"It couldn't be more obvious, Polotsk people!" said William, triumphantly taking the white iron trumpet from the hands of his attendants, and then shouted loudly:

"It's Novgorod! It's the cursed Slavites who have made us suffer so much! So what should we do when we know this?! Should we swallow our anger and let these cursed Slavic mongrels be bullied, let them be in a safe place and talk in the wind, and watch us from the shore as we struggle in the floods?!"

William's voice grew louder and more angry:

Yes, although I am not a Polotsk, we have the same blood in our veins belonging to the Gothic Empire! We are all Goths, and as a crusader general, a nobleman who has been honored by the Holy See for his foreign wars, I must not sit idly by and ignore the situation in Polotsk!!

I decided to form an expedition. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 infoAs the son of Duke Otto and the first in line to the throne of the Duchy of Mystia. I'm going to form a crusade, and the goal is Novgorod!

I will send brave warriors from the territory of Polotsk to Novgorod with me, and spread the wrath of God on their sinful cities!!!

William's words ignited the enthusiasm of the Polotsks, who cheered loudly, threw their hats over their heads, and shouted Wilman's name.

War, war, war -- it is only right to start a war after the economic crisis! to pass on domestic contradictions and plunder foreign wealth. Get everything you want - since the Polotsks themselves can't think of this trick, it's up to William to get this sweet, venom-filled fruit!

"I see...... This guy is really ......."

At the same time, in the crowd, Victoria couldn't help but smile: "He used to play this idea. That's nice...... It's just that he took advantage of all the advantages, and these Polotsks even called him a benefactor. This scene is really funny. ”

She thought to herself, and then couldn't help but laugh. The smile on her face made some of the Polotsks around her involuntarily cast obsessive glances - but no one dared to move. Because by Victoria's side. Except for the cute girl who stood quietly behind her and looked like a maid. There are also more than a dozen people who are wrapped in heavy armor, silent, but giving people a great sense of oppression...... Monster.

Yes, despite this appearance, the appearance, the silhouette is like that of a human. But it feels very different. I don't feel the slightest bit of "human" at all. So, it's most appropriate to call it a monster......

"Let's go, there's nothing to see anymore. Hear William go on to describe how he will reward his followers after defeating Novgorod, and what kind of team he will build. Even a little arrogant, if he is the ruler of Polotsk, how to restore the prosperity of Polotsk and so on. Victoria was a little distracted.

It's important, but it means nothing to her.

What should have been known is already known. Those who should know about it have also understood...... Although he is a hero, although he is very good. But it's still a little short of my expectations. He wasn't to blame, though. It's just that he didn't get a good education in his early years...... However, even if this is the case, it is already rare for him to have such an achievement as he has now.

"Let's go back. ”

Victoria's "go back" is not only to go back to the diplomatic embassy, but also to go back to Briton.

At the same time, William also notices Victoria, who is as special as Victoria, and with a group of monsters around her, more than human-like guards. It should be hard to ignore - but actually, William really ignored her. It was only in this moment that he caught this Briton girl who gave him a headache.

"We'll see you again. Although William couldn't hear what she was saying in such a noisy square, he understood what she meant by the shape of her mouth...... For a while, I don't know how to feel, William suddenly felt a little lost.

"How could it be? I wish she had gone soon. William found this feeling strange and unreasonable. His reason told him that "I wish she had gone" was the most correct. But his body—no, it should be said, his soul—told him of this sensation which was diametrically opposite, completely out of step with logic.

"It's weird. William thought to himself. And then he put the matter behind him.

Now, there's a lot more serious things he needs to do. There was no need for him to do anything unnecessary for the sake of a little inexplicable feeling, especially when such a special feeling was reflected in a woman who made him feel very headache.

And just like that, for the departure, to return to Victoria in Briton. William didn't make any special indications. Just through the servants, politely expressed regret. It's the kind of diplomatic rhetoric that no one will believe to be true. That is, polite words.

After that, William didn't have time to think about these things. He became busier. Because of the crusader thing.

The previous presentation in the central square of Riga City was off to a good start. However, with the exception of a very small number of naturally lively and restless adventurers, the vast majority of people in Polotsk will not give up everything to become a mercenary because of his words...... Or rather, the crusaders, and then how and how.

What really caught the eye was William's "high" pay, at least better than working in a sweatshop or doing nothing in the Great Depression city of Polotsk.

The "White Army", which William was to form, needed to be openly recruited in Polotsk to be six thousand soldiers. These soldiers must be between the ages of sixteen and thirty and do not have any physical disability, major criminal record. Those who have military experience may be given priority. Technical troops, such as artillery, cavalry, or engineers, are given priority.

These soldiers were to be organized into three infantry regiments of 1,500 men, an artillery battalion, a cavalry battalion, and a baggage battalion under William's care. After three months of training by cadets and officers on active duty in the south and Mystia, they traveled overland to Novgorod.

Of course, that's not the point. The point is that William gave these soldiers three silver marks a month for selling money. At the same time, there is a pension that is not too high. and a severance pay for a disabled serviceman who is not too high.

This price is forty percent less than the five marks of silver coins currently used by the soldiers of the new army of Mystia. Compared to the monthly cost of twenty marks of silver coins for the average "mercenary", it is even less - but William is not "hiring mercenaries" but "forming mercenaries". The difference between the two is huge.

Moreover, the mercenary was paid a high salary of twenty marks of silver per month, which could only be obtained in battle. In peacetime, these guys can't catch any of them, so they can only go home and eat old rice. And William's monthly salary of three marks of silver is paid monthly, and it is never in arrears.

And Polotsk against the backdrop of the economic crisis. A "high" salary, at least a relatively high salary, that will never be in arrears, is definitely coveted by all.

That's it, the fact that the mercenaries were replaced with the title "Crusader" against the background of the economic crisis. With revenge, and the prospect of plundering Novgorod as bait. William easily recruited enough troops in Polotsk in a very short time.

Poverty, a miserable life allowed them to endure a lot of suffering. These include desperate training, desperate beatings, harsh schedules, and a series of rules and regulations that are unique to the military.

Under special conditions, almost all of these Polotsk people, who were ridiculed by the surrounding poor mountains and bad waters, and who believed that "if they do not have sufficient will and morale, they will complain about the hardships of the whole world if they strengthen their training a little, and of course they will not become excellent soldiers", almost all of them successfully passed the acceptance.

At the same time, against the backdrop of the economic crisis, with revenge, the righteous oppression of the Crusaders. At the same time, power and strength are used as threats. William also obtained a sufficient number of the latest flintlock muskets in Polotsk, enough gunpowder and ammunition for the infantry to train desperately. Enough twelve-pounder infantry cannons, enough shells, gunpowder for artillery. There was enough cloth, and enough to process it, to dye it into military uniforms, and to work happily overtime for textile workers and textile mills......

That's it, Charumi, William's assistant happily reported to William that by this autumn at the latest, William would have what he wanted—an army that would allow him to sweep away the whole of Novgorod and, by the way, eat Holmgard all along with it—in addition to the six thousand "White Legions", William had contacted the few remaining mercenary regiments in Polotsk. The leaders of these mercenaries were all excited when they heard that William was willing to hire his army for eight silver marks per person per month.

Despite this price, it is only 40% of the general market price. Although William almost made it clear that he wanted to use these mercenaries as cannon fodder. Despite the harsh and harsh conditions offered by William - however, in the whole of Polotsk, when William was the only buyer, the mercenaries were very, very, very knowledgeable.

In this way, William has tens of thousands of cheap cannon fodder that can be sacrificed anytime and anywhere to bring his own dry food. All preparations for the attack on Novgorod have been completed.