In the face of the absurd order issued by the French military police major, the elderly mayor shook his head and did not dare to say it clearly. Instead, Giovani bravely rose up and said bluntly, asking: "Why? We have fulfilled all our obligations, provided military supplies, food and fodder, and more than half of the livestock carts, and allowed everyone in the city to move to the north to free up the military camp for the French. You should keep your previous promise!"

"Enough, Mr. Giovani!" Major Poch interrupted the sheriff's complaint impatiently. He said coldly: "Last night, our soldiers found thousands of black slaves used for illegal mining in the southern copper mine area. In addition, in a closed tunnel, the remains of at least nearly a thousand dead slave miners were buried. According to the liberation of black slaves issued by Duke Hruna, all residents of Potter City were convicted for violating humanitarianism, so you must all be punished."

"Damn, all black people are slaves. They have no legal rights and belong to our private property. According to the rules of the law of war, even the occupying forces cannot deprive individuals of their private property at will." The angry Giovanni waved his fists and tried his best to express his anger, but was soon forced to calm down by several military policemen around Major Poch with rifles and bayonets.

"Black men are also human beings. Like us, they are living people. They only have different skin colors. They can and should also enjoy the glory of God's love for the world!" When he said this, the major of the military police did not want to make any more noise. He stuffed the notice of punishment issued by Duke Hruna to the old mayor, and then took his subordinates and turned around and left.

"What should I do, Giovani!" After the French left, the old mayor asked the sheriff pitily. When the latter stepped forward angrily, trying to take away the notice and tear it apart, the old man hurriedly put the documents in his arms in his arms, and shouted loudly: "Damn Giovani, that's the law issued by the occupying army, unless you want us to be killed by the French!"

Indeed, the notice issued by the Duke of France is the current law. Once it is found to be torn or someone is found to be unscrupulous, Giovani also believes that the barbaric French military police will slaughter all the residents of the city of Porter without hesitation. Even under the framework of the law of war, it is inevitable to carry out one or two massacres against the towns, because it is the easiest, most direct and most effective means to deter the people in the occupied areas to obey the invaders.

Today, all the residents of Potter City are unarmed and all their weapons have been confiscated by the French army. Giovani cannot imagine the tragic scene of 2,000 civilians who can only hold their knives and forks and sticks, being ruthlessly massacred by elite French troops armed to their teeth.

Facing reality, Giovani lowered his head again, and he said helplessly to the old mayor: "Take out the French announcement and let's sign together."

...

"Why?" The same questioning sounded in Desai's ears. It was General Rusty on the side. It was not that the chief of staff of the division sympathized with the residents of Potter City, but he didn't know the specific meaning of the Duke's actions. As for the liberation of the black slaves, Rusty knew best but was just an excuse. Duke Hruna always liked to put himself on the commanding heights of morality and justice.

Desai smiled slightly and said: This is war, and war is hell. If the Portuguese want to survive in hell, they must obey the arrangements of the occupying forces. This is not Catalonia, nor Aragon, nor France. As invaders, we have no obligation to take good care of this land and the people on the land. Everything must be for victory and from the perspective of interests!"

Rusty was confused. He felt that the political philosophy in Duke Hruna's heart began to be active again, so he hurriedly stopped him: "General, please don't talk too far! According to the previous strategic plan of the General Staff of the Division, on the road leading to Evora, any towns and farmers along the way who gave up resistance and took the initiative to provide military supplies and food to our army, the army will treat it in a peaceful and civilized manner, rather than expelling homes or persecuting them."

"We don't have much time!" Desai finally told the truth.

He brought together many nobles in Barcelona during the expedition to Portugal by Amate. These people were conspiring with the British and informed Chief of Staff Rusti. Desai then said: "Just early this morning, I have signed a secret document to officially authorize Carls's military police and Scherne's military intelligence agency to prepare for internal cleaning in Barcelona in the near future. In order to cooperate with the two intelligence departments to win over and deter the centrist nobles who account for the majority, at the latest in early August, the division on the expedition must take down Evora and deal a heavy blow to the British-Portugal coalition forces on the Eastern Front, so that the cheers of great victory will resound throughout the entire Catalonia.

According to our original arrangement, the plan to siege the city of Evora has become undesirable, but the direct siege is limited by the serious shortage of troops and the casualties in the process. Therefore, it is necessary to find a different approach and think about the way of war from another perspective. The British and the Portuguese did not openly clamor in Lisbon newspapers, strictly implementing the protracted war policy of strengthening the walls and clearing the fields, migrating villagers and livestock, burning villages and barns, and even demolishing bridges and destroying roads. It is necessary not to leave a piece of bread, a piece of jerky meat, and a bottle of wine to allow the invaders to have no complete house to rest and no smooth roads can pass.

All the above methods are nothing more than trying to kill the hungry French soldiers to satisfy their hunger, and finally have to leave Portugal in shame? Hehe, obviously, General Bellsford neglected the migration of towns along the southern route. So, kindly, I decided to assist the British commander in making up for this omission, migrate all the Portuguese residents along the way to the city of Evora, and allow them to carry enough rations. Of course, before entering the city, they must build siege fortifications for us and exchange for black slaves in the city."

Rusty was relieved when he heard this. He was worried before, worried that in order to seize the city of Evora, Duke Hruna would simply kidnap and drive away thousands of Portuguese residents to participate in the siege. This was a bad act that seriously violated the morality of war. Even in the bloody and cruel Spanish battlefield, French commanders from all walks of life had never done this. It was understandable that the Portuguese built fortifications and exchanged for black slaves in Evora, at least within the bottom line that the world tolerated.

It seems that the superiors' ideas have not deviated from the military plan originally planned by the General Staff, and the mere means of imposing a little more vicious. Although General Bellsford issued an order to evacuate the rear, namely the Lisbon area, one month in advance, in the name of the commander of the coalition's Eastern Front, there are still nearly 30,000 citizens in the city of Evora. They are unwilling to give up their homes in the war and are willing to work with the same number of coalition soldiers to defend the territory of the Eastern Front of Portugal.

The secret spies stationed in the city of Evora were also learned of this information. Due to the migration of Eastern residents a month ago, the coalition forces had stockpiled a large amount of food and bacon that Portugal evacuated residents could not take away in the city of Evora, which was enough to meet the 3-month rations of 60,000 soldiers and civilians in the city. Therefore, no one would worry about the French-army siege blockade. But if tens of thousands of Portuguese people were driven into the city of Evora, the food of the defenders would definitely appear tense.

However, Rusty was very clear that consuming the food supply of the defending troops by the number of refugees was not the real purpose of Duke Hruna. In fact, Desai was also preparing to complete the "voluntary work" - to build siege fortifications and allow Portuguese refugees who were hostages to exchange black slaves, carry their other half of their rations, and drive cattle, horses and carts into the city of Evora.

...

At noon, the hot sun had risen to its highest point, scorching the land, and even the surrounding air was frozen by the heat.

When the peaceful residents of Potter City learned that the French would drive them out of their homes, they used fierce words and angry expressions to express their dissatisfaction to the French, but it was useless. In the midst of the noise and noise, the military police received the permission of Major Poch and shot and killed two radicals in the crowd. In the face of the bloody corpse, the residents of the small town could only accept the cruel facts in front of them, unless they and their families were willing to pay the price of their lives.

Soon, in the northern suburbs of Porter City, more than 2,000 local residents arrived as scheduled. They all supported the elderly and young, lined up in long queues, carrying large and small bags, or drove four-wheeled or six-speed carts dragged by cattle, horses, or mules, loaded the only property and food in their homes, and headed towards the opposite direction of their homes. The city of Evora slowly walked out.

On both sides of the road, a large number of French military police held weapons in their forehand and carried out strict surveillance on displaced Portuguese refugees. All soldiers have been authorized by officers to shoot and kill any Portuguese who is unwilling to migrate or plot against the fleeing.

In the winding migration queue, more than 2,000 refugees were in tears. They couldn't help but look back frequently and look at the city that was getting farther and farther away. The warm home of the past has gradually become blurred in their eyes. In the end, someone hugged his head and cried bitterly. The miserable crying resonated with the refugees, which then led everyone to start to cry. The wailings of the elderly, weak, women and children, accompanied by the neighing of the cows, horses and mules, as well as the chaotic footsteps, and the sound of crooked wheels spread everywhere on this land.

After two thousand refugees, it was the follow-up of the Desay Division. By 1 p.m., there was no white man or white soldier in the entire city of Porter, except for the thousands of black slaves who continued to stay here, at a loss and at a loss. As early as the morning, after being removed from the anklets and handcuffs, a French-official officer loudly announced that all black slaves had become legal free people.

Despite the so-called liberation, most blacks still seemed indifferent. They looked at each other, wondering what games the whites were playing, and actually abandoned this rich small town and left it to a group of slaves - that is, they were taking care of themselves.

The black people who still regard themselves as slaves sat in groups in groups under the shade of trees on both sides of the street, looking up at the sky in a daze. All the houses behind the black people were not locked, and there was no one inside. If you sniff carefully, you seemed to feel the fragrance of various delicious food floating in the air. However, no black people dared to enter the house rashly because they were worried that the white supervisor would suddenly come, wave the whip in his hands, and hit their backs without any clothes behind them.

In the end, 20-year-old Ali didn't have the patience to think about it anymore. Hunger in his belly prompted him to run into the kitchen of a white house first, searched for some dry bread and stuffed it into his mouth and ate it, almost choking to death. Fortunately, a large bottle of milk on the table saved him.

Little Ali's private behavior led several other young black men. When they saw their companions enjoying themselves and drinking, the other black men could no longer hold back. Everyone ran into the white room and snatched each other's food and drinks.

Soon, the war for food ended because everyone got what they wanted. Before retreating, the French army left enough food for thousands of blacks. After eating and drinking, these people took advantage of the alcohol to pluck up their courage and started to make trouble. They smashed the white people's rooms, teared up the sofas and mattresses, and smashed the glass and windows with sticks. In the end, someone split the furniture with an axe, piled up curtains, quilts and various clothes in the hall, and lit them with flints.

When the first thick smoke rose above the city of Porter, the follow-up troops of the Desai Division were only less than 2 kilometers away from the small town. Duke Hruna looked at the chief of staff beside him with pride. He grabbed the horse's reins with his left hand, stretched his right hand forward suddenly, and reminded with a smile: "Hehe, dear General Rusti, don't forget the bet between us. Hurry up, 10 Rials!"

Rusty took out 10 riyals of gambling money from his pocket and threw it to the division commander. Then he cursed indignantly: "Damn niggers, they really have to learn to set fire to the city."

After hearing this, Desai laughed, "Human nature is evil, this is nature, the original sin God has warned, my general!"
Chapter completed!