pertwk Chapter 183 Gastó roared once...
Chapter 183 Gastó roared once...
Chapter 114 Gasto roared...
"What?!"
Gastos roared and lunged forward to grab the messenger.
"You're lying! You're lying!"
"My lord, I am not lying, it is true! Broken Spear City and Broken Spear River Ferry are already under our control!" the messenger said, somewhat aggrieved.
Family, does anyone understand? There really is a governor here! He's clinging to us and won't let go. I don't know if he's lost his mind!
"The White Legion successfully raided and routed the enemy garrisoned upstream by Valantis! They killed 120 enemy heavy cavalry, annihilated and routed a portion of the Tiger Robe Army, destroyed four war elephants, and captured countless battle flags!"
"The White Army—will soon return to Lisbon!"
"Whoosh—!!!"
After a brief silence, the council chamber exploded like a pond tossed with a boulder!
Exclamations, whispers, incredulous questions, and ecstatic cheers instantly filled the hall.
"We won! We really won!"
"Yes, we won! The enemy was defeated, we've won!"
"Jules—the Keeper of His Promises!" Jules truly accomplished a tremendous feat!
Then, people seemed to think of Lisanro Roja, Lisanro's son, who had acted with Jules, and his formidable lightning regiment.
All eyes turned to Lisangzhuo Luojia!
A hint of undisguised surprise flashed across Lisangzhuo's face, which had been calm and composed just moments before.
He tapped his fingers on the table almost imperceptibly.
His son, Lisanro, the once dissolute young man who only knew how to hunt and feast, actually achieved such a crucial victory on the battlefield of blood and fire, together with Jules the Keeper of the Faith!
But this was quickly replaced by a deep, complex expression that mixed pride and relief.
Besides being happy for his son, he also had another calculation in mind:
This good news is not the end of the political struggle, but the beginning of it!
In peacetime, people can only seize supreme power through contracts, marriage alliances, and other means.
Assassination, violently burning down warehouses, and instigating riots are all acts that cross the line.
Although there are special "Shadow Wars", they are few and far between.
However, during wartime, there is only one way to gain political power: through military merit!
After the Battle of Stone Raven, Lisangzhuo successfully won over a large number of governors with his undeniable military achievements, which made him invincible in winning over allies and negotiating.
Governor Réga Hein took a deep breath and announced to all the governors, "The upstream ford of Broken Spear City—that's one of the possible escape routes for the Valantis! Controlling it is like driving a thorn in the side of the main Valantis force! Lord Lisandro, this move by the White Legion is not just a victory, it's a brilliant strategic move!"
The governor, who had just been denouncing the losses and demanding a withdrawal, turned red and white in turns. He opened his mouth, but found that all his previous accusations of "utter defeat" and "waste of money" seemed so pale and inappropriate in the face of this sudden victory.
Victory, especially the kind of victory achieved by defeating a larger force and seizing strategic points, is the hardest currency in the political arena.
As for Gastos, his face looked as if he had swallowed a fly; it was extremely unpleasant.
He knew that Lisanro had succeeded completely, and he, along with the First Governor of Bambaro above him, should prepare to face Lisanro's fierce counterattack.
Essos is different from Westeros. Here, once a sword is drawn, the enemy will definitely respond. Political struggles are a matter of life and death, completely different from the occasional warmth among nobles in Westeros.
The other governors quickly exchanged glances, their minds racing with calculations.
The shadow of war seemed to have been torn open, casting a glimmer of hope.
The colonies in the disputed territory may suffer heavy losses, but if this turns the tide of the war and gives it a new lease on life, if the Valantis can be forced back or even severely damaged, then the future distribution of spoils and the post-war landscape will change dramatically.
Everything has a chance to be renegotiated and seized again!
It's truly teeming with life, and everything is thriving!
The Lightning Legion and the White Legion decided to retreat.
But before leaving, Tiberius decided to do something.
"Uncle Lisanro, I need your help to forge an order from the capital, ordering those scum mercenary groups to stay here," Tiberius said.
"They won't obey our orders, Tiberius," Lisanro shook his head.
"They were a bunch of desperados, undisciplined fighters."
Finally, after several battles, Risangro realized that discipline was more important than martial arts skills.
"Yes, so I'll give them a little something extra—I think it's good to hand over this relatively wealthy city to them." Tiberius pointed to the city outside.
"Although it's not a large place, it still houses a lot of wealthy merchants and nobles. We've only made them bleed money these past few days; they definitely still have money left. As for those mercenary groups, they're just being suppressed by our discipline. Once we leave, they can do whatever they want."
"So, you're planning to use this city as—bait?"
"Yes, not just for the mercenary group, but also for the Valantis Legion that may come later: to catch up with us, they must first seize the Broken Spear River crossing! And to seize the Broken Spear River crossing—"
"We need to crush those scumbags like we're killing bedbugs! But killing bedbugs takes time! Time! That's more precious to us than gold!"
Next, Jules found the mercenary leaders and tossed them a carefully crafted "order" and a worthless token: "Gentlemen! The situation is urgent! Our main force is engaged in fierce fighting with the Valantis downstream and urgently needs support! You are hereby ordered to hold this fortress, continue to mop up the remaining enemy, and ensure the safety of our flank! At the same time, immediately dispatch messengers southward along the river to find our garrison at the crossing, convey the battle situation, and request instructions and support!"
The men around Jules, their faces beaming with "serving the country" and "unwavering loyalty," gave these scoundrels a "leisurely job," while placing a heavy responsibility on themselves.
Sure enough, this lie gave them a seemingly important task (an excuse to hold their ground and loot a second time) and pointed to a seemingly reasonable "way out" (to find allies to the south).
The mercenary leaders, blinded by victory and looting, had no suspicions and even thought they had landed a cushy job. Jules and his men, on the other hand, were a bunch of pathetic fools who happily agreed and prepared to continue making their fortune in Broken Spear City.
"This city is in trouble." Lisangluo looked out the window and saw a mercenary soldier snatching a large bundle of silk from a silk shop, while the shop owner behind him could only smile apologetically and said worriedly.
"If we don't leave, we'll be the ones in trouble!" Tiberius said, sorting through the map without looking up.
"Instead of watching a show, why don't you help me organize maps and data!"
At the command, the "Guardians" Legion and the "Lightning Legion" began to operate efficiently, like wound-up machines.
Unlike the previous "requisitioning," this time it was preparation for fleeing for one's life, and it was more hasty and pragmatic.
Tiberius and Jules ordered the search and redemption of all four-legged animals that could be found—warhorses, packhorses, mules,
Even donkeys!
The gold and silver coins they had just plundered were spent like water, forcibly purchased or "requisitioned" from other mercenary groups that were still in a daze, and even from local residents, to speed up the march by any livestock that could speed up the march.
Meanwhile, the soldiers frantically collected everything that could float along the river—boats, fishing boats, ferries, and even skewered makeshift wooden rafts.
Jules and Tiberius, taking advantage of the darkness of night and the twilight before dawn, led their assembled and lightly equipped troops, drove the livestock carrying supplies, pushed the boats and rafts, and set off without hesitation to begin their forced crossing.
[Alright, you idiots and scum, make your fortune in the city!] Tippi smiled slightly at some of the people "guarding" this place, but inwardly he sneered.
[Use the brutal pleasure that follows to buy your lives!]