In September in the Po River Plain of Lombardy, the weather is still somewhat warm. Except for the occasional dewdrops hanging on the grass in the field in the morning and evening, the sun is still hot during the day and makes people sweat profusely.

Although the spring wheat has been harvested, the fields are still covered with wheat stubble and straw. Countless villages and manor farms are dotted along the way. Pedestrians who occasionally walk on the road hear the iron hooves approaching and jump aside to give thanks to these people who have just arrived.

We gave way to the "occupying soldiers" who were raging across the border, for fear that someone might accidentally be killed by these brutal soldiers in the wilderness.

Starting from Lavati, passing through the city of Santia, holding the wolf flag of Art, galloping on horseback, you will encounter the reserve regiment of the Welsh Army and the Lombard troops stationed by the Administrative Officer at regular intervals along the way.

The road sentry posts all used flags from a distance to let people pass.

In this way, the journey was unobstructed. Under the escort of more than thirty cavalry, Art went all the way upstream along the Po River to the north. The endless wheat fields gradually turned into low gentle hills.

After riding horses for less than half a day, the group arrived near the battlefield where the cavalry company fought with the Patriot cavalry a week ago.

The terrain here is relatively flat, but low slopes and gentle hills have begun to appear. There are two villages and three farms nearby, which is considered a fertile and fertile land.

It was almost noon, and Ron asked Art if he could find a village to rest for a while, drink his horse and have a meal.

The occupied area had just stabilized and he was in a hurry to get on his way. Art didn't want to cause more trouble, so he reined in his horse and waved to rest on the spot.

The two personal soldiers immediately jumped off the horse, led the horse to spread the blanket, and prepared food and drink.

Ron arranged for four guards to patrol for half a mile, and then ordered the guards to rest on the spot and drink their horses and eat.

Soon, several bonfires were lit, and the guards each took out food such as compressed bread and corned beef from their saddle bags, took out the daggers from their waists, cut off small pieces, and threw them into the small copper pot on the bonfire to make them soft and edible.

When the Welsh Army went on an expedition, the weather was hot and it was difficult to store food, so most of the military rations accompanying the army were bacon, bacon, hard bread, dried fish and other foods. The compressed bread distributed by the Earl's Guard was considered to be the best military ration.

Originally, after capturing the Po River Plain, the Welsh Army had replenished fresh food and fruits, but when Art returned north this time, there were supply bases along the way, so he did not bring much fresh food.

However, as an earl, Art can naturally enjoy a special food. Although he is not a privileged person, Ron insisted on giving him a special food - two slices of honey-smeared wheat bread and a bowl of green beans.

Puree, a big piece of grilled bacon, and a glass of special Welsh beer.

Art had just dealt with a few blows when the sentry from the north galloped back and blew two long horns from a distance. This was the horn for the soldiers to return to camp.

Following the sentry was a cavalry team.

Returning to camp was fine, but there happened to be an extra cavalry team. The guards immediately became vigilant. The thirty or so guards immediately dropped their food, drew their swords, raised their shields, mounted their horses, and stood on guard. Art also put down his utensils and jumped on.

horseback.

In the plains of the Po River in Lombardy, cavalry of unknown origin is not a good thing.

As the cavalry gradually approached, Art on horseback saw clearly that the flag of the cavalry was actually his own wolf head coat of arms. Under the wolf head, he could vaguely make out the crossed battle ax pattern of the Wells garrison.

"It's the flag of the Reserve Regiment. No wonder the sentry blew the return call." Ron put the broadsword back into its scabbard and asked Art in confusion, "When did the Reserve Regiment have a cavalry unit?"

They were far away and covered by dust, so Art couldn't clearly see the appearance of the cavalry.

After approaching about fifty steps, this "cavalry" team was revealed in full view.

The word "cavalry" had to be put in quotation marks, because what raised up the dust in the sky was not a war horse at all. Except for the leader who rode a riding horse, the other nine horses were all different sizes and uneven heights.

Mules and green mules do not have riders on their backs. They are peasant soldiers from a reserve regiment wearing armed uniforms and a gray wolf-head heraldic robe.

However, although the armor was simple, they were equipped with long swords, axes and shields on their waists. There were also two people riding on the backs of big green mules with bows and arrows hanging on their saddles.

After more than ten steps, the officer headed by the "cavalry" team jumped off his horse, hurriedly walked to the Art horse, clenched his fists and raised his chest, and performed a military salute, "Good day, Lord Earl! Benson, deputy commander of the reserve regiment of the garrison regiment,

Lead a team to patrol the occupied area."

Art recognized this Benson. As a veteran of the patrol team, this guy had done well from being a deserter due to fear of war to becoming the deputy commander of a company-level reserve regiment.

"We received a tip along the way that a cavalry team was running towards the north. My subordinates were worried that the Lombard lords would rebel, so they hurriedly came to investigate, but they didn't expect it to be you, sir." Benson explained the situation first.

.

Art nodded slightly, but his eyes were on the cavalry team behind Benson. He raised his finger and pointed at the "cavalry" behind Benson, "Have you all formed a cavalry team?"

The earl guards riding around laughed.

Benson scratched his head in embarrassment, "Replying to your lord, the reserve regiment was ordered to take over the defense of the occupied area, but we have occupied three counties in the Po River Plain. The territory is vast and there are many towns. The expanded reserve regiment is only enough to garrison.

Those important castles, fortresses and transportation thoroughfares, and the Lombard soldiers who had just surrendered under the administrative officer were also sent to various places to collect money, food and materials, so there were too few soldiers to maintain public security in the countryside."

"In the past few days, small groups of bandits have appeared in various places. Most of them are disguised as escaped small lords of Lombardy. They are harassing our teams collecting money and food, and even the Lombard civilians who have surrendered to us are not spared.

"

"Lord Obote patrols the castles and fortresses in various places every day, but he can't get out, so he sends his subordinates to quell the banditry and maintain public security in the countryside."

"My subordinates don't have enough troops, and the small groups of bandits have been running around recently. I have no choice but to discuss with the political officer and recruit horses and green mules from the occupied areas. I have just formed five such cavalry teams.

The countryside of the occupied area is divided into five areas, and each team patrols its own area. If it encounters a small group of enemy troops, it will rush to kill them. If it encounters a large group of enemy troops, it will immediately run to the nearest castle and fortress to report."

"This trick worked quite well. In just two days, five cavalry teams killed nineteen bandits, and five or six of them were the escaped local small lords of Lombardy and their retinues. In addition, we also assisted in government affairs

The officers suppressed several riots by the Lombard civilians."

Art nodded repeatedly after hearing this. The castle fortress garrison led by Obote was regarded as the "stronghold" throughout the occupied area of ​​​​the Po River Plain, and Benson's "cavalry" was the connection between the strongholds. Dots and lines communicated with the administrative officers and surrender.

The civil rule of Lombardy, which surrendered its troops, was able to cover the vast Po River plain.

"Excellent! Excellent!!" Art boasted repeatedly. There was no shortage of fierce and skilled soldiers in the Wells Army, but there were few officers who could think innovatively.

"Your idea is good. Although I can't replenish your troops now, I still need to support you with supplies." Art said, taking out a small book stapled into a volume from his arms, and took out a small book stuck in a thin wood.

Using the hardwood charcoal stick in the stick, he quickly wrote a few lines of characters, then tore off the page and handed it to Benson.

"Take this warrant and go to Santia City to find the legion's baggage department and ask them to select twenty of the captured horses for you to turn your team into a more combat-effective ranger."

Benson excitedly took the order, holding it in his arms like a treasure. Twenty military horses, that was no small sum.

"Rangers? Patrolling cavalry. What a good name! Sir, can the cavalry team of our reserve regiment be called Rangers?" Benson suggested.

"Okay, you can simply set up a garrison ranger team on the spot. Combat is secondary, and the main responsibility is patrolling and policing. You can discuss the specific matters with Obote and report to Mr. Angus of the Military Affairs Office. The cavalry will be under his jurisdiction."

............

Except for an incident where he encountered the "Ranger" of the reserve regiment, there were no more disturbances on the way north. When he arrived at the market town of Shankou, Art rested for the night at the military camp in the market town.

Now it has become a material transfer station. The wealth and material resources from the Lombardy Po River plain are continuously gathered here, and then brought back to Wales by the laborers sent by the Welsh Provincial Government.

.

In the early morning of the next day, the team continued northward, passed by Rock Castle, passed the constant flow of labor teams, and arrived at the Nanguan Military Fort on the southern border of the Burgundy Kingdom.

Without stopping, Art and his party returned directly to the most important place in southern Wales - the Lake Land.

In the Lakeland at this time, food and supplies from the occupied areas of the Principality of Lombardy were piling up like mountains. Christopher, the administrative officer of the Lakeland, led the people to build temporary granaries and warehouses day and night, but they still could not hold the ever-increasing amount of wheat, bacon, furs, and wine.

, cheese, honey, olives, chickens, ducks, cattle and sheep, leather, velvet, etc.

The Po River Plain in Lombardy allowed these civilians who had been poor for hundreds of years to see the real land of prosperity.

Both officials and civilians in the lake land are full of joy about the harvest.

Art inspected the material storage and transfer work in the Lake Land, and instructed the administrative officers to coordinate with various localities as soon as possible to digest and absorb these mountains of materials and turn them into the driving force for the prosperity and development of Wales.

With the monarch in the north in mind, Art did not indulge in the dividends of the war. He rested for another night at the lake, then drove his horse north again, along the newly repaired main channel, and arrived at Will at sunset.

The new ruling center of the province - Wellsburg.

Here, Art met his wife and children who had been separated for several months, and Ron also met his pregnant wife Ollie.

A little farewell is better than a newlywed, and it is inconvenient to write in detail after a night of lingering.

At noon the next day, "Ranger" Art, who had been riding a horse all night, walked out of the inner castle of Wellsburg, rubbing his waist. He carefully inspected his first real castle and was very busy by the way.
Chapter completed!