As a result, when the villagers saw this group of Normans returning from the pilgrimage, they were even more frightened than they were to see the Turks, and the elders and the others who knelt down were so frightened that they did not dare to get up.

It is no wonder that for the Greeks in the Byzantine ruled areas, the title of "Norman" was equated with bandits, pirates, murderers, and robbers.

For the Byzantine Roman Empire, the Normans they were most familiar with were not the "William the Conqueror" who landed in England more than 20 years ago, but the notorious Tver family, which was still an unknown nobleman in the Battle of Hastings, but they quickly took root in Italy, especially the "Norman Three Brothers" are the most ferocious, namely the eldest "Iron Knight William", the second "Cunning Robert the Youngster". Guiscat" and the third "Roger the Sicilian Conqueror", a group of lawless Norman knights, riding in Viking warships and fierce horses, were hostile to all who stood in their way - the Byzantine Greeks, the Crescentists, the Lombards, and even the suzerain, the Pope. In a short period of time, the Normans conquered Taranto in southern Italy and Palermo in Sicily, and wantonly plundered and attacked the territory of the Byzantine Roman emperor on the Adriatic coast, burning, killing and plundering, and doing all kinds of evil, so that all the Greeks were silent about them.

"Is there a pastor who can provide services?" The Norman nobleman who had taken the lead asked again in a loud voice, his voice echoing in the air, but no one dared to answer.

"I can." At this time, Peter, who was beside Gawain, came out and spoke in the Aui language.

The noble man laughed again, "I didn't expect to hear the Normandy dialect here, it's so kind, if I'm not mistaken, you're also a pilgrim?" ”

"Yes, Hermit Peter, in the Nicaean zone, my group of pilgrims was killed by the cavalry of the emir of Nicaea, and I was the only one who survived."

The noble falcon's eyes swept down, and then from the lips under the red beard, a whistle was blown, and the eagle on his arm immediately rose and landed on the scaffolding held by the servant behind him, "I can say that it was this tall guy behind you, who looks a little similar to us, and who is not a short and cowardly Greek at first glance, who saved you?" ”

"Yes, his name is Stephen. Gawain, a captured pilgrim who escaped, but when I was saved, I saw St. George on a white horse and silver armor, and I firmly believe that my salvation was a miracle of the Lord! ”

When they heard the word miracle, the nobleman and all the Norman knights became solemn, and they stood in a circle around Peter, and then they half knelt down, drew their swords, and held them flat, with the tip of the sword pointing down the heel of Peter, who was holding the cross, and when the prayer was over, they all held their swords behind their backs, and shouted "Amen," and kissed the hilt of the sword, and then they got up one by one, and put it into their sheaths.

Then, the nobleman's eyes were fixed on Gawain, who was wearing the armor of a Turkic warrior, and the corners of his mouth flashed with a murderous smile, "You have a sword that is unsheathed, which is disrespectful before the Lord's service." ”

"My sword cannot be sheathed, it is cursed by the devil of hell."

"Interesting." The nobleman laughed a third time, and then he stepped on the stirrup, and skilfully turned on his horse, and then another man with a cloak who could not see his face came forward, and whispered a few words to him, and he called out to Peter, "Venerable monk, take this interesting fellow, and go with us on the road, for this area is not safe, and the Turkic cavalry of the emir of Nicaea is following us, and is very close to here, so let the villagers flee too, and even Prusha will be doomed soon!" ”

At this time, the tax collector of Fiobis suddenly ran out of his house again, and shouted no, this is the peasant soldier I have just recruited, if you take me, how shall I explain to the emperor and Caesar? Speaking of these two figures, it is not surprising that Fiobis took off his hat again and saluted towards the west.

A bag full of coins smashed at his feet, and it was thrown by the nobleman, "How?" Inside were twenty silver coins struck by our Normans themselves, in much better condition than your Emperor had made, enough to provide money for five peasants. ”

Fiobis hurriedly picked up the money bag and untied the string, and then his eyes were illuminated by the color of precious metals, and he hurriedly tied the string again, and began to make waves towards the Norman nobleman.

"No thanks, the money itself was minted with the 'Norman Gold' that your emperor paid us every year, in exchange for not attacking the Adriatic." The nobleman laughed, and after saying this in the Ausian language, he patted his horse and walked away, "Go, honorable hermit, people are always blinded by money, especially the fallen Greeks. Soon this tax collector, with his money bag, would also go to the hands of the Turks, and in the end, it would be empty. ”

"The Turks are coming soon, everyone bring some dry food and soft food, run!" Gawain, who stepped on the dark horse, also waved his arms at the villagers with Peter, and reminded loudly.

The whole village was boiling, and the Pecheneg cavalry hurried up the conscription rolls, and galloped in the direction of Prussa, all of them carrying their luggage, and running in a procession into the field, except for Feobis, who was still carrying the money bag, and weeping and mourning, and begging the villagers to take him with him, and preferably to provide him with a mule and horse to ride, and carrying his books and papers, and he wanted to report everything here to the most honorable of all, Lord Macaulinus Caesar.

But no one paid attention to him, and at this time the villagers were not afraid of him at all, so they pushed him to the ground, and despite his womanly screams, they angrily snatched his money bag, and the others smashed the door of his house, threw out all the furniture and paperwork inside, and the taxes collected in the cabinet were also looted, Fiobis struggled in vain, and even the silk clothes on his body were torn off and snatched away by the villagers. After learning that there is no shackle of order above, it will burst out with such a barbaric and unruly destructive power.

The procession of Norman pilgrims and villagers fleeing past the villages and the surrounding fields and woods, Gawain looked back and saw only Feobis, who had been beaten to death, naked and lying there in the snow and ice, wailing, what was he? Isn't it just a fly flying out of the Emperor's Garden? After the "Winter Storm" of the Turkic invasion swept through here, the emperor in the purple palace would still care about a small fly that was frozen to death?

"A speck of dust." Peter, who was beside Gawain, sighed and said.