People in the Middle Ages, draw cards to get promoted

Baron Fulk opened his eyes a little tiredly. In front of him was a cage made of logs - there were many such cages. Looking around, he couldn't count how many cages there were in his sight.

The air was filled with a foul stench, and from time to time someone would let out a muffled wail.

Someone nearby has started talking nonsense.

He subconsciously followed the sound and found that it was a soldier who had his armor removed and was only wearing a pair of worn linen trousers. The wound on his leg was covered with dense blowflies.

He quickly looked away.

Baron Fulk vaguely remembered that he was hit on the helmet by a flying chain hammer (meteor hammer) from the enemy, causing him to fall off his horse and unable to escape in time.

So you are being captured?

At this time, he saw a Crusader soldier wearing a red and yellow burqa walking over. He had a large bunch of keys tied around his waist. He was obviously the guard of these cages.

He subconsciously opened his mouth to explain his identity, and immediately saw the guard shouting loudly: "Boss, Master Tiberius wants us to immediately pull all the cowards who escaped from the battle to the square and execute them."

"I know, do it immediately!"

Following the guard's line of sight, he saw a man with one eye and a striking scar on his face. He cursed and said: "Those idiots who are bitches drink good wine and fuck Greek chicks every day, but let us watch them all day long. This group of pagan dogs, it’s time to scare these weaklings soaked in wine jars.”

The guard responded with a sneer: "Yes, boss, I still have a bottle of good wine hidden there, how about we tonight?"

"cough--"

Guard Scar coughed lightly, glanced at the prisoners peeping next to him, and said with a sinister expression: "You dirty pagan dogs had better be honest and stop playing tricks. You can leave safely as soon as the ransom is paid, otherwise "

He pointed to the side, hanging on the gallows. After only one day, the body seemed to have dried.

Subsequently.

Right under the eyes of the prisoners, a group of "Franks' own men" were tied up in shackles or straw ropes, pushed and escorted to the square - no matter which army they were in, deserting before battle was unforgivable.

Fulk looked at this scene, and his original enthusiasm to reveal his identity gradually cooled down.

"you're awake…"

Behind him, a familiar and powerful voice sounded.

Fulk turned around and said in surprise: "Ivan?"

"You were captured too?"

A familiar face Mamluk next to him said sourly: "If you hadn't saved you, we wouldn't have been surrounded by enemy troops."

These words made Fulk ashamed.

Ivan looked calm and calm.

"I once swore to you in front of the battle. No matter who you were or what gods you believed in, you are all my brothers. If the brothers are trapped in the enemy camp, can they give up?

It's a pity that all the money we brought with us was stored in the camp. After the Crusaders captured the camp, it all belonged to them and they were unable to pay our ransom.Otherwise, we should all be on our way home by now. "

Fulk was at a loss for a moment: "I will try my best to help everyone leave safely. I know the housekeeper of Marquis Lothar and Baron Leonard's wife."

"Fulk, don't do anything unnecessary. The Franks are asking for money, and Master Takidin will prepare enough ransom for us."

Ivan shook his head.

Fulk was silent.

There are thousands of thoughts in my mind.

In the battle, he killed his own Crusader knights, and there might even be a real noble knight among them. (A knight is a title, but it is also a profession. Many nobles, from kings to barons, are knights)

Once identified, he would be considered a murderer and a blasphemer.

Ivan continued: "Fulk, if you want to return to your territory in Languedoc, I suggest you not to identify yourself now and wait until the Franks let us leave before leaving. Don't let anyone know who you are. Joined us once.”

"Ivan!"

Fulk was deeply moved.

The Mamluks, who had been following Ivan for a long time, said with an angry look on their faces: "Fulk, I got into this just to save you. Are you such an ungrateful and ungrateful villain? Even Gypsies and Jews are worse than You understand kindness better."

Ivan reprimanded: "That's enough, Nuler, stop talking. Fulk is different from us. He never joined us voluntarily."

Fulk was silent for a long time and suddenly said: "I will not go back, Ivan. From now on, I will follow you - maybe now, my brother is being invited out of the monastery by the family with a face of surprise to succeed me. title."

In fact, it is more likely that his territory will be taken over by his lord, the Count of Carcassonne due to his disappearance-unless news of his death is sent back, he is likely to keep it in trust.

If Fulk bears the reputation of "having served pagan demons", even if the Crusaders let him go, he will have no place to stay in his territory after returning to his territory, and he will even be sentenced to hang by his lord and the church court.

What's more, the Crusaders couldn't be that kind.

Even Marquis Lothar has a reputation as a "bloody butcher" when it comes to dealing with the pagan leaders.

boom--

At this time, Guard Scar impatiently knocked on the wooden fence of the cell with the beam stick in his hand: "Be quiet, are you guys trying to escape from prison in secret? I warn you all to be honest."

Ivan raised his head and hummed softly: "What if I say no."

Scar's only remaining eye showed a dangerous light: "What did you say? Pagan dog."

Ivan raised his tone and said, "You still don't know what kind of important person you have imprisoned. I am an important minister under Lord Takidin, and I command an entire Mamluk cavalry general."

"How dare a prisoner be so arrogant?"

Guard Scar pulled out the weapon in his hand and said with a sinister expression: "No matter how big an official you are, you are still under my control now, do you understand?"

Ivan changed his position and leaned against the cage with a look of disdain: "I'm just a brainless idiot. You still don't understand what my identity means - it means that I am now your lord's money bag. , understand?”

Guard Scar's face suddenly froze.

Ivan lowered his voice and said coldly: "Now, prepare a meal for me and the soldiers under my command. I also need a doctor to look at the legs of the poor guy in front of me that are covered with flies.

Otherwise, when my lord pays the ransom, I will definitely scold your lord - because of you, he lost at least five hundred golden coins! "

Scar's guard's one eye flashed with a dangerous light. He hesitated for a long time, then put the half-drawn weapon back into its sheath with a clang: "Wait, I want to ask my lord for instructions."

Ivan made a confident gesture of "please leave without seeing him off".

Looking around, facing the admiring gazes, he blinked at Fulk: "Have you learned?" Fulk couldn't help laughing and said: "Awesome!"

With such an interruption, he had almost forgotten the original frustration in his heart. It seemed that it would be good to follow this interesting man like Ivan from now on - anyway, he was already an enemy of the Guardian of the Holy Spear and an unforgivable sinner. .

The man opened the curtain of the tent and said excitedly:

"Derem, deserters are being executed in the square, why don't you watch the fun?"

Derem was drinking wine, his nose was red. Hearing this, he stood up and grabbed the man's neck: "You bastard, almost half of our brothers are dead. Do you still have the heart to watch the fun?"

The man was stunned for a moment and said angrily: "So what? Can I make my brothers come back to life by hiding in a tent like you and not going out to see anyone all day long? This is a war with the Saracens. During the Latin War, didn't you think about what a big man Saladin was before you brought us here? With just one finger, he could crush Rauf the Impaler who was riding on our heads, like this When big men go to war, don’t you know the price?”

He violently twisted away Derem's hand that was clamping his collar, and cursed: "We are just a group of poorly equipped nomads. Those slave cavalry, Cumans, and Turks, who are not better than us - we are still here They were already killing people when they were herding sheep.”

Seeing Derem's stunned expression, the man continued:

"Wake up, any achievements or knighthoods are not important! We are the most lucky to be alive now!"

Derem sat on the ground a little decadently.

He covered his face: "Ali, did you think that when Sheikh and the others agreed to join us in the army, did they expect this result?"

In this battle, their meritorious service was not enough to win even a title of "cavalry". There were eighteen of them when they came, but now there are only ten left, almost half of whom were dead. The merit they gained in exchange was only three Mamluks. .

As light cavalry, the effect they can exert in a frontal cavalry confrontation is too limited.

Ali grabbed Derem's shoulders angrily: "Cheer up, Derem, you are the captain of our company. Next, we will follow your command to go on an expedition to Egypt."

Derem looked at his people numbly: "I also want to cheer up, but now you tell me, after I go back, what should I explain to the parents of my dead brothers? What should I explain to Sheikh? Go fight Egypt, How many lives will be lost?"

Ali was silent for a moment and murmured: "The pension provided by the Marquis to the war dead is very high. On average, everyone can settle down in Alandre and be allocated a piece of land on which to build their own building." 's farm"

Derem sighed. Under Lothar's command, even those who died in battle could be properly accommodated. This was a great blessing among misfortunes, but it would not make him feel any better.

"Ali, you are the only one left in your family, right?"

Ali said "Yeah" and his voice became choked. They had lost too many brothers while serving in the military for Rauf and escaping from Rauf's territory. The one who came out with them this time was already Shayo. Most of them are young and strong.

Derem thought again of his heroic words when he left.

He couldn't help but smile bitterly and said: "If I had not asked the Knights of Ulm to fight, but had honestly fulfilled our duties as scouts, things would not have ended up like this. I am sorry for my brothers."

The tent was thrown open.

"No one blames you, boss!"

"This is also our own choice. There are no cowards in the Shayo Department!"

A group of young scouts from the Sayou tribe crowded into the tent. Each of them was tanned but very energetic. These young scouts had good riding skills. After the baptism of war, they were already considered to be Be a real warrior now.

Derem couldn't help but choked up: "Are you still willing to recognize me as your leader?"

"of course."

"It's none other than you!"

"It's not your fault. If it weren't for your command, we might have been wiped out long ago."

"Here, you are the only one who can speak the Franks. It would be impossible to deal with the Franks without you."

Everyone responded in a flurry of voices.

"Are they all there?"

Outside the tent, a young knight wearing a red robe walked in.

"It's quite lively."

He just briefly looked at the furnishings in the tent and basically understood what was going on.

"Lord Ulm."

Everyone greeted one after another.

Their scout team is now considered a cavalry team directly affiliated with Ulm. It is considered a die-hard supporter of Ulm. Even if some people have no good impression of the Franks, they have almost never known Ulm and the Franks. Lothar, who had met him before, was also full of respect.

"Tell you the good news."

"what?"

Ulm said with a smile: "Your Sheikh, old Hassan led a group of old men from your Shajo tribe and beheaded nearly a hundred people in the battle of Ella Port. They have made outstanding contributions. Mr. Andreas wanted to promote old Hassan." Become tribune of Alaindel and knight him, but he asks that this opportunity be given to you."

Everyone was stunned, their faces full of disbelief.

Derem didn't know whether to be happy or sad for a moment.

He said with a complicated expression: "Shehe is so old, how can he still make such a great contribution?"

Ulm smiled and said: "I was also surprised when the news came, but it is the truth. Lord Andreas told me along with the letter that there is a very interesting proverb circulating in Port Ella."

"what?"

"Old dogs also have good teeth."

Ulm patted Derem on the shoulder: "Go wash up and buy yourself a good robe. This afternoon, the Lord will personally award the meritorious officials of this battle, and you will be among them."

Derim: "."

In the envious eyes of all the friends.

Derem felt that his whole body was light and airy. Is there any surprise?Of course!

But more than anything, it was a heavy feeling that weighed him down so much that he couldn't even breathe and wanted to cry.

"My lord, do you think I am really qualified to be canonized as a knight?"

Ulm smiled and raised his hand to put on Derem's shoulder: "Of course, although you are still a little immature now, I believe that you will become a qualified commander before long."

This recognition from the person he admired most made Derem's eyes red for a moment.