"Is it to cut off our food supply?" Godfrey then pondered, and then came to this conclusion, "As the day of the Lord's birthday approached, the supply of the whole pilgrim army was really difficult, and the Greek emperor did not give us the right to buy supplies, and the great and rich city must have been full of meat and grain, but Komnenos refused to sell it to us, and since Sophia, he has intercepted us everywhere." ”

Gawain's hand pressed on the shoulder of the Duke of Lower Lorraine, and said with relief, "I'll think of a solution." ”

"How to fix it?"

"It's very simple, I will release their second glory, Emperor Sebastoclat, and I will not ask for a ransom, but only the emperor will allocate us supplies."

"But the Greek emperor should pay more attention to his own brother, if Gawain is like this, the remaining bargaining chips are just a grand duke, and he is only the emperor's quasi-son-in-law, and he may not be able to exchange for greater rights in the future."

"There's no way," Gawain exhaled two clouds of white mist, "These tens of thousands of people, as long as they lack food for a few days, can completely collapse all believers." We don't beg for peace, we take the initiative to pursue it. ”

At this time, Godfrey also felt a little guilty, because he had previously strongly advocated a war with the Greek emperor, but now he wanted Gawain to stand up and resume the course of peace and pilgrimage. Then His Excellency the Duke also put his hand on Gawain's shoulder and shook it vigorously, "On the road of pilgrimage, I will definitely walk with Baldwin and you strongly." ”

In Sarabria's camp, the royal brother Isaac's eyes lit up, and he sat in the main position, and Brenus could not see any expression. Stand on the side. Gawain and a column of generals, confidential officials, and the Brotherhood all stood around, "In that case. It's been a lot of work. As long as Grand Duke Gawain can accompany me, I will return to the imperial capital. Whether it is peace talks or supplies, it is easy to discuss. ”

"Yes, now our Dalian army is in an awkward situation, because of the fear of His Majesty's punishment, we have to join forces with the Franks, as long as Your Majesty can continue to recognize our qualifications as the army of the Roman Empire, Gawain is willing to saddle up for Your Majesty and the Emperor." Now Gao Wen thought that the emperor's brother was just a bargaining chip anyway, so he simply lowered his posture. Say more pretty things that don't matter.

Then, he looked at the other "bargaining chip": "As for Your Excellency Penipase Bastos, because of the settlement, you may still have to be grieved in the camp for a while, as long as you can reach a peace agreement with the Emperor, Gawain will never continue to detain Penipase Bastos." ”

"That's the best, because I'm still in a hurry to get back to the imperial capital, and at Christmas, Your Majesty's Princess Anna." Brenus smiled unreminingly. Request Gawain said.

Gawain lowered his head, and he couldn't see the expression on his face, but he definitely understood the meaning of the word "Shang".

Next. The sea breeze finally blew away the cumulus clouds, and the blue sky refilled the mountains and seas, the stronghold of Emperor Alexios. From St. Atkins' Gate to the Imperial Tomb, it was completed overnight. Fences, ditches, walled gates, and deer barricades are all available, backed by the river and the Zhukuntina Palace. It happened to cut off the path of the pilgrims, and the emperor's financial resources and mobilization power shocked the pilgrims. Alexios then placed most of the elite troops in the middle, and the emperor himself did not return to the palace, but went straight to the camp and sat down, summoned men, and talked to Tetisius and Theognes.

Both of them prostrated themselves in front of the emperor's holy face in fear, not daring to raise their heads.

"Penny Passer Bastos, how the hell was he captured?" The Emperor's tone was a bit harsh.

The Emperor saw that there was not much difference between what he knew, and he knew that the two men were not lying, and then he said hatefully, "I have understood that this is all a work of the Normans." ”

So the veteran Harold leaned over and asked how to balance now.

Before the emperor could speak, news came that an envoy had come from the other side to ask for a meeting.

"As I expected, it seems that Gawain is going to release Brenus first." Alexios patted his leg in satisfaction, then got up, "Isaac may still be holding on, waiting for the hermit to exchange with him." ”

But then, when the Emperor and the others climbed the tower, the scene in front of them was really beyond Alexios's expectations: Gawain, riding a silver horse, was accompanied by his own brother Isaac, who seemed to have not suffered any mistreatment even if he was captured, but was still a little fatter and looked very good. On the side of Gawain and Isaac, there is a brotherhood of brocade books on fast horses, presumably to protect Gawain and prevent Isaac from escaping.

Even if he was dissatisfied with his brother's incompetence before, but seeing that he was safe and sound, the anger in the emperor's heart instantly dissipated, after all, Isaac was his closest sibling in his life, and it was really good to be able to do this.

"Gawain - I am faithful, I am also a man of words, and the one who ambushed you in front of the city gate before was definitely not the man I assigned!" Alexios raised his hands and parted them, and his loud voice rose throughout the land, "Now you are 'guardian' of Sebastoprat, and you have come to the imperial capital to discuss important matters with me, and I have fully realized this loyalty and painstaking work. Say, what do you want? I could have guided you to the Brachner Palace now, giving you whatever glory and benefit you wanted, and a friendly example to Venerable Godfrey and Baldwin. ”

"Your Majesty is merciful!" At this time, the imperial ink officer Meles and the captain of the guard, Mikhail, were the first to shout this word of praise, and then all the soldiers in the camp responded in various languages, and the sound shook in all directions.

Alexios slowly lowered his hand, held the fence of the tower, and then lowered his voice and turned to Gawain on the snow below, "Why, I am ready to give you a greater glory, this glory is enough to compare with Brenus, and it is by no means comparable to a symbolic purple robe and body." Come, Gawain, now that the decision is in your hands—to walk side by side with me into the palace and to act as a bridge between me and the pilgrims? Or do you want to fight the great me to the end? ”

At this moment, all the people in the tower, including the captor, looked at Gawain nervously, not knowing what this brute would say.

Gawain's eyes were calm, as if he was thinking about the emperor's proposal, while Isaac next to him kept reminding and urging, "Tell my brother that I am willing to accept this honor in Brachna Palace, which many bureaucratic generals cannot get after serving the royal family all their lives." ”

After a while, the cold wind swept under the horse's hooves, and its beautiful mane was frozen to stand up, and Gawain was under the watchful eye of everyone: not only the emperor's camp, but also the pilgrim's camp, turned over and dismounted, holding the hilt of the sword of phosphorus fire in the snow, and half-knelt in front of the tower where the emperor was, his voice was also very loud, "The servant would rather not accept the glory bestowed by His Majesty. ”

As soon as these words came out, thousands of people were in an uproar, and Alexios also froze his expression, pointing his finger on the crossbar of the fence, secretly exerting his strength

But then Gawain lowered his head, "The servant only hopes that His Majesty will release the servant's righteous brother Hermit, this is one of them; In addition, the servants are willing to go to His Majesty's palace alone, just hoping to pay homage to Her Royal Highnesses the Queen and Princess, and it is enough to know their holy bodies, which is the second; In addition, the servants hoped that His Majesty would reach a sacred peace with the lords and nobles of the pilgrimage, that the pilgrims would not freeze to death, and that he would join hands with the Frankish princes to conquer the Restoration of the Holy Sepulchre. Therefore, the servants escorted Sebastoprat the next day in the hope that His Majesty would send grain, and the pilgrims were willing to exchange it for money. If His Majesty does not want to be trusted, Gawain is willing to remain hostage in His Majesty's palace until all the troops pass through the strait. ”

What, you are a barbarian who attracts bees and butterflies to hook up with sex, and you still want to stay in the palace as a hostage, so my Anna is really dangerous.

Never! With such a thought, the emperor coughed lightly, and then changed his mind, after listening to this speech, his attitude towards Gawain actually softened a little, this can indeed be turned into a pillar of the empire, and is truly loyal to Erin and Anna, but needs a chain to tie him, "It seems that I really need my youngest daughter Daido." This 'glorious title' is not something that you can refrain from if you want to resign. ”

"Well, as I said before, I am magnanimous. Therefore you do not need to hand over any hostages, and as for the pilgrims' camps, I will send you food and supplies tomorrow, and allow you to move your camp under the walls to the seashore, and then I will send ships to take you across the sea. Alexios was quite satisfied with the outcome of the negotiation, "But Gawain must return the captured Brenus as soon as possible." Otherwise, I can cut off your supply at any time. In addition, tomorrow you will put on the robes I have given you and come to the Brachna Palace, which is a command, and a condition for you. ”

Soon after, the gate of the barracks was opened with a bang, and Mikhail and Diognis, who had been ordered by the emperor, rode horses and came to Gawain, and then draped the white silk robes worn by the nobles over Gawain's body, and wore the gold medallion on his chest.

"It's important that you don't miss an appointment." Although the guard looked at Gawain and did not speak, Mikhail, who had a deep relationship with him, secretly reminded Gawain, "Otherwise, Your Majesty's anger can still wipe you out completely." ”

"Yes, Gawain will not miss the appointment, and will go to meet His Majesty according to the requirements of the Book of Etiquette." Gawain pressed his hand to his chest and said earnestly.

Alexios kept his word, and the next day, a passage was opened in the barracks, and the St. Atkins Gate came out of the great "river" carried by the merchants and officials, the men and the soldiers, and the wagons laden with fish, wheat flour, charcoal, and boxes of coins and silk, which creaked and rolled under the wheels, and sent them into the camp of Gottschalk, where all the pilgrims, who had been hungry and cold, cheered that they were finally saved. (To be continued.) )