Although there were wells and water facilities around the castle, the fire broke out very fiercely. Thick smoke spewed up the stairs, making it difficult for the rescuers to get close to the hall on the first floor.
The First Army quickly withdrew from the castle and sealed off the area. The fire burned for more than four hours, and they could not enter the dungeon until the next afternoon. By then, there was nothing left in the dungeon.
After that, it was time to clean up and investigate the scene. The officers who came with the army set up a temporary City Hall and began to take over the administration of Valencia.
The dungeon fire soon came to an end: a group of rats, who hated Duke Borg who had turned the prosperous city into a poor stronghold, sneaked into the castle through a secret passage and set the piles of wheat straw in the dungeon on fire.
Therefore, this was a very vicious case of arson, which not only posed a major threat to the order of the Eastern Region, but also provoked the First Army of Neverwinter.
In addition to vigorously publicizing the results of the investigation, the First Army and City Hall also launched a city-wide campaign to wipe out the rats. Leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist, rewards for those who report, and distribution of food... In addition, the stored food found in the mansions of various nobles was put into the market and relief, and the lifeless city suddenly became noisy.
On the night when the order to kill the rats was issued, Bear's Paw once again went into Iron Axe's tent.
"Boss, those big families are showing signs of leaving. Today, more than a dozen carriages passed through the West City Gate, and it seems that they are going to Seawindshire. Some of them have deep ruts, and I think they are carrying... "
"Gold, silver, and jewelry." Iron Axe put down the quill in his hand. "But I said at the beginning that I only want food. Let them take the rest."
The commander-in-chief was not surprised by this situation.
When the fire broke out, the trust between the First Army and the traditional nobles completely collapsed. No matter for what reason, escaping from here was the only way they could think of to survive. Losing the backbone of the family and several Knight was not an unbearable loss for an aristocratic family. The title could be inherited, and the Knight could be conferred again, but they would not have the courage to face the enemy.
Instead of staying here and waiting for death, it was better to take his family, servants, and all his wealth to somewhere else and look for new opportunities. Fiefdoms were important, but compared to his life, the latter was still a little more difficult to give up.
Moreover, in order to prepare for this war, Wilion Borg had concentrated all his resources in Valencia. Most of the nearby territories were severely abandoned, and it would take at least two or three years for them to recover. Otherwise, they would not have made up their minds so quickly.
"Boss, there's one more thing …" Bearpaw paused halfway through his sentence. For the simple-minded adjutant, this was a rare expression.
"Speak," Iron Axe said sternly.
"The fire in the dungeon … was set by you?" Bearpaw hesitated for a while before finally asking in a low voice.
"Why do you say that?"
"Let's not talk about the fact that there's an iron door in the secret passage that's hard to break through with just the strength of a few rats. I don't think the troops stationed there are so lax that they didn't notice that someone was arson. Besides, I also went to the dungeon to check. The fire didn't seem to come from the room, but spread from the corridor to both sides. And according to the burnt remains, it should be caused by oil. "
Iron Axe nodded and said, "You're right. I gave the order."
Bearpaw probably did not expect Iron Axe to admit it so readily. He was stunned for a while and asked, "… Why?"
"This kind of thing can be done by me. It's easier to make mistakes if you know."
"That's not what I'm asking." The adjutant shook his head. "What I mean is — didn't they surrender?"
"I see …" Iron Axe pondered for a moment. "In short, I didn't have time to screen whether they were really willing to surrender or not. His Majesty also didn't have time to judge them. That's why His Majesty gave me full responsibility for all the affairs of the Eastern Front before the army set off."
"But …"
"Do you think that making such a decision without a trial will lead to the death of innocent people?" Iron Axe interrupted the adjutant and handed him a booklet on the table. "Take a look at this."
"This is … a population statistics book?"
"I found it in the study in the castle." The commander-in-chief nodded. "Five years ago, Valencia and its surrounding areas had a population of about 220,000, which was enough to be called the most prosperous area in the Eastern Region. But this year, the population has plummeted to about 60,000. We've accepted about 30,000 to 40,000 refugees from the Eastern Region. Even if we count it as 40,000, there's still a gap of nearly 120,000 people — and this is based on the assumption that the population does not increase. You should be very clear about the cause of all this. "
Bearpaw gasped and said, "The farmland that was flooded..."
"And this Valencia that has changed beyond recognition." Iron Axe stood up and walked to the candlestick with his hands clasped behind his back. "In order to block the road and thicken the city wall, Wilion obviously conscripted all the nearby subjects. Without the permission and assistance of other lords, he couldn't have done this alone. The large population concentration has led to the disruption of trade and the decrease of farmland, and the final result is the number in the statistics book. In other words, these nobles are all accomplices of the Duke. Do you still think His Majesty will accept their service? "
"..." Bearpaw was speechless for a moment.
"But what they said about their innocence is not a lie," Iron Axe continued, "because in their eyes, it's nothing. Even though the farmland has shrunk by more than half, the nobles' mansions are still full of food, and even... people. After all, if stored properly, meat can be preserved longer than wheat. "
Bearpaw's pupils suddenly contracted.
"Of course, the most important thing is that they've seriously hindered His Majesty's plan. The population is His Majesty's most valued resource, but they've been squandering it unscrupulously. If we hadn't brought new firearms with us, what would the situation have been like? The field cannons wouldn't have been able to move an inch in the mud, and we could only attack the city by force or fight a protracted war. At that point, I think the nobles won't surrender until the population in the city is exhausted. "Iron Axe turned around and asked," Do you have any other questions? "
After a long while, Bearpaw looked up and said, "You did the right thing. Burning these guys to death is too easy for them... But this solution is not His Majesty's idea, is it? What if he finds out … "
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