Berserk, Total War: Second Son of Nobles

In stark contrast to the joyful atmosphere in Helmingen, the Yoda Empire was like a volcano about to erupt, with flames of anger and chaos surging across every inch of the empire.

The flames of rebellion raged across half of the viceroyalties and earldoms of the empire, burning the once seemingly stable imperial order into pieces.

The peasant army was composed of tenant farmers and serfs who had long suffered cruel abuse from the nobles. These people worked like livestock on the nobles' manors, but could only get meager rations and shabby housing.

In order to satisfy their endless greed, the nobles imposed all kinds of unscrupulous tyranny on them. Unable to bear it any longer, these tenants and serfs finally took up simple weapons. Although their troops were poorly equipped, they were numerous. Wherever they went, the nobles' manors were burned to ashes, which frightened the nobles who usually acted arrogantly.

At the same time, the citizens of the city also rose up in resistance because they were dissatisfied with the increased taxes imposed by the city council.

The city council took advantage of the war to make a fortune from the national crisis. In order to satisfy its own selfish interests, it continued to increase taxes, making the living burden of the citizens increasingly heavier.

So the citizens united, overthrew the old parliament, formed a new parliament, and refused to pay taxes to the aristocratic parliament.

However, the most dangerous of these rebels was the force composed of nobles who had sided with Ludwig during the pre-Ludwig era.

After Ludwig's death, some nobles were forced to give up some territories and even titles due to pressure from the Parliament of Nobles.

They are filled with resentment and unwillingness, and have been waiting for an opportunity to make a comeback. Now, the Yoda Empire has once again fallen into chaos, which has given them a glimmer of hope.

They used the wealth they had accumulated to quickly raise an army mainly composed of mercenaries. They were like hungry wolves that had smelled the scent of prey and could not wait to rush into the imperial capital to seize power and wealth.

In this turbulent situation, the once prosperous city of Padua could not stay out of it, or it could be said that it had long been surrounded by the earthly kingdom rebels in the suburbs.

The streets were filled with a tense atmosphere. People were rushing around with fear and anxiety written all over their faces. Shops were closed one after another and schools stopped classes. The whole city seemed to have turned into a dead city.

A few miles outside the city walls, the rebels' tents were lined up in an endless stream, with flags fluttering in the wind, as if announcing to Padua that their victory was imminent.

The city council had originally hoped that Blackwatch could go out of the city to meet the rebels. However, Blackwatch directly replied that their thousand people could not compete with the tens of thousands of people on the opposite side. All they could do was maintain stability in the city of Padua and its suburbs. This was also the content of the security contract. If they wanted to eliminate the rebels on the opposite side, it was recommended to go back to Blackwatch’s headquarters in the Yoda Empire to sign a new contract.

Having said that, Padua had already been under siege, and it was impossible to send a messenger to contact Blackwatch headquarters.

In this way, the two sides argued with each other, and time passed quietly in quarrels and helplessness.

No one knew how long this situation would last, and the citizens of Padua waited for their fate in fear and despair.

The spring of 1462 arrived when the snow had completely melted and new buds were growing vigorously in the sunshine.

In accordance with the contract, the Black Watch troops stationed in Padua immediately packed their bags and prepared to evacuate the city. A large number of carriages were parked in the camp on the outskirts of the city to transport soldiers and various supplies.

At this moment, a mercenary guarding the carriage suddenly heard a rustling sound inside the carriage. His brows immediately frowned, and an ominous premonition arose in his heart.

He walked quickly to the carriage and lifted the curtain behind it.

I saw something moving in the darkness inside the carriage, as if something was secretly wriggling.

His eyes instantly became alert, and he immediately pointed his spear into the carriage and shouted:

"Who is it! Come out now!"

His voice echoed in the silent camp, attracting the attention of the other mercenaries.

For a moment, the entire carriage was surrounded. The mercenaries picked up their weapons and surrounded the carriage tightly, ready to deal with any possible danger at any time.

"Don't do it, I'll be right out!"

Someone inside immediately replied, and then a man in the uniform of a Padua senator got out of the carriage.

There was a hint of fear and panic on his face, and his eyes revealed a desire to survive.

His clothes were a little messy and his hair looked a little disheveled. It was obvious that he was not comfortable staying in the carriage.

The centurion guarding the carriage immediately ordered other soldiers to enter the carriage to check, and as a result, a large number of people were arrested.

In addition to the city council members, there were also senior clergy including the Bishop of Padua, some wealthy people dressed in gorgeous clothes, and their families, a total of about a hundred people.

These people were crowded in the carriage, with fear and anxiety on their faces, like a group of lambs to be slaughtered.

"Tell me, why are you all in the carriage, even though it was rented from Padua?"

The centurion who rushed over looked at these people and asked directly. His eyes were sharp, as if he could see through their hearts.

"Officer, don't you see who's out there? If you retreat, they'll definitely attack the city. A city like Padua is simply undefendable. If they capture us, we're doomed."

The mayor of Padua came out to explain the situation. There was a hint of helplessness and fear on his face, and his body was trembling slightly.

Then he pleaded:

"So please be flexible and let us retreat with you! We are willing to pay any price."

His eyes were full of pleading. He knew that even though he had been powerful in the past, his fate was now in the hands of the centurion. If the centurion did not agree, they would surely die.

The centurion thought for a while, and seeing how pitiful they all looked, he felt a little contempt in his heart.

When these people were selling indulgences and levying taxes, they didn't treat those people as human beings at all. Now that the other side has started to besiege the city, they are all running to him to hide.

Suddenly, the centurion thought that these people definitely did not want to evacuate empty-handed, and they must have taken their most valuable things with them.

So he said:

"You can leave under our escort, but you'll need to sign a contract. Given the current situation, you can't get a contract, so please pay us your commission in advance. We'll then sign the contract after we escort you to our headquarters."

"This... let's discuss it."

The mayor responded immediately after hearing this, and then he talked about this matter with the people behind him. He said it was a discussion, but in fact he was telling them to be mentally prepared. Although they were a little reluctant to give up their property, they also knew that under the circumstances, they had no other choice.