On April 20, 1174, the holy city, the top of Mount Morrison.

Elem, the highest commander of the Mamluk Cavalry Regiment, looked at the holy city people at the foot of the mountain who were holding the cross and walking towards the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulchre.

"Prepare the horses! I'm going to see the Caliph!"

Riding on the steed brought by his hands, Elem raised his whip and ran towards the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the east of the holy city.

When Elem stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Saladin, the emperor of the Ayub Empire, was standing in the square, watching the craftsmen remove the cross on the top of the temple.

"The great Saladin!"

Elem’s loud voice caught everyone’s attention. Saladin turned his head, looked at the confidant general under his command, and frowned slightly: "Didn’t I ask you to arrange the slave’s release? How do you run Are you here?"

Elem, who just wanted to speak, saw a man in black next to Saladin and snorted coldly, "How can an evil pagan set foot on God's Holy Land?!"

The throat bone wrapped the whole body in the black robe, smiled slightly, and stood back a little with his hands folded.

Saladin said angrily to Elem: "You should thank him! Without his help, you and your Kasagi guards might suffer a devastating blow when facing Pajezi! "

Elem gritted his teeth and did not retort, but asked: "The Caliph, I don't understand a thing about your release of the slave."

"Say."

"You did agree with that group not to enslave the residents, but the premise is that they pay enough ransom. Now that the ransom has not been received, someone told me that you ordered all the residents to be released?"

"Yes, it was my order."

Green veins appeared on Elem's forehead: "Do you know that the residents who ordered the release did not have the slightest idea of ​​being grateful, and they gathered at the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulchre holding the cross high in the blink of an eye."

"I know, this is my acquiescence."

Elem looked at his monarch in astonishment, and stammered: "Then, those people are heretics! They are the wicked people who do that blasphemous thing at the feet of God! They deserve to be severely punished, you How can they acquiesce in their worship of paganism?!"

Saladin looked at Elem and shook his head helplessly: "If you follow your idea, should you do it like this?"

"All the residents who cannot pay the ransom have become slaves of the empire! Overthrow all the Christian churches and altars in the city! There can only be voices praising God in the holy city, and the voices of other religions should be completely stifled!"

Hearing Elem's so-called "idea", Saladin rubbed his eyebrows with a headache: "Move your mind before speaking and doing things! Think about the current situation and where we are! If you can't figure it out, go. Ask Zalatahan Army Master! Don't use these stupid ideas to challenge my patience!"

Watching Elem's angry departure, Saladin turned his gaze to the cross that the craftsmen had removed, and remained silent.

"The Holy City is an extremely sensitive location. It is the origin of the three major Abrahamic religions. Each denomination regards the city as a holy place according to its own religious legend, so any actions should be taken with caution."

The sound coming from behind made Saladin turn around unexpectedly.

Seeing this pale, bloodless young man, Saladin smiled and asked, "The throat bone, replaced by you, how should we deal with the situation in the Holy City now?"

Playing with a shiny knife between his fingers, the throat bone said while thinking: "At the moment, stabilizing the hearts of the people in the city is the first task."

"What about after that?"

"I don't know, maybe the influence of other sects can be gradually reduced?"

Saladin smiled noncommitantly and changed the subject: "Young people, you and your army helped the empire to land smoothly and made great contributions to blocking King Payez’s offensive. Let’s talk about it. What reward do you want?"

"Emperor Saladin, before asking for a reward, I have a question."

"problem?"

"Do you plan to use troops against the North in the future?"

The other party's question made Saladin frown: "What do you ask this for?"

"If you are content with the status quo and have no intention of making progress, then I will turn around and leave..."

"But what if I give you a definite answer?"

The throat bone smiled and said, "The reward I want is to be able to work under your command."

Saladin looked at the throat bone unexpectedly: "Your request is really interesting? What's the reason?"

The eyes of the throat bone gradually turned cold: "Let's put it this way, some people in the north and I have an insoluble hatred."

Saladin stared at the other party for a long time, finally patted the other party on the shoulder, laughed and said, "I can promise you that sooner or later I will march to the north and let the crescent flag of the empire spread all over every corner...but ,not now……"

The throat bone was a little disappointed: "Not now?"

Saladin did not answer the other party's question, but looked at a galloping horse outside the gate, and the messenger on the horse's back held up the fire-printed letterhead in his hand, his face full of panic.

Saladin straightened his clothes and said calmly: "Before facing north, I must first pull out the thorns on the back one by one!"

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On the same day, soul space, entertainment street bar.

Todd, Cumberland, and Emerson sat in front of the bar in the pub, slowly drinking their respective alcohols.

Emerson looked at the colorful wine layer in the glass and exclaimed: "It's really hard to imagine that in another world, the wine can be mixed like this. The name of this glass of wine is...?"

"Yunding Rainbow Light." Todd said in a nostalgic tone, looking at the swaying liquid in the cup.

Cumberland first looked at the beer bottle in his hand, then looked at the small ear cup in Todd's hand, and asked curiously: "Your Majesty, what wine is in your glass?"

Todd said: "My cup is called "Jiangsu"."

"Relieve your worries?" Cumberland was happy: "This is the first time I heard the name of this wine."

Todd pushed the small ear cup in his hand to Cumberland, and said maliciously: "Why don't you try?"

Cumberland looked at the small and exquisite cup and took a mouthful of the transparent liquid in it without caring. Then he blushed and coughed loudly. He slapped the table and shouted: "This is the strongest wine I have ever drunk!"

Todd broke his fingers and said: "Vodka, Erguotou, Tahiti... and a few drops of chili oil. This thing is something that a bunch of people make when they are bored. The picture is just an excitement."

Emerson watched Todd refill himself with another glass, and asked anxiously: "Your Majesty, do you have something on your mind?"

Todd looked at the clear liquid in the cup and suddenly asked the two elders in front of him: "You tell me the truth, what is the chance of winning against the Ayub Empire in the south of Twilight City today?"

Todd's blunt question made Emerson cleared his throat with some discomfort.

The latter and Cumberland looked at each other, and unanimously remained silent.

"This is not a conference hall, and there are no other messy people. Don't worry that your speech will have a negative impact on others." Todd turned the cup with his fingers and said calmly: "So, don't worry, any ideas , Just say it."

After a period of silence, Emerson first said: "Actually, we missed the best opportunity. In the late autumn of last year, the southern war had just ended, and the Ayyub Empire was at the most chaotic and weakest time. If that For a period of time, if we can use diplomatic means or economic suppression to amplify the contradictions within the empire, it is possible to provoke a fatal civil unrest."

Cumberland followed: "Actually, there is another opportunity, and that is the battle of the Holy City. If the defenders of the Holy City can see through Saladin's strategic intentions, or get the support of active forces, the Ayyub Empire may now Already on the way to retreat..."

Todd sighed slightly: "Speaking of ~lightnovelpub.net~You still haven't answered my question..."

Emerson put down his wine glass: "Your Majesty, the biggest reason why the Southern Empire has been unable to advance northward for hundreds of years is internal friction. Religious factions, tribal chiefs, ethnic divisions, ethnic differences...Although the Southern Empire has developed economy and powerful military, But he was bound by his own flaws...until a person appeared..."

Todd said in a deep voice, "Saladin."

Cumberland frowned, stroked his beard, and said with a headache: "The southern empire has the gun advantage, and the western city has the heterogeneous army. If the two are compared at the same order of magnitude, it is impossible to tell which is better. But the problem is. Yes, Muxicheng has one of the biggest disadvantages, which is its military strength."

Cumberland drank a sip of beer and continued: "The total strength of Twilight West, excluding those incompetent peasants, is less than 3,000. There are even only 300 alien knights who are the main force. Face it. The 100,000 army of the Southern Empire can only support a local war. And, to be honest, I would not care about any general in the Southern Empire... But the only Emperor Saladin , I can't see through."

Todd nodded lightly, picked up "Relief" on the table, and took a sip.

The spicy alcohol rushed into his mouth, but it could not dissipate the haze of the future.

Todd talked about the future of the kingdom with the prime minister of the kingdom and the highest military commander while drinking bitter drinks in the bar. After three rounds of drinking, his brain became heavier and heavier, but his heart gradually became clear.

Returning to the bedroom from the soul space, Todd looked at himself in the mirror, slowly closed his eyes, took off the crown from the top of his head, and placed it on the tabletop.

Although the spring night outside the window was warm and pleasant, there was a silent sigh echoing in the cold palace, which could not go away for a long time.