Chapter 373: Battle of Black Mountain (End)
In the setting sun, the previously broken armor pieces and sword blades flashed with golden-red light, columns of smoke went straight to the sky, and the cries of chickens, ducks, cows and sheep rang out in the fields.

If it weren't for the strong smell of blood in the air, this scene would be full of pastoral beauty.

On the battlefield, war monks wandered around, picking up and sorting usable weapon fragments from the ground.

Sometimes they look around and still feel a sense of unreality.

Did they win just like that? They thought they would have to pay a price similar to the previous battle against the Imperial Order Company, but in the end their casualties were far lower than expected.

The total number of casualties was about 400, more than half of which were slightly injured, and most of the dead and seriously injured came from the two legions on the right wing.

Apart from Barnaby, only one officer at the rank of divisional captain was killed in the battle.

You have to know that in the Battle of Pavia, there were more than 800 casualties, three of the eight legion commanders were killed and four were seriously injured. Horn entered the Chateau d'Arc in a wheelchair.

After the battle, Horn looked pale but did not appear to have any injuries.

"Have those main generals been found?" Horn asked first when he saw Jeshka coming.

"Earl Zelaken of Windward Castle tried to escape in disguise, but he was recognized because he was too white. Archbishop Polyclis of Jinhe Township hid in a cesspool, but was reported by the villagers and captured by us." Jeshka held the small notebook in his hand, "The rest either died in battle or surrendered and were captured. There is nothing much to say."

"Where's Niedsal?"

"He's dead. We tried to save him and get information out of him, but the poison was too strong and it was too late."

Horn thought of countless ways that Nedsal could die, but he never imagined that he, as a follower of Mircella, would actually commit suicide.

When Horn saw Nedsal gritting his teeth and drinking the potion solemnly, he was ready to fight the second stage.

As a result, he died as soon as he turned his head. So he gave up when he realized he couldn't win?

What the hell is this? Just drinking suicide poison makes Horn so excited.

After Nidsal's death, the large phalanx of guards was defeated one after another, and with the Kush knights leading the escape, the noble coalition of Jinhe Township completely collapsed.

In this battle, Horn captured 4000 peasant soldiers, 2000 infantrymen including armored sergeants and guards, more than Ibe knights were killed and more than were captured.

The Cossacks were completely wiped out, half of them died in battle, and the remaining half surrendered.

"It was indeed a great victory." Horn could not help but sigh after hearing Jeshka's report on the battle damage and enemy casualties.

"Yes, next you can think about how to manage the entire Langsander County in the future." Jeshka smiled and sat next to Horn.

"By the way, the commander of the hand cannon brigade is called Lefebvre, right?" Horn thought of the hand cannon brigade that had just fired a volley. "How is he? Did he die in the battle?"

"No, I was just overworked and exhausted. I forced myself to finish the battle and then passed out." Jessica replied, "Do you need me to wake them up?"

"No need." Horn waved his hand, "Wait until they wake up and ask them to come see me."

"After this battle, the entire Jinhe Township has basically completely lost its ability to resist." Jieshka dug out a bottle of farm fruit wine from somewhere and took a sip. "It's only a matter of time before we take over the entire Langsander County."

There are approximately more than 1300 knight estates and more than 900 aristocratic families in the entire Jinhe Township.

On average, almost every noble family has one or two knights, but the total number does not exceed 1500.

Previously, Horn had killed more than a hundred people in Kush Territory and more than a hundred people in Moncruz. More than a hundred people were killed in previous frictions of all sizes. In this battle, he killed and captured more than two hundred people.

In total, Horn killed and captured more than 800 knights.

Not to mention the extraordinary infantry forces controlled by the church. Just look at the more than 2,000 captured guards in Horn's camp to see what they are like.

At least half of the supernatural forces in the entire Jinhe Township, especially the high-end supernatural forces, were wiped out by Horn.

The biggest trump cards, the titled Knights Niedsal and Nikossack, were wiped out by Horn.

"Time is indeed a problem." Picking up Jeska's fruit wine, Horn tilted his head back and took a sip.

The cool evening breeze blew on Horn's neck, revealing the dark red stigmata.

The fruit wine brewed by farmers is full of special wine aroma, but the alcohol content is not high.

Horn squinted his eyes comfortably, letting the smoke from cooking and the cool evening breeze blow in from the nearby village and river.

But his mood was not as calm as it appeared.

Behind the rivers, forests, and mountains, Rapid City was being besieged by the armies of the Imperial Company, and further north, the mountain knights of Mound were still engaged in a seesaw battle with Prince Condé.

If we continue to advance head-on, it will take at least another month. It is foreseeable that Jinhe Township will remain at the same level as the "pious" period of Kush Territory for two or three months.

That is, the land is full of knights, bandits and plundering troops composed of diehards, using the Copper Fortress as a base to slowly wear down Horn.

In order to obtain military supplies for the expedition, he had to slowly take down the monasteries and the knights' castles. Did he really have the time?
The most worrying thing is that while Rapid City needs support, Horn has to leave troops to manage the public security in Jinhe Township and suppress riots.

Horn felt his head ache again.

This brings us to the differences between Jinhe Township and Kush Territory.

Jinhe Township covers an area of ​​about 9000 square kilometers. The foothills where it borders Longxi Township in North County are basically a forest area.

The 40-hectare Ibe Plain along the south flow of the Ibe River is the core area of ​​the entire Jinhe Township.

Unlike the scattered farmlands in Kush Territory, this is a full 40 hectares of connected flat farmland.

According to the church's tax books, the Ibe Plain can produce 20 to 25 tons of grain, 5 tons of soybeans, 3 tons of various vegetables, and various other agricultural products each year.

Xixi estimates that the entire Jinhe Township can produce nearly 45 tons of agricultural products.

These knights exported nearly 18 tons of various agricultural products every year. Among them, the grain smuggling trade with Black Snake Bay made the senior nobles earn a lot of money.

In other words, Jinhe Township is a purely agricultural township.

This is very different from Kush Territory, as can be seen from the name of the settlement alone.

The territory of Kush is full of small towns of various names, while the Township of Jinhe is either a certain fort or a certain manor.

Not to mention towns, there is not even a large market or commercial port.

Jinhe Township is so large that it not only provides a large amount of agricultural products, but also carries a large population.

According to calculations by Xixi and others, the entire Jinhe Township is estimated to have 36 to 40 people, which is almost twice the population of Kush Territory.

Horn had a hard time managing even the 20-plus people in Kush Territory, let alone a population twice that high.

The most troublesome thing is not this, but that Jinhe Township is relatively isolated and there are not many literate people.

When Horn was managing the Kush Territory, he won over a large number of low-level monks, lower-class citizens and craftsmen.

There are many monasteries in Kush Territory, so there are a large number of low-level monks. The business in Jeanne d'Arc is developed, so there are enough people who can count.

Without this group of people, the Savior Army would probably not have been able to complete the integration of Kush Territory until now.

Even if literacy classes are offered, it will take six months to reach the passing level, and that's on the premise that they have to take night classes while working.

Horn himself is not enough to manage the internal affairs, let alone manage Jinhe Township?
Or could we attract low-level monks from Kasha County to help? Or invite wizards from Black Snake Bay to assist in management? Or do both?
Horn suddenly remembered those wizard slaves. He asked Jessica, "How are those wizard slaves?"

"Master Pasrick is currently handling this matter. Do you want to go and take a look?"

"Let's go take a look. We have some free time." Horn jumped off the big rock and brushed the dust off his butt and thighs.

Seeing that Jessica was about to go get the horse, Horn suddenly grabbed Jessica's arm and said, "We have known each other for almost a year."

"It's been exactly one year. I started working part-time in Moulin Rouge Village on July 7 last year."

"So soon?" Horn was a little dazed, but he quickly pulled himself out of his memories. "After this battle, I plan to select prisoners of war with good conduct and recruit 1000 people to form eight Black Hat Legions."

As Jessica untied the reins from the hitching post, his breathing became heavier and his movements became much lighter.

"These eight legions will become independent and form a new Black Hat Regiment. The Guards will also expand among the population of Xinna to form a Guards Regiment." Horn spoke slowly, looking into Jeshka's eyes.

"You made plans for this battle and took charge of the entire army. You did a good job in all aspects... Are you willing to take on the important task of being the Chapter Master?"

Although Jieshka was excited, he still maintained basic courtesy: "If it weren't for Your Majesty, I would have died in the flood. I support all the decisions you make."

"Actually, there's nothing wrong with being a logistics manager..."

He dragged out the last sentence, and seeing Jessica's face twitch, Horn continued with a suppressed smile: "But for you, the Chapter Master, and for the entire Black Hat Legion, there will be more opportunities."

"Yes, yes." Jeshka breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing that Jeshka's forehead was sweating, Horn hit him on the chest and said, "Okay, it's settled. Come on, take me to see those wizard slaves."

(End of this chapter)