Chapter 255: Noble Assembly
As most of the nobles arrived at Wushan Fortress, a grand mobilization meeting was officially convened.
Although Lu Lans attended, he only greeted the assembly before retreating to his seat, leaving the proceedings to Wiggins, who remained in his wheelchair.
Wiggins seemed well-versed in leading such meetings.
He began with a stirring speech, describing the dangers at the border, the tragic death of Hahn, and the hardships endured by many knights. He exaggerated the crimes of the enemy before finally outlining the objectives of the upcoming war.
In simple terms, though the army would be split into two forces, the primary goals were to recapture Chishan Town in the southwest and crush the Black Gold Brotherhood's forces in the southeast.
However, expectations had been tempered. No mention was made of reclaiming Cassiel Town or outright destroying the Polante Bandit Gang.
Between the two enemy factions, the Black Gold Brotherhood posed the greater threat due to its strength and ambitions. If left unchecked, they could push further into the heart of Wushan Territory.
And once an enemy force entrenched itself within the territory, driving them out would be far more costly in both lives and resources.
Thus, the majority of troops were allocated to the southeastern front to counter this threat.
After some deliberation, it was decided that Kabir, leader of the Second Knights, would serve as the commander of the southeastern front, with Barrington as his deputy.
However, the Hyde family was clearly dissatisfied with this arrangement. They argued that Barrington—as the heir of the Earl of Hyde and the one who had contributed the most on the border—should take command.
Alan and Negan, representing the Hyde family, debated fiercely with Wiggins and the other nobles.
In the end, the matter was resolved with an unexpected decision: Alan and Kabir would duel, and the victor would take command.
Ronin was baffled. Why was a military command position being decided by a duel?
It seemed foolish—if both were injured, they would weaken their forces before even facing the enemy.
However, the other nobles found this arrangement quite reasonable.
And so, halfway through the meeting, everyone left the fortress to watch the duel.
Fortunately, the outcome was favorable.
Kabir defeated Alan and secured his position as commander. Neither combatant sustained severe injuries, ensuring they would still be able to lead their forces.
Yet, it was clear that Alan and Negan were not pleased with the result. Whether this discontent would lead to further trouble remained to be seen.
Compared to the southeast, the southwestern campaign was far more straightforward.
By tradition, whenever a Wushan family member led an army, they were named commander.
Thus, with Ronin in command, the only issue left was selecting his deputy.
Originally, Lu Lans had planned for Toru, Kabir, and Marvin to assist Ronin. However, with Kabir and Sandro now assigned to the eastern front, only Toru and Marvin remained.
Fortunately, both were highly capable:
Toru, the leader of the First Knights, was a Golden Knight and an elite warrior.Marvin was one of the few viscounts in Wushan Territory, possessing both experience and strength.
Given their qualifications, no one objected to their appointment as Ronin's deputies.
With command assignments settled, the next challenge was dividing the troops—which proved to be a highly contested issue.
The nobles understood that the battle against the Black Gold Brotherhood would be the hardest fought.
Additionally, there had been disputes over who should lead that front, making the situation even more complex.
In contrast, while many nobles doubted Ronin's battlefield experience, they acknowledged that he had competent advisors in Toru and Marvin.
Given Ronin's recent successes, he was at least not worse than Wiggins when it came to strategy.
Thus, many nobles preferred to send their troops to the southwestern front to fight the Polante Bandits.
Why?
Because soldiers—no matter their skill level—were still valuable assets to their lords.
No one wanted to risk unnecessary losses in a brutal battle.
If they could avoid sending troops to the southeast and still win victories in the west, they might even gain rewards.
The debate over troop distribution lasted from morning until late afternoon, only concluding as the sky was painted in hues of sunset.
In the end, the decision was made:
70% of the army would fight in the southeast against the Black Gold Brotherhood.30% would be sent to the southwest against the Polante Bandits.
Furthermore, most of the powerful knights were stationed in the east.
On the Western Front, aside from Toru, there were no other Golden Knights.
Ronin raised a crucial concern:
What if the Polante Bandit Gang suddenly had two Golden Knights instead of just one?
Wiggins, however, had limited options.
Among the five knight leaders in Wushan Territory, only Toru and Melonica were true Golden Knights, aside from Kabir, who could hold his own against one.
Kabir was now leading the Eastern Front and couldn't be reassigned.Melonica was responsible for protecting Lu Lans and also couldn't be deployed.
As a compromise, Wiggins assigned two additional Silver Knights to Ronin's forces.
Golden Knights weren't invincible—if multiple Silver Knights worked together, they stood a good chance of holding their own, or at least forcing a draw.
"Marvin, Philip, Thorstein, Corrine, Vitorino..."
Ronin counted and found that he had five Silver Knights under his command.
Additionally, some nobles had Silver-level vassals under their command, which meant the Western Front had a respectable fighting force.
With Redar, Elrond, and McKen by his side, Ronin was confident that even if two Golden Knights appeared in the Polante Bandit Gang, they would be able to handle them.
In total, Ronin's army included:
Over 100 professional knightsA cavalry, infantry, and archer force totaling around 2,000 soldiersLogistical personnel, including grooms, craftsmen, and supply teams—bringing the total number to over 10,000.
That night, Wiggins visited Ronin.
"Luo Ning, don't forget our agreement," Wiggins reminded him. "There were some unexpected complications, but I've provided you with enough men. Taking back Chishan Town shouldn't be a problem."
Ronin nodded confidently.
"Don't worry, father. I will do my best to reclaim Chishan Town."
Then he added, "However, to secure victory, I had to send out my entire knight squad. While I've gathered all my troops, I still lack food, horse fodder, and other supplies. I'll need your help."
Wiggins laughed.
"That's an easy fix!" he replied. "I'll leave logistics to Galil. I'll inform him that Wushan Fortress will cover all food, fodder, and logistical support for Wubei Territory during this campaign."
Typically, vassals had to supply their own resources for war. Some lords provided assistance, but it was rare.
However, Wiggins saw Chishan Town's iron mine as a future goldmine, so he was willing to invest in Ronin's success.
For Ronin, this was a major victory—he now had a fully funded campaign.
With the noble assembly concluded, the attendees returned to their territories the next day to make final preparations.
As June neared its end, the noble armies set out one by one, marching toward their respective battlefields.
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