When Theodoro walked down the last steps in a trance, the figure in front of him swayed, the smoke filled the air, and many Orthodox monks in the city held ornate crosses, sang hymns, and prayed for the soldiers who were about to die on the expedition, which has always been the case in TrabzonTheodoro was an extremely devout Orthodox Christian, and longed for the "holy spirit" of the ancient emperors Heraclius and Nikephorus. In the singing of the pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info, the old general didn't know whether he felt honored, excited, or desolate.

The peacock feathers swayed, he grabbed the bridle, turned over on the horse's back, and looked up with the whip in his hand. On the avenue between the city walls, the Trab Grandmaster, who had always been known as the elite, went out again, and the core of his army was still 6,000 infantry plus two regiments of peasant cavalry, and the soldiers were vigorous and vigorous, and the infantry carried spears made of oak, and the tips of the spears carried various shields, including Greek skuta, Turkic round shields, and new teardrop shields, with machetes or axes hanging from their belts, and robes and robes on the outside of the iron armor, and the patterns pierced on them were reticulated, twilled, and straight, to indicate that they belonged to the team. Columns of baggage wagons carrying pack horses walked by, and the backs of the animals in the yokes shrugged out, spewing strings of white breath, and the whips that fell on their heads and backs continued to beat like a torrential rain.

Farther away, the Alanya and Georgian light cavalry galloped past with their horses' heads and hooves, and the pioneers of the steppe, wearing only Persian pointed iron helmets, leather or linen armor, carrying broad arrows on their backs, and in the middle of their ranks were tall caravans, whose wheels thundered and crushed the streets of Trabzon, and these caravans could quickly form a makeshift fortress whenever engaged, so that the light cavalry could go out to raid and raid with lightning speed, and also return lightning to hold on, which was a long-standing tradition of the Alans.

The last to pass in front of the general's horse were the Rus' mercenaries from the principality of Kiev, led by the young attendants of the princes, who were also sent to this side of the sea, all of them tall, with red or blonde hair, wearing nose guards, wearing half-body chain mail and carrying long shields, holding sharp battle axes in their hands, laughing and looking at the beautiful women of Trabzon who came to watch, many of them were whistled, they got the news that their country had been invaded by the Polovtsians, But the vast majority of the people on this trip thought that the general of Trabzon would immediately release them from the port of Amesus and go to their homeland to fight the damned Polovtsians.

In the midst of the people coming and going, and the luster of the helmet, Theodoro saw that on the first floor of the monastery, his eldest son Monsanke, his eldest daughter Gabriadia, and his younger son Dimitri were all wearing robes, standing in a row, singing songs to bid farewell to their father, Monsanque and Gabriahia were all adults, and Dimitri, who was born for Marianne, who was only four years old, also sang and sang with a young voice

In addition to the remaining troops in Chaldia, Amasya, and Kherson, Theodoro can be said to have poured out 6,000 infantry, nearly 1,000 peasant cavalry, 5,000 barbarian light cavalry, plus more than 1,000 Rus mercenaries, leaving Trabzon, which is as beautiful as a mythical fairyland, and slowly gathering towards the port of Amisus.

The news soon reached Constantinople, "What is Theodoro going to do?" The rallying point I gave him was not Amisus, but Amasya! At the Imperial Council, the Emperor threw his horsewhip on the silver plate of the map in anger and anxiety, and said to the palace guards, "Matthew, answer me with your spy information whether the Komaloi barbarians have attacked the country of Rus'. ”

"Your Majesty, I can assure you that everything will be as you wish. However, Trabzon has so far made no response to the Rus' chieftains' pleas for help. The newly promoted white-robed nobleman with a sword, Matthew, replied fluently immediately.

"Could it be that this guy is going to take a gamble?" The Emperor narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, "Do you want to make a break with me, how is Theodoro Rogabuyas Venetian, how is the Hot Duck Man, Meles!" ”

"All are willing to fight for you, Your Majesty, among whom the Venetians have elected Fellaille as Viceroy for the fifth time, and the golden ball has fallen in his house, and all the committees have no other candidates at this very moment except this old man. Felleer promised us that he would immediately command fifty galleys and cooperate with the Ancona to blockade Bari, cut off the money and supplies sent by the city of Bari to Tarsus, and strangle them. In addition, the Relaya and Pisas began to expel the merchants of Bari and Tarsus at Smyrna and Caios, and offered to provide ships for His Majesty's sea advances, and a network of money and trade was formed. "The Imperial Ink Officer was rarely in a high mood and excited," Finally, both Cyprus and Marash sent secret letters, saying that they were willing to assist His Majesty in besieging Gawain. ”

"Finally, there is no need to hesitate any longer, as soon as possible to choose an auspicious date, I will personally command the whole army to cross the strait in the royal warship, and the assembly points for the advance will be identified in the three cities of Nicaea, Prusa and Dolilaem, so that all the heavy Pronian cavalry in Anatolia will go to Dollylaem, waiting for the arrival of my imperial flag. And order the imperial generals of Theognes, Raymond, Brenus, Harold, and Stephen to prepare for battle in various fortress territories and form an all-out offensive against Gawain! As for Theodoro, let Robert Curtis of Pveral keep an eye on him, and if he dares to act rashly, I have a way to deal with him. When the Emperor waved his hand, the whole Emperor began to rain coldly under the gray cumulus clouds.

At dusk, in the annex of Brachna Palace, Queen Irene held Prince Adjorian and sat quietly on her seat, and the emperor who had finished the imperial meeting stood silently more than ten feet away from her, and the outside was full of rain hitting the eaves of the barrel, and then the sound of falling sounds, "Now that John has entered the city, he will immediately take charge of the general affairs of the empire." ”

"You're so good to him." Erin replied half-hanging her eyelashes.

"Of course, John and Adjoan are my heirs, and the empire will be at their disposal."

Hearing this, Erin felt that it was a cliché, so she sneered, "With such an arbitrary method, you simply treat the patriarch, nobles, and senators of the empire as nothing. ”

"So what? Even a beast like Gawain knows that imperial power should be attributed to one family and one leader. Alexios looked up at the gloomy clouds and scattered rain, "Erin, I had a dream last night. ”

Seeing that Erin was silent, Alexios recounted to himself, "I dreamed that when I was still young, I rode a horse with a bow and arrows, galloping on the hunting grounds of Thrace, the sun was good, the trees were green, and I saw that there was a pair of eyes hidden behind the grass and the eyes of a beast" The emperor said this, and his tone could not help but become low. To be continued.