Lurans had already been preparing for bed, but he never expected sothing so significant to happen in the middle of the night.
He leaned against the headboard, holding the plea for aid sent by Coren. His expression was as placid as still water, as if this were a common occurrence.
The letter was certainly genuine. The Knight Commander wrote several letters a year, so Lurans had long since beco familiar with his handwriting. Moreover, the markings on the ssage Bird proved it couldn’t be a forgery.
"Hmm."
He sighed and looked at Wiggin, who was sitting in a nearby chair. "What is your plan?"
Wiggin explained the idea he had just co up with.
"I plan to issue a summons to war to the other nobles, gather troops to reinforce Giant Stone City, and retake Chishan Town."
Wiggin declared ambitiously, "If we get the chance, we could even retake Casier Town and push even further south!"
"Oh, and Father."
He glanced at Ronin and said, "I cannot go to the front lines for this campaign, so I intend for Ronin to represent the Wushan Clan and serve as the Commander of this operation."
Upon hearing this, Lurans’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He then looked toward Toru and Kabil, who were also in the room.
"What are your thoughts?"
The two n exchanged a glance, and Kabil spoke first.
"Marquis, the Polante Thief Gang’s sudden attack and subsequent rout of the Fifth Knight Order is sowhat strange. I suggest we imdiately write to Coren and have him provide a clear account of the battle so that we may formulate a suitable response."
He paused for a mont before continuing, "Regardless, the Wushan Territory must teach the enemy a harsh lesson this ti!"
Toru nodded in agreent. "My Lord, I share Kabil’s view. If we don’t teach the Polante Thief Gang a lesson, they will continue to expand northward."
Lurans gave a slight nod.
The only way to avoid this war would be for Wushan Castle to proactively sign a truce with the Polante Thief Gang and relinquish Chishan Town.
But if they were to do that, what would the lords of all ranks under them think of Wushan Castle?
To sue for peace without even fighting—and with rabble like a Thief Gang, no less—would be a complete loss of dignity.
This war was unavoidable.
"Write a letter to Coren at once. Have him clearly explain the battle situation and whether the enemy intends to press on and attack Giant Stone City."
Lurans gave the order, "As for the rest, proceed according to Wiggin’s wishes."
With that, he waved his hand, dismissing them. "Ronin, you stay behind."
Wiggin, Kabil, and the others rose and left the bedroom. As they departed, they each cast a silent glance at Ronin, wondering what the Marquis wanted to discuss with him.
Outside the bedroom, Wiggin began giving orders.
First, he had the liaison officer, Carolina, write a letter to be sent overnight by ssage Bird to Giant Stone City to inquire about the current situation.
Next, he ordered Toru to dispatch several Knight Squads from the First Knight Order as an advance force to support Coren, preventing the remaining half of his Knight Order from collapsing under pressure and eting with disaster.
Furthermore, since they had decided to go on the offensive, the supplies previously sent to support Chishan Town would certainly be insufficient. The Civil Servant and the Finance Officer were to coordinate personnel and prepare more provisions as quickly as possible.
anwhile, Wiggin himself consulted with Kabil to draft the summons to war.
Over the years, in the face of wars initiated by the Black Gold Brotherhood and the Polante Thief Gang, Wiggin had proven inept at battlefield command, but his efforts in preliminary mobilization were still comndable.
Watching the busy figures depart, Bretton clenched his fists. It was a sha he was too weak; otherwise, he too could have gone to the battlefield.
"Mother, will Brother Ronin agree to go to the battlefield?"
Dianey glanced back at Lurans’s room. "Perhaps he will?"
She only knew that Lurans held Ronin in high regard. If he was concerned for the young man’s safety, he might not agree to let him go to the front lines.
Inside the bedroom, only Lurans and Ronin remained.
"Wiggin proposed that you represent the Wushan Clan as the Commander for this war. What are your thoughts on the matter?"
Ronin had been pondering this very question.
The lords of all ranks in the Wushan Territory would be expected to answer Wiggin’s call to war unless they had a valid reason not to. Even if they didn’t send Knights and soldiers, they would contribute funds, grain, and other supplies.
As the Viscount of Wubei Territory, Ronin was among them.
"Although the Wubei Territory is still in the early stages of reconstruction, as a mber of the Wushan Clan, I will still contribute as much as I am able."
Ronin continued, "However, the position of Commander is sothing I must consider carefully. After all, I’ve never been on a battlefield and lack experience. If I were to command blindly, I fear I would bring disaster upon our forces."
Lurans nodded.
While there was no direct monetary reward for being the Commander of the Alliance Army, the position ca with many benefits.
For one, simply leading a victorious campaign would earn one considerable renown.
The larger the campaign, the greater the renown.
Renown was a valuable asset, especially for a new Lord like Ronin, whose territory was still in its infancy. A far-reaching reputation could help him attract more talented people and increase the unity of his domain.
"That you can recognize your own shortcomings and not be blinded by the desire for power, I find that very gratifying."
The Marquis recalled the ti he had appointed Wiggin to command the battle to exterminate the rebellious forces within their territory. The equally inexperienced Wiggin had not been so modest.
As a result, that battle was fraught with complications, allowing those rebels to escape into the northern Forest Land, which eventually led to the formation of the Wilderness Tribe.
"In truth, I would rather you not participate in this battle. Or, if you must, serving as a Transport Officer in the rear would be sufficient."
Perhaps it was because he was getting old, or perhaps it was because he subconsciously associated Ronin with his eldest son.
Gres, in whom he had placed such high hopes, had died on the battlefield. He did not want Ronin to follow the sa disastrous path.
Lurans said, "The battlefield is a perilous place, and the composition of the Polante Thief Gang is rather complex. You must be extra careful when dealing with them."
The words "composition is complex" caught Ronin’s attention.
’How could a force that the Wushan Territory had supposedly wiped out recover so quickly?’
"Grandfather, are you saying soone is backing the Polante Thief Gang?"
Ronin voiced the suspicion in his heart directly: "Is it the Count of Moonlight Valley?"
Lurans was sowhat surprised. He hadn’t expected Ronin to make that connection, and he couldn’t help but feel even more gratified.
"You are far more perceptive than your father. He has clashed with the Polante Thief Gang several tis and never once considered this possibility."
His tone shifted. "However, it is only my speculation. We currently have no conclusive evidence to prove it."
Such matters, naturally, must be handled with secrecy.
Openly supporting a Thief Gang to invade another noble’s territory is forbidden by the Kingdom’s laws. If Wushan Castle were to find conclusive proof and report it to the Royal Capital, even if Jesus is His Majesty’s own brother, he would have to be prepared to be held accountable and face sanctions.
"Then is Villa the one propping up the Black Gold Brotherhood?"
Lurans was silent for a mont, then finally spoke slowly after a long pause. "Perhaps."
It seed Lurans was well aware of the true nature of these two forces. He was simply in his twilight years and no longer had the energy to deal with them.
Although the two border regions were in a state of turmoil, the majority of the Wushan Territory remained peaceful, a situation Lurans could accept.
’Just treat the southeast and southwest as a training ground. We’ll play along with them for now.’
’The only question is, with this aggressive attack, does the Polante Thief Gang rely intend to occupy Chishan Town, or do they have a grander sche in mind?’
Lurans gathered his thoughts. "If you don’t want to go to the battlefield, I will arrange for you to be in charge of logistics. If you want to go to the very front and be baptized by the fires of war, then as the representative of the Wushan Clan, you will naturally be the Commander. However, I will arrange for people to assist you."
"There will be so ti between the mobilization and your departure. Go back and consider it carefully."
Although a worthy heir to the family needed to be tested by the fires of war, Lurans was in no hurry.
To him, Chishan Town could be lost. Even the Giant Stone Territory could be abandoned. As long as the majority of the Wushan Territory remained at peace, it was acceptable.
Both Ronin and Bretton now possessed extraordinary potential—especially Ronin, who was both ticulous in his thinking and powerful in his own right.
As long as the Wushan Clan was given so ti for them to grow, these lost territories would eventually be reclaid.
However, Lurans left the final choice in all of this to Ronin, allowing him to choose the path he wished to walk.
"I will consider it carefully."
With that, Ronin stood up and left the bedroom.
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