"When I first met Saugrande Leus, he was in the throes of a terrible loss of his wife, and his deep purple eyes were full of sorrow and melancholy, but even this pain did not prevent him from carrying out his duties and obligations. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info compared to that, when I heard about Brother Wang's death a few years ago, it can only show that I am still an immature child. Many years later, Prince Henry and Edward V said so.

Prince Henry led the knights of the guard down the dirt slope and into the camp of the Iberian army, which had been a battlefield before. As soon as they stepped into the range, they were greeted by a group of heavily armed Farencian soldiers. A man who looked like an officer stepped forward and asked them where they came from in a somewhat stiff mainland official language.

Henry motioned to his men to raise the banner of the Zigner royal family, which was embroidered with a lion with a sword and shield in its front paws and a crown on its head. The prince then explained his identity to the officer in fluent continental Mandarin. The Falency officer immediately summoned a herald to give a few orders, and after the herald ran away, the officer politely told the Zigners that they would have to wait for a while.

Henry found that the Falencians, though polite and deferential, did not let their guard down in the slightest. In a short period of time, they organized the scattered soldiers who came one after another, and maintained a position that formed an absolute superiority against the Zignans. In case something happened, Henry had no doubt that the more than 30 people on his side would be wiped out in an instant. Of course, the knights who had followed Henry also found out about their situation, and they all nervously pressed their hands on the hilts of their swords.

"Let's take it easy, the other party is not an unreasonable person." Henry patted the knights on the shoulder, telling them not to worry so much. That being said, he was looking forward to the upcoming meeting even more. Victory is not arrogant, defeat is not discouraged, this is the army of kings, and the Falunxi army in front of him obviously has excellent quality.

After a cautious and tedious examination by the Farencians, Prince Henry followed Jack Fleet, commander of the 7th Division, alone to meet Thornland. Prince Henry clearly sensed that the tall Farency commander was very dissatisfied with his visit at this time, but because of the orders of the Prime Minister, he did not dare to assert himself and embarrass himself. Through some of the contacts just now, Prince Zigner has a deeper understanding of the Falencians. The officer in front of him clearly had an almost blind admiration and loyalty to Sogland, which was an important reason why Admiral Hollin had chosen him to lead his way. It can be in line with your own identity, and at the same time, you can prevent all possible accidents.

Prince Henry thought that he would have the opportunity to visit the majestic Gresden Fortress, but to his surprise, they continued in the direction of Langcados. Well, I'm afraid it will be in the big house in Lankados or in a public building such as the city hall. Prince Zigner thought so. However, once again, the truth was not what he expected. Jack Fleet took him to the camp south of the city of Lancados, where the Farencian vizier was waiting for him in the tent of the Chinese army.

Prince Henry walked into the tent, and he recognized Thorgrande at first sight. The other party did not notice his arrival, but focused all his attention on a wooden box, his left hand gently caressing the surface of the box, and his mind seemed to be completely immersed in his own world.

Jackfleet stepped forward and whispered a few words to a young officer beside him. The young officer nodded, then turned to gently warn Sogland. The Prime Minister of Pharansy immediately came to his senses and moved his gaze to Prince Henry's face.

"Welcome, Your Highness." Thorgrande rose to greet Henry.

"It's an honor to meet you, Lord Leus." Henry also bowed humbly.

"Please come and sit here, my Highness."

"Thank you for your kindness." Henry, still polite, walked over and sat down.

After the guests and hosts finished their greetings, they immediately entered the theme.

"What is the so-called reason for His Royal Highness Henry's visit this time?" Thorgrande asked knowingly.

"As you have long known, our country has provided the King of Iberia with a group of longbowmen and knights to act as mercenaries in order to earn food to supply the people of the country. A few days ago, the Iberian army was defeated by your army, and it happened that our mercenaries were also in the formation. I have heard that some of my countrymen have been spared by your kindness, and I hope that you will give them back to us so that I can take them back to their families. Prince Henry also said frankly.

"Captain Ingrid!" Sogrend shouted.

The young officer, who had been standing beside him, saluted, and then reported: "Captain Volker Condé of the 45th Regiment has indeed reported that when they received Captain March Landier, they captured a dozen knights who claimed to be Zignates, all of whom had suffered burns of varying severity. ”

"Also, regarding the death of Officer Landier, a non-commissioned officer of the 30th Division submitted such a report, please take a look." Shoverston pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to Saugland.

"The main casualty of their division was a bow that was larger than an ordinary bow and arrow?" "It should be the Zignar longbowmen." ”

When Henry saw Saugland say this, he deliberately looked at him. Obviously, the other party wants to understand that this is a tactful pressure. Although Henry saw through the other party's tricks, he also knew that "the victor should not be blamed", the Pharisens currently held the initiative on the battlefield, and he was just a mercenary negotiator. Now all they had to think about was what kind of decent step Sogrande could give the Zigners to protect themselves by selling their employers.

"Let's go and visit the warriors of your country, I believe that this will not hinder the work of the doctors." Thorgrande proposed, and Prince Henry immediately agreed.

When they arrived at the place where Zigner's wounds were housed, Prince Henry saw the plight of his own people. The sword did not leave them with much wound, but the terrible wounds inflicted by the burns and scalds made the young prince's stomach churn. Because he has always been healthy and has no seasickness or anything like that, this physiological reaction makes it very difficult for him.

"This should be the Earl of Lancaster." Sogrend brought the prince to a man.

The Count was in a good situation, he just inhaled too much smoke and fire, and his hair and beard were charred a lot.

"Your Highness!" The Earl was a little surprised to see Prince Henry here.

"You have worked hard, please feel free to be treated here, and I will take care of the rest of the matter." Henry reassured.

"Yes, Your Highness." The Count bowed his head slightly.

The discovery of Henry's arrival gave the remaining Zignars a lot of hope. It is not uncommon for mercenaries to be wantonly abandoned by their employers on the battlefield, while their home countries are often unable or unwilling to help them in a timely manner for various reasons. Every Zigner who joined the mercenaries had prepared for the worst, and the fact that Prince Henry was the first to appear in front of them as they were captured certainly gave them hope. Several knights and longbowmen saluted the young prince with the courtesy of nobles and freemen, respectively.

"According to the general rules, our army should have the right to demand ransom from you." After leaving the Zygnates, Saugland spoke to Henry in a secluded place near the prisoner camp.

"Zigner himself is still hungry, not to mention the fact that we just took the last money from Iberia last month." Henry rightly poured out bitter water.

"Since there is no liquidity, our country also accepts fixed asset mortgages."

"Fixed assets?"

"I heard that since the last two years, Iberia has been working with you to tear down the original Lockhid fortress and build a new city in the Muryat Canyon. Anyway, the property has only been completed for a short time. ”

Henry looked at Prime Minister Falunci, and he couldn't help but have the illusion that he was talking to a loan shark.

"So, should I trade a pile of tattered tofu scum fortifications for tens of thousands of elite Iberian soldiers?" Prince Henry said tentatively in a rhetorical tone. While his description of the situation is largely true, it is clear that there is still some need for some consideration in the use of modifiers.

"It is a pleasure to negotiate with His Highness Henry." Sogrend smiled and said, "Then if you can, would Your Royal Highness the Prince be willing to enjoy the light and have lunch with him?" ”

"It's a great honor." Henry owes himself and expresses his will.

The Third Battle of Alc between Farency and Iberia came to an end, and the Fallensi army then advanced into the newly built fortress of the valley of Mryat, which Henry the "Seaspout" handed over to the Phalensi, in his capacity as plenipotentiary of the Iberian Army. The remnants of more than 10,000 Iberian defenders retreated to the border in 344 with wounded several times their allies. In the battle in the early hours of 2 September, the number of Iberian casualties could not be accurately estimated, because so many people were burned alive in tents, and it was impossible for the Farensi to take great care to count the disgusting charred corpses. However, the number of people that Prince Henry brought back to Iberia can be determined to be between 43,000 and 48,000. In stark contrast, only three of the 17 counts of Iberia fought were killed, two of whom were killed by stray arrows during the attack on Gristden. There are no exact statistics on the losses of the Falency army, but from the more reliable records of the payment of pensions at the beginning of 349, we can infer that the losses of the Falency in the attack on 2 September were in the range of 12,000 to 18,000.

Once again, Iberia suffered a major setback in the assault on the Alc region, a battle that cost as much as the two campaigns in 344 combined. This was a serious blow to the northern princes who were loyal to the Guinot dynasty, almost a fatal blow. And Ofriet III's first attempt to flee also caused irreparable damage to his prestige.

Just as the Farensi and Zignans were agreeing on how to deal with the aftermath of the war on the Eastern Front, the Mastars were able to put an end to a very unsuccessful campaign in the third quarter. There are no shortage of crushing defeats in the history of the empire, such as the defeat of the "Sun King" Fran I by Nacibis under the fortress of Iva in the 33rd year of the continental Gregorian calendar; Another example is the Battle of Tikrio, which killed Emperor Maximilian II in 238 of the continental Gregorian calendar. But I am afraid that not a single defeat has occurred against the will of the emperor.

Of course, there are many examples of people in Leon's rank who have suffered defeats in battle, but they all rely on the emperor's favor and are rarely punished very severely. However, Sigrani was so angry with Leon's action that she gave birth prematurely again, but fortunately, through the efforts of the doctors, the mother and child were still safe.

As soon as Leon retreated from the front, he was arrested by the Count of Reims and placed under house arrest. The Fields family was shocked, and the old Marquis of Fields hurried to Campinia to meet Thorde Reims. Thorder, Count of Reims, told the old Marquis a surprising and distressing revelation: Her Majesty suspected that the Archduke Fields was plotting rebellion.

There was a reason for Sigrani's suspicions, and the head of the Knights Templar, Frank Redknapp, reported something to her. It turned out that Cizer, seeing the defeat at the front, did not return to the troops waiting in Eva to prepare to meet the remnants of Leon's army. In keeping with his usual temperament, he was ready to do something bolder. After hastily resupplying in Campeña, he flew directly to Shurasa. Cizer was prepared to block the news before the news reached Shurasa, then the Praetorian Guard, and then the Central Army to gallop north to aid Ivar, in a vain attempt to turn the tide of the battle before the news of the defeat reached Sigrani's ears. This move is like a gambler who loses money and takes a risk in order to turn over the money.

Cizer almost succeeded, for he was acting as deputy commander of the Praetorian Guard and commander of the Central Army, and in the ordinary sense of the word, he was the highest-ranking military commander in the whole of Shurasa at that time. If he wanted to mobilize the Central Army and the Praetorian Guard in the name of Leon, the emperor's agent, it could be said to be unimpeded. It has to be said that Cizer was more calm and capable in the more risky actions, and he succeeded in getting the Janissaries to control several important ministers of the dynasty, and at the first time let a regiment of the Central Army send north.

However, he still missed the calculation after all, or the other party was prepared for the arrival of this day. Redknapp had deliberately obtained independent command in the court before the Empress left for the South, just in case this situation arose. Just as Cizer returned home triumphant, ready to write a letter to Leon to persuade him to keep going. Redknapp sent someone south to inform Sigrani and personally led the Templar to raid Cezel's residence and capture him in one fell swoop. Subsequently, he rescued Count Albertini and asked the Imperial Chancellor to stabilize the situation and wait for news from Rodbuna.

Although it was difficult to determine the specifics, Sigrani asked Hayes, who was most trusted, to return to Shurasa as soon as possible to regain control of the Praetorian Guard and the Central Army. And himself, despite the weakness after childbirth, asked the Admiral Count Baggio to organize the army to prepare for the worst.

Marstar was almost on the verge of another civil war, but thanks to the efforts of Redknapp, Hayes and Count Albertini, the situation was brought under control. For Hayes and the others, the only thing Cizer did right was to send the Central Army north. On the Campeña side, Hayes let the Central Army be the first to recapture the Count of Reims once it got there. It just so happened that Thord also woke up from his coma at this time, and the interim ruling trio of Shurasa decided to put him in charge of the situation at the front and lead the negotiations with the Farensi.

On 20 September, Sigrani returns to Shurasa alone, confronted with the mess left to her by Leon and Cezel. The elite Northern Army suffered heavy losses, and the Falencians had both military and moral superiority. It can be said that since the Mastarians were driven out of Parelo by Leighton the Great, the Empire has never suffered such a big loss on the northern front. And all this stems from the unjustified military adventures of a ruler.

Empress Mastar received the members of the Provisional Trio in the Council Chamber, and the three important ministers saw her leaning weakly on the throne, and their hearts could not help but feel a lot of pity. Sigrani herself felt weak, and she looked at the three ministers below, feeling physically and mentally exhausted. This fatigue and weakness are not only due to premature birth and the fatigue of traveling, but more importantly, mental damage. Although Sigrani is a natural emperor, she is also a delicate woman after all. The feeling of being betrayed by someone she trusted very much made her feel helpless to rely on. Women subconsciously want to be pampered and relied on, even if they may not actually need it, and Sigrani is in that state right now.

"The greatest responsibility for the current situation lies with me." Sigrani spoke first.

"Your Majesty......" The ministers humbly lowered their heads and muttered, the weak appearance of the empress in front of him, no normal man would be willing to blame her, not to mention that the empress made a gesture of self-reproach first.

"It is I who ordered Archduke Fields to act as my duty and responsibility."

"Your Majesty, for this appointment, it was the old minister who first proposed it, and the old minister ......," said Count Albertini.

"No, it is a matter of course for a minister to make various proposals to the emperor, and the emperor must decide for himself which proposal should be followed, and if a mistake is made and the person who made the proposal and plan in the first place is held accountable, then who will dare to speak to me in the future? If the greatest responsibility lies with you, doesn't that mean that I am only a burden to the Empire? Therefore, I have the greatest responsibility. And you have stopped the spread of mistakes in a timely manner, and there is only merit, no fault. ”

"Your Majesty......" The three ministers lowered their heads again, and they re-realized what a great imperial heart was contained in the seemingly delicate body in front of them.

"Although the Grand Duke of Fields is my husband, it does not forgive him for his sins." Sigrani said coldly, and Hayes knew how sad she was for it.

"Your Majesty, it is said that His Royal Highness the Grand Duke thought that the Falencians had attempted to kill the Count of Reims, so he ......," Hayes began.

"Hmph, hasn't he always despised the Prime Minister of the North, who is good at intrigues? Why are you starting to learn the other party's methods now, not to mention that you don't learn very well. Sigrani rejected Hayes's exculpation.

"Your Majesty means that the poisoning of Count Reims was the work of his own people?" Redknapp asked.

"Lord Redknapp, in your understanding, would Lord Leus use such a stupid scheme?" Sigrani asked rhetorically. Poisoning may be a trick for personal grievances, but it can only be said that it will do more harm than good for national struggle.

"Uh...... I'm afraid not. Redknapp replied honestly.

"It could also be that His Highness Fields has been deceived by traitors, such as Count Cizer Bertrand." Count Albertini still wanted to find a scapegoat for Leon.

"Don't turn around and intercede for him anymore, I know that he is recognized as a good man of noble character, but this is not a reason to excuse the offender. For the time being, imprison the Archduke of Fields and the Count of Bertrand, and I will deal with them in the proper way. Thank you again for your efforts, I still need to keep you working for a while. If nothing else, then I'm tired, let me rest. Sigrani waved her hand to signal that the meeting was over.

"I wish Your Majesty a healthy dragon." The ministers saluted knowingly and withdrew.

Sigrani watched as the three men departed, left alone in the council chamber. She suddenly felt so helpless. Sigrani clasped her hands tightly around her chest, trying to feel a little warmth. But in the end, she still hung her head to the side and whimpered softly. At this time, she couldn't help but think of Atalanta, how she wished that at this time Atalanta could be by her side, hugging her like a sister. However, Madame Hayes did not return to Shurasa with the Empress due to her injuries.