Chapter 1117 The choice of justice (seeking a monthly ticket)
The Grand Duke, carefully surrounded by the nobles of Haligaard and the surrendering generals, walked into the city with high steps like a victor's, with his chest held high and his head held high.
Behind the Grand Duke were the proud soldiers of the peacekeeping force. They all looked arrogant, striding into the city, and unceremoniously pushed away the Haligards who blocked the way, while the Haligards could only be careful.
With a smile.
Archduke Julius pretended not to see the arrogance of his men, because this was the privilege of the victors, and they were the victors.
Grand Duke Julius ignored the chattering and flattering local nobles beside him and kept looking around as he walked.
Halligad, the city that Archduke Julius and Emperor Rudelun once dreamed of smashing to pieces, was right in front of him at this moment.
The hatred that the Ruman Empire had accumulated for twenty years was finally avenged.
When the Grand Duke looked back at this city that he once hated, he felt extremely happy and relaxed.
Under the ravages of war that have lasted for several months, this second largest city in the Almohad, one of the few famous cities in mankind, with a population of half a million, and once known as the most dazzling gem in the south, has basically become a
It became a ruin.
Everywhere he went was devastated.
There are small buildings and shops on both sides of the street, one next to the other, showing the prosperity of Haligad in the past.
But at this moment, most of them have been demolished, and the wood and masonry were used by the city defense troops to build fortifications, leaving only a few isolated walls.
Even the remaining ones have been turned into ruins under the artillery fire of Lao He's troops, revealing gaps that look like they have been gnawed by monsters.
In order to prepare for the brutal street fighting, the originally flat streets had already been crisscrossed with trenches dug by Hadou's order to build a defense system.
Every ten or dozens of steps, a barricade will appear. Sharpened wooden stakes and shooting holes for bows and arrows are exposed on the barricade. The construction is thoughtful and complete.
And around those barricades, there are often several corpses lying on the ground, and broken weapons and armor are scattered all over the place.
In addition, there are also charred black marks after being burned by the flames of war, and it is no longer possible to tell what it was originally.
There was a pungent burnt smell wafting in the air.
From this we can see how brutal the battle was at that time. The peacekeeping troops spent a lot of effort here.
When the Grand Duke saw this, he couldn't help but stop and carefully observe the barricades. He couldn't help but admire them in his heart.
Hadou is indeed a famous general of the generation, with thoughtful thoughts. Although he is on his sick bed, the layout of the fortifications he commanded and designed is extremely reasonable.
Progressing layer by layer, covering each other, making full use of, and even artificially creating complex terrain, interlocking like grommet armor, forming a geographical advantage.
Under this situation, as long as a small number of soldiers hide behind the fortifications to conduct defensive operations, the opponent will be forced to launch a strong attack, and they will have to pay at least five to ten times the casualties to finally win.
Moreover, it can also be used to harass and counterattack from the side. It can achieve the effect of being extremely defensive.
It can be called a model in urban defense warfare.
If the generals in the south had not mutinied and surrendered, causing internal chaos and the collapse of the front line.
According to traditional warfare methods, even if Laohe's troops storm in, they will still have to engage in bloody and arduous street fighting.
The peacekeepers must disperse their entire force and clear these barricades one by one.
According to this fight-to-end tactic, I believe that at that time, every step forward will have to be paid in blood.
If you let yourself chew it, you will definitely get a headache, Archduke Julius thought to himself, then shook his head slightly and smiled proudly.
What Hadu didn't expect was that the war had changed.
This is no longer an era where soldiers need to compete with numbers. In Lorraine's words, this is an era of war between magic energy and technology.
It was the age of war forts and artillery.
The barricades that Hadou painstakingly designed and built were insurmountable barriers in front of infantry, but in front of artillery, they were just a pile of useless waste.
Archduke Julian only needed to push the cannon forward and fire flatly to clear these obstacles easily.
Not to mention that within the peacekeeping force, there are also professional demolition engineers from the security forces, whose only job is to clear obstacles.
The new version of the siege instruction manual formulated by the peacekeeping force includes the tactics of burying bombs under the foundation of the city wall.
However, due to the civil strife in the Southern Army, these back-up tactics were not used, and the peacekeeping troops only used a few grenades to resolve the battle.
These elaborate arrangements have become a joke at this moment.
After Julian walked about a mile further, he saw another scene in front of him.
Although there are still dense barricades here, and the density is higher than in the periphery.
But there were no traces of battle.
On the contrary, both sides of the street were filled with Confederate prisoners.
It is estimated that when Laohe's troops arrived here yesterday, the southern troops saw that Hadou's small building was on fire and lost the fighting spirit, so they raised their hands and surrendered.
So there is no fighting here.
Under the close surveillance of the soldiers from Laohe's army, all the soldiers in ragged clothes were hiding on both sides of the street, hunching their necks, huddled together, shivering in the cold winter wind.
It's like a group of...a group of chickens that have lost their mother.
From time to time, the painful groans of the wounded can be heard.
When they heard the commotion here, they turned their heads one after another and saw a group of big men in unusual clothes. They were either timid or afraid, and looked over with some curiosity.
These Confederate soldiers immediately understood that this was the leader who would determine their fate.
The Grand Duke took a casual glance and found that many of the soldiers' faces were unusually young and green, and many even had an innocent light shining in their eyes.
He couldn't help but became furious and shouted: "Damn it. What's going on?"
The southern generals and nobles behind him were stunned for a moment, their hearts were in their throats with fear, and they looked at each other. They didn't know why this uncle suddenly became so angry.
Some people even clenched their swords and looked at the young soldier opposite with an unkind expression. This brat must have offended the Grand Duke, and they had no choice but to kill him so that the Grand Duke could relieve his anger.
The soldier also had a look of panic for a moment. He didn't know where he was wrong, but he could only keep retreating when faced with those men with ferocious looks. His simple eyes were filled with tears for an instant, and he almost cried.
The Grand Duke waved his hand and said sternly: "Stop everyone, stop everyone."
He pointed at the soldier and said angrily: "What are you doing? This is not a soldier. He is clearly a child who has not grown up. How did you recruit them into the army?"
The attendant next to him replied softly: "Sir, as far as I know, after we attacked, the southerners tried their best to accumulate strength to fight us, so they recruited all the people over the age of fourteen.
"
The generals and nobles of the Southern Army looked at each other, and then their eyes showed shame.
They are also civilized people and know clearly that children are like wheat seeds in autumn, representing the future and hope.
Recruiting half-grown children into the army to serve as cannon fodder is like eating wheat seeds because they are hungry. Only a madman who has completely lost his mind and is crazy would do this.
Their survivability on the battlefield is almost non-existent.
After a while, someone from behind the crowd murmured: "That's why we oppose Hadou..."
The voice was not loud, but it flashed through everyone's hearts like lightning.
The generals of the Southern Army unanimously straightened their bodies slightly and felt that their waists seemed to be much straighter.
They originally felt a little ashamed because of their betrayal and surrender. But now because a legitimate reason suddenly appeared, they felt that they had made a 'just' choice.
In order that the entire South would not be dragged into the abyss by Hadu and become his burial companion, he resolutely set things right. He even sacrificed his personal reputation regardless of fame and fortune.
We are not surrendering on our knees. We are here to save the South, so that the children will no longer bleed, the mothers will no longer cry, the wives will no longer lose their husbands, and the children will no longer be without a father...
The South should be a South for southerners, not a South for Hadou alone.
There are not many such great and noble sentiments in ancient times, let alone modern times?
If you really want to talk about it, you can probably find someone comparable to yourself in the epic of the Holy War.
Many people feel that their personal image has suddenly become much taller.
The Grand Duke sighed softly, and then waved to a guard next to him to give a military cloak to the soldier.
Although it was just an inconspicuous move, it once again hit the self-esteem of these southern nobles and powerful people, making them ashamed and making their newly taller figures shrink back.
In order to resist the cold wind, all of them were wearing thick cloaks, but no one thought about giving their clothes to the shivering soldiers.
Especially these soldiers who fought bloody battles for them not long ago.
The Grand Duke hesitated for a moment, and then said to the officer next to him: "Go back and check. Anyone who is under seventeen years old and has no blood on his hands will be put back. A bunch of furry children who haven't even grown their hair are left here.
It’s not embarrassing.”
The officer agreed, saluted, and then turned to leave.
But then the Grand Duke said: "Well, by the way, don't forget to give each of them another twenty kilograms of grain. The half-grown boys will eat me to death. Although the little bastards can't work, it's the time when they can eat.
"
The officer agreed again, and when he saw that the Grand Duke had no more orders, he turned and left.
At this time, a group of nobles nearby came forward one after another, flattering the Grand Duke, praising him for loving the people like a son, being kind and kind, and making fish soup with birds raw...
On the other hand, several of the Grand Duke's personal guards looked at each other with a sly look on their faces, with evil smiles on their faces: Where is the kindness of that old fellow from the Grand Duke?
Ci does not control the army. The Grand Duke has been in the army for thirty years, and his character has already become extremely firm.
What he just said was very clear. He clearly felt that those little bastards were unable to work and were too good to eat.
It was not cost-effective to stay, so they were sent to get out.
At this time, under the vigorous praise of the nobles, the Grand Duke was also beaming with joy, and he was very happy.
Someone took the opportunity and boldly asked: "Sir, what should we do with those prisoners who have passed their age..."
Everyone fell silent and looked at the Grand Duke.
That problem is also what they are worried about. Those soldiers are young and strong, and many of them are even elite soldiers. It is also very troublesome to deal with them.
Moreover, they are extremely representative. Through their treatment, we can also know the Grand Duke’s attitude and bottom line towards people like himself.
The Grand Duke was startled. Then he waved his hand and said: "This is not easy. As long as the crime is not extremely heinous, they will be reformed through labor, build a bridge, repair a road or something. Work for three to five years. As long as they perform well, they will be released home.
"
After hearing this, everyone couldn't help but look at each other, exclaimed in admiration, and felt relieved: He dealt with those enemy troops in this way. Relatively speaking, no matter how bad he was, he who resolutely rebelled would not be any worse.
go.
However, some thoughtful people noticed the words "heinous crime" spoken by the Grand Duke and were a little worried. But having said that, no matter how heinous the crime is, it cannot be more "heinous crime" than the Hadou family. As long as the time comes, we can observe again.
Just be careful and there won't be any problems.
The crowd surrounded the Grand Duke and continued to move forward.
Someone keenly discovered that the Grand Duke was chatting and laughing with everyone as he walked, but at the same time, he was holding a water bag in his hand, and he would pick it up and take a few sips from time to time. An ominous premonition could not help but arise in his heart.
But I dare not point it out.
In a short time, everyone had arrived at the Maple Grove Garden, the residence of General Hadou in the city. To be precise, the location of the former Maple Grove Garden.
At this time, the place had been burned to a white ground.
Hundreds of soldiers from the Laohe Army surrounded the place. In addition, there were many soldiers who kept rummaging through the ruins that were almost burned to ashes.
Seeing the Grand Duke coming with a large group of people, a Ruman officer hurriedly stepped forward to salute the Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke waved his hand slightly, and then looked at the charred ruins, and couldn't help but feel dazed for a moment.
He had seen that exquisite small building in the painting sent by the imperial spy. He even knew clearly from the floor plan where the kitchen was, where the toilet was, and which chair Hadou sat on most often...
When I was fine, I had imagined that when I led my army to fight here and accepted Hadou's surrender, I would imagine how my chair should be positioned to make it look more impressive.
But I didn't expect that when I saw it with my own eyes, this small building had been reduced to ashes, leaving only the ruins of the walls and a few fallen black timbers.
However, he immediately realized that a collapsed small building was nothing. The most urgent priority was Hadou's whereabouts - he wanted to see his body when he was alive, and he wanted to see his body after he died.
If he slips through the net and escapes, this battle will be in vain.
Thinking of this, he immediately said in a deep voice: "Has Hadu been found?"
The officer immediately tensed up his body and said, "Sir, when the brothers arrived, this place was already a sea of fire. The fire was so intense that the brothers couldn't get close at all."
He glanced at the Grand Duke secretly, and then continued: "However, there are rumors that Hadou has been in this small building and has not come out. And afterwards, we also found two corpses in the small building."
The Grand Duke was startled and said: "The corpse? Have you identified it? Who are they? Is there Hadou inside?"
The officer had a troubled expression on his face and said, "Sir, the body has been burnt. There is simply... no way to identify it."
The Grand Duke couldn't help but snorted coldly, and his face instantly turned livid: "Grandma, I can't recognize this. How can I do anything like this?"
Someone next to him came forward and whispered in his ear: "Sir, why don't you ask Lakht to come over and identify him? He is Hadou's second son."
Before he could finish speaking, the Grand Duke had already slightly raised his hand to stop him from continuing. Then he looked at the young man standing not far away with a lifeless face. He seemed to be a god of plague, more than ten steps away.
It was deserted, and no one dared to get close.
The Grand Duke said solemnly: "I know that Lakht is Hadou's second son, but at this time, it is not appropriate for him to come and recognize him. Doing so is contrary to human ethics. And... and I can't trust him. What if he is talking nonsense?
What a lie, what should we do?"
The man hesitated, then took a step back and stopped talking.
Just when everyone was hesitating, they suddenly heard an angry shout from not far away: "Who is it?"
Immediately, a cry of surprise came from the forest.
Immediately afterwards, several soldiers with sharp blades rushed towards Maple Forest like evil tigers.
"Is there an assassin?~!!!" The remaining guards immediately became nervous, pulled out their swords and stood in front of the Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke was also startled, and then he looked up.
After a while, I saw a few soldiers walking out of the maple forest. A thin figure was being escorted by them, staggering at the front.
When I got closer, I saw clearly that it was a girl.
She was petite, wearing a typical maid outfit, but her face and body were all stained with dirt and leaves, her hair was unkempt, and her clothes were wrinkled, as if she hadn't changed them for a long time. She looked a little embarrassed. Only her eyes remained the same.
Bright and clear.
A flash of anger suddenly flashed in the Grand Duke's eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "What's going on?"
A soldier said boldly: "Sir, we just found someone snooping in the woods, so we rushed over and caught the girl."
The Grand Duke immediately became furious and shouted angrily: "Get out, get out. Get out of here. A bunch of bastards and a few big men are bullying a girl. It's not a shame."
The soldiers looked at each other with some confusion, and then ran away in a hurry.
The Grand Duke looked at the little maid and saw that she was trembling with fear from the gang of soldiers and almost shrank into a ball. He coughed lightly and said softly: "Girl, you... what is your name?"
"
The little maid trembled: "I...my name is Lindy." (To be continued)