Chapter 92: The Restless Mercenaries (2)

Although his face remained calm, his heart was in turmoil.

In Breton's view, he did not owe these soldiers anything. He had basically not delayed their pay... only a month late. And every time there was loot, he was generous enough.

Why would they be dissatisfied with him?

With this question in mind, Breton returned to his tent. In the center of the tent hung a map.

The map clearly depicted the surrounding area, allowing Breton to be well-informed about the place.

Shannon Castle was situated in a defensible location, a characteristic common to all castles. Breton could only order his troops to attack from the east because other areas were difficult for large siege weapons to pass through.

But now, the rubble left by the collapsed siege tower made the east side equally impassable.

The regiment responsible for the attack tomorrow was in a worse situation. They had to clear the rubble under enemy fire before they could proceed. In comparison, Iwa was still relatively fortunate.

Casualties would certainly be high.

Breton frowned, unable to find a better solution. He had a premonition that no matter how hard he tried, the stalemate would remain unresolved.

He might even end up in a more passive position.

"Go and send a message to His Highness," Breton called for a messenger. "Send it to Dublin and request reinforcements from His Highness."

The messenger nodded, noted the order, and quickly left the tent. Only after the messenger had left did the officers begin discussing tactics.

One officer said, "General, should we try attacking the foundation of the enemy's castle?"

Attacking the foundation meant digging tunnels.

This is a rather deadly method of attack. When the besieging forces encounter insurmountable high walls, they can choose to dig tunnels to undermine the foundation of the enemy's walls. Once the tunnels are breached, the enemy's walls will face a structural crisis.

If the walls collapse, the enemy's advantage will essentially be nullified.

However, this method of attack requires a very high level of technical skill.

Shannon Castle's strength lies in its exceptionally solid foundation. On the east side, Bunratty Castle is even more formidable, having been built directly on a massive rock. With its multiple layers of structure, even if one layer is breached, there is still an inner keep inside.

Breton had considered this, but he lacked the skilled personnel to support such tactics.

He silently rejected the officer's suggestion. Knowing his proposal was futile, the officer reluctantly sat down.

Almost every method had its difficulties here.

However, everyone knew that if they didn't come up with a solution now, they might suffer on the battlefield tomorrow.

"I'm here, General," Iwa said as he lifted the tent flap and entered.

All eyes turned to him.

"Where were you just now, Iwa?" Breton's tone was a bit harsh.

Iwa replied, "I was comforting my soldiers. Their casualties are too severe. Many soldiers are badly burned and won't survive much longer. Our field chaplain was not around, so I went to console them."

The priest responsible for the field chaplain looked embarrassed but said nothing.

Breton pounded the table heavily. "According to protocol, all officers should attend the post-battle debrief immediately after the fight, Iwa."

Although his tone was already quite hostile, Iwa lowered his head and did not argue.

"You are very experienced and quite old. I don't want to tarnish your reputation over such matters in the last years of your service," Breton continued relentlessly.

Iwa defended himself, "I have never relied on my seniority to shirk responsibility..."

"Then why didn't you follow the rules? Did you attend the meeting on time? Iwa, I now highly suspect that you have some dissatisfaction with me. I know that there are people in the army who are unhappy with me, and I think they must have a leader. Otherwise, how could these crude soldiers unite to resist their general?"

Breton seemed enraged, venting his anger in a rapid fire of accusations.

"Breton, your strategy is indeed unreasonable. We should have attacked Bunratty Castle first, instead of sacrificing soldiers' lives at Shannon Castle for so-called political significance."

In an instant, the entire tent fell silent.

The terrifying silence allowed everyone present to hear their own heartbeats.

Iwa was the most respected person in the army, second only to Breton. He was very old, highly experienced, and held a significant place in the hearts of Breton's officers.

It could even be said that many people would rather have Iwa as the general than Breton.

If it weren't for the prince's appointment, Breton would likely be a regiment commander, and Iwa would be the real general.

Now, the most respected person in the army openly rebelling and contradicting the general left everyone's minds in turmoil. They didn't know which side to take or how to protect themselves.

In the past, Breton would have tried to reconcile the conflict.

But now, he was controlled by his emotions, his reason swallowed by anger. He could hardly make any judgment and directly slammed the table, standing up and confronting Iwa.

"You can try challenging my authority, Iwa. I am the general appointed by His Highness the Prince."

Originally, Iwa had no intention of acting this way, but faced with Breton's provocation, his own blood was stirred. Who among them didn't live by the edge of the blade?

When it came to a real confrontation, neither of them would back down.

"Stop it, stop it, sit down first." A company commander stepped forward, trying to separate the two.

But Breton pushed him aside: "If you interfere, it means you are in cahoots with this traitor. He is now defying royal orders and the general's orders. Anyone who disobeys orders, even a general, must be executed!"

His seemingly righteous words made Iwa laugh.

"Breton, don't think I don't know you're driven by greed, thinking only of your own interests. You're just afraid of failing to achieve your goal and then being reprimanded by His Highness the Prince, losing your current position!"

"Arrest him!" Breton suddenly shouted to the guards beside him.

The two guards, hailing from Flanders, had no direct allegiance to Iwa. Besides, these two sturdy men found it easy to subdue Iwa.

In just a moment, Iwa was restrained, pinned firmly to the ground.

"You are the traitor, Breton! You have betrayed us!" Iwa continued to roar, but it was to no avail.

Breton waved his hand, signaling the guards to take Iwa away. This action nearly announced Iwa's death sentence, causing all the officers to be on edge.

Afterward, Breton sat back down.

"Does anyone else have any objections?"

His tone was unusually cold, as if everyone present was his enemy. However, his thunderous actions had just intimidated the officers, making them too afraid to express any dissent.

Everyone remained silent, using this as a way to show their support for Breton, even if it was likely insincere.

"If no one opposes, let's continue discussing how to capture Shannon Castle."