The Rise of the European Emperor

In Zurich, Switzerland, several spies who graduated from spy school and the special forces team led by Cage have been here for half a month. However, no exact information was found.

This time, their opponents were too cunning and cautious. The families of ordinary mercenaries have no idea where their husbands or sons go to fight. Cage took someone to scratch a few tongues, but didn't ask anything.

Obviously, this time the opponent pays great attention to confidentiality. It is said that only the heads of a dozen mercenary regiments know where the 20,000 troops will go this time.

The problem is, this time the enemy is too cunning. Although the mercenary heads went on expedition, their family members did not stay, but went to a hidden place to live temporarily.

In this way, Cage and his special forces were caught blind - the family members of the insiders are all hidden, where are they going to scratch their tongues?

In desperation, I can only rely on the new graduates of the spy school...

It is a pity that these graduates of the spy school, because they have only studied for a year, and it is their first time, are inevitably inexperienced, and cannot find clues from some inadvertent place like "007".

After inquiring for half a month, I did not find any useful information. But there is one that they found out. That is - the main force is heading east...

So, the novice spies followed the direction the mercenaries went east, looking for clues...

However, the other party seems to be prepared to be tracked and investigated. After leaving Switzerland, the Swiss mercenaries seem to have broken up into pieces and dispersed...

In this day and age, it is easy to find an army, but difficult to find scattered armies. It seems that these 20,000 Swiss mercenaries are heading east in batches. Moreover, it later disguised itself as a number of caravans, making it difficult to distinguish.

You must know that because the world is not peaceful, it is normal for caravans to have many guards these days. So it's hard to tell which is the real caravan and which is a small team of Swiss mercenaries disguised as caravans.

Moreover, because of the ample time, those Swiss mercenaries deliberately went around in circles when they were on their way, so they were suspicious...

Fortunately, the novice spies trained by the spy school paid great attention to details when they searched for news in various taverns. For example, those Swiss mercenaries are very agile and good at group action. Plus, love to wear fancy cutout clothes…

In this way, the novice spies still found some useful clues. in,

The most important clue is that when the Swiss mercenaries were drinking in the tavern, they used a lot of Finney silver coins issued by the Electoral State of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony...

These Finney silver coins were used as samples by the spies, and after they were exchanged, they were sent back to the country...

You know, in this era, although Gulden gold coins, Finney silver coins and other currencies were commonly used in the Holy Roman Empire. However, each independent vassal state, especially those powerful vassal states, basically has the right to mint their own currency.

Therefore, to do business and walk in the German region, one must learn a skill - that is, the exchange rate between silver coins minted in various countries. More specifically, it is necessary to know how much silver the silver coins of each vassal state contain...

In general, the silver coins of the Electorate of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony are more popular in eastern and northern Germany. But in the south, it is very rare. Because there are many nobles in the south, and they are also very rich. The local nobles have minted a lot of silver coins themselves. Where do they need to use the currency from the eastern region of Germany?

So, novice spies instinctively sense that there is something wrong. So, exchange these currencies and send them back to Marin...

Holding the small silver Finney coins minted by the Electoral State of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony, Marin immediately deduced that the time of the disappearance of the Swiss mercenary is likely to be the same as that of the Electoral State of Saxony and the Electoral State of Saxony. The Elector of Landenburg has great ties.

Moreover, this incident is likely to be related to Frederick III, Elector of Saxony...

why? It was because Marin felt that the young and vigorous Elector Joachim I of Brandenburg was simply incapable of doing such a cunning thing.

To be able to hide the whereabouts of 20,000 Swiss mercenaries, it takes people with strong abilities to do it. And apparently, the cunning Elector of Saxony, Frederick III, had this ability.

However, the other party ignored a problem-that is the problem of currency...

Although, the silver coins of the Electoral State of Saxony and the Electoral State of Brandenburg circulated to Germany--\u003e\u003e

The southern part of the will is not unusual. However, it is rare that it is used by Swiss mercenaries.

After all, Switzerland is a poor mountainous area (Switzerland was a poor mountainous area in this era, so the Swiss had to work as mercenaries to make money), and business was underdeveloped. If you want the Swiss mercenaries to obtain a large amount of currency of a certain vassal state, it is very likely that the monarch of this vassal state has hired a group of Swiss mercenaries...

Judging from the fact that the Swiss mercenaries used the silver coins of the Electoral State of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony in large quantities in the tavern, these two countries were probably the employers. Also, a large deposit has been paid. Otherwise, those Swiss mercenaries wouldn't have a lot of silver coins from both countries to spend in taverns...

So why did the Electoral State of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony quietly employ 20,000 Swiss mercenaries? Marin felt a little strange.

If it was used to support George's battle against the Principality of Gerd, Marin felt that it was unlikely. Because, the Swiss mercenaries have the custom of "the Swiss do not hit the Swiss". Moreover, if it is used to support George, there is no need to go east at all, just go north to support George.

Therefore, these 20,000 Swiss mercenaries must have other uses. However, which country or power is worthy of the use of 20,000 Swiss mercenaries between the two countries?

You must know that the standing armies of the Electoral State of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony add up to more than 30,000 people. If you add 20,000 Swiss mercenaries, there will be 50,000 troops...

Such a powerful force is enough to start a war with the Kingdom of Poland...

However, it seems that there is no conflict between the two countries and Poland. Moreover, the relationship between Poland and the two countries is quite close. Earlier, Prince Sigismund said that they had some relationship by marriage before. Also, recently, there has been no conflict of interest...

"Um... Disputes of interests... The common enemy of the Electoral State of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony..." Marin thought for a while...

Then, Marin suddenly slapped his thigh:

"I rub it, it seems that there are contradictions with the two countries, and the more powerful enemy seems to be me! No, there are also Lubeck and Hamburg!"

If so, then everything makes sense. Before, Marin formed an alliance with Lübeck and Hamburg, bullied Denmark fiercely, captured the two principalities of Denmark, and indirectly enmity with the Electoral State of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony.

The Electoral State of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony also seem to know that they may not be able to beat the alliance of Marin and the Hanseatic League. Therefore, 20,000 strong Swiss mercenaries were quietly hired. Then, I plan to launch a sneak attack quietly...

As for the target of the sneak attack, needless to say, it must be Lubeck and Hamburg...

After all, grabbing these two cities and getting tens of millions of gold coins is like a game. In these two cities, there should not be too many rich businessmen...

Moreover, these two cities are also close to the Electoral State of Brandenburg and the Electoral State of Saxony. They had to travel long distances before they wanted to attack East Friesland. By the time they hit the county of Oldenburg to the east, their East Frisian had already prepared for it.

The more Marin thought about it, the more reasonable he felt, so he immediately sent the novice spies who had been dispatched to the Saxony region to inquire about the military trends of the two countries.

Moreover, Marin focused his intelligence search on the Electoral State of Brandenburg. Because Joachim I was not as cunning as Frederick III, and his ability to cover up was not so good. Send someone to the Electorate of Brandenburg and there's a good chance you'll find something...

In addition, Marin also sent people to the Principality of Schleswig, and ordered Woolf Esbrand, who was in charge of local military affairs, to strengthen his alert recently to avoid the Principality of Schleswig from being attacked.

As for the country, Marin also ordered the army to prepare to assemble, strengthen training, and attack at any time. In order to solve the problem of insufficient troops (after all, the combined forces of the two countries may exceed 50,000), Marin sent a ship to Newcastle to give Saqqara an order-the 10,000 English mercenaries were transported to the East Frisian Islands on standby, ready to participate at any time. fighting. However, don't make a sound first, lest the enemy be inquired into the whereabouts.

This army, Marin's secret weapon, was intended to "surprise" the enemy. So, Marin planned to hide them in the uninhabited East Frisian Islands first. Wait until after the war, and then pull it out to "surprise" the enemy...

In addition, Marin also instructed the forging center in Lyle County to make a batch of breastplates and helmets for these English soldiers. Of course, steel breastplates and helmets are for elite equipment, and others should also prepare some wooden "motorcycle helmets" and "mahjong mats" for the armor...