Angus quickly found his room, he unbandaged, and Gillick brought a bucket of cold water to clean the wounds on his dolphin-like slippery thighs.

"You are not fit to continue riding." Gillick said.

Angus didn't answer, he knew his state, under the stars all night, the pain had been tormenting him, and he was forced to stop all drills, and could only play chess in the camp tent to relieve his worries.

But the wound wasn't what bothered him, he cared about the fiasco, and his fate.

Where does my future lie?

"The Normans are ready for war." Gillick stared at his own lord, he had been secretly observing for many days, enough to guess his inner struggle.

"They have deepened trenches outside the castle, sharpened stakes, and troops of all flags are lying across the roads, yes, they are preparing for war. The question is, what does this have to do with me? ”

"I have heard from the soldiers that the Ottvilles were little more than robber lords in those days, and that Bohemond's father was married to two hundred knights, but since the beginning of the army, the four sides have feared, and now they are the masters of Apulia and Calabria, and they have all the castles, armies, and territories."

Giglik's words were just repeating what he was thinking these days.

"And what about the mission that the Holy See has given me?"

"Your Excellency's contract is only between you and Lady Canossa, and if you wish, you may be able to write to Madame ......"

"Terminate the contract? Then I will only have a sword, and if I serve the Holy See, I will at least receive a higher status and treatment. ”

"We highlanders only need to have a sword and a harp with us, so why should we rely on others?"

Dagobert's words still echo in my ears: to participate in the higher struggle.

What is the Higher Struggle? The more important question is, what is the reward? Angus almost forgot about the pain in his leg until Gillick re-tied the bandage.

A superficially forgotten question was stopping him through a sharp pain in his thigh: What is the cost of all this?

At this time, Bohemond was still talking secretly with the new Archbishop of Pisa, Dagobert, and between his amber ring fingers was constantly turning a gold Nomisma coin, and the carved emperor's head reflected a faint white glow in the bright whale candlelight.

"What do you see?"

"The money is in poor condition."

"It is clear that Alexios' financial resources are drying up, and there is no way he can help you achieve your goals."

"I think it's the opposite, it's because we all have our needs that we can be allies."

"What have you heard?"

"The territories of the Christians of the East are falling, as evidenced by the letter written by the Count of Flanders himself."

"Perhaps, but do I remember that in Thessaly, after the Greeks crawled in the dust, it was Suleiman's people of war who stopped my knights, and the emperor's eastern territory was very stable at that time, and in only a few years, Alexios could not control the Seljuks?"

"What do you think of things?"

"It's nothing more than a heretic succession dispute, and I'm sure the one in Constantinople has been ready to support you, and maybe you'll meet some new Nicaean lord who has received the emperor's favor when you arrive in the capital." Bohemond sneered, "To tell you the truth, you underestimate the Emperor's cunning, and ten honest and faithful Christians like you are no match for him. ”

"You mean that the good intentions of the Holy See will be denied?"

"It's a good thing to refuse, at least you don't have to worry about the Greeks' machinations." After all, Bohemond had fought against the emperor, and as an enemy, he probably knew the emperor himself no less than the eunuchs of the Brachna court (Parakimomenos).

“Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes。 (Beware of the Greeks, even if it's their gifts.) Dagobert couldn't help but quote Laocoon's warning to the Trojans.

"Exactly." Bohemond replied with a smile, "In this case, let my grandfather accompany you on a trip to the East, and take my letter with you—my brother Guy is now serving the Emperor in the capital, and he may be able to help you." ”

Is this time for eyeliner? Dagobert mused, but he really needed Brachner's internal connections, and besides, what was the difference between Bohemond's spy and Alexios's spy on himself?

"Then I'll be tired of Lord Bonnardergo."

"One more thing." Bohemond said nonchalantly, "My brother-in-law told me that your guard's guard had a misunderstanding with him, so it would be better to let him recuperate here." ”

"No need." Dagobert flatly refused, and he did not forget Reina's fate.

Bohemond didn't show any pity, in fact, he just heard William mention that the young man's martial arts were good, and he was a good material, but the big battle was imminent, and a wounded young knight would not arouse his interest, and the casual mention was only because of the strong recommendation of his brother-in-law, he had just met Angus, and from the other party's delicate appearance, he felt that he had found the motive behind William.

The bishop refused too simply, so that the true relationship between the boy and the old fellow was self-evident.

Bohemond's series of inferences were entirely subconscious, and he continued to be abusive with the other party with the same expression, only to show disgust after Dagobert disappeared from the red door.

These sanctimonious red-clothed monsters want to dominate noble knights like us.

He couldn't help but shudder at the thought of what this disgusting fellow might have suffered at the hands of the outwardly pious Alexios.