Chapter 1661: Chapter 90: Making an Issue Out of It (Part 3)
The internal warfare of the Iberia Kingdom is also drawing to a close. The enemy army is now surrounded, and it’s just a matter of days before victory is achieved.
Marshal Hudson has scored two great victories successively. If nothing goes wrong, the battles in the Bofeil Province and Parma Province will soon come to an end.
Then, a few second-line units will be dispatched to clear the remnants, allowing the Allied Forces to become a mobile force under our command, readily deployable to other battlefields.
If all goes well, the Kingdom could end the war in the next two to three months!”
Count Nicholas, the Minister of Defense, said excitedly.
However, the moment he finished speaking, his expression suddenly turned grim.
In joint operations, issues of command are inevitable. Faced with the abnormal Hudson, what Black Forest General would dare to contend for the position of Commander in Chief?
After all the maneuvering, in the end, the army of the Black Forest Kingdom still has to make a round under Hudson’s command.
From the practical results, his staunch opposition earlier amounted to a joke.
It seemed to save face for the military, but in reality, it not only soured relations with some of the important ministers in court but also offended local nobles in the war-torn areas.
The face of the nobles is important, but the nobles care more about the substance. As long as they can quickly quell the unrest and gain military merit, they won’t care who the Commander in Chief is.
In a sense, each provincial Governor would rather have Hudson, an outsider, rise in rank than see a military strongman emerge domestically.
An outsider serving as the Commander in Chief will leave after gaining benefits. A domestically risen military strongman would be competing for a share of the pie.
Of course, if they are strong enough, they can also emulate Hudson in leading everyone to snatch meat back from the mouths of Different Races, in which case, everything is negotiable.
“Well done, keep up the good work!
Especially regarding military supplies, make sure you keep a close eye on it. The front-line troops are urging for provisions again.
Marshal Hudson is indeed brilliant in warfare, and the rate of material consumption is equally impressive!”
Alexander V said with a laugh.
It was clear that his complaints were merely to ease the atmosphere and not out of genuine anger.
From the Kingdom’s standpoint, no matter how fast materials are consumed, as long as the war can be swiftly concluded, it is all worthwhile.
Though Hudson consumes resources rapidly while leading troops, his high accomplishments offset this. The strategic resources spent are all used for killing enemies, thus the average material consumption per enemy soldier killed is actually somewhat less.
While spending money like running water, he also saved money for the Kingdom Government.
“Your Majesty, we have changed the military supply officers three times. The position has become a hot potato. If we change again, I fear no noble will dare to accept the post afterward.
The logistics for the Allied Forces have always been prioritized in the first tier; it’s just that they fight too fast and consume a large amount of materials daily.
…”
Before Duke Milton could finish speaking, Alexander V forcefully interrupted, “I don’t want to hear these excuses. What’s the use of just replacing the military supply officers?
Fail to complete the task, and they will all be held accountable. As per our agreement with Marshal Hudson, we will directly check the military supply accounts. Anyone with issues will be treated as traitors collaborating with the enemy!”
If you can’t solve the problem, then deal with those involved with the problem. Although the military supply department has many tied interests, they are not irreplacable.
Once accused of “collaborating with the enemy,” no matter how influential, everyone involved will face downfall.
Changing three leaders in succession may appear to reflect limited capacity of the chief officers but in reality, it is the stakeholders evading disaster.
Many second, third, and fourth-generation officials in the military supply department have sought to be reassigned through connections, to avoid getting implicated should issues arise.
Some short-sighted individuals still aiming for benefits may dare to take the post, but the key ministers in court won’t let them step up.
This is unavoidable!
In any decaying kingdom, there is a swarm of parasites within, and the military supply department is just one microcosm.
Were it not for top-level focus, it wouldn’t just be high inefficiency and waste concerns, but the quality of military supplies would also be problematic.
As someone in the know, Alexander V is clearly aware and feigning ignorance, planning a major overhaul, now merely setting the stage for a broader court cleanup.
Recognizing their King’s motives, the ministers chose tacitly to play deaf and dumb. Rescuing their own was enough, leaving the rest to be slaughtered like pigs was also satisfactory.
As the war has dragged on, the Black Forest Kingdom is already heavily in debt, desperately in need of money and provisions to replenish the consumption.
The now fattened military supply bureaucrats make the perfect targets, conveniently having handed over guilt with their failure to complete the assignments.