In the Middle Ages, people drew cards to be promoted to nobility.

time flies.

The strongest companies of the Crusaders who stayed in Damietta have successively entered the city of Semanud.

The merchants who came after hearing the news brought a large supply fleet, loaded with grain, grass, ordnance, as well as Crusader knights, nobles, and pilgrims by ship, and docked at the port of Deboers in front of Semanud.

The Crusaders' frontline positions had gradually moved from Damietta to Semanud.

With the city of Semanud as the center, the territory originally belonging to Governor Mahri was quickly encroached upon.

Port of Burs and several important castles along Lake Burulus were all brought under Lothar's control.

As for the villages under his jurisdiction, Lothar did not send any more people to collect taxes and food. These people had been plundered by Governor Machri in the name of "resisting the Frankish barbarians", and there was really no profit to be squeezed out.

In order to prevent this group of farmers who had nothing to lose from taking risks, Lothar not only did not rob them, but instead forced the local chieftains to open warehouses to store grain. Most of the weapons, armor, and even the iron ingots in the blacksmith shop were taken away.

In the Crusader camp in the city.

Hans said with emotion: "You can't imagine the eyes of the hungry farmers when they see the leaders who usually claim that all taxes will be handed over to Governor Mahli open their own granaries full of food. "

The old god Veneto said: "Your Excellency, you are trying to divide the relationship between the local leaders and the lower-level farmers. Perhaps once the Crusaders leave, the food distributed to them will be handed back again. Later, the local leaders want to cheer up." With a wave of his hand, when he incites them to fight for the 'holy fire', these guys will definitely have to think about whether these leaders are tricking them into dying."

Hans shook his head and said: "Your Excellency also confiscated the arsenals of those local leaders. To be honest, I don't think those local leaders dared to 'raise their arms'. It is difficult for them to even protect their granaries from being looted by farmers. "

While the two were talking, they turned their attention to the training ground in the camp.

More than fifty Coptic recruits, holding spears and shields, were divided into two groups for training. The spears in their hands did not have spearheads, but even without spearheads, being hit by a wooden stick would still hurt for a long time.

Therefore, their sparring sessions were quite intense.

In the past few days, monks from the Order of St. Lazarus and Coptic clergy took to the streets every day to preach, distribute free herbal medicines, and treat illnesses for civilians.

This approach has won the trust of a group of Copts. Therefore, in recent days, Copts have come to the Crusade recruitment office to join the army.

"Pause."

"Veneto, go and get one of the spears they use. Let's practice sparring and set an example to these little guys!"

Veneto had a constipated look on his face: "I can just leave the training of new recruits to you. Why do you have to get me involved?"

Hans smiled and said: "I can't pick an ordinary person to sparring with, right?"

As soon as the two came on the field, they were quickly greeted by cheers from the Coptic recruits.

Hans is actually a young man with a very charming personality. Even though he suddenly rose to a high position and acquired the blood of the wolf clan, he never showed his domineering side in front of ordinary soldiers and low-level civilians.

Although the time was short, he still won unanimous support from the recruits.

The two had a sparring session, leaving the recruits dazzled and amazed.

After they stopped, they still felt endless aftertaste and were amazed.

Veneto put down his spear, walked to the side and said with a frown: "There are only a few days until the decisive battle with Adil. No matter how hard they train, they will probably be useless."

Hans shook his head: "You don't understand."

Although the combat effectiveness of these Coptic recruits is very average, even after a period of training, they will most likely only be used for "filling lines" when they go to the battlefield in the future. They are the lowest level of consumables.

Although the levy profession is also a system military branch, the combat experience it can bring to them is pitiful.

But the point for these people is to buy horse bones with a thousand pieces of gold.

"Why don't I understand? It's just the same thing as dividing and drawing together."

Veneto said with some disdain.

Hans nodded: "Indeed."

"Since they learned that we were coming, many farmers have fled. This is the statement given by some big businessmen in the city. In fact, the harvest season has long passed, and farmers' fleeing will not cause food prices to soar." Zeeman The granary in Nud City has long been filled with food."

As for why food prices have skyrocketed, it is of course a way for big local businessmen to recover their losses.

"These people can't survive anymore, so they choose to join the army. Although anyone with any brains should know that they have to wait until we and Adil decide the winner before choosing sides, but they have no room to wait any longer."

What is a troublemaker?

Once a person can no longer survive, any moral shackles or legal provisions will no longer have any meaning to them, and they will become thugs - so Lothar takes this matter very seriously.

He has already begun working to stabilize food prices.

Naturally, the method is not to negotiate with local businessmen in a gentle manner. That would be too cheap. We are Crusaders, Frankish barbarians. If we don't use some barbaric methods, do we still deserve to be called "barbarians"?

Anyway, the citizens of Semanud City did not have the courage to raise the flag of rebellion before the Crusaders and Adil decided the winner.

As for cooperating with the enemy inside and outside during wartime, and making secret arrangements, even if nothing like this happened, it would not affect them from doing so.

After Hans finished speaking, he gave an order: "Gario, after the training is over, take twenty people with you and follow me."

There are also things to pay attention to when bringing them along.

Using their own words to tell the public about the inappropriate behavior of the upper class of citizens is obviously more trustworthy than doing it themselves. This is also a way to divide them.

People at the bottom are always easy to incite, and their distrust of people at the top is also inherent. Hans knew the deep meaning of what he was going to do.

the other side.

"Do they think they can win over the Semanud people with these small favors?"

The representative of the citizen class, a businessman who started out as a tailor and grew up in the fabric business, Mr. Saman, is currently sitting in his low-key but luxurious mansion, listening to his subordinates' reports on the Order of Saint Lazarus. .

"At most, they are just the insignificant poor people. These people are the most cunning, hateful, philistine, despicable, and have no sense of honor at all. Even if they join the ranks of the pagans, they will not add any strength to him, they will only Consuming the food of the heathen.”

Mr. Samman actually belongs to the urban aristocracy of Semanud City. Because he donated a large amount of military supplies and food, he was canonized as "Sheikh" (chief, also used as a low-level noble title) by Governor Mahri. He is Seman A big shot in Noord City's business world.

The elder "Hussein" in the neighborhood where Galio lived was just the director of a caravan under him.

"Sheikh, the fighting power of the Franks cannot be underestimated. Even the elite guards of the Governor were easily defeated by them. If they attack us, our caravan guards will definitely not be their opponents."

"Oh, if you ask about the Demon Duke, you will know that he is actually a smart man and a staunch defender of order. He will not do this."

Mr. Saman raised a chubby finger: "One-third of the people in this city work for me, the other one-third work for me indirectly, and only the remaining one-third is under the jurisdiction of the governor. If I die"

He pressed two fingers together.

"The entire city will be paralyzed. The Demon Duke is very smart, unlike those thugs."

His tone was very relaxed: "I think it won't be long before the Demon Duke pays a visit in person. I don't know how much food will be needed to satisfy the Demon Duke's appetite."

But that's okay.

He had built up a substantial net worth over the years and could withstand such a loss.

Moreover, he can recover part of his losses by manipulating food prices and hoarding food.