Chapter 4

After entering the door, uncle joshak casually took off his civilian clothes, put them on the hanger, and sat on the sofa on one side. Locke did so, put away his civilian clothes and sat on the other side. The two men in military leather shirts were not in a hurry to speak. Locke first opened the wine bottle, filled uncle yoshake with a glass, and then filled himself with a glass. After touching the wine, they had a drink first, and then began to talk about business.

"Yes, it's more and more calm. It seems that your boy has made a lot of progress over the years." Uncle yoshake said first. It's incredible that, in the eyes of outsiders, the forthright, thoughtless and rugged joshak should teach a person to be calm. It seems that this bearded man is not as simple as he looks.

"Uncle yoshake, you are joking. I learned this from you." Locke said shyly.

"Ha ha, don't talk! I can't teach you this. Am I that kind of person?" Uncle yoshake laughed and scolded. Then they laughed together again.

"Uncle, is there any hope for my promotion?" Locke filled another glass for them. Finally, he couldn't help opening it first and then asking.

"Locke, I've taken you since you became a soldier. Now I've taken you for four years. I treat you as my own son. I'll certainly help you this time." Uncle yoshake assured Locke that he really liked this clever and powerful young man.

"Uncle, I believe you!" Locke did believe uncle yoshake, and he also regarded him as an elder. "However, in addition to your help, it should not be enough. I need to do something, uncle. Tell me." Asked Locke.

"It's not enough to have my support, but I'll call old Carl to support you, and you need to take care of the rest." Old Carl is the Deputy squadron leader of their squadron. It is said that he had a life-long friendship with uncle yoshake. It seems to outsiders that he is a strict and serious old soldier with no sand in his eyes, but he is very good to his soldiers. Locke had a good impression of him.

"Well, what else does uncle York have? Just say it. I'll listen." Uncle yoshake obviously has something to say.

"The two seats vacated in this election are qualified to propose six squadron leaders and Deputy squadrons of our four teams, the captain of the cavalry team, Baron kaiduoqi, the commander of our brigade, and his eldest son, master Sauron, the Deputy captain of the cavalry team." Their battalion was a large brigade with four squadrons of infantry and one squadron of cavalry. Locke has seen many battles of their cavalry battalion. To be honest, Locke feels that this cavalry has to challenge three times their number of infantry in open terrain. With strong armor, straight cavalry spear and the impact of horses, most infantry are not the enemy of cavalry. "In this election, Baron kaiduoqi will not participate, nor will the captain of the cavalry team. The only people who should propose are six of us and master Sauron. I have won two votes for you, and you have to win at least two more votes for the rest." Uncle yoshake said to Locke.

"In the first Squadron, I only have a little friendship with their Deputy squadron leader. I have no friendship with the Deputy squadron leader of the third squadron and the captain of the fourth Squadron, and they are said to be still recovering from injury?" Locke answered honestly and asked.

"Hum, the hard battle is over. Now it's time to search for oil and water. The two guys have only been raised for two weeks. They can't help their injuries. They have long gone 'wandering' with the rest of their team and the newly added recruits." Uncle yoshake said disdainfully.

"Wandering" is a term in the army, which means to capture the villages still under the rule of the kingdom of Charlotte. It is not so much to attack and occupy as to clean up. For example, the resistance forces on the scale of the village are not climate, there are no regular soldiers, and most of them are only militia and reckless village men. There are one or two hundred people in large villages and only dozens in small villages. One squadron can take care of them. In fact, under the leadership of Uncle yoshake, their squadron has been "wandering" for as long as they have time in the past two months.

The main task of their battalion is to capture towns with some resistance, and only cities above the size of the town will have businessmen, rich peasants and even nobles. Baron kaiduoqi and his cavalry were not very interested in a village with little oil and water. Only four infantry squadrons would go to get extra money. However, the Baron's caravan would buy the goods seized by the soldiers: silver bracelets handed down by the villagers, fur collected by hunters in the village, and even animals such as horses, cattle and donkeys. There are also some good clothes and shoes, which the soldiers will keep for themselves when they "sweep".

The soldiers have their own bottom line. At least they don't rob food, and the top of the military camp strictly forbids it. However, if they catch two chickens and ducks to improve their food, it's often done. Locke is also a rural man. He was not ashamed of bullying ordinary people, but after war, sacrifice and death, he didn't know his attitude towards these sherlos. There is hatred and guilt for ordinary civilians who have been beaten and displaced by them. However, this does not prevent Locke from getting rich. He also needs to survive and make his family and his brothers live better. Locke had a big purse some time ago. He often sent money to his family and invited his men to drink. He made a fortune at that time.

"Uncle, we haven't been wandering for nearly a week. Are we about to leave?" Back to the point, Locke asked.

"Well, it has been decided that the Baron will join forces with the Baron Kashgar of the 7th brigade of our regiment to attack Frans city here, which is why two squadron captains should be elected recently. Moreover, there are no oil-water villages nearby." General cities have city walls and moats, and it is difficult to win by relying on more than 500 people in one brigade alone. Therefore, senior leaders often choose to cooperate with friendly forces. They have invaded the hinterland of the kingdom of sherlow for two months, and three city level battles have been fought, all in cooperation with other brigades. Locke also has experience in siege. Although the casualties in the siege were not low, the rich rewards after the city was broken and the army acquiesced in the soldiers' practice of making money on the day of the city breaking made everyone more eager for the siege than afraid of death. In fact, the money made on the day of breaking the city is the most important thing for the soldiers. The Kashgar Baron's troops have cooperated with their battalion twice.

They talked while drinking. After a while, a bottle of ale came to the bottom. Locke opened the second bottle and filled it for uncle yoshake and himself. Uncle yoshake raised his glass and took a sip, then said, "the Deputy squadron leader of the first squadron is also from our mine town. I also have some friendship with him. You give him some gifts, and I'll say it again and try to win this vote. As for the remaining three people, I don't know them well, and I don't even deal with them, so you need to work hard.". In the military camp, there are still many dirty between the big soldiers, not to mention the class of squadron captain. Even Locke, who is very popular, can't guarantee that he has a good relationship with half of the small captains in the camp. It's true that you know people, you know faces, but you don't know hearts.

"I suggest you find a way from master Sauron." Uncle yoshake added, as if he remembered something again. "You and master Sauron are both 18 or 9-year-old young people. They have a common language. You can show loyalty to him or give him some gifts. Maybe you can succeed. But then you will be the master's man in the future." Baron kaiduoqi has more than one son. Although the eldest son inheritance system prevails in the kingdom of Faustin, the Baron's other sons do not have the opportunity to inherit the title. As far as he knows, it is his second son who temporarily helps the Baron manage the territory in China.

"I'm an aristocrat. What gift can I give you?" Locke said helplessly, "well, I'll find a way."

"I knew you had a way. That's all I could help. The rest is up to you." Uncle yoshake patted Locke on the shoulder and said.

"OK, uncle, I'll try my best. Come on, have a drink." Locke raised his glass and clinched his glass with uncle yoshake again.