After deciding to choose the method of gunpowder blasting to break the city, William immediately led people to loot the saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal of the entire Roman city, and instructed the craftsmen of the army to prepare black powder according to the optimal ratio of 75% saltpeter, 10% sulfur and 15% charcoal.

Although the purity of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal looted from the city of Rome was not high, and these unpurified materials contained many impurities, the key was that the quantity was sufficient, and William estimated that at least two thousand pounds of black powder of acceptable purity could be concocted.

Of course, William's baggage also carried three hundred pounds of granular black powder of very high purity, although these granular black powders were much more powerful than those improvised black powder, but they were not enough to blast through the towering walls of Castel Sant'Angelo.

William estimated that it would take at least three days to complete the preparation of 2,000 pounds of black powder with more than 30 craftsmen under his control, which would give the rebels in Castel Sant'Angelo enough time to repair.

It was not that William did not want to recruit the craftsmen of Rome to work with his own craftsmen to prepare black powder to improve efficiency, but he had to do so in order to protect the secret of black powder - he surrounded the craftsmen who prepared the powder with soldiers, and did not let anyone approach.

Even William also looted and purchased a lot of other materials in order to keep this secret, even if someone wanted to crack the formula and process of black powder in the future, they would be confused by William and take many detours.

In the evening of the second day, Emma and the three thousand Norman mercenaries behind her, whom William had been waiting for, finally entered the city of Rome to join William.

William didn't expect that the Norman mercenary group of the Outville family would be so supportive of him, and he actually sent all the mercenaries to William's side to dispatch the queen of heaven.

Behind Emma are Caesar and Emma's second brother Drogo and third brother Humphrey, different from the handsome Caesar and the charming Emma, both of them are tall and mighty like the eldest brother William, wearing chain mail and Norman helmets, except for their different ages and appearances, the three of them are almost carved out of the same mold.

Of course, this is understandable, as Caesar and Emma are not the same mother as their three older brothers, William, Drogo, and Humphrey, and it is natural that they are slightly different in appearance.

A few years ago, the most Tancred. Morality. The eldest son of Otwell's second wife, Caesar even had the surname Quiscade at one time, rather than the surname De. Outwell.

The three leaders of the Norman mercenaries, William, Drago, and Humphrey, gathered in front of William, and a group of fierce Norman mercenaries stood behind the three of them, and an oppressive momentum erupted from the three leaders and three thousand mercenaries.

If ordinary people were likely to be frightened by the impact of the momentum, William did not seem flustered at all, looked at everyone with a calm expression, stroked the neck of BMW Rune under the seat with his right hand, nodded slightly, and said loudly to everyone: "Great Normans, you are the greatest race in the world, different from the arrogance of the French, you are humble and studious, different from the stubbornness of the Germans, you are flexible, different from the weakness of the Italians, you are brave and united.

It is my honour and pride to be here today in the great city of Rome to fight with me.

As the Duke of Normandy and the chief of all the Normans, I will lead you to the greatest victory, the most precious riches, and the most glorious and honorable positions.

Today we are fighting not only for the Pope, not only for me as the Duke of Normandy, but for yourselves!

After I declare this victory, all the gold and beauty of the city of Rome will be at your disposal, and the riches and glory will be yours and yours! It's all yours! ”

William's incendiary words aroused the fighting spirit of 5,000 people, including the Norman mercenaries and William's soldiers, and in the face of the wealth and glory that was at their disposal, the greedy Normans howled and stood up, raised their weapons and shouted: "Long live, long live, long live the Duke of Normandy, long live the Normans!" ”

The three Norman mercenary commanders, William, Drogo and Humphrey, were all convinced by William's mind and strength, and they also followed the crowd and shouted Long live William.

In the face of this terrifying momentum on the five thousand Normans, Pope Benedict IX beside William was trembling with fright, his body swayed as if he was about to fall off the horse at any time, but fortunately William held the Pope's arm so that he did not make a fool of himself.

Benedict IX, who was palpitating, glared at William angrily, turned his head to look at these majestic and mighty Normans, and the confident Benedict IX couldn't help but be proud, and immediately stepped forward and said loudly: "Normans, you will be richly rewarded for fighting for me today."

The riches of the Castel Sant'Angelo will belong to you, and I will not take a penny! ”

With His Majesty's endorsement, William's promise was even more tempting, and everyone looked at the Castel Sant'Angelo beside them as if they were looking at a piece of succulent beef.

The defenders of Castel Sant'Angelo, who seemed to be being stared at by five thousand hungry wolves, turned pale and trembled in the eyes of their prey, and there was no one inside or outside, even the knights of the church from the German region who dared to resist before couldn't help but retreat.

Although they were knights directly under the Church and received a fief manor from the Holy See, they were not willing to fight for Cardinal Sipilen and these tiger and wolf masters, after all, Sipelian was not the real Pope, and he could command the knights of the Church only because he could hold the power of the Holy See.

Now that the real Pope Benedict IX is leading this group of Normans back, he will surely regain the power of the Holy See, so that the knights of the Church will not have to die for the usurper and the loser.

The knights of the Church believe that His Majesty the Pope will still be of use to them, and will not punish them for this little misunderstanding, after all, the knights of the Church are only loyal to their own lord, the Church, they are loyal to their duties, they are innocent, and the real culprit is the most heinous Bishop of Sipilen.

Of course, it doesn't matter whether His Majesty the Pope can do this or not, anyway, they believe the knights.

With this in mind, the knights of the Church, who had been very good at fighting, slowly retreated back and gradually descended from the city.

William, who had been observing the Castel Sant'Angelo amid the cheers, was keenly aware of the vacillation of the knights of the Church, and he immediately ordered his soldiers to prepare for the siege.