People in the Middle Ages, draw cards to get promoted

Chapter 571 Coptic New Soldiers

time flies.

The strongest companies of the Crusaders who remained in Damietta have already entered the city of Semanude.

Merchants who heard the news arrived with large supply fleets loaded with food, weapons, and Crusaders, nobles, and pilgrims, and docked at the port of Debors in front of Semanude.

The front line of the Crusaders has gradually shifted from Damietta to Semanude.

With the city of Semanud as its center, the territory originally belonging to Governor Mahri was rapidly eroded.

The port of Bulls and several important castles along the shores of Lake Bruluc were all brought under Lothar's control.

As for the villages under its jurisdiction, Lothar no longer sent people to collect taxes and food. These people had already been plundered by Governor Mahri in the name of "resisting the Frankish barbarians", and there was really no money to be made from them.

In order to prevent these farmers who had nothing to lose from taking risks, Lothar not only did not rob them, but forced the local chiefs to open their granaries and release their grain. When he left, he did not take a single bag of grain with him, but only confiscated the local chiefs' arsenals, taking away most of their weapons, armor, and even the iron ingots in the blacksmith's shop.

In the Crusader camp in the city.

Hans said with emotion, "You can't imagine the look in the eyes of those hungry peasants when they saw the leaders who usually claimed that all taxes were handed over to Governor Mahri open their granaries full of grain."

Veneto said, "Your Excellency is trying to divide the relationship between the local chieftains and the lower-class peasants. Perhaps once the Crusaders leave, the food they were given will be handed back. Later, when the local chieftains want to raise their arms and incite them to fight for the 'Holy Fire', these guys will definitely have to think about whether these chieftains are tricking them into committing suicide."

Hans shook his head and said, "Your Excellency has also confiscated the arsenals of those local chieftains. To be honest, I don't think those local chieftains dare to 'raise their arms'. It's difficult for them to even protect their granaries from being looted by the peasants."

As the two talked, they turned their eyes to the training ground in the camp.

More than fifty Coptic recruits were training in two groups, holding spears and shields. The spears in their hands did not have spearheads installed, but even without spearheads, it would hurt for a long time if they were stabbed by wooden sticks.

Therefore, their training battle was quite intense.

In recent days, monks of the Order of St. Lazarus and Coptic clergy have been preaching on the streets every day, distributing herbs for free and treating civilians.

This approach has won the trust of a group of Copts. Therefore, in recent days, more and more Copts have come to the Crusaders' recruitment offices to join the army.

"Pause."

"Veneto, go get one of the spears they use, let's practice sparring and give these little guys a demonstration!"

Veneto had a constipated expression on his face: "Why don't you just leave the training of new soldiers to me? Why do you have to get involved?"

Hans smiled and said, "I can't just pick an ordinary person to practice with, right?"

As soon as the two came on the field, they were quickly greeted with cheers from the Coptic recruits.

Hans was actually a very charismatic young man. Even though he suddenly rose to a high position and acquired the blood of the wolf clan, he never showed his domineering side in front of ordinary soldiers and civilians.

Although the time was still short, he still received unanimous support from the recruits.

The two men's sparring dazzled the recruits and they were amazed.

After they stopped, they still felt the experience was unforgettable and breathtaking.

Veneto put down his spear, walked aside and said with a frown: "The decisive battle with Adil is only a few days away. No matter how much they train, they probably won't be able to be of much use."

Hans shook his head: "You don't understand."

Although the combat effectiveness of these Coptic recruits is very average, even after a period of training, they will most likely only be used as "filling lines" when they go to the battlefield in the future, and they are the lowest-level consumables.

Although the conscript profession is also a system military branch, the combat experience it can bring to them is pitifully little.

But the significance of these people is that they are willing to spend a fortune to buy horse bones.

"Why don't I understand? It's just the same old trick of dividing and winning over."

Veneto said with some disdain.

Hans nodded: "Indeed."

"Since they learned we were coming, many farmers have fled. This is what some big merchants in the city said. In fact, the harvest season has long passed, and the farmers' flight would not cause a surge in food prices. The granaries in Semanud City have long been full of food."

As for why food prices skyrocketed, it was of course a way for local big businessmen to recover their losses.

"These people can't survive anymore, so they choose to join the army. Although anyone with a bit of common sense should know that they should wait until we and Adil decide the winner before choosing sides, they simply don't have the time to wait."

What is a troublemaker?

Once a person can no longer survive, moral shackles and legal provisions will no longer have any meaning to them, and they will become thugs - so Losa takes this matter very seriously.

He has already begun work to stabilize food prices.

The way is naturally not to negotiate with local merchants in a gentle manner. That would be too cheap. We are Crusaders and Frankish barbarians. If we don’t use some barbaric methods, can we still be called "barbarians"?

In any case, the citizens of Semanud did not have the courage to raise the banner of rebellion before the Crusaders and Adil decided the outcome.

As for colluding with the enemy from inside and outside and secretly communicating with them during wartime, even if this incident had not happened, it would not affect them from doing so.

After Hans finished speaking, he gave an order: "Gallio, after the training is over, take twenty people and follow me."

There are also some tips on how to bring them along.

Using their mouths to publicize the inhumane practices of the upper class of the urban middle class is obviously more trustworthy than doing it themselves, and it is also a way to divide them.

People at the bottom are always easy to incite, and their distrust of people at the top is also innate. Hans is very clear about the profound meaning of what he is about to do.

the other side.

"Do they think they can buy off the Semanud people with these small favors?"

Master Saman, a representative of the urban middle class, a businessman who started out as a tailor and made his fortune in the fabric business, was sitting in his low-key but luxurious mansion, listening to his subordinates' reports on the Order of Saint Lazarus.

"At most, they are just insignificant poor people. These people are cunning, hateful, mercenary, mean, and have no sense of honor. Even if they join the pagans, they will not add any strength to them, but will only consume the pagans' food and grass."

Master Saman actually belongs to the urban nobles of Semanud City. Because he donated a large amount of military supplies and food, he was named "Shekh" (chief, also used as a low-level noble title) by Governor Mahri. He is a big figure in the business world of Semanud City who has great influence.

"Hussein", the elder of the neighborhood where Gallio lived, was just the head of a caravan under his command.

"Shekh, the Franks' fighting power should not be underestimated. Even the Governor's elite guards were easily defeated by them. If they attack us, our caravan guards will definitely not be their match."

"Oh, if you had inquired about the Demon Duke, you would have known that he is actually a smart man and a staunch defender of order. He would not do that."

Master Saman raised a chubby finger and said: "In this city, one-third of the people work for me, another one-third work for me indirectly, and only the remaining one-third is under the jurisdiction of the governor. If I die..."

He put two fingers together.

"The whole city will be paralyzed. The Demon Duke is very smart and different from those thugs."

His tone was very relaxed: "I think it won't be long before this demon duke will come to visit in person. I don't know how much money and food it will take to satisfy this demon duke's appetite."

but it does not matter.

Over the years, he had accumulated a lot of wealth and could withstand such a loss.

Moreover, he could recover part of his losses by manipulating food prices and hoarding goods.

(End of this chapter)