Eagle Byzantium

After saying goodbye to the city of Za'tar and the Venetians, the march towards the mouth of the Sava River seemed very smooth - Gawain originally said to the Brotherhood, "As long as Constantine Bertin is defeated and Za'tar is captured and destroyed, Then there will be no obstruction to our next actions." His prediction was very accurate: after hearing that the prince was defeated, the Slavic army gathered in Pec in the north and Pskoje in the east. Don't dare to do anything pleasant to the Red Hand Dalian team.

Even the Sava River bandits, who have always been known for their ferocity and greed, most of whom are a mixture of Slavs and Bulgars, fled and hid in the mountains after seeing the battle flags of the Dalian Company and the strict marching formation. In the endless dense forest.

The Dalian team of 6,000 people advanced rapidly and nervously along the meadows and plains beside the fast-flowing Sava River. Every day, Gawain sent out three batches of Cuman light cavalry in the morning, noon and evening to scout for news.

However, Peter's 100,000 pilgrim army failed to arrive near the river on time to meet him on the date Gawain estimated.

"Muzafiadin and Bramson, I entrust you with the craftsman company and the cavalry company to find the gentle meander of the Sava River and build a pontoon bridge. Giovanni led two infantry companies, Andreev He is in charge of the sailor archery company of the "Elder Princess's Family" and is responsible for guarding and protecting my camp, and maintaining contact with the scouts and messengers. "Grand Duke Scarlet. In the Se camp tent, Gawain summoned several Brotherhood members, handed over homemade military tokens to them, and assigned tasks. At this time, Giovanni took the opportunity to complain, "I don't think Bramson is qualified for this task. Because the city of Nis is deep on the other side of the river, Bramson will definitely go to rob the money, which will worsen the relationship between our army and the city of Nis. "

Bramson was furious again, beating the chain mail on his chest and half-kneeling in front of the Archduke. "Giovanni spoke evil words, and I beg the Archduke to punish him for damaging the unblemished honor of a knight."

"Didn't you say before that you were not a knight?" Gawain joked, and then he comforted, "Okay, don't argue, so that the Archduke will hand over the task of building the pontoon bridge to the two of you. Giovanni, you go Monitor Bramson’s every move and don’t let him act recklessly.”

So both of them reluctantly took the token, "The lord of Nis is a grand duke who claims to have been canonized by the Roman Emperor Alexios, and his name is Tappan. If he can receive us, he will It's best not to fight against the Dalian team if you get any temptation. Attack with mercy!" Gawain gave this very decisive instruction. The implication was that Tappan dared to make things difficult, so he asked the two generals to attack with all their strength, just like they did to the city of Za'tar, so on the right bank of the Sava River The land of Bulgaria will also be afraid of the Dalian team.

It seems that the Grand Duke is always ready to show his power, but he is a little distressed when he can't fight.

Soon the large company took action - the company soldiers formed small groups. Attacking in all directions, they collected and recruited the surrounding boats, and then the craftsman company connected them with the iron ropes they brought, and then inserted many spears on them and fixed them. Then Bramson put his swords behind his back, pulled the reins, and led a hundred Cuman light cavalry. At the same time as Muzafiadin, he stepped across the still swinging pontoon bridge and arrived on the other side of the Sava River. It's rich grass. Bramson allowed the cavalry to relax for a while until Giovanni's two infantry companies, the Furies and the Wallachias, arrived. And Andreev's archery company crossed the river together. Then we headed towards the city of Nis.

Niš is located in the central hinterland of Bulgaria, halfway between the Sava, Morava and Thracian rivers. It is a transportation hub and is surrounded by forests and grasslands. The local Grand Duke Tappan himself was a descendant of the "Macedonian Bulgarians" (referring to the mixed blood of Bulgars and Macedonian Greeks) nobles. At this time, Tappan did receive an order from Emperor Alexios: but it was not to help the Red Army. Instead of relying on the Dalian team, they defended on the spot, working with Bertin of Za'tar to block Gawain's penetration.

At this time, Alexios Komneno had not yet received the military information that Za'tar City had tragically fallen.

The hesitant Grand Duke Tappan, after receiving the report from the scouts, hurriedly led 300 cavalry out of the castle. Then, after walking for more than ten miles, he saw the formation of Bramson and Giovanni.

Then, Bramson rode out from the formation and shouted to Tappan in the local dialect, "Our army is a large company loyal to His Majesty the Emperor, and also a Holy Land expeditionary force under the Crown of the Holy See. Any place occupied by believers, including No one, including Constantinople, should stop our army’s progress.”

"I just received the emperor's order. His noble Imperial Majesty asked me to block your flag in the city of Nis." Tappan said with a panicked tone.

"This is impossible. The Red-Handed Dalian Company has just captured the city of Zatar to avenge His Majesty the Emperor's defeat at Durazzo - Bodin has already handed over a confession of guilt to His Majesty the Emperor, along with five thousand silver coins. "Atonement money," Bramson said with a straight face (almost all of the Dalian team. All members, except for Gawain, believed that their attack on Zatar was indeed to avenge Alexios), and then raised the document sealed by Bodin, and said in a very affirmative tone, "His Majesty the Emperor will never Whoever issued such an order, could it be that what you received was a false order?"

At this time, Tappan was dumbfounded and extremely distressed: Unexpectedly, even Bodin, the most powerful autonomous king in the empire, could be defeated so easily by this army. He didn't care about the consequences of the order sent by Alexios. Whether it was true or not, regardless of any misunderstandings or disputes between him and Gawain's Dalian Company, the top priority for now was to preserve the city of Nis. It would be really tragic if he was like Za'tar.

Therefore, Tappan negotiated on the condition that the Red Hand Dalian Team could not enter the city, but could camp outside the city. Tappan could provide cheap supplies and sell them to the Dalian Team's military market. The two parties made an oath not to deviate from each other. Invasion.

After the two moves were completed, Gawain, who was wearing red hand feathers, rode Sabina, and together with the rest of the company and baggage, they crossed the three pontoon bridges on the river and arrived at the city of Nis to set up camp. It cannot be dismantled and is ready to meet my sworn brother's team at any time. Peter will never exceed the deadline casually. Something must have happened on the way," Gawain told his subordinate craftsmen.

At the same time, in the wilderness outside Philip Castle, Alexios rode a black horse and raised his long sword inlaid with gold. "My sons, draw your bows and shoot fiercely at the heretics and thieves. Shoot as much as you like." All thirty arrows in the quiver!"

The entire Byzantine army roared with thunder, then the bowstrings sounded violently, and countless arrows roared, flying out from the companies of Pecheneg, Cuman, Magyar, Tekopo and the Greeks in the emperor's army, passing by and covering the entire sky. , and then hit the opposing Paulist army camp. Every heretic believer raised his head and saw in horror that seven or eight arrows were falling towards him at the same time!

It's like God striking down the earth with thunder and lightning and burning fire. (To be continued ~^~)