Eagle Byzantium

The edict issued by the new Holy See spread like thunder across the entire Apennine Peninsula in an instant. Thousands of pilgrims rushed like crazy to the ports on the coastline, such as Bari, Ravenna, Taranto, etc. , hoping to board any ship and sail out to sea. They heard that the Anatolian plateau is a land as rich as the Holy City. In various places, various regular or grassroots church personnel, holding various messy "holy objects" including goats wearing crowns of thorns and white geese tied with purple cloth, entered their ranks and continued to encourage them. Said, “The pilgrims had previously conquered Antioch, spread the glory of the Lord, and were now heading towards the Holy Do we want to follow their path and suffer the ridicule of others? We should go to the capital of the Greek emperor first, and then go to Ancras (i.e. Ankara), where there are endless wheat fields, just bring a sickle to harvest. , then we passed through Paphlagonia and the Sivas Plateau, disappearing Kill the Turkic chiefs there, and then go straight to Great Khorasan. There are countless herds along the way, and the ground is flowing with milk and honey... Set off for Great Khorasan, set off for Great Khorasan! Not only can all your sins be washed away, but you can also receive the Lord’s gifts and rewards. Everything you conquer along the way is yours.”

From the outskirts of Bari to the seaside, there are countless large and small ships with sails like clouds and masts like forests. There are countless colorful camps of princes and civilians. It is said that the total number of armed pilgrims reached 260,000, which is not the previous estimate of Brenus. There are 120,000 people. Because there are so many people, they cannot be concentrated together, nor can they be concentrated at one time. The largest group currently gathered in Bari to go to sea is 120,000 people. They all come from Burgundy, Blois, Soissons, and the banks of the Loire, Seine and Meuse rivers. Regional - the leader of which is the powerful Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitiers Guillot William (who was the grandfather of the later famous Eleanor of Aquitaine), was accompanied by Vallott, the general counselor of the French Palace. This man had previously left Antioch and returned to France, but soon took orders again He set off on an expedition, vowing to find out the truth behind the death of the "noble Hugh", the brother of the King of France, along the way.

Accompanying him were two other counts, Count Oude of Naville and Count Alban of Bourges. These distinguished figures, after reluctantly bidding farewell to the lavish aristocratic life and chivalry, took the initiative or were forced to Put on armor, mount a war horse, and go to "the mysterious Anatolian plateau to do a small and chant-worthy military adventure."

The Duke of Aquitaine's tent was decorated with brilliant ribbons and ornaments. Troubadours came and went in and out, and the sound of orchestral music was endless, making it particularly eye-catching among the tents.

On the outer coast of the Port of Bari, Grana and his attendants were boarding the deck of a ship. This was a ship belonging to Venice. The owner of the ship, his clerks, and the crew were holding up a list to calculate: How many people can this ship carry? How much do you charge for a cabin, how much do you charge for a cabin with a bed, how much do you charge for a cabin without a bed, and how much do you charge for a person who is crowded on the deck.

When Granae smiled and carried a bag containing seven sours of silver coins and delivered it to the captain of the ship, the other party was flattered, and then resisted resolutely because he knew that the female doctor was from Bari and Seleucia, " The other pilgrims will disembark at Modon Port, and then my ship will continue to take you to Seleucia Port."

"I heard that Seleucia is at war with the Greek emperor, and ships heading to Seleucia's waters will be blocked by hot duck ships loyal to the emperor."

Facing the female doctor's question, the captain laughed, and then whispered, "If we don't go along the port of Smyrna, we will sail to Crete after leaving Modon, which is our sphere of influence - —Then, we will go directly to Cyprus, and then go around to Seleucia. Don’t worry, we will definitely deliver you. By the way, we have to transport some Cretan sulfur to be sold there. The patron saint of Gawain is very fond of it recently. Purchase these supplies.”

"It's so troublesome." The female doctor smiled gently and insisted on sending the money bag to the ship owner. "We want a spacious cabin because there are more luggage and documents."

As a result, when Granae was about to direct her entourage to carry things down, she suddenly saw two men wearing cross cloaks and carrying swords, who also climbed onto the side of the ship and followed behind her team. The captain recognized him at a glance, "You two sneaked in without paying?"

The old man walking in front of him was probably almost sixty years old, but his eyes were shining brightly, and his light yellow beard and hair were neatly combed. He winked at Grana and replied in a flirtatious tone, " Don’t you see? This beautiful and skilled lady needs an elegant and brave knight to escort her to her destination safely.”

"Dear knight, if I want to have a romantic adventure in this blue ocean, I will definitely find someone of your son's age." Grana's loving reply made the attendants laugh.

Behind the old man, the knight who was slightly younger than him but looked very low-key also burst into laughter.

But the old knight showed no shame at all. He bowed politely to the female doctor, "Joseland, from Courtenay, a relative of the last family of Eustace. Behind him is my incompetent brother Gariland, who bows to the female doctor. Greetings, beautiful lady, and my age does not prevent me from using my 'spear' bravely."

"So your boat fare..." The boat owner next to him continued to ask impatiently.

"Are you two brothers incompetent, or are you a 'little one'?" Grana's second reply with a smile continued to make the people around him laugh. They could all hear the female doctor's targeting of Jocelan. "Dirty Meme"'s reply - Grana Love, since she followed Gawain's expedition alone back then, she was naturally not a shy and incompetent noble girl in the boudoir.

But Qiao Celan still showed no signs of embarrassment and continued to talk.

"So your boat fare..." Over there, the boat owner asked for the third time.

In the end, Grana gave it to the two knights in front of her. She readily increased the shipping fare for the two knights, because she understood that the Josselan brothers must be down-and-out nobles who were going to the East to try their luck and make a comeback. "Two of them Firstly, the seats on the deck can be farther away from me, and secondly, this uncle Qiao Celan can play the strings to the moon at night. "

"Thank you. It just so happens that we two brothers want to join a relative of the Count of Adana, that is, Lord Baldwin, who is also from the Eustace family. He will definitely give us a bowl of food." Joceland, who had been paid the shipping fee in advance, spoke without shame. , and then leaned against the side of the ship, "But as a physician who is the patron of the Seleucia Hospital, this lady must be very interested in the number, leadership, and route of the second eastern expedition in the future, right?"

Hearing this, Grana's eyebrows raised slightly. (To be continued ~^~)