Lothar's territory in Hebron is not like Transjordan, where there is no inhabited and barren Gobi.

Along the way, there were small farms cultivated by tenants; a vineyard built on a south-facing slope; There are also abandoned lime pits that are legally owned by Lothar, but he never organized a hunting woodland.

The peasants would even pass by their villages, and some would happily tell people where the fields, farms, and orchards they had been allocated were.

In some places, villagers would gather on the roadside, watching the knights in fresh clothes and angry horses, and offering snacks such as dates to the farmers and soldiers in their own villages.

Although it was the first time to fight, the morale of the peasants and soldiers was quite high, and from time to time they shouted an impassioned tune with the edict knights who led the team.

Hans followed Lothar, the first time he had seen Lothar's knights.

Seeing that they could mobilize the morale of the peasants and soldiers with just a few words, he sighed with some emotion: "My lord, these knights of yours are really able to speak. ”

Lothar was a little smug about this: "Of course, they were all trained by me before they went to the fiefdom. ”

Hans was a little worried, "But is it really reliable to let these Saracens, who have just been converted, deal with their former brothers of the same clan?" ”

Lothar remembered what she had said to Andreas.

"Hans, Saracens, like the Franks, are just a regional name."

Lothar smiled and said, "It's the same with Gaul, Albion, and Germania. Do you think that the Normans would regard the Gauls as a kindred? ”

The Normans were a Scandinavian Viking group that settled in Sicily and northern Gaul and established their rule.

Lothar said in a deep voice: "And, to be on the safe side, most of the people I have recruited this time have been serfs - do you know what the concept of serfs is? ”

"Once you become a slave, you will always be a slave. You may think that slaves can redeem themselves, but where do they get the money? All their labor in the land is working for their masters. ”

"Hans, I have given them freedom, bread, land, and a future—what reason do you think they should not be loyal to me?"

"Could it be that a different lord would be more merciful to them? Even the lord of Saracen? ”

Hans showed an expression of admiration: "No, he will only hang these traitors at the stake and burn them to death." ”

Lothar added: "No, Hans, if it were Lord Saracen, he would have chosen to be hanged, earthly punished, or the like, because the traitor is not qualified to die in the fire." ”

Hans looked admiring: "My lord, I can always learn by following you." ”

Lothar couldn't help but smile and said, "Hans, it seems that you have been by His Majesty's side for a long time, and your ability to say compliments has also increased a lot. ”

On the desolate Gobi Desert, a procession of pilgrims from Ctesiphon is slowly advancing towards Hebron.

They took the trade route to the northeast, passing through the oasis of the Al Jawf, and heading south through Fort Calle, which was also an important trade route.

However, the flow of passengers is much less than that of the two trade routes that go directly north from the port of Ayla in the south via the Red Sea, or from the southern coast of the eastern Mediterranean.

A young Saracen pilgrim is sitting in a Bactrian camel saddle and playing a reed flute.

"Grandpa Mbach, you can also accompany me!"

Another old man wearing a white turban, laughed and said, "Okay, give you a deverent song," he cherished the barbat stored in the wooden box, plucked the strings, and began to play.

"The Holy Flame is supreme!"

The pilgrims, listening to the music and with a look of reverence on their faces, began to chant in unison.

At this moment - a bow and arrow pierced the eye socket of the young pilgrim, and he fell from the saddle with a thud, and the reed flute in his hand was quickly soaked with blood.

"There are robbers!"

The pilgrims shouted sharply.

I saw that on the originally empty Gobi Desert, under those dirt slopes and sand dunes, bandits riding dromedaries and wearing black turbans appeared one after another.

They were armed with sharp straight swords and round shields, and they were all murderous, and a rough count showed that there were at least forty people!

"Run, run!"

"The flame is above, when did they appear?"

"Samurai with weapons, get together and prepare for battle!"

The procession of pilgrims was in disarray.

In a few moments, the robbers were like a gust of wind that blew into the ranks of pilgrims.

Some Persian warriors tried to confront them, but they were too few in number, scattered in the ranks, and needed to be distracted to protect their employers and relatives, and most of them were killed in a short time.

Someone pleaded: "The flame is on it, and for the sake of us as pilgrims to the Holy Land, please spare our lives." ”

He was greeted with an axe in his face.

The middle-aged bandit with a beard split his skull in the middle, raised his battle axe, and boasted of his bravery to his companions.

"The flame is above, supreme and great!"

The robbers shouted loudly, and it had been so long that they had been chased by the damned Hebron Patrol Officers and hid in the west, and it had been so long before they had opened their first meat.

As for what these pilgrims say?

They simply don't understand.

Even if you can understand it, what if you can understand it?

Some of the pilgrims who rode the faster dromedary camels managed to escape the bandits, but their faces immediately turned pale.

I saw that on the hillside not far away, knights with bright armor were stopping here.

Those cavalrymen with feathers on their backs, the cross mark on the robes, are so striking.

"Crusaders!"

"It's the demons who wear the cross!"

"With the flame above, are we all destined to die here?"

The pilgrims looked desperate, these knights wearing the cross coat of arms had long been rumored to be bloodthirsty monsters in the Zoroastrian world who could stop children crying.

This is simply just out of the wolf's mouth and into the tiger's den.

Then.

A knight wearing a horned helmet like a bull walked up among the cavalrymen wearing the sigil of the cross, and he let out a terrifying battle cry.

Immediately after, the cavalry on the mountain rushed down the mountain with overwhelming momentum.

The dromedary hump under their crotch paced back and forth in fear.

Seeing the "bull knight" who was in the lead, holding up his spear and rushing towards them, they couldn't even think of resisting, but chanted "Holy Fire bless" over and over again.

The sound of horses' hooves filled my ears.

But at this moment, it gradually faded away.

The pilgrims opened their eyes a little confused.

The smoke had cleared, but they were still intact, and the Crusader knights were already galloping away into the distance like bows and arrows off the string.

Then.

A young knight with a black cloak and short blond hair stopped in front of them.

The young knight wore more elaborate armor, trimmed with a gold-rimmed dragon pattern and the emblem of a double-headed eagle, and the smooth surface of the armor shone against the sun.

He said something, and his tone was gentle.

But none of the pilgrims understood.

A tall woman with black hair, riding a war horse, stepped out from behind the man.

From under the woman's veil, a cold, heavenly voice sounded: "This is the lord of Hebron, the Earl of Lothar, who says that he is obliged to protect all pilgrims who pass through here. ”

"But only if you pay your taxes legally."

The pilgrims immediately spoke: "Honorable lady, we have paid the toll when we pass by the castle with the great oak tree, we promise!" ”

The black-haired woman relayed it to the black-cloaked lord of Hebron.

He smiled and nodded to the pilgrims, said one more word, and departed with his cavalry.

The black-haired woman said, "Wait here for a while, and when the robbers are destroyed, you will be reunited with your relatives." I'm sorry to have caused you to suffer bad luck, it's a remiss of our duty. ”

The pilgrims returned the salute in earnest fear.

Until Lothar and the party were far away, they still couldn't believe that they had been let go so easily.

(End of chapter)