I Will Be The Crowned King

The next day, the coalition prisoners camp.

In the small tent, Bernard Morwes, who had the "ceiling" above his head, leaned against the bed board and sat wearily on the ground. Staring blankly at the wooden bucket in the corner of the tent.

As the Deputy Commander of the Expeditionary Force and the highest-ranking Imperial Commander still alive, he is of course entitled to demand better treatment—in fact, the Allied Forces have done the same, and as soon as the battle is over, he will be prepared with movable boards and The "lounge" built by the tent is the same level as Claude's ward.

But Bernard refused.

Although he did not participate in the first feint of the battle behind the barren stone castle, after a little contact with the army, his keen sense of smell as a soldier made him immediately aware that the expedition army after the fiasco was not as simple as the collapse of morale, but There has been a gap between middle and low-level officers and soldiers and upper-level officers.

Almost all the middle and low-level officers and soldiers unanimously did not have any good feelings for the fallen Caspar Herrede, and even felt that they had been betrayed and used as an abandoned son to cover the commander-in-chief and high-ranking officers to break through.

Faced with this situation, Bernard immediately realized that even if he did nothing but simply accept the "goodwill" of the enemy, he would be regarded by the army as a traitor like Caspar Hered.

Therefore, at his "strong" request, the coalition forces, which had no sympathy for the Imperials, agreed to his request and only prepared a small ordinary tent for him in the prison camp.

The area of ​​112 square meters, a bed, a bucket and a kerosene lamp—of course it is very shabby compared to the "luxury suite", but compared to the expeditionary army prisoners who are still sleeping outside, this is already beyond the standard treatment. .

On the single bed behind him lay Arthur Herrid, curled up in a ball on the bed less than 80 centimeters wide, facing the wall, as quiet as a brown bear after hibernation.

Almost after the battle, this guy has been in this state.

Probably because she was beaten by a cute-looking little girl half her height, and she was too seriously stimulated... Bernard guessed so.

Although in his eyes, the cute little girl like an angel is a devil in human skin... Mainly, he doesn't think that when the angel descends to earth, he will carry three or four rifles on his back and hang grenades all over his body.

After being silent for an unknown time, the golden sunlight shone on the faces of the two people at the same time.

With a pale face and a tangled look in his eyes, Louis Bernard appeared outside the tent door.

Resisting the dazzling light, Bernard looked up at the young knight who walked into the tent, and asked impatiently, "How is the situation?"

Before he finished speaking, Arthur Herrid, who was curled up in a ball on the bed, suddenly moved...but he didn't get up.

Facing the deputy commander's inquiry, Louis Bernard's expression became even more tangled, his delicate eyebrows were slightly knitted, and he sat down opposite the two of them hesitantly:

"The person who called me to see me was not Claude Francois, nor Victor Emmanuel, the Grand Duke of Aiden, or any prince of the land."

Bernard nodded slightly, neither surprised nor rhetorically asked. He was very calm: "Who is that?"

"Anson Bach." Louis paused, his eyes dodging a little:

"It's the... commander of the Clovis mercenary army opposite."

"Then what did he say?" Bernard continued.

"He..." Louis pursed his lips:

"He made a condition..."

………………

"It's a condition, but it's actually more of a suggestion."

In the conference room, Anson, who was smiling, handed a glass of mulled wine to Louis, raised his hand and made a "please" gesture: "Try it, this is the characteristic of Hantu, you must taste it."

Slowly raising the glass, Louis, with a wary expression, glanced at the iced rum in the other's glass: "What advice?"

"A win-win suggestion!" Anson's eyes flashed with sincerity:

"Dear Louie, we're friends...right?"

The young knight was unmoved: "It's mostly up to you."

"That's it!" Anson nodded vigorously, raised the glass and touched the young knight lightly, and the ice-filled rum and mulled wine played crisp notes:

"As friends, although we have to be hostile because of our respective positions, this does not mean that we have to kill each other - in fact, it is precisely because we are hostile to each other that we should try our best to defuse those unnecessary, emotional to solve the most practical problems!”

"And the best way to solve a problem is to face reality first, and then to maintain a minimum of respect for each other... What do you think?"

"What on earth are you trying to say?" Louis looked at him vigilantly, his pale golden front hair tipped slightly as if it had been triggered by something.

"I want to say that what we want is not in conflict with each other, but it requires each other to take a step back." Anson smiled more sincerely:

"Leon told me, you insisted that you must take all the expeditionary captives, including the remains of the fallen soldiers, right?"

"This is the minimum." Louis said seriously:

"You defeated the expeditionary army, but this does not mean that you have defeated the empire, and it does not mean that the emperor has declared defeat. For the still weak Hantu, it is good for her to admit the status quo and make some concessions. ."

"Continuing to anger the Empire or keep this pointless war going will only result in more pointless sacrifices."

"well said!"

Anson nodded again and again, and said, "I think so too": "But you also have to admit that for the hard-hit Han soil, it is not easy for them to admit the status quo."

"Especially now that they have won the war... It's not that difficult to get the victor to back down."

Louis was silent.

Of course he understands what Anson said. It is never easy to stay sane in a war.

Even if the commander-in-chief can restrain his anger and maintain a minimum of rationality, the officers and soldiers at the middle and lower levels will not understand it, and they will only think that their commander-in-chief is a jerk.

In the face of an excited army, if the commander does not want to cause a mutiny or commit suicide by "six shots in the back", it is best not to go against the collective will of the army.

Considering the Climbing Tower, the Port of Carindia, and a series of "brilliant" records of the expeditionary force before, if you want to get a decent exit after the defeat, indeed...

"But, I can help." Anson said suddenly:

"I can go and convince them to let Han Tu release all the captives of the expedition—and immediately."

………………

"immediately?!"

Arthur, who screamed, jumped up from the bed, and the simple single bed was almost trampled: "Let Hantu release all the captives of the expedition immediately - can he really do it?!"

He didn't care much about himself, but he cared about his "Dragon Roar Infantry Regiment"; these people were all his friends, and it was because he insisted on rushing to help the expeditionary army that he ended up where he is now.

And now there is a Clovis person who said there is a way to help them... Although it sounds like a conspiracy, Arthur can't help but be excited.

"He didn't tell me in detail how to do it, but..." Louis hesitated, his expression a little embarrassed, as if he had shown great courage and trust:

"I don't think he's lying."

Looking at the young knight whose eyes wandered, Bernard raised his hand to interrupt his defense, while ignoring Arthur who was about to pounce behind him:

"Then what does he want in exchange?"

What do you want... Pulling the corners of the stiff mouth, Louis's expression became even more embarrassing:

"His condition is..."

………………

"Absolutely not!"

Before Anson could finish speaking, Louis, who stood up abruptly, categorically refused; his pale face flushed slightly because of excitement.

"Why not?" Anson's expression was very confused.

"why……"

The young knight's body trembled slightly, desperately resisting the urge to rush up and punch the bastard: "Crossing the fortress of the top of the tower and holding the ceremony of exchanging prisoners in the empire... Are you serious?!"

"Of course."

Xiao Xiao took a sip of ice rum, and An Sen said of course: "Is this not good?"

"This is a provocation!" Louis widened his eyes.

"It's a win-win!" Anson corrected.

"Win-win?!"

"That's right - love and peace, win-win!"

"How did you win?!"

"Then what do you think is the most important thing for the current expeditionary force?"

Anson asked rhetorically, and then gave an answer without waiting for Louis to answer: "It is safe to withdraw from the vast land in an orderly manner, right?"

Louis pursed the corners of his mouth tightly, staring at him with slightly trembling eyes.

"So...if Claude Francois lets you go now, and says that you can go anywhere from now on, do you think the expedition can really leave the vast land unharmed?" Anson was not afraid. meet his gaze.

He didn't need the young knight to answer, because the answer was well known to both of them.

Of course not.

Not only is it impossible, even if Claude Francois can really withstand the pressure and let them go, he will definitely make things difficult - not to mention disarming, and supplies will only be given to the minimum.

There are also the lords and mountain people of the Principality of Aiden along the way, and they will certainly not easily let go of their unarmed soldiers; attack, lost, starvation, illness... Attrition is inevitable.

"The only way is to let the army of Hantu and Clovis **** you out-with Clovis' flag and the order of the king of Hutu, in order to suppress the anger of those Aidan people who want to kill you all." Anson Shen Shen channel:

"And the way to get the King of Hantu to agree and to let you go back to the country immediately is to give him what he wants and needs most."

………………

"The honor of truly 'defeating' the Empire..."

Bernard muttered to himself.

The other party's intentions are very straightforward and straightforward - if you want the remaining expeditionary forces to return to China, the price is the acquiescence of the empire to "Victory in Hantu".

disagree? That doesn't matter, or more like some people would like; for a new nation and a newly formed alliance, there is nothing more truly uniting them than war.

And in order to distract the attention of the empire, the Kingdom of Clovis will definitely spare no effort to send support, continuously send weapons to Hantu, train troops, and build fortresses... Even if they can only reduce the frontal pressure a little bit, they will not make a steady profit. pay.

What's more, they have already made money now - with the vast soil, the empire will definitely pay a much higher price to surround the Kingdom of Clovis than it is now; after the worries are lifted, this emerging power will definitely be more arrogant than in the past.

Compared with the real threat of the Clovis Kingdom, it is really harmless for the empire to satisfy the insignificant appetite of the Hantu people.

The only thing that puzzled the deputy commander of the expeditionary force was why the other party insisted on negotiating privately with Louis Bernard instead of negotiating directly with him?

………………

Of course, it's because it's the easiest to persuade, and honest people are so easy to deceive... Anson sighed softly, facing the confused Louis with sincere eyes:

"Because we are friends."

"real?"

Although he was a little ashamed to say such words, Louis still vaguely felt that something was not right.

"Of course!" Anson nodded again and again:

"As I just said, it is precisely because of our hostile positions that we should use our friendship as much as possible to resolve emotional conflicts and solve practical problems."

"I don't know anyone at the top of the expedition except you; if I contact them privately, they won't see it as a conversation between friends ~www.readwn.com~ but a private negotiation between Clovis and the Empire —but it is not so.”

"What I'm thinking about now is not my own or the interests of the Clovis Kingdom, but the most practical issue, which is to end this ridiculous war!"

"It requires us to put aside our prejudices, take a step back, and stay sane... I don't think it's easy for an Imperial man or a strange Clovis to do this."

"Of course." The conversation turned, and An Sen's face showed an understanding smile:

"My dear Louis, I am not urging you to agree with what I say immediately; I only implore you to tell the officers of the expedition exactly what I said."

"Convince them that I'm not doing anything for personal gain, I'm really just giving them a piece of advice...that's enough."

………………

"Is this guy a liar?"

Before Louis could finish his words, Arthur couldn't help but say: "The more you listen to these words, the more people feel like a malicious and contrived trap!"

"It's possible." Louis nodded slightly, his expression quite hesitant:

"Although there is no direct evidence, I am afraid that Anson Bach really has some conspiracy in it. I also think that it is impossible for other officers, including Deputy Commander Bernard, to agree to this..."

"Can!"

Bernard, who was thinking about it, suddenly said, interrupting the conversation between the two: "If this is all he wants, then agree to him."

"Of course - the premise is that this Clovis can really convince Hantu and tell him that if we want to make this deal, we need Claude Francois to come forward in person to ensure the personal safety of the expeditionary force."

Ugh?

The stunned two turned their heads at the same time, astonished that they were exactly the same as those carved out of the mold.