When the Battle of Kaiserslautern had just come to an end, Ludwig's mighty army marching backward along the Mainz Avenue finally arrived at the foot of the Palatinate Mountains.

All his cavalry regiments participated in last year's battle, and he himself even took the lead in the charge, directly leading the entire regiment forward.

The remains that can be seen everywhere in abandoned villages and towns were all caused by the cavalry. When they went to the old battlefield to observe their masterpieces, the soldiers did not have the slightest worry. On the contrary, they felt that this was a good sign.

But for the extremely large number of infantry troops, the senses are not only shocked but also frightened.

The Thuringian lord Thakurf didn't want to take a trip into this troubled water at all, but he couldn't disobey the king's order, so he had no choice but to bring a weak brigade to join in the fun.

Most soldiers have gray beards. How much can a group of aging soldiers accomplish?

The retinue soldiers were always required to keep a close eye on their surroundings and report any signs of trouble. This was the case in Thuringia. If something went wrong, they would give them a symbolic hit and then run away.

"Sir, there are bones everywhere here. Is this really the work of the king?" The retinue of the cavalry had never seen such a scene.

The bones crunched under the horse's hooves, the ferocious skeleton looked up to the sky with sorrow, and the soldiers' hearts trembled.

Takulf looked around and pretended to be calm: "Are you all scared?"

The cavalry were silent.

He continued to shout in the dialect of his hometown: "Some people want to die fighting for power for the great nobles, but we will not. Remember! If the king's battle goes well, we will benefit from it. If the battle does not go well, we will retreat. We must remember that life is our own.

.If you see my command flag retreat, don’t fight.”

"Roar!" the soldiers signaled.

Therefore, the existence of the Thuringian Army is more like a lottery. They can only add icing on the cake when the war goes well. If not, they will be a group of deserters.

In fact, what Ludwig needed most was the Marquis's statement. At least Marquis Thakurf came, and that was enough.

After all, this is a Marquis of the Alemannic region, not a vassal of Bavaria and Austria in his core area. The vassals in his core area are disobedient? That is absolutely impossible.

Until now, the main force used by Ludwig is still his own personal army group. In the final analysis, this is the legacy left to him by his grandfather, Charlemagne.

Part of the army that conquered the Avars stayed in the east, and they formed the main force of Ludwig's army.

He has not mobilized all his strength. If there are heavy losses in this year's operation, it does not mean that he will completely lose his military advantage. Even if it is not good enough, he can order all the Eastern nobles to lead troops to join the war!

Just then, the nobles will demand huge power, and then they will have to recognize semi-independent princes such as the Duke of Saxony and the Diocese of Cologne.

This was a compromise, and Ludwig was not willing to accept it.

The infantry army transported a large amount of baggage to each other and advanced steadily in a normal marching manner. They had been stationed in Mainz for a long time, and the soldiers all knew about the bloody battle last year. Now that they came to the battlefield and saw the corpses on the ground, they were extremely shocked. When they thought about Saxony,

When people brave thunder ahead, they feel much better.

Ludwig still wore his purple robe, and instead of wearing a helmet, he held up his golden crown in a high-profile manner.

The soldiers around him held two flags high, one was a black cross on a white background, and the other was the three lions battle flag representing Charlemagne.

People's hearts are changing dramatically with the times. When he leads the army into battle, the south wind blows on Ludwig's bearded face. He begins to imagine why he can only be Caesar. As long as he seizes the opportunity to kill his elder brother, he will become Augustus.

All.

As for the younger brother Charles who didn't even have a fief, there would be no problem in banishing him. There was also the nephew Pepin II who followed the eldest brother up and down. His Lombard and Provence fiefs had to be deprived.

Because the losses in the continuous battles in Kaiserslautern were heavy, he took it for granted that the Saxons also suffered huge losses. They had exhausted their blood for themselves, and they had eaten the entrance to Strasbourg for the main force.

"Fighters! Do you all know? That guy Liudov really thinks that Kaiserslautern is rich. Haha, I have transferred the gold and silver there long ago. The Saxons are working hard for me, so this group of rebels will be wiped out.

, it relieves the hatred in my heart."

Ludwig was in a good mood, but he was baring his teeth and the soldiers did not dare to say anything.

Until the light cavalry scouts who were scouting the road ahead were riding fast and then turned back, looking anxious as if they had learned something important.

The scout reined in his horse right in front of Ludwig.

"How's it going? Is there a fight ahead?"

"Report to your majesty, the Saxons...the Saxons..."

"Say it!"

"The Saxons actually won."

The scouts were very excited. Not only did they see a victory, but they also saw corpses littering the battlefield.

The news began to be reported to Ludwig, and even he, who had experienced hundreds of battles, was shocked. "A large group of spearmen defeated the cavalry again? Liudov is a weak force, and there is no help from the Russians this time..."

He couldn't understand: "Forget it, now that the battle is over, I'll go and see it with my own eyes."

Ludwig finally gave the order to speed up the advance, and the entire army arrived at the mountain pass battlefield where corpses were strewn in the evening.

Standing on horseback on a cramped battlefield, he had been here last year. At that time, he had lost his troops and generals but was still unable to penetrate the enemy's defense.

The battlefield included the road leading to Kaiserslautern. The road was now clear. Ludwig could see the corpses piled randomly on both sides of the road. The poor corpses had clearly been stripped of their clothes on purpose, and the exposed bodies were

It has started to turn gray.

At least two days have passed since the battle ended. If you smell it carefully, you can see that the air is already filled with a stale stench.

The hoarse cries of crows filled his ears, and the sky was densely packed with flying black shadows. He saw the crows pecking at the eyes of the corpse and digging holes into the flesh.

The corpses of the war horses were even more mutilated, and more crows gathered there. The cavalry sent to investigate alerted them, and suddenly a "black cloud" of random sounds rose up.

Was everything done by the Saxons? Ludwig had some doubts. There was not a single black corpse of the Saxon army on the battlefield, and if those soldiers were all alive, they could only be found in the city of Kaiserslautern.

"Order the entire army to move forward. I will spend the night in the city tonight."

Finally, Ludwig saw the victorious army. At first he couldn't believe that the Saxon soldiers running around in front of him were all different. They changed their clothes, the civilians put on plate armor, and the ones wearing only fur hats also

Wearing an iron helmet.

Their overall color was still black, and when they saw the army coming from the north, they showed no awe and seemed not to pay attention.

Even the soldiers couldn't stand it. Some people were angry for the king: "Your Majesty, the Saxons are so arrogant! They should line up to welcome him."

"Forget it. Let's keep walking."

Ludwig didn't want to make any statement. In any case, Kaiserslautern was once firmly controlled by him, and it would be a shame to have it taken away. But the city was conquered by the Duke of Saxony, whose loyalty was questionable, and Liudolf got the honor.

, it’s not easy to ask for it yourself.

The top priority is to see the man.

In fact, the scout cavalry was intercepted by Saxon sentries when they entered the battlefield at the mountain pass. The scouts soon met Liudov himself and learned some details.

The dilapidated palace was the center of the entire city. Liudov ordered a simple cleaning, and he stood there on horseback, as if he had become the master of the palace.

If Ludwig enters the city, let this palace, which is overgrown with withered grass, be used as a meeting place.

The entire city served as a Saxon army camp. When the main force of Ludwig's army tried to actually enter the city, it was surrounded by soldiers who were well prepared.

The leading cavalryman ordered them to give way with swear words, but the Saxons formed a wall with their spears, forcing the cavalrymen not to attack.

"How presumptuous! Who do you forest bandits think you are blocking? Make way for the great king!"

The Saxon nobleman who was responsible for holding the hand leading the way into the city was equally arrogant: "Our Lord Duke has an order! The only ones who can enter the city are the Duke of Bavaria and the Margrave of Thuringia. You fools on horseback! It's you who should retreat."

】

"You...you are seeking death! You don't even address my king as your majesty."

"Then I'll kill you. Brothers, suppress them with spears!"

After all, the person who gave the order was a Saxon nobleman with the title of graf. He brought his hometown elders to participate in the war and contributed a lot. He also made a fortune in the post-war looting.

They are nobles recognized by Liudof. Their level is equal to that of counts but their strength is much inferior to that of the Franks. But it doesn't matter. They have gained great benefits and won the bloody battle. Now they only obey Liudof's words.

The noise suddenly caused the Saxons to be on high alert. After figuring out the basic situation, Ludwig had no choice but to admit it with gritted teeth.

He ordered the entire army to bypass the city, even if it took more time. After all, Kaiserslautern was surrounded by mountains on both sides, and the small plain of the Lauter River in the mountain depression was not suitable for garrisoning a large army.

When the main force of Ludwig's army arrived at the southern exit, looking to the south was the Brisgau hilly area with a somewhat trivial terrain. The relatively flat slopes were more suitable for camping and burying pots for cooking.

A large campfire lit up the dark night, and Ludwig owned this place again after more than a year.

When he entered the palace on horseback with a few soldiers in accordance with the request of the Saxon envoy, the moon was already high.

It was late at night, and Ludwig, who was supposed to be suffering from the fatigue of traveling and riding, was greatly shaken. He was not tired, and he urgently needed to see what the palace had been like at the hands of the Saxons.

The heavy gate collapsed, some imitation Roman columns collapsed, and the gaps between the open stone slabs were filled with grass.

There are many warriors standing in the majestic and heavy palace. They hold torches not only for lighting, but their presence is more like palace guards. They stand upright here to demonstrate to the "guests".

"Liudov also knows how to show off? This guy is very good at playing. I want to see what tricks you can do." Thuringian Hou Takulv spat casually, and he deliberately stood behind Ludwig.

After waiting for a while, Ludwig became impatient: "Liudov! What are you doing?! Come out and see me!"

"Could it be that this makes you impatient?" After a moment, a group of cavalry walked out of the dim hall.

Ludwig couldn't help but retreat for a while. He was surprised that the palace had turned into a racecourse. After seeing Liudov's face clearly, he took three steps forward. He pointed with his big hand: "How presumptuous! Liudov, don't you dare to see this king?"

dismount?"

"Dismount? Yes. But didn't you promise me this city?"

"This matter? All I promised you was the wealth in the city! This palace is my property, and you are not allowed to act arrogantly."

"But you lied to me." Liudov was still arrogant. He had his own reason for being stubborn: "Where are the hundred boxes of silver coins? The soldiers are fighting for this money, but according to what the prisoners said, the city has never

There is no such money. You cheated us."
To be continued...