Secret negotiations began, and the originally stable battlefield in northern Xinjiang fell completely silent.

The orc army did not attack, and the defenders were ordered by Hudson not to attack. The northern continent, filled with gunsmoke, ushered in a long-lost peace.

……

"How is it, did Field Marshal Hudson promise to send troops?"

Duke Rodriguez asked with concern.

There is no shortage of smart people in the world, and with the hatred between the Alpha Kingdom and the Orcs, a truce during the Continental War is an incredible thing in itself.

Sensing that something was wrong, the Northland aristocratic group took action as soon as possible.

"No, not only our request for war has been rejected, but also the request of other generals has been rejected.

Contact the Northland children who worked under Hudson, they are also confused now, and they have no idea what is going on! ”

Duke Angel replied with an unhappy expression.

For a long time, the nobles of the Northland were the core force of the kingdom's army. In the past, all major military operations had to be carried out with their consent.

Who knew that in the blink of an eye, their influence in the army would plummet, and they couldn't even find out what the commander-in-chief was doing.

You must know that in the last war, the nobles of the Northland occupied forty percent of the position of the command.

Some time ago, when the Marquis James was in office, they still had a lot of influence in the high command.

But as soon as Hudson took office, the situation was completely out of control.

There is no way, someone always needs to be responsible for the defeat. The commanders of the army were all dismissed and questioned, and the other generals in the command headquarters were naturally held accountable.

Hudson played a trick and pushed the boat down, and most of the officers in the command were replaced, and the generals who remained were also labeled as guilty and meritorious service.

The officers who originally relied on their identity and background to rise to the top were all purged this time, and a group of more capable officers were promoted to the top in turn.

The more fierce the fight in the early stage and the more positions occupied, the greater the loss of this wave of adjustment.

The defenders could not retreat, in addition to strategic needs, but also related to Hudson's personnel adjustments.

I don't know if they deliberately targeted it, anyway, their group of the five dukes of the Northland was collectively kicked out of the center of power.

I can't make a fuss if I want to, and the flames of war have burned to my doorstep. In the event that the kingdom's army suffers a defeat, the first to be unlucky are the five of them.

What's more, the newly appointed generals are not idle people, not only have a lot of background, but also have a lot of military achievements.

More than seventy percent of the generals are from the kingdom's most famous noble legion, the expeditionary legion.

Out of the need to guard against the orcs, when the expeditionary legion was formed, the elite nobles of the northern provinces were not recruited.

In fact, the five dukes of the Northland were also within the scope of the conscription at the beginning, after all, after a few more provinces, they could also be regarded as the hinterland of the kingdom.

It's just that they thought that the expedition to the west was a chore, and they were not worried about the strength of their neighbors, and thought that the seven provinces of northern Xinjiang could not resist the invasion of orcs, so they managed to refuse the call.

"It's useless to find out, Hudson is clearly targeting us. People are the bosses, and there are ways to toss us! ”

The words of Duke Tolsten did not resonate.

The strategic judgment is half correct, and the Northland nobles who missed the conscription will naturally have to pay the price in the new round of power reshuffle.

If you really want to talk about targeting, it is only the Lockonard family that pulls hatred, and the four of them are at most implicated.

The current miserable situation of the five major families is actually jointly promoted by the royal family and the aristocratic groups of the central and southern provinces, and Hudson alone is not capable of kicking them out of the core of power.

In addition to paying for the arrogance of the past, the most important thing is that the military strength of the Northland aristocratic group has dropped significantly, and its weight in the kingdom's army is not as good as before.

In the past, the nobles of the Northland were synonymous with elite in the kingdom, and the combat effectiveness of the private army was not weaker than that of the standing army at all.

Now the situation has been reversed, and after Hudson's bloody training, the combat effectiveness of the kingdom's standing army has been greatly improved.

On the contrary, because the Northland aristocracy was no longer on the front line, they lost the military subsidies issued by the kingdom, and the end of the smuggling trade led to a sharp decline in the financial revenue of each family, and they were forced to reduce their military investment.

The army that was out of production became semi-full-time, and after a few years of peace, the combat effectiveness inevitably declined.

After increasing and decreasing, everyone suddenly found that the Northland aristocratic group was no longer important to the kingdom, and the original political over-standard treatment was naturally gone.

Even Caesar IV, who had previously wooed them, has now lost interest in them. Politicians are always the most realistic.

The Northland aristocratic group that has lost its special value, just a few ordinary nobles, where is it worth the king to offend the ancestors in the royal family for them.

Knowing the positions of all parties, Hudson was not polite and pulled them to their rightful position.

The sensitivity of the Northland nobles is mainly due to their inadaptability to the adjustment of their own roles.

"Perhaps the current change is not caused by Hudson, but from the royal capital.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs had suddenly fallen ill the other day, but three days earlier his chief of guard had been seen in the barracks.

If the Minister of Foreign Affairs had not been really ill, but had come to the front, then everything would have been explained now! ”

Duke Hiro said with a solemn expression.

Unlike the negotiations in the central continent, which needed to rely on war to exert pressure, the northern Xinjiang battlefield was completely in a state of strategic stalemate.

In a short period of time, neither one is sure to overwhelm the other, so it is better to give each other face and stop the war first to show sincerity.

"If that's the case, then it's even worse!

We were not informed of such a big matter as the negotiation, which is much more severe than being targeted by the manager.

Everyone has seen the combat effectiveness of the standing army of the kingdom. I have to admit that Hudson's training is really good.

Unfortunately, now we are not as good as before, our financial income is limited, and it is difficult to imitate it.

The training method is public, even if everyone only learns seven or eight points.

In a few years, the military strength of those major fiscal and taxation provinces will also leave us behind.

If the current situation continues, we will be in a worrying position in the Kingdom in the future! ”

Duke Rodriguez said with a sigh.

In the continent of Aslanth, the right to speak is linked to strength. It turned out that the Northland nobles were the largest military group in the kingdom, and they naturally spoke hard.

Now that the military superiority has been wiped out, it may even be overtaken by others, and the political status will inevitably decline.

"And that's not the worst!

Although the training of the standing army is expensive, we can still train a legion each by gritting our teeth, and the Warcraft Legion is the real gold-swallowing behemoth.

If we can't find new sources of revenue to replenish, we can't keep up with this little tax in the territory alone.

I don't think you need to worry about political treatment here, and if you have this spare time, you might as well find a way to resume the smuggling trade with the orcs.

We don't have the luxury of hoping to continue to maintain our superiority over the provinces, at least we can't be left behind. Otherwise, those enemies who were suppressed by us in the past will come out and fall into the ground! ”

Duke Angel's words made Duke Tolsten's face more and more ugly.

seems to be an ordinary emotion, but in fact it is a warning to him not to do things.

It is true that the five families are in unison, but this does not mean that they are willing to get involved in the disputes between the Loonard family and the Coslow family.

Especially in times of war, it was even more tragic to be remembered by the coach.

Just look at the situation of the Loonard family, when the front line is basically stable, they have repeatedly suffered losses.

It seems that these losses are all due to coincidence, as if the Lockonard family was unlucky and happened to catch up, but in fact, everyone who understands it.

You don't need to deliberately target, just a little stumbling within the rules is enough to stand it.

This kind of special treatment is enough for the Lonnard family to enjoy themselves, and they don't want to suffer together.

I don't dare to hope for any of my military exploits. Now they just want to end the war quickly and send Hudson, the plague god, away.

……

"Count Oran, you are the most well-informed and can know ......"

Before Count Albert could finish speaking, Count Oran hurriedly interrupted: "Count Albert, you are embarrassed.

Several of us are in a similar situation, it's okay to inquire about some ordinary news, but I am not qualified to participate in real military affairs.

But I heard Hudson say that the king sent some day ago. Counting the days, the order to prohibit sorties was about the same as the time of their arrival. ”

Things gather like and people are grouped.

Unfortunately, he lost his own territory, and several frontier lords who were connected with the same fate naturally gathered together.

As the unlucky alliance, they are the most embarrassing in the army. Nominally, they are all big nobles, but unfortunately they are big nobles who have lost their fiefs.

As was customary, they should have died in the battle to defend their territory, but it was Hudson's intervention that gave the kingdom the order to retreat that allowed them to save their lives.

A noble lord who has temporarily saved his life, but can't fulfill his obligations, is that still a noble lord?

In the army, they are not less blinded, they can only be people with their tails between their legs, and the right to speak has nothing to do with them.

Nominally the governor of a province, his actual status is not comparable to that of some corps commanders.

It's not that everyone is discriminating, it's purely the military strength of one of their provinces, which is not as good as a main army.

"Count Oran, is the news confirmed, this kind of thing is not a joke!"

Earl Albert said in trepidation.

The kingdom negotiated with the orcs, and it was good that they were able to reclaim all their territory. If they can't get it back, it will be a complete tragedy for them, the lords who have lost their land.

"Your Excellency, do you dare to joke about this kind of thing?"

Count Oran asked rhetorically.

……

Similar scenes were constantly staged in the army, and a number of powerful factions received news of the negotiations one after another, and rumors spread in the army for a while.

Hudson, who should have taken measures at the first time, not only did not take action in time, but chose to let things go.

The delegation, which originally hid its identity, was soon dug up by the powerful nobles, and the angry Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Francis, came straight to the headquarters.

"Marshal, you ......"

Xingshi asked for sin, and when the words came to his lips, he didn't know where to start.

Hudson did not intervene in the negotiations, including when the delegation arrived.

If you don't do something, you won't make mistakes.

The charge of leaking the news wants to be deducted from him, which is too far-fetched.

Throwing the blame to a marshal with real power is a major political event.

If the charges are confirmed, Hudson may not be able to do anything with him.

If no evidence is found, his own political life will be ruined.

Count Francis, who had regained his senses, immediately sweated for himself, and then changed his words:

"Marshal, now that the news has leaked in advance, I'm afraid it will affect the follow-up negotiations!"

The same thing, in another way of saying it, has changed from asking the teacher to discussing countermeasures.

The nature has changed, and everything has changed with it. Regardless of how the news leaked, Hudson is now being dragged into the aftermath.

If you want to shirk it, you can't shirk it, as the commander of the army, you must have the responsibility of the coach.

"Your Excellency, the problem should not be very big. Judging from the feedback below, the sound of the main battle and the main harmony is comparable.

I can stabilize the situation in the army and not let them interfere in the negotiations.

However, the pace of your negotiations must be accelerated, and whether it is successful or not, the results must be reached as soon as possible.

It's been delaying for a long time, and the Terran Alliance has received the news, and it will be troublesome to meddle in! ”

Hudson said calmly.

It's not that he deliberately digs pits, but there are really some pots that can't be carried. When negotiating with the elves earlier, Hudson was brave enough to take responsibility.

But orcs are different, they are the sworn enemies of the kingdom. The fact that the Chinese can tolerate compromise with the elves does not mean that they can also accept compromise with the orcs.

At this moment, the kingdom's army has not achieved absolute superiority, and it is difficult to achieve satisfactory results by hastily starting negotiations with the orcs.

After the war, these were all ready-made tricks for political opponents, and Hudson did not want to end up with a bad reputation.

They simply played "non-involvement, non-knowledge, and non-interference" and allowed the situation to develop freely.

As for the fear of the Terran Alliance's involvement, it was simply an excuse to urge the delegation to speed up the process.

Messaging takes time, too, and Hudson didn't think anyone would dare to open a teleportation magic circle right under his nose.

Even if there are spies planted by the major forces in the army, it is very difficult to pass on the news, after all, the military camp is not a place to enter and exit freely.

Even if you are lucky enough to get out of the barracks, the nearby radius of hundreds of miles is cleared by strong walls, and it is difficult to find someone to connect.

Even with the cooperation of the great nobles, it is not possible to complete the news from the Northern Continent to the Southern Continent in a short period of time without exposing themselves.

What's more, what is coming out now is only rumors, and there is no conclusive evidence.

Orcs are not as expensive as elves, and the death of vassals will not affect the decision-making of the high-level.

A few symbolic battles on the border can leave the parties with nothing to say.

In fact, the current Alpha Kingdom has been geographically divided by the alien alliance, and the Terran Alliance has little binding force on the kingdom.

"The marshal can rest assured, judging from the initial contact, the orcs want to end the war sooner than we do, and the negotiations are going very well.

If it is only to regain the lost territory, an armistice can be signed now, and the two sides are currently arguing about the issue of war compensation. ”

Earl Francis's words made Hudson call him hasty.

With the relationship between the Alpha Kingdom and the orcs, where is the need for an armistice treaty, it is clearly a truce treaty that is now being discussed.

As long as one side is ready, the war will break out again. Since it is only a short-term truce, some issues can be blurred.

Anyway, the current orc empire does not have the ability to develop so much territory, so it is not a big problem to let the Alpha Kingdom occupy it for a period of time.

Perhaps in the eyes of the orcs, allowing the Alpha nobles to develop the prairie is cultivating leeks.

Compared with these dense fortresses, it is still easy for the emerging nobles to grab. This time it was mainly because they misjudged and miscalculated, and they didn't expect the kingdom to take the initiative to retreat.

After suffering a loss, they were prepared in the next war, and the emerging nobles in the border area wanted to retreat, but it was not so smooth.

It takes time for the territory to develop, and if the seven provinces of Northern Xinjiang want to develop to the level of the five major families in the Northland, it is difficult to do so without 180 years of efforts.

This is still based on the support of the kingdom, relying on the territory's own blood alone, God knows that the Year of the Monkey can develop.

In this context, the future of northern Xinjiang is a big hole. Once you're in it, don't try to climb out.

Every year, the orc tribe comes to fight the "Grass Valley", and they can toss them half to death. It is difficult for the local noble lords to organize an effective counterattack.

Moreover, this kind of hard life cannot be ended in a day or two, and it must be held out until the kingdom recovers its vitality and has the ability to launch the "Eastern Crusade".

If there is no problem, it is an "Eastern Crusade", not a "Northern Crusade".

Judging from the map, after the Alpha Kingdom recovered the seven provinces of Northern Xinjiang, the Orc Empire not only existed in the north of the kingdom, but also in the east of the kingdom.

From the perspective of the mainland, this place still belongs to the Northern Continent, and the great war launched is naturally the "Northern Expedition", but after the perspective is adjusted to the northern part of the kingdom, there are two options for the future war: "Northern Expedition" and "Eastern Expedition".

The climate in the east is more suitable for human survival, the land is more fertile, and the five royal families of the orcs are entrenched here.

For the sake of convenience, Hudson took the seven northern provinces of the kingdom all the way to the territory of Xueyue Lake, and gave a new term "Near East".

"It's best if the negotiations go well, the war ends early, and the kingdom can recover as soon as possible."

Hudson said without changing his face.

Deep down, he has already said countless "it". If nothing else, the delegation now insists on demanding land from the orcs, mainly to honor the land bonds issued by the kingdom before.

As for the quality of the land, how to solve the security problem, and whether the creditors can gain a firm foothold after obtaining the land, there is a high probability that the bureaucrats have ignored it.

As long as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gets enough land from the negotiating table, and after satisfying the rewards for meritorious officials, it can also cash in the previous land bonds, and it can stop the mouths of the main war faction.

Hudson was very suspicious of the sovereignty of these lands, which would be ambiguous in the treaty, and the orcs would only need to temporarily cede control.

Follow-up questions, let's deal with them after the next war breaks out!

Only this kind of vague treaty, which does not require stigma and political consequences, will be possible for the two parties to reach a conclusion in a short period of time.

The hidden danger is laid for the future situation in the Near East, and that is only a small problem. Anyway, there are many contradictions and conflicts between the Alpha Kingdom and the orcs, and some are the fuses, so it doesn't hurt to have one more.

The only ones who are pitted are the next owners of these lands. Maybe it's just been sealed, and the orcs come and rob it.

Perhaps there will be a classic quote in the kingdom in the future: "If you have an enmity with anyone, let him go to the north to be a lord."

Note: For convenience, some Eurasian maps are used. The Orc Empire is now almost as much as the Ottoman Empire has chopped off part of Africa, the Black Sea has shrunk into a lake, and further east is the sea.