Eagle Byzantium

Many days later, when Merrick's humiliating painting was delivered to the city of Antioch, the red-bearded Bohemond was furious. At the same time, two more letters were placed in front of his desk, one behind the other, with his in front. The intelligence officer sent it, and the following one was sent by Gawain himself.

The previous letter stated that the uprising of the "Great Armenian Empire" was instigated and supported by Gawain behind the scenes. This was of course a rumor deliberately spread by Feier and others. Tubersena City also specially sent a group of envoys to Gawain's location. The city of Fanka said that it was willing to surrender to him.

When Bohemond saw this information, he immediately felt like he had been deceived and betrayed. He would not accept it. He immediately gathered more than 500 Norman knights and prepared to go out to fight from the Syria Gate to Philami. Sihe, and Gawain have a showdown.

However, Gawain is very shrewd. He immediately knew that this was the other party's strategy to alienate each other. He also felt that the emergence of the "Great Armenian Empire" was a serious incident against him, so he directly cut off the noses of all the envoys from Tubosa. He threw it away and sent it back as a sign of humiliation. Then he wrote a letter in his own hand and sent it to Antioch. It stated: I will never betray the "covenant" with Bohemond, and this incident has absolutely nothing to do with the Seleucid side. The instigator behind this rebellious Armenian regime should be the Danish Emirate. We The Fang is willing to work hand in hand with the Antioch side to deal with the common enemy and must not kill each other.

Along with this latter letter came to Antioch a box filled with the severed noses of the Armenian envoys.

So Bohemond chose to believe Gawain. After he covered the box with the strong smell of blood, he also called a Persian painter in the city, "Draw a camel wrapped in a turban!" So the painter drew it tremblingly, but Bohemond Simond was not satisfied at all, "How do you understand the spirit of your patron? I want to draw this camel into a crescent-shaped **** fanatic."

After a while, the revised and added detailed painting was presented. On it was a camel wrapped in a turban, with gray eyes and a red tongue spitting out saliva. He was lifting the donkey's feet, lying on its belly and doing "unforgettable" "A matter of name", with the words "This is your portrait and the beauty of your plateau, presented to Merrick, the unchivalrous Danishmand chieftain". Now Bohemond was satisfied, and he ordered that the painting and the box filled with noses be sealed together, "Give the painter a reward, a reward. Send the fastest horse to the chief."

Next, Bohemond stood in the palace lobby and urgently met with Raymond, Robert, Baldwin, and Godfrey, telling them, "The donkey and the sheep devil, and the bastard Chief Merrick on the plateau, have colluded. The rebels in my ranks have rebelled in the north and are at war with my army. They have insulted the Lord and all the lords. Now is the time for you to repay me. "

The Godfrey brothers communicated privately. In fact, they had already received Gawain's letter and had a clearer understanding of the whole matter. Then they immediately said, "When I attacked Azaze, Apulia Your Excellency the Duke generously agreed to the reinforcements. Now is our opportunity to return the favor. ——I am willing to send one hundred and fifty knights and a Swabian infantry regiment with my brother to the command of Count Hartmann and accept the command of your governor." Godfrey then added, asking Bo. Hemond was even more moved, "If there are difficulties in the war, we will do our best to continue to provide reinforcements."

Then Bohemond turned his attention to Robert, who was a little hesitant. He said that most of the knights and infantry under his command hope to go on an expedition to Jerusalem after the spring. If they want to go as your private soldiers to regain the northern group, Shan, I'm afraid this group of people will mutiny.

"Holy City? If our route to conquer the Holy City in the future is threatened by enemies everywhere, how can we succeed?" Bohemond waved his arms and roared.

Count Robert, who was afraid of this, also agreed to send 200 Flemish halberdiers and 300 local light cavalry hired by him to follow Bohemond into battle. Just as Robert finished his expression, Prince Sven of Denmark in the corner next to him also took the initiative to stand up. "Although I only have 500 armed soldiers, and they are all axe-wielding infantry, I am willing to lead them myself and follow the princes and grand dukes to fight."

The atmosphere in the entire conference room became enthusiastic, and Bohemond was greatly appreciated. Then his eyes turned to Marquis Raymond, who had never spoken and looked away, "My dear Lord of Provence, in Ann. I gave up a large area of ​​territory in Tiktok and gave you a considerable part of the shipping tax. Now that we are fighting side by side as allies against the enemies from the plateau behind us, it shouldn't conflict with your ideas, right? "

At this time, the one-eyed Marquis stepped on the floor and slowly walked to the center of the hall, and then openly faced the military commander, "Yes, yes, conflict."

The crowd shouted in shock, and Bohemond was furious, but after Raymond just said these words, he patted the shoulder of the confidential officer next to him: He knew that with his stutter, it would be difficult to win the argument. The sharp-tongued Bohemond simply gave his idea to this confidential official to represent him:

"We come from all over the place. We were originally gathered for the sacred goal of the pilgrimage expedition. We should never be a military organization before or in the future. Now there are careerists and conspirators who want to bring the entire pilgrim team-whether they are lords or knights, Or are free men turned into a big military camp, where they can control themselves? So after that, the Marquis of Provence, at the invitation of the Emperor of Constantinople, and with the blessing of the Priest of Admar, started to head towards Latakia and Jubail, etc. March on the ground, overcome obstacles and open the way to the Holy City for everyone."

As he said this, the muscles at the corners of Bohemond's mouth trembled, but after rolling his glass-like cold eyes a few times, he generously walked down and hugged Raymond, "Okay, that's good too. . Someone has to do this and that. Let’s just divide the work.”

After the meeting, Bohemond walked into the palace bedroom and became furious, "This country bumpkin from Provence thinks he can boss others around just by forging the so-called holy spear. His actions today clearly show that he has been bribed by the Greek emperor." , are here to break up Gawain and me. Maybe Raymond has hooked up with the rebels, trying to split us up and then monopolize Tripoli, no, even Jerusalem." After speaking, he pointed to all the followers around him, "From now on until the end. After I leave the army, I will strengthen my surveillance of Iron Bridge Fortress!"

At this moment, a timid clerk came out and reported to him in a low voice, "Your Highness, you may not know yet... Yesterday, the new Patriarch Safbel came ashore from St. Simon's Port... ..Then he entered Lord Raymond's fortress and camp... not yours."

"In that case, the two clergymen ran to Raymond, where is my flag?" Bohemond's face was full of twists and surprises. (To be continued ~^~)