The good news was that there was no set deadline for them to go to the Great Plains of Canas. They only had to do it before the fifth month after the rainy season.
The new year had just passed and there was still a long time until the fifth month. That was enough time for Claude to make ample preparations.
It seemed that the higher-ups knew that it wasn't practical for Ranger Battalion to go to the plains. It was January and winter. It was easy to get lost on the plains and there wasn't even a place to hide from the wind.
Compared to the mountains, the flat plains were the coldest place.
February was the time when the snow melted and it wasn't suitable for them to go out. The plains were covered in mud and it was difficult to travel. They couldn't even find a dry place to start a fire. They had to bring firewood with them.
March was the rainy season. It was said that the plains were filled with mud and people and horses would sink into it if they weren't careful.
The earth warmed up in April. Flowers bloomed and the grass grew lush. The herdsmen started herding their cows and goats out to graze. That was the best time to go out.
The bad news was that 1st Ranger Battalion didn't have enough warhorses.
Everyone knew that good mounts were the key to mobility on the plains, but Canas rarely sold warhorses to the outside world. They sold cattle, sheeps, pack horses, furs and so on. Warhorses were strictly controlled resources and could not be sold privately.
Even when they did business with the allies of the anti-Auerian alliance, they only sold warhorses that had been flattened.
It wasn't that the Auerian army didn't capture Canas warhorses on the battlefield, but they were divided among the corps. Those corps all had cavalry units and needed good warhorses.
In the eastern regions of the continent, Canas' warhorses were the best mounts.
Even though Askilin was close to the Great Plains of Canas, it was difficult to buy suitable warhorses in the three southern prefectures.
The people of Canas relied on horses to travel, while those of Askilin relied on carriages.
Therefore, in the three southern counties, there were a lot of healthy horses that could be ridden and pack horses that could be used to pull carts. Captain Skri had gathered a lot of them, but there were not many suitable warhorses.
Warhorses needed to adapt to the roar of cannons, the sound of muskets and the smell of gunpowder. Even if they were ambushed during the march, they would not panic and cause chaos. This was something that healthy horses and pack horses could not do.
1st Ranger Tribe was a field infantry battalion. They didn't have warhorses, but they had plenty of pack horses for transporting supplies.
Claude's unit was equipped with more than ten warhorses. They were spoils of war from the Ranger Tribe when they ambushed enemy scouts. They were now used for scouting and transmitting information.
However, if the entire battalion were to go to the Great Plains of Canas, each soldier would need a warhorse. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to escape even if they couldn't win.
Unlike the other three battalions, these three battalions entered the Great Plains of Canas from the border of Askilin. The terrain there was flat and wide.
If they didn't have mounts, they could form a large caravan. That way, even if they were ambushed by Canas light cavalry, they would be able to use the caravans as cover.
However, the mountain path leading to 1st Ranger Tribe was narrow to begin with. While Claude had the captives repair the path from Squirrel Village to the entrance of the three southern prefectures, it could barely fit a four-wheeled carriage.
However, the path leading from Squirrel Village to the Great Plains of Canas hadn't been repaired yet. Not to mention pulling a carriage, they had to be on edge even when riding on a horse. They were afraid that their legs would give out and they would fall headfirst into the valley beside the path.
The safest way to march was to rely on their own two legs to cross the mountain path …
Mazik, who was promoted to second lieutenant, didn't think much of warhorses. He had ventured deep into the tiger's den last year to scout the exit of the mountain path. Count Leucaid ba Krylaus's territory belonged to a noble of Canas, Count Leucaid ba Krylaus's territory was known as the Green Mountain Range.
As Leucaid ba Krylaus's territory was close to the Green Mountain Range, his people were half farmers and half herders. There were villages, rivers, farms, and forests in his territory. The count even had a huge castle. That was also the main reason he became the marshal of the Canas noble army.
Since Count Leucaid's territory wasn't too different from the three southern prefectures, Mazik didn't think there was a need to worry about collecting warhorses. At the very least, taking the territory wouldn't require 1st Ranger Tribe's mobility.
The villages, farms, and castles wouldn't run away. Claude could take them down one by one and gather warhorses after taking over the fief. He believed it would be much easier than in the three southern prefectures, and he wouldn't even need to spend 1st Ranger Tribe's resources on it.
Claude accepted Mazik's suggestion, but that didn't mean he could just sit around and wait until April.
There were still many things he had to consider. For example, his brigade still had eight light infantry cannons and a company. It was impossible to transport them on the mountain path with horses.
They couldn't go out without cannons. If they encountered a large group of light cavalry coming to attack, the cannonballs fired by these eight cannons would become the safety of their brigade. At least, they could keep the enemy at a distance of a hundred meters, making it impossible for them to get close.
Also, before he could gather enough warhorses to give his brigade enough mobility, Claude would have to have a complete set of equipment that could defend against light cavalry attacks. So, when he sent the supplies he needed to Captain Skri, he followed Ledefonk's advice and didn't ask what the supplies were for. Instead, he helped Claude gather and transport them to Squirrel Village.
Time passed quickly. After the rainy season passed, Claude sent Mazik and the others to scout Count Leucaid's territory at the exit of the mountain path.
However, the results left Claude suspicious. The scouts reported that there wasn't a single person in the territory and they didn't dare to venture too deep into it. They only watched from the exit of the mountain path.
In the middle of the fourth month, battalion headquarters moved to Squirrel Village. Once 1st Ranger Tribe entered the Great Plains of Canas, the place would be taken over by the local garrison.
The 20th of the fourth month was the day Claude and his brigade officially set off for the Great Plains of Canas. Compared to 2nd, 3rd and 4th Ranger Tribes, they were five days behind. It couldn't be helped. The mountain path was difficult to traverse and the transport of supplies took a lot more effort.
The only thing Claude was thankful for was that his lover, Sheerah, was rather obedient and didn't come to see him off.
When she heard that he was going to the Great Plains of Canas and leave Squirrel Village, Sheerah wanted to go with him.
It took Claude quite a bit of persuasion to get her to give up on that idea. What a joke. Everyone was fighting with muskets. If Sheerah were to appear on the battlefield and throw a fireball, both sides would definitely fire at her.
He had to promise that he would return safely and that he would visit her when he had the time. Sheerah also had to wait for her mother's return and study well. In the end, Sheerah finally nodded and agreed to stay in Witch Forest.
Apart from the arduous march on the mountain path, it was also because Claude's brigade was carrying a lot of supplies. Two to three soldiers had to take care of one pack horse.
When they exited the mountain path and entered the plains, Claude found that conquering Count Leucaid's territory was a piece of cake.
Just like a military march, everything along the way fell into his control, be it the villages or the farms or the forest.
Just as Mazik and the others said, there wasn't a single young laborer in sight. Only the old and weak were left in the village. There weren't even any young women to be seen.
Spring was in full bloom in the fourth month. There weren't many people going out to work in the territory. Occasionally, a few elderly people would go out with baskets to pick some wild vegetables to fill their stomachs.
Only when the brigade reached Count Leucaid's castle and the people inside opened the gates to surrender did Claude notice that there were only a few elderly servants in the castle.
He asked the old steward who surrendered, "Where did the rest go?"
The old steward sighed and said, "They're all gone. First, half of the young were taken away by the duchy's compulsory conscription. The other half were gathered by the lord and told to go to the three southern prefectures to rob and make some money. Men and boys in their teens and forties who thought they could still fight on the frontlines followed.
In less than half a month, the lord returned with a few dozen men. It was said that he lost the battle and those who didn't return were either killed or captured.
After the Lord escaped, he packed up all his belongings and brought his family to the North Bay, never to return. He left the old steward here because he was in charge of selling all the real estate in the territory and sending the taxes and properties to the North Bay.
However, the news of their defeat had already spread throughout the Free Lands of the feudal lords. Not only the earl, but the feudal lords who had escaped were also like him. They took their belongings and families and fled to the Northern Gulf, abandoning the territories that they once valued as much as their lives.
None of the young men who had applied for the conscription in this area had returned. Those who could leave had already left this place which was becoming increasingly desolate.
The old steward could only watch helplessly as his once prosperous territory became devoid of human habitation. No one plowed the fields, and no one went to graze the cows and sheep. Everything that could be taken away was taken away by those who left. Even the sound of the shepherd dogs could not be heard anymore.
The territory is heading towards death, the old steward said sadly.
"Where do you mean by the land of the lord's freedom?" Claude asked.
"It's here, the area at the foot of Mount Daqing. There are more than ten territories here. Our count's territory is the largest and he's the leader of the lords.
Without the lord's permission, not even the grand duke's carriage can enter this area.
That's why the lords call this area their territory, "the old steward said proudly, as if he was reminiscing about the glorious days of the lords.
Becoming arrogant as a slave? That's the lord's freedom. What does it have to do with a servant like you?
Claude asked Myjack to bring him a map. "Apart from your lord, all the other lords ran away. Is there no one left?"
"They're all gone …" The old steward sighed. "This area is tainted with the shadow of death. There's no way to escape destruction.
There are only those who left. No one came back.
Young ones, I advise you to leave quickly, or you'll die here too. "
Claude looked at the map and ignored the muddle-headed steward.
What territory heading towards death? It was nothing more than the young men who didn't want to join the army or become bandits in the three southern prefectures, only to be wiped out by him in Squirrel Village. The lords who returned were afraid that the Aueran army would take the opportunity to attack their territory, so they packed their belongings and fled.
Now that there were no young adults in the territory and no lord, the people who were unwilling to wait for their deaths were naturally looking for a way to survive. Now that everyone who could leave had left, it was only natural for the territory to become so desolate. This was nothing strange.
It was no wonder there weren't any more merchants from the grasslands after the victory last year. They were all scared away by the rumors.
No, they weren't scared away. Even if they came to the area, there wouldn't be any business to do. Without the people, the merchants wouldn't come.
"Maud, Dyavid, the two of you take your platoons to the left and right of the count's territory. Search through all the lords' territories in this area. If there's anyone left, bring them back and settle them down here, understood?" Claude said as he pointed at the map.
"Yes, sir." The two saluted and set off.
"Mazik, take your platoon and scout the heart of the grasslands. If you find any herdsmen or nomadic tribes, bring them back. If you're not sure, mark them on the map. Don't let them find you."
"Yes, sir."
Mazik ran out excitedly. Claude's order gave him a lot of freedom to do as he pleased.
If he found any herdsmen's tents along the way, he could capture them and loot them. It was a way to earn some extra income.
"Sergeant Lonster, your infantry platoon will set up defenses on the castle.
Sergeant Rocky, your cannon platoon will unload the eight cannons from the horses and set them up. Find a place to set them up on the castle.
I believe we'll have to stay here for a while, "Claude instructed the other two platoon jarls.
This was an unexpected situation. No one had expected that the nobles would abandon their territory and flee. As a result, they had to hand over a large piece of land at the foot of the Great Green Mountain.
The Great Plains of Canas was huge and the dozen or so territories on the map took up a seventh of the entire area.
Even though Claude's mission was to investigate the strength of Canas' army, there was no reason for him not to take such a great opportunity.
He believed that Skri had the same opinion as him. They had to occupy the area first. After all, it was backed by Mount Daqing and was suitable for farming and herding. It would be the best base for the kingdom to conquer the Great Plains of Canas.
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m.