416: Chapter 52, Expeditionary Force Commander_2 416: Chapter 52, Expeditionary Force Commander_2 No one could take the blame for this, the defeat was too catastrophic.
Incurring substantial losses not only affected the Moxi Duchy, Orton Duchy, and Ruilin Kingdom, but it was so crippling that no one else could shoulder the weight of the loss.
“Tell the Moxi people that whatever happened in this battle, Little Caesar must be unharmed!”
Caesar III said furiously.
If his fame could not be restored, then he didn’t bother trying.
The major battle could be lost, but his precious son must not come to harm.
With nowhere to vent his anger, Caesar III couldn’t help but direct it at the Moxi Duchy.
If they hadn’t sought his aid in the past, his own son wouldn’t have been ensnared in this predicament.
The initial plan was to provide a high-profile training opportunity.
According to his original plan, the Crown Prince was only supposed to observe and learn and possibly earn some battle merit along the way.
Certainly, if he could foster exceptional military command skills, that would be an enormous gain.
Everything was going smoothly in the early stages.
The First Legion was fighting at the front line accumulating battle merits, and as the Chief Commander, the Crown Prince only needed to sit in the rear and observe.
After receiving two significant pieces of good news, Caesar III had thought that his son had grown up and learnt the essential skill for a monarch — reaping the rewards without lifting a finger.
Unfortunately, the slap in the face arrived too quickly.
While the domestic propaganda was still touting the achievements of the Expeditionary Army’s First Legion in crushing the Bimon Cavalry Corps, his own son immediately delivered a crushing, epic-level defeat.
Even considering the Wolf Clan Cavalry involved in the battle, the total force deployed in combat was around 180,000 VS 70,000.
An absolute advantage in military strength collapsed on the very first day of the battle.
In any context, this was a perfect example of what not to do.
“Your Majesty, please rest assured.
At this moment, the Moxi people will not allow the Crown Prince to encounter any mishap.
Perhaps at this very moment, they have already found the Crown Prince but didn’t have the chance to convey the message.”
Grand Duke Newfoundland tried to reassure him.
He could fully comprehend the King’s distress.
Dealing with such a troublesome son was a burden on anyone.
As for the security of the Crown Prince, as long as the assigned guards hadn’t all died, no accidents would occur.
Besides, apart from the experts dispatched by the Royal Family, the Moxi Duchy also sent experts to covertly protect the Crown Prince.
For such a top-tier “second generation”, they were extremely cautious.
In some sense, the Moxi people were even more attentive to the safety of Crown Prince Caesar than their own Crown Prince.
Who asked Caesar III to have only this single heir?
If any accident were to happen, who knew what Caesar III, driven to insanity, might do next.
“Hmph!”
“When that ungrateful son returns, I will teach him a lesson.
Issue a decree — revoke the Crown Prince’s position as Commander in Chief of the Expeditionary Army and appoint Viscount Hudson, the First Army Corps Commander, as the successor.
Once the Crown Prince is found, immediately bring him back to the country.
If he disobeys, tie him up and bring him back.”
Caesar III stated irascibly.
From his slightly relaxed expression, it could be observed that Caesar III’s fury had somewhat subsided.
Considering it’s his own son, he had no choice.
As long as his son was unharmed, he couldn’t concern himself with other issues.
The defeat in the major battle more or less signaled that the Moxi Duchy was doomed.
At a time like this, continuing to stay in the Moxi Duchy was like dancing on the edge of a knife.
Any carelessness could cost one’s life.
Seizing the moment to strip the Crown Prince of his position may appear to be a punishment, but in reality, it was a father’s love for his son.
The title of Commander in Chief of the Expeditionary Army falling onto Hudson was purely unintentional.
Of the six legions that had set out, five had been decimated.
Among the high-ranking officers on the front line, besides Hudson who survived, the rest, even if they managed to save their own lives, bore the responsibility for the defeat.
As a defeated general, to avoid punishment was a good outcome, let alone receive a promotion.
Unless the Alpha Kingdom was willing to deploy more troops into the quicksand of the Moxi Duchy.
If not, the First Legion was the last respectable face of the Expeditionary Army.
Whether there were personnel appointments or not, Hudson had already become the de facto Chief Commander of the Expeditionary Army.
With no competitors, everyone initially saw the task of rescuing the Moxi Duchy as venturing into a perilous den of dragons and tigers.
Now, this has only confirmed the point.
Even for the major nobles with more experience, none of them would jump out at this moment to grab this hot potato.
Despite knowing that the title of Chief Commander of the Expeditionary Army was prestigious and granted them extensive authority, in the Moxi Duchy, they could represent Alpha Kingdom.
…
Orton Duchy, upon receiving the news, Orton XIX couldn’t help but burst into rants.
Starting from the Crown Prince Caesar, down to all the high-ranking commanders from the participating countries, he had an unkind word for each and every one.
Of course, the one who bore the brunt of his rant was the Expeditionary Army’s Commander-in-chief Remondo.
Losing the battle was not a big deal, but to lose the 30,000 strong army painstakingly cobbled together by the Orton Duchy was absolutely unacceptable.
The most critical issue was that once the Moxi Duchy was gone, the Orton Duchy would become vulnerable.
Without this neighbour as a buffer, these smaller nations were incapable of resisting the onslaught of the Orcs.
“Your Majesty, issue the highest mobilization order!
This large-scale war has directly buried over a hundred thousand mobile military forces, and the Moxi people have lost their ability to strike back strategically.
The following defense of Dapes City could only delay the inevitable.
According to the military’s most optimistic estimate, they could only hold out for a month and a half at most.
This implied that by the end of October, the Moxi Duchy would fall.
At the latest, by November, the resistance of the Moxi Duchy would reach a low point.
The Orc Army, free from any obstacles, would begin searching for new prey.