Watching many Crusader lords leave.

Lothar got up and returned to his throne.

Only Jeanne, Prajna, Fringella, Cellinina, Hans, Veneto, and Coors were left in the tent.

"Alright, their meeting is over, and our meeting is about to begin."

Lothar said in a sincere tone: "First of all, I have to examine myself, this time, since the defeat of Saladin, I have some feelings of complacency, but last night, we were in crisis again. ”

"I have to say, this world is far more dangerous than what we usually see, blasphemous old gods, demons of the abyss, reclusive wizards..."

"These immortal monsters, the vast majority of people, even the king, may never see them once in their lifetime."

"But we're different."

"Holy Spear, the source of our power, why aren't we afraid to block the secret of the Demon Gold... These may attract the covetousness of others. ”

Lothar's eyes slanted to Veneto: "I hope that in the future, everyone, including me, will be more cautious in what they do, especially not to break into the crowd of enemies at every turn, only to rush and kill without brains." ”

Veneto was a little ashamed, he was a person who was keen on fighting, not willing to be a dull person, although he enjoyed the battle last night, but after sobering up, he felt very aggrieved.

After fighting for a long time, he didn't hurt a single hair of the main owner, what kind of battle is this?

"Also, the most important goal at this stage is to take the port of Damietta, where I will be crowned Duke of Lower Egypt in the Coptic Church, and then our power will be further strengthened."

"In addition, it is the specific operational deployment of this river crossing campaign."

Lothar looked at everyone with a solemn expression: "Hans, Cellinina, you two are responsible for leading a team of forest shooters to clear the guard tower on the opposite bank as soon as possible, and buy time for the subsequent construction of the pontoon bridge, so that the first heavy infantry company can cross the river and build a camp at noon."

The first heavy infantry company was based on the 100 soldiers who remained in the veteran company, and the Dalian team was formed, inheriting the skilled civil engineering work of the Romans, and was best at this kind of step-by-step battle.

Venice, resplendent inside the Doge's Palace.

The Duke of Champagne from Gaul was leading his chamberlain into the palace.

The Duke of Champagne is a royal title, and everyone knows whose will is behind this man's arrival - the King Philip, known as the cunning fox.

"Your Excellency, this is the content and terms of the deal proposed by our king."

Governor Oreo Mastopielo took the parchment and read it carefully as the morning glow shining through the window.

After a while, the governor who put down the parchment looked a little solemn: "You want me to provide transportation services for two thousand knights, fifteen thousand warriors, five thousand men, and three thousand horses, as well as half a year's provisions, and there may be a fierce conflict with the Saracen navy?" ”

In the eyes of the Duke of Champagne, after getting a definite answer.

The Governor couldn't help but shake his head and smiled: "With all due respect, your sovereign's request cannot be met at all unless we stop all commercial activities and recall all the ships that are abroad. ”

"And, even if I were willing to accept your terms, the council wouldn't be willing to accept them."

The benefits of this deal are indeed huge, but the price is too high.

What's more, once the crusade fails, won't all the gains be in vain?

Governor Oreo was not a gambler who liked stud, and the Republic of Venice was not poor and had to gamble on the fortunes of the country.

The governor paused slightly, and then said: "Even if you take a step back and the city council approves it, this transportation cost is equivalent to a whole year's fiscal and tax revenue of the Gallic Kingdom, which means that if all the nobles of the Gallic Kingdom store the money in the storehouse without moving, it will take a year to save it." ”

The Duke of Champagne emphasized: "Most honorable Governor of the Republic, please know that the piety and steadfastness of our King and the Princes of Gaul, even at a high price, will not deter our determination to recover the Diocese of Alexandria. ”

Oh, you are really religious, you will not delay until now, Saladin has been defeated twice in a row before launching the crusade.

The Governor couldn't help but sneer in his heart.

The Duke of Champagne continued: "Moreover, even if His Excellency the Doge doubts the ability of the Crusaders to pay, he should know that with the riches of Egypt, if he takes this place, why should he not be able to repay you?" ”

"But you must know that the Marquis of Lothar in the Holy Land has led his army into Egypt."

The Duke of Champagne shook his head and said, "Egypt is so big, how much appetite does he have?" ”

"Heh, but as far as I know, this Marquis of Lothar has repeatedly defeated the Saracen monarch, and now he is the most powerful prince of the overseas crusade, commanding tens of thousands of elites, and his strength is not weaker than your crusaders in this crusade."

This old fox.

The Duke of Champagne cursed.

He had thought that the Governor had become old and deaf, but he had never imagined that he would be so difficult to deal with.

"Your Excellency, I have heard of an interesting matter lately, that a convoy of merchant ships under the banner of a double-headed eagle has docked at the Bay of Lions in Provence, laden with oriental fabrics, fine armor, precious books and spices, to be sold along the river to Lyon. It seems that the Marquis of Lothar, who made a name for himself in the Holy Land, also had the idea of getting a piece of the Mediterranean trade. ”

The Governor's eyes narrowed slightly.

Venice was still a relatively pure trading city-state, and did not evolve into a territorial state with Crete, Thessalonica, Dalmatia, Verona, and Padua.

Commercial interests are their lifeblood.

The lords of the East more or less had their own fleets, such as the Duke of Raymond in Tripoli, but the fleets were often small and did not set foot in the western Mediterranean easily.

Obviously, the Venetians would not be happy to see the rise of an Eastern Crusader king who was keen on commerce.

The Doge smiled, "If your Excellency the Duke tries to convince me of this, I am afraid that I will be disappointed, for the plate of the Mediterranean trade is very large, and I am glad to see him participate as a devout Christian King." ”

This is not true, but it is true.

The Venetians were not able or intended to monopolize trade in the entire Mediterranean, and Genoese and Pisa were their biggest rivals at this stage.

"Your Excellency the Doge, if we take control of Egypt, we will open to the noblest Republic of Venice all the great ports along the coast, as well as the trade monopoly of the many large cities, and allow your state to establish many commercial ports and semi-autonomous communities in Egypt."

"If His Excellency the Governor is still unwilling to give such favourable terms a second thought, then we will have to go to Genoa, or Pisa."

The Duke of Champagne said through gritted teeth.

Now, His Excellency the Governor, who is over seventy years old, feels moved.

The monopoly of trade in the many large cities along the Egyptian coast is by no means insignificant.

At this time, both the Pisan and Genoese had many trading houses in the East, and even Constantinople had a Venetian settlement, which brought great convenience to the commercial activities of the trading city-states.

The more merchants you get, and the more support you have from the local lords, the more you can get a share of the fat cake of the eastern trade routes—although the Mediterranean Sea is large, it cannot accommodate the three sea overlords.

No one wants to follow in the footsteps of Amalfi (a trading city-state in Naples that once flourished and then fell to the Pisa).

The Doge's eyelids were slightly raised, and there was no superfluous emotion on his face: "The Pisaans and Genoese are busy with infighting, and I certainly hope that His Excellency the Duke will put an end to the senseless disputes between them, so that the Christians can unite and devote their strength to the sacred cause of crusading against the infidels." ”

But the fight between the two states has already made the enmity as deep as the sea, and how can it be so easy to quell it.

It seems that the Crusaders still have a choice, but in fact there is no choice.

Neither the Eastern Empire, which was busy fighting against the Kingdom of Sicily, nor Pisa, which was in full swing, Genoa, with the exception of Venice, could afford to undertake the shipping business of the Crusades.

"It may be tough, but you have to try."

The Duke of Champagne no longer backed down.

This is the best clause they can come up with, in this era, not everyone dares to easily tear up the sacred contract, and even the Gallic kingdom cannot afford the price of treachery.

Even dishonored cheques must be exchanged.

Otherwise, the crusaders of the other world would not have been coerced by the Venetians to attack the Hungarians and Constantinople.

The Governor narrowed his eyes and tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop.

"If it's such a clause, I'll try to convince Parliament to accept it."

(End of chapter)