The assembled generals exchanged uncertain glances, Tudsen particularly bewildered. Gisde stood firm, and Xiao Xun, instead of seizing the opportunity to attack, intended to wait a few more days. Was he waiting for Gisde to recover his strength?
Aaron, with a measured tone, spoke, "Lord Svein, your subordinate believes Tudsen's words hold much truth. Why must you wait?"
Xiao Xun offered a knowing smile, his expression inscrutable. These seasoned warriors of the battlefield understood battlefield tactics intimately. However, with Xiao Xun's years of gaming experience, he also believed this was indeed a favorable moment.
Yet, before departing, Xiao Xun had thoroughly understood the relationships between the various powers in the northwest. To outsiders, Gisde and Karul appeared as an impenetrable alliance, but in reality, their relationship was fraught with discord and mutual disdain.
An early offensive would only unite the northwestern allied forces under duress. If they could allow time for these internal conflicts to fester and magnify, then launching an attack would yield twice the result with half the effort.
Xiao Xun offered no further explanation, merely stating, "The people of the northwest are extremely fierce. We cannot directly confront their full might. Otherwise, even a victory would be a Pyrrhic one."
Xiao Xun's words were insightful. While the generals were confident of victory, achieving a swift or a costly victory was uncertain. The northwest was known for its robust populace, and the rebel generals were all renowned figures, making them indeed difficult adversaries.
Silence fell upon the generals. Seeing Xiao Xun's composed demeanor, they naturally assumed he had a plan.
Aaron's intention was for unity and a cohesive front. Seeing that while the generals remained silent, none voiced dissent, he retired with them contentedly. This was also what Xiao Xun admired most in Aaron: the sheathe remaining blunt to protect the sharpness of the sword, a magnanimity few possessed.
Xiao Xun's prediction was not wrong, but he had not anticipated the changes would occur so rapidly.
On the first day of Gisde's reinforcements arriving to support Karul, Karul hosted a grand banquet to welcome Gisde, and the two conversed amiably.
On the surface, Karul and Gisde appeared cordial, their relationship so close it seemed they found even wearing the same pair of trousers to be excessive. However, Karul's trusted confidantes knew of his displeasure with Gisde. When the lord is insulted, his subordinates are shamed. Although Gisde had come to ally with Karul, Karul's inner circle harbored a deep-seated resentment.
As the supreme commander of the allied forces, Gisde failed to perceive the unfriendliness from Karul's ranks. Not only did he fail to discipline his own subordinates, but he also viewed himself with the arrogance of a savior. When the commander was like this, what could be expected of his troops?
On the first night, Gisde's troops plundered a local town, causing unrest.
On the second morning, Gisde's troops looted a local maiden and seized a considerable amount of grain.
On the second afternoon, Gisde's troops clashed with the nearby Bijis detachment, resulting in the death of one Bijis soldier.
From Gisde's failure to restrain his subordinates to the occurrence of bloodshed, the conflicts escalated. Now that someone was dead, and moreover, a soldier, the nature of the situation had completely changed.
However, Gisde seemed indifferent upon hearing the news. If one of his own men had died, he would have sought justice. But now, it was Karul's man who had died, and his death was met with apathy.
Gisde remained unmoved, but Bijis, as a capable general under Karul, could not let such a matter go. He summoned the involved officers to ascertain the full details of the conflict.
It turned out the conflict stemmed from the maiden whom Gisde's subordinates had plundered. That maiden was the woman of a Bijis subordinate, and now that she had been stolen, how could the matter end without incident? Thus, a brawl ensued.
The matter was not complicated. Gisde had indulged his subordinates in causing trouble, and his own men, having failed to rescue the woman, had instead lost their lives. Upon hearing this, Bijis's whiskers bristled.
"A fine Gisde! I wouldn't seek trouble with you, yet you come looking for it!"
That evening, Bijis led his men to Gisde's camp to demand an explanation.
Meanwhile, Ougarth stood on the not-too-high battlements of the earth city, gazing at the barbarian army outside. Their formation, though vastly different from traditional armies, adhered strictly to military principles, revealing no discernible flaws.
The barbarian soldiers, despite facing a barrage of blades and spears, remained calm and composed, seemingly in no hurry to attack the city. Instead, they patiently maintained their defenses. Even at night, the patrols of each camp were orderly.
This greatly astonished Ougarth. He had not expected these rough men to possess such discipline, making him realize that he had indeed underestimated these barbarian tribes before his expedition.
Gisde's camp showed no outward change despite the death of Karul's man, but the news had clearly spread throughout the army, and a palpable sense of anxiety hung over Gisde's camp.
The camp gate sentries stared intently ahead, as if awaiting something. Suddenly, a surge of malevolence emanated from the front, sending a shiver down the spines of the sentry officers. They hurriedly ordered their subordinates to notify the central command: Bijis had arrived.
Just as the order was given, the sentry officers saw Bijis approaching, leading over a hundred men, his face contorted with anger. Knowing they were in the wrong, he bowed low and greeted them with a forced smile, "Lord Bijis! What wind blows you here? May I inquire the purpose of your honorable visit, General?"
Bijis spoke with ill intent, "Go! Summon Gisde for me. I have something to discuss with him."
Gisde was a leader in his own right, and Bijis was merely a subordinate of Karul, another leader. Now, Bijis directly addressed him by name, and anyone could sense the thick undercurrent of hostility. As Gisde's subordinates, how could they tolerate their leader being insulted? The sentry officers' expressions immediately turned cold.
"I apologize! Our leader is currently inspecting the camp and has not yet returned."
Seeing their demeanor, Bijis swaggered and sneered, "Very well. Since your leader is absent, then bring out those scoundrels who caused trouble and killed today. I want nothing else, only their heads."
The sentry officers inwardly cursed. These troublemakers hid themselves as soon as they finished causing trouble, leaving others to face the consequences. Was Bijis someone to trifle with?
With just a wrong reply, their lives could be forfeit at any moment. Cold sweat trickled down their brows. However, such matters were not for a mere junior officer to decide. While they were in a quandary, they heard hurried footsteps from behind. The junior officer turned his head, and it was a centurion from the central command.
As the junior officer was about to give a brief report, the centurion waved him off and calmly addressed Bijis, "Lord Bijis, if you have any military matters, you will likely have to wait for my King to return before a decision can be made. If it is about other matters, this subordinate can make the decision."
"King?"
Bijis laughed mockingly, "Does Gisde dare to call himself a king?"
Bijis's fierce expression intensified, and he said menacingly, "I am telling you, if you do not hand over those people today, no one will leave this camp."
As he spoke, a chilling aura surged forth, causing the pores of their bodies to shrink and their hairs to stand on end.
The centurion of the central command clearly had not expected Bijis to be so troublesome. Seeing his attitude, he knew the severity of the situation had far exceeded his ability to control. He tried to suppress his inner tension, but for some reason, facing Bijis, he felt an inexplicable nervousness.
Years of experience in the military allowed him to maintain his composure as best he could:
"Lord Bijis, the army of Santiloman is only ten li away. A great battle is imminent. I implore you to consider the greater good!"
Bijis let out a forceful breath through his nose and struck the centurion across the face, "Do I need you to lecture me? Let me tell you, I don't even spare a glance at these petty individuals from Santiloman!"
This slap caused the centurion's cheek to swell prominently. The sentries at Gisde's camp gate were instantly incensed.
"How dare you hit him!"
"On what grounds do you hit him?"
The men behind Bijis were even more arrogant, shouting, "Tell you what, hand over those few scoundrels quickly!"
"So what if I hit you?"
"General, don't waste your breath with him, kill him!"
This harsh remark, uttered amidst the crowd, immediately ignited the fighting spirit of Bijis's subordinates. They swaggered and pointed at the centurion.
"Yes! Kill him! Kill him!"