After adding a service soldier without hands among the beastmen of the Cuirassiers, Jeanne's team set off once again.
Seeing the demoralized miscellaneous prisoners being locked up in the Sour Melon Town dungeon, Jeanne ordered Kolebo to temporarily take over the Holy Gun Cavalry, and with a squeeze of her legs on the horse's flanks, headed towards Joan of Arc Castle.
Bypassing streams and forests, several newly-built outposts and watchtowers outside Joan of Arc Castle came into view.
The War Monks at the checkpoints and watchtowers naturally recognized Lady Saintess, opening the gates wide to let Her Highness the Saintess gallop through.
Riding into the main street of Joan of Arc Castle, Jeanne looked around to see only a few lonely figures walking on Citizen Street and Artisan Street.
Some poor vendors and small shop owners still kept their doors open, military policemen in pointed brimmed hats holding clockwork guns and T-shaped canes stood at every street corner.
Citizens and artisans hid in their homes, peering out from their windows.
The monks in charge of emergency procurement continuously knocked on the doors of shops, while the thatched carriage that usually traveled between Kasha County and Langsande County was parked by the roadside. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel✦fire.net
Although the war had not yet begun, the residents of the city could already smell the scent of war.
Dismounting before the City Hall, a member of the Imperial Guard stepped forward to lead away the neighing horse.
"Holy Father bless you, Her Highness Jeanne." The sentry Imperial Guard monk saluted with three fingers to his chest, "His Eminence has been waiting for you a long time, please follow me."
Opening the door to the City Hall meeting room, all ten Legion Commanders, the four Cardinals of Joan of Arc Castle, several Senate representatives, and senior monks from the Saint Father's Association were all present.
Standing at the ten-year-old oak long table in the City Hall, Busak was reporting the damage situation to everyone present:
"...From May 20 to today, May 21, nearly 200 Extraordinary Knights and 300 squire knights from the Ibe Knights party in Jinhe Town launched attacks on the Holy War Special District, all of which have been repelled.
The Ibe Knights did not fly any banners, and took only a small amount of loot, but there have been many instances of burning fields and houses.
Currently, six Hundred Households Districts have been attacked, 15 villages plundered, with more than 1,200 personnel lost, and incalculable losses in goods and food..."
Seated to Horn's left at Armand's arrangement, Jeanne opened the files on the table for a detailed reading.
In the meeting room, the high-ranking officials of the Pope Country sat in a circle.
The Cardinals frowned deeply, the Senate representatives looked worried, while the senior monks from the Saint Father's Association observed the Pope sitting at the head, expressionless.
"These damned demons, knowing they face death but still come to raid our territory!" Legion Commander Rudilo of the Black Hat Third Army slammed the table, "Watch me send the Holy Gunmen and send each of them down to the Fire Prison!"
"Don't rush, our war plan is only just starting its promotion phase." Thomas was jolted by Rudilo's table slam and said, "Specific logistics and mobilization still need to wait."
"The battlefield situation is ever-changing, we can't wait." Jeska directly interrupted him.
"We have to wait, even if we don't want to." Madlan said bitterly, "Grains and carts don't appear out of thin air."
The Legion Commander of the Black Hat Second Army, Kolman, was more direct: "Your Eminence, give the order."
In this supreme military conference, newcomers like Juer Dan and Mormul were too nervous to speak.
Instead, veterans like Victor and Dass dared to voice their opinions.
Horn did not respond immediately, instead turning to Jeanne and asking, "Jeanne, can you share the situation on your end?"
"Yes." Jeanne stood up after glancing at the document, "On the morning of May 21, a sentry reported a cavalry raid; I led the troops to repel them, but they counter-surrounded the Cuirassiers.
I arrived around 14:00 in the afternoon and repelled them again.
Yet, strangely, although they clearly ambushed and surrounded us, and had plenty of force, their resistance wasn't intense, and their morale was low.
We currently have captured some prisoners, who have been transferred to Cheka for memory recovery. The preliminary results suggest they intended to lure us in deeper..."
"Using plundered defeat to lure the enemy in, then being defeated in ambush, only to lure the enemy in again?" Dass scratched his head, "So many people died, isn't the price too high?"
"Isn't it possible..." Mengse smiled mischievously, "that every time the knights lose, they say it was to lure the enemy deeper in."
The old cardinals and senators who had followed from Gulag all chuckled and nodded.
"Brother Kolman, why are you laughing?" Juer Dan quietly asked Kolman.
Kolman grinned and animatedly shared past experiences.
The rest of the senators added on, telling the latest Holy Seat jokes.
Seeing the topic veering off course, Armand hurried to restore order: "Do not discuss unrelated topics; these can be talked about after the meeting ends."
Bringing the topic back, Horn coughed, and the entire meeting hall immediately fell silent.
"Our front line needs to move forward," Horn said directly. "Being passive will lose us the strategic initiative. Our new regime is not yet stable, and we cannot afford a prolonged confrontation with them."
"We were meant to fight from the beginning," Hakuto agreed, "Even if it's a lure to draw the enemy in, we can build strong fortifications and fight methodically, advancing step by step.
Jinhe Town is flanked on the west by Kasha County, on the east by North County, and to the south is Black Snake Bay. All are our people; they should be the ones feeling anxious."
Despite the encirclement, Horn could foresee that they would not be able to assist him in the attack.
Black Snake Bay is blocked by the Red Copper Fortress, the knights of North County are primarily focused on attacking Mande County, and Kasha County is too cautious, so ultimately, it falls to Horn himself.
He also has to be wary of surprise attacks from the church knights in Lower Reif County.
Every time he pondered the situation, Horn felt inexplicably weary.
With subordinates and allies, why is there always someone who is inept?
"My suggestion is to advance twenty miles forward." Horn pointed heavily on the map, "Push the front line to Black Pottery Town, the distance for transporting grain isn't too great."
"But what about the problem of transporting the grain?" Madlan raised her hand to ask, "We're short on funds, we need to be frugal."
"First issue war bonds, collect funds from the citizens, and use that money to hire civilians," Horn said, circling several monasteries on the map with charcoal. "Take out a few monasteries and castles near Black Pottery Town, auction their real estate and privileges, and only allow purchases with bonds.
Qianqian, you'll have to work a bit harder, stay up with the Holy Court to accurately calculate and cost the war bonds.
You can invite some friendly merchants, like that widow and Vite's grandfather, give them consultant titles, and have them join the discussion."
"Yes, Your Grace," Qianqian immediately stood up and saluted.
"Alright, what are your opinions? If there's any disagreement, you can speak up now." Unlike during the Gulag era, Horn sincerely asked this question now.
"Wonderful, let's do it that way!"
After a concise and efficient meeting, the Legion Commander and the high-ranking officials like the Cardinal quickly returned to their posts to begin the war preparations.
By the next morning, the announcements that had been pre-printed by the Truth Department were carried in the arms of the wandering cultivators and military police cavalry, heading in all directions to the various villages.
The morning dew dripped down as the farmers, just stepping out, saw the rapidly arriving military police.
While brushing the bulletin boards with small buckets, the military police loudly read out the announcement of the "Great Inquisition against the Heretic Devils of Jinhe Town's Nobility."
"Dear fellow church members, villagers, citizens, and all followers of justice,
Today, we stand at a crossroads in history, facing a grim reality—the nobles of Jinhe Town, those who claim to be guardians of noble blood, are in fact heretic devils who have betrayed the faith and the believers.
Their actions aim to drag us back to a past filled with uncertainty and bind us once again with the shackles named citizenry!"
The townsfolk of Gray Furnace Town looked up, both worried and fearful, at the passionate wandering cultivator.
"...In recent days, these so-called nobles have mobilized their Extraordinary Knights and retinue knights to launch ruthless attacks on our homes.
They have burned our wheat fields, destroyed our homes, and taken the lives of our family members. Their cruelty is outrageous.
However, they are not satisfied yet; their ambition and greed are like an abyss, bottomless.
We can no longer stand idly by; we cannot allow these heretic devils to continue their rampage on our land.
Now it is time for us to unite, in the name of the Holy Trinity, to bring them to the final great inquisition!"
Reading this, the Hundred Households Captain of the Rasso Hundred Households District, Grosien, was so excited his voice changed.
"...Hereby, in the name of the Pope Country, sinner Horn calls upon all the devout believers:
Gather your strength, whether it's sword and shield, or faith and courage, they will be the blades of our inquisition against the heretics.
We will organize an army of justice, in the name of a holy war, to launch a great inquisition against the heretic devils of Jinhe Town.
This is not only a holy war to defend our faith and values but also a holy war for revenge for our former friends and family, and a holy war to protect our homeland!
May the light of the Holy Father illuminate your path, my dearest believers!"