Whitemane couldn't help but wonder, where did Lordaeron get so many well-trained militiamen comparable to regular soldiers back then?
Now sixteen years old, Whitemane had grown into a graceful young woman. Although she was a Lordaeron native and her father was a former subordinate of Alexandros Mograine, she was a priestess belonging to the Arathi Highlands parish, studying under Bishop Aragorn of the Arathi Highlands.
Arden dared not underestimate this priestess. She was a disciple of the Bishop of Arathi Highlands, and nominally the junior sister of the legendary human hero Galen Trollbane. Everyone in the Alliance knew that Prince Galen was notoriously protective of his own.
Another point was that she was the one who solved the plague among the Hearthglen residents and refugees.
It was said that she and her family were infected with a terrible undead plague while passing through North Lordaeron. She used her powerful Holy Light to purify the plague within her parents and younger siblings.
However, this dark plague seemed very tenacious, not only able to resist the Holy Light but even absorb the host's life force to strengthen itself. Whitemane's family members were so weakened after the plague was expelled that they almost died on the spot.
If she didn't have a large number of treasures given to her by Aragorn, she would probably have become an orphan like in the original timeline.
This immediately angered the priestess of the Arathi Highlands parish. In the name of the bishop's disciple, she raised her arms, and a large number of priests from the Arathi Highlands who were traveling in Lordaeron came to join her.
Of course, Galen also had a hand in it, directly framing five hundred priests to station in Hearthglen, plus that group of militiamen who seemed like a combat regiment but were actually a large number of farmers that Galen had mixed into the refugees more than a decade ago during the war.
When the newly formed Alliance fought the Horde, Hillsbrad served as the main battlefield and was directly destroyed. Galen mixed fifty thousand base farmers into the refugees!
The war lasted for nearly four years, and Galen continued to add people bit by bit. In the end, three hundred thousand farmers were sent out. Now, in all the countries of the Alliance, except for Quel'Thalas, which was too conspicuous, which country didn't have Galen's base farmers?
Among them, Lordaeron had the most base farmers. In the early days of the plague outbreak, when the undead had just appeared, this group of farmers scattered throughout Lordaeron began their first mission after lying dormant for more than a decade: to lead more Lordaeron civilians to survive!
They had lived in villages and towns for more than ten years, with male and female farmers forming couples and having children, and they had long been accepted by the locals.
In addition, they were diligent in farming, willing to help others, and physically strong. When the crisis came, they stepped forward, and most neighbors were willing to follow them.
Therefore, the refugees of Westweald gathered in Hearthglen, all thanks to Galen's actions.
As for those who felt that leaving their homeland was difficult, or who believed that the plague was not worth mentioning and was just alarmist, and that they could protect their homes, Galen could only say that it was difficult to persuade those who were determined to die, and to embrace their chosen fate.
Lordaeron had now become a chessboard for the game between Galen and the Lich King, except that Galen had already made dozens of moves ahead, and the Lich King was still unaware.
The meeting in the castle continued.
"It can't be called a coincidence. I heard that Andorhal has fallen. Apart from the 30,000 refugees who escaped, the remaining 40,000 have all become mindless zombies!" Terenas rested his chin, multitasking, and continued to study the city defenses. "Hearthglen, as the second largest city in Westweald, is located in the mountains, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Relatively speaking, it is safer than the plains outside. It is understandable that they chose here!"
"That's right, I agree with Terenas's opinion," Bridgette said, agreeing.
"I think it's fine too." Renault shrugged at Whitemane, indicating that although our two families have a good personal relationship, I only stand on the side of reason.
This group of second-generation Lordaeron nobles were the focus of Galen's attention and training. In addition, young people were easily reformed, and they were instilled with many advanced ideas by Galen.
Especially Renault, the unfilial son who killed his father for a woman in Galen's memory. He was instilled by Galen that if he wanted to gain his father's approval, he must become an invincible man, make meritorious achievements, surpass his father, and that women would only affect his speed of drawing his sword!
Whitemane felt a burst of anger in her heart, indignant that they didn't believe her intuition!
She didn't know that her intuition almost saw through Galen's plan, but who would have thought that Galen had so many people and had started laying out the plan ten years ago?
"Then secretly conscript militiamen, they can only be sent up when it is most dangerous!" Terenas finalized the plan. "Bridgette, you take care of this!"
"Lord, besides the defense issue, the food issue is also very serious!" Arden sighed. "Although Hearthglen has some food reserves these years, this time, too many refugees have poured in at once, even three times the number of Hearthglen residents!"
"Next month! At most next month, our food will be exhausted!"
"… …"
After Arden finished speaking, the remaining five young people looked at each other… …
"I have already written a letter warning my father about the crisis of the undead and the plague, especially that the plague comes from the grain of Andorhal!" Bridgette said in a serious tone: "I can only say that the grain in various places this quarter is not safe, only the grain stored in our own territory is relatively safe. I will ask my father to separate a part of the grain from the Abidis family, but now the undead are rampant, and the transportation is troublesome!"
"I also sent a warning to my father, but you also know that my father is stubborn and old-fashioned, and he may not listen to me. As for the grain in the Mograine family's territory, I'm afraid we can't count on it!"
Renault was a little frustrated and glanced at his younger brother, Darian, who patted his older brother's hand on the back to show comfort.
Old Mograine's doting on his youngest son was also famous in Lordaeron. Many years ago, Renault might have felt resentful, but his knot had long been untied.
Renault knew that his father's doting on his younger brother was because he felt guilty about his mother's difficult childbirth, and that his father's strictness was to hope that he would become a great hero. However, as a traditional noble and a tough guy, Old Mograine did not know how to express his emotions. He used to find fault with his eldest son everywhere and often reprimanded Renault in public, which made Renault, who had a very strong self-esteem, very dissatisfied.
Until Galen appeared, Renault understood his father's heart, and at the same time, he was filled with admiration for this man who was ten years older than him!
This big brother relied on his strength to overwhelm the equally powerful King Thoras, and could even do whatever he wanted in Stromgarde, and his old father, the king, didn't dare to say a word!
Damn it, what an idol!
I also want to become a great hero like him, surpass my father, and do whatever I want from now on!
Whitemane had already sent a letter of request for help to the Menethil royal family, but I can't guarantee that the royal city will send troops or support a batch of disaster relief grain!
"… …"
The five young people were just about to achieve a great career, and they were about to encounter a big problem at the beginning!