Flanders is located in the north-west of France, bordering a number of coastal lowlands and a small harbour.

In fact, the Governor and Colonel Wang Ding overestimated the military strength here.

The businessmen who reported the information to them counted some of the militias who volunteered to join them as regular troops.

The army of Count Guy consisted of no more than 500 regular knights and 100 armored cavalry, 1,000 cavalry...... Not anyone who can fight on horseback is considered cavalry, just as anyone who fights on foot cannot be considered infantry, hehe.

The businessmen who spies on intelligence count all the militias who join the initiative......

Knights have a wide variety of equipment and a lot of money.

Take the example of a war horse, which is essential for knights, and its price is staggering.

In this era, a subordinate horse cost only £1, while an ordinary war horse cost about £14.

Moreover, in order to maintain the speed of the march and replace the horses lost in battle at any time, the knight's war horse was often more than just one.

Obviously, it was not easy for ordinary knights to buy, raise and equip such a war horse.

And a great deal of other equipment awaited him: helmets, cuirasses, iron plates to protect shoulders and elbows, swords, spears, tents, utensils such as kettles, pots, plates, and horses carrying them.

Secondly, the knight's equipment is mainly borne independently.

The knight was to bring his own equipment, which was based on the so-called exchange of rights and duties: the lord gave the knight the estate, and the knight gave the knight in return for military service.

The Earl of Guy was generous, and he gave the knights a fief in Flanders' domain...... Thus it was stipulated that whoever possessed a knight's fief should have a pair of chain mail, a helmet, a shield, and a spear, and that each knight should have as many chain mail, helmets, shields, and spears as he had in his own domain

It can be seen that the knight's equipment alone is enough to build an insurmountable gap between the knight and the common people.

The division of military service of knights, as far as the types of troops are concerned, are divided into cavalry and infantry; In terms of functions, there are field and guard. Knights mainly served as cavalry, and in this era, cavalry was the most striking type of troops.

However, knights ≠ cavalry. Knight is a title, a title, a qualification, an identity, and a knight only constitutes the main force of armored cavalry.

Generally speaking, it is understandable that knights were used in battle as a cavalry unit. In reality, however, the knights' contact with the infantry was constant and necessary.

At times, they were appointed commanders in command, consisting mainly of infantry, and occasionally containing some cavalry.

Sometimes, the knights dismounted and fought in an infantry manner. This was mainly because or jumping off the horses to strengthen the infantry and encourage them; Or had to attack the castle in an infantry manner.

In addition, knights are often defined as rushing from castle to castle and slaughtering over the wilderness, however, knights are often used as guards. They were mainly responsible for guarding castles, trading posts, customs and bridges.

The knight emphasized the fairness of the battle.

This fairness is reflected in the equality of numbers, ranks, and opportunities between the two combatants.

The knight's oath states that "they shall never fight more than one-on-one, and they shall refrain from all deceit and falsehood".

In a fight, the knight was to attack a prepared knight or hoplite, "according to the law of the knight, it is undignified to attack an infantry for a knight"

However, the coldness of reality often overshadows this flaunt of "fairness".

In the real war, who can take care of these things?

In short, the more people who can participate in the cavalry charge, the better!

So, on this morning, Count Boy, who was sleeping alone, got up, put on his silk robe, and put on his oriental motcasins, and went to the window to open the cotton and linen curtains with beautiful flower patterns.

The bright sunlight poured into the room at once, illuminating the wall clock hanging on the wall, and it was already half past seven!

The sun is so good, but his mood is still very bad...... He received more and more military information about Philip IV, and it seemed that he was determined to invade his territory.

Philip IV had asked him for two important cities some time earlier...... One is the base of his shipbuilding and handicraft industry, and the other is his base for winemaking and grain processing...... He refused without even thinking about it!

Breakfast was milk and bread as usual...... His servant carefully poured the hot milk into an expensive porcelain cup, and placed a small porcelain jar of white sugar that he had never seen before.

The bread is freshly baked, fluffy and sweet.

There was also an egg, a plate of fruit.

But the Count of Quy still had no appetite, and his heart was too stressed.

Flandershaven is the core city of Flanders' territory, with a population of 100,000 people...... But those two cities were equally important, and if they were ceded to Philip IV, they would cost him half his life!

While he was eating his breakfast without a bite, his guard came to report that some Eastern arms merchant had come to see him.

His bodyguard was named David Charles.

Count Quy sighed, and he said to his guard, "David, you know that we lack only cavalry, not weapons...... We have steel, and we have artisans......"

That's true.

The port of Flanders is well located on the European continent, and goods from almost all regions can be transported by sea...... Even Oriental goods that seem to appear out of nowhere can appear here in time.

Previously, he had found that the sea salt from the merchants of the East was cheap, and he wanted to buy it in large quantities and make a lot of money.

He also treated the Oriental merchants who came here kindly, and did not discriminate against them because of the color of their skin or their religious beliefs, but set them a very fair tax rate...... After all, they deal in mostly luxury goods.

But damn Philip IV ruined it all!

His bodyguard, David Charles, did not leave, and a strange expression appeared on his face.

He said, "Lord Count, I actually wanted to come to you last night...... But I heard that you rarely fell asleep, so I didn't bother......"

Yes, he couldn't sleep since he refused Philip IV's request...... After drinking some oriental-style spirits last night, I fell asleep all at once.

I really didn't expect that there was such a strong liquor in the world...... He hadn't been drunk in a long time.

"Is there any other reason, David?"

"Lord Count, I would like you to see for yourself...... The weapons they are going to sell us seem to be the same oriental weapons that the Scottish peasant rebels used to defeat the elite army of England......"

Oh my God, you said it earlier!

Count Quy and Edward I the Long were hardcore anti-French allies, and the two fought together on more than one occasion.

The communication between them was very timely, so of course he knew about the fate of Edward I the Long-legged...... He was defeated by a terrible Oriental-style weapon!

If the English army had not suffered heavy losses, he would have asked Edward I to send troops to save him!

He immediately followed David Charles, the guard officer, to meet the so-called Oriental arms dealers...... I didn't even have time to change the silk robe on my body.