vstars Chapter 525 How to avoid paying the balance
Chapter 525 How to avoid paying the balance
In the winter of 1461, the biting cold wind, carrying icy snowflakes, mercilessly swept across the city of Rhone.
The lead-gray clouds hung low, as if within reach, and large flakes of snow poured down like broken cotton wool, shrouding the entire city in a dead silence of white.
Between the battlements of the snow-covered city wall, tattered flags and broken shields were hung in a disorderly manner. Inside and outside the city wall, the corpses lying were mostly covered by the new snow, revealing only the broken limbs and dark red bloodstains.
After a long recovery period, Midland and Yoda once again gathered their forces, like two awakened beasts, ready to engage in another bloody battle.
The intensity of the fighting on the front line continued to rise as both sides took turns counterattacking, and the balance of time was now quietly leaning towards Midland.
"Listen carefully! Listen carefully!"
The messenger cavalry galloped on their horses among the mercenary phalanxes. The snow waves raised by their horses' hooves drew long arcs behind them, like a white ribbon dancing in the wind.
He waved the blood-stained flag, and his voice pierced through the howling cold wind, as loud as a bell:
"As soon as the bombardment stops, you will charge forward and hold the fort! Count Rona said that if we take this city, not only will all the commissions be paid immediately, but you will also be allowed to plunder the city for a whole day!"
Deafening cheers broke out in the square. Count Rona, who was standing on the hill, looked at the boiling crowd below with contempt. He was wrapped in a thick sable cloak, and the white breath he exhaled condensed into frost on his eyelashes, like a thin layer of ice shell.
"A bunch of scum who don't know what loyalty is."
He thought to himself.
"It's as if if there's enough money, even one can drag out one's own mother and sell her off."
As the legal heir to the Rona territory, he has never actually set foot on this land.
Ever since the previous Earl of Rhone was defeated in a border conflict, the territory fell into the hands of the enemy.
He grew up in Windham Castle, and his life of luxury made him have no feelings for this scorched earth. This expedition was just a response to the king's order to recruit the eldest sons of nobles to join the army. He sent people to try to evade military service with money, but was directly reprimanded by the king in a letter.
"But now it's a good deal."
He stroked the ruby-inlaid sword at his waist. The ruby on the hilt sparkled alluringly in the sunlight, like a drop of solidified blood.
However, people are not sent out for nothing. The King of Midlan promised that as long as anyone of Midlan noble birth recaptures the city and is approved, he will be directly appointed as a local noble. This has prompted the speculators of noble birth to recruit soldiers and prepare to become real nobles with land and people.
"These days, even the position of lord can be exchanged for a sword, and loyalty has become the least valuable thing."
And this time he did not come empty-handed. Although he had hundreds of soldiers of his own, he also hired several large mercenary groups.
Of course, the most important thing is that he communicated with Count Milo in advance and asked him to introduce the Black Watch mercenary group stationed in his territory. Although in theory the Black Watch mercenary group can only be responsible for public security tasks outside the war zone, but because it is a cross-regional operation and with the guarantee of Count Milo, the local Black Watch mercenary group signed the siege and public security tasks of the Rona City Battle with Count Rona after obtaining approval from above.
At this moment, the artillery officer was riding his horse towards them, his armor covered with ice.
"Your Excellency, the artillery is ready!"
"fire!"
Count Rona whipped up his whip:
"Blow up the wall!"
Amidst the deafening roar, the shells tore through the air and hit the city walls with a sharp whistle.
Rubble and dust flew into the air, black smoke rose from the gap in the city wall, and mercenaries rushed towards the gap like a tide accompanied by the sound of horns.
Count Rona saw through the telescope that the defenders in the city could not even organize an effective resistance. A few Yoda soldiers symbolically shot a few arrows and then fled in all directions.
"Good job!"
He laughed triumphantly, but soon stopped laughing - the mercenaries who rushed into the city didn't bother to chase the remaining enemies, but instead pounced on the shops like sharks smelling blood.
Smoke billowed from several buildings, and flames licked the wooden roofs.
"These damn bandits!"
Count Rona clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.
He should have expected the behavior of this mob, but he did not expect them to be so impatient.
Suddenly, an idea flashed in his mind, and he immediately sent someone to invite the captain of the Black Watch over. When the captain arrived, he pointed at the mercenaries rushing into the city and said righteously:
"Please fulfill the security contract and make all of them retreat outside the city."
The centurion nodded slightly, turned around and made a gesture to the messenger behind him.
A moment later, the sound of uniform footsteps came from the direction of the west gate.
Hundreds of Black Watch soldiers marched into the city, archers and musketeers climbed up the city walls to occupy the commanding heights, and the infantry raised their iron-clad shields to form a wedge formation and advance.
"All mercenaries in the city!"
The centurion's roar pierced through the noise, and the sound was as loud as a bell, echoing over the city.
"Black Watch is entering the city to maintain law and order in accordance with the security contract signed with Count Rona. Please stop looting immediately and evacuate in an orderly manner! Anyone who continues looting will be executed on the spot!"
What responded to him was a series of shouts and curses. The flags of several mercenary groups were looming in the crowd. The drunken soldiers waved the stolen wine jugs and jewelry, looking so crazy that they seemed to have lost their minds.
"Let's grab it for a while longer!"
A mercenary shouted:
"Why should I listen to you?"
A tall, shirtless mercenary walked forward through the crowd, the dagger on his waist still dripping with blood.
He kicked over the burning barrel and said:
"The noble lord himself promised to plunder for a day!"
He ripped open his clothes provocatively, revealing a hideous scar on his chest, which looked like a twisted centipede.
"Want to regret it now? Let him come and tell us himself!"
"I'm sorry, for the safety of our employer, we suggest that Earl Rona stay outside the city. You can go outside the city to communicate with the Earl."
"In that case, it's my fault for being rude. Brothers, continue doing our own things and ignore them. I don't believe that there are thousands of mercenaries in the city. Their team of a thousand men can kill us all!"
Seeing that the other side was not going to leave, the centurion in charge of the call gave a final warning:
"If you continue to be stubborn, I'm sorry, but we will suppress you by force."
After hearing this, the mercenary said arrogantly:
"Hit me if you dare. Come on, hit me on the head. I don't believe that your Black Watch Mercenary Group is as evil as you say, and that you can wipe out all the mercenary groups in the city!"
The mercenary still felt unsatisfied after saying this, and continued:
"If you don't want to fight, then get back to Helderland. I think your country probably made up that nonsense about defeating the Yoda Empire single-handedly..."
"boom!"
Gunshots rang out, and blood suddenly burst out on the tall mercenary's forehead. He fell on his back like a puppet with its strings cut, and immediately became silent.
Blood mixed with brain matter splattered on the snow, forming a glaring blood flow. The tragic scene frightened everyone around.
The centurion on the opposite side raised his flintlock pistol and roared:
"You bunch of shameless and rude fools, I will show you what a real Helderan soldier is right now, fight!"