ebookslot Chapter 1180 - 1113: The End of the Dawn Island War (Double-Length Chapter)
Chapter 1180 - 1113: The End of the Dawn Island War (Double-Length Chapter)
Meanwhile.In a reed field about ten miles from the crossroads, Jeanne was holding her horse on the hillside, watching and waiting.
The cavalry she sent out to scout had been gone for half an hour, yet there was still no news.
Based on the last report, those pursuing reinforcements seemed to have stopped.
This time, Jeanne deliberately used herself as bait, and they actually did not fall for it?
The air was filled with a sense of anxiety for some time.
On the clearing in the forest on the other side of the reed field, three hundred Knights of the Defensive Army were resting with their horses.
The horses were impatiently pawing at the ground, not understanding why they abruptly stopped after running so joyfully.
As for the knights, they appeared solemn, either smoking pipes or drinking water, chatting quietly.
This operation was the result of negotiations between Jeanne and the oligarchs of the five-city council on Dawn Island.
Should this battle fail, all the mercenaries would have to be withdrawn.
With military power in non-insiders' hands, the oligarchs were still uneasy.
"I said this plan was far-fetched from the start!"
A rough, hoarse voice suddenly emerged from among the cavalry below the hillside; it was a middle-aged man in a silk vest.
City Councilor Grading.
According to the city council, he was sent as a councilor accompanying the troops to reward them, but in reality, he was monitoring them.
Grading was irritably grabbing his hair, unable to stop complaining: "The Leia people aren't fools; having just suffered a fiery setback at Hot Wind Mountain, how could they fall for an ambush again?
The ambushing soldiers have been waiting since last night, even if they encounter the enemy, they likely have no fighting spirit left!
I'll propose a reduction in forces when we return; this has been a waste of resources, better to bring the troops back to guard the city!"
"Reduce forces?" Tula abruptly turned around, the plaster on his brow pushed up by furrowed brows, "Having troops under the Saintess is to sustain them; having them with you councilors is also to sustain them, what's the difference?"
"Of course, there is; you insist on daily training, how much extra resources does that consume?"
"Chairwoman Joan trains them in marching and firearm skills so they can survive on the battlefield, yet in your mouth, it's a waste of resources?"
Feeling the strange gazes from the surrounding cavalry, Grading's face flushed red, but he stubbornly retorted: "We're really out of money! With daily training over here, just bread and sausages consume half the city's reserves.
In our hands, at least they can be flexibly allocated, like to guard the tax posts and earn more taxes!"
"In your hands?" Tula sneered, reaching out to grab the collar of Grading's vest, "I see you're afraid the soldiers will follow the Saintess loyally, cutting off your streams of income!"
"Don't accuse me falsely, I'm warning you!"
"What poverty are you pretending? I know you're a bunch of rich men, yet you'd rather let resources rot in the warehouse than let a bit trickle through for the civilians, stingy misers."
Grading, struggling to breathe from being grabbed, pleaded: "That's not how you say it... We're also considering the big picture for Dawn Island; we can't win the battle and lose the money, then who'll rebuild Dawn Island..."
"Spare me..."
Below the hill, the argument intensified until Michelle couldn't stand it anymore: "Stop arguing, bickering shows no promise!"
Seeing Michelle speak up, the two finally calmed down a bit and crouched to rest.
Yet they still cursed under their breaths, unwilling to yield.
"Councillor Joan, have those sent out to scout not returned?" Michelle anxiously dismounted, chasing to Jeanne's side to whisper, "If Bilet doesn't pursue, our efforts have been in vain."
Jeanne didn't speak, merely gazing toward the crossroads, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the copper studs on the saddle.
She was actually not entirely confident.
Puzilio's caution, or rather cowardice, she was well aware of; if Bilet truly listened to his orders, this ambush plan would be an absolute failure.
However, from the Holy Alliance's command department, there was a kind hand extended to offer Jeanne a small aid.
Now, it all depended on whether the chess piece Cheka, embedded in the enemy troops, could play its role.
The bet was on Bilet's sense of revenge and vanity.
Kennard's tragic death was an enormous disgrace to the Mabola family.
And as a direct younger brother, Bilet was unlikely to miss this chance to reclaim legacy, restore honor, and seize military merits all in one stroke.
As she pondered, Jeanne suddenly spotted a striking shade of red on the lush green grassland far away.
Many others saw it too, promptly standing up, awaiting the returned message.
The horse hooves raised a billowing cloud of dust, the scouting cavalry had returned, and even before approaching they shouted: "The Leia people are here! The Leia people are pursuing!"
"What?!" Tula and Grading jumped up simultaneously.
In the initial shock, their eyes collectively turned to Jeanne, Chairwoman Joan.
As soon as Bilet stepped into the trap, with Jeanne's skills there was no possibility of defeat.
Jeanne abruptly sat upright, pulling the war flag from the tree beside her.
The flagpole thudded heavily into the ground, the falling leaves and pebbles around it jumping up.
Turning her horse around, her voice was clear and indomitable: "Ladies and gentlemen, the victory of the Dawn Island war is before us!"
The knights echoed her, grabbing their reins and mounting their horses amid a chorus of clinks and clatters.
Naturally, Grading, with a lowered head, mounted his horse, muttering: "Stupid Bilet, cowardly Puzilio!"
"What are you mumbling?" Tula happened to pass by, sneering, "Far-fetched, huh?"
Grading's ears turned slightly red, but he turned his head away: "I won't argue with you."
"Humph, lackey of the oligarchs!"