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Chapter 559 - 559 119 Outsmarted by Your Own Smartness_1

559: Chapter 119, Outsmarted by Your Own Smartness_1 559: Chapter 119, Outsmarted by Your Own Smartness_1 “Report!”

“Earl, a troop has been spotted fifty miles ahead breaking through the encirclement.

It is suspected to be the Noble Alliance Army from the Southeastern province, currently being pursued by the Orc Army.”

Upon hearing this news, the atmosphere became heavy.

Everyone’s gaze was fixed upon Hudson, as though something on his face had caught their attention.

“No matter which army it is, send someone to inform them to hold their position and wait for assistance.

Pass the order; two hours of rest then the army will break camp and set out.

You all go prepare, let’s not delay the rescue mission.”

Hudson commanded with an unchanging expression.

The mouths of those around him formed ‘O’s, words that had reached their lips were swallowed back.

The crowd departed, leaving Nelson and Evola, Hudson’s brothers, behind.

Clearly, they too had a bellyful of questions.

“There’s no outsider here now.

If you have something to ask, just speak up!

No need to hold back!”

At Hudson’s prompting, the impatient Evola couldn’t help but ask: “Hudson, are we really going to save them?”

A pride of lions cannot contain two kings.

The Southeastern Province could only have one dominant force.

As a newcomer, Koslow Family either had to choose retreat and start anew or challenge the Dalton Family.

Compared to the difficulty of starting afresh, the developed Southeastern Province was evidently more attractive.

Considering the economic situation, the Southeastern Province could be the equivalent of three or four provinces of the Northland, and this was under developed conditions.

With the current strength of the Koslow Family, they absolutely lacked the capability to develop a province of the Northland.

Even if they invested everything they had, they might barely scrape by to develop a Northern county at best.

Only a fool would choose to develop in the North with better options available.

With the same amount of investment, Hudson would rather develop the swamps.

After so many years, regaining ancestral lands had become a rallying cry for clan unity.

Except for the older generation, almost no one liked the Northland.

Now that the opportunity was here, all they had to do was withhold aid and stand by while the Dalton Family suffered an accident, and the Koslow Family could rise in its stead.

The nobles within the province would just be considered unlucky in this case.

What’s more, as a new political faction, Hudson also needed a place to station his underlings.

To use this opportunity to metaphorically kill with a borrowed knife and cleanse the inner workings of the Southeastern Province would simply be perfect.

“Nonsense, I’ve already given the order, how could I go back on it?”

Hudson retorted without hesitating.

This kind of pointless talk was even being discussed, he seriously doubted whether Evola’s brain had fully developed.

Many times he wondered why there was such a significant difference between them even though they had the same parents.

Eldest brother Nelson was crafty and cunning, which, although limited by his early education and constrained imagination, still provided an overall decent ability.

However, once it came to Evola, it went to the other extreme.

He could do anything, except using his brain, a true brute.

“Hudson, if we miss this great opportunity, next time when…”

Before Nelson could finish his sentence, Hudson interrupted him: “Opportunity and risk always coexist.

The Dalton Family’s decline is indeed something I want to see, but certainly not now, and not under these circumstances.

This army is not only composed of our men but also of many from other forces, including the Dalton Family.

Under public scrutiny, if I were to find an excuse to shirk and refuse to send troops for aid, what do you think will happen?

Moreover, even if the Dalton family were truly doomed, could we swallow the benefits they leave behind?

Don’t indulge in such daydreams!

The Koslow Family’s resources can just barely support a mid-rank noble house.

With every step further we take, we would face massive obstacles.

The more we reach such a time, the more cautious we have to be.

Especially in front of benefits, we have to stick to our roots even more.

Just because other Major Nobles can do something, it doesn’t mean we can too.

As new members, before we integrate into the circle and build our own network, being grounded is the most important thing!

We must not touch things we shouldn’t touch!

If we do, that’ll be the end for our Koslow Family.

You should know that since the establishment of the Kingdom, no Major Noble has ever risen from the ranks of the minor nobility.

The changes among the Major Nobles have always taken place within their own ranks.

Do you think they will welcome us?”

Although the pie was large, the trouble was that the Koslow Family’s dental health was poor.

Wanting to swallow the Southeastern Province in one gulp would be as crazy as a snake trying to swallow an elephant.

Even if the Noble Alliance Army of the Southeastern Province was wiped out, their remnants holed up in their old habitats would still possess enough force to pull down the Koslow Family with them.

This sort of “force” was not limited to just military strength but also included political influence and social relationships.

As long as they were willing to pay the price, the noble families of old, with their network of relationships, could easily pull together a host of allies and reinforcements.

These people could be domestic or potentially also foreign.

The Alpha Kingdom being critically wounded does not mean that the nobles of all human kingdoms have suffered drastic setbacks too.

Such heavyweights as the Dalton Family have influences that are not limited to the Alpha Kingdom.

In other countries across the continent, they would have no lack of social connections either.

If their network wasn’t strong enough, cross-national maritime trade simply wouldn’t be able to continue.

Hudson dared not act rashly without a clear understanding of the others’ bottom line.

Even if he wanted to do things underhandedly, it needed to be done in secret.

Before Hudson could be accepted into the circle of major nobles, he had to establish himself as a noble of impeccable reputation, and give no excuse for external criticism.

…

On the lakeside of the Snow Moon, the Southeastern Province Noble Alliance Army, tired from their long journey, was still caught by the Orc cavalry.

The distance between both sides had shorted to less than ten miles, the Orcs could reach them with one charge.

Suddenly, two human cavalry rushed from afar towards the grand army.

Even before their arrival, their voices had already carried over.

“Hear ye forces ahead: We are under the orders of Earl Hudson, instructing you to hold your positions, reinforcements are on the way!”

Upon hearing this news, Earl Piers felt not the slightest relief, but rather wore a look of distaste.

In the alliance army, infantry can’t outrun cavalry.

“Hold the position and wait for reinforcements” sounds ostensibly flawless.

The prerequisite is: both sides can trust each other.

Ironically, trust was what was most lacking between them currently.

Who would foolishly save an enemy?

Even when forced to send troops to save them, there would be all sorts of reluctance and sluggishness.

“I am Earl Piers, Chief Commander of the Southeastern Province.

Before you left, had the reinforcements set out?”

After introducing himself, Earl Piers tested them with a question.

The messenger, unaware of the underlying connotations in the question, honestly answered: “The main force is in the midst of resting.

They will be rushing over within two hours.”

Under normal circumstances, resting for two hours before setting off does not raise any issues.

After all, humans are not machines.

Soldiers need some rest before a big fight.

Unless it is a most urgent matter, holding the position for a few hours is nothing at all.

“Go back and tell Earl Hudson that we will wait for him here and ask him to speed up.”

Earl Piers said with a slight smile.

However, the unnatural curve at the corner of his mouth meant that his smile was filled with mockery.

Unfortunately, the two messengers did not understand this.

“Honorable Earl, we will certainly convey your message to Earl Hudson.”

With that, the two did not hesitate at all and immediately rode off, demonstrating their professional discipline at its best.

Watching the two disappear from the horizon, Earl Piers turned back and looked at the noble military officers behind him and said: “You all heard the conversation just now.

The reinforcements are still resting, and in two hours they will set out.

Given the distance between us, we should meet in no more than three hours.

In order to shorten the meeting time, we cannot wait here aimlessly.

Give the orders for the army to speed up and join the reinforcements as soon as possible!”

While he was saying this was a rendezvous, if you look carefully, you would find that the route selected by Earl Piers deviated “slightly” from the direction the messengers left towards.

Even a “slight” deviation at the start will become a substantial deviation after a certain distance.

Without a doubt, Earl Piers didn’t trust in the reinforcements promised by Hudson.

It wasn’t the first time that a teammate was betrayed on the battlefield in the Kingdom’s Army.

If they were actually to hold their position and wait for reinforcements, it would somehow be acceptable if Hudson deliberately leads the army off a bit, not arriving at the agreed place at the agreed time.

Getting lost in a foreign land is all too common.

The worst-case scenario would be for the blame to fall on a “dead” guide.

Knowing all too well that Hudson might take the troop off-track, Earl Piers decided to make a negative times a negative equals a positive move.

After careful analysis, he decisively chose the route most likely to encounter them halfway.

There was no choice, however much he disliked Hudson, until other Kingdom reinforcements were met, this unit was their lifeline.

As long as they led the Orc army to the border army, Hudson would have no choice but to intervene.

As for the two armies joining, Earl Piers was still against it.

Everything was about interest.

Now Hudson, as the chief commander at the front, controlled all the Kingdom’s Army on the frontline.

While the Northern Expedition Army did not belong to the Border Army, as the commander in chief on the front line, Hudson could still forcibly order them to join the battle.

Being slightly inferior to others could be easily brushed off with a chuckle, but being inferior to Hudson was a serious political incident.

This would directly affect the siding of the nobles of the Southeastern Province.

Besides staunch supporters, others would become indecisive rather than unconditionally leaning towards the Dalton Family.

If it was just some minor troubles, Earl Piers could still find a solution, but what worried him most was the issue of security.

For a commander-in-chief to set up his subordinates was all too easy.

If the forces at hand were still intact, he could not respect Hudson’s account, even publicly oppose it.

Unfortunately, that was not possible now.

With only the remnants of the Southeastern Province Noble Alliance Army, hardly any say could be held.

…

Time flew, two hours passed in the blink of an eye, as agreed earlier, the huge rescue army embarked on its journey.

As a commander whose word was law, Hudson naturally adhered to the agreement.

Except, the grand army didn’t rush tirelessly on war horses, but rather moved slow on draught horses.

Preserving the strength of the war horses was a common factor for all cavalry units.

Although many war horses in the army have magical beast bloodlines, which greatly enhance their endurance and explosive power, there are still more horses that slowed them down.

Ironically, what determined the speed of the army was the ordinary horses that slowed them down.

Hence, it was a natural choice to use draught horses during the march.

It’s okay for the grand army to be slow.

As long as they could dispatch troops in time, they would have fulfilled their duty.

“Your Excellency, there is a huge problem!

The Noble Alliance Army of the Southeastern Province has disappeared.”

…