In the afternoon, the sun is just right.

Scattered spots of light, through the courtyard, fan-shaped leaves of cultivated palm trees, cast onto the "new book" in Lothar's hand.

The beautiful illustrations in the new book depict Van Helsing, the witcher, fighting a vampire woman with no clothes on.

It's a serious fight!

This is the hardcover version of the witcher nowadays, and many illiterate nobles are willing to pay for the illustrations in it.

Life, back on track.

Away from the otherworldly world of war and treachery for a while.

Lothar, nicknamed "the Tsar" by Jeanne, is now lying on a soft floor covered with a thin printed blanket and carved with a lion, with wine chilled in the well at hand.

He lay in a paralyzed position, picking up a glass from time to time and taking a sip.

He's really laid-back now!

Also had to be leisurely.

Although Lothar now occupies only one-third of the Sinai Peninsula, some time ago, he wrote a letter to Baldwin IV, stating his intention to establish the Sinai Frontier of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

In the final analysis, I still want the false name of a "vassal marquis".

This needs to be recognized by the Kingdom of Jerusalem, otherwise it can only be called like the Marquis of Brandenburg, who is still called Count Mark in the Empire.

It has no legal effect.

It is worth mentioning that the famous German II, the capital of the German Third Empire, is still a wasteland.

Brandenburg was ruled not by the Hohenzollern family, who founded the German II Empire, but by Count Albrecht of the Askani family.

He was originally the Duke of Saxony, but because of his defeat, he was seized by the Welf family of Henry the Lion, who took the Duchy of Saxony and its title.

The Hohenzollerns, who now rule the Sörenberg kingdoms of Swabia and Nuremberg in Bavaria, are considered old neighbors of the Habsburgs.

Fame is useless to others, but not to Lothar.

Moreover, it was not only in vain, but after the establishment of the frontier area, it actually gave Lothar a legal basis to declare war on the infidels alone and launch a crusade.

When the Brandenburg border was first established, its territory was not as large as it is now, and it was only during the repeated attacks on the Wende and other pagans that it expanded to its current territory.

Pity.

Baldwin IV reassured him for a moment, his recent performance was so impressive that many nobles within the kingdom thought that Lothar should be summoned back for questioning.

It's still won.

Princess Sibylla had said that Lothar should not be far from Jerusalem, the center of power.

Because if you stay away, you will be attacked by political opponents.

Now, Lothar even has a tendency to be the Grand Master of the Royal Knights.

The Queen Mother's Party, which has gradually recovered, began to make trouble, wanting to compete for power with the Jue Party, and the Royal Knights, who are not in charge for the time being, are their targets.

But Lothar didn't care.

As a prince, he is the king and the emperor in his own territory, and he has soldiers and money in his hands, and most of the vassals support him.

No one could do anything to him.

It's just that the establishment of the Sinai Frontier Territory can only be postponed for the time being.

…

Jeanne came to Lothar with a plate of watermelon cut into petals and sat down beside Lothar, stretching comfortably: "This kind of sunshine is really suitable for a good night's sleep." ”

Katsa.

The sound of Fringilla chewing a chocolate bar sounded: "My lord, you don't care about this woman, the chief knight of the palace, how can you be lazy all day?" ”

You're embarrassed to say it.

Lothar silently complained in her heart.

"Don't talk nonsense, I'm on business."

Jeanne lay down in a comfortable position for a long time, picked up more than half of Lothar's remaining wine bottle, and drank it all in one go, before she spoke:

"Coors has written, and he's done a good job in Philorn."

He estimated that by the time Phil Orn had settled down completely, the annual tax bill would be three thousand Souleds, in addition to the spending.

"At present, Philorn has assembled a standing city guard of two hundred men, which can provide a maximum of one thousand and five conscripted peasant soldiers in time of war."

When Jeanne said this, she could not help but feel a little pity: "It is a pity that your reputation is not good, and our army has not yet arrived, and the heads of those places in Philaune have abandoned their lands, estates, and mansions, and gone to their relatives with gold and silver treasures. ”

"It's a pity."

Raiding homes is addictive.

Without the "selfless funding" of those local leaders, it would not have been possible for Lothar to carry out such a large-scale construction of water conservancy, public toilets, and the opening up of wasteland.

He said: "When Fiorn is basically stable, we will go back to Hebron." In the short term, there should be no more wars. ”

Say that there will be no war.

Actually, this is because Lothar doesn't like to be a robber.

Otherwise, with the current weakened strength of his neighbor Rauf, even if Lothar is unwilling to occupy new territory, it is a good source of money to send a team of cavalry to his territory every once in a while to burn and loot.

Frankly speaking, Transjordan and the Sinai Peninsula are a pile of rotten land that can die of poverty if they were expected to farm and graze.

Unless it is the Bird Manor in Hebron, with natural fertilizer and manure, the income from farming is relatively high, comparable to the fertile soil of Gaul.

But the benefits can't be calculated in this way.

Agriculture is the foundation, and only when agriculture develops smoothly will Lothar's rule be more stable, the lower commoners will be more inclined to create people, and the number of newborns who can survive will also increase greatly.

More people mean more tax revenues and more soldiers.

It's like the new Habsburg, which was originally a negative equity in Lothar, but has just turned a profit.

But as the population continues to accumulate, what was once a lonely castle and a village is now a new city is now being built.

It is foreseeable that in the future, it will become a land commercial hub that is at least not inferior to Hebron and the port of Ira, and the potential is even higher.

But this is a long-term plan, and it is difficult to change qualitatively in the short term.

From this point of view, the short-sightedness of the aristocratic lords is not unreasonable.

Today's deep cultivation and investment in the territory, maybe one day the territory will be taken away, it is better to take it by skill, hold the money in your hands, and be ready to run away at any time.

…

Just as Lothar was planning to return to Hebron to "retire".

A new message had to make him stop salted fish mode.

His new neighbor, the governor of Egypt, Adil, who already borders the border, leads a large army to the border and claims to talk to him!

[In view of the general environment,

As for Adil's interference in his expansion, Lothar was actually a little surprised.

The Ayyubids and the Sassanids did not look at their territory, but their rule over the regions was no different from the feudal rule of the East over the frontiers.

Most of the great empires of this era can be called "bulk".

Strictly speaking, even Saladin of the Ayyubid Dynasty is actually a vassal of the Sassanid King of Kings, but can the Sassanid king control Saladin?

Apparently not.

"Adil only brought 2,000 people, and he still made a big show, so he didn't mean to fight with me, but he probably wanted to negotiate with my new neighbor, and show his strength, so that I could not afford to provoke Egypt with him."

Lothar quickly judged Adile's intentions and ordered: "Jeanne, lead a team of hussars, let's go and meet with Adil." ”

"No problem, but only hussars?"

Lothar said helplessly: "Otherwise, I will also go out to fight an armed ***?" Our family has a thin background and can't afford such a waste. ”

The knights of the Imperial Decree were partly in their respective fiefdoms and partly served as officers in the Black Hawk Banner.

Moreover, their speed was slow, and Lothar was not on this trip to fight, so he did not mean to bring them.

It doesn't make much difference to bring it.

The gap between the hard power of the two sides is too great, and Egypt's current population is estimated to be several million.

The population of Alexandria, Cairo and other large cities alone is several times that of the entire territory of Lotha combined.

The entire kingdom of Jerusalem cannot be compared to Egypt.

The meeting took place on the border between the Barony of Tih and the Saracen Territory of Galat.

The loyal Baron Tich, the knight of Lothar's edict, Berval wanted to lead his Petra knights to escort Lothar, but he refused.

As a knight of the Imperial Decree, loyalty is inherently unquestionable, and there is no need to do some face-saving work.

It's time agreed upon by both parties.

Lothar and his entourage hussars lined up on the hillside, silently waiting.

A moment later.

Smoke and dust filled the distance.

The black-armored cavalry, which was dense and could not see the edge, swept forward like a torrent that could swallow the world.

The earthy yellow color of the desert, gradually covered with black.

The hussars couldn't help but get nervous as they watched this scene.

The horses snorted and uneasily dug the earth.

Jeanne whistled: "It's really majestic, I don't know when you will be able to do it, and you will be escorted by thousands of elite armored cavalry." ”

"Then I'm afraid that after I conquer Egypt, the position of the governor of Egypt is no less valuable than that of a king."

He lightly clamped his legs around the horse's belly and ran forward first: "Let's go, let's go meet this Savodin." ”

…

Come to the tent set up in front of the cavalry.

Lothar could clearly see the guards around Adil, many of whom were clinging to weapons made of Demon Blocking Gold.

"Long time no see, Count Lothar."

Dressed in golden cloth and black cloak, the man known to the Crusaders as Savodin, saluted Lothar with his hand over his chest and handed him water.

"Thank you."

Lothar drew a cross in front of him, and without hesitation, he drank the water, which is a rule in Zoroastrian teachings that do not harm anyone who drinks the same bowl of water as you.

Although this kind of gentleman's agreement has always been to prevent gentlemen and not villains.

But even villains have to value their reputation.

Lothar also smiled and said, "I heard that not long after you arrived in Egypt, you suppressed the rebellion of the Nubians in the south, and the whole of Egypt was stabilized by you by thunder.

I'm right, Zahir is really nothing compared to you. ”

Adil coughed lightly, remembering Lothar's provocation in front of Zahir last time.

"Lothar, before I met you, I didn't find anyone among the Franks who could be as eloquent as the Greeks."

"Tell me about business, Governor Savodin, what are you going to talk to me about?"

Adil's face was slightly cold: "You have already expanded to my doorstep, now come and ask me what I want to talk to you about?" ”

Inside the tent, the atmosphere instantly became tense.

"Is there a big desert on the doorstep? Savodin, you sit on all of Egypt, are you still afraid that I will be a threat to you? ”

Lothar sat in her chair with a leisurely expression.

The expression on Adil's face softened again: "I don't look down on you, Count Lothar, after all, you once defeated me with your own hands. ”

"Is the peace treaty between my king and Saladin still valid?"

"Of course."

Lothar smiled: "So, just keep the status quo, you continue to stabilize your Egypt, I continue to strengthen my strength, we all know that sooner or later you and I will have a war." ”

Adil added: "But not now. ”

"However, you must not expand further into the Sinai Peninsula, or I will lead my iron cavalry and trample you to pieces first."

Lothar smiled: "I really don't plan to continue to expand, but the threat to you, I just want to say, you can try." ”

Adil snorted coldly: "You treat me like a waste like Rauf? ”

Lothar shook her head and said, "I never despise you, but I naturally have my confidence - to be honest, it costs a lot to take this trip with so many cavalry, right?" ”

The great desert of the Sinai Peninsula is the barrier of Lothar.

The Levant is limited in its projection, it is full of deserts, and the risks and losses are enormous.

Adil smiled and said: "It's not much, this trip, you are only the terminal here, and it is also one of my plans to shock the Quartet along the way." ”

"Okay, that's it, when you and I meet on the battlefield in the future, I won't keep my hand."

Adil smiled: "Me too. ”

The two looked at each other and smiled, each running towards their own camp.

After returning to Port Ella.

…

Otto told Lothar that he had received a letter from the Count of Werner asking him to return to the Continent to fulfill his engagement.

The next day, he set out departing dejectedly.

Lothar sent it off personally.

Looking at the sullen Otto, he comforted: "If you want to open up, haven't you always envied my majesty, your old man is already old, and the health of several succession fronts is not very good, maybe one day the crown of the Duke of Lorraine will fall on your head." ”

The Duke of Lower Lorraine is much more imposing than him, the Earl of Outer Jordan.

"Where did such a good thing come from?"

The vast majority of heirs in line to the throne can't wait for the time to inherit the title for the rest of their lives.

Otto shrugged: "But I also want to open, Lothar, you are indeed stronger than me, more courageous, and more lucky, I can't compare with you." ”

"But the revitalization of the Habsburgs is not your business alone, and I should also give something."

Lothar patted him on the shoulder: "Yes, the revival of the Habsburgs is our common wish, I once had a dream that we, the Habsburgs, were elected kings of the Germanic people (electors can only elect kings, and can only be crowned emperors by the pope), occupying Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, the Lowlands, Lombardy, Venexia, Impia, the whole world has our territories." ”

"Is this a revelation?"

"If we've done it, forget it."

"Ha, Lothar, let's work together."

He held out a palm with a chainmail glove.

There was a snap.

The two of them touched their palms together and held them again.

"Lothar, I won't forget what you said."

On his face, he had the same gentle smile as when he saw Lothar leave home and embark on the expedition to the East: "May Heavenly Father bless you and prosper in martial arts." ”

Lothar also became upright: "May the Father bless you as soon as possible, and on the day of my coronation, I will invite you to come with my father to watch the ceremony, and I hope that then I will see the next generation of the Habsburgs." ”

Bang.

Otto slammed his fist on Lothar's shoulder: "Where is the crown so good, if my father listens to your light tone, he will definitely beat you up." ”

Lothar said proudly: "He is an earl, and I am also an earl, why should he beat me?" ”

The smile on Otto's face faded.

Recalling the experience of being beaten together and sleeping in the stables together when he made a mistake with Lothar, and then looking at the appearance of Lothar now wearing a gorgeous plate armor and a dragon's head cloak, I can't help but feel a little sad.

He was a little reluctant to Lothar, and he couldn't rest assured that Lothar would sooner or later plunge into a new round of war with such ambitions.

"Well, it's not too early, if you don't go on the road, you won't be able to reach the new Habsburgs before dark, don't you say that you want to stay there for the night?"

Lothar urged.

"Okay, I'm leaving."

"Wait a minute."

Lothar threw out a heavy money bag: "Take these - Allgäu is a poor place, spend more money to support the field, don't let your father-in-law look down on you." ”

Otto hesitated, but put the money bag in the saddle pocket.

"Gone."

He drew a cross on his chest, and then, without looking back, galloped north with two knights of the guard.

Lothar watched his back disappear into a sand dune before turning away.

Tomorrow is a new week.

He's going to do Friengira's thought work tonight, and he's going to get Cellynina's cookie box.