allonlinenovel Chapter 448 March
Chapter 448 March
Snowflakes were floating from the sky, and the fluttering snowflakes were like white butterflies dancing in the air.
Compared to the winter of 1457, the snow in January 1458 was much lighter, and the breeze blew gently, bringing a little chill and freshness. John's army was marching on the road leading to the imperial capital, the team stretched like a dragon, and the dust raised was faintly visible in the winter sun.
In the carriage with John's coffin, there was a solemn and tense atmosphere. The gorgeous decorations on the coffin looked a little lonely against the backdrop of snowflakes, and John, who had "resurrected" inside, was sitting around a simple wooden table with a group of centurions, carefully looking at the map that had just been snatched from Yoda Town and discussing the next route.
"If we keep following this road, we will probably reach the imperial capital in the spring."
John's voice echoed in the small space. As he spoke, he pointed with a branch to the road on the map that led from south to north to the imperial capital. His face was covered with flour, just like the silver powder on the face of a dead person.
The centurions around nodded one after another, their eyes flickering with thought. One of the centurions frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said:
"Lord John, I am a little worried. There is a possibility that Yoda's army may attack while we are on the march."
His words immediately resonated with the other centurions, and everyone started whispering and discussing.
"After all, in the territories we passed through, although the nobles gathered the local residents in the castles and watched us passing by without any attack, but according to the information we got before, there are still 200,000 standing troops in the Yoda Empire, which makes us have to be on guard."
Another centurion spoke up, his tone filled with worry and vigilance.
John nodded slightly, his flour-covered face showing a hint of solemnity. He had previously checked the system map and had seen several character models chasing his army.
"Yeah, it can't be taken lightly."
John said slowly.
"But I also found some favorable factors. These Yoda troops are very slow, and many of them are separated. This provides opportunities for our actions."
After thinking for a moment, John looked at everyone and suggested:
"The infantry will continue to march towards the imperial capital, maintaining the pace and formation of the advance, and not letting the enemy see our flaws. The cavalry and artillery will be divided into several teams to harass the surrounding Yoda troops. We must disperse them as much as possible, so that we can affect the advance of Yoda's follow-up troops and buy us more time."
A thousand-man captain narrowed his eyes slightly, thought for a moment and said:
"Sir, this is a good suggestion. But after the cavalry and artillery are dispersed, how can we ensure their coordinated operations? If they encounter a sudden attack by the enemy, it will cause chaos."
John continued:
"This requires us to make good deployments in advance. We need to clarify the tasks and goals of each team and determine the signals and methods of communication. Once a situation arises, we can quickly keep in touch and support each other. At the same time, we can also take advantage of the terrain and weather to catch the enemy off guard."
Another captain continued:
But, Sir John, if the infantry continues to advance, how can they prepare for a sudden attack? We can't let them be isolated and helpless without the main force to cover them, right? "
John nodded and said:
"This is indeed a problem. We can leave some cavalry as backup, patrolling and guarding a certain distance around the infantry phalanx. Once the enemy's movements are discovered, they can provide timely support. In addition, the army itself must also strengthen its vigilance."
……
On a vast land, a Yoda army of several hundred people was marching southwards. The troops were neat but tense, and the soldiers were hurrying, raising dust along the way. The sun shone on them, reflecting their slightly tired and malnourished faces.
A young soldier was running and panting heavily. He frowned and asked the sergeant beside him in a slightly childish voice:
"Sergeant, didn't the captain tell us to farm peacefully? Now he wants us to go back to the barracks and not pay the money we owe him for half a year, and he wants us to go on a mission. Who are we going to fight?"
"Who are you going to hit? You said you are going to hit the Midlanders."
Shi Chang panted and answered impatiently, continuing to run forward with big strides.
"Mitrans, aren't they in the west? Why do we have to go to the south?"
The soldier's eyes widened, his face full of confusion.
The captain turned around and said helplessly:
"How would I know? But it is said that this Midland army is very ruthless. They captured several towns within a week. It seems that they want to avenge their nobles."
"So do you think the captain will give us money after this fight?"
There was a glimmer of expectation in the soldiers' eyes. After all, they had been feeling uneasy because of the money they owed for half a year.
The commander smiled bitterly and shook his head:
"It's hard to say. He has been drawing a salary without doing anything for a long time. Anyway, he will follow me when the time comes."
At this time, low discussions were still heard from time to time in the team, and everyone was full of doubts about this sudden mission.
At this moment, a cavalryman heard someone talking in the team and shouted:
"Stop arguing and focus on your journey, or I'll whip you!"
His voice echoed in the team, as if injecting a dose of sedative into the silent marching team, thus suppressing the voices in the team.
The group continued on their way, and the team became much quieter. Everyone's face was filled with tension and worry, after all, they didn't know what was waiting for them ahead.
After a while, the soldier heard a sudden commotion in the team ahead, accompanied by shouting.
"Stand where you are!"
The scolding broke the previous calm.
After the whole team stopped, the soldier looked at the squad leader and found that the squad leader was sweating and holding the spear tightly with both hands. His eyes were fixed on the front, revealing a hint of alertness.
"It looks like the enemy has been spotted."
The sergeant said casually, and then said to the soldiers behind him:
"Follow me for a while, don't rush ahead!"
He was well aware of the cruelty of war and did not want these new recruits from his hometown to encounter danger at the front.
Just then, a cavalryman galloped past them, shouting as he rode:
"A large number of enemy cavalry are heading our way. Everyone check your weapons and equipment. Follow the captain and charge forward. Kill a Midlane and you'll get a gold coin!"
The cavalry's words ignited a bit of fighting spirit in the soldiers' hearts. After all, gold coins were a huge attraction for these soldiers who had been in arrears for a long time. The soldiers stopped and checked their weapons.
After a short while, the sound of a horn suddenly came from the front, and that sound was like the horn of war, stimulating everyone's nerves. Then the team in front rushed up the hill, and the whole team immediately ran everywhere, and the squad leader followed with his soldiers.
The sergeant looked at the troops rushing forward and felt uneasy. But he knew he had no way out and could only lead the soldiers to move forward.
As soon as he climbed over the hill, the captain's vision suddenly became clear, and the White Wolf Knights in the distance appeared before him. Those knights were agile and had fierce murderous intent in their eyes. They lined up neatly in front, but did not charge, as if they were waiting for something.
The sergeant looked around and suddenly, he keenly noticed several cannons aimed at them.
"Not good, retreat!"
The sergeant let out a roar and immediately retreated, completely ignoring the cavalrymen next to him who were about to whip him.
Just as the sergeant was leading the soldiers to retreat, a loud noise was heard in the distance. Cannonballs rained down on the Yoda soldiers, and the huge roar seemed to shatter the entire earth.
The shells exploded in the ranks of the soldiers, raising a cloud of dust. Some soldiers were hit by shells before they even had time to react. For a moment, the ground was covered with blood and the soldiers screamed one after another.
"Run! Run!"
The soldiers fled backwards one after another, and the originally charging team instantly turned into a chaotic rout. Some soldiers were directly penetrated by shells, while others were so frightened that they lost their souls and ran backwards desperately.
After one round of shelling, there was nothing left on the entire hill except a dozen corpses of Yoda soldiers.