After a toast together, the original argument in the tavern was gone, and the people at their respective tables talked about their own affairs. After all, everyone in the tavern is not idle people who have nothing to do, and they all have their own careers, so Lao Luo can listen to more interesting things.

Disputes between the Berbers in the west and the Bantu in the south continued, the Fatimid and Abbasid kingdoms were still at odds over doctrinal matters in the east, and across the Mediterranean Sea in the north, the Holy Roman and Byzantine Empires were at strife. Lao Luo listened interestingly, and it happened that the table next to him was the red-faced captain's table.

"The sea route to the west is getting harder and harder, and the bastards of the Holy See have gotten some doglegs to collect taxes at high prices on the seashore." Redface had probably drunk a lot of wine, his nose was red, and he scratched at his messy long hair, "Soratinok, what the hell do you think those bastards want to do?" ”

Soratinok was a fat old merchant with gray hair, the same red-nosed head, "Mussos, stay away from those churchgoers, who are as greedy as wild dogs in the steppe, and more hypocritical than politicians. ”

"I know, I know, those bastards raise their taxes every time......" Mussos drank another glass of wine, then called the bartender to refill the wine before he said to Soratinuk, "I just don't want to be robbed like pirates by them." ”

"It's useless, Messos, they have a convoy under them, and you think they're only demagoguery?" Soratinuk clearly understood the power of the church.

"I've seen their guards, they're all weak guys, and they can't hold back my fists." Saying that, Mussos also measured his fist, "Plus my sailors, I don't believe they can't be killed!" ”

"Don't, don't ......" Soratinok reached out and pressed down on Messos's arm, and said, "Mussos, have you seen their warriors in iron armor?" ”

"No, you know I rarely go to the shore to the north." Mussos's glass was filled again, and he simply took another big sip, but fortunately the alcohol here was not very high.

"No wonder you think so, I've been to the Chamber of Commerce in Rome in recent years, and I've heard from people there that the church has formed several guard regiments, called the Knights." Soratinok wiped the beard from his mouth and stuffed a cookie into his mouth before adding, "The power of the Church does not come only from the principalities to the north, its own knights are also elite. ”

"Really? I've heard of the Knights, and the so-called knights are old and dead. Mussos held his wooden wine glass and looked at Soratinok with drunken eyes.

"No, it's not the original Knights, it's newly formed, and it's not one, it's several," Soratinok paused for a moment, then whispered, "It is said that all the members are carefully selected personnel from the Duchy's army, and the number of such knights is still a secret. ”

"My God, what are they trying to do?" Mussos said in amazement.

"Do what?" Soratinok pointed to the northeast, "What else is there but north of the Aegean Sea?" ”

"North of the Aegean, you mean Byzantium?" Mussos was obviously not a fool either, and as soon as he heard Soratinok say it, he understood that what the other party was talking about must be Byzantium.

"That's right, the Arabs they can't afford to mess with yet, but Byzantium has fallen, and the light of Constantine has shone for too long, and it has begun to decline." Soratinok's tone was nostalgic for the old, perhaps his ancestors were once part of Constantine's army, and Lao Luo could see some Eastern European characteristics from the color of his skin and appearance.

"It's only been quiet for a few years, and it's going to start chaos again?" Mussos said with a little interest, "I don't know if Athens will be involved again." ”

"Hehe, Mussos, will you, an Athenian other, worry about your homeland?" Soratinok looked at each other with a smile, and then said, "The gods of Athens have fallen, and the Athenians have also fallen, and there will be no war in your hometown." ”

"Perhaps, there is no war, but there is a governor stationed and his dogs." Messos smiled helplessly.

Lao Luo felt that this was an opportunity to talk, and turned back to the two and said, "Two, interrupt, this Mussos is right?" I need a boat to the north, interested? ”

"Of course, I'm the captain." Mussos's helplessness disappeared all of a sudden, and the red-faced man smiled and said, "This ...... Mr? ”

"Call me Bartol, I'll have a few followers, and a few companions who haven't arrived......" Lao Luo breathed a sigh of relief, and then said, "Prepare to go to the north." Of course, Athens or Constantinople will do, but the destination port has not yet been determined. ”

"Wow, that's exactly the right time, Mr. Bartoll." The red-faced Messos said happily: "My ship has just arrived at the port, and it is currently resting, and the future schedule has not yet been determined. ”

Old Luo simply turned around and faced the two of them, "I'm sorry, I happened to hear what the two of you said just now." Don't mind sitting together, right? ”

"Of course not, please, come and sit." Mussos pulled away the chair beside him, and Soratinok, who was watching from the side, was also wrong for his bloated body.

Lao Luo took advantage of the situation to sit down, took the cup in his hand, and beckoned to the bartender, "Man, come and add another glass to us." ”

Turning back to the two of them, "I'll invite you two for a drink, it's rare to get to know each other, please don't refuse." ”

"Of course, it's rare to meet new people, and I'm Soratinok." Some obese old Soratinok said, and asked in passing, "What is Mr. Bartol...... Serisians? ”

"Mr. Soratinok has such a good eye, and some people said a few days ago that I look like a Seljuk." The other party's eyes surprised Lao Luo a little.

"No, no, I've seen the Seljuks, they're not dressed like you..."Soratinok looked at Lao Luo's hood and the finely workmanly robes inside, and then said slowly: "The point is that your temperament is not the kind of Seljuks... Anyway... Crude? ”

"It seems that Mr. Soratinok must be a very successful businessman, otherwise how could he have such accurate eyesight." Lao Luo admired the other party's acumen, if he guessed correctly, this old guy must be a great businessman.

"That's right, Mr. Bartoll, this old fellow is the best furrier in Alexandria." Mussos uncovered Soratinok's old bottom, and then raised his glass, "Come, cheers, to meet new friends." ”

"Okay, a toast to the acquaintance!" When it comes to wine, Lao Luo Ke does not refuse to come.

"I'm with you, old fellow, cheers." Soratinok also seems to be a good drinker.

The bartender approached to fill all the glasses of the three people, and Lao Luo brought up the topic again: "I just heard Captain Mussos say that the northern coast is not very peaceful, I don't know what the current situation is?" ”

"No, it's that the coast in the west is not very peaceful, and the so-so in the north is okay, as long as you..." ”

"Mussos is right, Byzantium has begun to decline," Soratinok continued with Mussos, "and their officials work with one eye closed. ”

"It seems to me that a great king will only make the people suffer, and a mediocre monarch will give us a chance to get rich, won't he?" Lao Luo said casually.

"That's right, the so-called great monarch will only drive the people away with a whip, that's why they will be pushed." Mussos, an Athenian, seems to have not lost the traditions of his lineage.

"Messos, you Athenian, have been sailing for many years, and you still have this temper." Soratinok glanced at Mussos, "The tradition of the Athenians is to overthrow their monarch, right or wrong, good or bad. ”

"That's why Athens had the most peaceful life, didn't it?" Messos was dismissive of Soratinok's evaluation, "Bartol, if you go north, I suggest that you choose Athens as your first stop, the former kingdom of the gods." ”

"The gods no longer have miracles to show, perhaps they are dormant." Soratinok spoke calmly about the current situation, and then sighed and said, "But Athens still has quiet bays, and those calm islands are suitable for an old man like me to retire with. ”

"Sounds like a good place," the later Lao Luo had heard of the White House in Athens, but his life had never been about tranquility, so he had never been there, and he was a little tempted at this time, "Go back and discuss with your companions, maybe you can go to Athens first." ”

"Young Bartol, I advise you to go to Athens and leave only for a maximum of a month." Soratinok is a serious reminder to Lao Luo.

"Why do you say that?" Lao Luo pressed Hua Biao's paw and said, this little serval has always followed Lao Luo's side, and he was about to use his paw to reach Lao Luo's wine glass.

"Because Athens is beautiful enough, and life in Athens is quiet enough," Soratinok continued, looking at Lao Luo's puzzled expression, "but this tranquility and beauty are the wine that makes young people lose their blood, or don't you ask Mussos?" ”

"The old fellow is right, the quiet life there makes you want to sleep," Mesos affirmed the old fur merchant, "otherwise I would not have been out of the boat, and would not have gone home." ”

Their words aroused Lao Luo's yearning, what kind of situation is the tranquility that makes people lose their blood and want to sleep?