In the Middle Ages, people drew cards to be promoted to nobility.

Swish, swish, swish.

About a quarter of the nobles in the field raised their hands.

Count Leonard spat on the luxurious carpet and said with disdain: "It turns out that our once brave and fearless Crusaders were frightened by Saladin and his lackeys before the war started! "

Someone immediately responded: "That's right, we can't hide in the city like a shrunken turtle, we have to fight the heretics to the end!"

Roger, the grand master of the Knights Hospitaller, said angrily: "Struggle, what is the point of struggle? The enemy has one hundred thousand, two hundred thousand, or even three hundred thousand enemies. How many do we have? Twenty thousand, thirty thousand, or forty thousand?"

Prince Regent Raymond shouted: "Silence, silence!"

He repeated "Quiet" over and over again until he stood up and slammed the table, angrily yelling: "If you are willing to make a noise, get out of here and make a noise now!"

"Next proposal."

The nobles in the palace finally restrained themselves, but arguments were still inevitable.

There are many supporters of each proposal, and each proposal cannot win the approval of more than half of the people.

So the nobles divided into small factions and began to attack each other and argue endlessly.

Regent Raymond was extremely troubled. At this moment, he saw Godfrey who had been silent all this time. His eyes lit up and he said: "Baron Godfrey, do you have any opinion?"

The eager atmosphere in the hall suddenly stopped.

The arguments became much quieter.

The four top dignitaries, Earl Georgelin, Earl Leonard, Grand Captain Gerald, and Grand Captain Roger, all looked over.

It is true that Baron Godfrey's presence has always been low, but anyone who dares to truly ignore this powerful man in the Holy Land would be extremely stupid.

This is also the only remaining core figure of the royal party, and the relationship with all parties is quite harmonious.

Godfrey thought for a moment and motioned to Lothar to answer for him.

"I?"

Lothar was a little confused.

Baron Godfrey lowered his voice and said in Lothar's ear: "It's you. I have to let these old dogs know that Habsburg has returned to the political stage in Jerusalem."

Lothar thought for a moment and realized that this was a stage specially given to him by Baron Godfrey to make his mark.

Please, we just met, do you need to trust me so much?

What if I am a loser?

Lothar no longer hesitated, stood up and said: "Lord Tiberius (the honorific title given to Raymond), let me express my opinion on behalf of Baron Godfrey."

"Who is this?"

"Werner's coat of arms?"

"The cold-blooded butcher and executioner has returned to the Holy Land?"

"It doesn't look like Werner, but this robe is clearly the former uniform of the Royal Knights."

There was a burst of whispers all around.

The looks they looked at him were not friendly, but unlike what he expected, few of them seemed to be confused about whether he, a mere landless knight, was qualified to attend and speak here.

Raymond nodded slightly: "Yes, but before that, please tell me your identity."

"I am Count Allgäu, Lothar von Habsburg, the second son of Werner von Habsburg. My father once fought to defend the Holy Land. Now I follow my father's orders and come to the Holy Land. .”

Raymond nodded slightly: "It turns out that he is the son of Lord Werner. Your father and I also fought side by side. You are qualified to speak here. Please speak."

Lothar nodded slightly, regardless of the discussions about his identity in the audience, and said to himself: "There is no need to say more about the proposal to invite a mercenary group. You should all know that although those mercenaries bring their own weapons and equipment and have good combat effectiveness, they have no Without the honor and belief as soldiers, they can just fight with the wind, but once they get into trouble, they may not continue to fulfill their obligations."

"Facing Saladin, it is obvious that this will be a hard battle. Even as far away as Germania, I have heard of his reputation."

"It is better to hire a mercenary group, as Count Leonard said, and use the money to arm the pilgrims. Their morale is higher and it is cheaper."

Leonard heard this, nodded slightly, and showed a satisfied smile: "Yes, Werner's son does have some discernment."

Lothar smiled at him and continued: "As for the proposal to retain this money to prompt King Albion, King Richard the Lionheart, to summon the army as soon as possible."

"As far as I know, Richard the Lionheart is a wise and capable monarch. He will not speed up or slow down his preparations for war because of this money. He will participate in the Crusade. This is for sure, but that must be in the process of processing After finishing the relationship with the Gallic monarch and domestic affairs. This cannot be completed within a month or two, or even half a year."

"My lords, ask yourselves, are you going to put yourself in a dangerous situation where your throne is unstable, or even your old enemies attack your rear because of a sum of money?"

All the nobles shook their heads.

In fact, many of them would be tempted by this wealth, but none of them would say it outright.

Greed is one of the seven deadly sins.

They don't want to admit that they are greedy for money.

"As for the assassins of Hawthorne, the old man in the mountains. Please forgive my bluntness. If you want to invite this assassin king who owns hundreds of castles in Iran and other places, how much money will it cost to satisfy his appetite?"

"Moreover, cooperating with such despicable infidels who rely on assassinations to make a fortune really insults the reputation of our Crusaders."

"You know, there were many Crusader princes who died because of him. In this regard, not only can we not pay for the assassins of the Old Man of the Mountain, but we should also express our support for Sassanid and Ayub's attack on Hawthorne. Encirclement and Suppression of the Assassin Kingdom.”

Hawthorne had already assassinated Saladin, and it was not just once or twice, but failed without exception.

The two were sworn enemies. If Hawthorne had succeeded in assassinating him, he would have done it long ago. There was no need for the Crusaders to spend such wasted money.

Lothar said this just to save the face of the idiot who made this suggestion.

In fact, there have always been private interactions between Crusader lords and the old man in the mountains, Hawthorne.

Regent Raymond nodded slightly: "Indeed, at present, the only reliable methods are to strengthen the city wall and use the money to arm the pilgrims."

Three proposals were rejected one after another, but these nobles were not dissatisfied. Instead, they approved of it.

The knowledge of this age is in the hands of theologians.

Except for missionary schools, there were no schools at all in this era.

This also makes the vast majority of nobles actually illiterate.

Their short-sightedness and stubbornness also make their eloquence really not outstanding.

Lothar's ability to express his views in such a clear and coherent manner is already commendable.

Lothar continued: "We have to admit that the danger faced by the Holy Land today is unprecedented. The number of infidel troops in the Ayyubid Kingdom is many times ours."

"No matter how brave and skilled our knights are, they still have to fend for themselves when facing enemies coming from all directions."

As soon as these words came out, there was a burst of dissatisfaction.

Someone shouted: "Fart, Heavenly Father's knights are fearless. Most of Saladin's men are serfs who came from the fields with mud on their trousers, or cavalry teams composed of slaves."

"How can such a rabble be our opponent?"

The speaker is a very handsome knight. Although his temperament is a bit vulgar, in this era, there are very few knights who are not vulgar.

Most of the knights who are polite, humble, kind, and fair only exist in novels.

Lothar was not angry and asked calmly: "Who are you?"

The knight said proudly: "I am Guy of Lusignan. I brought twenty-five knights from my hometown to participate in the Crusade. They are all brave and good at fighting. One can fight against a hundred, no matter what. "

Lothar did not answer the question and asked instead: "You are a Gauls, right?"

Guy nodded and said: "Yes, my fiefdom is in Lusignan, Poitou."

Poitou is located in western Gaul and is currently under the control of Richard the Lionheart.

Lothar nodded and said: "I know there. I spent some time in southern Gaul. You must have been uncomfortable in Jerusalem, because the climate here is completely different from that of Poitou. It is humid and warm there, but here it is not." It was so unbearably hot.”

Lothar smiled and said, "I wonder how much of your strength you can show with your armor on in such weather? Can your Nissaan war horse outrun the native Arabian horse?"

Chevalier Guy was slightly startled and did not answer.

He is somewhat arrogant, but not stupid.

Lothar said earnestly: "I do not deny the bravery of the knights under Heavenly Father's command, because I am one of them, but the enemy is stronger than us. They are more numerous and more familiar with the climate here. There is no doubt about it. "

"So, whether it's training a new army or strengthening the city wall, it all makes sense."

Count Leonard scratched his red beard and said dissatisfied: "It all makes sense? Isn't this equivalent to talking a lot of nonsense?"

"Count Leonard, as you said, this is just a bunch of nonsense, because it is extremely difficult to decide which of these two decisions is better."

"But I know one thing very clearly. If we continue to argue and distract our little strength, the fate of the Holy Land being taken away from us by Saladin is already foreseeable."

"So please make a decision as soon as possible, my lords."

"Whether it is strengthening the city wall or training new troops, a decision must be made."

"As for what this decision is, it actually doesn't matter. As long as you all agree with it, it's enough."

Lothar said in a deep voice.

The implication is that you continue to rob, continue to argue, and continue to argue.

When the city of Jerusalem is destroyed, you will still be arguing over it.

The party and government harmed the country, and that was the Ming Dynasty.

Those civil servants didn't care at all whether the Ming Dynasty perished or not. Even if it perished, it would not change their status in the new dynasty.

But the Crusader nobles were different.

The differences in beliefs made them all aware of the terrible price they would pay once Jerusalem was defeated.

Those pagans who were mercilessly slaughtered by them will return to these descendants of the Crusaders everything they once inflicted on the pagans.

Everyone in the hall looked at each other.

If reality were a game, then he would definitely be able to hear the system's prompt tone about "increased reputation".

In his previous life, the Eastern soul always warned him to be cautious and shoot the first bird.

This is very simple survival wisdom.

But in this era, there is something acclimated.

Prince Regent, Earl Raymond said solemnly: "I agree with Knight Lothar. We must make a decision."

…

Finally, the resolution to use Henry II's military funds to purchase armaments and train pilgrim soldiers was passed.

The Crusader nobles were more inclined to attack than to defend.

This is probably due to their keen nature of robbery. If a war occurs in front of their own door, it will only cause indelible damage to their territory without any profit.

Coming out of the hall, Godfrey patted Lothar on the shoulder and praised: "Good performance, Lothar. He is worthy of being Werner's son. To tell you the truth, in the letters that I exchanged with your father in the past years, he always mentioned him I praise your bravery, but I didn’t expect that your wisdom and eloquence are not inferior to your father.”

"Knight Lothar, you are indeed very powerful!"

Berrian also looked full of admiration.

He could understand what he said, but if he was asked to organize the words and say it in front of so many nobles, it would be something he was completely unable to do.

So...this kind of look is actually the admiration of social terrorists for social bulls?

"you flatter me."

Godfrey smiled and said: "Follow me, I will take you to see His Majesty the King."

Lothar asked doubtfully: "Where is Balian?"

"Although he is my heir, I have not yet canonized him as a knight. He is not qualified to meet His Majesty."

Lothar smiled at Bellian and comforted: "It will be a matter of time, so I will go first."

Passing through a dark corridor, Lothar saw the young king sitting at the table in a bright and spacious palace, writing furiously.

There were plenty of gold vessels on the table, filled with seasonal fruits, but the king seemed untouched.

"Come forward, knight."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Lothar was startled by the young king's face wrapped in a turban and mask, but did not show any offensive expression on his face.

Baldwin IV looked at Lothar up and down, his eyes a little complicated, and after a long time he said: "You are indeed very similar to your father in this robe. I almost thought I was back three years ago."

"How is your father's health recently?"

This was the first time that Lothar heard someone say that he looked similar to Count Werner. He felt that he was much more handsome than Werner.

"He is in good health. Your Majesty, here is a letter from my father to you."

Baldwin put the letter on the table without opening it. He just took a deep look at Lothar and said, "Your father was my most trusted partner and mentor. He taught me how to command an army and command thousands of troops."

"He is wise and clever, full of strategies, brave and good at fighting, and fearless."

"But what I envy the most is that he has a strong body, as if no injury can affect him."

Baldwin IV pointed to the seat next to him and said with a smile—or, it sounded like he was smiling.

The mask concealed his illness, but also his emotions.

"Sit down, Knight Lothar. There is some fruit on the table, but please forgive me that I cannot share it with you, because I have a contagious disease. Once infected, it will be difficult for the wizard to save me."

The king sounded nonchalant when talking about his illness.

"Guy brought back from Gaul twenty-five Crusader knights, who swore allegiance to me, but I did not receive them."

Lothar already had a guess in her mind, but still asked: "Why?"

"Losa, everyone in this world has their own ideas, not clay sculptures. It's not a secret that I won't live too long, so those who are loyal to me, or to be precise, those who are only loyal to me, have surpassed Come less and less.”

Lothar was silent.

He had a good impression of this young hero, and when he heard what he said, he couldn't help but feel a little sad.

Baldwin IV seemed to see through Lothar's thoughts and smiled gently.

His laughter was a little hoarse, and he spoke slowly and slowly: "Losa, I trust your father and Godfrey who introduced you, so I am also willing to trust you and introduce you as my humerus. "

"But you are too weak and have not performed any meritorious service. Even I can't win a title for you."

"There are too many knights in Jerusalem. I can't even give you a manor fief without any reason. You must have seen it in the hall before. As a king, I don't just make a decision."

Lothar nodded and said: "Your Majesty, I understand your difficulty. Please give me a task that can prove myself."

Gaining trust does not mean you can gain everything.

Lothar knew that Baldwin needed someone who was both trustworthy and talented, so he would definitely give him a test.

Baldwin IV smiled and said, "That's what I meant."

"Now that you have arrived in the Holy Land, you must know that although the Sasanian Dynasty of Persia has united with the Ayyubid Kingdom, they are by no means monolithic."

Lothar nodded slightly: "I already know this."

He considered his words and said, "As a millennium dynasty no less powerful than the Eastern Empire, the Sassanid Dynasty once had an influence that involved many territories that the Ayyubid Empire now controls."

"Despite its decline, the Sasanian King of Kings will not be willing to hand over the position of Zoroastrian Patriarch to Saladin."

Baldwin praised: "It seems that you have done your homework in advance. I read you right. You are not one of those stupid knights who just arrived in the Holy Land and are full of thoughts about fighting with the pagans."

"What I want you to do is to lead an elite cavalry group, disguised as Kurds, and enter the border between the two countries to burn, kill, and loot."

"Anyway, the louder the noise, the better."

"If you perform meritorious deeds and delay the attack of the pagans for a few more years, the city of Jerusalem will be indestructible when a new batch of Crusaders arrive."

"In fact, Jerusalem is already in a critical stage. The main opponents of the Eastern Empire are the Turks entrenched in Asia Minor and dominated by Sassanid. They are unlikely to give us much help."

"As for Saladin of Ayyubid, he had an army of 100,000 men in Damascus alone. Once he decided to attack with all his strength, unless Gaul, Germania Magna, and Albion all organized a large group of troops, The Crusaders are here to help, but we alone have no chance of winning.”

Baldwin IV's tone was somewhat solemn. He did not want the heavenly dynasty created by his ancestors to perish in his own hands.

"I see."

Lothar nodded and said: "I will try my best to complete this task and strive to ignite the flames of war on the eastern border of the Ayyubid Kingdom - I think the Sasanian King of Kings will not be willing to see Saladin successfully recover Of the Holy Land.”

Baldwin IV nodded and said: "Indeed, he lacks a reason, and we will give him this reason."

He paused slightly and whispered: "No one is allowed to know the secret of this mission. When it is completed, I will award you with a medal in the name of defeating an army of infidels."

Lothar was silent for a moment and frowned: "Your Majesty, is there anyone in Jerusalem colluding with the heretics?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized that he had said something stupid.

There are countless Gentiles in Jerusalem now, and they are like a big sieve. The situation inside cannot be hidden from anyone who cares to spy.

Baldwin smiled noncommittally, then put his hands on the table with some difficulty and stood up: "Knight Lothar, swear an oath to me."

Lothar responded "Yes" and knelt down on one knee: "Father in Heaven, I, Lothar von Habsburg, swear allegiance to our Lord, His Majesty Baldwin IV. I am loyal to you and will never leave my left and right."

With a clanging sound, Baldwin drew out his sword and put it on Lothar's shoulder: "In the name of the King of Jerusalem, Grand Master of the Royal Knights of Jerusalem, Guardian of the Holy Land, and the sole commander-in-chief of all Crusaders, I declare that I accept it. For your allegiance, may Heavenly Father bless you, Knight Lothar."

After doing all this, Baldwin IV breathed a long sigh of relief and almost lost his balance. This was enough to show how bad his condition was at this time.

He sat on the chair, and after a long time he regained his composure. With a little apology, he said gently:

"Losa, I should have kissed you at this time and granted you a fief, but due to the illness and the domestic situation, I am unable to do both of these things."

"No problem, Your Majesty."

Lothar shook his head quickly.

"When you first arrived in Jerusalem, you needed a place to stay. I gave you Constance Manor in District XC. This was once your father's property. He returned it to the royal family before he left. Now I will give it to you again."

"And I will give you a thousand gold coins of Surides, where you can recruit pilgrims and train sergeants."

"In addition, I know that the manpower around you is limited. You can use my token to get assistance from Baron Godfrey to complete this task. Baron Godfrey is one of the few people I can completely trust now. .”

Lothar smiled and said: "As you wish, my loyal Lord."