Eagle Byzantium

Although the words were harsh, what the emperor actually meant was to temporarily sign a "truce treaty" with the Paulists on the northern border. As long as he paid fifty pounds of gold every year and promised not to cross into Thrace at will, Alec There seems to be no need for Hughes's army to come specifically to provoke.

Beside the river, the braided female consul Cabeamia walked to the stone pillars on the outskirts of Phicaia at the mouth of the Danube. She tore off the emperor's edict and stamped it hard under her boots. She led three thousand The believers have just taken over the city outside the emperor's established boundaries , has a port wharf that can sail cargo ships, and a prosperous big market. It was here before. She bought a potion of unknown formula from an Indian businessman by accident, and almost had an affair with Gawain. The shame of fornication is a loss of face.

"Arrest all the Indian and Ceylon merchants in the markets and docks, and then drive them away!" This was the first order issued by the female consul after taking up residence in this small border town. It was a gnashing of teeth and no mercy.

Then, Cabeamia sat down on the seats in the meeting place, holding her breath. Several elders who had been released by Gawain remembered the emperor's edict and inquired about the consul's meaning and thoughts.

"Convert, why not convert? Send hundreds, or even thousands, of people to convert to their Orthodox Church, so that the heretic emperor's face can be brightened and his pitiful vanity satisfied. And we will work together with other believers, Developing secretly in Fikea, Accumulating strength and reorganizing the army of co-workers will still be enough to compete with the evil forces in the future," Kabeamia replied, "Restrict the use of force by believers, do not harm the locals, and continue to support their guilds. and municipal autonomy, in addition We must directly master the biggest specialty of Phicaia, alum. The cloth and silk printing and dyeing in Bohemia, Italy, and Flanders, including the capital of the heretic emperor, are inseparable from this kind of thing. Moreover, the alum texture of the Danube River is indispensable. That of Bivarang These inferior products are much better. As long as they can be produced and transported as soon as possible, I can afford the annual tribute of fifty pounds of gold, even five hundred. At that time, I will really pay for it. Heretic Emperor, please take a look!”

This time. Outside the meeting place, several believers wearing black robes and holding iron rods were escorting the dark-skinned Indian businessman, pushing and shoving him to the female consul.

"Kneel down, kneel down!" followed by several iron rods. Hitting the guy's back and legs, the guy kept begging in rolled-tongued Greek, and then fell obediently at Cabeamia's feet.

A silkworm chrysalis shell was thrown on the ground and rolled in front of the businessman.

"Tell me, what exactly did you sell me?" Kabeamiya was furious.

The Indian businessman picked up the thing and looked at it. He sniffed again, and then showed his bright white teeth, "Yes, this is a great potion of love. Just one or two drops can make the girl's body smell intoxicating, like an elephant. I don't know. Satisfied..." When he mentioned the "elephant-like taste," the businessman also raised his hairy nostrils and half-closed his eyes with an intoxicated expression. His hands were also gesturing in front of his chest.

Cabeamiya stood up and pointed to the other side of the courtyard wall, "Give this bastard this potion to drink. Drag it to the cattle pen over there, so that all the animals in the pen can feel the elephant in his body." odor!"

In the wail. The Indian businessman was given a potion, then scratched the ground and begged, but he was still dragged out, leaving long scratches all over the floor.

"Damn it!" Kabeamiya closed her eyes angrily and raised the broken hair on her forehead with her hand.

"But Asia Minor will soon become the focus of the whirlpool of war. Do you, the Archon, want to return to the Paphlagonia area to be prepared?" an elder reminded.

The Holy Archon nodded and said that he would immediately arrange the property and settlement land in Phicaea City and cross the sea to Sinop. However, he still had such doubts in his heart, "Will Gawain come? Logically speaking, even if When he comes, he will mainly attack the Sultan of Konya, and then he will go to the Levant along the Cikilia Gate, accompanied by the army of other heretical pilgrims, and will not go towards Paflago. Nia progresses.”

With this complicated mood, Cabea Amiya walked out of the place. She could still hear the roar of the animals on the other side of the courtyard wall and the miserable howl of the businessman. She came to the horse post in front of the door and untied her horse. I took the rope, turned over and sat on the horse, and galloped along the surging river bank for a while. Then I stared at the flowers flying everywhere, holding the riding whip, and looked at the wooden boats on the river with their sails furled and sailing down the river. Trance.

In the wilderness of the eastern border of Thessaloniki, the double flags of Tancred and Bohemond are particularly eye-catching. This is the jihad flag they specially created for themselves after entering the ranks of princes in the Eastern Expedition: Among them, Tancred's flag has a portrait of St. George riding a horse in the center; while Bohemond's is more luxurious and exaggerated, a pure white square flag embroidered with eye-catching gold threads around it. The flagpole is made of gold plating and is made of strong honor. The knights took turns guarding.

"Is that Greek bitch Brenus still following our army?" As the men and horses neighed, Bohemond temporarily dismounted to rest and asked his nephew.

"Yes, if he is really a woman, she is enough to become your Norman princess. The whole world knows that he admires you to death." Tancred joked on horseback, "We are both commanders. , He is far worse than Stephen Gawain.”

"So, this is the tragedy of life. The strong will always be your enemy, and the weak and mentally retarded will always be your comrades. Of course, I didn't mean what you meant, Tancred." Bohemond sighed. Said, "Move to the Greek capital immediately, I'm afraid there will be another offensive to deal with."

"Comnenos?"

"Yes, the air that the Greek emperor breathed is full of cunning poison that can kill people. I have to be extra careful." After Bohemond finished speaking, he stood up again covered in armor. , wanted to get back on the horse, then paused and said to his nephew, "It's better to do this..."

After the Duke of Apulia finished everything, Tancred nodded, indicating that he accepted his uncle's suggestions and plans.

At this moment, a Calabrian light-armored scout cavalry rushed over quickly, "Honorable prince, there are countless people in front of you, they are following the corridor here, as if they are going to pass the ferry of the Thracian River. Like, the person taking the lead still wants to negotiate with you!"

"What's the origin?" Bohemond was puzzled.

"It was a group of poor pilgrims organized by the hermit Peter, but they seemed unwilling to continue their journey to the East."

"Could it be internal strife and division? Peter, you deserve it!" With such excitement and doubts, Bohemond drove his horse to the front of the formation. Gottschalk held an ax and led the more than 30,000 people to break away from the whole group. The pilgrims in the procession were noisily building a pontoon bridge on the banks of the Thracian River, while Gottschalk himself stood half a stone's throw in front of the Duke of Apulia's horse.

"Honorable Lord Norman, I am taking this group of people to defect to Grand Duke Gawain."

"Well..." Bohemond's heart moved, and then he shouted, "Well, respectable pilgrims, is there anything I, Apulia, can do to help?"

Gottschalk shook his arms and was very moved, "Because we rejected the Greek emperor's order and went to seek refuge with Grand Duke Gawain privately, we did not receive supplies from the other party and are now in a difficult situation."

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Immediately, Bohemond understood: Before setting off, Gawain gave you some money and sent a total of 40,000 pilgrims to Taranto, although my lordship's fleet left them behind in time. And set sail, but according to the letter from my palace counselor, these tens of thousands of people who stayed behind have caused great harm to the entire Apulia region, stealing and robbing everywhere, and now I will take revenge on you severely.

Thus Bohemond declared with great magnanimity, "Give this helpless band of pilgrims two small pieces of silver to each man, and one to the women and children, to be distributed with the coins of our own coinage as we Normans, for Gawain and I are brothers and allies under Mo Ni’s holy war.”

Looking at the sincere eyes of the other party, Gottschalk felt that Bohemond felt that what he said was true, and shed tears. The entire pilgrim camp of 30,000 people then burst into earth-shaking cheers. Soon, the purchasing team sent by Gottschalk arrived in the city of Didymotiusk and used the money given by Bohemond to purchase grain and fodder.

At the same time, Caesar and Artabasdos, who were only accompanied by a few loyal guards, mingled among the pilgrims like lost dogs and saw the Norman flag, so Artabasdos Question: Should we go and rely on the powerful and wealthy Bohemond?

"No, I still can't believe it. Why don't we go to Brenus first? He is a loyal man. In addition, Titicius in his army is still my slave, so I can rely on him." Caesar replied.

Artabasdos pointed ahead melancholy, "But Brenus' camp seems to be behind the Normans..."

Caesar had no choice but to enter the Norman camp first.

And the reason is also justified, "I fled here because my attempt to overthrow the throne of Komnenos failed. As long as the Norman princes can promise to help me fight back to the imperial capital, I will conquer the entire Yibei in the future." The Rus area will be ceded to you and opened to allow your merchants to enjoy the same preferential treatment as Venice and Amalfi."

This guarantee made Bohemond extremely interested in the negotiation. He cut the roast meat on the plate and promised Caesar faithfully, "I have a thousand chainmail knights and five thousand strong infantry, enough Contend with Emperor Comnenus. However, because Brenus still has five thousand men following me to monitor and follow me, noble Caesar, please do not disclose your whereabouts and go to Constantinople with me. Let’s do something.” (To be continued. ~^~)