Iron Harvest: When Farming Becomes Conquest

The next day.

The new master of the Lion Territory firmly launched a war against the Earl's vassals.

This severely undermined the legitimate authority of the Conqueror's bloodline.

After all, she possessed orthodox legitimacy and could even use this identity to make the Nobles kneel.

Don't look at how the Noble forces currently pay no attention to Tashina, but as long as Tashina shows the potential to set things right, many Noble Knights would flock to her, saving her a great deal of effort.

Now she has the Lion Territory, a foundation, which means the potential to wage war on the land—this is an excellent beginning.

As long as she takes a place, no one would oppose the rule of the Black Iron King's eldest daughter.

But now she personally destroyed all this, effectively closing the door on future potential Loyalists, becoming their nemesis instead.

Tashina's ministers all strongly argued the pros and cons.

She insisted on her course, her will as cold as white steel, unhesitatingly imprisoning all who opposed her.

But among her forces, there were only the Black Iron and White Knight contingents; though elite, they were scarce in number, unable to attack on multiple fronts.

Tashina directly invited the River Valley Army stationed in the Lion Territory.

By issuing this command, she demonstrated that she would not betray the alliance established with Roman.

Thus, this invitation was immediately responded to.

The River Valley Army stationed in Shuwei Village, Wormwood Village, Nantes Village, Lance Village, and other villages within the Lion Territory set out on the same day after receiving the news.

This expedition was entirely composed of the Guard Battalion.

After stabilizing the base.

A nearly three-thousand-strong army gathered instantly, and most villagers had seen their marching formation as they passed by the villages.

With heads held high, proud and spirited, they turned around, identical to when they first entered the Lion Territory.

The vassals of the Lion Earl had actually participated in the previous Black Iron Alliance Army's war against Roman.

At the time, the River Valley Army was responsible for defense, and the Conscript Army for the attack. If they were overrun, they would retreat, never truly feeling pressured by life and death.

At most, they thought the opponent was merely invincible.

Now it's different.

The attacking River Valley Army's combat power was ten to nine times greater than during defense!

This group of feudal parasites had never seen such a display!

In the past, they mostly bullied peasants; this land had never seen a regular army before.

Moreover, by the standards of Middle Ages warfare, they had never witnessed what a highly organized force's dimension-reducing strike was!

A conscript army of nearly a thousand was painstakingly organized. Yet, as soon as it encountered a squad of sixty River Valley Warriors, it was in a complete rout.

It wasn't just a knockout blow; it was a death blow!

All the way, storming forts, plowing inns, sweeping caverns, invincible in their path!

Unless encountering a castle, nothing could really stop them!

Now understanding Earl Filin's mood.

No wonder Filin was their sovereign lord; he already knew this outcome, allowing the River Valley Army to station themselves in the Lion Territory.

Without resistance, there can be no despair, but being unable to surrender is true despair.

There was only one way out, to gather belongings and flee overnight.

If they didn't leave then, it would truly be too late!

...

From the Lion Territory to surrounding fiefs, the River Valley Army took only three days, mostly spent marching, rarely engaging in combat.

Because the advance was too smooth, Tashina couldn't muster excitement.

She actually hoped to encounter an evenly matched opponent, then charge forward alone, shattering the enemy head-on on the battlefield.

She rode Shadow of Robbery to a plain.

Here were hundreds of captured prisoners, all the lords, Noble families, clerics, and Steward Police Chiefs who hadn't escaped, belonging to the old ruling class, once accustomed to flaunting power, now disheveled and kneeling on the grass.

"Your Majesty, how should we handle them?" Kao asked with a stern face.

Iota Hina said, "Execute them all."

She was by no means a soft-hearted person; once she made a decision, she would not waver.

The Guards acting as executioners, after seeing Kao's hand signal, drew their machetes, ignoring the pleas and wails, as well as their humiliating scenes of defecation, they swung their machetes with force.

Splatter! Splatter! —

The blood from their trunks gushed out furiously, hotly spraying towards the sky.

The headless bodies instinctively swayed twice, then collapsed with a thud, the blood flowing, nurturing the green grass.

This scene signaled Tashina had severed all the land's former political ties, shattering that system completely, and was about to establish a new order on the ruins.

She took in all the lower-class peasants.

After a census by the Guard Battalion.

The direct vassals of the Lion Territory, along with the vassals of many territories, totaled about two hundred thousand people.

And these had been victims of abuse.

This territory was likely to have a population close to three hundred thousand at its peak, more than the current River Valley.

According to the agreement between Tashina and Roman, the River Valley Army can recruit directly from the Lion Territory.

And Tashina will select a group of suitable young individuals from these people and train them according to River Valley standards.

She was not shy about it.

The fact proved that the Conquest Knight system was outdated. The River Valley Army is the future main force on the battlefield.

She cleansed the old forces because the former noble lords no longer met her requirements.

She needed a stronger, more robust, and more domineering advanced army, not an ineffectual Conscript Army.

Of course, you have to eat a meal one bite at a time, and proceed with things step by step.

The newly crowned Black Iron King, though a potential war maniac, found the Lion Territory greatly damaged and could no longer endure any turmoil.

Those foolish peasants were surprised to find.

Without the noble lord, they might feel all sorts of discomfort, itching in their bones.

But their quality of life improved, and they truly gained hope.

Tashina distributed real food to all the poor, temporarily alleviating the famine crisis to support the army she dreamed of.

The army and clerks, according to the calculations and divisions of think tanks, were spread across all territories, with villages as units. This management system was extremely efficient compared to the feudal era. It firmly controlled all labor forces and arranged for them to join production as soon as possible.

...

"Why haven't you left yet?" Kao looked at his sister with a cold demeanor.

This place was a Baron Castle, also the temporary office of the Guard Corps, where the high-level Guard Battalion usually coordinated resources and managed the overall situation. Tashina would occasionally come to inspect the situation.

"His Highness will be here soon. He told me to wait for him here. Why should I leave? Are you afraid of me?"

Kao glanced her up and down, saying nothing, but his stern expression said it all.

"If you have the ability, just leave!" Sanna, after advancing to Middle Rank Witch, had a significant leap in combat power.

In short, she was now quite inflated!

All the think tanks and squad leaders, seeing this situation, put down their work and came to watch the reserved program within the army.

Tashina was holding the Shadow of Robbery and happened to see this scene. She had heard of the siblings' conflict, and stood not far away, watching quietly.

After a moment, she shook her head.

The young girl had excellent qualifications and exceptional combat experience, absolutely an outstanding witch.

But she chose the wrong target for revenge, not because she wasn't working hard or fighting with all her strength.

But because someone else was working harder... striving more.

At least for now, she was missing something.

This battle was no longer interesting.

After a while, the interlude ended, and the result was as expected, the brother won. The crowd dispersed after enjoying the spectacle.

...

Sanna sat on the grass with a bruised face, pouting.

Kao stood behind her, secretly wiping his mouth. Looking at the blood on the back of his hand, his eyes turned dark, and he fell silent.

She really had become stronger, and with each confrontation, his chances of winning were decreasing. Previously it was seven to three, but now it's basically fifty-fifty.

Kao finally realized that Sanna's talent was above his own, the stronger he became, the more he realized it.

Perhaps in the next confrontation, he would lose to his sister.

"You did well this time," Kao said.

Sanna suddenly turned around, looking at him in confusion, unsure if she heard correctly.

"Really?" She looked surprised.

Kao stared at her, his face cold: "But it's not enough, don't forget where you came from."

Kao carefully observed her expression and saw a look of distraction and bewilderment in her eyes.

"...Forget it, it's fine if you forget. I'll take care of everything," Kao said coldly.

If Sanna's motivation for getting stronger was to get revenge on him.

Then his motivation for getting stronger never changed, there were no emotions, no familial affection, only hatred.

Now his wings were fully grown, he was no longer the boy who only knew how to compete for bravery and strength.

Once the recruitment was replenished, he would command nearly five thousand warriors—Guard has always been the largest professional team in River Valley.

In the future, find the enemy! Defeat him! Skin him alive!

Perhaps he shouldn't have reminded his sister, all the hatred should be borne by him, it would be good for her to maintain the status quo.

Even if she truly surpassed him, there was nothing wrong with that. The battlefield is ultimately unpredictable and treacherous; he has always fought on the front lines, and it's not surprising if one day his luck runs out and he's killed in action. At that time, Sanna might become the last safeguard.

Kao believed they were bound by blood, and the mission he couldn't fulfill would be completed by Sanna, even if she forgot now, she would remember in the future.

But now, Kao really didn't want to say anything more, he turned and left.

"Wait, wait..." Sanna quickly stood up, speaking to Kao, "I haven't forgotten, I really haven't forgotten, but I find you really annoying. You are only stronger than me and have been pushing me since we were young, why should I listen to you in everything. When I'm stronger than you, I will take my revenge in my own way. I will force you to do all the things you don't want to do. Force you to smile for me, force you to find a wife, force you to be a normal person!!"

"Hey! Did you hear me!"

"I will definitely defeat you! I will definitely defeat you next time!" The sister shouted angrily at the brother's back.