I Am Louis XIV

   Chapter 320 Before the Great War (2)

This city is called Kocevi, and it can also be called a big city. There are not no people in the city - even in the face of terrifying things like volcanic eruptions or floods in a few hundred years, there will still be stubbornness. The overconfident person is reluctant to leave—of course, such people are inevitably taught a harsh lesson, now and in the past.

When sent to Ahmed, these Christians still had some fantasies, they were naive like children, and they believed the nonsense - the way the Ottomans treat all pagans well - but how could they? Don't think about it, if this is the case, from the three major legions down, the Ottoman Turkish soldiers who have no salary, and the huge number of cannon fodder, how can they willingly work for the sultan without any return?

This is why Ahmed allows them to loot and slaughter at will. Raising these Azaps is like keeping a pack of dogs. Before the war comes, he will use the flesh and blood of Christians to stimulate their greed and greed. Cruel, so that they can fight without fear of pain and death - as soon as the Grand Vizier heard such a thing, he immediately raised his vigilance and immediately ordered sharp wooden stakes to be erected - not only Christians Impalement will be used.

   This order is of course what every Ottoman Turk here is happy to see, some Azaps to cut down trees, of course spears are fine, but a rough branch can prolong the suffering of the tortured as long as possible. The Grand Vizier's janitors quickly stripped a Christian, naked to the sun, shaking desperately like a lump of milky fat, he was bigger than the others. Young and strong, that's why Ahmed chose him. As soon as he realized what the Ottomans were going to do to him, he was so frightened that he couldn't say anything but scream. A guy who looked like a mercenary wanted to say something, but was immediately pulled by another person, and he immediately backed away without saying a word.

His choice was right, Ahmed didn't need to show his mercy at this time, this place, in front of a group of Ottoman Turkish soldiers, he waited until the victim was put on a saddle by the soldiers, not so sharp It was only after the sharp-pointed stakes of the man were pounded between his legs with a hammer that he began to ask, in a hoarse howl, what was going on in the city.

This Christian left behind, an idiot, is a businessman and a member of the city council. He has done business with many Ottoman Turks. He has also been to Istanbul and even hides the flag of Sudan at home. He is not willing to give up. His own property and goods refused to leave Kochewi as the allied commander-in-chief had asked him to do. He thought that even if the Ottomans came, as long as he swore to convert to their beliefs, he would still enjoy freedom and power, and he might even become one of them. master of the city.

There are several people around him, one is his loyal servant, and the other are mercenaries. These mercenaries are not so much to ensure his safety, but to ensure his style. He had thought about it before. A governor walked into the Ottoman camp with such majesty.

He probably didn't think that Ahmed would even bother to talk to him, if it wasn't for the fact that the former was worried about the language - he was able to speak Hungarian, French and some Holy Roman Empire dialects, the information he wanted to know If something went wrong in the delivery, he wouldn't even appear in front of these Christians.

While Azap was scrambling to erect the stake - they accidentally let the victim fall off the stake in the process and had to do it all over again, it's hard to say if they did it on purpose , anyway, even the most loyal servant didn't dare to look at him, all the answers Ahmed needed to know were clean and thoroughly laid out in front of him in a few minutes.

   To say that no one had the same idea as Sebastian Vauban before? Of course there is, but any country, principality or county that fights against the Ottoman Turkish Empire, is bad because there is no unified voice, the king or lord in the highest position is unwilling to give up their own interests, and their subjects and Would the knight be willing? Not to mention, some regions have not even pledged allegiance to the king or lord, and they are only alliances with each other. It is too difficult to concentrate all the forces against the sultan's army.

Even in this battle, if King Louis XIV of France hadn't been on the expedition personally, Juan Patinho, the Spanish navy minister who had provided the same force as him, agreed after a long deliberation, and other reinforcements They also expressed their approval to varying degrees. The tactics of fortifying the walls and clearing the fields are still likely to remain on paper. Even so, the forces of the Catholic coalition can only ensure that some cities in the Sava River Basin can obey orders.

If the    extends further, it is not a matter of fortifying the walls and clearing the field, but the problem that they must fight the local lords of Slovenia before the Ottoman Turks.

The lord of Kochevi was inclined to the Habsburgs, and he also promised the citizens that if they were willing to leave, Leopold I of the Holy Roman Empire would give them some compensation in taxes and labor, here Half of the people were out of fear of the Ottomans and half out of their trust in the lords, and they left Kochevi with their families and their mouths. When they left, they took almost all the food and harvested the wheat in advance. Potatoes were dug out, horses, cattle and sheep, and all their savings, old men, children, and women were gone. They might have gone to other cities, where they waited for the war to pass, or they might have gone into hiding. Hills and forests - the Ottoman Turks could go after them, but it was of no use to Ahmed's army - they couldn't spend their time deviating from their marching routes just to find the Christians who had fooled them.

When he determined that the empty city was not people escaping unconsciously, but that the Catholic coalition deliberately hindered their progress, Ahmed waved his hand and let his personal soldiers deal with those Christians - he did not forget that there were tens of thousands of them. Ji's "hounds" are waiting to be fed. If there is not enough flesh and blood, it is not impossible to be attacked by this group of hungry beasts.

The Crimean Tatars also returned to his camp at this time, and they reported that not only had the city been like a gnawed rib, but even the previous roads had been destroyed, and this destruction The way is different from before. The road was not dug a trap and brought down trees, but was piled up with a lot of huge stones.

   "Stones?" Ahmed asked in surprise, is there a quarry nearby?

"Exactly, great Pasha," said the Crimean Tatar, "as neatly as the bricks of castles and palaces, each of which could hold a giant bear, lined the roads, The heavy one can only be removed by the venerable gods."

   Ahmed only thought that the Tatars were exaggerating, but he went there and saw that the Tatars were not lying, but he also recognized that this "stone" was not a "stone". "This is cement." He said that cement was also one of the important materials purchased by the Ottoman Turkish Empire from France. As a grand vizier with real power, he could of course recognize it, and... he reached out and touched the road. This kind of cement may be the fast-setting cement that is prohibited from exporting. Their scholars have also been studying, but they have never developed similar products.

It is very easy to make cement a barricade. The cement powder is not as heavy as it is after it has set. Water is everywhere. As for how big it is, it depends on the size of the mold made of the wooden board. The block is on the road and can be dragged away with horses and Azap, but it will undoubtedly slow down their march considerably.

Ahmed looked at it and saw that there are at least a hundred cement bricks here. Even quick-setting cement is not something that can be done in a day or two. In addition, those Christians also said that those people may have done it. For several nights, then the question arises - how did the Catholic coalition know their marching routes?

  The cavalry who were thrown out like nails also ensured that no fine work could get close to them. Of course, the general direction cannot be concealed, but this kind of defense and obstruction that is accurate to the city makes people puzzled.

Ahmed thought about it for a while, then turned and returned to Kochewi. Although Kochewi was empty, the building was still there. He went straight to the cathedral, which is also in the city. In the only church, Ahmed saw a group of priests' servants dismantling the cathedral's stained glass - which was blasphemous for the Ottomans who believed in the true God, but which could still be sold to other Catholics. There are also people who are removing seats, crosses, icons, etc. from it one after another... These holy objects that were not taken away by the Catholic priests are now the spoils of the Ottomans.

When Ahmed entered the nave, there was nothing but pillars, walls, ground, and dome. The sun came in through the slender windows with the glass removed, illuminating the black robes of the priests. , As soon as they saw the Grand Vizier, they crossed their arms and saluted him, and Ahmed returned the salute in the same manner.

After the clergy backed away, Ahmed saw the Imam, the religious commander of the army, and bowed respectfully to the Imam, "I'm here to ask for your help," Ahmed said. De bluntly said, "Master, I suspect that those Christians are colluding with the devil."

"Yes," said the dean, an old man who was easy to impress, because most people become mild with aging, but he was the exact opposite. His white hair and beard were like roots. The sharp and bright iron thorns, the eyes are deeply sunken into the sockets, and the nose is like a sharp hook, which can only hook the upwardly curved chin,

These priests are the power in the world of the Ottoman Turks. Although their ancestors were also wizards, their history of decoupling from wizards even predates the Roman Church, and more thoroughly. At that time, they already believed that their power came from the true God, and they hated wizards far more than the Roman Church - in Istanbul, werewolves and vampires could have a chance to breathe, only wizards, they could not get a little here from priests tolerant.

  Although he had already guessed it, Ahmed’s face still showed a look of disgust, as if he had seen a rotten swamp.

   "There is nothing strange about this," said the Master, "and the reason why we are here, fighting for the true God, is to purge these fallen pagans and their demonic masters."

   He nodded to Ahmed, and then waved his hand to summon the priest beside him. Although Ahmed was the Grand Vizier, when he saw this scene, he immediately backed away until he reached the side hall and leaned against the pillar.

In the empty nave, a dozen or so priests once again made a gesture of folded arms, their heads lowered, humbly, almost touching their chests, and the priest stood between them, raising their hands, Just like the stamens in a flower, after a pause for a few seconds, the old man looked at the scattered sunlight and began to recite the sacred scriptures aloud, and made complicated gestures.

After he had finished this prayer, the priest and he took off the black robe, revealing the white tunic inside, the long skirt, the black belt around the waist, the yellow hat on the head - in their teachings, the black robe is removed It means getting rid of the mortal troubles, the black belt left behind shows that they can't get rid of the mortal body for the time being, the white coat and long skirt means that they are sacred gods, as for the yellow, towering hat, it is represents the grave.

   At this time, the drums sounded, and then the flute sounded, and the priests walked around the field three times and saluted each other.

Then, in the monotonous and steady music, they turned one hand to the sky, praying for the blessing of the true God, and the other hand downward, which means to distribute this gift to the believers, and they rotate with the left foot as the center to symbolize the world. All things are born and go round and round - they will continue to rotate for a long time, tens of minutes or even hours, to approach the true God and pray for grace.

Even the Grand Vizier, Ahmed could only watch them silently and reverently, while reciting scriptures in his heart, and where he could not see, flocks of ravens, doves and eagles , fell like hail.

  ———

Varro Vesari heard a scream, he immediately ran to the next room, and saw Hood fell to the ground, his crystal ball shattered into countless bright pieces, he pressed his face, blood dripping from his fingers. flow out of the seam.

   (end of this chapter)