Eagle Byzantium

On the battlefield of the bloody battle in the holy city, the big tree that was hung in the noose and bullet pocket of the trebuchet out of thin air made the pilgrims feel extremely panicked.

The defenders first cut down the big tree, then hollowed out the top and sharpened it, then filled it with iron blocks to increase the weight, and then hammered countless iron nails and iron pestles into it, wrapped with linen strips soaked in asphalt, white wax, and fierce flames, one layer after another. After completion, it was lifted to the top of the city with a crane and a ladder, and then placed in the noose of the trebuchet, and began to pull it desperately, preparing to eject it.

"Shoot, shoot." In a panic, the pilgrim crossbowmen on the top floor of the siege tower took turns to shoot crossbow arrows like pouring water, aiming at the trebuchet that was ready to go.

The citizens and Turkic soldiers around it were shot down one after another, and many people were shot through the head and chest by powerful crossbow arrows while running, and died and wounded around the trebuchet. But more people gathered around, and continued to line up and shout to pull the noose back. The creaking sound was shocking, and soon the big tree was forcibly pulled to the bottom.

Baldwin climbed to the second floor and shouted to the top, "It's too late to stop them, rush down!"

"I'll be the last one, Hartmann, Werner, you go back first." But before the Duke finished speaking, several soldiers carried the crossbow on their backs and dragged him down forcefully.

"Light a fire." With the angry shouts of the Turkic Ghazi, the dead bodies and bloody catapults, people responded in unison, and then many torches lit the iron nails and iron pestles around the tree trunk, and the linen burned fiercely, and soon the whole tree trunk turned into a flaming lightning spear in the hand of Jupiter.

"Ah!" In the palace of Tarsus, Gawain gnashed his teeth, the top of his lance was restrained by Anna's belt, and the tip was sucked by the little girl until it was almost swollen and burst. Finally, he could no longer control himself and fired the crossbow that controlled the nerve string there.

Anna screamed, and then the ends of her hair on her forehead were blown up by the sudden force. When she felt something was wrong, she tried to pull out her mouth to dodge, but this backfired. Her black hair and face were "hit tragically", and her beautiful eyebrows turned white.

"Shoot!" A huge noise shook all the buildings and battlements around the Tower of David. When Godfrey and the other earls had just reached the second floor, the tree trunk, carrying lightning and fire, was catapulted from the crossbow string and flew dozens of feet away. The sharp stake tore through the entire top floor of the siege tower. More than a dozen pilgrim soldiers who had not had time to escape were all hit and killed instantly. A raging flame broke out. Many brave soldiers on the second floor were holding water and climbing ladders to try to put out the fire, but it was of no avail - the tree trunk was entangled with iron nails and iron pestles, and there were flames everywhere. The flames spread, and they could not be pulled out or extinguished. In the end, the Duke and others could only abandon it and run out from the bottom. All the pilgrims under the Tower of David cried and fled backwards, because the top floor of the siege tower was completely burned and collapsed, and the cross symbolizing the Lord also fell into the flames and disappeared...

Gawain, who was completely exhausted, lay on the floor beside the map table, looking at the ceiling spinning in a state of ecstasy, and then Anna's angry and stained face appeared in his eyes. The guilty Gawain immediately took out a silk handkerchief and wiped it for her.

"Wipe the mercury plate map immediately. You have turned the Pontus Mountains there into snow peaks." Anna smiled with her eyes closed.

After dusk fell, the destroyed siege tower under the city of Jerusalem was still burning fiercely, surrounded by the wreckage of equipment and horses. In the camp on the Mount of Olives, Godfrey sat on a chair in great pain, asking everyone what to do next.

Tancred remained silent, while Robert of Flanders was also thinking in distress.

Baldwin advocated a long-term siege of the Holy City until it could no longer withstand the pressure and fell, but Godfrey objected, "If we cannot break the situation for a long time, it will not only damage our morale, but also make Ridwan and Dukak, who had originally calmed down, ready to move and threaten our rear."

In addition, the Egyptian Fatimid army, which had originally retreated to Ashkelon, also began to send light cavalry and fleets to kill scattered pilgrims who went to the surrounding towns and villages to collect supplies, and began to threaten the sea supply line of Jaffa Port.

Everdre was carrying out strategies with both hands at the same time: he traded with Gawain, Baldwin and Bohemond, but at the same time he was eyeing Jerusalem. Once the pilgrim army showed a flaw, he would not hesitate to annihilate and expel it. After all, the halo of "Guardian of the Holy City" was always very attractive to him.

There are also countless Crescent believers from Syria, Arabia, Mesopotamia and even Yemen, all voluntarily riding donkeys, camels and mares, flocking to the Dead Sea, hoping to save their holy city. And the Patriarch Sambel, who was hiding in Sidon, also sent a letter, sternly urging all pilgrims not to hesitate or fear, to capture the holy city before the birth of Jesus, and said that this is the dual will of the Lord and Pope St. Peter.

"If it were me, I would have to use a strategy." At this moment, in an inconspicuous corner of the tent where the meeting was held, the knight Jocelan, with a smile on his face, walked out and said to everyone, "Strategy is always the most poisonous dagger, it can exchange for the greatest victory at a negligible cost."

"If I were you, I would have to learn to shut up wisely. You are a rogue knight who covets other people's property, a jackal with a despicable character." Baldwin pointed at Jocelyn, who was much older than him, and shouted angrily.

But Godfrey pressed his brother's wrist, and said to Jocelyn sincerely, "Please tell me your plan, my relative, my comrade-in-arms. I swear here that if any individual's plan works and can recover the Holy City, I am willing to support him as the king of the Holy City with everyone." As soon as the Duke finished speaking, all the lords around him were in an uproar and talked about it. Baldwin stepped aside, his face flushed with anger, while the hermit Peter rationally reminded the Duke, "Respected Godfrey from Bouillon, I must tell you that a promise made on impulse is far more destructive than deliberate deception."

"I am not kidding, because I am guaranteeing it with my life. Enough, Jocelyn, if you have a plan, just speak it out boldly before I die."

A correct version at 16-9 Book Bar!

At this time, in the tent, Jocelyn suddenly laughed, almost to the point of being out of breath, and then he pointed at everyone present, "King of the Holy City? Are you willing to let me do it, even if it is Godfrey of Bouillon's promise? No, I am not that ignorant. The strategy I propose now is to call Conrad and Guillaume who are staying in Anatolia, and Welf who is coming soon, to gather here by sea as soon as possible. Even if they can't arrive in one or two days, they must release such news and intelligence. In this way, together with Lord Bohemond guarding Antioch, those inland Turkic princes will not dare to act rashly. Then my plan is this..." (To be continued ~^~)