Water Margin people

Chapter 1576 Invitation

  All the Crusaders were stunned. Two pagans? They were all pagans!

"If you move one inch further, you will be declaring war on the Kingdom of Jerusalem!"

The knights drew their swords and shouted at the Arab cavalry.

Although the Arab cavalry were filled with anger, they turned their horses around and left. The Arabs and the Kingdom of Jerusalem had an agreement, and they were not powerful enough to tear up the agreement. They could only report the matter.

"Go and stop those two people."

A cavalry captain gave orders to a small group of cavalry beside him. He noticed two people who escaped into the Kingdom of Jerusalem. These two people were called pagans by the Arabs, and they were most likely their believers.

Han Shizhong and Ma Lin had been fleeing for a long way and now they could finally stop and catch their breath.

"Why do I feel like I just escaped from the tiger's den and entered the wolf's lair?"

When Ma Lin saw the Crusaders who had arrived, he looked at Han Shizhong and complained that if Han Shizhong had not acted on his own, so many things would not have happened. Not only did they miss the war in the Western Region, but they were also trapped in the West.

"Since we are here, we should make the best of it. What's there to be afraid of? At worst, we can just run away again! I have remembered all these guys. When I return with my troops, I will settle the score with interest!"

Han Shizhong said indifferently.

"We'll talk about it when you can get back safely!"

Ma Lin shook his head.

“Peace be with you in the Lord!”

The leading knight captain made the sign of the cross and greeted Han Shizhong and Ma Lin in Frankish.

"What are you talking about?"

Han Shizhong and Ma Lin looked confused. They couldn't understand what the other party was saying at all.

"pagan!"

Seeing that the two men had no reaction, the knights immediately drew their swords and shouted.

"Still want to fight?"

Ma Lin also drew out a big iron knife.

"Who are you? Why did you enter the Kingdom of Jerusalem?"

The cavalry captain stared at the two men and shouted, this time switching to the local Arab language.

"We're just passing by, we'll be leaving soon!"

Han Shizhong finally understood at this moment and said with a smile.

"Leave! You still want to leave!"

The cavalry captain waved his hand, and the cavalry immediately surrounded Han Shizhong and Ma Lin in a fan shape.

"In that case, we can only fight!"

Han Shizhong sighed. In this place surrounded by foreign races, fists are still the most useful.

"Who are you? Are you sent by the Arabs?"

The following cavalry also arrived, and a cavalryman wearing armor carved with gorgeous patterns came over and asked.

"We have nothing to do with the Arabs, we are just passing by!"

Han Shizhong looked at the general and spoke.

"Are you Oriental?"

The cavalry general examined Han Shizhong and finally asked tentatively.

"You can actually see that?"

Han Shizhong stroked his long beard which he had grown for a long time. He was so disguised that he could still be recognized.

"Since you are from the East, you are certainly not an enemy. My king wants to see you. Are you willing to go to Jerusalem?"

The cavalry general looked at Han Shizhong and asked.

"Your king wants to see us?"

Han Shizhong stroked his beard and frowned as he thought. He was 90% sure of escaping now, but if he went to Jerusalem, he would not have even a 10% chance of escaping. The people there were all Christians, and the whole city would be hunting him down.

Ma Lin looked at Han Shizhong, waiting for the opportunity to take action.

"Okay, let's go and take a look!" Han Shizhong thought for a moment before speaking.

"What are you going to do again?"

Ma Lin looked at Han Shizhong anxiously. Now was the best chance to escape.

"This king is quite famous. If he wants to meet us, then go and meet us!"

Han Shizhong spoke up. Although he had always been hanging out with the Arabs, he had heard a lot about the King of Jerusalem. Although most of them were slander and ridicule, he could analyze that the Arabs were afraid of this king.

"You two, please come with me!"

The cavalry commander selected a group of men and led them north to Jerusalem.

Along the way, Han Shizhong asked questions indirectly, and the cavalry general also answered many questions, but he avoided answering those involving secrets.

"So you are going to go to war with the Arabs!"

Han Shizhong looked at the cavalry captain and asked.

"If the Arabs want to invade Jerusalem, we will fight to the death and defend it!"

The cavalry general spoke.

“Is this your flag?”

Han Shizhong pointed to the red flag with a white cross. He had also seen this pattern on the armor.

"We are the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem, and I am a canon of the order, Sam!"

Sam answered while touching the pattern on his chest with a reverent look on his face.

"I see. I was wondering why the ones I saw when I passed by before were different. Those people had a red cross pattern on a white background and called themselves the Knights Templar!"

Han Shizhong said suddenly.

When Sam heard the word Templar, his face turned obviously unhappy, and Han Shizhong saw it all.

"It seems that the Kingdom of Jerusalem is not a monolithic entity. It is just like the Arabs. It is true that where there are people, there is struggle!"

Han Shizhong smiled and thought to himself, this is another important piece of information.

Han Shizhong then asked some more details, and finally knew the approximate power of the entire Kingdom of Jerusalem.

One faction included Raymond III, the Knights Hospitaller, Raynald of Sidon, the Iberlin family, Geoffrey of Toruń and other local knights.

The Knights Templar, Courtenay, and the noble Lusignan family formed another faction.

They were hostile to each other before, but after Baldwin IV ascended the throne, he used clever political means to ease the tension between the two sides.

Han Shizhong was very satisfied with the intelligence he had obtained. The priest named Sam was not on guard against him as an Oriental. This was related to the purpose of the Knights Hospitaller. This knightly order was composed of nobles and was mainly responsible for maintaining stability and ensuring harmonious coexistence between Christians and Arab civilians. The knights were usually responsible for treating patients.

The vanguard cavalry had already arrived in Jerusalem and reported the situation of the Orientals to Baldwin IV.

"What, two Orientals being hunted by Arabs?"

Baldwin IV's face behind the mask was full of confusion.

"What kind of people?"

William took over the conversation and asked.

The knight described the appearance of Han Shizhong and Ma Lin.

"This person doesn't look like an Oriental. Although Orientals also grow beards, they rarely look like this! And the other person looks more like someone from our area!"

William also became puzzled. He had seen many Oriental people in Husiwoerduo, but these two people were obviously not alike.

"No matter what, since he's from the East, I must meet him!"

Baldwin IV spoke up and said that he was very interested in the East and that he was about to meet the emperor of the East. It would be helpful to meet an Oriental at this time and it might even be a favor.

"Prepare a sumptuous banquet. I want to entertain these two people well!"

Baldwin IV gave orders to his servants.

"Your Majesty, two ordinary people don't deserve this!"

A noble in a robe quickly advised.