I will be crowned king

The smoke-filled Junqi Mountain suddenly fell into deathly silence.

As Fernando Herred's most trusted legion commander, Sir Garland, who was responsible for the critical responsibility of cutting off the rear and ensuring supplies, had a very high prestige in the army.

Therefore, the rumors spread faster than imagined - in addition to howling with a tin trumpet, Sir Garland also sent prisoners from Fernando's base camp and his own men to mix in with the retreating troops retreating to Junqi Mountain to spread the news.

By the time Fernando realized that the situation was not good, it was already too late to stop him... Not to mention the soldiers on the back line, even the officers who were in charge of besieging the Junqishan camp even stopped the attack without authorization.

In comparison, the Clovis army approaching from behind didn't seem to be a thorny problem anymore.

As time went by, more and more soldiers finally learned the "truth" from their commanders and people around them. They looked blankly at the corpses scattered at their feet and the charred position, and their expressions seemed to be in a trance as if everything was happening before them. It's all just an illusion.

"This is impossible! Mr. Fernando is a member of the royal family. His Majesty's most trusted commander is also a hero who participated in the New World Holy War!" In the silent crowd, a young knight threw down his military cap and looked angrily at his comrades beside him. :

"How could such a person betray His Majesty! Everyone, get up quickly. The Junqishan position is within easy reach. Come with me and rush forward to take it down. If we take it down, we will win!"

The young knight excitedly pointed at the dilapidated inner castle, but no matter how much he appealed and encouraged, the expressions of the people around him were either silent or sneered.

"Impossible, why is it impossible?"

A gunner squatting in the trench sneered and took out his pipe: "Yes, it is true that Mr. Fernando is trusted by His Majesty, but that was also earned by his diligent loyalty for so many years; decades... His Majesty asked He goes wherever he goes and never complains.”

"But what is the reward for such a loyal Lord Fernando?" Another captain took over: "Yes, he became the commander-in-chief of the army, but his title was not improved, his fiefdom was not increased, let alone his wealth. Oh...I heard that when Mr. Fernando got married, even the bride price was borrowed from the church."

"Such a capable person, who is also a member of the royal family, has such great achievements and yet still lives like an ordinary low-class knight. Do you think he can balance his mind?"

"But... isn't this what it should be?" The young knight was confused: "It is the obligation of every knight to serve His Majesty the Emperor. How can he only have rewards in his eyes?"

As soon as he said this, his companions all laughed.

"You, you...did I say something wrong?"

"No, no, no, you are right, or too right." The gunner chewing his pipe was shaking with laughter: "We are all His Majesty's knights, and it is our duty to serve His Majesty, so His Majesty the Emperor We don’t have to pay anything, we can just enjoy our efforts with peace of mind.”

"I, that's not what I meant, I meant..."

"Okay, okay, just stop saying a few words!"

The captain took half a step forward and stopped the young knight who wanted to say something else: "The situation is very complicated now, and no one knows what is going on. If Mr. Fernando is wronged, he will certainly have a way to prove his innocence. The superiors are not children who follow what others say. They can naturally distinguish between loyal and traitorous people, so there is no need for us people to get involved..."

……………………

"...So, you seem to have concluded that Jialan said that I am a traitor to the empire?"

In the temporary tent set up in front of the position, facing a group of officers who suddenly came to him and expressed that they "wanted to get an answer", Fernando Herred's face was full of sarcasm and self-deprecating sneer: "A few words are unfounded. Do you guys, who have rich experience and have been working in the army for more than ten years, believe unfounded rumors?"

As he spoke, his eyes swept over the faces of everyone in front of him one by one, and the deliberate expressions made many officers subconsciously hide behind them, as if they were afraid of being exposed for their stern appearance and inner cowardice.

"Please don't misunderstand me, Lord Fernando; we have heard what Sir Garland said, but that does not mean that we believe it 100%." ​​An officer took half a step forward, his expression and tone were very upright:

"What we want to know is just the truth and nothing else."

"The truth, what truth?"

"Have you really betrayed His Majesty?" The officer suddenly raised his voice: "What is the purpose of capturing the Red Moon Town Fortress and invading the Red Moon Province?!"

"If it is just to defeat Clovis, then there is no need to continue marching after taking the fortress; if it is to save the Osterian royal family that was overthrown by the Clovis people, and let Her Royal Highness the Princess return to her kingdom Clovis City, you should march north, and at the same time summon the loyal soldiers from all over Clovis to restore the past order in Clovis."

"But you didn't do any of them. Instead, you were obsessed with invading the Red Moon Province. For this reason, you specially divided your troops to raid various places, which led to the current situation." The officer paused and expressed emotion:

"Forgive us for being rude, but the current situation makes it difficult not to doubt whether Sir Garland's words are true."

A well-reasoned explanation made many officers and knights present slightly nod, as if they all thought so too.

Fernando's eyes were extremely sad... betraying the emperor? As early as the middle of last month, he had openly told all of them his plan to attack the Red Moon Fortress. He also explained that the purpose of raiding the Red Moon Province was to make it more difficult for the Clovis people to retake the fortress and to prepare more preparations for the empire. Time of war.

As for the division of troops and the siege of Junqishan, no officer had ever dared to question his deployment, and no one had ever raised a different opinion. The result now seemed to be evidence that he had evil intentions and wanted to rebel and stand on his own feet.

"What a boring speculation. I don't even bother to talk nonsense with you anymore." Fernando said coldly: "There is only one. Even if I want to be independent, why would I choose to be in a place like the Red Moon Province that is destined to be surrounded by four wars? Rather than some nice, richer place?”

Such an unanswerable question seems to be easy for many officers to answer: "It's simple, because you are a smart man, Lord Fernando."

Fernando: "...You are making it even more confusing."

"Is the Red Moon Province a place of war? Yes, is the Red Moon Province surrounded by the Empire and Clovis at the same time? That's right, but its seemingly disadvantages are exactly its advantages!"

The officer's face showed a smile that saw through the truth: "Because it is the place of the Fourth War, the Red Moon Province also happens to be easy to defend and difficult to attack. You only need to defend Junqi Mountain and the fortress on the east and west sides. No matter how many enemies there are, they can only be helpless. .”

"And because this place is important enough, it is an important pass for Clovis to attack the empire. Clovis who has lost Red Moon Town will greatly reduce the threat to the empire; so as long as you can capture and hold the Red Moon Province, you will eventually find that the gain outweighs the loss. Both parties will agree to please you and acknowledge your ownership of this land."

"In this way, you can be loyal to whomever you want, and fall to whichever side you want. Grand Duke, Governor, King... whatever title you want, the Emperor and Clovis will satisfy you and make you the two overlords. The independent king between the cracks!"

Looking at the other party's plausive appearance, Fernando couldn't help but sigh.

The ring of order is above... These people have really racked their brains in order to prove their crimes.

"So, you have already concluded that I have committed treason, right?"

"No! We just think this is possible. Whether it is really the case, we still need to hear your own explanation." The officers still put on a very fair look:

"Please tell us, respected Lord Fernando Herred, have you betrayed His Majesty?!"

"Of course not! I am His Majesty's most trusted commander, what reason is there for betrayal?!"

Fernando said excitedly: "Everything I do has only one purpose, and that is for the glory of His Majesty and the Empire! To help His Majesty complete his great cause and make him the undisputed guardian of the ordered world!"

"Calling me a traitor? Stop criticizing me and tell me straight, what do you want?!"

Faced with the frankness of Fernando, the old boss, the officers' attitude seemed very strange, or they did not intend to accept it: "It seems that you are still not willing to cooperate. We just want to know the truth."

Fernando definitely didn't believe this kind of illogical nonsense; he had seen through the tricks of this group of people. In fact, everyone knew that Sir Gloria had been defeated and captured, the Clovis controlled the Red Moon Road, and even some May have recaptured the Red Moon Town Fortress.

Under such a premise, even if Fernando could conquer Flag Mountain, he could not reverse the disastrous defeat. The exhausted thousands of people could not be the opponents of the Clovis people. The result was just a choice between a disastrous defeat and a conditional defeat. .

And now Garland...or the Clovis people have given them a "new option": if Fernando Herred is a traitor, and if this war is not the intention of the empire, is there still room for maneuver?

Everyone lost the battle, but that was all because the battle was meaningless. It was not out of the emperor's original wishes, but because of Fernando's own will. Now that the truth is revealed, it seems that both sides... still have room for maneuver?

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fernando, it seems we can't understand each other anymore." The officers had heavy expressions and their voices were full of regret:

"But please rest assured that we will still actively find out the truth of the matter. If you are really slandered, we will definitely stand by your side and never waver!"

Of course, Fernando could not believe this kind of verbal promise that might not be convincing even to fools. Without saying a word, he just sneered and stared at the mutinous subordinates in front of him.

The knights of Fernando's legion did not dare to neglect at all. Just as they mobilized collectively to stabilize the commander-in-chief, they also arranged special contact persons to contact Sir Gloria to see if they could make peace with the Clovis people. , to achieve a result acceptable to both parties.

As for why it was Sir Gloria rather than the Clovis people directly... Of course, everyone is not a fool. Negotiating with Sir Gloria is still the result of internal conflicts, while direct contact with the Clovis people is tantamount to rebellion.

Jialan was obviously very aware of this. When he met with the officer representatives, he specially sent away the Rangers to negotiate with the other party alone, and repeatedly promised that he had "decisive evidence" in his hand that could be implemented. Fernando is a true traitor.

But when it comes to his own core interests, Sir Garland is not so easy to talk to: "This is not possible. Fernando will never leave Junqi Mountain alive. As long as such traitors can find the slightest opportunity, they will seize it - don't Forgot that he is a member of the royal family, we can’t tell him clearly when he is in front of the emperor!”

You are the one who can't tell clearly, and you want to put the blame for framing the chief on us!

The officer representative was roaring in his heart, but he still had to show a conflicted look of understanding and embarrassment on his face: "This...but he is our commander-in-chief after all. How can he attack his superior as a subordinate..."

"It's very simple. The object of our allegiance is not to him, but to His Majesty the Emperor... His Majesty is the only object of allegiance to thousands of knights in the world of order." Sir Gloria said righteously:

"I stress it again. In order to resolve the misunderstanding with the Clovis people and allow the Legion to leave Clovis and return to the empire 'safely', Fernando Hered... he must die. There is no other way out!"

"If there is anyone who wants to secretly protect or intercede for the traitor...then I can only think that he is a remnant of the traitor, an accomplice, a despicable villain who was promised benefits, rebelled but dare not admit it!"

"This kind of person... in the name of His Majesty, I will never let him set foot on the land of the empire alive."

"You...this..."

The officer representatives were anxious and angry, but they did not dare to refuse directly. Now that Junqi Mountain has not been captured, the Clovis people have already taken away their base camp and cut off their retreat. If they can't find a way to deal with it, the whole army will be annihilated. is so close!

"What you said makes sense, but for such a big matter, I'm afraid I have to report it to the adults in the legion first, and wait for them to give you the final answer." The officer representative chose a more tactful way: "I don't know that this is the case. Is this situation acceptable to you?"

"Of course. I personally don't have any objections. After all, we are all colleagues and comrades-in-arms. What things cannot be discussed through discussion?"

Sir Gloria spoke softly, but then changed the topic and pointed his right hand to the top of the Flag Mountain: "But it's really hard to say whether the Clovis people are willing to understand."

The officer representative, who felt vaguely something bad in his heart, looked in the direction he pointed and saw the top of the inner fort of the Military Flag Mountain Camp on the high hillside...

The bloody swallow-tailed flag was raised.