Eagle Byzantium

The entire suburb of Constantinople was densely covered with various tents, and hundreds of thousands of pilgrims were squatting among them. Most of them were country people from Germany. How had they ever seen the myriad scenes of Constantinople? Towering city walls, towering aqueducts, churches and city gates covered with golden tiles, and countless ships anchored in the bay.

However, they could only see the surface of all this. The legends about the luxurious life of the Greeks in the city could only be passed down by word of mouth from the pilgrims: it is said that even the poorest citizens of the Greeks had no less than ten silk clothes in their homes. Every six months, the emperor would reward the citizens with countless grains and fine wines, as long as they could hold a ceremony in the palace and shout long live to the emperor's guard of honor.

I really envy everyone.

Of course, all camps are also under the strict supervision of the garrison in the palace. Even the Roman outpost in front of the Giucentina Palace is facing the enemy. Everyone knows that this group of pilgrims came from the Rhine Valley and more remote areas. A village gangster with no education or principles, He killed Jews and Hungarians on the way. He robbed everything like locusts. He didn’t like the high prices when buying things in the Varangian camp. The only way to bargain was to use knives and axes. This has happened several times. A case of theft and homicide occurred.

A cavalryman from the Inner Palace Guards in scarlet clothes came to the camp with a letter. He saw the hermit Peter who was standing among the crowd and performing a confession ceremony. Then he dismounted, saluted, and handed the letter into his hands.

Peter walked back to his tent, opened the envelope, and couldn't help frowning. At this time, Gottschalk, Forcher, Walter, Reynold and other key members came over to ask what happened. "On our way from Sofia to the imperial capital, we have not seen His Majesty the Greek Emperor."

"There is nothing strange about this. Didn't it mean that His Majesty is sitting in Adrianople? He is busy with military affairs. Maybe he will come back to Malaysia to meet us after quelling the heretical rebellion." Knight Walter explained.

"But Brachna Palace, summon me to enter." With that, Peter circulated the letter to the rest of the people, and everyone was silent. Since the emperor was not in the capital, this summons document was unsigned. Who sent it and what was its purpose? After all, the pilgrimage team is now within the territory of the Orthodox Greek Empire. It can be said that any incident involving the Komnenos court will become subtle and difficult.

But Forcher and Reynold tried their best to persuade Peter to agree to this matter, because they hoped to have a closer relationship with the Greek royal family. The last time he met the emperor's younger brother in Fort Sophia, he was appointed as a high-ranking official in the palace and rewarded with many coins and silks. This time, he should do his best to please the Komnenos royal family, and it is very likely that he will become famous. "What does it matter whether we go to the Holy Sepulchre or not? I heard that the Greek emperor is now using capable foreigners. They are high-ranking officials with generous salaries." They couldn't help but think so.

"But before he left, Gawain tried his best to persuade me not to get involved in anything related to Komnenos." Peter remembered his friend's earnest advice and said worriedly. Now the dull clouds in the sky above the Queen of Ten Thousand Cities made him feel that a huge disaster might happen.

"What does that country bumpkin from the north know?" Forcher became angry. "He can't even explain his castle territory and genealogy clearly. Besides, he is a subordinate of the emperor. He is afraid that we will get more favor from the emperor and be jealous. Incomparable, deliberately say some gossip to hinder the entire pilgrim team."

At this time, Gottschalk became angry, with a sharp and crazy voice. Questioned the two knights Forcher and Reynold, "You are the hooligans from the Frankish land. How dare you slander the great Master of the Priesthood!"

"That only shows that the Pope is becoming more and more abusive in canonizing. They can even listen to the peasants and canonize a dead badger, let alone a divine priesthood." Reinold said, talking to Gottschalk stepped forward and struggled. Afterwards, people from all walks of life in the entire camp performed a full-scale martial arts display with rude curses. Some were hitting each other with wooden sticks, and some were smashing anything they could see. The sacred geese and chickens in the cages , making a frightened cry, feathers flying everywhere.

"Stop!" Walter Sanzaval, an old and highly respected knight, held the hilt of his sword and shouted majestically.

Peter also raised his crutch, "Don't fight among yourself. The road to the Holy Sepulcher is still long, and we are all brothers and sisters walking the same path. Since there is a call from the palace, for the sake of unity, I am willing to go. Find out. "The scene immediately became quiet, and Fulcher and Reynold smiled happily, and stepped forward to ask Peter to take them with him to serve as "guards" on this trip. "As for the camp, leave it to the noble Knight Walter to guard it. ”

In front of the grand Juquintina Palace, a Byzantine military judge wearing a white cloak received the summons letter from Peter, checked the royal palace seal on it, and suddenly stood in awe, "Please come to the palace for a moment." After resting for one night, you can go along the Golden Gate to the palace for an interview tomorrow. "

After nightfall, in the room of the magnificent Juquintina Palace, Forcher and Reynold opened their mouths and looked at the various exquisite ivory miniature carvings and luxurious murals in surprise, "This is amazing, connecting. With all our furnishings like this, we still don’t know what the scene is like in the palace!”

"I heard that the emperor and the queen sat on thrones made of pure gold and ate barbecued meat presented by the palace chefs. Even the barbecued meat was wrapped in silk. The emperor and the queen ate it with their hands, and servants carried it. Kneel down with the gold plate and let the oil and water dripping down, so that the Supreme Lord’s clothes cannot be stained.”

After listening to Reinold's explanation, Forcher kept exclaiming and nodding to show his understanding.

"Look, look." Soon Forcher was leaning against the window, pointing outside and whispering. Reinold heard the sound and came over - in the light, they saw a Roman court official in the courtyard. The costumed figure is holding a big plate, It was full of bright gold sand, piled high, and there was a man dressed as a bureaucrat kneeling in front of it, "Your Majesty, from his vast sea of ​​gold, took out a drop of water as big as a drop of water, and rewarded it to you. I hope you will do it in the future." Continue to serve the Empire with all your heart.”

This sight almost made the two of them salivate. Seeing that this bureaucrat was just a clerk in the customs at most, a random reward from the Greek emperor would be enough for them to work hard for several lifetimes.

Peter, who had been sitting in a chair and meditating, shook his head secretly when he saw the two of them like this, but he was thinking about what would happen in the Brachna Palace.

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On the next day, on the arched bridge of Juquintina Palace, soldiers with flags and banners guided a group of people riding donkeys and horses into the Golden Gate. In front of the city gate stood several people holding swords and The Varangian guard soldiers with spears saw Peter and stopped him, and said to the soldiers in the palace, "The oracle came from the palace, the respected monk just follow us." (Unfinished) To be continued~^~)