The battle of Granada, which took place in August of the fourth year of Tiandao, was not fierce, and the process of the battle was even more farce-like, but the result shocked the entire Western world.

Granada, the comfortable and prosperous center of Celestial Culture and Art, could not defeat the Christian countries of the Iberian Peninsula, but with the fortified city of Granada, it was a deterrent to any enemy who coveted its wealth.

Legend has it that the capital of the Nasr Sultan contained 12 huge granaries, each containing enough wheat for the citizens of Granada to feed for an entire year. The 12 granaries helped the city survive the siege for 12 years.

Twelve years is a time that no enemy trying to capture Granada can afford to delay. As a result, the city has stood for more than 30 years and has become a refuge for all the Celestials on the island of Iberia.

And this time, when the news of Granada's impending attack reached Rome, it spread to Egypt, it spread to North Africa. Neither the terminally ill Pope Clement IV, nor the Mamluk Emperor Bibers, nor the Lion of Marin, Yakub, did not think that this war would be the end of Granada.

The old fox Nasr will definitely turn the corner.

That's what people think all the time. This is not the first time that Granada has encountered a crisis, and although the Kingdom of Castile has accepted Granada's submission, everyone knows that they have not given up on their plans to destroy the Celestial Cult. It's just that the heart is weak.

And this time, they have the support of the legendary Seris or Khitans...... Oh, and these Orientals from the west now call themselves Ming and Chinese – they think their country is the center of the world! It's arrogant enough.

However, no one thought that these Chinese, who somehow appeared on the Atlantic coast, could help Alfonso X of Castile lay down a fortified castle like Granada.

In addition to Pu Shou Geng!

In October of the fourth year of the Heavenly Dao, that is, in November 1268.

Cairo, Egypt.

The capital of the Mamluk dynasty, it was the center of the reign of Sultan Baibers, the first male lord of the Celestial Sect. But in the last eight years. He spent most of his time on the battlefields of the eastern Mediterranean, resisting the Mongols in the east and the Christians in the west, and with the powerful Mamluk legions, he defeated his two major opponents, the Mongol Ilkhanate and the Christian kingdoms of the West. Just 6 months ago, this pillar of the Celestial Sect (the honorific title of Baibers) and the victorious king (also his honorific title). Just won a great victory that destroyed the Duchy of Antioch. The victorious Sultan of Baibers held a great triumphal ceremony in Cairo, and 100,000 Christians from the Principality of Antioch were escorted to Cairo, where they would become slaves of the Celestial Sect, and their labor would strengthen the Mamluk Empire.

However, less than three months after the triumphal ceremony, shocking news came from the West - Pu Shou Geng, who had fled from the Sultan and had been forgiven by him, had come from Granada and brought back the blood letter of the Sultan Nasr of Granada!

"Nothing! Let the Nasr Sultan hold out for a few more months. By next spring, I will go to the Iberian Peninsula with the Sultan of Yakub in Marin to lead the army! ”

Bibers told Pu Shougeng this at the time, and Pu Shougeng's answer surprised him.

"Your Majesty the Sultan, Granada will not hold out for a few months...... This great Celestial Sect city has probably fallen now! The Celestial Sect has now lost the Iberian Peninsula! ”

In the solemn and magnificent Tianfang Temple, the sultan, who had just finished praying, sat cross-legged. Close your eyes and ponder, thinking back to the conversation with Pu Shougeng a month ago.

"Impossible!" At the time he was very sure. Although he had never been to Granada, he knew what kind of city it was, "I know what kind of castle Granada is, and no one can take it in a year. As long as the people who defend it themselves do not cowardly open the city and surrender. Nasr Sultan is not a lion, but he is not a coward either, and he will make the attackers pay a heavy enough price. ”

"His Majesty the Sultan. You underestimate the military capabilities of the great empires of the East...... They have terrifying weapons that can easily destroy huge, strong walls! ”

"Terrible weapons? H medicine and heavenly thunder arrows? I used them in my attacks on Jaffa and Antioch. Power...... Although it was not small, it was not able to destroy the city walls. ”

"There are also cannons, made of bronze that can fire iron balls. I once mentioned it to you. And...... The formula of H medicine in Chinese is different from the one I offer to you, and their H medicine is more powerful. ”

"That's right...... Still, I don't believe that Granada will fall in such a short time. If it does fall, then I will consider a truce with the Mongols. ”

What Bibers thought was impossible, has now happened! The fortified city of Granada lasted only 7 days, and all of it, including Granada and Alan Buda, was breached!

150,000 Celestial Cultists became slaves, sold to Chinese at a low price, and are now doing hard labor in the Gulf of Gibraltar...... There is a stronghold of the Chinese, and there is a very strange name called Macau.

It is said that the Chinese will build cities and ports there to serve as their stronghold in Europa.

The news is quite certain that there are not only from the Iberian Peninsula, but also from Rome...... The bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang and the city of Rome celebrated, and even the terminally ill Pope appeared in public with joy (because he believed that he would become a saint for his exploits in recovering the Iberian Peninsula). And openly declared that the Eighth Crusade would be held!

Moreover, the Pope also announced that he would invite the Ming envoys to visit Rome as honored guests, most likely asking them to help with the Eighth Crusade!

Sultan Baibers frowned, he knew that the greatest crisis in the history of the Celestial Sect was looming over him.

……

"Your Majesty, Mr. Abdul has arrived outside the main hall of worship."

The black eunuch of the Sultan respectfully retribution.

"Ask him to come in." Bibers' tone was calm, as if he didn't take the sharp turn of events to heart.

And his guest, Pu Shou Geng, with the most gloomy mood, slowly walked into the Great Tianfang Temple in Cairo. His surviving family, except for his eldest son, Pu Shiwen, all stayed in Granada!

"Your Majesty!" Pu Shougeng bowed behind Baibers' back, and then sat down cross-legged.

"Granada has fallen!" Baibers's tone was still calm, "Abdul, your prophecy has come true, I was wrong. ”

“……”

"Since it is wrong, it must be corrected, and knowing that it is wrong and not changing it is not something that a Heavenly Sect should do."

The fact that Bibers can have the status he has today speaks volumes about his wisdom and wisdom. He already knew that he could not go to war with Christianity, Mongolia, and China at the same time—almost with the power of Egypt and Syria against the whole world, with no chance of victory.

"Abdul, I will open Nasr Sultan's blood letter to the Council of Scholars tomorrow."

The Council of Jurisprudence was the highest synod of the Celestial Sect at this time, presided over by the Caliph himself (Baibers installed Hakim of the Abbasid Hmong as caliph). Although this synod has no real power, it is better to let them come out and endorse this matter when it comes to peace with the Mongols.

After all, the Mongols had slaughtered the Celestial Cultists, and they had occupied Baghdad, which had been reduced to ruins.

"I can't make peace with them in vain...... There is no way to account for this. "I need Baghdad!" As long as Kublai Khan is willing to give me Baghdad, I will make peace with him. ”

"Your Majesty, but now the advantage is in Kublai Khan's." Pu Shougeng frowned and said.

Bibers nodded and said, "I know, but without Baghdad, I won't be able to convince the people!" He paused, "Isn't it worth Baghdad to be nothing more than an empty city in exchange for the support of an empire?" Kublai Khan would have known what was important. ”

"Okay, I'll fight for it."

"In addition, the Eastern Roman Emperor Michael VIII is also a figure who must be fought for. It is possible to support him in the destruction of Venice and become the master of all of Italy! It would be the revival of the Roman Empire, wouldn't it? I am also willing to make a truce with the Eastern Roman Empire under the mediation of the Great Khan of the Mongols...... I have no ambitions for Asia Minor and will not continue to support the Turks there. ”

"You're so wise." Pu Shougeng said flatteringly.

However, this assessment is very appropriate for Baybers. Such a figure from slave to arrogant, of course, some are not only ferocious and barbaric, wise rule, and slick diplomatic skills, Baibers is not lacking. He is not only a victorious general on the battlefield, but also a master of diplomacy. He pursued a close attack from afar, befriending France and the Golden Horde, focusing on the Crusader states while resisting the Ilkhanate. Therefore, at the beginning, he did not want to be an enemy of the distant Ming Empire, but regarded the Ming Dynasty as an object that could be befriended from afar.

But as soon as the Ming Mission and the expeditionary force arrived in Europa, they showed a pro-Christian, anti-Celestial position, which made him very confused. However, confusion is confusion, and the "victor" Bibers will not be afraid of the enemies of the true gods, no matter how powerful the Ming Empire is in the East, the long distance will definitely weaken their power. And he was also very sure that the main opponent of the Ming Empire would definitely be the Mongols and not himself. Now, since the Ming Empire has chosen Christianity as a friend, there is no reason to contain the Mongols anymore. Let the Mongols, Christianity, and the Ming Empire fight each other. The Mamluks still had to concentrate on the Christians on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. (To be continued......)