amaotonovel Chapter 17 Funeral
Chapter 17 Funeral
In the end, war inevitably results in death. Even noble beings like vampires cannot guarantee the safety of their subordinates. In one battle, 30 were wounded and 7 were killed. For a newly formed team, this was already a decent exchange ratio.
The commemoration of the deceased is not only to give their families an explanation, but also to bring comfort to the living. From the moment the army was founded, there have been regulations for commemorating the fallen.
Early in the morning, as snow fell heavily, there were few pedestrians on the road. Three horse-drawn carriages moved slowly forward, guided by a small procession. Seven coffins were neatly arranged on the carriages, each draped with a tricolor flag—the Amerinsky tricolor has become a symbol for the locals.
Crowds dressed in black or white followed the carriages, with the families of the fallen following in grief. To the beat of military drums, they walked through several streets, attracting the attention of the citizens—who even saw their princess, Alice de la Leah, standing solemnly in the procession, following alongside them.
People followed the procession with curiosity, wanting to see what kind of people were worthy of accompanying the princess. The procession continued forward, and as if infected by the atmosphere, tranquility descended wherever they went, until the carriage turned into a well-maintained garden—the Scarlet Martyrs Cemetery.
The bright red martyrs' cemetery is located in the city center and was designed from the beginning to serve as both a cemetery and a park. A small team of soldiers is already waiting to be deployed.
"Goose-step!"
The specially selected troops stationed at the martyrs' cemetery, dressed in bright red, marched at a pace of 45 steps per minute, the rubber soles of their leather boots striking the brick ground with a striking sound.
The coffins on the carriages were lifted by the soldiers themselves. Every fallen soldier was honored, and their families also benefited. Alice's vigorous promotion of support for soldiers' families was not only a guarantee of combat effectiveness, but also a guide to social values.
"Surte, Private First Regiment, First Infantry Division, 23 years old, heroically sacrificed his life in battle and was posthumously awarded the title of National Martyr!"
Alice accepted the medal and the "Family of Glory" plaque and handed them to the family of the martyr with both hands. Although she couldn't make herself look very dignified due to her height, she still tiptoed slightly.
"I'm sorry, Madam. Your husband was a true hero. The government will take care of your livelihood. If you encounter any difficulties, please contact the Martyrs' Family Office. If they cannot resolve the issue, please come to the Hong Kong Coliseum to find me. Please accept my condolences, Madam."
"thank you......."
boom!
Seven coffins, seven families, seven medals, and twelve honor guards standing on either side of the cemetery, their uniforms all black with red accents, their expressions meticulous, seemingly also infected by the atmosphere.
"Raise your gun!"
Twelve chrome-plated brown besus flintlock rifles were raised. The sun was obscured by clouds, but even so, the barrels of the rifles still reflected a silvery light. The hammers were pulled, and the officer stood in front, shouting commands, to pay tribute to the dead with the sound of gunfire.
"shooting!"
boom!
The twelve rifles fired in a single shot, and white smoke billowed out. To the superstitious crowd, this was a symbol that the souls of the deceased were comforted.
"Was it really just a few soldiers who died?"
“It’s true, the family that received the medal personally from His Highness lives on my street. The man was originally just a fishmonger.”
"If every soldier were like this, why worry about their morale? Our new prince seems to be more than just a pampered princess."
"You don't know, sir, the new civilian government and the new agricultural system are all her creations. She was also the commander who led 10,000 troops to wipe out the invading Earl of Kurt a few days ago. That army was also commanded by His Highness."
“I am aware of the common people’s government, and we in the East have such a custom, but I have never seen such a grand display for a few soldiers.”
The people chattered, but whatever the outcome, a new idea was quickly etched into their hearts—to sacrifice for one's country is the greatest honor.
After 12 rounds of gunfire, a bugler sounded the lights-out signal, and the carriages and honor guards departed, leaving only the families behind.
Alice stood silently to one side, with the maid beside her. Ange looked at the grieving families and the cold tombstones, and then she opened her umbrella.
"Miss, is this what you expected?"
"No, this is the price, the price of civilization. A great civilization is built on blood. If we want to build a great society, we must nourish it with blood..."
Ange looked at Alice, who barely reached her chin. Where did Her Majesty the Queen find such a first embrace subject? She had never seen anyone like this before, someone who was both frightening and inspiring.
Today's funeral will undoubtedly encourage more people to join the army, and the soldiers in the army will be more supportive of her and more accepting of the system. Ange is certain that many of the people outside the iron fence will join the army.
"We still have a lot to do, Anjie, let's go."
Military matters, business matters, and the affairs of her team—while the civil service selection brought her a group of capable people, she also needed to build a framework for it.
"The Provisional Government of West Red Ridge, Amelanan, is hereby established, and its structure is hereby announced."
Provisional Government of West Red Ridge, Amerinland
The Organization Department, the Ministry of the Interior, the Logistics Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the National Defense Military Commission were established.
The Organization Department comprises the Industry Committee, Agriculture Committee, Commerce Committee, Civil Affairs Committee, Science Committee, Education Committee, Publicity Committee, and Biological and Medical Committee.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs oversees the Amerinsia Foreign Affairs Committee and the Amerinsia Foreign Institutions Committee.
The National Defense Military Commission established the Amerlane Vanguard Army Military Commission, the Amerlane Vanguard Navy Military Commission, the Amerlane Ordnance Bureau, the Joint Logistics Department, the Joint Military Command, the National Defense Logistics Mobilization Unit, and the Amerlane National Armed Forces Department.
Alice immediately set up an organizational structure, and the sign for the Red Ridge Provisional Government was soon put up.
Following that, Alice built upon the existing structure to establish the Amelia West Police Headquarters, the Amelia West Emergency Fire Service, and the People's Hospital system.
After half a month, Alice finally signed all the documents, stood up, and the government team was set up.
"I'm so hungry..."
Alice felt incredibly tired. Although she had just eaten breakfast, she felt as if she hadn't eaten in ages, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Ugh... I'm so hungry... Ange—"
Before she lost consciousness, she saw Anjie's white skirt appear before her eyes.
"Miss--"