On the other side, Gawain smiled but did not answer, holding a goblet full of cheese juice, and slowly walked to the window of the Acropolis tower that overlooked the whole city of Tarsus, where the cool wind of early summer was coming down the river, and his army, and the storehouses, shops, and houses inside and outside the city walls.

To tell the truth, after taking the city of São Paulo, Govonde admits to being a little disappointed with it: the whole city has only twenty or thirty thousand people, and is not at all adjacent to the sea, there are no ships or huge bazaars, and only by river and land to and from the rest of the towns of Cilicia, and the lower reaches of the Cypriot Sea, through which the Sidenus River passes through Tarsus, have been completely silted up, and are all vast and desolate reed swamps, and there is no rich land, which is in any way very different from what Anna originally described him, and Anna cannot be blamed. She hadn't been here herself.

Taking a step back, Gawain knew in his heart that the city of Tarsus must have prospered in ancient times, but that was in the early days of the Roman Empire, because the trade routes of the sea and land were all safe - security can lead to development, and now Cilicia was invaded many times by the Caliphate of the Saracens and became a tug-of-war between Byzantium and them, and then after the Turks entered the Anatolian plateau and the Levant, the maritime commerce here was almost completely cut off, and it was reasonable that it would decline like this.

"But when I, Gawain, arrive, the day of the revival of the Killy's house is not far off." Gawain thought with great ambition, but now we have to be patient and wait for the right time to come," Baldwin. Eustace. Soon Goethehild will be here, and you should set off with your wife and follow Tancred. that the Normans may also taste the fruit of being plucked at will. ”

Baldwin laughed even more smugly, "That's right, but Gawain you need to help me." ”

"It's easy." Gawain stood in front of the windowsill and took a sip of the cool cheese juice unhurriedly, "I will send you money, plus you will raise some locally, and there will be no problem at all in gathering three or four thousand soldiers and horses." ”

"Do you want this city of Tarsus to be given to me too?" Baldwin still couldn't believe Gawain was so generous.

"Hmm. There is nothing wrong with that. I'm your couple's best friend, aren't I? We should help each other. Gawain looked back and smiled sincerely.

"Very well, that's as promised. All the territory west of the Sidenus River is yours. Baldwin was inexplicably moved and held up his wine.

"That's right, Cilicia will be you and mine from now on."

"What about the Council of Cardinals and His Majesty?"

"Baldwin, now all the pilgrims of Europe. How to pass through Asia Minor. Arriving at the Holy Land? Anna, after a detailed analysis, found that there were no more than three paths - the first, the route we had taken, from Nicaea to Dollilaem, through the entire valley of the Anatolian plateau, to the Cilician Gate, to Antioch, a treacherous path. Turkic raids, lack of food and water. can bring a fatal ending; the second, from Nicaea to Philadophiam in Lydia, and then from the pass of Milio Sepharon, to Seleucia, which is more secure than the first, if our men or the emperor take control of Konya; The last, from the ports of southwestern Asia Minor, came by boat, also through the transit city of Philadelphiam, and then along the coast of Panphia, and also to Seleucia, which was quite safe. Gao Wen said carefully.

Baldwin paused, "That is, Seleucia, with its harbor, is the meeting point of the best route?" ”

"Yes, as long as you get here, or travel by boat, or along the plains of Cilicia, it is effortless to get to the Holy Land. Therefore, Baldwin, we are by no means fighting for territory in private, but opening up an unimpeded path for all the pilgrims in the future, and Tancred's men and horses are too small to suppress the various forces on all sides, and they refuse to give the keys and fortresses to us, who are more powerful, and it is a last resort to expel him, and I believe that as long as we make it clear to His Excellency Ademar, no, directly to His Holiness the Catholic Holy Crown, no one will blame us. Gawain said this, without a shy expression, but unusually serious and serious, "Besides, Baldwin, you should also know where your most loyal ally, that is, me, will stop the pace of the raid. ”

"Hahaha, Gawain, you go to Seleucia and take it from the emirs of Rëm, and we will work together back to back to hold on to this vast land." Baldwin was so proud that the rest of the lords and warriors who followed him shouted like battle.

"Then, in three days, according to the agreement, we will split up, and the east and west will march separately. You're facing Tancred, are you ready for a confrontation? If anything doesn't go your way, I'll help. Gao Wen held up his wine.

"Of course, I want to avenge my thirsty dog Shirley in the Butantrot Canyon, and I will never find a more docile and fierce hound than her!" Baldwin also raised his swine, and said hatefully that he had completely regarded Tancred, and all the Normans, as his enemies.

After all the subsequent armies had entered the city of Tarsus and the surrounding camps, the feast continued, but Gawain, who was in the palace in the city, knew that the Archon of the Golden Hand had never entered the city, but lived outside the city with all the worshippers.

Among the lush green potted plants, Gao Wen was lying on his back on the couch, still thinking about how to clean up the situation of Anna and Kabeamia's falling out, at this time, this little girl, who was already single, quietly leaned over from behind, and her little hand touched Gao Wen's beard that had not been taken care of for a long time, Gege laughed, "Look, this beard is so rough that it doesn't seem to be like words." ”

The breeze came from the terrace of the tower, and Anna obediently half-knelt beside Gawain and told him not to move, and then the fat eunuch walked in with a plate in his hand, "Staulachos, help my general shave." Anna said with her hands on the metal armrests of the couch and her chin propped up.

Soon, Starurachos skillfully began to apply hot water mixed with spices to Gawain's chin, and then sharpened the razor's blade with a leather belt, while Anna said beside him, "It's hard to go to Tarsus, and you are not injured, right, big brute?" ”

The fragrance floated in front of Gawain's eyes along the hot water, and slowly seeped into his nerves, Anna's little hand also gently stroked his ear chakra and earlobe, he couldn't help but blur his vision after the banquet, with sleepiness, answered Anna a few words, and asked the other party to rest assured - after taking Tarsus, we proceeded according to the original plan.

"Woo hoo", the fat eunuch's razor rested on Gawain's cheek, with a rhythmic and rustling rhythm, the ironing turned incomparably, the breeze came, Gawain's eyelids also felt heavy, and soon fell asleep unconsciously.

Until a slight pain suddenly woke him up from his half-dream, Gao Wen was able to arouse defense in his body, but found that his hands and feet were unknowingly tied to the armrests of the couch! (To be continued.) )