Otto is not a big one, but he is really confident.

When he earns money, he does not indulge in enjoyment like the nobles of his time, or save it, but exchanges it for real territorial strength.

Especially in terms of military strength, Otto was extremely satisfied.

After nearly two years of recruitment, the number of "quasi-knights" under Otto has exceeded the 100-person mark.

These people, basically from baron or knightly families, have received a strict military education since childhood, whether it is mounted archery or martial arts, they are impeccable.

Due to the unique primogeniture system of the Middle Ages, most of these people could not inherit the title of the family, and generally when they became adults, their fathers would let them go to various places to seek opportunities.

Wealthier families can prepare a fairly complete set of equipment for them, including war horse weapons and armor. Such wealthy "would-be knights" generally found it easy to find work, that is, to work for the great lords.

After all, the free instant combat power is naturally very welcome by the great lords.

Generally speaking, after serving the lord for ten years or more, if they are still alive, these "quasi-knights" with their own equipment can often obtain a land of their own by virtue of "loyalty" or "military exploits", or become real knights, and if they are lucky, they may become barons or even counts.

And those "would-be knights" who can't even get together their weapons and equipment are not so lucky. Whether it is for the big lord or the small lord, the value of a "quasi-knight" cannot match the value of his full set of equipment at all.

Since the nobles usually have no other hobbies other than eating, drinking, and women, there are many "quasi-knights" in even the territory of the small lords.

A full set of equipment that is worth a lot of money, for their own people who have grown up in the territory since childhood, or for outsiders whose loyalty is doubtful, fools know how to choose.

Therefore, except for a few guys with particularly strong martial arts who will be favored by the lords, the way out for the vast majority of "quasi-knights" is either to become mercenaries to earn a set of equipment for themselves, or to become bandits who harm one side by virtue of their martial arts.

But in any case, being able to have a complete set of equipment and eventually serve a lord to obtain the ladder to become a nobleman is the pursuit of the entire "quasi-knight" class.

Therefore, it is not surprising that when Otto spread the news through the merchants that Aargau Collar recruited a large number of "would-be knights" and gave away a full set of equipment after serving for a certain period of time, it was not surprising that a large number of "prospective knights" flocked to Otto.

The addition of these people has made Allgaoling's military strength directly cross several steps. This group of people, in this era, is the elite of the complete elite.

If you make an analogy, it is that the guards who are often trained are almost equivalent to the regular army in the previous life, and the "quasi-knights" are at the level of special forces.

I started to learn combat skills from a young age, and I only started short-term training when I grew up, and my combat effectiveness is naturally incomparable.

Pulling out hundreds of knights without titles at one time, this strength, I'm afraid it doesn't lose some dukes.

As for the other cavalry in the territory, it is more appropriate to call it an infantry on horseback than a cavalry. The training of cavalry has never been an overnight thing, and Otto's investment of nearly two years is only to ensure that these people can bully the infantry when they can fight on horseback.

Really hedged against the knights, I'm afraid that ten or eight can't beat the other party.

In addition to the cavalry, the success of the infantry was the reason for Otto's confidence.

The stability improvement of the crossbow has been completed, and although there is still a limit to the service life, it will not fall apart after firing a dozen rounds.

Today, the craftsmen of Aargao are working overtime to make crossbows, and the daily output is barely more than ten. In order to make the crossbow and build the Eagle Fort, several mountains near the Eagle Fort were cut down.

At the same time, training on how to handle crossbows is also underway, and as long as the number of crossbows is in place, Otto will be able to pull out a large crossbowmen army in an instant. Each of these crossbowmen is given a spear, and the infantry unit with melee and long-range output capabilities is formed.

It can be said that with the current military strength of Allgaoling, Otto is confident that if he does not fight with the duke or the powerful earl family, the victory rate is at least eighty percent or more.

These two percent, but the other party has to be very lucky.

So, after the Grotonin family in Bern began to gather troops, Otto also gathered his vassals in the name of Alakhof and gathered troops.

Naturally, it was impossible to conceal such a large-scale move to gather the army from the other surrounding lords, and while everyone was waiting to see a good show, they also sent messengers to communicate with both sides to express goodwill and support.

Unfortunately, Otto did not receive much support.

With the exception of the Count of Bresgau, who initially expressed his desire to marry, he offered to send a small force to assist Otto, most of the other nobles only boasted in their hearts, expressing that they would provide all help except support.

Otto wrote a letter expressing his gratitude to the Count of Bresgau and politely declined his help. As for the attitude of the other nobles around, Otto didn't care at all, the purpose of this time was to kill chickens and make an example of monkeys, the church was the monkey king, and the other lords were not also monkeys?

While both sides were gathering their armies in preparation for a major battle, Otto did not forget to inquire about King Lothair II, and he did not want this sudden war with Berne to affect his plans to seize the Basel region.

If time is running out, Otto will not bother to play with the Grodunnen family in Bern, but will take the Basel region first. He didn't believe that the Grodonnin family would really go to war with him.

The news of Lothair II's serious illness soon spread to the Swiss region and was officially confirmed by the kingdom. Along with the news that Lothair II's eldest son, Hugue, had been officially established as the crown prince and would succeed to the throne, and that Duke Rekel of the Netherlands had become regent of the kingdom.

This news caused the entire Lotharingia Kingdom to fall into turmoil in an instant.

The brothers of the Carolingian dynasty were already infighting, and now that Lothair II is seriously ill and the heir is underage, it may not be so easy to hold the kingdom, even if I heard that the great nobles of the kingdom have announced their support for Prince Hugue.

But such a good opportunity, will the kings of East and West Francia, who are also Carolingian families, watch it?

By the time the news reached Paris and Baden, the two kings had already begun to gather their vassals and prepare their armies, and a major battle at the kingdom level was inevitable.

For a time, the people of the Kingdom of Lotharingia were panicked, and many nobles had begun to contact the kings of East and West Francia in private.

At this time, the order of the Duke of Holland, regent of the Kingdom of Lotharingia, also spread throughout the kingdom, requiring all vassals of the kingdom to begin recruiting troops to assemble in the Baal and Holland regions.

At this time, the Allgao and Berne commanders, who had received the order, had also basically completed the assembly of their troops, and were in a very embarrassing state.

At present, the foreign enemy is still fighting this war in front of us.

Just as Otto was considering whether to settle the dispute with the Grodunnin family first, Bern sent a messenger to make their choice.

That's – hit!