People in the Middle Ages, draw cards to get promoted

Chapter 11 Poor Crusade and Knight Tournament
Even though the python has been away for a long time.

Lothar still felt his heart beating hard.

Based on his past and present life, combined with the experience of two lifetimes as a human being, he has never seen such a terrifying giant beast: "How can there be such a big monster in this world?"

"It's not just about size."

Prajna said in a deep voice: "The most terrifying thing about it is that there is an extremely powerful magical power in its body, which is somewhat similar to some of my fellow warlocks."

In the darkness, her eyes flashed with excitement: "Maybe it's a witch?"

"Witch."

"Is it Transfiguration?"

Lothar guessed.

Although he had never actually seen a witch, he had heard of this kind of witchcraft more or less from legendary novels and market rumors.

Prajna asked, "What is that?"

"It is said that witches can transform into various terrifying monsters by taking potions containing the blood of specific monsters to use their power, but at the same time, they will gradually be swallowed by beasts due to transformation."

"Every once in a while, I can't help but change into a monster."

"In fairy tales, the reason why Cinderella quickly left the prince's sight when it was almost twelve o'clock is because she is a witch who is proficient in transfiguration and is about to turn into a troll."

Lothar frowned and said, "Of course, I'm just guessing. This world is strange to you, and it's the same to me."

The original owner of this body was just a country rich man.

Prajna said softly: "The unknown is interesting enough, and that's a good thing."

Lothar sighed softly: "I hope that this world is a low-magic world. With you and me, I can easily dominate the world, instead of always being vigilant about whether I will be silently cursed by the witch and die one day." gone."

Banruo pursed her lips and gave a suggestion: "Then you have to work hard to summon a medical entourage. I can block physical damage for you, but I can't block invisible and intangible curses."

Lothar said helplessly: "This is not something I can decide. Although I created the system, the rules are established. I don't even have the authority to open a back door for myself."

He looks out the window.

The figure of the giant python has long since disappeared, but the muddy marks left on the ground are still very clear.

pat.

There are drops of water falling.

The air became humid, and the patter of raindrops fell quickly.

Lothar was surprised: "It's raining? Could it be the giant python that used witchcraft to rain the rain in order to cover up the traces of its passing?"

Banruo shook his head: "I don't know, but it is indeed possible."

the next day.

It was still rainy.

The whole world seemed to have turned gray.

Due to the whole night of rain, the traces left by the giant python on the streets of the town have long been washed away.

A group of six horses left the hotel early and walked on the muddy path in the countryside. The burqas and clothes on their bodies were all damp due to the ghostly weather.

The knights under the countess are kind people.

The two war horses she promised were Hungarian horses carefully selected by the knights from ordinary horses. It is said that they were bred from native horse breeds and Arabian horses.

Although it is much shorter than Lothar's Nisaan war horse, it is also a good war horse, and Lothar directly distributed it to Prajna and Hans.

Lane and Model did not harbor any resentment for being a latecomer.

After all, the two of them are not good at fighting on horseback, and riding a war horse is useless. Moreover, the former is suspected of being a witch and has a close relationship with the lord; the latter is an elite knight with his own equipment, and they have no courage to complain.

When Hans traveled here, he didn't bring a lance or a war horse, but that was because there were no paintings on the vertical painting, which didn't mean that he didn't know how to ride and spear as a knight servant.

At this time, they saw a dense crowd advancing ahead.

They were tattered and family-drowned, and there were a mix of hooligan-like characters and mercenary-like people in chain mail.

Three teachings and nine streams, the composition is complex.

Lothar stopped someone casually and asked, "Where are you from and what are you going to do?"

The man said in trepidation, "Master, we are farmers who are going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. My companions and I are all from the Brandenburg border region."

"I see."

This is, the new version of the Poor Man's Crusade?
Lothar led the team and squeezed on the road.

The shabby, dirty, and travel-stained civilians consciously stepped aside.

The muddy water splashed by the horse's hoof flew onto the faces of the civilians on the side of the road, and they dared not speak out.

But Lothar immediately stopped this practice and signaled everyone to dismount and walk.

In this kind of congested road section, even riding a horse can't run fast, and ordinary civilians don't dare to collide when they see a group of people, and they consciously avoid it.

On a caravan with carriages in front, there were men and women gasping from time to time, and after a while, a mercenary with a listless and happy expression came down with his pants in his hands.

Ryan laughed and said: "This is the prostitute who followed the team. It can't be more appropriate to describe it as a wandering warbler. They follow the pilgrims to earn travel expenses. They may eventually settle down in the cities along the way, or they may follow along the way. To the holy place, to wash away your sins."

Lothar subconsciously asked, "Aren't you afraid of getting sick?"

Ryan couldn't help but said: "Hey, can't you get it if you do it in a big city? These wandering orioles follow the pilgrims, but they can be less taxed by those lords."

Lothar was silent for a while.

"Do you even have to pay taxes on the money you earn from selling your body?"

"Of course, and it's not too low. Add in the eleventh tax, labor and military service tax, new taxes invented by the lord for his own selfish desires."

When Ryan said this, he paused slightly: "My lord, your father is a kind lord, but most of the lords don't treat civilians as human beings."

Lothar nodded, he glanced at Hannya, and remembered the conversation with her that night.

Since he is a time traveler, he has to do something in this world.

Even if the world cannot be changed, at the very least, in the future, he must make his subjects live a happier life.

Along the road, people who were sick or too hungry to walk fell headlong into the mud from time to time.

Someone came to Lothar with a broken bowl and begged: "My lord, please do me a favor. My wife is about to starve to death. Please give me some grain."

Some held up crusader flags they sewed and shouted: "Masters of the Knights, we are also crusaders, please let us follow you, we can be servants, servants, feed livestock and plow the fields for you."

The tearful old woman hugged her skinny daughter and pleaded: "Please take my daughter in, she is about to starve to death."

Lothar was a little moved.

But Model immediately reminded in a low voice: "My lord, you can't help everyone."

Lothar nodded: "Indeed, even if I can help for a while, I can't help forever. Giving a few silver coins and a few pieces of bread can't save lives."

This kind of poor crusade led by poor priests, I am afraid that not one third of them will eventually reach the Holy Land.

"But there's always something to do."

Lothar whispered: "Model, you go and deliver some food to that woman later, and others can help if they can. Send half of the dry food we carry."

He warned: "Remember, don't be too eye-catching. If you attract other people to scramble, it will not be helping others but harming others."

Someone pulled a fair-faced young man to the Nisaan war horse, flatteringly said: "Master Knight, those shriveled little girls who look like matchsticks have nothing to play with, why don't you give it a try."

"Get out of here!"

The knight wearing the horned helmet raised his whip and angrily said: "How dare you sell such unclean things to my noble lord, do you want my lord to commit an unforgivable sin?"

In Catholic doctrine, homosexuality is a great sin!

The salesman suddenly showed a look of panic. He thought that this knight who looked equally brave should be Lothar's companion, but he never thought that he was an attendant.

In his eyes, Lothar's status was immediately elevated from a knight to a high-ranking nobleman. After all, it is impossible for a knight to have a knight's loyalty under his command.

"Please forgive my sins, but he is not a man, but an eunuch who was castrated by the secret art of the Eastern Empire court since childhood. He is not an unclean thing. The emperors of the Eastern Empire like to appoint eunuchs as their confidantes to govern the country for them .”

The merchants were terrified.

Eunuchs have been regarded as the third gender in many places, and are deeply loved by princes and nobles.

But there are still many people who think that eunuchs are just incomplete men, and they deeply despise and hate them.

Lothar waved to him, motioning him to leave quickly.

"Hans, don't get too excited. Eunuchs have existed for hundreds of years. In the Eastern Empire, there were even eunuchs who served as the Patriarch. This is a god rank equivalent to His Majesty the Pope."

He lowered his voice and said, "I'm wondering whether you are a knight of the heavenly father, or a knight who only serves me, even if I commit myself to the devil of paganism."

Lothar turned over and jumped on the mount, and ran forward.

Hans' face under the helmet changed drastically.

His lips were pale and trembling.

After a while, he slowly pulled up his horse and followed him, and said to Lothar: "My lord, I'm sorry, I may have integrated into this world too well. If there really is a heavenly father in this world, you are still my creator. , the only Lord I worship, please forgive me for taking the liberty to make a decision for you, I will immediately find the merchant and buy the eunuch."

Lothar couldn't laugh or cry: "No need, I don't like that eunuch, let alone have such special hobbies, but I value your loyalty very much, Hans."

"A philosopher once said that loyalty is not absolute, but it is absolutely disloyal."

Lothar said seriously.

If he becomes the lord, he will inevitably have conflicts with the church. He can't let the church share half of his authority, and he can't accept that the leaders are more loyal to the church than him.

Hans quickly said: "Please believe in my loyalty, my sword and lance are born for you and used by you."

Prajna's faint voice sounded: "He didn't lie. Lothar, you don't have to worry about whether we are loyal or not. We exist because of you. Even if I hate you and hate you, I still have to obey you, and it is impossible to do anything. endanger you."

"I understand."

Lothar nodded slightly, and then asked tentatively: "Panjna, do you hate me?"

Banruo froze for a moment, frowned, and after a while, said softly: "No."

A smile suddenly appeared on Lothar's face.

Hans followed behind him, his face full of annoyance and shame, even General Prajna looked at him differently, it's a big arrogance for me, a one-star follower, to dare to make an opinion for him.

Intimacy does not fall but rises.

Lothar patted Hans on the shoulder with a strange expression, feeling that he might have grasped the essence of pua.

The crowd became denser and denser.

A checkpoint with sergeants appeared in front of them. A knight was riding on the back of a brown war horse, holding his sword on his waist, and shouting loudly.

"Pilgrims who have come from afar, the front is the territory of Lord Leopold of Babenberg, Lienz. I am ordered by my lord to give you grain, but you must not go further into the depths, where the There are many nobles and knights gathered here in a knight competition, if you offend the nobles, you will be severely punished."

"Everyone, go south immediately after receiving the grain, but if our patrol team encounters you again, we will definitely impose cruel punishments!"

Lothar sighed: "It's already Lienz."

Here, it already belongs to the border jurisdiction of Austria.

This is the territory belonging to the Babenberg family.

Count Leopold, who ruled here, was only a count in name, but his authority and military strength far exceeded the scope of ordinary counts.

In terms of size, the border jurisdiction of Austria may not even be comparable to the general duchies, but after all, it is located in the frontier, with many mountains and land, and it is still very barren.

Hans followed behind Lothar, expressing his loyalty in a low voice: "My lord, this place should belong to your family."

indeed.

Austria has always been the basic base of the Habsburg family in history.

Lothar shook his head and said: "I heard my father mention that this Earl Leopold is not easy to provoke, and the rise of the Habsburg family in history did not depend on Austria. Basic, but not irreplaceable."

Lothar had no intention of making an idea of ​​Austria. Both the King of Bohemia and Henry the Lion had coveted this place for a long time. Even if he returned from the Holy Land, he would not rashly lay hands on it.

If there is a choice, he hopes to open up the situation in the lowland areas, where the real wealth is.

Lienz is a city built around a castle.

The castle is in the very center of the city and has the tallest and strongest walls.

On the outskirts of the city, there is only a layer of low walls left, and the disorderly arrangement of buildings makes it difficult for people to realize that this is already a large-scale city.

Outside the city gate, there was a special servant doing the registration. After seeing Lothar, he quickly greeted him: "My lord, you are also here to participate in the knight competition. If you want to sign up, please come with me. I will come soon It's the deadline."

Lothar asked: "What is the reward for the competition?"

The servant smiled and said: "The winner will be able to win the favor of my master, Lord Leopold, may be given fiefdoms and honorary titles, and may also be awarded a large sum of shiny coins, and a charming maid. "

The fief is very tempting, but he has already made up his mind, so naturally he will not waver.

As for the maid, there is no need.

Only this wealth is what he needs.

Lothar nodded and said, "My attendants and I will participate, so take me to sign up."

"Servant?"

The servant was a little disdainful: "Ha, my lord, don't underestimate this competition. There are quite a few knights with outstanding reputations, and the scale is no smaller than the one held in Vienna last time. If they are just attendants, they may not be able to stand it. Beaten to death."

Attendants are generally unarmored.

However, for the Knight Tournament, you must prepare your own armor.

"Don't underestimate my servant."

Lothar pointed to Hans: "He has all armor and strong martial arts skills. Even many formal knights are no match for him. If he hadn't made meritorious deeds, I would have canonized him as a real knight a long time ago."

While signing up, he said to Ryan behind him: "Lion, I need four lances made of white beech wood, two lances made of apple wood, and another well-made lance for Hans, which needs to be skinned or covered with iron. kite shield."

The white beech lance is brittle and easy to break, so it is most suitable for use in contests.

The apple wood lance is much tougher and suitable for use on the battlefield.

Ryan got the order and immediately left with the money bag.

Hans said a little excitedly: "My lord, I will definitely not embarrass you."

The servant looked surprised: "He is actually a servant, and this armor looks more like a knight than a real knight."

He scribbled down the names of the two on the registration paper. Hans didn't have a surname, so he borrowed Habsburg's surname.

"Two, the competitive competition will start on time in the hunting ground outside the city in the afternoon. Please prepare in advance, both of you."

(End of this chapter)