The production of cannons is also progressing steadily. The second cannon blank has entered the reaming stage, while materials are still being stockpiled for the third cannon.

If all goes well, he will have a magnificent lineup of four twelve-pound cannons in a month. The advantage in firepower is undeniable, but how to transform this advantage into victory is a question that Luo Lan has been considering.

Before his transmigration, he was just a mechanical engineer. Like most people, his understanding of war came from history, movies, and games. If it were a completely cold weapon war, he would leave the command to Carter and Iron Axe. But this battle is different; no one knows the operation of hot weapons better than himself.

Therefore, he can only combine all the knowledge he has and use a perspective higher than this era to formulate each step of the plan.

To ensure victory, Luo Lan has Lightning travel back and forth between the Fortress and Border Town every day, first to observe the road conditions and second to accurately calculate the distance. Luo Lan believes that the victory of war is built on a large amount of reconnaissance and calculation. Both tactical formulation and battle deduction are inseparable from these two points.

Using the dimensions set during the last cannon casting, he made several one-meter-long iron rods and a hundred-meter-long rope. Then, at the cannon firing range west of Border Town, he used the rope and wooden rods to project and delineate a flight path of about one thousand meters. Lightning practiced controlling her magic consumption, repeatedly crossing this thousand-meter distance at a fixed speed.

After she skillfully memorized this magic output level, Luo Lan began to measure the distance from the Fortress to the town. Using the time spent on the round trip obtained from the sundial, he calculated that the distance between the two places was approximately fifty-four kilometers.

Of course, this is only the straight-line distance. In fact, the land route has to make two large bends to avoid the foothills extending from the Endless Mountains. In any case, if the Duke chooses to advance by land, it will take at least three days to reach Border Town.

With Lightning as a scout, Luo Lan can clearly understand the enemy's location and the actions to be taken.

Within a two-kilometer range west of the town, he has already planted signal objects for marking distances. As long as the enemy enters this range, the artillery team can quickly adjust the corresponding cannon angles without the need for firing tables.

Now he is starting to worry about what if the other side doesn't come.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Nightingale, who had been lying on the sofa chair chewing dried fish slices, disappeared instantly. Luo Lan coughed twice and said, "Come in."

The one who opened the door was the Minister's Assistant, Barov. "Your Highness, a noble from Longsong Fortress wants to see you."

"Who?" Luo Lan didn't react for a moment. "Have they sent another ambassador?"

"No, not an ambassador," Barov shook his head. "It's Baron Corliss, who left before the Months of Demons and has now returned."

Luo Lan thought for a moment before remembering that there were indeed Fortress nobles living in Border Town before. But they dare to come back? And they came so early in the spring. Have they not seen the iron fist of the royal dictatorship? "What does he want to see me for?"

"His house was demolished because it obstructed the defense of the city wall," the Minister's Assistant spread his hands. "If you don't want to see him, I can refuse him for you."

Luo Lan was about to agree, but then changed his mind. "Let the Baron wait for me in the reception room."

Maybe he can put some pressure on Longsong Fortress through him, the Prince thought.

After dawdling for a quarter of an hour, Luo Lan slowly arrived at the reception room. A man with a round belly had already been waiting impatiently at one end of the long table. He paced back and forth, the flesh on his face trembling with each step. Seeing the Prince appear, the Baron stopped and reluctantly bowed.

"Sit down," Luo Lan returned to the main seat and sat down. According to his usual habits, even if it wasn't mealtime, he would have the kitchen prepare a dessert, but today he didn't even have tea prepared.

"Your Royal Highness," Baron Corliss hurriedly said before he had even settled down, "How could you let those stupid stonemasons demolish my house! It was a fine house, with a stone wall underneath and the best quality logs for the beams and roof. It cost me a hundred..."

"...No, a hundred and fifty Gold Royals to build it!" He held up his fingers to gesture.

A hundred and fifty, Luo Lan chuckled inwardly. If it were when he had just transmigrated to Border Town, relying solely on the Prince's memory, he might have actually believed it. But now... "Are you talking about that house at the far west of the town?"

Corliss nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, that's the one. It's the second largest house in town, after Simon's residence."

"That's a pity, it was too close to the city wall and obstructed the passage of my subordinates." Luo Lan paused slightly. "However, the City Hall has already made compensation."

"How... how much?"

Luo Lan held up two fingers. "Twenty Gold Royals."

"That's too little! Your Highness..." Corliss opened his mouth, as if wanting to argue, but finally held back. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "Okay, twenty it is. Where do I collect this money?"

"Collect?" Luo Lan pretended to be puzzled. "This payment has already been issued to the owner of the house."

"What? Wait, wait... I am the owner of the house!"

"Not you, Blair, the captain of my Second Militia Team."

"Who is that?" The Baron shouted. "Your Highness, you're mistaken! I am the owner of that residence!"

"Really? But I didn't see you in the winter," Luo Lan raised an eyebrow. "How can that house be said to be yours?"

"Of course I went back to Longsong Fortress. Who wants to stay in this godforsaken place? You might feed the demon beasts if you're not careful!"

Idiot, Luo Lan thought to himself, while maintaining a calm tone. "So you're saying that you abandoned your lord and fled because you were afraid of demon beasts, is that it?"

"Uh, I..." The Baron was stunned.

"Guards," Luo Lan clapped his hands. Two personal guards immediately entered from outside the reception room, flanking Corliss in the middle.

"Your... Your... Your Highness, what do you mean by this!?"

"It's simple, now you have two choices," Luo Lan stood up from his seat, looking at the other party with contempt. "One is that you admit you were wrong, that the house doesn't belong to you at all, and I can treat it as a farce and let you leave now. The second is that during the Months of Demons, you betrayed your lord and left the territory without permission, shamefully fleeing to Longsong Fortress. I will throw you into prison and then hang you for treason. Which one do you choose?"

Sweat dripped unceasingly from Corliss's forehead. He swallowed hard and hesitated for a long time before trembling, "Your Highness, I... I was mistaken, that's not my house."

"So it was a misunderstanding," Luo Lan shrugged and said to the guards, "Escort Baron out of here."

When Corliss reached the door, the Prince stopped him. "By the way, when you return to the Fortress by ship, please do me a favor and deliver a message to those... um, nobles who might have the same misunderstanding as you. If they're not planning on choosing the second option, they don't need to waste their time making a special trip to the town."

"As... as you wish, Your Highness," Corliss said with a forced smile as he walked out the door, but in that instant, Luo Lan saw the other party's clenched teeth.

In this way, it will probably cause a great disturbance on the Fortress side, he thought.