People in the Middle Ages, draw cards to get promoted

Chapter 572 Why don’t you bribe me!
On the training ground.

After eating and drinking his fill, Galio was given a set of "new equipment".

It consisted of an old set of lamellar armor, a Saracen-style conical pointed helmet, two crossed iron swords dyed red, an iron-clad round shield, and a traditional Saracen straight sword.

Although it is new equipment, it is obviously old. There is an inconspicuous dent on the back of the helmet, and there are indelible black bloodstains on the ropes that connect the armor plates.

When Galio was putting on the armor, he even found a large tuft of black bristles in the gaps between the armor plates.

It was obvious that its former owners must have been the elite city guards who followed Jabri, not those idle soldiers, whose equipment were far less sophisticated.

Even the old armor stripped from the dead was treasured by these Coptic recruits.

In the past, they were only equipped with a wooden shield and spear without iron hoops, and a linen robe to cover their bodies. No matter in that era, armored soldiers were the backbone of an army, not consumables to fill the ranks.

This kind of treatment is enough to show that the "Christian brothers" that the Franks always talk about are not just empty words.

Perhaps it was because of the bonus from the angel statue, or the kindness from the big shots they rarely encountered on a daily basis, or perhaps it was because of the hearty meal of meat soup and bread they had at noon. At this moment, if their loyalty could be quantified, one would see that the number had risen again.

Galio knew that this was a way to win people's hearts.

The little people at the bottom of society also have their own wisdom, cunning, mercenary, greed for life, and fear of death, but who would buy the hearts of people like them on a normal day? Are they worthy?

"Lord Faris, the Longsword Company has assembled!"

A group of Coptic recruits came in front of Hans and formed a slightly messy formation.

Hans replied in Coptic: "Come with me, I have to take you to see a lady first."

He was very studious, and when he was the Grand Master of the Royal Knights at the court of Baldwin IV, he learned some Saracen and Coptic through several court advisers. Although his languages ​​were not particularly pure, they were enough for daily communication.

A group of people walked on the street, and passers-by looked at them sideways.

Some of their old acquaintances, even the vendors and citizens who had once oppressed them, subconsciously revealed a trace of contempt on their faces. There was also an unconcealable fear, and the new recruits also cast fierce looks at them.

"Look, they're afraid of us!"

"Look at that guy! That damn, greedy Jericho who should rot in hell. I worked for him for five years for free, but in order to leave the position of master craftsman to his illegitimate son, he slandered me for stealing his property and kicked me out of his workshop!"

The urban handicraft industry is monopolized by guilds, and each worker is assigned a specific job. Craftsmen who cannot obtain a license cannot open a workshop of their own, even if they have the skills, because they are not part of the guild system. There are problems with thugs, city guards, and suppliers at any stage, and a person can lose everything.

"Brother, God will not favor such a person. Sooner or later, he will be punished for his despicable behavior."

"But I want revenge now and cut off his head with the sword in my hand."

Galio was clear-headed and said seriously, "No, brother, they are not afraid of us, but of our lord, the Duke. According to military regulations, we cannot attack civilians."

He paused, and then said, "And brother, if it weren't for the Duke's protection, that damned Jericho craftsman wouldn't be afraid of a soldier like you who hasn't had a few days of training. The guild's thugs would be able to defeat you easily."

Hans turned around at the right time and looked at Galio approvingly.

Unexpectedly, there is a talented person among this group of recruits.

It seems that my rescue of him was not in vain.

They found their target under the shade of a tree opposite a mansion.

"Ms. Julia."

"Knight Hans."

Both were very polite.

Although Julia is not Lothar's direct descendant and is a "repurchasing captive", and no one knows what means Kurs used, this vampire lady from the native world has made great efforts in the process of planning and building Dark Shadow, just like a loyal servant of Lothar.

"That's what happened. Perhaps to show off his power, or perhaps simply to squeeze money out of the common people, this Saman sir, who started out as a cloth merchant but has long since spread his tentacles to all walks of life, started a price hike frenzy."

Julia briefly introduced their goals.

Galio muttered, "These damn merchants!"

He thought, didn't that old man Hussein become the elder of the slums because he worked for Master Saman? If Master Saman was overthrown, wouldn't that old man Hussein also fall into the dust in an instant?

Hans asked, "I heard that this Saman master is not a Saracen?"

Julia nodded and said, "Yes, people say that he is the King of Kings of Elanshahr, a descendant of Bahram VI, but I think he is just flattering himself. Besides, he is a distant royal family, so even if it is true, there is nothing to worry about."

"really."

Elamshahr is the Sassanid Empire, the latter name corresponds to the Capetian Dynasty of Gaul and the Komnenian Dynasty of the Eastern Empire, and is not a real country name.

In this world line, the Saracens did not conquer Elamshahr, Sassanid Persia was still the center of Zoroastrianism, the King of Kings was regarded as the supreme leader of Zoroastrianism, and the Sassanid royal bloodline still had some value.

Of course, just a little bit.

A royal family that has been passed down for so many years, not counting the collateral bloodlines of the main branch, must have at least thousands of people, just like the descendants of King Jing of Zhongshan of Emperor Zhaolie. If the number is too large, they will be less valuable.

The Persians were already overwhelmed by the enemies in the east, and they were lucky enough to send some Ghazi warriors to support Saladin. They had no time to take care of this side.

"Okay, the next task is up to you."

"Don't worry, ma'am."

After watching Julia disappear like a puff of smoke, Hans looked back at the shocked Coptic recruits and said with a smile, "Come on, I'll take you to meet this great man from Semanud."

He sent someone to report and soon entered this low-key yet luxurious mansion.

There is actually a cross hanging in the church, but it has many subtle differences from the Catholic cross.

"Praise be to God, you must be General Hans."

Master Saman had a warm smile on his face. Although he was unhappy that Duke Losa did not come in person, he did not show it.

Just like before, although he looked down upon the stupid and stubborn Governor Mahri, it did not affect him being regarded as a close friend by Mahri. It is very easy for a smart person to make friends with someone.

"I am actually a devout Christian. The Nestorian missionaries are also widely spread in my hometown. Many local chiefdoms even regard Nestorianism as the orthodox belief."

Nestorianism is the Nestorian Church, which is regarded as a heresy by the Eastern Orthodox Church. It was introduced to the East during the Tang Dynasty. "Cross Temples" were built in Chang'an and all over the country.

If this were in Europe, those who believed in this doctrine would naturally be heretics who deserved to be killed, but this is Egypt, and Coptic believers are all Christian brothers.

The heretics of the Orthodox Church asked for help, and the Crusaders tried their best to rescue them.

In this situation, the Nestorians also seemed to look more promising.

Hans smiled politely: "I didn't expect that we are also Christian brothers."

"hehe."

The two smiled at each other and did not pursue the topic further.

Although Elanshahr did not ban Nestorianism, this did not change the fact that its state religion was Zoroastrianism, and naturally it was impossible for it to express any enthusiasm for "Christians rescuing Semanud from the clutches of the Zoroastrian rulers."

"I've heard that General Hans is famous and is the bravest general under Duke Lothar. He always leads the charge on the front line. It's my honor to meet a warrior like you."

"Since we are all Christian brothers, I will speak frankly. The Duke hopes that you can stabilize the recent high grain prices and restore order in this city."

"God is my witness. I have never participated in raising food prices. This kind of immoral behavior is something that any Christian, even an upright person who believes in the Holy Fire, should avoid at all costs."

He spoke sternly and righteously, as if the undercurrents in the city and the turmoil had nothing to do with him.

"That would be great. Your Excellency requires the city's guilds and merchants to do everything they can to stabilize prices and ensure the survival of the residents. In addition, Your Excellency also hopes that you can donate a batch of food to the Order of Saint Lazarus, and the monks will give the food to those in need. In addition, as the Crusaders arrive one after another, the city of Semanud needs to confiscate three-quarters of the civilian weapons and armor. The blacksmith guild must also serve the Crusaders."

The smile on his face quickly turned gloomy.

How dare he!

I thought he was a smart man, but it turned out he was so greedy and hateful. He wanted everything but was not willing to pay any price.

Am I not as worthy of his bribery as that weak, gullible, stupid and ignorant Coptic bishop?

He had already inquired about it and found out that the Coptic bishop had gained control of half of the Zoroastrian temples and properties without doing anything.

It was his turn to make such excessive demands. If he agreed, it would be like digging his roots, because it would harm the interests of all citizens, and he would no longer be worthy of being the leader of the citizens.

He frowned and said in a cold voice: "I have no right to restrict them, because the guild has the power to set prices freely. Moreover, I don't think their actions are unreasonable. This is not a case of price gouging. It is the result of pirates, weather, and war. There is simply not that much bread on the market, so the price will naturally rise."

Really, if Losa was willing to give him a bunch of things like tax-free concessions, franchise certificates, and permission to enter the ports of Ella and Limassol, he would accept it with a pinch of his nose, and he would also be able to convince other bigwigs in the citizen class.

Just think of it as an investment.

But it seems that this duke is like all the Franks - no, it should be said that he is more like those Norman thugs who even robbed nuns! The Franks have a stronger sense of contract than him!

Of course Losa is unwilling to bribe these people!

Most of the Coptic clergy are poor, and those who are not are excluded.

How much does it cost to bribe these frustrated guys?
Even the properties allocated to them had to pay normal taxes, and they did not have any privileges. In return, they received support from the Copts in many ways, such as completely tying their hands to his chariot, sending priests to join the army, and inciting civilians to obey.

In terms of no tax exemption, it is even better than the Catholic Church!
And how much money did it cost to issue a series of charters? It was equivalent to him almost winning the city for nothing.

Even if this could buy enough money and food, the problem is - he has swords!

Those expensive armored cavalry.

Those well-equipped foot soldiers.

Is the purpose of their existence to make Lothar negotiate fair trade with these merchants?
What a joke!
Moreover, if he didn't clear out some of the local guild members, how could he make room for the Ella Port Chamber of Commerce that Muller was in charge of? If he didn't take advantage of the fact that he had just conquered this place and was very powerful, how could he create a new order for this city?

Galio gritted his teeth and suddenly asked, "What about those hungry people? Should we just let them fend for themselves?"

Although he had never expected that a small soldier would dare to speak at this moment, Saman remained restrained and said with a smile: "Of course not, but getting something for nothing is not a virtue. As long as a person is diligent and capable, I think they can still fill their stomachs even if the price of grain rises slightly, but their life will be a little harder."

(End of this chapter)