Chapter 1117: Just choice

Surrounded by the nobles of Haligard and the surrendering generals cautiously, the Grand Duke walked into the city with the high footsteps of a victor.
Behind the grand prince are the proud soldiers of the peacekeeping force. They look arrogant and stride into the city, unceremoniously against the Khaligards who stand in the way, and the Khaligards can only be careful. With a smile.
The Grand Duke Julian just didn't see the arrogance of his subordinates, because it was the privilege of the victors, and they were the victors.
Grand Duke Julian ignored the chattering and flattering local nobles beside him, and kept watching around as he walked.
Haligarde, the city that Grand Duke Julian and Emperor Rudrun had dreamed of smashing, was right in front of him now.
The hatred accumulated by the Ruman Empire for twenty years was finally repaid.
The Grand Duke looked at this itchy city that once made him hate, and his mood was extremely happy and relaxed.
Under the ravages of war that lasted for several months, this Almohad’s second largest city, one of the most famous cities in mankind, has a population of 500,000, and was once known as the most brilliant city in the South. It has basically changed. It was in ruins.
Everywhere he went was devastated.
There are many small buildings and shops on both sides of the street, one next to each other, showing the prosperity of Khaligard.
But at this moment, most of them have been dismantled. The wood and bricks were taken by the city defense forces to repair the fortifications, leaving only a few lonely walls.
The remaining ones have also been turned into ruined walls under the fire of Lao He's troops, revealing gaps like being gnawed by a monster.
In order to meet the cruel street fighting, the originally flat streets have long been ditched by Hardu. Build a defense system.
Every dozens or dozens of steps, there will be a barricade. Sharpened stakes and shooting holes for bows and arrows are exposed on the barricades, which are well-constructed and complete.
And around those barricades, there are often several dead bodies and broken armors. Scattered all over the place,
In addition, there are traces of scorched black after being burned by the war, and it is no longer possible to see what it was.
There was a pungent burnt smell in the air.
This can be seen. How tragic the fighting was at that time. The peacekeeping forces have spent a lot of effort here.
When the Grand Duke saw this, he couldn't help stopping and carefully observed the barricades. I couldn't help but exclaimed in my heart.
Hadu really deserves to be a famous general, thoughtful, even though he is on a sick bed. But the layout of these fortifications under his command is extremely reasonable.
Step by step. Covering each other, making full use of, and even artificially creating complex terrain, like a grommet, interlocking with each other, forming a geographical advantage.
In this case, as long as a small number of soldiers hide behind the fortifications to conduct defensive operations. The compelling opponent can only launch a strong attack, and at least five to ten times the casualties can be taken.
But you can also harass and counterattack from the side. Can achieve the effect of being invincible.
Can be called a model of urban defense warfare.
If it weren't for the southern generals to mutiny and surrender, they would have chaos inside. The battle front collapsed.
According to the traditional method of warfare, even if the old and the troops stormed in, they had to start a and arduous street battle.
The peacekeeping forces must disperse all their forces and clear these barricades one by one.
According to this tactic of fighting to the end, I believe that at that time, every time you move forward, you must pay the price of blood.
Letting yourself eat, it will definitely have a headache, Archduke Julian said inwardly, then shook his head slightly and smiled triumphantly.
What Hardu did not expect was that the war had changed.
This is no longer an era in which soldiers need to fight for the number of soldiers. In Lorraine's words, this is the era of war of magic and technology.
It is the age of war fortresses and artillery.
The barricade that Hardu painstakingly designed and built was an insurmountable barrier in front of the infantry, but in front of the artillery, it was just a pile of useless waste.
Archduke Julian could easily clear these obstacles by pushing the artillery forward and firing flat.
Not to mention that in the peacekeeping forces, there are also professional blasting engineers from the security forces, who can only clear obstacles.
In the new edition of the siege instruction manual formulated by the peacekeeping forces, there are tactics buried under the foundation of the city wall.
However, due to the civil unrest in the Southern Army, none of these backhands were used, and the peacekeeping force only used a few grenades to resolve the battle.
These elaborate arrangements are now a joke.
After Julian walked about one more mile, there was a different sight before him.
Although there are still dense barricades here, and the density is higher than the periphery.
But there is no trace of fighting.
On the contrary, both sides of the street are full of figures of soldiers captured by the Southern Army.
It is estimated that when Lao He's troops arrived here yesterday, the southern army raised their hands and surrendered when they saw Hadu's small building on fire and had no fighting spirit.
So there is no fighting here.
Under the close surveillance of Lao He's soldiers, the ragged soldiers all hid on both sides of the street, shrinking their necks, squeezing each other, shivering in the cold winter wind.
It's like a group of...a group of chicks who have lost their mother.
From time to time, the painful groans of the wounded can be heard.
When they heard the movement here, they turned their heads one after another, and saw that it was a group of well-dressed big men, either cowardly or fearful, and then looked over with some curiosity.
These Confederate soldiers immediately understood that this is the leader who will determine their fate.
The Grand Duke glanced casually, and found that many of the soldiers even had unusually immature faces, and many of them even shone innocently.
He couldn't help but furious, and sternly shouted: "Asshole. What's the matter?"
The group of southern generals and nobles behind him were stunned for a while, and they all raised their throats in shock and looked at each other. I don't know why this uncle suddenly became so atmospheric.
Some people even clenched their swords and looked at the young soldier opposite with a ugly expression. It must be the pup who angered the grand prince, saying that he had to be slaughtered, so that the grandfather could quench his anger.
The soldier was also panicked for a while. I don't know where I am wrong, but facing those fierce and vicious people, I can only retreat unceasingly. The pure eyes were filled with tears for an instant, almost crying.
The Grand Duke waved his hand and said sharply: "Stop all, all stop."
He pointed to the soldier and said bitterly: "What are you doing? Where are the soldiers. Obviously it is a child who has not grown up. Why are they all recruited into the army?"
The attendant next to him replied softly, "My lord. As far as I know, after we attacked, the southerners tried their best to accumulate strength in order to fight us, so they recruited all people over the age of fourteen. "
The generals and nobles of the Southern Army looked at each other. Immediately there was a look of shame in his eyes.
They are also civilized people, knowing clearly that children are like wheat seeds in autumn, representing the future and hope.
Recruit half-year-old children into the army and serve as cannon fodder. It's like being hungry. Just like eating wheat seeds. Only completely lost his sanity. This is how a frenzied lunatic would do this.
They have almost no survivability on the battlefield.
After a while, someone behind the crowd murmured: "That's why we oppose Hardu..."
The voice was not high, but it struck everyone's hearts like lightning.
The generals of the Southern Army stiffened slightly, feeling that their waists seemed to be much straighter.
They originally felt shame because of betrayal and surrender. But at this time because a valid reason suddenly appeared. But I felt that what I had made was a ‘righteous’ choice.
In order to prevent the entire South from being dragged into the abyss by Hardu, it became his funeral. He resolutely set out the chaos anyway. Even at the expense of personal reputation regardless of fame and fortune.
We are not bending our knees to surrender. It is to save the South, so that the children no longer bleed, the mothers no longer cry, the wives no longer lose their husbands, and the children no longer have fathers...
The south should be the south of the southerners, not the south of Hadu alone.
This kind of great and noble sentiment, let alone modern, is not a few in ancient times?
If you really want to talk about it, you can find someone on par with you in the epic of the War of Saints.
Many people feel that their personal image is suddenly much bigger.
The Grand Duke sighed softly, then waved his hand, beckoning a guard next to him to send a military cloak to the soldier.
Although it was just an inconspicuous action, it once again hit the self-esteem of these southern aristocrats and made them ashamed, and made their newly taller figure suddenly retracted.
In order to resist the cold wind, all of them were wearing thick cloaks, but no one thought to give their clothes to the shivering soldiers.
Especially these soldiers had fought battles for them not long ago.
The Grand Duke hesitated for a moment, and then said to the officer next to him: "Look back and check, all those who are under the age of seventeen and have no blood on their hands, put them back. A bunch of hairy children, the hair is not fully grown, stay here. It's not shameful."
The officer agreed, saluted, and then turned to leave.
But then the Grand Duke said again: "Uh, yes, don't forget to give them another 20 catties of grain. The half-sized kid eats me to death. Although the little rascals can't work, they are right when they can eat. "
The officer agreed again, seeing that the Grand Duke had no more orders, he turned and left.
At this time, a group of nobles stepped forward, flattering to the Grand Duke, praising his old man’s love for the people like a son, benevolence and charity, and bird raw fish soup...
On the contrary, the guards of the princes next to him looked at each other with scornful brows, with a smirk: Where is the kindness of the old man, the prince?
Kindness is not in charge of the army, and the Duke has been in the army for 30 years, and his xinxing has long been extremely firm.
What he said just now was very clear. Obviously, I think those little rascals can't work, and they are too edible.
It's not economical to stay, and that's how to get them to go.
At this time, under the hard praise of the nobles, the Grand Duke was also happy, very happy.
Someone took the opportunity and boldly asked: "My lord, what should I do with the prisoners who are over..."
Everyone fell silent. One after another looked towards the Grand Duke.
That problem is also what they worry about. Those soldiers are young and strong, and many of them are even elite soldiers. It is also very troublesome to deal with.
Moreover, they are also extremely representative. Through the treatment of them, you can also know the attitude and bottom line of the Grand Duke towards these people.
The Grand Duke was startled. He immediately waved his hand and said, "It's not easy. As long as it is not a heinous crime, all labor reforms, repairing bridges and repairing roads, etc.. Work for three to five years. As long as you perform well, you will let it go home."
After hearing this, the crowd couldn't help but look at each other, and exclaimed in a panic, letting go: For those enemy troops. He handled it like this. Relatively speaking, these resolute insurgents, no matter how bad they are, they won't get worse.
However, there are also people who have noticed the words'great evil' in the Duke's mouth, and are a little worried. But having said that, no matter how bad the crime is. It is impossible to be more'heinous' than the Hadu family. Just observe again when the time comes and proceed carefully. I think there will be no problems.
The crowd surrounded the Grand Duke and continued to move forward.
Someone keenly discovered that the Grand Duke was walking and talking and laughing with everyone, but at the same time, holding a water bag in his hand, and taking a few mouthfuls from time to time, an ominous premonition could not help but rise in his heart. But they dare not specify.
In a short while, everyone has arrived at the residence of General Hadu in the city-Fenglin Garden, to be precise, the location of the former Fenglin Garden.
At this time, here has been burned into a piece of white ground.
Hundreds of veterans and soldiers surrounded this place firmly. In addition, many soldiers kept rummaging among the ruins that were almost burnt to ashes.
Seeing a large group of people coming by the Grand Duke, an officer Ruman hurried forward and bowed to the Duke.
The Grand Duke waved his hand slightly, then looked at the burnt black ruins, he couldn't help but be in a daze.
He once saw the exquisite small building on the paintings sent by the imperial spies, and even through the floor plan, he knew clearly where was the kitchen, where was the toilet, and which chair was Hardu’s most frequent sitting...
When I was okay, I had imagined that when I led a large army to kill here and accepted Hardu's surrender, how should I put my chair in more style.
But I didn't expect that when I saw it with my own eyes, this small building had turned into ashes, leaving only ruined walls and a few pieces of pitch-black wood that had collapsed.
However, he immediately reacted. A collapsed small building is nothing. The top priority is the whereabouts of Hadu-to see people in life and corpses in death.
If he slips through the net and runs away, this battle would be a waste of battle.
Thinking of this, he said in a deep voice: "Did Hardu found it?"
The officer immediately tensed his body and said, "My lord, when the brothers arrived, there was already a sea of ​​flames. The fire was so strong that the brothers couldn't get close at all."
He took a peek at the Grand Duke, and then continued: "However, there are rumors that Haddou has not come out in this small building. And afterwards, we also found two bodies in the small building."
The Grand Duke was startled and said, "The body? Is it recognized? Who are they? Is there Hardu in it?"
The officer showed embarrassment on his face and said, "My lord, the body is already charred. There is no way to identify it at all."
The Grand Duke couldn't help but snorted coldly, his face instantly turned green: , this is unrecognizable, how does this make him work?
Someone next to him stepped forward and whispered in his ear: "My lord, or let Lakht come over and recognize him, he is the second son of Haddou."
Before he could finish speaking, the Grand Duke raised his hand slightly to stop him from continuing. Then he looked at the young man standing not far away with a gray face. He seemed to be a plague god, the distance of more than ten steps around was empty, and no one dared to approach him.
The Grand Duke said solemnly: "I know that Lacht is Haddou's second son, but at this time, let him admit it is inappropriate. It is against human ethics to do so. And... and I can't believe him. In case he is nonsense. Nonsense, what shall we do?"
The man stagnated, then took a step back and stopped talking.
Just as everyone hesitated, they suddenly heard an angry shout not far away: "Who?"
Immediately, Lin Zhong heard an exclamation.
Immediately afterwards, several soldiers with sharp blades in their hands were already like evil tigers, rushing towards Fenglin.
"There is an assassin?~!!!" The rest of the guards also became nervous immediately, drew their swords one after another, and stood in front of the Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke was also startled, and immediately looked up.
After a while, the soldiers walked out of the maple forest. A thin figure was held by them, staggering to the front.
When I get closer, I can see clearly~EbookFREE.me~ that is a girl.
She was petite and wore a typical maid's outfit, but her face and body were covered with dusty leaves, unkempt and her clothes were crumpled, as if she hadn't changed for a long time. It was a little embarrassed. Only those eyes are still bright and clear.
A glimmer of anger flashed in the eyes of the Grand Duke, and he said solemnly, "What's going on?"
A soldier said boldly: "My lord, we just found someone spying in the woods, so we rushed over and caught this girl."
The Grand Duke was immediately furious, and shouted angrily: "Get out, get out. Get out of here. A bunch of bastards, a few big men bully a girl. It's not shameful."
The soldiers looked at each other, but they were also a little confused, and then hurried away.
The Grand Duke looked at the little maid, and saw that she had been scared by the gang of soldiers, and she almost shrank into a ball. He coughed and said softly, "Girl, you...what's your name?" "
The little maid trembled: "I...I'm Lindy." (to be continued)