This disposition stunned everyone, and the fatter dean almost fell down with his rosary, and the poor little midshipman Anderodat was just about to walk over to help, when he was grabbed by the domineering self-proclaimed Grand Duke and dragged into the ranks of sergeants, and several Varangian warriors immediately laughed, touching and patting Anderodat's peculiar hairstyle, which made the little midshipman tremble.

The rest of the people held the dean up, and at this time, Gao Wen nodded his forehead, as if he remembered something, "There are no people who have divine products to stay, such as various craftsmen." ”

"But how do you arrange for us? What is the rationale for this? Several deacons pleaded.

"Anyway, this monastery was originally owned by the Orthodox monks, and I will return it to its original owner, so that the sacrament can be fermented and eaten, and I hate to eat dead noodles." This is the self-proclaimed archduke's hegemonic explanation, "Sharpen a stick and return to Rome or the Alps and return to the land of the Franks." ”

Afterwards, under the protection of axes and swords, Androdart descended the steps of the monastery, where many soldiers were erecting platforms with ropes and timber in the open area, and about three or four tall men with red and yellow hair were bound hand and foot and put on the levers on the platform.

All the soldiers gathered around and shouted, and Gawain walked down, "Duke Bohemond has written that he has collected most of the ransom, and that he is now with me, and there are still about four people who cannot be paid, namely the four of you, so according to the agreement, I must put you to death." ”

The four Norman knights standing on the gallows, silent.

"Because of poverty, you have lost your lives." Then, Gawain said.

An older man, with a rope around his neck, shouted to Gawain, "Poverty is a knight's virtue. ”

"No, poverty is a sin." Gawain replied, and then the table under the gallows was kicked over, and the four unfortunate captives immediately shook their legs for a while, and then they stopped struggling, and Androdart stood behind Gawain, and when he saw this, his face turned pale with fright.

Then, Gawain turned around, "Conveying the orders of the Archduke, we will sweep the region like a grate, and the main targets will be churches, monasteries, villages, and towns that are pro-Norman or under Norman patronage, and we will only do what the Normans treated the Roman Empire before!" At the same time, we will promise that we will not infringe on the towns and villages of the Greeks who fly the banner of St. Michael or St. Nicholas, and I will expel all the friars sent from Rome (St. Peter's Catholic Church) and close all the clergy buildings with Catholic rites and replace them with Roman monks (Greek Orthodox Church)! ”

Finally, in front of the gallows and dangling corpses, Gawain waved his hand, "Now, with St. Michael's sword of phosphorus fire to slay the dragon, burn the whole of Calabria, and let the enemy suffer God's extermination!" ”

The self-proclaimed megalomaniacal duke did what he said, and then the light cavalry of Tetisius divided into small squads and ravaged the whole of southern Calabria, all the wheat fields and farms belonging to the Normans, drove out the peasants who toiled them, plundered the cattle, filled the wells, and banished the Norman-appointed priests, the cavalrymen who carried scimitars and bows on horseback, wore Byzantine armor and scarlet battle clothes, and rushed to the gates of the monastery and set fire to the monastery, which became a new element in the Lord's Prayer." Pray that the Lord will save us all from Gawain. Lusail was rescued under the claws. ”

At the pass on the way to the southernmost city of Reggio, Gao Po erected a fluttering banner of the "Red Cross Sword", on which Gawain stood and watched the procession of marching troops below, and the growing baggage procession, "Drove all those loyal to Norman to the mountains to spend the winter." ”

Then, in the wilderness on the other side of the mountain pass, a large number of men and horses faintly appeared, their armor reflecting the light in the sky, and many on horseback, waving banners of various colors, and the scouts rushed up the hillside and pointed to the other side, "There is a large army that does not know the enemy and me gathered on the other side of the river. ”

As a result, Gawain and Theognes looked at each other, and then the self-proclaimed Grand Duke laughed, "All of them are Calabrian Roman (Greek) petty nobles, monks and people who thought of the empire, and who were originally under the tyranny of the Normans, but now they know that I am coming, and they are all gathered to serve under the banner of the Grand Duke." ”

"That's too arrogant!" Diognis is still obsessed with Gawain's so-called "official title futures business".

"Anderodart." Gawain paid no heed to the other man's complaints, but handed him a wine bag, "It contains the finest wines from the Italian countryside, found in the cellars of the monastery, for you—hey, Anderodart!" Then, gagged Diognis, and the self-proclaimed Grand Duke cried out impatiently, and the thin monk, who was almost unable to hold himself up in chain mail and turban, ran out of breath to the high slope, with stationery and pen and ink in his hand.

"Drafting a letter of appointment." Then Gawain spoke, and Androdatsu nodded, and then, groping for his way through the coat hanging in front of him, pulled out a bottle of green ink (which in the Roman Empire was only qualified to be used by ministers, archdukes, and naval commanders), dipped it in it with a reed pen, and began to write with ease.

Soon, the minor Greek nobles, including Metzios, who had joined the army after the Battle of Kademia Castle, had come to serve on the opposite bank of the river, and they really thought that Gawain was the Grand Duke appointed by His Majesty the Emperor to restore the region: His Majesty had appointed him with full responsibility, and that the Grand Duke could continue to appoint us.

Under the military flag, Androdat wrote with sweat on his face, finished a copy, and then poked it with a private seal, "Hey, how did you sign my name and that of General Tetisius?" Seeing that Androdart imitated his own handwriting and drew a note on the side of the seal, the angry and frightened captor grabbed the little priest's robe and questioned him.

Grand Duke Gawain said, "The probationary priest was half dead of fear."

"What an archduke!" Diognis whispered.

"I said I wanted to pull all of you on the ship, this is called the partnership system. As for the use of letters of appointment to call on this group of people to join the army, it is called financing. Ander Odat shouted in fear.

With a bang, Diognis' head hung down and slammed into the propped up clipboard in frustration

As if he hadn't heard it, Gawain over there took out the Emperor's personal letter of appointment with purple ink and placed it in the hands of Mezchos, "From now on, His Excellency Mezchos, the best of all, is the Lombard Company Aconis appointed by the Empire!" ”

Madjos took this as if in a dream, but then thought, "But, isn't Aconis the title of barbarian general?" ”