Eagle Byzantium

While the messenger cavalry was galloping on horseback, Gawain himself quickly entered the palace area with the herald officer, and then in St. Peter's Church, the bell rang to gather the lords for discussion.

Soon, the news that Taticius and all the emperor's troops abandoned the camp and ran away reached the ears of all the lords. Everyone who came to attend the meeting was shocked, angry, and disappointed. Even the consuls of several Italian city-states turned pale. Such emotions quickly permeated the entire church in front of the icons.

"As the Grand Duke of Constantinople, you should give a reasonable explanation for this matter!" Bohemond took the lead in asking sternly, Gawain, who was standing next to the Military Councilor.

Gawain said that I didn't know about this beforehand, and I tried to persuade him to change his mind, but failed. Taticius didn't want to meet me at all, so he took his team and left us.

"What's the reason?" Count Werner was very angry and didn't understand. But before Gawain could give a reply, Count Hartmann, who was even more irritable next to him, raised his fist and scolded him, "I said it a long time ago. , a majestic king actually used eunuchs and slaves to rule Leading an army, this team must be full of servility and weakness. It's good now that the noseless Turkic slave can actually make 8,000 strong men and soldiers escape from a decisive battle with the infidels. The area is so abominable!”

Count Hartmann's speech aroused the anger of most people in the church. They all angrily denounced the Greek emperor's treachery. The sky outside was cloudy and the atmosphere here was extremely tense.

Gawain looked at the group of lords, and he knew that although they were angry on the surface, they were already full of cowardice in their hearts: The wolf is coming, Cobuha's 70,000 troops are really coming, and at this moment the Earl of Blois and the Earl of Normandy are coming. He ran away, and Taticius also ran away. This kind of escape not only gave people an extremely powerful sense of oppression from the enemy, but also caused a strong shake in the hearts of others.

At this moment, Bohemond's eyes suddenly turned to him, flying across the hall with sword-like frost. Many Norman warriors behind him, including Tancred, were summoned by this look. Start focusing on yourself.

Gawain instantly aroused his instinctive defense mechanism. He immediately pulled out his sword, shining on the marble floor, "I swear before the Lord, why did Tatisius and the emperor of Constantinople treat us pilgrims like this?" ? As a priest, I will lead my own army to catch up with Tatisius at night. If he doesn't change his mind, I will give up my title of Grand Duke and fight to the death with him! "

Suddenly the nobles were in chaos, and all said that the grand duke could not do this. They were all afraid that if Gawain left with the elite main force again, what else could the pilgrims use to fight against Kobuha? But when the Normans saw that the wind had turned, they swallowed the words that came to their lips and took half a step back one by one. Gawain was still there filled with righteous indignation, holding up his sword and shouting non-stop. Several lords stepped forward to support him and comfort him, and then they calmed down his temper.

Gawain gasped, then half-knelt in front of the ceremony, muttering a prayer, then turned around and said to Admare, "Now, all our troops are gathered in the city of Antioch and besieged. With the acropolis of Yaghi, plus the more than 40,000 citizens from various ethnic groups who remained after the city was broken, plus the pilgrims, there are now close to 150,000 people here. Then with the confrontation with Kobuha, the largest The problem is not armed strength, but food!”

Hearing this, Ademar also showed a serious expression, and the lords fell silent at the same time, whispering. Gawain then shouted to the crowd, "Now we need a more detailed and reasonable division of labor, such as Sir Robert's military general counselor, who is responsible for the planning and deployment of the battle line, and we also need a leader to shoulder the command of the entire army, including logistics. affairs... ..." Before Gawain finished speaking, the Normans over there started making noises. Some people directly called him a "dog of the Greeks" and "his loyalty to the ecumenical church is very questionable" and so on, while Bohemon De also held hands and prepared to go into battle and argue with Gawain himself.

But Gawain then shouted directly to Bohemond, "I elect the Duke of Apulia to be the commander-in-chief of the army. I hope he can lead us out of the predicament of the war!"

Now, among the crowd, it was Bohemond's turn to be stunned...

Bohemond happily took this blame, because later people unanimously agreed that even his other sworn enemy Raymond said that if the Duke could lead everyone to victory, he would destroy the entire city of Antioch. Give it to him.

At noon on the day the appointment resolution was passed, Bohemond lit three fires. He met with the Pisa consul Pietro Monicini in the palace he occupied in the city.

Moniqueni wears an Italian-style double-breasted cloak. He is as thin as a wizard in horror legends. He is no different from other businessmen. He is clean shaven, his eyes are cold and shrewd, and he is as thin as a stick. His legs stood alone on the floor, looking arrogantly at Bohemond, the city-state debtor who looked very happy.

"Now I am the commander-in-chief of the entire army..." Bohemond saw the disdain and intimidation in the other party's eyes and felt that this title had no deterrent effect on Moniqueni. He still owed them 40,000 yuan. The down-and-out guy who bought the Byzantine gold coins briefly gave a proud introduction and whispered, "Now that the city of Edessa is in flames of war, I'm afraid it will be difficult to pay you the interest on the seven thousand gold coins in time."

"This is very embarrassing, Your Excellency." Moniqueni sneered, his eyes as cold as a snake, "You have to know that the capital of the newly established Dabiao Bank in my city-state is only 30,000 gold coins. I hope that Your Excellency can pay off all debts as soon as possible. You also have to know that this bank has no other business, just responsible for the transportation of rent and taxes from His Holiness the Holy See... After all, it is too troublesome to send physical goods from the manors north and south of the Alps."

"Yes, yes, I will definitely repay it." Bohemond humbly said, "When the entire city of Antioch falls into my hands, all the blocks will be leased to you, and I will find a way to bring in Gawain and Godfrey. The Venetians and the Ducklings were driven away. "

"In that case, it is worth the 40,000 gold coins." Moniqueni said, and then he stretched out his bony and pale finger and pointed at Bohemond's heart, "However, it is a very risky business for your power to achieve such a goal. We Pisans never invest in such a business. To be honest, Bohemond, you are already our most failed business in the past three years. Look at how much we invested in you, and the return is so meager. If you lose all your money, you will completely implicate me." The Consul of Pisa fiercely warned Bohemond, who had just taken office as the "General Manager". (To be continued ~^~)