Unknown Knight

Just as the whole territory was mobilizing vigorously to prepare for Aix to send troops to rescue the father-in-law's family, a piece of news that shocked the whole territory came:

The Kugit Khanate is gathering its army in the city of Aichmor, preparing to attack the city of Kudan again!

This news surprised Aix, and soon after, Robin Hood of Lerag Castle sent someone to report that the number of Kugit scouts nearby had increased significantly recently, and there was a tendency for them to launch an invasion.

Aix quickly stopped the plan of sending troops to occupy Cheze City. He didn't want his home to be robbed again because of the internal emptiness.

In order to cope with this sudden situation, a series of troop deployments were initiated.

He first sent messengers to notify the three garrisons of the Hammer of Justice, asking them to transfer all the main forces back to Tangquan Fortress except for a small number of garrisons.

He then sent Desevi to lead fifty infantrymen and thirty archers with a large amount of military supplies to support Fort Lerag, and took over the command of the fort and garrisoned there.

Then he sent Ran Hu to lead fifty light cavalry to garrison in Schulersburg and take over the command of the fort, ready to gather most of the garrison here at any time to support the garrison of Lelag Fort.

At the same time, Aix also ordered Bandak to gather all eligible citizens for a two-week intensive military training so that they could serve as militia to defend the city at critical moments.

The remaining measures included mobilization and propaganda led by Niza, preparation of military supplies led by Atiman, preparation of healing medicines led by James, large-scale procurement of food supplies led by Manid, etc., and a series of corresponding measures began to be implemented.

Aix also listened to Bandak's advice and selected 300 prisoners with good performance as reinforcements, giving them the same treatment as soldiers.

They were promised that if they killed or captured one enemy on the battlefield, the sentences of medium-level criminals would be waived and they would enjoy the treatment of being ordered to do things. The sentences of serious criminals would be halved. If they killed two enemies in total, the sentences of serious criminals would also be waived.

As a result, once the news was announced among the prisoners, all of them signed up enthusiastically, exceeding the original expectations.

It turned out that through this period of labor reform and the territory's deliberate propaganda policy, they knew about the generous treatment of the people here. Not to mention the land tax of one tenth, there were also many well-paid jobs to do.

Not only that, I heard that last year the lord also provided food and accommodation, and gave them warm leather and cashmere clothes. Those were warm leather and cashmere clothes, which even their village chief could not afford before.

Before they joined the bandits, these people didn't even have a set of coarse linen to cover their entire bodies, let alone this kind of clothes. Even after becoming bandits, they couldn't afford to wear them. They were considered successful if they could just get something warm to wear.

Comparison is the best lesson. Not only the clothes, but also the food is better than before. Although there are no big fish and meat, they are full for every meal. Although you can understand that eating well allows them to work, they also had to be able to eat before.

Although they could enjoy delicious food when they robbed things as bandits, that was only a lucky opportunity that happened occasionally. Going hungry or full was the norm for them. In the past, they would never have dared to imagine the days when they could eat every meal.

This is just their food. I heard that not only do the subjects have better staple foods than them, they also eat meat regularly, and hold bonfire parties with wine and meat during festivals.

The various news that gradually reached their ears helped the prisoners who were still undergoing reform to cheer up from their despair. Most of them usually actively participated in labor reform, hoping to be released early based on their performance so that they could enjoy the treatment of citizens sooner.

For individual negative elements who are used to being lazy and unwilling to actively participate in reform, the territory also has corresponding measures to deal with them.

Every month, there are slave traders sent by Toju Nayan in Lelag Castle. They are exchanged for Toju Nayan at a cheap price of two for one Tang slave. I believe that the whips of the grassland masters will wake them up and make them miss the preferential treatment here.

After more than 200 negative elements were replaced, the atmosphere for prisoners to participate in labor reform has become better and better. Now when they hear that there is an opportunity for early release, they naturally sign up enthusiastically.

Especially those who have killed people and seen blood, most of these people are serious criminals, or at least medium-level criminals. Those who can become bandits are generally adventurers, or at least opportunists. Now that they have the opportunity to escape punishment, they must seize it quickly.

So 300 additional soldiers were quickly selected, and Bandak also organized people to carefully select them, only those who performed particularly well and had excellent skills.

You know what, among these people, some people with good abilities can be picked out. For example, many of the original snowfield bandits are excellent hunters, and are good at using bows and spears for hunting. The original sea pirates are masters of shield and sword, and are also good at throwing flying axes. And the bandits from Rhodok generally know how to make and use crossbows.

Bandak gathered these selected reinforcements together, and after some education and reprimand, handed them over to Resarit, who was in charge of training, to carry out professional preliminary training.

After the special operations team's infiltration and reconnaissance, as well as inquiries from all parties, and by putting various pieces of information together, Aix gradually sorted out the context of the Kugit people's expedition.

It turned out that in the war that ended at the beginning of last year, although the Khergits were defeated, they did not suffer heavy losses. At the critical moment, Saiga Khan left his slave servants behind to cover their retreat, and most of the five or six hundred captured people were these people.

Throughout the war, the real Kugits did not suffer many losses, even less than what Aix killed in Shules.

The situation at that time could be said to be that the city of Kudan was about to fall. If it had not been for the sudden heavy rain that allowed the Vigers to launch a successful sneak attack, the Kugites would not have failed at all.

Therefore, after retreating back to the country to rest, the nobles, both large and small, who were unwilling to accept defeat, called for another fight and often went to Saiga Khan to petition for loyalty.

Saiga Khan himself also thought so. They had fought against the so-called elite troops of the Vigia Kingdom in field battles. The easy victory made the Khan realize that he had the advantage, and he was very unwilling to accept it.

Their recent attempt to gain a foothold in Shules was actually a side-effect of this unwillingness.

However, after the operation failed and knowing how powerful Aix was, Sega Khan still felt a sense of urgency.

He believed that Aix had just been granted the title, and although it won by surprise attack, its foundation in the upper reaches of the Kudan River was not solid. However, once Aix gained a firm foothold, the city of Kudan with strong support would no longer be easily breached.

Wouldn't that mean that the door to the Vaegir Kingdom would be closed? This was something that Saiga Khan and the Khergit Khanate could not tolerate.

So after a year of rest, Saiga Khan resolutely decided to launch another war against the Kingdom of Vaegir, this time vowing to capture the city of Kudan and tear off the silk clothes of the Vaegir beauty he had long coveted.