Through a meticulous spy network, the builder David also learned about Gawain's movements without difficulty, "Sure enough, he came for me." Pen Fun Pavilion www.biquge.info"

At that time, the main force of the whole kingdom of Georgia was stationed on the shores of the Black Lake, which was flanked by towering mountain peaks and clouds that filled the lake, and it is said that Manuhihel had fled to Fort Toltomi, the city of Ani, and the city of Doin further south, and the representatives sent by the city of Toltomi, and the city of Toin, further south, had hoped to surrender to King David and accept the rule of the royal family of Barationi.

However, when the two big cities heard that the military horses of the "Great Tyrant of Tarsus" Gawain had also approached north, they were violently shaken and began to bargain with the builder David.

"Let Ani City send me the key to the city gate as soon as possible!" David demanded angrily.

But the citizens of Ani shrank back like hedgehogs, and organized militias to stand guard on the towers of the city walls, closing the gates to the Georgian army, and claiming to be neutral in the coming battle.

Annoyed, David wanted to erect siege engines to capture the city, but then he thought about it - Gawain's army was approaching rapidly, and it was not possible to fight him in the flat steppe area of the Black Lake, which would be especially conducive to the deployment of the opponent's army and firepower, "My eagle banner is going westward, go to Cals to wait for Gawain, and use the city defense to thwart his offensive!" ”

In addition, David hurriedly sent a letter to Trabzon, "There is no doubt that Gawain's main force appears in Cals, once this place falls, not only will my previous efforts be lost, but the hub between you and my territory will be cut off, and Gawain will calmly break you and me next." ”

Soon the citizens of Ani saw the cavalry of the Georgian army in the meadows of the Black Lagoon, guided by the Barationi Eagle, and their king among them, begin to march away from the valley on the west side.

Since Anna really sent the women's clothes, David didn't dare to be negligent in the battle array, after all, it was about the dignity of life and death between the two heroic men.

On the third day of April, on the drawbridge in front of Tortomi's castle, Manuchhel, with a group of wives and concubines and servants, humbly bowed before Gawain's horse.

At this moment, Gawain's holy armor had been changed, according to Anna's opinion: the entire chest and chest were large pieces of Persian mirror armor, and the front was engraved with a fine gold cross relief, and the craftsman had plated it with a layer of excellent animal fat, and when it was wiped off, it left a bright oil film to prevent rust, and gave the front armor a silver glow, and the shoulders and wrists were covered with ring-shaped armor to protect against arrows, and there were also pieces of throat chakra armor hanging from the neck and shoulders, which were difficult for the enemy's sword to slash and injure the great patron. In front of the towering silver helmet, the red hand scroll feather ornament that symbolized Gawain's status continued to stand up, and his tall figure was very suitable for the temperament of this new holy armor - which also made Manushihel's ladies excited and admired.

"Honorable Maharaja Haddadi, please come and join me, so that it can better reflect the covenant and equality between the two countries."

That's what the Great Patron said, but Manushihel glanced down and saw that there were no other horses next to the other party's black horse.

Manushihel, who understood this, immediately said that he did not dare to do it, so he lowered his waist and stepped forward, and led the horse of the great patron and walked in front, like a lowly groom. The two men paced along the trench of the castle like this.

"Although you have always ruled the vast area from Duin and Ani to Tbilisi, and have intermarried with the royal descendants of Ani, you have now been attacked and defeated by the builders, and I am afraid that the people will not be convinced after that." Gawain, on horseback, held the silver horse's head scepter in his hand, and said to Manuhihel, who was hunched over.

Manushihel hastened to say that he would be willing to receive the just and merciful ruling of the High Patron after the cities and territories were recovered.

"Wouldn't it be nice to go somewhere where there aren't many Armenians?"

Gao Wen's words, if he left it in the past, it would definitely make the prince of Haddadi jump up and scold, but now the situation is pressing, he can only bow his eyebrows and express his willingness to obey Gao Wen's arrangement.

"How about giving you the whole of Kutaisi, the land of David, the land of David, as the boundary of the Mukwali River in the future?" Surprisingly, Gawain's next condition was not very harsh, and even better than Manukhir's current situation - after all, Kutaisi had access to the sea, and could benefit a lot from the trade connecting the Yukxing Sea and the Khazar Sea!

"Yes, yes, yes!" Manushihel hurriedly agreed, "Allow me to gather all the soldiers here and follow your banner as servants to fight David." ”

"Well, that's good." Gawain raised his scepter, "Fort Tortomi should still have about 3,000 soldiers belonging to you, and 500 firecrackers, right?" ”

Prince Haddadi replied yes.

"Tell them to drill and show me."

Soon in the fort field, hundreds of Haddadi musketeers with Kurdish turbans stood in a procession, being "reviewed" by the chief guarantor.

"Bang bang bang" When they successively released the lead shot in the mouth of the gun, the whole scene was lively for a while, but Gawain's face was very unhappy, and the mercury mechanical clock holding the hammer in his hand personally timed, and then he called the commander of the Haddadi firecracker and scolded him in person, "Is it that you command the release of the gun, is it just a sound of fire?" The soldiers actually lined up to release their guns, the first to shoot, and the last one was still patrolling, so what power could there be. I've never seen anyone as rigid and stupid as you - remember, Tarsus's shooting corps had to practice platoons, salvos, solitary shots, and rapid-fire with light repulsors. It only takes one day for a person to learn how to shoot a gun, but it takes half a year or more to become a qualified shooting soldier, and he also needs to go through actual combat training. ”

The commander of the firebolt hurriedly offered to train with all his heart and soul at once.

"You have to train for three months, how can you fight? In this way, I directly arranged for some brigade instructors and senior sergeants to guide me. Gawain was impatient, after all, he was about to lead the whole army on Karles.

As a result, Haddadi's firecrackers were immediately incorporated into Gawain's brigade and placed under the direct command of the Tarsus side. In addition, Gawain also demanded that Manushihel spend his own money to recruit a thousand oxen and mules and horses to serve as pack beasts for cannons, and to hire some Kurdish and Turkic mercenaries to follow.

Soon the whole army left Tortomi and slowly advanced towards Kars.

On the 10th of April, David, the builder of the rapid march, was the first to reach his destination.

The soldiers sounded the horn in the fort of Mount Jim, and Theognes, who had just taken up the post of Captain of the Fiftie, was now a man named Vassac, whom the soldiers all called "the Persian Jackal"—hurried up to the wooden tower, and he received the news that "the great king of Georgia has set up his camp on the north side of the castle, next to the cathedral of the Holy Apostles of Armenia." “