly obtained the second prisoner with sufficient status and value; yes, it was the son of Prince Aurelian of the Western Empire royal family, the heir of Feyus. He was playing in the water in the bathroom upstairs, relying on the protection and isolation of the bath to survive.
In this case, there would be evidence for the Western Empire to negotiate and demand ransom. In the provincial capital with more developed transportation, Jiang Tian once again obtained more sources of information. For example, in the area surrounding today's Delong Province, there are actually more than a dozen armed forces of various sizes.
Among them are the bandits who have established themselves on the mountain, and the remnant army of the kingdom that has occupied the place; there are the rural regiments organized by local nobles and gentry, and there are also the republican citizen volunteers and the liberal rural self-defense groups in the pre-National Convention period; there are even invasions autonomous armed forces supported by activists.
Although they are all under the banner of local autonomy and self-preservation, they are appointed by the foreign invaders who occupy the local area and are armed and trained by them. Armed with agents and puppets.
Therefore, in the future, these autonomous armed forces supported by foreign invading forces will become the priority targets and key targets of the Free Army/Guerrilla Corps; and then use this to deter and warn those who dare to cooperate with the invading forces; and then use this to contact with other forces.
To decide whether to fight or make peace, whether to attack or annex; whether to temporarily coexist and form alliances, or whether to prioritize their eradication. In fact, after the Free Army captured the provincial capital and took control of the Livron Valley, it achieved a geographical situation in which it could advance, attack, retreat and defend.
Next, as long as we recapture the river mouth castle - Saint-Marcelane, which is located in the northern part of Romang County and is located in the Filier Hills area, it will be equivalent to intercepting the northern Italian/Siro coalition forces headed by the Principality of Verona on the outskirts of Lyon in disguise. The main force comes from the local retreat and food routes.
Yes, the army of the Northern Italian princes that invaded the Kingdom of Sealand this time is called a coalition of fourteen armies; in fact, it is mainly composed of the Principality of Milan, the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Principality of Lombard and the Principality of Verona; the others are invited Come, follow the existence of picking up bargains and fighting with the wind.
Romance
These four armies also represent the most powerful princes/vassals in Northern Italy within the current Western Empire. Among them, the Kingdom of Sardinia invaded by sea and has nothing to do with the Free Army for the time being; while the Principality of Milan has already moved westward, deep into the provinces of Gard and Arsdale.
The two remaining armies of the Lombard Kingdom can be ignored after they were successively destroyed in the Delong Province. Therefore, the biggest threat and enemy of the new Free Army at the moment is undoubtedly the 30,000 coalition forces led by the Principality of Verona in the provinces of Inzer and Rhone in the north.
In fact, according to the news and records obtained in the provincial capital, the Saint-Marcelin Castle is not only in disrepair, but also has been neglected for a long time. Therefore, in the face of the invading foreign army, the old, weak, sick and severely undermanned guards , scrambled to escape without resistance at all.
Therefore, on the map of the kingdom obtained by the province, before the news has spread, the problem of capturing this river mouth castle is not too big, but how to deal with the counterattack of the North Italian/Siro coalition forces next is a big problem. . So Jiang Tian also gradually developed a new idea.
Since it may not be possible to defend it, then it is better not to defend it; leave this stronghold temporarily so that the invading army from the north can think that their rear is relatively safe. Then appropriately create a siege and sneak attack posture to attract the foreign coalition forces from the north to come to support; and annihilate their effective forces one by one.
How could the so-called guerrilla army not even know how to fight guerrilla warfare? Next, Jiang Tian planned to organize the strong local men who had surrendered to the army. After simple training and arming, a few sergeants and veterans would lead the team to their hometowns occupied by the invading army.
Relying on the familiar countryside, we launched targeted attacks and sabotage operations against foreign invading forces and their agents; we actively avoided garrisons in towns and cities, killed messengers and patrols, punished traitors who bullied others, and intercepted transportation. team and collection team.
In this way, the maintenance and logistics support costs of the invading army in the rear of a foreign country can be increased to the greatest extent with a small effort and price; at least, for people of this era, guerrilla warfare is still a brand new thing, so it needs to be carefully prepared Planning and arranging...
Jiang Tian thought about it slowly and returned to his temporary residence; however, looking at the empty large bed curtains and the pillar frame with angels and flowers, he couldn't help but feel a little regretful. Because Paulina, the adjutant, and Marlena, her bedmate, were still on their way.
Just when Jiang Tian wanted to sleep alone again, there was a gentle knock on the door. Following his casual response, someone suddenly pushed the door in, and a light and thin footsteps finally stopped beside the bed where he was lying with his head in his arms. Jiang Tian couldn't help but open his eyes and take a look.
But it was Miss Flanders who had been rescued from the city hall before, and she quietly appeared in the room. And shyly and tremblingly, she turned her back to Jiang Tian, took off her dress with a noisy string, and slowly turned around, covering her chest, to show him.
"Why?" Jiang Tian suddenly spoke; the girl who had gathered her courage couldn't help but tremble. She covered her body again with tears streaming down her face and curled up. She cried and laughed miserably and said: "Because, I am no longer the best person." Jie exists, and she is even regarded as the intruder’s mistress..."
"If I can't prove myself, I'm afraid there won't be any future for me." The girl looked at Jiang Tian with tears streaming down her face, stood up again and said, "Fortunately, I seem to still have someone like you. As a benefactor and creditor, I humbly beg for your mercy..."
But when the girl who had changed her clothes left the room, she could not hide her resentment; because this powerful man did not take away her most precious thing at all; he just used it as a reason to grow up. She held it in her arms and studied it for most of the night.
But because of this night, her position and identity as the lover of a powerful man was confirmed in disguise. Next, it depends on how she uses and exerts this position to create a value of at least 100,000 Ecu for that gentleman. and benefits.
