Eagle Byzantium

The silk, wine, woolen cloaks brought by the Red Hand Dalian Company from Italy, as well as the enamel crafts previously brought to the Greek Empire, were very popular, and were exchanged for a large amount of grain, beasts of burden, honey and various gold and silver coins. Most were minted in Bohemia.

The whole camp market was very prosperous. After hearing the news, many cities on both sides of the Adriatic Sea sent small trading fleets, and a steady stream of people came to trade. Gawain personally sat down and marked the prices of various commodities and goods. Buy high and sell high to get the scarce supplies needed by the army: cash, clothing, wood, food, etc., and make a lot of money. This reputation grew and grew, and soon it shocked Brenus who returned to the city of Durazzo.

Because the distance between Durazzo and Ragusa is only dozens of miles.

At this time, Breanus had received the emperor's order, but the content requirements made him feel very embarrassed, so he summoned Titicius and Diognis to discuss it together.

"Your Majesty requires Constantine Bertin, Prince of Zatar, to unite with us, approaching Gawain's camp and army from the north and the south, forcing him to submit, disbanding his subordinates, and confiscating their horses and weapons." Noos said so.

The two generals were silent for a long time. Titicius pulled off his embroidered cloak and said, "Now we only have about a thousand troops on hand, and Gawain has more than 6,000 people. It will be difficult to win."

Brenus nodded, "But His Majesty also said that His Excellency Sebastokrat will send five thousand Turkic mercenaries here soon and give them to me to command... To be honest, I don't want to be with Stephen either. .Gawain’s troops met with swordsmen, because the patriarch of the city of Rome had just He sent me a letter to negotiate with me and told me that Gawain and the Red Hand Company were the first batch of jihadist troops to go to the east. Norman Bohemond would soon lead an army and land from Durazzo. If this time with Gao Wen A fierce civil war will harm the friendship between the two churches and the Western countries."

"Since even His Majesty the Normans are willing to let him go, why only embarrass the Red Hand Company?" Diognis, who was sitting down, muttered this in a low voice, but soon fell silent. He realized that he had just made a mistake. .

"Your Majesty the Captor is right, the overall situation is the most important thing." Grand Duke Dirasium's ears were pointed. "After five thousand troops arrive from the Moria battlefield for reinforcements, we will first hold on to Durazzo. On the one hand, we will monitor Bohemond who is about to cross the sea, and on the other hand, we will observe Gawain's next move before making a decision. ." Then Brenus asked the clerk to quickly draft his ideas into a written letter. Send it back to Constantinople.

This man's actions are very moderate and shrewd, but he lacks Gawain's decisiveness and edge. He is a skilled and experienced imperial bureaucrat, although he is the same age as Gawain.

After the Grand Duke's secretary had written it, he immediately put it in a seal and handed it into the hands of the messenger. Then, when the messenger had just reached the porch, another person rushing in from outside passed him by and hurriedly handed over another letter. It was handed into the hands of Brenus, "It was delivered from the city of Ragusa, but it was not from the alderman, but from Stephen Gawain, the Archduke who claimed to be the Governor of Bari."

These words immediately pricked up the ears of General Xiubi and the officer. Even though they were separated from Gawain, they were still very concerned about each other's every move. Brenus opened it and read it for a full minute. He read it back and forth two or three times with an expression of surprise and disbelief on his face. Then he said to the others, "Gentlemen, Gawain said that the Red Hand Company will break camp immediately, go north along the coast of Comia, and attack Constantine Bertin of Za'tar!"

What! This news is like a thunderbolt on the ground. Originally, Bodin and Alexios were going to join forces to embarrass Gawain, but now this guy wants to take the initiative to embarrass Bodin. It's simply..., Dio Guinness really couldn't think of any words other than "unbelievable", "Your Excellency, what is the reason why Gawain went to attack Za'tar? He should be shouldering the responsibility of pilgrimage."

With an "embarrassed" expression on his face, Breanus slowly put the letter down and whispered to everyone, "Gawain's reason is very 'good'. He said that during the Battle of Dulazo fourteen years ago, Burdine was there. At the critical moment of the battle between His Majesty the Emperor and the Norman bandit Guiscat, he escaped with his left wing. As His Majesty's servant, he will punish Bourdin for his past crime of escaping from battle. "

This is simply an extremely absurd tragedy and comedy. The chaos in this circle has exceeded the limit that the guard can imagine. So there was a bang, and Diognis sat on the seat with a dull expression, not knowing what to say.

However, at this moment, under the city of Ragusa, Gawain, who had been true to his word, was already riding Sabina, holding a horse-headed scepter, pointing to the north of the narrow road by the ocean, "I have planned this trip carefully and have sufficient reasons. Prepare carefully - all the soldiers of the Dalian company, raise the flag and follow my scepter to attack Za'tar. There are three reasons. First, Prince Bodin of Za'tar is guilty of crimes. He once escaped privately during His Majesty's war. lead to His Majesty was defeated; secondly, he now secretly built a fortress on the west bank of the Sava River in an attempt to separate our army from the pilgrimage of the hermit Peter; thirdly, Bertin also took in the remnants of Tevris and Pecheneg in an attempt to attack Rome The empire is in trouble with His Majesty and condones the pirates who support the Dalmatian region and rob the ships of the friendly country Venice. These treacherous people are the first to be eradicated in our holy war."

In the camps and hills by the sea, the infantry and cavalry soldiers of the company raised their spears and flags after hearing the Grand Duke's reasons. The thunderous voice spread throughout the sea and the city, "Destroy the nest of evil, destroy the city of Zata, and capture the notorious thief Bodin alive!"

"To avenge His Majesty the Emperor and for the Princess's family!"

"Open the passage to the Sava River, meet with the holy hermit Peter, visit His Majesty the Emperor in Constantinople, and then go to Asia Minor!"

Several Venetian and Amalfi warships on the coast also weighed anchor amid the angry shouts of the sailors, loaded with abundant supplies, and set sail with the Red Hand Company. The captains also received secret instructions from the Venetian Consul Fellaye and the Amalfi Consul Pantaleoni: to help Grand Duke Gawain at sea and besiege and attack Zata.

Amalfi was simply repaying a favor, as its lifeline is not in the Adriatic Sea; while Venice was driven by common interests and joined forces with Gawain. This city-state has been trying to dominate the Dalmatian Sea for a long time, and Zata was the first nail in its way. It is natural that it will be the first to bear the brunt this time.

Naturally, in the money that Gawain and Feleyer discussed in secret in Venice, this condition had already been secured. It is not an exaggeration to say that it was a well-planned plan.

A correct version can be found in the 16-9 book forum!

When 6,000 high-spirited soldiers of the Dalian Corps, lined up in a column, followed by a baggage train, headed north towards Zata, Betos, the municipal official of Ragusa, wiped his sweat and said inwardly, "These evil spirits have finally left and gone to find trouble with Bordin." (To be continued ~^~)