Chapter 937 (1/2)
Eboden, the city of wealth and wisdom, the Northern Pearl of the Empire.
Compared with Loren's last visit, the city is still densely populated, mixed with good and bad people, turbulent and full of opportunities.
The only difference is that this ”opportunity” has become slightly different from the past.
”After that turmoil, the Trident mercenary regiment... Yes, the one you killed, and several other mercenary regiments attached to the Bellini family were all finished; the three surviving mercenaries took over their soldiers and camps.”
Looking at eboden city getting closer and closer in the distance, the tavern owner Locke, who had just mixed in by virtue of being an ”old acquaintance of Duke Byrne”, glanced at Lauren, who looked a little bad, and said cautiously:
”Poisonous snake, black blade and silver blood - three mercenaries, strong and well-equipped, control eboden's private black market transactions; after losing Bellini, a big family that can control them, they have completely become an almost semi independent force in the city.”
”Although the collapse of the ocean fleet made them lose an important financial source and the number of people was much smaller, the total force was still nearly 20000, which should not be underestimated!”
”If I remember correctly, there should be an imperial heavy infantry regiment stationed in eboden, no less than 5000 people.” Eckert, the count of angry castle, frowned:
”Moreover, the eboden freedom Council should also have 3000 patrols and 5000 elite urban defense forces - even if they are less than mercenaries, how can they control the urban defense so easily and even be coerced?”
Looking at the solemn count of Eckert, the tavern owner shook his head in tears and laughter: ”this noble master, eboden's army is different from Byrne's glorious knights.”
”The three thousand patrols will not say, that is, the furnishings for the civilians and the little nobles. Bullying the rogue gangs is OK, and there is no way to fight at all; the five thousand urban defense army is the only capital in the hands of the freedom Council, loyal to more than a dozen chambers of Commerce and families, large and small, all over the city, and can not be mobilized under the order of the consul.”
”As for the imperial Legion... Hey hey, if the Legion had not been transferred back to the imperial capital by the military minister last month, how could these mercenaries dare to make trouble and boldly control the walls and fortresses?”
Speaking of this, even the tavern owner couldn't help sighing: ”so now I heard that eboden was going to war soon, and the civilians and nobles in the city ran out like crazy; now there was a gap in the Commission promised by the freedom Council to the mercenaries, and the three mercenaries who had complained immediately mutinied!”
”In addition to several city walls and important fortresses, they also occupied the port, business district and city gate, set up road cards everywhere, blackmail shops that have not yet escaped and people who want to escape - I also paid a lot of money when I went out!”
Speaking of this, the tavern owner, who was still frightened, immediately gnawed his teeth; If there was an eboden mercenary in front of him, he might be able to jump directly and strangle the man alive.
The cold black haired wizard didn't say anything and suddenly raised his right hand behind him; The roaring Byrne Knights stopped like a moving wall.
Ahead, eboden.
Looking at Lauren, who was always silent, and the solemn Byrne knights on both sides behind him, the tavern owner shrunk his neck and suddenly had a bad hunch.
In the distance, there was a commotion under the eboden city wall. The mercenaries who blocked the city gate obviously noticed the movement outside the city, and the rapid sound of horn and shouting kept ringing.
Before long, the panicked mercenaries had formed a dense square formation in front of the city gate, but they did not immediately close the city gate. Instead, they kept waving flags in the direction of Byrne's army array and sent a cavalry (delivering the dead ghost) holding a swallow tail flag to this side.
Squinting his eyes, the cold black haired wizard snorted and smiled.
”Eckert, order the whole army to prepare for the charge and wait for my order.” glancing at the cavalry who came to negotiate, Loren looked at the two people behind him expressionless: ”Lucian, let the demon hunters sneak into the city start, take the city fortress and don't let them close the city gate!”
”Yes, Lord Loren!”
”Yes, Duke.”
Huh?!
The tavern owner looked surprised.
No, no, no... no, no, no, how could this happen?
”Lord Loren!” the tavern owner couldn't help exclaiming, ”you... Don't you really intend to kill them all and seize the city gate by such fierce means?”
The black haired wizard looked back and looked at him strangely.
”They occupied the city gate of eboden and openly opposed the free Parliament of eboden and the imperial army. They are already rebels.” Loren asked coldly, ”in addition to war, is there a second way for the Empire to deal with the rebels?”
”But you...”
Just as the tavern owner wanted to say ”you are not such a person”, he suddenly remembered the fate of the gangs and Trident mercenary Corps in the gutter lane, as well as the Bellini family who broke down and destroyed the family in the turmoil. He immediately chose to shut up.
The Duke may not be a complete villain, but he has absolutely nothing to do with the word ”kindness”.
No longer looking at his dark haired wizard, he turned his eyes indifferently to the cavalry who came to negotiate.
”The noble master from afar, the silver blood mercenary regiment says hello to you!” the mercenary turns over and dismounts with a flattering smile on his face. He looks up at Lauren with a respectful look: ”excuse me, what can I do for you?”
Lauren's mouth flashed a sneer.
According to the tavern owner, the mercenaries rebelled after corona returned to eboden; In other words, they know who they are and know they will come from the beginning.
In that case, the purpose of the other party not to confront the free parliament in the city, but to prepare so many troops to control the city gate and fortress in the city is very clear - the mercenaries are going to use their own army and city as bargaining chips to make up their mind to make a profit from themselves and the Empire!
The mercenaries may not know that the Azores are coming, but they know that eboden is very important to the Empire, and the 20000 professional mercenaries in their hands are also very important to the Empire.
So they intend to sit down and negotiate with the Empire.
But Loren didn't have the leisure to talk nonsense with them.
”I am the Lord of Turin, Duke Byrne.” the black haired wizard stared at the negotiating mercenaries and looked at each other's hair: ”take over eboden at the order of Conrad I, the supreme emperor of the 13th generation of the Empire.”
”Tell the scum under the gate to get out of the way immediately, hand over the gate key, disarm all, withdraw from all fortresses, lay down their weapons and stand by... The empire can show her kindness.”
”Otherwise, I will personally 'help' you disarm.”
When the mercenary was surprised, he had some pale cheeks and couldn't see much blood.
”Duke and Duke really like talking and laughing. How can they need your help.” he swallowed his saliva and forced a smile on his stiff face: ”of course we dare not obey your order; just...”
He deliberately dragged a long tone, provoked his eyes to look at Lauren, and waited for him to ask ”why”; But the cold black haired wizard was still motionless, still looking at him like a dead man.
”But we were in arrears with a large commission, and were asked to stay in eboden and fight the goddamn Azores...”