OBS Chapter 936 The Southern Fulin King's Tent
Chapter 936 The Southern Fulin King's Tent
Chapter 936 The Southern Fulin King's Tent
It took the Tatar delegation a long time just to get into the port.
Then came another long process of contacting the "Furlins." The leader of the Kheshig army, the centurion Balth, was getting impatient when Fulke casually informed them: "The matter is settled. Next, we will go to Jerusalem, the capital of the overseas empire."
Barth breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally it's over. Those Fulin people are really inefficient. Commander Fulke, my men were a little rude just now, please don't take it to heart."
The Ivan tribe actually received decent treatment from the Tatars. They were granted the position of "Chief of a Thousand Households" and the position of "Hereditary Darughachi" in their original territory. They only needed to pay tribute each year to ensure their autonomy.
This tribute was less than what Kuchlug and Yelü Zhilugu had originally demanded. However, in return, Ivan's tribe had to send its three thousand most elite cavalrymen, led by Ivan himself, with the Tatars sending "supervisors" to join the western expeditionary force.
Fulke shook his head and said, "I don't mind this slight offense. I just want to warn you that the overseas empire, which you call the Southern Fulin Kingdom, is definitely not an enemy to be provoked."
Barth grinned. "I'll see for myself, Commander Fulker. How much longer until we reach this... South Fulin's royal tent?"
"Not far, Jerusalem is only five hundred miles from here."
Barth laughed and said, "Only five hundred li? It seems that this Southern Fulin is not a great country. My Great Tatar has conquered countless countries with a range of thousands of li."
Fulke didn't bother to explain, simply saying, "You'll see for yourself."
The mission had a mission to complete, so they did not linger in the bustling port of Ella. The group led their horses along the wide road.
This rammed earth road was large enough to accommodate four horse-drawn carriages traveling side by side, and merchants came and went in an endless stream.
Along the roadside were neat rows of field ridges, the freshly turned soil exuding a damp scent.
The massive elevated aqueduct, like a miracle created by God himself, continuously irrigates the fields in all directions with its streams.
The Tatar delegation was overwhelmed by the sights.
How did these Fulin people manage to do that?
"I know, it's like the waterwheels of the Han people, only they made them much bigger!"
Fulke and Ivan exchanged a glance, then lowered their voices and remarked, "It's completely different from before."
"Only three years have passed. If I hadn't been here, I would have believed it even if you said thirty years had passed."
The humble villages that were once made up of pilgrims and Coptic immigrants have, in just three years, developed into thriving towns.
These villages and towns, unlike those in Europe, were not protected by castles built by local lords, nor even enclosed by walls. This was because the overseas empires had long since eradicated the remnants of the Ayyubid dynasty, and their homelands had been far removed from war.
The pagans of the Saracen Peninsula were already worshipping the sacred fire if Lothar didn't send anyone to attack them, so how could they dare to provoke them?
Once, some ignorant Bedouin tribesmen bypassed the heavily guarded border villages, shouting "Kill all the unbelievers and avenge King Saladin!" and stormed into the inland areas in an attempt to plunder.
But before they could defeat the militia guarding the city, several demonic dragons flew down on their heads and sent them to Hellfire.
Groups of knights, their robes adorned with the Order's iconic red crosses, strolled leisurely along country lanes. They were fulfilling their duties as knights of the Order, traveling to the countryside to provide free medical consultations and instruct people on how to prevent plagues.
When Fulke learned the answer from a passerby, he couldn't help but burst into tears and took out the treasured cross from his lapel.
"God above, Holy King above, so the Heavenly Kingdom really exists! It was His Majesty Losar who personally created this Heavenly Kingdom!"
In Europe, in the southern French region where Languedoc is located, the wandering knights that Fulke most often saw were a group of bandits who committed crimes and robbed villages and caravans. But here, he saw a group of saints.
The Tatars found it hard to understand Fulke's excited behavior. They were amazed by the country's wealth, but they thought that the Fulin Kingdom's use of its elite cavalry as witch doctors was undoubtedly a foolish act of self-inflicted wounds.
Ivan was also somewhat puzzled by Fulke's excitement: "Old man, even if you see a lot of people from your hometown, there's no need to get this excited, is there?"
Fulke shook his head: "Can you imagine how much money it would cost to build such a project? If that money were used to recruit soldiers, repair castles, and provide for the lords and kings to enjoy, they probably wouldn't be able to spend it all in their lifetime."
His tone was somewhat complicated as he said, "This is the true holy king, a holy king more qualified than King Solomon and King David!"
Ivan was silent for a moment, then said with a hint of jealousy, "He's got enough power, so whatever he does is right."
On the grasslands, tribes that are not strong enough can't even protect their cattle and sheep, let alone reclaim a large area of wasteland or build any water conservancy facilities.
The caravan ahead suddenly stopped. Many people excitedly took off their hats, exclaimed in various languages, and knelt down by the roadside, bowing and worshipping in the distance.
In the distant horizon, amidst the swirling clouds and mist, one could vaguely see a vast expanse of emerald green shadow.
"It is the sacred tree that leads to heaven! The mother tree of life that gives water and shade to Transjordan!"
"The Tower of Babel! I see the Tower of Babel!"
Pilgrims from different denominations were simply unable to express in words the awe they felt.
"What are they looking at?"
The Kheshig leader, Barth, couldn't help but ask.
Fulke made the sign of the cross on his chest and said with a pious expression, "It is a sacred tree, a divine tree planted by His Majesty the Emperor himself. It was already as tall as the Siegfried Tower in Port Ella three years ago."
Barth was somewhat incredulous: "You mean that whole area, is it just one tree?"
"Bullshit!"
"That's utter nonsense!"
He and his group of keishi thought Fulke was simply insane. With this in mind, Barth cracked his whip and sped off, bypassing the pilgrims who were making their way to the capital.
"Wait for me, boss!"
When the Kheshig troops caught up, they could only see Barth standing still as if he were under a spell.
In the distance, it resembles an endless green dome, stretching across the world, blotting out the sun.
The thick, dark brown branches resemble pillars supporting the sky.
That is the Tree of Life, which has grown for three years and absorbed the power of faith from countless pilgrims. It is now a Tree of Life mother plant that is fully worthy of the name of the true God!
"Eternal Heaven!"
"How can this be!"
The Kheshig soldiers, as if possessed, galloped wildly toward the giant tree. But though the tree seemed very close, when they actually ran toward it, it was like the sun on the horizon—impossible to catch up with.
"Stop!"
A checkpoint blocked their path ahead.
One by one, elite soldiers, clad in full armor and clad in iron cans, aimed their crossbows and arrows at the Kheshig troops galloping across the mainland.
On both flanks of the outpost, a squad of armored cavalry charged out.
"Don't attack! We are messengers!"
Barth shouted, then quickly turned back and instructed, "No one is to move! Anyone who disobeys will be punished according to military law!"
Even the arrogant Kheshig soldiers, who used to be so haughty, no longer dared to show their unruly expressions.
No matter how barbaric they were, they knew that the steel-like armor and the well-trained, disciplined warriors possessed extraordinary combat power.
The most fundamental difference between the Tatars and traditional nomadic tribes of the steppe lies in this: the Great Khan's "Great Yasa" imposed extremely strict military discipline on every Tatar soldier.
For them, discipline is more important than personal bravery.
The arriving armored cavalry quickly surrounded the Kheshig troops. These men had left their weapons on the ship and were only carrying sabers. If they were to clash with these heavily armed "Fulin Knights," they would probably be slaughtered in less than a minute.
What are they saying in their gibberish?
The knight in charge couldn't help but complain.
"I know!"
In the group, a knight from the "Kheshig Army" pointed to his head: "I was wondering what strange language I was learning when I received divine revelation. I didn't expect that I could understand what they were saying."
"They said they were envoys from the Tatars and told us not to take action."
The knight nodded and said, "Tartars? Where are the documents? Ask them if they registered in Port Ella. Also, why were they galloping wildly on the 'road' and trampling the fields?"
The knight relayed all of this to Balth.
Balth was taken aback, recalling the tedious instructions Fulke had given them on the way, which seemed to mention such a rule. He could only smile wryly and say, "We've registered, but the paperwork is still on the way. We're just old-fashioned people who have never seen anything like this before. We couldn't help but want to rush over to admire it as quickly as possible, which is why we broke the rules."
The knight snorted a "hmm" through his nostrils.
"Tell them that speeding will result in a fine, trampling on the ridges of the fields will also result in a fine, and if they can't pay, their vehicles will be confiscated."
"Put your weapons away."
“Although you are envoys from a remote region, you had better rein in your barbarity. The overseas empires are civilized nations that have inherited the mantle of the ancient empires. We welcome any guest, but you must also respect our rules.”