When Yang Rui returned to earth again, for example, a thousand years had passed since the death of Jesus. At this time, churches sprung up all over the Mediterranean, and the most splendid buildings in each city were not churches, even the king's kingdom was dwarfed.

Yang Rui arrives in Rome, where the former Roman Empire has long since been wiped out, the Colosseum is a pile of ruins, and new buildings and magnificent churches have risen in the city.

When Yang Rui came to the church, it was ten o'clock in the morning, and the magnificent church was silent, and the candles were flickering, making it look eerie.

A priest yawned and flashed out of a door, and Yang Rui quietly followed him, following him into the innermost part of the church.

The young priest was Pope Urban II's personal attendant, and one of his tasks every morning was to wake up the sleeping pope.

At the moment when the young priest pushed open the door of the Pope's bedroom, Yang Rui launched a surprise attack, turning the priest into a cell, and then he became a personal attendant, calmly pushing open the door and entering the dimly lit bedroom.

Urban II heard the bedroom door being pushed open and asked, "Is it dawn?" ”

Yang Rui replied: "Yes." ”

With that, he opened the huge tent in front of the window, and a ray of light shone in, illuminating the huge bed, and the old figure of Urban II flashed out of the darkness.

Yang Rui glanced at the Pope's tired expression and asked, "Why, didn't you sleep well last night?" ”

Urban II sighed and said, "I had a nightmare yesterday and have not fallen asleep since I was awakened. ”

Yang Rui asked, "What kind of nightmare is it, do you need me to pray for you?" ”

Urban II waved his hand and said, "I will pray myself, but that nightmare last night is making me shudder." ”

Yang Rui came to the window and lifted the quilt and asked, "Can you talk to me?" ”

Urban II glanced up at his personal attendant, everything was as usual, but he did not notice that the attendant's eyes had changed, no longer fearful and reverent, and asked a sacred and inviolable force looking directly at him.

Urban II said: "I dreamed yesterday that Jesus was accusing me of not being able to rest in the hands of our holy city, that his grave was occupied by heathens, and that it was my sins that all this was my sin. ”

Yang Rui helped Urban II to his feet and replied: "Perhaps this is really the Lord's hint to you that our holy city must return to the hands of Catholicism. ”

Urban II said: "But I have no reason! ”

Yang Rui said: "We can make an excuse! ”

Urban II smiled and said, "This is the truth, but the excuse never appears. ”

Yang Rui said: "Those Venetian merchants have long coveted the rich Orient, the declining knights of France have nothing to do but cause trouble, and those poor people who want to get rich, these are our excuses." ”

"You're right!" Urban II nodded and walked towards the bathroom, he said to Yang Rui: "What I need is a justified excuse, and if this excuse exists, then we will be ready." ”

Yang Rui smiled before closing the door of the bathroom and said, "The excuse will be there soon." ”

Urban II suddenly asked: "Child, you are a little different from usual, what happened?" ”

Yang Rui smiled and said, "Pope, it's you who are too worried, and I haven't changed anything. ”

On the morning of this day, the Pope routinely prayed in his private prayer room, and no one was allowed to enter or snoop, except for his personal attendants who could serve at the door and be at his disposal at any time.

Just as Urban II was praying earnestly, a chief guard of the outer court hurriedly walked over, he knew that the pope was praying at this time, so he also deliberately slowed down and came to Yang Rui and said: "There is something important that needs to be known to the Pope. ”

Yang Rui asked, "What happened?" ”

The chief of the guard said: "An emissary from Byzantium has just arrived in Rome and asked for an audience with the Pope. ”

Yang Rui said: "I know, you can go back, and I will inform the Pope of this matter immediately." ”

After Yang Rui finished speaking, he pushed the door and entered the prayer room, and Urban II had just stood up, when he heard the sound of the door opening behind him, he said impatiently: "Is it that my only quiet moment of the day will be disturbed?" ”

Yang Rui stood at the door and said to Urban II with a smile: "Our excuse is coming? ”

Urban II asked in surprise: "What excuse?" ”

Yang Rui explained: "The excuse to retake the Holy Land of Jerusalem. ”

Urban II asked: "What is going on, you had better make it clear before I get angry." ”

Yang Rui said: "The envoy from Byzantium has just arrived in Rome. ”

Urban II sat on a stool, closed his eyes, his expression a little angry, and asked coldly: "What kind of excuse is this?" ”

Yang Rui came behind Urban II and said patiently: "The arrogant Alexios I always believed that Byzantium was strong and Constantinople was impregnable. However, if he sent an emissary today, it means that the Seljuks are about to capture Constantinople, and he has come to ask for help. ”

Yang Rui breathed a sigh of relief and continued: "If you agree to their request for help, with the prestige of the Roman Catholic See, we will immediately get the support of other countries, from the king to the people, and go to the east to defeat the Saracens and retake Jerusalem in the name of saving Constantinople." ”

Urban II, who had always listened attentively to Yang Rui with his eyes closed, interjected: "But I don't have an army, how can I be put to war with the Seljuks." ”

Yang Rui said: "Give those exiled knights status, and then organize poor people who want to go to the East to pan for gold to form an army!" ”

Urban II asked again: "Where will the money for the war come from?" You can't let the Holy See pay for it. ”

Yang Rui said: "Of course, there is no need for the Holy See to contribute a single penny, first of all, to the merchants of Venice, Genoa and Pisa, and to promise that wherever they occupy, as long as they donate, they can carry out trade, and reduce taxes." In addition, the knights and paupers were promised that they would be free to hand over the wealth they had acquired in any territory they had occupied. Isn't that a good way to do it? ”

"One more point." Urban II then asked: "The Holy See preaches charity, how do you make those believers raise their butcher's knives and look at others!" ”

Yang Rui snorted and said, "Then tell them that killing heretics is not a crime, but a way to heaven!" ”

Urban II suddenly opened his eyes, and there was a sparkle in his eyes, he turned around and stared at Yang Rui seriously and said, "You have really changed into a different person. ”

Yang Rui humbly bowed down and said, "As your personal attendant, I have the obligation to make suggestions to you. ”

Urban II smiled, and he said softly: "Go and tell the emissaries from Byzantium that I have granted their king's request to hold Constantinople before we arrive." ”

Yang Rui smiled: "Your wisdom and wisdom will be passed on forever!" ”

At the same time, the Byzantine emissary was anxiously circling the reception room, knowing that it was the time for the Pope to pray, but Constantinople was in danger, and wasting even a second would be a crime against his own people.

At this time, the door of the reception room opened, Yang Rui walked in, and the messenger hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Does the Pope want to see me?" ”

Yang Rui shook his head and said, "The Pope still has important things to do, and he specially ordered me to come and discuss with you. ””

The messenger asked, puzzled, "Who are you?" ”

Yang Rui said: "I am the Pope's personal attendant!" ”

The messenger snorted and said, "Can you represent the Pope?" Do you know what important information I'm bringing to the table? ”

Yang Rui sneered and said: "Your country is about to perish, and your attitude is not the attitude of asking for help." ”

Upon hearing this, the envoy was taken aback, looked at Yang Rui in a daze, and asked, "What do you mean by this?" ”

Yang Rui smiled and asked, "How long can Constantinople last?" The Seljuk siege towers were formidable. ”

The envoy thought for a moment and said, "550,000 soldiers and civilians of Constantinople are resisting at night, and I think this holy city will definitely be saved." ”

Yang Rui said: "But you also need support. ”

The messenger nodded and said, "Yes, this is the purpose of my coming to Rome, please let me meet the Pope at once." ”

Yang Rui said: "The Pope asked me to tell you, go back and tell your king, let him hold on to the end, and reinforcements will come." ”

The messenger asked, "Is this true?" Will the reinforcements have to come back? ”

Yang Rui said: "The Pope swore in the name of God that reinforcements would definitely arrive in Constantinople. (To be continued.) )