Continental Warriors Yoo Ma

In the Battle of Agincourt, the Duke of Orleans, as a great nobleman, was one of the highest commanders of the French army.He is directly responsible for the fiasco.

On one side is the commander who gave England an epic victory, and on the other is the saint who won the battles of Orleans and Paty, and Mayouf who won the battle of Chalons.

It was obvious which side the soldiers preferred to follow.

If Mayouf sent Joan to go around the camp of the Duke of Orleans with her pure white battle flag, shouting something "for the seven saints, for France, free broth and white bread once a week, sixty dinars a day Slogans like "Your Resurrection" ensure that a large number of soldiers are willing to change their flags.

Frustrated in front of Ma Youfu, knowing that his proud reputation and pedigree would not work, the Duke of Orleans wisely chose to compromise.

And Ma Youfu, after the other party confessed, he didn't hold back.

After all, the other party is a relative of the royal family, with a network of connections all over the country - for example, Dinoir, who is playing for Ma Youfu, is the half-brother of the Duke of Orleans.

Of course, one was born to a regular wife and the other was an illegitimate child, their status is not the same.

It would be best if the conflict with such a powerful noble could be resolved.

"Marshal Richmond, if you have any good ideas, I'm all ears." Ma Youfu said.

Seeing that the atmosphere at the dinner table finally eased, Richmond said: "The city wall on the left bank of Paris is difficult to break through and can only be used as a feint attack direction, while the right bank is the breakthrough point - this has become the consensus of many people. Then, in order to win To win this battle, we need to send the most elite troops and the best commanders to take on the main offensive mission."

The Duke of Orleans raised his eyebrows: "Your Majesty the Marshal, when you say that, it means that there is a way to convince both of us to decide who will be the main attacker?"

"Yes. Why don't the two gentlemen come to a siege contest. Just aim at Dongrong Castle. Whoever captures it first will have the right to deploy on the right bank of the Seine. How?"

"It's fair, it's like a large-scale martial arts competition." The Duke of Orleans, who talked about chivalry all day long, approved of Marshal Richmond's proposal very much.

"If both sides attack a castle, who will come first?" Ma Youfu asked a question.

"My suggestion is to draw lots, and the goddess of luck, Myrna, will decide who is the lucky one. Each round of attack is limited to three days, and then rotates. How? Unfortunately, the fortresses that defend Paris today, except for Dongrong Castle, have all been destroyed. We conquer, otherwise we can attack a fortress each, which is more fair."

"No, Your Excellency Marshal, you forgot that besides Dongrong Castle, there is another fortress that has not been captured." Ma Youfu took out a map of the surrounding area of ​​Paris, pointing to the northwest.

Richmond glanced at the map, his disfigured ugly face twitched slightly, showing a surprised expression: "You mean, Pontoise?"

Pontoise is a town located at the confluence of the Oise River and the Seine River. It is located on a traffic artery and is the gateway to Paris from the Normandy region. Therefore, just like the city of Meaux, it has built a complete city defense system and has [-] garrisons. .

With Pontoise, England could send supplies to Paris through the convenient water transport of the Seine and Oise.

It is not easy to take down such a fortress with an important strategic position.So Richmond didn't take that into consideration either.

On the contrary, it is Dongrong Castle. Although it is closer to Paris, with the fall of various fortresses in the suburbs and the collapse of Paris' peripheral defense system, the English have no great determination to defend Dongrong Castle.

Instead of throwing the defenders to the French, it is better to withdraw in time to preserve their vitality.

The Duke of Orléans was unwilling to attack Pontoise, so he said in a strange way: "Since the Marquis of Lamanche proposed, how about you attacking Pontoise? I believe that with your artillery firepower, capturing this town will be easy." As easy as gnawing on a frog's leg."

"No problem." Youfu Ma nodded in agreement.

In his plan, it was necessary to open up the Seine River route and clear the British fortresses that could threaten him along the route.

Now using this absurd contest as an excuse to attack Pontoise can also lower the vigilance of the English and conceal their true intentions. Why not do it?

"In the name of the Seven Saints and the glory of the Orleans family, I accept this competition." The Duke of Orleans held out his hand.

The two sides shook hands, which was considered to be a contract.

Afterwards, the Duke of Orleans laughed again: "Although Pontoise is more than 20 miles away from Paris, in terms of geographical location, you still have the advantage. Dongrong Castle is surrounded by a large forest, and there is a city wall on the outside. I guess, at least It will take five days to capture this castle..."

The duke seemed to be complaining, but he was actually showing off his military power.

It took an average of one week for Mayouf to pull out the many fortresses surrounding Paris - of course, this was the case without using the Burgundy monster cannon.

Those two big guys have a limited lifespan due to the limitations of the manufacturing process.Ma Youfu was afraid that if he used it too much, his chest would explode, so he didn't plan to use these two big killers before launching a formal attack on Paris.

After bragging about himself, the Duke of Orleans looked at Mayouf: "How long do you think it will take to capture Pontoise?"

"Two days is enough." A crisp voice came from outside.

Even though the wind was blowing the dust and she had just retreated from the battlefield, the moment Joan of Arc entered the dining room, the whole room lit up.

"So this is the famous Saintess of Orleans!" The Duke of Orleans exclaimed.

Chapter 210 Two

When he was in England, the rumors of Joan heard by the Duke of Orleans were mostly "demagogy witches", "baby-eating monsters", and "blasphemers who knew black magic".Because he received preferential treatment and had a good relationship with the English nobles, he also scolded a few times along with him, but he didn't have a good impression of the village girl from Lorraine.

After returning to France, it was another situation.

He listened to people around him all day long, including his wife, praising Joan of Arc's appearance, heroism, kindness, and piety... While the stereotype created by the British in his mind was shattered, it also made the Duke of Orleans feel bad for Joan of Arc. great curiosity.

Now it seems that this girl is indeed very beautiful, and she is indeed different.

Joan sat down beside Ma Youfu, and Didi then brought a plate of steaming pasta.

The girl unpretentiously poured the leftover meatballs into the spaghetti, then used a spoon to grind it into meat sauce, mixed it well, and took a big mouthful.

Seeing Mayoufu looking at her with a smile, she swallowed the food in her mouth, and said embarrassedly: "I'm sorry, teacher, I spent a whole day dealing with the Iberian Qingqi hired by the British today, so I didn't have time to eat."

When she first "debuted", this rural girl from Lorraine was still deliberately imitating the lives of the saints of the Seven Saints, sometimes only eating a few pieces of bread and drinking a glass of water for a meal.If it weren't for her super physical fitness with the power bestowed by the Seven Saints, otherwise she would not be able to adapt to high-intensity warfare with this level of nutritional intake.

And after experiencing a series of events after being captured, the girl has obviously matured a lot, calmed down a lot, and has more confidence to show her true side.

"It's okay, how does it taste? Didi put a lot of thought into this meal." Ma Youfu asked with a smile.

"It's delicious, thank you Didi."

The halfling saluted: "It's my honor, Countess."

It was the first time the Duke of Orleans saw a noble woman who was used to being reserved and shy, who liked to discuss poetry and literature with herself.

Frank, natural, and sincere, neither as pretentious as the ladies of the upper class, nor as vulgar and stupid as the poor girls of the bottom class.

The Duke of Orleans took a keen interest in Joan of Arc.

With the halo of the saintess shrouded in him, he still doesn't have any intentions of doing anything wrong, but he can also regard Joan of Arc as a political ally he can make and shout for himself.

After all, there is also the blood of the Valois family. If the king of France can do it, can the Duke of Orleans not be able to do it?

"When Charles VII was crowned at Reims Cathedral, Joan of Arc was standing by to cheer. If I entered Paris, Joan of Arc would also be holding a flag and clearing the way, followed by a brightly armored army. The citizens throwing flowers... Isn't that the most glorious moment in life? With such power, the crown of France is not completely hopeless."

After all, his cousin was indulging in the tenderness of his lover all day long, and his body became thinner and thinner.And Crown Prince Louis is a pale young man who doesn't like wielding knives, guns and riding horses, but likes to stay at home and study magic. He also looks like he died prematurely.It is only human that the Duke of Orleans has thoughts about the throne.

The conversation was interrupted by Joan of Arc's sudden appearance just now, and the Duke of Orleans was not angry. He waited for the girl to settle the food on the plate before he said: "Saint, you said that you only need two days to capture Pontois." Zh? While I know you've had many glorious victories, isn't that an exaggeration?"

"It's not an exaggeration. One day's march and one day's siege are enough." Joan of Arc replied solemnly.

"In this case, how about we make a bet under the watchful eyes of the Seven Saints? If you really do it, then I, Louis de Orleans--Duke of Orleans, Duke of Valois, Count of Beaumont, Bru Count Vat, Baron de Cauchy, son of Louis I and Countess Valentina of Vitus, make a solemn promise that they will serve as deputy in the Battle of Paris and obey the command of the Marquis of La Manche."

"Jeanna, you don't have to agree." Ma Youfu shook his head at Joan of Arc.

One childish act of imposing a noble's bet on a serious war is enough.

If he hadn't been able to get an excuse to cover up the real purpose of attacking Pontoise, Ma Youfu would not even agree to Richmond's proposal.

"It's okay, teacher. Although the Duke of Orleans' proposal is a bit childish, if you can take this opportunity to unify the command and eliminate hidden dangers, then it is worth a try." Joan raised her eyebrows and said vigorously, "I have confidence in the French soldiers. .I also have confidence in the new weapons you provided."

After finishing speaking, she turned to the Duke of Orleans: "Master Charles I, since you have offered such an attractive condition, what price should I pay if I lose? It must not be easy."

"I am a nobleman who values ​​honor and chivalry, so of course I won't embarrass you, ma'am." The Duke of Orleans smiled, "If I win, you only need to be my palm at the victory ceremony to enter the city later." Banner attendant. I will invite a famous painter to record this scene and pass it on forever."

"No problem." Jeanne simply agreed.

……

The two bets that took place in the French barracks were quickly reported back to London by spies from England under Ma Youfu's deliberate indulgence.

The Duke of Bedford, who was paying close attention to the enemy's movements, held a small military meeting for this purpose.

"This is a good thing. The French have committed the old habit of arrogance and arrogance again, and they actually regard the war of life and death as a game for nobles to compete for fame!" The Earl of Warwick clenched his fists, his eyes were bloodshot with excitement, "It's time Teach the enemy a lesson! We should take the initiative to attack and intercept Jeanne Duck's army."

In the spring of 1431, the Earl of Warwick was also a beneficiary of a wave of hostage exchanges between Britain and France that took the release of the Duke of Orleans as an opportunity.

The knight of the Garter, captured in the Battle of Chalons, was freed and returned to England.

Because when the ransom was paid, it was stipulated that after the Earl of Warwick was freed, he was not allowed to lead the army to fight against France within three years, so now he is only serving as a military adviser to the Duke of Bedford.

The Duke of Bedford knew that the Earl of Warwick proposed such a proactive strategy in order to wash away the shame of being captured as soon as possible, so he just nodded and asked the others for their opinions.

Another of his military advisers, the famous John Fastov, said: "My lord, there is no problem with your current defense arrangement. The battle situation is developing in the direction we expected. There is no need to take any more risks. The Pontoise Fortress is indeed very important. , but haven’t you sent Talbot to guard it? With him, everything will be safe.”

Chapter 210 Three: Is This a Military Conference or a Gongde Forest?

John Talbot - Earls of Shrewsbury, Waterford, Clermont, and Knight of the Garter.As early as the time of Henry V, he served as the governor of Ireland, defending the kingdom's borders in the dense forests and swamps, and fighting against rebels.Later, he went to fight in France and participated in the Battle of Verneuil, defeating the [-] Scottish troops who aided France, so that the group of savages in skirts did not dare to blatantly interfere in the Anglo-French conflict for many years.

Historically, Talbot has been fighting for England until Jing Luo cried in 1453. He lost to Jean Brou's cannon in the battle of Castillon and completely lost Gascogne and Guienne. His own life brought an end to the Hundred Years' War.

It can be said that Talbot has experienced the entire third stage of the Hundred Years' War from Henry V's victory to Joan of Arc's counterattack, and he is a veteran and famous general from the beginning of the battle to the end.For England, it is a figure like Zhao Zilong.

Arranging the strongest card in his hand in Pontoise shows that the Duke of Bedford attaches great importance to this traffic node connecting Normandy and Paris.

"Lord Fastoff, Earl Talbot is indeed very powerful, but don't forget that our enemy is even stronger." Earl Hogil said, "You and Talbot once lost to the witch of Orleans in Paty." How can you guarantee that you will be able to defeat the opponent this time?"

The self-respecting and ambitious Earl Hogil, like Talbot, was born in a frontier nobleman.Even the fortune-telling experience is similar.

He didn't accept Talbot's title of "England's No. [-] General", seized the opportunity, and naturally wanted to belittle it openly and secretly.

However, Earl Hogil's words caused an uproar at the conference table.

"Earl Hogil, do you mean that being captured by the French is a stain that will be engraved deep in the soul and remembered for a lifetime?" Earl Warwick dissatisfied.

"Being a prisoner is not a shame. After being a prisoner, you can't recover from a setback and don't think about revenge. It's a real shame! I believe Earl Talbot will learn his lesson and wash away the shame of the Battle of Paty in Pontoise!"

The speaker was a tall man with a North German accent in English.

The shirt pattern of the black cross on the white background clearly reveals his identity - a knight of the Teutonic Knights.

The Earl of Warwick traveled across Europe and participated in many knight competitions. Naturally, he also went to Marienburg, the capital of the Teutonic Knights.

There, he was deeply moved by the history of launching the Baltic Crusade for the Knights, spreading the belief of the Seven Saints to influence the aborigines, and fighting against the flood of ogres from the cold north and east.

The Earl of Warwick even thought about joining the Teutonic Knights.

Although he failed in the end, he also established a good relationship with the German nobles.

Later, when Sigismund was elected "King of the Roman People" by the electors, the Earl of Warwick also represented England to attend the coronation ceremony.

Relying on this relationship and the large financial assistance provided by the Portuguese, the Duke of Bedford also invited a group of Teutonic knights to participate in the defense of Paris to make up for England's disadvantage in cavalry.

Leading fifty Teutonic knights and a thousand armed retinues—a total of nearly 1000 multi-mounted cavalry—was the youngest son of the former head of the Teutonic Knights, Ulrike von Jonningen, Burr Earnhard.

Grandmaster Ulrik was defeated by the Polish-Lithuanian coalition forces in the Battle of Grunwald, and he himself died in battle.

Bernhard, who was only 20 years old at the time, was lucky, but was stunned and captured by a Polish knight.

That Polish knight was Zbyszko.

It is said that Bernhard was lucky because Zbysko's first love was killed by the Teutonic Knights, so he swore to avenge her by presenting twelve bunches of peacock feathers to his first love's tomb.