Lothar pushed open the door and said, "Jeanne, get ready, we're going to send troops." ”

Just came back from outside, with a hot and dry Jeanne, said succinctly: "Who to hit?" ”

"Isaac Komnenos."

"Tsk, I seem to have heard the name - in the history of our world, the 'Emperor of Cyprus' who trampled him under his feet with only a thousand elites?"

There is a clear irony in this designation.

Jeanne said as she gulped down the cold wine.

It is said that this "Emperor Majesty", after occupying the island of Cyprus, went on a frenzied internal raid and acted willfully.

Externally, by virtue of its geographical advantages, it organized a fleet to raid the surrounding merchant ships unscrupulously.

During the Third Crusade, he took Richard the Lionheart's sister "Joan" and his fiancée "Berengalia of Navarre" with him.

This has also become a model story of the brutal and unkind faint king, who used his mantis arm as a car to provoke the brave and wise "virtuous king", and was defeated.

Of course, none of this has happened yet, and there is a high probability that it will not happen.

"It is indeed the Emperor of the island of Cyprus, who lost the battle in Cilicia, then fled to the island of Cyprus, and with a forged official document and the identity of the Komnenos royal family, took possession of the island in one fell swoop, and forced the local archbishop to crown himself emperor."

Jeanne sighed: "This experience sounds quite legendary. ”

"Oh, it's not so much that he 'has experienced a legend', but that the empire, although it is glamorous on the surface, is in fact decaying. The system of peasants and military districts created by Emperor Heraclius has already existed in name only due to land annexation. The heads of those local military districts were not much different from the feudal lords on the European continent. ”

Lothar's tone was sarcastic, but there was some regret in his expression.

Heraclius's peasant and military system was very similar to that of Lothar's domain, in that it was given to yeoman farms in exchange for military service and taxes.

And land annexation, a blow to this system, is undoubtedly devastating.

When the vast majority of yeoman peasants, who were originally able to carry out their own weapons and equipment, lost their land and became serfs.

When the Eastern Empire fought again, it could only rely on mercenaries and those military district leaders who did not obey orders.

Jeanne said fairly: "Actually, it's okay now, until Constantinople was sacked by the Crusaders, the Eastern Empire can be regarded as a 'giant with feet of clay'." ”

"Indeed, at this time, the Eastern Empire can still be saved, it depends on what happens to Empress Lagaia's wrist."

Lothar's voice paused slightly, and he pinched his eyebrows with some distress: "Therefore, my six-star template simulation battle requires me to defeat the Ottomans in 1453, so that 'Phoenix Nirvana and rebirth from the ashes' is simply an impossible task." You know, at that time, all the people in Constantinople combined, there were less than 50,000 people. ”

Whenever she thought of this kind of mission, which could be called a "desperate situation", Lothar felt that even if she fully awakened the bloodline of the dragonborn and could manifest the body of a dragon, it would still be impossible to change her life against the sky.

"Maybe you can think differently."

Jeanne, who once fought alongside Lothar, knows what mock warfare is all about.

She held her chin and gave a whimsical suggestion: "Take the remaining wealth of Constantinople and the soldiers loyal to you, for example, and go all the way to Ireland." ”

"Open..."

Lothar wanted to say something kidding.

But then I remembered that the requirement of the mock battle was for him to defeat Osman, but he didn't say when he would be defeated.

A thousand miles would sound outrageous, but it didn't seem impossible - Ireland was too far away for him to move into Naples and sell the crown on his head to the kings of the continent.

When the time comes, lie down and taste the guts, and three thousand iron armor can swallow the Ao?

It's a big deal to stay up with the Ottomans, anyway, he has dragonborn blood and has a long life.

It was not too late to wait until the Ottomans were reduced to the sick men of West Asia.

Jeanne couldn't help but laugh and said, "My lord, I'm joking, you shouldn't be serious, right?" By then, where did you get your fleet to move? It's better to defend the city. ”

Lothar said seriously: "If you rob the infidels without a boat, as long as my personal strength is strong enough, it is possible to reverse the situation." ”

Jeanne was slightly stunned, and then said with a straight face: "My lord, are you serious?" ”

Lothar smiled: "It's just talking about the army on paper, if you are not in the current situation at that time, how can you know where the way out is, go and arrange the dispatch of troops." ”

Jeanne coughed lightly, bringing the rambling topic back on track: "Your Excellency, how many men do you think we should send to the island of Cyprus?" ”

"Bring eight hundred peasant soldiers, including the Black Eagle Banner (formerly four hundred peasant soldiers), as well as the Earlguard's Guard (Varangian Guard), the Eagle Banner Brigade (remaining veterans), ten woodland marksmen, plus twenty hussars."

Lothar's tone paused slightly, and she continued: "If you have enough for a thousand people, Anna will be paid a lot, so we can't be too stingy." ”

Jeanne frowned and said: "The combat effectiveness of the Black Eagle Banner Team is still passable, but with the four hundred peasant soldiers recruited in the future, the combat effectiveness is a little worrying." ”

These 400 peasant soldiers are not included in this expansion.

It was after Lothar captured Alandler and Ira Harbor, with the four hundred peasant soldiers originally recruited by Hebron as the backbone, the training time of the newly formed army was much better than that of the new recruits who could not even rank in the ranks.

Lothar waved his hand and said: "It's okay, Isaac Komnenos is not a powerful person, this trip to train soldiers is more serious, if you don't go to the battlefield, how can you sharpen elite soldiers?" ”

He added:

Although the island of Cyprus has gathered some opposition from the Empress Lagaia, Isaac has not been in Cyprus for a short time, and most of the rest are wall-ridden factions, or potential oppositionists who are afraid of Isaac's terror and have to "join the thieves".

As long as the naval battle is successfully won, the subsequent battles will not be difficult to come. ”

Jeanne nodded: "What you said makes sense, I'll go and prepare." ”

Watch Jeanne leave.

The maid hurried in again: "My lord, the knights of the Order who visited you yesterday are here again. ”

"Teutonic Knights?"

Lothar was slightly stunned and nodded, "Let them in." ”

Heberland's face was obviously a little haggard, these knights probably stayed up all night last night, and when they saw Lothar, they all knelt on one knee and lowered their proud heads.

"Lord Count, we would like to nominate you as the second Grand Master and Patron of the Teutonic Knights, in the hope that we may obtain a place to live from you."

Lothar was clearly surprised by the result.

In his opinion, the Teutonic Knights, although in a difficult situation, were far from being untenable.

And according to the historical trajectory, it will not be long before the Teutonic Knights will usher in opportunities for development, and many Germanic nobles will join and donate.

But he realized that the Third Crusade was delayed, and Emperor Henry was obviously inferior to the historical Redbeard, and Emperor Frederick valued the Crusades more.

Whether this opportunity will come is still unknown.

At this moment of bleak prospects, it is not surprising that the Teutonic Knights choose to join themselves, the most powerful Germanic lords in the Holy Land.

Moreover, these Teutonic knights probably still have a copy, and since they can elect themselves as the Grand Master, they can naturally depose them.

It's a pity that after entering the hands of Lothar, it is definitely impossible for the Teutonic Knights to become a country within a country where doves occupy magpies' nests.

Lothar had amassed ten places for the Knights of the Edict, and he intended to use them all on the men of the Teutonic Order.

And if you think about it, the Teutonic Knights may not have doves to occupy the magpie's nest and eat their own ambitions, and ambition changes with status.

His attitude has also become softened because of this.

"Heberland Knights, I am honored to be unanimously elected by all of you, and as Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, I am happy to donate a fief to the Order."

His tone paused slightly.

Seeing that the Teutonic knights all showed expectant expressions, he continued: "Now, there are two choices in front of you, one is to go with me to Cyprus..."

Lothar told her about his agreement with Anna, and continued, "Perhaps I will give you Philor as a place for the Order. ”

Heberland was silent for a moment, then spoke, "Grand Master, this is a matter for you to decide, not to consult us. ”

Lothar was a little surprised by Heberland's intellect, but he was still very frank: "Don't worry, this is not a temptation, we are all Germanic people with electoral traditions, and the principle of the minority obeying the majority will work with me." ”

Only then did the knights relax and speak freely.

Eventually, as expected.

The knights unanimously chose to go to Cyprus.

A port town in Cyprus, plus three castles attached to it, compared to the desert town of Fiorn... No, there is no comparison at all.

"In addition, I will organize the Council of Great Knights, which is made up of ten of you knights and decides the affairs of the entire Knights."

Lothar smiled, as if she was not in the slightest interest in the authority of the Grand Master.

Heberland and the other Teutonic knights showed surprised expressions when they heard this.

It's no different from what they used to be.

I thought that I would send someone under the fence, but I ended up with this kind of treatment, which really surprised them.

Lothar snapped and placed the blade of his sword on Heberland's shoulder.

"Now, swear allegiance to me, knight."