The past month on the surface seed calm and stable, but underneath, it was fraught with turbulence. Under the suppression of tens of thousands of Royal Army soldiers, the southern nobility, after a painful struggle, ultimately had no choice but to comply with the reforms. They relinquished their lands and populations, taking only a few hundred of their direct kin to garrison the north side of the Lerma River. With the arrival of the Priesthood from the Capital City, the population of over two hundred thousand in Zicao County was being systematically registered and established in military settlents, gradually becoming directly subordinate to the Kingdom. The Tekos Tribe from the southwest would also be dealt with during the southern campaign.
At the beginning of January, the Imperial Guard Legion, seven thousand strong, spent a tranquil New Year in Zicao City, also known as Kulamo City. The King himself held the New Year sacrificial rites, summoned the newly appointed priests from the Capital City, and also pacified the purged Jingji Legion. Then, the fourth batch of five thousand rebels set off. By now, all twenty thousand rebels had embarked on the road to serfdom in the north. The Crow Family was the first among the southern hereditary nobility to head north for the reforms, followed by a dozen other families.
At the sa ti, Black Wolf ventured deep into the southwestern mountains, losing contact with the Kingdom Legion. Ezpan, after leaving three thousand n in Apa City, continued to follow the Royal Decree westward. He took over the five thousand Guajili Legion troops left by Black Wolf, commanded nearly ten thousand warriors, and pursued the retreating Tekos Allied Forces day and night.
In early January, Xiulote set out from Zicao City, escorted by a seven thousand-strong Imperial Guard Legion, heading two hundred leagues westward with forty bronze cannons. The southern nobility en route willingly relocated northward, and the two noble families who dared to resist had their wooden forts demolished by Divine Eagle Cannons in a single day, with all male mbers of the families executed!
In the latter part of the month, the black banner of the Wolf King reached Apa City. The Imperial Guard Legion encamped in the recently constructed siege camp. Over the following days, the Imperial Guard Legion fully deployed, blockading all passages outside of Apa City. Then, ten Divine Eagle Cannons were set up south of the city, bombarding South City for days on end. Today is the second day of February, which is also the fifth day of the cannon bombardnt.
Three days ago, the Royal Army organized a tentative offensive to test the siege effectiveness of the Rain God Tiger Squat Cannons. The hundreds of bodies from both sides beneath the city walls were left over from that attack.
Under the protection of the shield guards of the Heavy Armor warriors, the gunners pushed dozens of Tiger Squat Cannons within fifty paces of the city walls. Subsequently, the Royal Army Archers suppressed the archers at the top of the wall while the Tiger Squat Cannons bombarded the top of Apa City, managing to fire three volleys.
The Tiger Squat Cannons, being extrely light scatter-shot cannons, had their power greatly diminished when lobbing shots at six-ter-high stone walls. The scattered stone balls could only manage to injure so militia in plain clothes and could not break through the shields on the ramparts. Instead, the thunderous roar from dozens of cannons firing simultaneously had a trendous psychological impact on the Defending Army. The militia of South City, panicked, shouting the nas of deities, scattered twice toward the city below, only to be forced back to their positions by the palm-ard warriors who were supervising the battle.
The morale of the Defending Army was still strong, and a forceful attack would not only have been a waste of warriors but also have reduced the population gained after victory. Xiulote watched for a mont before halting the attack. Afterwards, the ten Divine Eagle Cannons continued their slow bombardnt, creating psychological pressure on the defenders while experinting with cannon tactics, all the way until today.
"Boom!... Boom!... Boom!..."
In the thundering sound of the Divine Eagle Cannons, Xiulote returned to the main siege camp. He sat cross-legged in the Royal Tent, smiling as he said to Bertade,
"May the Chief Divine bless us! According to the holy calendar of the Alliance, today is the last day of the month of Ehecatl, also known as the Jaguar day (Ocelotl)."
"The holy wind spins in the sky, creating disorder and chaos. The old order dissolves in the divine wind, and new rules gestate amidst chaos. And in the storm of death, unpredictable changes are imminent, vitality flows within the wind of death! The brave Jaguar symbolizes exceptional combat, warriors willingly sacrifice their lives to keep the fla of the sun burning forever!..."
"May the Chief Divine bless us! Praise Him, who bestows divinity on the storm, courage on the Jaguar!"
Hearing the sacred chronology, Bertade respectfully saluted. He then cautiously asked,
"So, Your Highness, in the eyes of the sacred priesthood, what does it also predict?"
"Eh, it signifies that..."
Xiulote pondered for a mont, thought of Black Wolf wherever he might be, and smiled confidently,
"It signifies that good news is soon to co!"
Black Wolf would not let down, the King thought to himself, without saying it aloud.
"Praise the Chief Divine, divine protection unto Your Highness! The southern campaign will surely be a grand victory!"
Upon hearing this, Bertade replied with a smile. He never doubted the complete success of the southern campaign.
Xiulote nodded without saying more. He spread out the map of the south, browsing through reports from different regions, planning the post-campaign arrangents.
Ti silently passed, and the sun slanted slightly to the west. Several red-haired Hunters with bamboo baskets dyed red, carrying red flags, appeared from the plains to the west. In just a couple of quarters, the red-haired Hunters had sprinted close by. They cast an awed glance at the roaring bronze beasts spewing stone projectiles, then under the guidance of Imperial Guard Warriors, passed through several checkpoints to wait outside the Royal Tent in the camp.
"Your Highness, Miwa, the vice general of the Red Frog Battle Group, has co from the southwestern mountains, bringing news of victory!"
The Tekos Shield Guard reported back with joy in his deanor. Bertade appeared surprised, looking reverently at the prescient Highness.
"Ah? Good news? Excellent, let Miwa co in."
Xiulote lifted his head, startled and then burst into joyful laughter. He rembered the stubborn red-haired trusted aide who was once eager to strike the enemy at night, so rash that he even risked his own life in the process.
Red-haired trusted aide Miwa imdiately entered the tent, bringing several bamboo baskets, and knelt down ten steps away. All his weapons had been removed, and even his fingernails had been inspected. On each side of him was a trusted aide ard with an axe watching over him.
User Comments
0 comments from readers