Eagle Byzantium

When the massacre at the Dome of the Rock was over (because there was no one left to kill), Tancred's men began to pillage.

They first looted what they could move away: the two houses of worship, the Dome Mosque and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, contained many trophies that the Turks had captured in previous battles. Now they have all become the trophies of others.

Then the dissatisfied Norman soldiers began to loot what could not be moved away. They knocked off the gold nuggets and jewels embedded in the walls and pillars, and then seized the gold bowls and gold candlesticks on the altar. Some people mistakenly said that the Solomon era The large copper lamp left behind was used as gold. It was originally used to clean the sacrificial animals. Now it was all broken into pieces and dragged away by the rude Normans. The whole temple was beaten with sword blades and pickaxes. There was a fierce sound of property being stripped.

The flaxen-haired Tancred held the hilt of the sword and stood in the center of the mosque. He looked up at the top of his head. In the center of the high circular dome, there was a huge and exquisite golden pot hanging with chains and The beams on the top of the tower are connected to the walls. The gold pot weighs about two hundred marks (about fifty kilograms today). "What is this?" Tancred stood on the ground where dead bodies, blood stains and scattered objects after looting were all over the ground. At that moment, he asked leisurely towards the golden pot.

"Dear new owner, it is a sacred object of this temple. It is said that it contains the blood of Allah (of course, in the mouth of Christians, it is Jehovah). Of course, some people say that it is 'mana'." The two surrendered. the Turkic bey explained fawningly.

"Well, what is that?" Tancred was at a loss.

The two beys quickly looked at each other. They did not expect that the Norman general in front of them was so ignorant, because "mana" was recorded in the Bible as the food given to the Israelites by the Lord when they were hungry in the wilderness.

After hearing this reasonable explanation, Tancred was in awe. He couldn't help but clasped his hands to pray and worship the golden pot above his head, and asked his subordinates, "You are not allowed to desecrate the holy pot containing the blood of the Lord."

At dusk, in front of the Lebanese Forest Palace, many Franks stepped on the corpses to enter the mosque to enjoy the same looting. However, the entrance to the palace had already been occupied by the Normans. The two sides cursed each other and even fierce internal strife broke out. fight.

When the news reached the ears of Baldwin, who was commanding the attack on the tower where Sockman was located, all the lords who followed the Eustace family were filled with indignation. They surrounded Baldwin and asked him to put on armor and fight hard before capturing the Turks' tower. Give that flaxen-haired and bold Norman boy a hard look.

Baldwin, who had taken off his turban, sat on the saddle, holding a riding crop, looking at the fireworks-filled Sokman Tower, then at the fortress of the Lebanese Forest Palace standing in front of him, and finally at the menacing earls, The Baron put his hand on his chin and thought for a while.

To be honest, Baldwin was very annoyed in his heart. Originally, he and his brother should have been the biggest contributors to the capture of the Temple Mount after a bitter battle, but now they were beaten to the punch by Tancred's greed and cunning.

In the past, Baldwin would have mounted his horse without hesitation and rushed to the Forest Palace to fight Tancred to the death.

But he remembered Gawain’s words of admonishment to him in the city of Antioch, whether he was running for consulship or later in the camp of Cobuha, “You are still too young, you don’t need to be too impulsive in everything, and don’t risk your head and blood. To be a hero, the future throne must be obtained through forbearance and opportunity. Sometimes when a straight path fails, taking a detour is also a good choice.”

So the Count of Adana slowly stood up and gave the order clearly to the group of people, saying, "When I was in Cilicia, I once deceived and attacked Tancred, and I still feel uneasy and guilty about it. Now the soldiers of the Kingdom of Antioch and we are partners in the bloody battle to regain the Holy City. We are both under the command of Christ Jesus. To fight for it, we must know that the enemies of Egypt are still eyeing us in the south of the Holy City - all the lords and soldiers stayed in the Tower of David after nightfall, leaving some troops to continue besieging Sokman's tower and Send monks to persuade you to surrender. I will go to visit my brother tomorrow and invite him to arbitrate, hoping to restore the Lord’s city and Jesus’ tomb as soon as possible.”

Everyone, especially the Earl of Burke and Brother Auden, who had been following the Baldwins for a long time, were stunned. They couldn't believe that this was Baldwin's decision. They should know that he was a strong and aggressive young man in the past.

"Also, control the killing and looting. We will settle here in the future and use the army to protect the tomb of Jesus forever. We cannot let the great holy city be destroyed in our hands."

"As you command." Before long, everyone bowed and touched their chests, obeying Baldwin's generous order.

"It's really quite good, young king." Just as Baldwin led the horse, walked past countless corpses, and walked back to his temporary residence, he saw the light-blond haired Qiao Celan with Gao Shen Mo on the side of the street. He smiled thoughtfully, leaning in front of the incomplete and dilapidated courtyard wall, facing him not knowing whether it was sarcasm or compliment.

Next to Qiao Celan, his brother Galilan was squatting there, holding a clay pot in his hand, taking out cooked wheat and meat pieces from it and eating it. There were piles of armor and crossbows. Beside him.

"I am in charge of the ship of the Kingdom of Adana, and I am also responsible for the rise and fall of the Eustace family. Naturally, my vision must be far-sighted, and my thinking must be mature." Baldwin did not make any response to Joceland's provocation this time. He reacted and left along the street.

Soon after, Baldwin found his brother's temporary residence. At this moment, Duke Godfrey had taken off his armor and changed into clothes made of sackcloth. Two hostess stewards held candles beside him, and there seemed to be traces of tears on his face. When Baldwin walked in, Godfrey gasped and covered his old wounds. His face was pale but with a happy tone. He pointed to the piles of boxes beside the seat, which were full of the hearts of his comrades and relatives. He said to his brother Baldwin with relief, "At this moment, I can finally fulfill my oath and take them to the pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre."

"You have to take care of your body, remember Grana's advice and Gawain's friendship." Baldwin knelt down and held his brother's hand with tears.

Read the correct version in 16-9 Book Bar!

"I have no regrets in death..." Godfrey held his brother's hand and said in a deep voice, "No regrets, Baldwin. When I was young, I also obeyed my mother's request and spent seven years in the monastery. Later, I went on an expedition to recover the Holy Sepulchre. Remember, Baldwin, please remember that the men of our Eustace family never set out on the journey in response to anyone, even the call of Emperor Caesar or His Majesty the Holy See. Baldwin, we are for the sincerity and faith in our hearts. This is the inheritance and blood of the Eustace family. And Baldwin, you have to return to Adana immediately." (To be continued ~^~)