Eagle Byzantium

Faced with the proposal of the Earl of Flanders, Godfrey, as the commander-in-chief, did not respond. His eyes were red, and his wrist anxiously stroked the cross-shaped hilt. There was an uneasy friction sound between the leather and the metal handle, and everyone was silent. He waited for his answers and instructions, but a long time passed, and Godfrey still didn't say a word, just trembling, as if possessed by a demon.

Baldwin behaved this time, and he remembered what Gawain had said to him before, "You are still young, and it is best to go along with it in everything."

So he sat on the seat behind his brother and lowered his head.

In the end, it was Tancred who was full of enthusiasm. He had flaxen hair disheveled and was wearing chainmail and a robe. He stood up first and pointed to the south. "Now, the Lord's tomb and countless churches are waiting for us." to rescue, and some prudent considerations turned to Damascus, allowing them to continue in the evil and filthy alien world. Let the disciple sink under the horse's whip? No, let alone a year, half a year, three months, not even a week, not even a day! If no one is willing to let the horse take another step, then I will go and fight alone. The pagans who defended the city fought to the death. After my death, I will have no regrets as long as I bury my bones next to the main tomb.”

At this time, Baldwin rolled his eyes and took the opportunity to stand up. "The enemies claimed by the guards now have no leaders. Although they claim to threaten 60,000 soldiers, in fact, I estimate that there are no more than 5,000 who can fight. The rest are just fill-ins." The mob was already hiding in Damascus, the Prime Minister of Babylon, Avdel, was retreating to Ashkelon and doing nothing. The door is opened to us, and the victor will regain the Lord's tomb and gain eternal honor; while the war dead will directly be martyred to atone for all their crimes and ascend to heaven. Why are we hesitating? Pull out your swords. , chanting the slogan of Deus Vult, drowning the holy city in the blood of pagans, to thank the Lord for the suffering he suffered on the cross for us people!”

"Deus Vult!" All the lords and knights, including Earl Robert, were infected by the rapidly burning enthusiasm. They lost unnecessary timidity and caution, and waved their arms and shouted, and then drew their swords and violently attacked each other. Hitting.

"We need clergy to consecrate weapons for us." Someone shouted.

But at this moment, Godfrey also stood up and suddenly placed a box on the table, in the middle surrounded by everyone's swords. "What is contained in this is the heart of my former standard-bearer. He died on the pilgrimage." I took out his heart and vowed to take it with me to pay a pilgrimage to the Lord’s tomb. Tomb, now is the time when I must fulfill my promise. My injury leaves me no idea how much time is left, but the only thing the Almighty Lord told me to understand is, don’t hesitate, don’t hesitate, our sword blade. Stained with the filthy blood of pagans, this is true consecration!”

"That's right. If necessary, I can perform the consecration ceremony on my behalf." Peter, the hermit holding a staff in the corner, was so excited that his thin body seemed to be bursting with intense flames.

Following the Duke's call, all the pilgrims in the entire Ramla camp for dozens of miles went crazy. After receiving the order to "attack the city wall and liberate the Holy City and the Holy Tomb," they all broke out of the camp. , gathered in groups into a dark ocean, they were regardless of class or class. Whether they are nobles, knights, ladies, infantrymen, farmers, monks, or rough and unknown country tramps, they are all closely together now, holding hands in a crowded procession, holding various kinds of banners. The holy relics, loudly singing their praises, swarm up in several winding roads.

At length they ascended to the plateau opposite the Holy City, and Jerusalem lay as far as they could see, with its long walls and towers, the spiers of its various temples, its surrounding valleys and olive groves, its borders murmuring The flowing streams and springs were clearly revealed in front of everyone's eyes. The clouds split and golden sunlight shone on the highlands. , the clothes of the ant-like soldiers and civilians were all coated with sacred colors. Some of them cried excitedly, and some laughed wildly. Many people knelt down, regardless of men and women, old and young, they all took out their With the jars tied around their necks and shoulders, they dug out a handful of soil from the Holy City with their hands and put it into the jars. Some even swallowed the soil into their mouths.

Godfrey at the front of the queue was also kneeling. He cut his hair with a sword, tears streaming down his face, and then inserted the blade into the soil in front of his knees. He kept kissing the hilt of the sword wildly and fiercely, begging for the Lord's mercy. , begging the Lord’s forgiveness, and repenting sadly for such a late arrival.

"My Lord, from now on you will regain the authority and keys of the kingdom of truth until eternity, until eternity..."

At the same time, in the distant Anatolia Plateau, beside Milio Cephalon Fortress, Gawain was sitting on the high tower of the gate tower, watching the siege drill of the Red Hand Brigade and the Seleucia Civilian Army below.

All the red-handed cavalry, because they did not participate in the drill, were all lined up in front of the city gate to watch. The horses were neatly gathered at the horse piles behind them, without any disorder amidst the continuous thunderous noise.

After three months of frantic repairs, the entire fortress of Milio Cephalon has been declared completed. It built a sloping wall of bricks and earth along the original rock. Gedier built reinforcements on the battlements overlooking the road. watchtower with five Rod cannon was used to counter the enemy's stone attack on the opposite side; on the North Hill, which was originally captured by the emperor, Gedier built a separate small fort to guard several passages (Conya, Little Antioch), There are independent stables inside for cavalry to quickly attack.

As for the original sub-city, Gedier also integrated it with the main city with city walls and gates, and retained the independent Khitan Snow Warehouse. Because of the need to guard against fire, Gedier integrated the remaining warehouses, such as weapons, The grain and forage growers are all set up in the big city - the big city, the sub-city, the small city in the Beiqiu, and the Mut Valley, are all connected by cross-walled corridors for mutual communication, and the regulations are similar to the ancient Hadrian's Wall.

In the territory outside the fortress, Gawain personally recruited tens of thousands of peasants with sacred salaries and began to cultivate the wheat recommended by Zhao Zhao on a large scale to support the stockpiling of the fortress military station.

As for Little Antioch, Gawain entrusted Hajib with confidence, won over a group of Romghazi who were still loyal to Masud's banner, and took in hundreds of Isaurian bandits to garrison and monitor the direction of Konya.

In addition, Gawain really did what he said. He mobilized soldiers and civilians, and really imitated the regulations of Kayseri Castle. He built a one-to-one model with earth fortresses in the wilderness near Miliocephalon Fortress. Red Hand Brigade and Seleucia Civilian Army attack drill!

Gawain on the watchtower saw amidst the earth-shattering thunder, fire and smoke, the five cannons of the craftsman company's "siege position" threw iron fire like rain and slag, instantly enveloping "Kayseri". Amid the terrifying fireworks—then , several large Plani cannons further away, under the constant instructions of the watchtower gunners, adjusted their gun mounts, firing one round after another, filling up the "towers" piled high by "Kayseri" one by one. Then one smashed...

"Very good, now I want to see the infantry's ability to attack the city." Gao Wenzhi said proudly. (To be continued ~^~)