The Last Frontier of Fire and Sword

After five days of voyage, Cheerchen led the mercenary group finally to the city of Kafa on the Crimea Peninsula.

The Crimean Peninsula with a long history began to nurture human civilization around 1000 BC. The earliest residents who settled here were Celts. In the 7th century BC, the nomadic Scythians squeezed them out. During the same period, the Greeks began to establish colonies on the Black Sea coast. By 438 BC, the Kingdom of Bosphorus was established here, and the kingdom lived in harmony with Athens, providing Athens with grains and other commodities. In 15 BC, Crimea surrendered to the Roman Empire. Since then, for more than 10 centuries, the Crimean Peninsula has been successively occupied by the Goths, Huns, Khasas, and Byzantines.

In 1223, the Tatars first invaded the Crimea Peninsula. After the establishment of the Golden Horde in 1243, the Tatars gradually became the masters of Crimea. At this point, the goods destined for the Golden Horde were shipped out from the port on the Crimean Peninsula, where the caravan from Mongolia to the west ended in land. Immediately afterwards, Genoese enthusiastic about business came one after another and took control of the coast of Crimea. The places controlled by the wealthy Genoese caused the Tatars to covet them. The Tatars repeatedly harassed and plundered these places, but they could not completely expel the Genoese from the peninsula.

In 1346, the Genoese were again besieged by the army of the Golden Horde at Kaffa, a trading port on the southern coast of the peninsula. The siege this time is insignificant in military history, but it is recorded in the history of disease. The Crimean Tatars besieged Kafada for a year and failed to do so. Before withdrawing their troops, the Tatars used a trebuchet to shoot the corpses of the plague into the city. A plague broke out in the city and the deadly "Black Death" began to spread.

The surviving Genoese merchants fled back to Italy in a hurry, but brought the disaster to all of Europe. In the following three years, about one-third of Europeans died of the "Black Death."

But the Golden Horde, which occupied Kfar, also turned from prosperity to decline. In the next 100 years, the khanate was declining, and local aristocrats rose to their feet. Kafa was also reoccupied by Genoese merchants. In 1430, Haji Gley, a descendant of Genghis Khan, established the Crimean Khanate. In 1475, the Crimean Khanate became a vassal of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, which was expanding wildly in the Mediterranean. In the same year, the powerful Ottoman army successfully captured Kafa, and within a few months they completely occupied the coastal area where the Genoese lived. Kafa subsequently became the most important slave market of the Crimean Khanate, and the transportation of slaves from here to Istanbul became the most important source of income for the Khanate.

Every year, the Tatars gush out of the Crimea peninsula and cross the Pirikop Isthmus in the north to search for strong men, women and children. They are called "the harvest of the steppe people." This "slave hunting expedition" reached its peak in 1571. This year, King Devlet I of Crimea Khan assembled 40,000 soldiers to reach the hinterland of Russia and even attacked Moscow. The famous Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) fled hurriedly in the rebellion and almost became a prisoner. Russia suffered heavy losses in this war. More than 80,000 Tsar Russians died, and another 130,000 were taken away when the Tatars withdrew their troops. Devlet I was called "Takht Aligan", which means "the one who took off the crown" because of the brilliant results of the destruction of Moscow, and became a legend in the history of the Crimean Khanate.

After the great prosperity of the Cossack Uprising in Zaporozhye in 1648, Kafa at this time has returned to its former appearance. The import of thousands of slaves each year maintains the development of Kafa, but there is no hustle and bustle of the year.

After paying the tax collector at the wharf a berthing fee of 200 taylors per boat, Cheerchen and the others went ashore.

As soon as he got ashore, Viscount Hessian humbly moved to Chechen's side.

"Head," said Viscount Hessian cautiously.

Cheerchen stopped. He glanced back at Viscount Hessian, waiting for his follow-up.

"Leader, the mercenaries are already exhausted physically and mentally after so many days of long-distance travel. Will you let me go ashore to buy the necessary supplies such as alcohol and vegetables for them." Viscount Hessian said.

In order to conceal their eyes and ears, everyone in the mercenary group stayed in the cabin and could not go ashore. Although the Hessian mercenaries were known for hardworking and observing discipline, so many days of wandering at sea made many of them exhausted. Providing them with delicious food at this time is also a necessary means to boost morale. So this request is reasonable, and Cheerchen certainly has no reason to refuse.

"Go, take a few more people. But don't cause trouble, don't buy wine, remember?" Chechen said. He wanted to say not to save, but then he thought about how Viscount Hessian would save money for himself. It would be good for him not to embezzle.

"No, no." Viscount Hessian repeatedly said that he did not dare. After being beaten by Chechen that time, the Viscount was much more honest.

So outside the dock, Viscount Hessian took more than a dozen Hessian mercenaries dressed as sailors and Cheerchen broke up. Chechen took Fatima to explore Mahmed Pasha's residence in Kafa.

Fatima once lived in Kafa, and only asked a passerby. Fatima took Chechen to find there with ease.

Mehmet Bey lives in a two-story blue-roofed building covering an area of ​​more than 2,000 square meters in the eastern district of Kaffa. The building is surrounded by a five-meter-high wall with flags planted everywhere, every five meters. Also standing were Sudanese soldiers wearing Turkish green uniforms and top hats.

Cheerchen also saw artillery in the four corners of the building. This unavoidably surprised Chechen. He thought that the place where Mahmed Bey lived was almost the same as the gorgeous palace of Bayezid Khan.

The two went around in a circle. During this period, they were interrogated by Sudanese soldiers.

The Sudanese soldiers were the Ottoman Turkish Empire. In the conquered Balkan Slavs’ families, some of the strongest boys were selected to convert to *** and learn Turkish, and they received military training to form a group called The troops of the New Army are the standing army of the Ottoman Turk Empire and the most effective soldiers in the Turk Empire.

During the time of Suleiman I, the Austrian ambassador to Constantinople, after observing the stationing and training of the new army, lamented that there was no army in Europe that could rival it.

Even now, the Sudanese soldiers are a force that scares European countries.

A Sudanese soldier stopped Cheechen and Fatima who were suspicious, and asked why the two were lingering nearby.

"God Allah. Honorable Ghazi, (Arabic, refers to "warriors", after the rise of *** often refers to the holy warrior. Timur and Akbar the Great once called themselves Ghazi. The rulers of the Ottoman Empire also used this Titles. The titles of the second Sultan Orhan I include: Sultan, sons of Gazi's Sultans, Gazi, sons of Gazi, Lord of Skyrim, and hero of the world. Senior military officers also often receive the title of Gazi. This is the high hat that Fatima wears to each other), I’m a Crimean, and my husband and I went back to our hometown to visit relatives. Since he has never been to Kafa, I took him around and didn’t want to I offended you, please forgive me." Fatima pretended to whisper.

Hearing Fatima calling herself "Gazi", the low-ranking officer was greatly satisfied. He raised his head and pointed at Cheerchen and Fatima with his black hole-like nostrils. He curled his moustache and said, "Is your husband a ***?"

"Yes, he has converted to God." Fatima said.

Hearing that Chechen was also ***, the low-level officer's expression became much more amiable.

"This is a military center, civilians are not allowed to approach. You leave soon."

Cheerchen and Fatima nodded and said yes, and thanked each other for the reminder.

At this moment, a horn sounded from the street-Mahmed Pasha returned home.

Eight shirtless slaves carried Mehmet Pasha’s sala and walked in the middle. Guarding him in front were ten cavalry. These cavalry mounted on tall Anatolian horses. They were the most eye-catching. It is the cavalry shield hanging on the hand. This cavalry shield has a curled structure, and one end is cocked, looking like a wing extending backwards. Compared with a round shield, this peculiar design can protect the body in a wider range. Its curved structure allows the shield to protect the front and sides of the body at the same time. In combat, the huge shield will not obscure the user's vision.

Guarding behind Mehmet Pasha is a team of Ottoman light infantry. These light infantry are holding the same shield as the cavalry in their hands and a machete on their waist.

Whether they are cavalry or infantry, these soldiers wear a mustache and are well-built, which is in stark contrast to Mehmet Bey.

Before seeing Mahmed Pasha, Cheerchen's guess about the appearance of this Pasha was consistent with most people's imagination of Ottoman soldiers at that time: the inner body was wearing quite gorgeous mixed armor, and the chest was hanging. Wearing a huge medal (that is the proof of his heroic battle), he is wearing a finely crafted robe and a valuable fur coat, and the helmet is wrapped with a white turban, and the war horse is draped in a colorful coat.

However, the real Mahmed Pasha's phenomenon made Cheor Chen almost drop his chin.

Because Cheer Chen had never seen such a fat person. Cheerchen’s uncle Pidro is often called fat, but if he takes this Pasha as the standard of fatness, his uncle Pidro is simply a thin person who can’t be thinner. As for himself, he is no different from a skeleton. .

According to Chechen's estimation, Mahmed Pasha weighed at least 150 kilograms. The meat on Mahmed Pasha’s face hangs like two greasy **** on his face, as if it will fall off at any time with the shaking of the sedan chair; the bottom of the chair where he sits is recessed in a semicircle, and Bey sits on it. , Just like a gourd. What is even more pitiful is that the eight bearers, sweating like rain in the not-so-hot July, cast a trail.

The sedan chair passed in front of Chechen, and Mahmed Pasha didn't even glance at the two of them.

The sedan chair entered the gate. Cheerchen and Fatima straightened up and walked away.

On the way, Cheerchen said to Fatima, "I have never seen such a fat person."

Fatima, who has always been unsmiling, also rarely joked: "Yeah, I'm really afraid that if I kidnap this guy, he will resist, and my dagger won't hurt him."

This was a joke, but Cheerchen was worried. Of course, what he bothers is not that the dagger will not be able to control the fat Pasha, but that the place where Mehmet Bey lives is so strong and the guards are so strict, he wants to capture and threaten him unless he is in Ake. Man's kind of luck.

When Fatima saw her joke, not only didn't make Cheerchen amused, but it made him lose a face. She couldn't help but get anxious. She hurriedly wanted Cheerchen to apologize.

"No, Fatima. The jokes you told are very funny, and I'm not happy because of other reasons." Chechen said.

As for the reason, Cheerchen never said no matter how Fatima asked, because he was worried that Fatima would recklessly go to Mehamed's residence in order to share his worries.

The two walked around in this way, and then returned to the pier when it was dark.

When Cheerchen and Fatima boarded the boat, they heard women's voices besides the noise of mercenaries under the deck~www.wuxiaspot.com~.

Cheerchen was quite sure that when he set off from Ackerman, there were no women on the boat (except Fatima). Now there are women on the boat. Then it is only possible that after arriving in Kafa, I will be on the boat. I think Kafa is the most famous in Eastern Europe. In the slave market, and Viscount Hessian once went ashore to buy supplies, Cheerchen understood everything.

Cheerchen walked off the deck angrily. It's not that he doesn't understand men's hunger and thirst for **** at his age, he also has the impulse. But now, his plan to help Muhammad Glyy regain the country has reached the most critical step. If these women leaked the secrets of the ship, and the result is still small, everyone may die here.

Of course, this kind of thing can't be completely blamed on Viscount Hessian, and no mercenary at the time was like that.

On the second floor, Cheechen saw dozens of Hessian mercenaries wearing dirty shirts surrounding three undressed girls. These mercenaries looked at the helpless girls with lustful eyes. , Their hands unscrupulously touched the girl's delicate skin, and some people even put their stinky mouths on the girl's body.

Some people heard the sound of footsteps coming from the stairs. They turned their heads and saw Cheorchen and Fatima were back.

"Head!" Some people saluted.

When the others heard Cheerchen coming, they scattered to stand on both sides.

"Where is Viscount Hessian?" Cheerchen asked.

"The Viscount is in the room inside." Someone replied.

Cheerchen walked in quickly. He resisted looking at the three girls on the ground.

"Hesse!"

Cheorchen kicked the door of the room open. I saw that Viscount Hessian was having fun with a woman with his arms around him naked to the upper body.

"It's you!"

"It's you!"

Cheerchen and the woman actually recognized each other at the same time.