Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Chapter 384: Chapter 39 The Butcher’s Path

Empire Year 520, spring.

Drizzling rain fell from the sky, chilling to the bone with a piercing spring cold.

A gaunt, solemn old man was riding a horse, leaving Worry-Free Palace alone. Although the weariness in his eyes could hardly be concealed, the old man still kept his back ramrod straight.

He was about to embark on a journey to the mountain frontier, fully charged with the responsibility of quelling the rebellion, purging the traitors, and restoring Imperial authority.

There, he would face his former attendant, apprentice, and vassal—Ned of Tormes.

Only when choking on thick smoke did people start to ponder: what was that initial tiny spark?

An insult? A slap in the face? A private vendetta?

Those no longer mattered; what mattered was that the flames of rebellion had now become an unstoppable blaze.

Not only was the entirety of the Duchy of Forthland ablaze, but autonomous cities within the Duchy of Vineta were also stirring with unrest.

The fire had to be extinguished swiftly, or else the lands south of Sheltering Mountain would turn to ashes.

But a daunting problem stood before him: his legions were stationed on the Empire’s northern borders, while the mountain frontier ablaze with war beacons lay at the southernmost end of the Imperial territory.

Seaborne supply routes were almost strangled. The rebels’ oared ships set sail from the Tanilia Islands, frenetically raiding the Empire’s sea routes.

And the Emperor’s fleet had been utterly destroyed two years prior in a naval battle against the Sultan of Fleman, yet to recover its vitality.

His soldiers had no choice but to cross the entire Empire on foot and scale the cloud-piercing Sheltering Mountains to finally face their enemy.

…

On January 12 of Empire Year 559, Jeska’s squadron departed from Shuangqiao Barracks, by that time consisting of only a hundred or so double-team wagons.

Six days later, the supply train arrived at the border town of Matou Slope, with the number of wagons traversing the dirt roads exceeding two hundred.

Less than half of these belonged to the military’s supply train; the rest were merchants, porters, and speculators who had joined along the way.

Distinguishing between them was easy: military supply trains used double-team four-wheeled wagons, while civilian carts varied greatly—two-wheeled, four-wheeled, mule carts, donkey carts… even the slow-moving ox carts.

…

Logistics was defined by Duke Arlian as “the practical art of moving troops and ensuring they are supplied.”

The task, seemingly lightweight when referring to “movement” and “supplies,” was as difficult as scaling the heavens.

To transfer his legions from the northern borders to Senas Bay, Duke Arlian meticulously planned a troop transport route that later became famously known as “The Butcher’s Path.”

The Butcher’s Path started from Fortress Panstone at the northern frontiers of the Empire, passing through more than twenty Imperial towns to ensure supplies, and finally crossed Vankush Pass over Sheltering Mountain to reach Senas Bay.

Duke Arlian sent craftsmen ahead to construct camps, widen paths, and build bridges along the way, and he set up supply stations at distances matching the daily marching range.

The sounds of military boots squelching in mud, the clanging of spears, and the silent march of exhausted soldiers… many elders can recount these with vivid clarity.

Normally, soldiers could cover 22 kilometers per day on The Butcher’s Path, and on forced marches, up to 37 kilometers per day.

In two campaigns, the Empire deployed over one hundred thousand soldiers through The Butcher’s Path to the south, none lost due to supply issues.

Countless military supplies were also delivered along this route to quell the rebel forces.@@novelbin@@

However, The Butcher’s Path’s most significant impact was not military, but on civilian life.

As it connected more than twenty large cities and was furnished with camps and supply points, many merchants began to use the route for trade.

A route named “The Butcher” eventually brought prosperity to its adjoining territories, an outcome its original planner had likely not foreseen.

…

Although the militaries of the Republics today are reluctant to admit it, in reality, the Allied Army’s tactics, organization, training, and other systems were all learned from “The Butcher” Arlian.

There’s no shame in that—being able to learn from an enemy is a respectable skill.

For example, the current square formation tactics were modified from The Butcher’s long pike and heavy halberd square: adding musketeers to compensate for the pike and halberd square’s lack of long-range firepower and retaining a small number of elite swordsmen and shield bearers to counter the cumbersome long pikes.

In Empire Year 520, Duke Arlian led troops to quell the rebellion; back then, the “Southern Rebels” were but a motley crew of merchants, craftsmen, and farmers.

However, eight years later, when the “Mad” Richard led his campaign, the mad Emperor faced a legitimate army.

The Allied Army’s logistical system naturally followed The Butcher’s model, mainly learning two points:

First, supply as locally as possible;

Second, establish encampments along the supply line.

At the same time, they learned a lesson: do not allow non-military followers to accompany the army.

In wars like the Republic of Palatu against the Herders, the quartermasters would procure supplies from the Herders as much as possible, with both military and private entities responsible for the transportation from the rear to the war zone.

The military’s supply train had limited capacity and would carry only firearms, gunpowder, and the like, which were difficult to replenish at the front.

For other supplies like flour, salt, and foodstuffs, quartermasters were quite willing to purchase these at a high price from merchants and pay with spoils of war at a discount, and sometimes even “advance” land quotas.

Often with just one round trip, a merchant could earn a handsome profit. Even land quotas could be easily resold.

So every time the military’s supply train set out, a large group of merchants, porters, and speculators would follow. They tagged along with the supply train as much for the herd mentality as for hoping to receive some protection.

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