flstandardbreds Chapter 364 Expedition
Chapter 364 Expedition
After John received the scroll from the envoy, he read the contents of the scroll carefully again. However, when he saw the king's order to mobilize 10,000 soldiers, he still didn't know whether to laugh or cry. If it were the other earls of Midland, after learning that the king asked him to mobilize 10,000 soldiers to fight in a place far away from their territory, they would probably refuse directly and curse the king hundreds of times in their hearts.
If there were no preparations, just the cost of providing rations for 10,000 soldiers for half a year would be enough to give most nobles a headache.
On the other side of the hall, the official wearing the royal envoy badge still looked serious, waiting for John's response nervously. John took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He tried to make his voice sound calm and said in a serious tone:
"As a loyal subject of the king, being able to serve the country and spread the gospel to the world for the Lord is the most glorious mission in my life."
Then, he winked at the attendant beside him, who immediately stepped forward respectfully and handed a sack full of gold coins to the envoy. The envoy took the gold coins, bowed again, and still had a polite smile on his face:
"Thank you Lord John for your generosity. I believe that His Majesty the King will understand your loyalty after learning about your attitude."
After the envoy left, John returned to his inner calculations. He had already written a letter to inform Payen to take his Crusader Knights back to Franche-Comté. Then, he selected two thousand-man teams to become the main force of the expedition. The White Wolf Knights were also indispensable in the battle, so he selected three thousand-man teams to join the expedition, and the remaining three teams of Crusader Knights were arranged near the small town where Pros lived to ensure the safety of the surrounding area and form a solid defense line. The remaining two thousand-man teams of the White Wolf Knights were stationed in Franche-Comté and Niland.
In order to support the entire expedition, John ordered two 5,000-man infantry regiments and 50 artillery pieces of various types to ensure firepower support for the siege. Taking non-combatants and baggage into account, the total number of people on this expedition reached an astonishing 20,000.
In the spring of 1456, everything was ready. As Matilda and other officials said goodbye in the hall, the sun shone through the windows onto the floor, and the warm atmosphere was filled with tension and expectation. John made up his mind secretly, and after taking a last look at Matilda and the two children, he turned around and walked out of the city gate. Outside the Earl's Castle, a large army of more than soldiers had already been prepared.
"All troops, listen up and march south!"
Following John's order, the various squares quickly assembled under the shouts of the messenger cavalry, and the neighing of horses and the metal collision of armor formed an exciting war song. John rode ahead and led the army to advance in the direction of the Holy City.
In a month, the army overcame numerous obstacles and arrived at the border of the French King's Hall. The general of the French King's Hall stationed at the border fortress had already led his men to wait outside the fortress.
After a brief exchange, the general ordered the soldiers to let John's army pass, and they were able to enter the French King's Hall.
On the way, John saw troops with flags of various colors advancing towards the holy city one after another, as if the entire land was preparing for the upcoming war.
As John's army gradually approached the Holy City, the scenery along the way became more and more brilliant. The sun shone on his neat team, and the teams led by nobles from various countries that appeared around him added a lot of grandeur to this journey. Different flags fluttered in the breeze, showing the characteristics and style of their respective countries.
Along the way, John often exchanged greetings with the nobles along the way and asked each other about the recent war and situation.
Finally, when John led his army to the outskirts of the Holy City, the Holy City was surrounded by camps and various flags. Tents of various colors had already been set up, and the smoke of cooking was lingering in the air. Although John was still some distance away from the camp, he could still hear the noise in the distance. The soldiers' chatter, the horses' neighing, and the metal sounds of hammering weapons mixed together to form a unique symphony.
Just as John was about to enter the city to inquire about the stationing arrangements, two well-dressed men came out of the gate of the Holy City. They rode tall horses and looked very impressive. When they were still more than ten meters away from John, they saluted him and stated their identities:
"Respected Lord John, we are the attendants of His Majesty the King of France, responsible for leading your army to the camp."
"Then lead the way."
John said nothing more and followed the two attendants with his army.
Arriving in the southern part of the Holy City, John stood on a small hill and looked down at the scene in front of him. On the wide flat ground, there was a neatly divided camp with more than a hundred tents erected high, looking professional and orderly.
At this moment, the attendant turned around and smiled:
"Lord John, please go to the palace to meet His Majesty the King of France after you have arranged your troops."
After hearing this, John immediately ordered two captains of the infantry regiments and five centurions of the knights to quickly arrange the garrison. Then he took a hundred knights and his attendants to the palace of the King of France.
As soon as he entered the palace, John felt a little nervous. The luxurious decorations and solemn atmosphere around him made him feel insignificant. Under the guidance of the servants, John passed through the magnificent halls and finally arrived at the palace of the King of France.
After the guards pushed open the door, John saw the King of France sitting on a high throne, wearing a gorgeous dress inlaid with gold silk, holding a scepter, looking very imposing. On both sides stood civil officials, generals, and various clergymen. The whole scene looked majestic and sacred. John quickly adjusted his state and saluted the King of France after entering the palace.
The King nodded and introduced John to everyone:
"This is Earl John, the commander of the expedition."
Then the King of France signaled John to come forward and solemnly ordered him to kneel in front of everyone.
John walked up the steps and knelt on one knee, his heart beating faster. As everyone was watching, the King of France gently placed his hand on his head and announced in a solemn tone:
"In this holy war expedition, John the Blessed will be the commander of the entire army."
The whole audience was silent for a moment, and then when the King of France finished speaking, everyone knelt on one knee to show their obedience to the King of France's order.
After the ceremony, the evening banquet followed. At this time, John became the protagonist of the banquet. Various people surrounded him, but he always adhered to the principle of not drinking. While chatting with people around him, he tasted various delicacies at the banquet at lightning speed.
The next morning, the streets were crowded with people from the Holy City, waiting for the French king's military parade with anticipation and excitement. The French king sat on a platform in a giant carriage pulled by sixteen horses, with a grand parade behind him, and John followed closely with his knights. In the sky, colorful petals fluttered down with the wind, as if adding a festive atmosphere to this moment. As the parade continued to move forward, John felt countless envious and respectful eyes, and his heart was filled with pride.
After leaving the Holy City, the procession continued to advance southward. A few days later, John arrived at the port south of the French King's Hall. In the port area, soldiers were busy boarding ships, and mercenaries from various countries hurried to their ships to prepare for the expedition. On the sea, ships began to set sail, carrying soldiers to the east.
John boarded one of the huge ships. As the King of France and the crowd saw him off, the ship raised its sails amid the shouts of the sailors and slowly sailed away from the port.
After a long and bumpy month on the ship, John spent every day feeling the swaying of the ship and listening to the sound of the waves. Time seemed to become blurred on this boundless sea. However, one morning, a piercing noise broke the silence. He got up in a daze and rubbed his eyes. Just as he was wondering what was happening outside, a noisy voice sounded from outside the door again:
"I see land!"
Hearing this, John woke up instantly. He immediately opened the hatch, walked onto the deck, and lay on the railing to look into the distance. In the distance of the sea level, the silhouette of land gradually appeared. A few minutes later, the vague outline that was at the end of the sight became unusually clear: as the ship gradually approached the land, under the blue sky, an exotic port came into his sight.