On the vast Gobi desert, knights in blue robes and red and white robes formed a long and winding queue.
Behind them are the sergeants of the brigade.
The long and arduous trek made the soldiers complain.
A war that was supposed to last a long time turned into a grand armed parade, but people didn't feel any gratitude at all. They just felt that the two long-distance treks in succession were really torturous.
When crossing the Jordan River.
There was a huge team of nearly 30,000 people when they arrived, but now only less than one-third remained.
Knights and soldiers from various vassals have followed their lords back to their respective territories.
Serving the Lord is an obligation, and this obligation is calculated in terms of time.
This is why many lords and soldiers are dissatisfied with not being able to fight a battle.
Because only by fighting can you get the spoils.
Otherwise, a grand military parade will only mean one-sided expenditure and will not produce any benefits.
Before his return trip, Baldwin IV consecrated a large number of cavalry as royal knights enjoying "public fiefs".
Royal knights, in short, are landless knights who are supported by the royal territory and receive wages.
In addition, the fiefs of knights killed in battle will be inherited by their heirs. Only a small part of the territory will be taken back and given to knights with more outstanding military exploits.
In this war, the one with the most outstanding achievements was of course Lothar.
In addition, Ju Yin led his men to burn the Saracens' food and grass, which can be regarded as a meritorious service.
In addition, Baldwin IV confiscated Earl Leonard's title of Earl of Transjordan, resulting in a slight imbalance in the power of the Queen Mother's Party and the Lord's Party led by Regent Raymond.
Therefore, in private talks, Baldwin IV also revealed his intention to canonize him as the lord of Mengisa.
Mengisa was a town originally established by Baldwin IV to commemorate the defeat of Saladin in the Battle of Mengisa. Its population and territory were not large, and at best it was equivalent to the original Jorgelusburg.
Lothar and Baron Godfrey rode horses side by side and walked at the front of the team.
Ahead, there is no longer an endless desert, but a vast expanse of green shade.
Some manors and villages are scattered in an orderly manner along the road.
The population has also become denser.
People looked at the army. The Christians were delighted, while the pagans were indifferent.
"Have you seen that grape plantation? This means that we are about to arrive in Hebron. If nothing else happens, this will be your future territory."
Baron Godfrey was a little envious.
He is the lord of Beirut, Assuf and Yin Beilin, but having three baron titles does not mean that they can be merged into one earl.
Lothar chuckled and said: "If Balian can marry Princess Sibylla, the two territories of Ashkalon and Jaffa will also fall to the Yin Beilin family. When the time comes, let Balian entrust the territory to you, and you will The noble Earl of Jaffa."
Ashkalon, Yin Beilin, Jaffa, and Asuf, the four territories happened to be connected together, covering the southern coastline of Jerusalem.
This is much more comfortable than a loosely distributed and unmanageable territory.
As long as it is carefully built, it will be a state within a state like the County of Tripoli.
"Oh, it's just a title. It doesn't change anything whether you have it or not."
Baron Godfrey said inconsistently: "On your part, be careful of Count Leonard. He will not give up. The lords of Transjordan will not easily take sides before you two decide the outcome."
"He is no longer a count."
Lothar did not take Leonard to heart. The count was indeed powerful.
But after the truce with Saladin, Lothar was about to obtain the title of earl. After that, he only needed a period of "farming and development." Leonard, just a mere enemy, was really not an enemy worth taking seriously.
Hebron is only forty kilometers away from Jerusalem. It only takes half a day for the army to return to Jerusalem.
Outside this ancient holy city of two religions, apart from the vast plantations, the most unique sight is the endless stream of pagans coming to worship.
Lothar saw with her own eyes some Jews tearing their shirts as they walked. Their clothes were full of patches - which meant that after they tore their clothes, they would sew them up again.
This strange custom made Lothar feel completely incomprehensible.
Mending clothes proves that clothes are valuable.
But they still have to tear them apart to show their worship to the gods.
This town located on the West Bank of the Jordan River has a permanent population of nearly ten thousand people. It is no less than Montreal, which Lothar covets, and it is even richer.
Because it has more villages and fiefs attached to it.
Baron Godfrey introduced: "This used to be an important transportation route for many pilgrims going to Jerusalem. In addition, it could also collect high entry taxes from pagans. Before Leonard, one-third of the city's entrance tax was collected from pagans in a year. All my time is spent here.”
"Becoming an earl means that you will have your own palace, a mansion with fountains and gardens, marble-paved bathrooms, and groups of beautiful female slaves. It is a completely different lifestyle from that of European lords. But pleasure is important to a As far as the lord is concerned, it is only secondary. You must remember that sweet nectar always contains deadly venom."
Lothar was fascinated.
He couldn't help but laugh: "If you put it this way, I can't wait to taste this 'poison'."
Isn’t that why power and wealth are desirable?
Baron Godfrey said angrily: "Do you know how many heroes and warriors have degenerated into a group of wastes who only know pleasure in the life of the Eastern Palace? Amalric, our Lord Palace Minister, was once a The military and political minister appointed by His Majesty himself, at that time, who would have thought that he would turn into a shameful and cowardly villain who only knew how to deduct military pay?"
Lothar suppressed a smile, knowing that this old friend of her father was warning her, so she solemnly nodded and said, "I promise you, I will never become that kind of person."
Behind him, in the team of knights.
Amalric suddenly sneezed.
In these days, he would brag to everyone he met about how he and his brothers burned the Saracens' food and grass. He felt that his contribution could completely offset his guilt of embezzling military pay.
Baldwin IV never had any intention of disposing of him, which made him feel relieved.
...
Towards dusk, the army finally arrived in Jerusalem.
The soldiers of the two knights and the city defense army walked into the city tiredly and covered with dust. The nobles and citizens who came to greet them could not inspire them to show off at all.
All they want now is to take a hot bath and have a good night's sleep in a room with a roof and a bed.
The noble lady standing on the two-story building beside the road stared closely at the majestic grand leader of the Royal Knights who followed closely beside the chariot.
She licked her soft red lips and said with emotion: "It's so tempting. I like this kind of brave knight best."
Her companion, a woman shrouded in a black robe, sneered: "Stop being so arrogant. If we don't deal with this guy, that crazy woman will definitely expose our identities to everyone."
There was a mockery in the lady's tone: "Oh, it's so simple. Didn't you see the witch following him? That's not easy to deal with."
She paused slightly and then said: "If you ask me, instead of being threatened by that crazy woman, we should turn around and get rid of her - there are as many people as there are in Kalle Fort, and if we kill them all, no one will be able to spread the news. Alright?"
The woman snorted coldly: "Don't say stupid things. Kaleburg has a lot of silver weapons. Just the two of us can't kill them all."
The noble lady's face became a little gloomy: "When will our noble blood race start to be threatened by these humble humans? If you ask me, in the worst case, we will run back to the castle in Wallachia."
Her companion sneered: "Don't tell me that you are used to living in a spacious palace and are still willing to return to that smelly swamp. If you are afraid, you can leave, but I tell you, I am I will never give up my noble status in the human world.”
