Eastern Expedition

Spring was in full bloom, and everything was coming back to life. The vast grassland was vibrant with vitality.

After crossing the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, Martin led his troops onto the expansive Hungarian plain.

They traveled eastward along the Danube River, its waters flowing ceaselessly, accompanying them on their journey.

Under the Emperor's call, immigrants from all directions arrived in Austria one after another.

Periodically, a group of immigrants would board ships at a ferry crossing near Vienna and travel downriver.

The ships transported large numbers of people and supplies to Hungary.

The immigrants would stay in Budapest for a while, after which the Emperor's appointed colonization commissioner would organize them to go to undeveloped or abandoned royal lands.

They enjoyed two years of tax exemption and basic autonomy. After two years, they only needed to pay annual taxes to continue cultivating the land allocated to them.

When they needed to expand their land, they would have to pay an additional fee to purchase the right to use barren land.

Some ships were also allocated to the Teutonic Order to transport supplies and help them establish supply stations.

Even though waterways could save a lot of trouble, the Emperor insisted that the Teutonic Order establish a sufficient number of supply stations along the way.

Although Martin didn't understand, he would faithfully carry out the Emperor's orders.

As dusk approached, Martin ordered a halt to their advance. He took out the map the Emperor had given him; half of the red dots on it had been erased, indicating they were halfway through their journey.

Not far ahead was the ferry crossing to Belgrade.

"Same as before, we'll set up camp here!" Martin instructed the knights.

"Yes!"

Upon receiving the order, the knights immediately sprang into action. As the absolute core of the team, they, along with the clerics, organized the Teutonic Order members and immigrant teams to begin setting up camp.

The physically strong knights voluntarily undertook the heaviest work.

Several knights, armed with felling axes, headed towards a nearby forest. Soon, a flock of birds flew up from the forest, accompanied by the dull thuds of heavy logs hitting the ground.

The men in the immigrant team were divided into several groups: some helped the knights move wood, while others assisted in setting up tents.

The women lit fires for cooking or bundled thatch, preparing it for roofing or as bedding for the night.

The children were not idle either; they moved through the crowd, passing tools to the adults and offering what help they could.

Long journeys could be disheartening, and harsh conditions could dampen people's enthusiasm, but these immigrants were filled with hope and anticipation for the future.

After all, the policies offered by the Emperor were incredibly generous, attracting immigrants from the Swabia region.

Although their numbers were not large at the moment, this served as a leading example.

Due to the tradition of division among South German farmers, their already limited land had to be continuously subdivided and passed down to descendants.

This region, with fewer wars and a dense population, saw more and more families facing bankruptcy due to insufficient land distribution, even risking becoming serfs of their lords.

The Emperor's decree, spread widely through the church's grassroots network in Swabia, Bavaria, and other areas, offered these troubled farmers a new option.

Under the persuasion of the clerics, more and more farmers became interested in migrating eastward.

As night fell, the camp construction work temporarily ceased. People gathered around the bonfires for evening prayers, looking forward to the next day.

Early the next morning, two uninvited guests arrived outside the camp.

They were two Hungarian men riding fast horses, clad in light armor, with sabers at their waists and short bows in their hands, looking aggressive.

Martin frowned, leading two knights and a Hungarian missionary out of the camp to speak with these Hungarians.

"Who are you people? Don't you know this is the territory of the esteemed Prince of Transylvania, Lord Hunyadi?" The Hungarian spoke with an aggressive tone from the start, "And you've cut down so much wood? This is all Lord Hunyadi's property! You need to pay compensation for this, or face other consequences."

Saying this, the two men brandished their Cuman bows.

As territorial guards of the Hunyadi Family, they were excellent cavalrymen, having once fought the Ottomans alongside Lord Janos.

Martin listened with a grim expression to the interpreter's translation, then pulled out a charter. Suppressing his anger, he said to the Hungarians: "This is a special decree issued by the esteemed Roman Emperor—who is also the King of Hungary, Emperor Laszlo. We are here to open up land by the Emperor's command. This is the proof; see it clearly."

"See it clearly? See what? I don't recognize the words on it. How do I know if it's real? Besides, in this land, Lord Hunyadi's word is law! You outsiders, cutting down trees and building a camp without permission, don't think you can easily get away with this!"

The other Hungarian echoed, "Exactly! Hurry up, pay the money and get out, or you'll regret it!"

As he spoke, he deliberately plucked his bowstring, producing a dangerous sound.

The knights gathered around, their hands unconsciously resting on their weapons, their murderous intent barely concealed.

Several centuries ago, the Teutonic Order was betrayed by the King of Hungary and nobles on this very land of Transylvania.

After the Teutonic Order expelled the invading infidels, they were suspected by the Hungarians and ultimately subjected to a massive purge.

After a major battle with the Hungarians, the Teutonic Order suffered a severe blow, but fortunately, they had the strong support of the Holy Roman Emperor.

They then departed from their Venice headquarters and relocated to Prussia, leading to the Teutonic Order State as it is today.

Every member of the Teutonic Order who understood history was aware of the Hungarians' past misdeeds. Even though they had nominally separated from the Teutonic Order, their disgust for the Hungarians, especially these two in front of them, had reached its limit.

"Gentlemen, I don't know if you are truly ignorant and fearless, or intentionally causing trouble," Martin raised his hand to signal the knights not to act impulsively, and sternly rebuked, "Dare to defy the Emperor's command? Even your lord cannot bear the consequences, do you understand?"

"Hmph, even… even if it's the Emperor's command, the trees you cut down are still the lord's property," The Hungarian's demeanor clearly weakened a bit, but he still spoke relentlessly, "Don't try to scare us with the Emperor. If you don't pay compensation today, this matter won't be over!"

Martin glanced at the many knights gathered around him, and the worried immigrants not far away.

He didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble, as the Teutonic Order was only passing through, so he said, "Alright, tell me how much you want, and we'll pay it."

"Twenty florins per tree."

The Hungarian cleric informed Martin of the price, adding, "Sir, the wood we use is worth at most five florins in Hungary."

Upon hearing this, Martin almost gritted his teeth. These guys really dared to make such an exorbitant demand. The Teutonic Order's funds were not ample to begin with, so every florin saved was important.

He snorted coldly and said loudly, "I will not pay you a single gold coin. Want money? Then bring your leader here, and let him come and ask me for it himself!"

"You!" The two Hungarians also lost their temper, and one of them suddenly drew his bow and nocked an arrow, pointing it directly at Martin.

They had never seen anyone so arrogant in this territory. Did these guys not know who was in charge in Hungary?

Just at this tense and critical moment, another cavalry unit arrived from not far away, carrying a raven banner, and was rapidly approaching the Teutonic Order's camp.

Martin noticed the Hungarian's expression change slightly, and he unconsciously lowered the bow and arrow in his hand.