Continental Warriors Yoo Ma

After the attendant left, the old eunuch behind the princess began to sigh again: "They are all old slaves and incompetent. Your Royal Highness, the daughter of a daughter, actually wants to attend those barbarian banquets. I heard that these Mulholland believers like to use black and white Strong and ugly orcs are serving as servants, and when I think of those black and ugly eunuchs everywhere in the whole palace, I feel that there are dirty phoenix eyes, there are filthy phoenix eyes!"

Princess Yongfu also has nothing to do with this loyal but always fond of cranky old eunuch, she can only comfort him casually, don't let him cry anymore.

In the evening, Princess Yongfu took two thousand households to the Governor's Palace for a banquet.

This building originated from the Greek palace in the Ptolemy era. It has undergone many repairs and expansions, and it is still in use today. It is a mixture of three styles: Greece, Egypt, and Mulholland. It has a unique artistic temperament.

Princess Yongfu looked at the surrounding eaves and pillars while walking, showing admiration and even sighing from time to time.

As a citizen of China, she somewhat carried the arrogance of "the world is number one tomorrow, and the rest are barbarians" in her heart.But this time, following the trip to the West with the Sanbao eunuch, Princess Yongfu gradually let go of the arrogance in her heart after expanding her vision from the Forbidden City to the entire vast world, and began to learn to appreciate other civilizations and learn their strengths.

But there is only one thing, she firmly believes that Daming is thousands of times stronger than all the countries in the world.

That is diet.

For example, in the Mamluk Sultanate, the people still love sweets.In the past, at the banquet held by the Mamluk nobles to entertain Princess Yongfu, there were always desserts made of various fruits, especially the dates marinated in honey, which made people get goosebumps all over their bodies.

In addition to sweets, there are all kinds of greasy meat, which is not used to by Her Royal Highness, who has a light taste.

Of course, the most outrageous eating habit is that these people don't use cutlery, but grab it directly!What is the difference between this and the barbarians who drink blood?

"If the queen mother knows that one day I grabbed mutton with my hands and ate it, she will be so angry, right?" Princess Yongfu thought.

Just as Princess Yongfu expected, at tonight's banquet, the two main flavors are still sweet and greasy.

Fortunately, Her Royal Highness cut a pair of chopsticks with a sword in advance and carried them with her. Even if she couldn't protect her stomach at the banquet, she could at least protect the elegance and decency of the Ming royal family.

There are more than a dozen guests attending the banquet tonight.As the host, Barsbey sat at the top, and the other guests sat on the left and right.

Princess Yongfu has inquired in advance that at the banquet tonight, besides herself, there are three most distinguished guests, namely Uzun Hassan from the Aries Sultanate, Ottoman Prince Muhammad, and a A young man honored as the Prophet of Destiny.

Chapter 390

Among the many guests at the dinner, the 13-year-old Ismail was undoubtedly the one that Princess Yongfu paid the most attention to.

Because he is the most powerful professional among them.Princess Yongfu felt that this magic user was at least as powerful as herself.At the same age, I can't beat Ismail.It's no wonder that when other teenagers were still learning to play, Ismail could become the leader of the religious order and be followed by tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people.

"If I hadn't stepped out and seen it with my own eyes, how would I have thought that there would be such an amazingly talented young man outside of Daming?" Princess Yongfu sighed in her heart.

But what she didn't know was that the Sufi sect taught by Mulholland has a special system of power inheritance, which is somewhat similar to the "initiation and transmission of skills" in martial arts novels.If Ismail hadn't inherited the god-given power passed down from his grandfather, it would be impossible for the young Ismail to achieve what he is today.

It's just that even if Mulholland World has recently risen and is a highly anticipated young genius, Ismail is still a little immature in dealing with people and things.

Tonight's welcome banquet hosted by the Mamluk sultan was supposed to be full of fun and enjoyment.As a result, Ismail put on a gloomy face as soon as he was seated, and he was unsmiling in the middle of the banquet, so the whole atmosphere became a little delicate.

The reason for Ismail's displeasure was that Barsbey provided a lot of wine at the banquet.Uh, maybe it's more appropriate to call it "fermented date juice", "fermented grape juice", "highly distilled grain essence".

At this time, in the laws of the Mamluk Sultanate, drinking alcohol was legal, and only brewing was a crime.It was just to take care of fellow teachers who were guests from other countries, so Barsbey changed the names of the various alcoholic drinks at the banquet, and he had the right to hide his embarrassment.

The native Egyptian nobles who participated in the banquet, as well as the guests from the Ottoman and Aries Sultanate, didn't mind this practice, and were happy to enjoy the happiness brought by alcohol.

It's just that Ismail is very unhappy.

The Safavid religious group he led was known for its radical fanaticism.Ismail himself is also a devout believer who strictly abides by religious rules.Even if he doesn't want to be a fanatical believer in his heart, in order to gain the support of the church, he can only carry the banner of radicalism and extremes.

In the middle of the banquet, Ismail finally couldn't bear the indulgent drinking and depraved atmosphere. With a cold snort, he left the Governor's Palace with two guards wrapped in black cloth.

"Uh..." The Mamluk Sultan, who was holding a wine glass, looked at Ismail who left the table angrily. He was taken aback for a moment, and then laughed loudly. , we can enjoy food more freely! Cheers!"

After speaking, he drank the wine in the golden wine glass in one gulp, wiped his neck soaked in the purple wine, and belched hard.

Compared with the young Ismail, who can be called a dragon among men, Barsbey, the Mamluk Sultan who now rules the world's most powerful country in Mulholland, is very unbearable.

Today's Mamluk dynasty is ruled by the Mamluks of Burji lineage in Egypt.

The original meaning of Mamluk is "military slave". Since the Abbasid dynasty, the caliphs began to use these rootless slaves to form the Janissaries to strengthen the monarchy.

Perhaps it is the tradition left behind by the Roman Empire in Egypt for hundreds of years, and the "Principal Guard Succession Law" was also learned by the Mamluks.After mastering the power of the military regime, the Mamluks began to play the trick of abolishing the establishment of the sultan, until Shajar officially changed the dynasty, replacing the Ayyubid dynasty and establishing the Mamluk dynasty.

Because a large part of the origin of the Mamluks is slaves purchased from foreign countries, there are many appearances in this class that are different from those of the Mediterranean race.The Burgi Mamluks who rule the country today are the Circassians from the Caucasus.

Thanks to his pedigree, Barsbey has a high nose, deep eyes, and regular features, which can be called a dignified appearance.However, Princess Yongfu only had four words for him: embroidered pillow.

The Mamluk Sultanate has now reached the late stage of the dynasty. Until it was annexed by the Ottoman Empire, the successive Sultans did not have a wise king, and almost all of them were incompetent guys.

Among these sultans, Barsbey was considered one of the better ones, but he was greedy and cruel.

After Ismail, the heretic of the Yellow Moon Sect, left, the guests of the Green Moon Sect in Mulholland played music and danced.

Princess Yongfu naturally became the central figure at the banquet.Apart from her beauty and strength, the reason why other guests are willing to befriend Her Highness the Princess is naturally because of her nationality.

Before the rise of the Aries Dynasty, it was a vassal of the Timurid Empire. Ottoman and Mamluk, the brothers and sisters, were beaten violently by a lame man.However, Timur, who cast a huge shadow on the three sultanates, once paid tribute to Ming Dynasty.This humiliating experience was witnessed by the Castilian envoys, and then passed on.

Amidst the aristocrats from all over the world flattering the distinguished guests of Ming Dynasty, the banquet was finally over.Princess Yongfu has almost figured out the current political situation in the Mediterranean.

She doesn't care about the conflict between the Seven Holy Church and the Mulholran Church.It's just that in order to return to Daming, she can only temporarily stand on the side of the Mulholland Cult, so she still spent some time trying to understand the enemy she was about to face.

However, when she heard that one of the crusader leaders on the side of the Seven Sacred Cult was likely to be as wise as herself, she had other plans in her mind.

From the exchanges during this period, Princess Yongfu has long seen that the Mamluk Sultan is not a reliable monarch.He said that he would help him build new ships in the port of Aden in the Arabian Peninsula, but who knows if this promise will be realized in the end.

Looking at the yellow sandy Arabian Peninsula, there are no trees suitable for shipbuilding at all, and timber must be imported from East Africa or islands in the Indian Ocean.If the Mamluk Sultanate is still strong and can exert influence on many small countries and nomadic tribes in the Arabian Peninsula, then whether it is shipbuilding materials or other problems, it will be easy to solve.

But the problem is that the Mamluk Sultanate is now in a continuous decline, and its regional influence is not as good as before.

Especially three years ago, because of the ravages of the plague, a large number of farmers died, and there was a famine in Egypt, which dealt a heavy blow to the strength of the Mamluk Sultanate.

Can you believe that there will be a famine in a country with a large granary on the Nile River?

Today, three years later, although the country has gradually begun to recover, it is far from being strong and prosperous.And when the Egyptian peasants were hit by plague and famine one after another and were still starving, the Mamluk ruling class, from the Sudan to the low-level emirs, was still extorting money from the peasants, and then transferred the precious Grain was sold to foreign merchants to maintain their extravagant life.

Can such a country be good?cannot.

Princess Yongfu believed in Barsbey's promise, but did not believe in his ability.

Moreover, the precondition offered by the other party was that she was required to help the Mulhollan Jihad Army defeat the pagan invaders in Europe.

Princess Yongfu is not optimistic about whether the Mulhollan Crusade can defeat the Seven Holy Crusades.

Although the three major forces participating in the Jihad Army - Mamluks, Ottomans, and Aries - are all regional powers, and there are many talents among the leaders, there are also many contradictions.

The Aries Sultanate faced pressure from both Timur and Ottoman, and was farthest away.Rather than saying that Uzun Hassan came to participate in the jihad and beat up heretics, it is better to say that he came to gain prestige and piety in order to give an explanation to domestic religious fanatics.

Ottoman is also facing pressure from Aries and the Seven Holy Kingdoms of the Balkans, and it is impossible to fully respond to the call for jihad.Moreover, the Ottoman prince with extraordinary ability, according to his remarks, seems to be more interested in destroying the lingering Roman Empire.

As the number one power in the Mulholland world at this time, the Mamluks' status is relatively detached, and there are no irreconcilable mortal enemies.It's just that other countries are already dissatisfied with this declining power.

Especially Ottoman.

The Ottoman Sultan who conquered a large area of ​​the Balkans, defeated the Crusaders at Nicopolis, and was finally captured by the lame Timur, Bayezid I, nicknamed Lightning, was still from the Caliph who became a Mamluk puppet. Obtaining the title of "Sultan of the Roman Province" is the first legal and reasonable title that has been widely recognized by the world of Mulholland. It is so much higher than the previous self-proclaimed titles.

Today, the former big brother Mamluk has begun to decline, and the ambitious Ottomans naturally begin to worry about the things that were once canonized by the Mamluk.Will that ambitious Ottoman prince willingly obey the command of Mamluks in the jihad and be a conscientious tool man?

Princess Yongfu did not believe that the Mulholland Crusade, which was full of contradictions, could defeat the Seven Holy Crusaders, so she made up her mind to prepare with both hands.

Of course, if she knew that the European countries that participated in the Crusades were actually of similar virtues, and that nothing was worth it, she might change her mind.

Walking on the dark corridor, when she was heading to the stables, Princess Yongfu suddenly stopped and whispered behind her: "Niu Qianhu, Ma Qianhu, pay attention!"

The two Qianhu looked terrified, and immediately drew their swords in their hands.

At this moment, a small figure came out from the darkness of the backlight.

"A beautiful princess from the Land of Silk, I am Ismail, the Sheikh of the Safavid Order, the Mahdi who inherited the power of the first prophet, and the descendant of the Komnene family." The boy introduced himself to Princess Yongfu .

After secretly complaining about "what a long title", Princess Yongfu saluted and asked, "Mr. Ismail, may I ask you to stop me, what's your business?"

Chapter 390 II Genoa Fleet

"Your Royal Highness, I know that you want to lead your subordinates back to their homeland in the East as soon as possible. But this is not an easy task. The land route is long and dangerous, and the sea route is long and dangerous. There are many difficulties. Without the help of local rulers, it will be more difficult to do it."

Ismail changed the subject and said again: "If I am willing to help you, I believe you will be able to set foot on your homeland as soon as possible."

"Mr. Ismail, the Sultan of Barsbey has promised to provide me with ships. As far as I know, in the Eastern Mediterranean, and even in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, the Mamluks can be regarded as extremely powerful sea power. Which country can help me return to my hometown, it must be it. May I ask, what are you better than Barsbey Sultan?"

The young man raised his head confidently, and said loudly: "Your Highness, I am better than Barsbey in every aspect. At today's banquet, you have already seen his virtues. Apart from drinking and having fun, looting money , He can’t do anything except boasting! Several months have passed, and our Jihad Army is still stagnant, like a mess! It is impossible to succeed with this kind of person.”

He added: "You may not know that I am not only the leader of the Safavid order, but also the grandson of the Aries Sultan. When I say that I am a descendant of the Komnen family, I am not a far-fetched self-boast. My grandmother , from the Trebizond Empire, is the orthodox Komnenos princess!"

This news surprised Princess Yongfu.

Unexpectedly, at the banquet before, the Aries Sultan who did not express anything about Ismail's unauthorized departure was actually Ismail's grandfather!

She thought about it, and thought that it was probably because the two believed in different Mulholland sects, so the relationship—or the relationship that was deliberately shown in front of outsiders was not close.

"Your Highness, I can not only mobilize the resources of the Safavid Church, but also have great influence within the territory of the Aries Sultanate. I can help you reach Basra by land, and then give you ten Arabian fast boats. In this way, Your fleet can set sail from the Persian Gulf and return to Siris."

The plan proposed by Ismail is actually similar to Barsbey's plan in terms of the distance.But the vigorous young man in front of him is obviously more reliable than the middle-aged uncle who indulged in drinking and sex.

Moreover, the return that Ismail asked Princess Yongfu was easier to achieve.

"Your Highness, I just need you to do me a favor, and I will provide you with all-out assistance on your journey home."

"What are you busy with?"

"Help me attack a European fleet..." Ismail said.

He was referring to the Genoese who are now buying food in Alexandria.

Ismail knew that this batch of grain was transported back to Europe to supply the Crusaders.The behavior of the Mamluks selling grain to the enemy without hesitation is really extremely stupid. It is a betrayal of the entire Mulholran world and the true god Ankabal!

Therefore, he decided to launch an attack on this fleet.It would be great if it could sink one-third to one-half of the grain ships.

An army short of food will not last long, and may even collapse without a fight.In this way, the invasion that Tunisia faces in the future will be weakened a lot.

Moreover, for the Mamluks, Genoa's gold coins have already been earned, even if they know that they have attacked the Seven Saints without authorization, Barsbey will not be too angry.Most privately complained about Ismail, undermining the "good business environment" in Alexandria.

It's just that the sea power of the Aries Sultanate is all in the Persian Gulf, and he has no ships available in the Mediterranean.Fortunately, by virtue of Ismail's own prestige, from the Balkans to Anatolia, to Syria and Egypt, and Tripolitania, there are many Mulholland pirates, sea merchants, sailors, fishermen, etc., at sea People who ask for a living voluntarily joined his subordinates.

However, this patchwork fleet of [-] ships, large and small, is not yet the opponent of the Genoese.

So Ismail hopes that Princess Yongfu, who owns three oriental giant ships, can join.In this way, the odds of winning are much higher.

Princess Yongfu thought about it, and felt that the suggestion made by the boy in front of her was more reliable than that of the Mamluk Sultan, so she nodded and agreed to his invitation.

……

The situation hidden under the prosperous trade in Alexandria is undercurrents and constantly changing.But the Genoa fleet didn't know that it had been targeted by two groups of enemies.

Since only four ships were able to enter the port each day to load goods, it was not until early March that all merchant ships were loaded with purchased food and ready to sail back to Europe.

The commander leading this fleet was Admiral Rinaldo di Adorno of Genoa.

This naval commander who has just turned 42 years old and is in his prime comes from the famous Adorno family of the Republic of Genoa.This family and the Campofregoso family, where the current Governor of Genoa belongs, are the two strongest aristocratic forces in Genoa. Just like the Republicans and Democrats in the United States in later generations, the two families almost monopolize the position of Governor.

The Campofregoso family had ten doges for life, while the Adorno family had seven doges for life.

Many Genoese believe that in the face of the threat of undead pirates, the current governor, Tommaso di Campofregoso, was too weak and too conservative. He only knew passive defense and even lost half of Corsica. The island did nothing.In the end, the Republic became the tragic situation where trade is shrinking, the economy is sluggish, and the sphere of influence on the sea is being eroded by the Venetians.