Looking around the house full of officials, Todd nodded and motioned for Huggins to read the latest battle report from the East.

"On January 17, the Ayub Empire took advantage of the freezing of the river, and the day before the Father’s Advent, it marched northward. The Mamluk dragoons disguised themselves as merchants and cut off communications between the cities. The Hades Corps used towed artillery and throwing explosives to blast open the gates of Mesca, Tiez, and Mozan Lulyuk. The Parthian gun shield formation defeated the defenders of the aforementioned city."

"On February 5, the Ayub Empire approached the Holy City of the East, and the Orthodox Church issued a holy war. On the same day, King Payez XI, the king of the Holy City, recalled all the kingdom's external teams and began to hold on to the Holy City."

"On February 19th, the soldiers of the Ayub Empire came to the holy city. Saladin sent an envoy to persuade the king to surrender, but was rejected. The envoy was killed. The offensive and defensive battle for the holy city officially began on the 20th."

"On February 28, the ninth day of the war, the number of casualties on both offensive and defensive parties exceeded 10,000. On the same day, the second expeditionary fleet of the Ayub Empire bypassed the Assyrian Peninsula and forcibly broke into the Bay of Saint-Saul, and began to attack the west of the holy city. The urban area was suppressed by artillery fire."

"On March 6, the Ayub army built an artillery position on the hills on the west coast of the holy city under the cover of the artillery fire of the fleet. The landing troops used lifting equipment to transport from the ship to the hilly position. Sixteen heavy mortars, and the use of poisonous smoke bombs and incendiary bombs, achieved a coverage attack on the central city of the Holy City."

"On March 11, King Payez XI, the King of the Holy City, led the Royal Guards, the Kezzola Knights, and the Most Orthodox Holy Order Army. A total of 743 knights and 8,000 soldiers shot to the mortar. The position launched an attack. The war lasted for a full twenty-seven hours. Under the gunfire from the fleet and the camp’s defenders, the offensive side of the Holy City fought to the end. No one surrendered. King Payez was hit by a stray bullet in the neck. Died from excessive blood loss..."

When Cumberland heard this, he sighed deeply: "The destiny of the king of the holy city will ultimately end on the battlefield. This is true for three generations of grandparents."

Todd glanced at Cumberland, then said to Huggins, "Keep reading."

"On March 13th, Saladin, the Caliph of the Ayub Empire, proposed to the Holy City for a day of truce and allowed the guards to collect the body of King Payez for the funeral."

Todd was surprised when he heard this, but there was an expression of approval on his face: "The emperor of the Ayub Empire, Saladin, is at least an enemy who respects his opponent."

Emerson glanced at Todd with furrowed brows, and said nothing.

"On March 19, the Holy City officially surrendered to the Ayub Empire in exchange for Saladin's three promises of "no slaughter, no enslavement, and no deportation"."

Listening to Hudgens finishing the last sentence, the whole room fell into deathly silence.

After a long time, Cumberland touched his silver beard and said quietly: "The city of ten thousand cities, the cross sanctuary that never fell...one month, just one month, fell into the hands of the southern empire."

Emerson continued: "After reading a lot of information about the Ayub Empire, I thought I had a clear understanding of them, but now it seems that I still underestimated them."

Todd tapped the tabletop with his fingers, thought for a while, and said to Huggins: "I want to know this time about the arms, weapons, commanders, formations and other information of the Southern Empire. You tell the alien associations in the city and let them Cooperate with you to do this."

Huggins nodded and said yes.

Turning his attention back to the battle report, Todd suddenly said: "Have you noticed a strange place."

Seeing many officials looking at him, Todd thought while thinking: "The war between the Ayub Empire and the Abbasid Empire lasted for three years, and it lasted until last year before the former won. This involves two empires. The battle was protracted and could not be described by the word tragic. According to common sense, after the war, the first thing should be to stabilize the domestic environment, accumulate national strength, and consolidate the army. But this Saladin did the opposite. , Immediately began a siege war against the holy city, don’t you think this is weird?"

Cumberland and Emerson looked at each other, and the two exchanged glances.

Cumberland opened his mouth and said: "With regard to your majesty's question, I have thought of two reasons."

Emerson shrugged: "I thought of three."

Cumberland glanced at Emerson, snorted, and said to Todd: "First of all, from a logistical point of view, the southern army that has just ended the war must have a shortage of supplies to varying degrees. After the victory of the Yub Empire, Saladin incorporated the army of the Abbasid Empire. Although his army expanded to 100,000, there must be problems with the supply of food, cloth, herbs, and funds. Putting it before him, There are only two ways. One is to use a rationing system within the empire at the risk of damaging morale; the other is to start another war immediately and make up for the empire by plundering while the machine of war has not completely cooled down. Logistic deficits."

Todd said incredulously: "But hasn't he considered the risks? In the absence of food and clothing, he rashly attacked the holy city. If the war is dragged into a protracted stage, the entire empire will be based on his strategy. Policy, fell into complete chaos."

Cumberland nodded: "If I didn't expect it wrong, Saladin had only enough food and funds for the army to use for a month when he started the Battle of the Holy City."

Todd closed his eyes and let out a long sigh: "Then the second reason?"

Cumberland continued: "The second reason has to do with us."

Todd asked puzzledly: "It's about us?"

"Last autumn last year, the Twilight Knights fought side by side with the Holy Guard, defeated the church alliance, and completely eliminated the direct troops of the Heavenly Father Church. The result of this battle was beyond everyone's expectations, but it was also enough to be taken by the interested. I guess Saladin is one of them. If in the early winter of last year, Saladin was still hesitating whether to desperately send troops to the Holy City, the news of the defeat of the church coalition made him completely firm in his determination to march. "

Cumberland touched his beard and smiled and said, "By the way, Pope Alexander of the Heavenly Father Church was also in a state of confusion because of the failure of the Church’s coalition forces, and was infected with severe wind and cold. It was hard to survive this winter. , But was completely cut off by the bad news of the fall of the Holy City~lightnovelpub.net~ Emerson waited for Cumberland to finish, then took over: "Saladin sent troops to the Holy City. In addition to these two reasons, I I guess there is a third reason, that is, civil unrest. "

"Civil unrest?"

"The Ayub Empire was once a subordinate country of the Abbasid Empire in history. For a long time, Saladin called himself a courtier before the emperor of the Abbasid Empire." Emerson exclaimed, " Saladin has always been extremely submissive in front of the imperial emperor. When he fought back, almost no one could believe his decision. Therefore, after he came to power, the country’s complicated political environment and pope factions gave him Extreme pressure. The Hashemites, the Omers, the Flashfires, the Nestorians... many divided domestic forces intend to set off a wave of rebellion at any time for this person who exceeds his authority to claim the emperor. "

Todd nodded and said, "So, in order to stabilize the domestic political situation, Saladin used the war in the Holy City to divert domestic conflicts... This is a gamble, a game that has overwhelming all the chips. If the Holy City persists For half a month, if the landing is blocked, if..."

Cumberland slowly shook his head: "There is no if in the war. Even if this is a gambling game, just look at his tactical arrangements-intelligence, weather, hydrology, terrain, commander and situation. Before starting, Saladin had already calculated all the possible results clearly, so he finally won."

Emerson said regretfully: "If the guns of the Ayub Empire are the claws of the beast, then Saladin, the emperor, has given the wisdom of mankind to this beast... The most chaotic era in the south has passed. , The next days may be the beginning of disasters in the diocese."

(https:)

Please remember the domain name of this book's first publication:. Mobile version reading URL: