Tome of Blood

   "Hurry up, hurry up! Wipe off the inscription on this rock-shooting cannon. The mage master said that this kind of big guy must be wiped clean before it can be used!"

   "Are the stone materials ready? The bridgehead is urging again. The Earl's Mansion said that the outer wall of the bridgehead must be repaired today!"

  Beyond Northport, the Dorne River.

  On the Northport Bridge, the only bridge across the north and south of the Dorne River in Castelland, craftsmen are busy repairing the outer wall of the bridge under the leadership of apprentice mages.

  Beigang Bridge.

  As the only bridge on the Dorne River across both banks, its role is as important as the Castel Bridge connecting North Harbor and the mainland.

  If the Castel Bridge connecting the north shore of the mainland and North Port is the last line of defense to protect North Port, then the North Port Bridge connecting the north and south of the Dorne River is the only way to determine whether the rebels can continue to go north and completely cut off the back road of North Port.

  At this moment, on the north and south banks of the Beigang Bridge, the city walls have been repaired, and the craftsmen are busy preparing various fortifications.

  There is only one purpose, and that is to protect the bridge.

  On the tower in the Earl's Mansion.

Standing in front of the railing, Charlotte looked at the busy North Harbor surrounded by war, at the warships patrolling inside and outside the harbor, at the relaunched stone-shooting cannons on the shore defense sea wall and at the north bank of the Dorn River. Contiguous campsites and tents, I don't know where my thoughts drifted.

  It wasn't until the sound of familiar footsteps came that she looked away, glanced at the person behind her, and said with a chuckle:

   "Did another nobleman surrender?"

  Behind him, Viscount Leon-Castel hesitated for a moment, then nodded:

   "Yes, Lord Earl, there is news from the south that Bold-Violet's army has captured the castle fortress closest to North Harbor. Tomorrow at the latest, the enemy's vanguard troops will probably reach the banks of the Dorne River."

   "Oh? The last castle fortress has also fallen? Which family does it belong to?"

  Charlotte raised her eyebrows lightly.

  Viscount Leon-Castel's expression was a bit awkward:

   "My lord... is... our family."

  Hearing this, Charlotte turned around and gave him a weird look.

  Facing her gaze that seemed to see through everything, the old Viscount suddenly felt his scalp tingle, and said hastily:

   "My lord, our loyalty to Len Castel..."

   "Don't worry, I won't blame you."

  Charlotte interrupted the old Viscount.

  I saw her turn around and look at the open plains, hills, criss-crossing water system and dotted villages and towns in the distance of Castel Territory, and then said:

   "The speed of the fall of the south is somewhat beyond my expectation, but it is also understandable."

   "After all... For noble families, long-term survival is the most important thing."

  “Eggs can never be put in one basket, and the broken basket is also a spare basket.”

  Hearing this, Viscount Leon Castel's expression became even more embarrassed.

  He hesitated, and said:

   "Lord Earl, no matter what the rest of the family chooses, since I chose to stand here, I will definitely fight with you to the last moment."

  Charlotte glanced at him and nodded:

   "I understand, I am already very satisfied that you can help me defend Beigang."

   As she spoke, she chuckled again:

   "To be honest, compared to those nobles who can only rely on the troops under their own direct control to fight against the superior lords, I am very lucky to be able to pull an army of more than ten thousand."

  After hearing what Charlotte said, the old Viscount was speechless for a moment.

   And Charlotte did not continue to talk about this somewhat sensitive topic.

  The speed of the fall of the south was indeed beyond her expectations, and this could only be explained by the fact that many nobles did not resist to the death.

   But Charlotte didn't have much indignation about this.

  No matter how bad the third prince's reputation was, in front of tens of thousands of troops, those noble territories on the front line had no other choice.

  Feudal lords have limited binding power on their subjects. Compared with the emperors and ministers of the Celestial Dynasty, it is more like the relationship between the boss and employees of a company.

  If she can provide her with conscripts and taxes for combat, or even come to help in the battle in person, the nobles have already fulfilled their obligations, and it is impossible for her to force them to work hard.

  If you really want to do the latter, you must be those monarchs who have successfully strengthened the centralization of power, have super charisma, and are fanatically worshiped and loyal by the nobles.

   And this, even Louis V couldn't do it, and not many people in the previous life history that Charlotte knew could do it.

   "Anything else?"

  Charlotte glanced at Viscount Leon-Castell and asked.

  The old Viscount hesitated for a moment and said:

   "My lord, regarding the Beigang Bridge...do you really not consider destroying it?"

   "With all due respect, the Beigang Bridge connects the north and the south. As long as it is destroyed and the Dorne River is controlled, we will be invincible... we can completely fight the third prince."

  Charlotte shook her head:

   "It can be consumed if it continues, but if the Beigang Bridge is destroyed, won't our army be unable to go south?"

  The old Viscount was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but said:

   "You... really plan to counterattack? But our army is too..."

   "Wait, is it true what you said about the reinforcements? Isn't it to comfort the nobles in Beigang?!"

  Charlotte laughed:

   "When did I say that the reinforcements are fake?"

   "Then, what exactly are the reinforcements you're talking about..."

  …

  The coalition army moved faster than the third prince had imagined.

   Or to be more precise, compared to poor Boulder and forest-filled violets, the road conditions in the better-developed Castel are obviously better, so that the march of the army is much faster.

  Facing the overwhelming coalition forces, the nobles of the Northlands almost surrendered along the way. Except for some stubborn and overconfident "clowns", most of the areas failed to stop the army from going north.

  Just ten days later, the mighty army came to the banks of the Dorne River.

  The third prince Philip was riding on the back of a dragon-scale horse.

   Looking at the Beigang Bridge across the Dorne River in the distance, and Beigang, which is isolated overseas and has only one bridge connected to the North Shore in the distance, a hint of greed that is bound to win flashed in the depths of his eyes.

  The third prince turned his head, raised his hand and pointed at the bustling city in the distance, then smiled to the left and right:

   "From now on, the surname here will not be Castel."

   "Notice, rest for a day, attack tomorrow!"

  …

   At the same time, the Principality of Romania.

  The Fallen Star Kingdom is located in the largest port on the mainland, Mirai Port.

   Fast galleys loaded with stone shooting guns and soldiers are also ready to set sail at any time.

   Earl Ulster stood on the bow of the flagship, gently closed his eyes, and opened them slowly after a long time.

   "The time is almost here, let me know. All ships unfurl the flag of Castel, raise their sails, and prepare to set sail."

   He ordered to the vampire beside him.