The Dergganli Pass, a branch canyon in the northeast, after penetrating deep into fifty ancient li, crossed the turbulent Sakarya River, and was confronted with ochre-yellow, dark brown rocks and sand, layers of fold-like ravines, ruins and statues left over from ancient times, the caves where the saints once inhabited and cultivated, the lifeless dark green shrubs dotted on them, and the goats gnawing everywhere, and the occasional tent, inhabited by the Greeks whose life had been Turkic and nomadic, and whose women carried jars of liquor. Coarse wheat cakes and eggs, standing on both sides of the mountain road, unkempt, shouting and selling there, the Red Hand Brigade, which formed several long columns, and the "pilgrimage armed regiment" of Gotschalk behind, about 12,000 people, were hobbling on the march, scout cavalry with bows and arrows and small shields, riding relatively short Turkic horses and Thessalima, searching the slopes of the hills, not only to avoid the enemy, but more importantly, to find meadows, streams, and springs.

Serious problems have arisen, and the horses from the Po River, supported by the Duchess Matilda, have begun to die or become ill one after another due to the unsuitability of the highlands and mountains, as well as the harsh environment.

Many cavalry companies, having lost their beloved mounts, marched on foot like infantry, with their capes covered, their spears on their backs, and shields or axes on their backs.

"I finally understand, now, why the little bird lived in this area in the first place, and preferred to be castrated himself and enter the Brachna Palace to serve the emperor." Gawain no longer rode a horse, but led the more adaptable Sabina and said to Anna, who was carrying a shield for herself.

"Is there anything wrong with serving the emperor? Many of the boys of Brasilon, Paphragonia, Phrygia, and Arminia were castrated from an early age and sold to Constantinople as court slaves or domestic slaves of the nobility. However, it has also sprung up with castles and outstanding frontier warriors. The Komnenos rose from Castamonu in Paphragonia. Holding the strapping of the shield (which covered almost half of her body), Anna replied, the wind blowing her cheeks a little red. But this little girl's interest is very high, after all, her dream has come true in the palace before. Accompany the big barbarian over the mountains and mountains.

"Because here and there are mountains, life is too difficult, and it is estimated that the boy will not be able to support him when he is born, and going out to be a slave is also a way out." Gawain did not object to Anna's claims.

"They were fairer-skinned, clearer-eyed than slaves elsewhere, and studied their skills and arithmetic very hard, and were deeply loved by the nobles of the imperial capital. There are 100 such boys in Prani's family. Agnes, who was walking on the other side, also said.

"Then your grandfather is really a blessing." Gawain was sarcastic.

Agnes was choked again, but she didn't dare to fight back, she was afraid that Gawain would suddenly get angry. In the name of "avenging the Paphragonian boys", the removal of her oyster seeds was almost as cruel as castration of the boys.

"Great barbarian, now we are staying here and waiting for the opportunity; Or do you want to continue the march north, looking for a target? During the break, looking at the desolate scene of the mountains and wilderness, Anna, who was sitting on the shield, was also a little panicked, so she asked Gawain about his strategy.

So Gawain analyzed it for her. "The scouts have told me the outcome of the battle of Dolilaim, and now Godfrey and the others continue their march along the plateau around Konya towards the Cilician Gate, where they prepare to attack the city of Antioch as soon as possible. But Godfrey specifically called Baldwin and Gothheard as husband and wife. With a detachment, they wandered to the north, ready to meet us. So we're going to keep marching north. Because most of the Dolly Laem who exists as a node has been taken over by your father's army. Even if it broke through, the conditions for the march in the Ores Gorge were still very difficult. We don't need to suffer two more sins, the wisest choice now is to uproot the Turkic fortress strongholds in this province along the way, and fight to feed the war, as long as we reach the coastal corridor where Hiracria is located, it will be much easier to get supplies, and then we will have the opportunity to act again. ”

On the barren hillside, the Dalian Brigade and the Armed Regiment issued a new "Supplementary Regulations on the Military Code of the Dalian Brigade Inspired by St. Michael and St. Nicholas": Gawain divided all the money in stock, including the dowry money donated by Anna from the imperial capital from her father, to all the companies, and the commander of the march in Asia also made it clear to everyone that from now on, no money would be recorded in the Dalian army, neither in the city of Bari, nor in Venice nor in Amalfi, and that their money would not enter the damned mountainous region at all.

Therefore, the new supplementary regulations are:

The castles and market towns seen along the way must be handed over part of the grain to the Dalian team free of charge, and the rest must be purchased by the companies with money;

The castle that dares to resist will be ruthlessly attacked and sacked by the Dalian team;

The fortress loyal to the Sultan of Konya will be the priority target of the Dalian army;

Loyal to the stronghold of the Paulicians, the Dalian team gave priority to the measures of peaceful negotiations;

Of course, these supplementary regulations are, to put it bluntly, just Gawain's diplomatic means: Blasilon, which is mainly the territory of the Paulicians; And Paphlagonia to the east, from Ankara to Amasya, is considered the territory of the Turks. Gawain's Dalian team, on the other hand, seemed to be aggressive, but inside he was very cautious in marching on Brasilon and never crossed the red line, in other words, his main target was: the Paulicists.

A few days later, in the wilderness below Fort Calradio, the largest military town in the Brasilon region, and the main access road, all the men and horses of the Dalian army and the armed regiment put on their armor and raised their flags, and deployed here in a grand manner.

The Paulines in the military town had received the news that the Dalian team had arrived along the road, and after they had fortified the city wall, they received a letter from Gawain.

It claims that he is the Grand Duke of Armenia, the commander of the march of Asia Minor under the title of Emperor of Constantinople, and is now under the imperial order of the Emperor to sweep the whole region of Bithynia, Brasilon, Paphragonia, and Trabzon. His Excellency Helisocher, ask her to defect as soon as possible, and not to provide food and straw for the army, and to organize the followers to serve for the Emperor and me, and to serve as the attacker of Trabzontheodoro. Vanguard of Gabuyas (a Byzantine general of the former dynasty who later seized the territory of Trabzon).

The believers hurried to the coastal port of Hiracria, where they were placed on a clipper ship, and then along Amasra, and then to Sinop at the top of the land jutting out of the coastal corridor.

In the city, Cabeamia held the letter in her hand, trembling with fright, originally she was still a little sad that Gawain would not come to her territory, but now this plague god is really "running again", and with more powerful weapons (at least in the letter Gawain boasted, he said that he has 25,000 men and horses). (To be continued.) )