The appearance of these stirrups directly solved the most difficult problem of maintaining balance on horseback, greatly reducing the time required for horsemanship training.
With just a little training, soldiers could learn the basic riding techniques and be ready for combat on horseback in no time.
No wonder the lord demanded that they be trained into qualified knights in a short period. What seemed impossible before now felt entirely achievable to Andrew with these stirrups.
…
In an open space on the lord's manor, a heavily armored cavalry unit of over a hundred men stood in neat rows.
Each knight was fully armed, wearing full-body knight armor, and their warhorses were covered with sturdy horse armor. Long swords, shields, and lances were hung on either side of the saddles, making them armed to the teeth.
The golden sunlight reflected dazzlingly off the bright silver armor.
Apart from the horses' breathing, the entire cavalry unit was silent, exuding a chilling aura under the scorching sun.
Chen Mo rode a tall warhorse covered in full silver-black armor. Over his black adamantium armor, he wore a black robe with silver edges, with the Sword of Kings slung at his waist. His cold, sharp eyes gleamed from beneath his helmet, making him look like an unsheathed sword, unmatched in sharpness.
Looking at the well-ordered and imposing cavalry regiment before him, Chen Mo nodded in satisfaction.
This heavy cavalry regiment, composed of soldiers from the territorial guard, had undergone three days of targeted horsemanship training. All soldiers could now skillfully ride their warhorses.
With the help of stirrups to maintain balance, basic combat on horseback was no longer an issue. They had already acquired the initial combat capabilities of cavalry, and what remained was continuous practice.
Now, the cavalry regiment was ready for actual combat, and Chen Mo's expansion plan could finally begin.
Facing the solemnly standing knights, Chen Mo spoke in a deep, resonant voice.
"Knights are the strongest human force on this land, the backbone of external warfare and resistance against werewolves."
"Having the title of knight is not only proof of one's strength but also an extremely high honor."
"In the past, becoming a knight was very difficult, but in my territory, it is very simple."
"I have provided you with the best weapons, armor, and warhorses. With your current strength, you can already be considered reserve knights."
"As long as you independently kill an enemy knight or werewolf on the battlefield, you will officially become a true knight!"
The knights were instantly excited upon hearing this.
In this medieval era, controlled by noble lords, one needed not only the necessary equipment and sufficient strength but also the lord's conferment to become a true knight.
In other words, all knights were actually vassals of the noble lords.
Without a lord to pledge allegiance to, and without the lord's conferment, one could only be considered a wandering knight or a squire knight.
Only by swearing allegiance to a lord, fighting for them, proving one's abilities, and achieving enough merit could one be officially conferred as a knight.
If their merits were outstanding enough, they might even be granted a small fief by the lord, usually a small village or manor, becoming a low-ranking landed noble.
From the beginning, as a squire knight constantly fighting for the lord, to achieving enough merit to be conferred as a knight, this process usually took several years to over a decade. Obtaining a fief was even more difficult, only possible for knights who had made significant contributions.
For ordinary commoners, it took generations of effort and loyalty to be noticed by the lord and become a knight's squire, gaining the opportunity to change their status.
But now, Chen Mo told them that as long as they could independently kill an enemy knight or werewolf, they could be conferred as knights.
In the past, except for Andrew, others would have found this very difficult, even impossible, but many would still be willing to take the risk because it was a chance to rise to the top. After all, becoming a noble knight was something these commoners never dared to dream of.
Now, everyone was full of confidence. Although many of them had just reached the level of squire knights, and there was still a considerable gap between them and the fierce werewolves or even ordinary knights.
But other squire knights did not have such fine equipment, and even the knights' armor and weapons were inferior to theirs.
With this equipment, they had already narrowed the gap significantly. Moreover, Chen Mo's training methods were very effective, rapidly improving their physical fitness. Combined with the powerful Holy Cross Swordsmanship he taught them, they had grown from ordinary commoners to powerful warriors surpassing squire knights in just one year.
They believed that even if they couldn't do it now, it wouldn't take long for them to become strong enough to personally kill an enemy knight or even a more powerful werewolf, proving themselves and becoming the noble knights they dreamed of!
Chen Mo's promise greatly boosted the morale of the entire cavalry regiment, making them eager to kill enemy knights and earn merit.
Sensing the strong fighting spirit in everyone, Chen Mo sternly shouted, "Move out!"
…
In the territory of Count Warren, at Blackstone Castle.
The elderly Count Warren was leisurely enjoying afternoon tea in the garden, attended by several beautiful maids. At the garden gate, two imposing knights in armor, with long swords at their waists, stood guard solemnly.
As the highest-ranking lord in the region, Count Warren owned the largest and most fortified castle and the most numerous and powerful knights.
He had over fifty heavily armored knights and more than a hundred squire knights under his command.
Once, a pack of over thirty werewolves attacked his castle. With the tall and sturdy black stone walls and the numerous and powerful heavily armored knights, Count Warren successfully repelled the werewolf attack and killed more than a dozen werewolves.
In that battle, more than a dozen knights were killed by the werewolves, and the squire knights and ordinary soldiers suffered heavy casualties.
Despite this, it was still a victory worth boasting about, becoming a topic of conversation among the surrounding noble circles, and Count Warren gained significant fame.
Having personally experienced that fierce battle, Count Warren was well aware of the werewolves' strength and terror. So, upon hearing the legends of Chen Mo killing werewolves and personally verifying the existence of werewolf remains, Count Warren developed a deep fear of Chen Mo.
He couldn't imagine the immense power required to kill so many werewolves.