Cleaning Up the Inside
On the walls of Old Osric Fortress, Friedrich stood leaning against the battlements, his cold gaze sweeping across the city below.
After the initial chaos and shock, Sauron army has regrouped.
Instead of retreating after one setback, they began to systematically cut down trees at a greater distance, build more siege Cloud Ladder and Shield-carts, and even begin to assemble several rather heavy-looking battering rams.
The air was thick with the solemnity and grim atmosphere of an impending great battle.
Clearly, the previous actions had thoroughly enraged the Sauron, and an even more brutal and intense siege was about to erupt.
Without the slightest hesitation, Friedrich, in his capacity as supreme commander, immediately began to swiftly and decisively deploy defenses.
Under his orders, all the officers and soldiers who were loyal to their duties and willing to fight to the death quickly sprang into action and rushed to their respective posts.
The Rolling Stone and Logs were once again carried up the city walls, the Fire oil was heated, and the archers and Musketeers checked the few remaining arrows and ammunition. The people in the city were also organized to urgently repair the defensive facilities damaged in the chaos.
However, before dealing with the imminent external threats, Friedrich knew that he must first thoroughly eliminate internal destabilizing factors and unify the will of everyone!
At this time, General Reynard General Reynard under house arrest in effect. In his name, he urgently summoned all the high-ranking officials and nobles in the castle to the main hall for a meeting.
Soon, everyone gathered together, filled with trepidation and confusion.
When they saw that the person standing in the main seat was not General Reynard, but a strange young knight with a fierce aura and sharp, eagle-like eyes, they all felt a strong sense of unease.
Friedrich cut to the chase, his voice cold and authoritative. "Just now, a letter from the Sauron urging surrender was shot into the city, shaking morale! Even worse, at the previous military conference, they openly advocated surrender, nearly handing over this vital city of the kingdom, and the lives of millions of its inhabitants, to the barbarians! Such actions are no different from treason!"
His gaze, like a cold blade, slowly swept across the faces of everyone present. Many people subconsciously lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Now, I'm giving you a chance," Friedrich's voice suddenly rose, "All those who advocated, seconded, or supported surrender at the meeting, step forward! Otherwise, once identified, you will be charged with treason and executed without mercy!"
The hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop. The air seemed to have frozen. The heavy pressure made it almost impossible for some people to breathe.
In the suffocating silence, several of the most vocal pro-surrender officials turned deathly pale and their legs trembled.
Finally, under Friedrich's piercing gaze, which seemed to see right through people, and amidst the angry stares of some pro-war officers around him, he stepped forward, trembling.
Immediately afterwards, several more people were identified by their colleagues' trembling fingers.
The group consisted of seven people, all of whom were civilian officials in charge of logistics and finance or had close ties with General Reynard, as well as a few cowardly officers.
Friedrich looked at them, his eyes filled with no pity, only cold resolve.
He waved his hand dismissively. "Take it down!"
Soldiers loyal to Friedrich, who had been waiting outside the hall, rushed in and roughly pinned the seven men to the ground and tied them up.
"Lord Friedrich! Spare me!"
"We... we were also thinking of the people of the city!"
"General! General, please save us!"
Cries for mercy and screams immediately filled the air. General Reynard sat to the side, his face ashen, his lips trembling, but he dared not utter a single word.
Friedrich remained unmoved and shouted sternly, "Take him out! Right here in the city gate square, execute him in a public execution for 'treason and disrupting the morale of the army,' and display his head as a warning to others! His head shall be hung in the square for three days as a deterrent!"
"Yes!" the soldiers roared in response, ignoring the people's struggles and cries, and dragged them out of the hall.
Moments later, seven crisp, chilling sounds of blades slicing through neck bones echoed across the central square of the castle, accompanied by suppressed gasps from the onlookers.
This bloody and decisive purge completely shocked everyone in the castle who still harbored illusions or wavered!
Everyone clearly recognized the unwavering determination and unquestionable iron fist that this newly arrived eldest son of the Schmidt family possessed in defending the city!
Any act of questioning or betrayal will be met with the most ruthless suppression!
This move not only completely unified the internal will and eliminated potential surrender dissidents, but also greatly boosted the morale of the pro-war faction, demonstrating to everyone their resolute attitude of sharing life and death with the castle!
After finishing his internal affairs, Friedrich climbed the city wall again, looked at the Sauron siege position that was already taking shape in the distance, and took a deep breath.
The cold air was filled with the smell of blood and burning wood.
The real war has only just begun.
Meanwhile, in Carnford.
Hermod's silent siege of Carnford has lasted for five days.
During these five days, the Sauron did not launch any attacks, and even routine harassment and provocations were rare. They simply stood at a distance, fortifying their camps, as if waiting for something.
This unusual calm, ironically, gave Karl an opportunity.
He never believed in passive defense; if you won't attack me, then I'm going to attack you.
That evening, he summoned Lyon from the cavalry camp to the Lord's Hall.
"Lyon, the Sauron have been quiet for too long. I'm worried they're not getting enough exercise, so I want to find them something to do," Karl said bluntly.
"I've decided to organize a night raid tonight, targeting Hermod's main camp! Disrupt their plans, burn their supplies, and ideally, take out a few officers!"
Upon hearing this, Lyon's eyes immediately gleamed with excitement and a thirst for battle. "My lord! The cavalry platoon is ready! The horses are well-fed, and the swords are sharpened! The days of being passively attacked have left the soldiers with a burning desire to fight back. We've been itching to charge out and have a good slaughter!"
Karl nodded, but said in a serious tone, "But you only have fifty cavalrymen, which is too weak. It's easy to break into the enemy camp, but it's difficult to cause enough chaos and casualties and then retreat unscathed. I need a more impactful force."
He paused, then looked sharply at Lyon: "I've decided to include Thorsten's ' Foreign Legion ' as well. That way, you'll have a hundred elite cavalrymen, whom you'll personally lead, fighting alongside the cavalry platoon to break through!"
"What?" Lyon exclaimed in surprise, almost thinking he had misheard. "My lord! This... this is too risky! Those surrendered soldiers have only been gone for two months! Not to mention the Sauron, who are known for their cunning and fickleness! Let them take up arms and leave the city at night? What if they turn against us in the heat of battle, or simply take advantage of the chaos to run back to their own lines? Wouldn't we be..."
Karl raised his hand to interrupt Lyon, his eyes filled with a gambling-like trust. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Lyon. I want more than just harassment; I want to give Commander Sauron a real beating, to make him remember the name Carnford forever."
"Fifty riders alone won't achieve the effect I want. I trust Thorsten; he's a smart man and knows what choices are most beneficial for him and his men."
"I also believe that the food, shelter, and relatively fair treatment I have provided them over the past month or so will earn them at least one act of loyalty."