1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 283 All Quiet on the Western Front

Southern foothills of the Caucasus, on the Georgian border, the Land of the Holy Cross.

In the Lesser Caucasus Mountains, a small and powerful cavalry team was galloping on the mountain trails. Their military appearance was relatively neat, but their equipment was not sophisticated. Many of the worn-out armors still had the emblem of the Koyonlu family of the Black Sheep Dynasty.

However, their riding skills were obviously quite good, and it was obvious that they were well-trained.

There was a fork in the road ahead. The captain wearing a turban raised his right hand, and the cavalrymen pulled the reins and slowly stopped.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

A young officer stepped forward.

"The original road was blocked by a mudslide. We have never been on this road before. I need to check the map."

The captain took out the map, looked at it carefully, and then looked around, looking for nearby landmarks.

"Fortunately, if nothing unexpected happens, the Holy Cross Land is just ahead."

The captain smiled.

His name was Arsalan. He claimed to be a descendant of the Zaydi sect. He pursued the oldest Islamic teachings and upheld the spirit of contract. He was once appreciated by the Black Sheep King Jahan Shah, who followed him and fought until the last moment.

The Black Sheep Dynasty believed in Shia Islam, but there were also conflicts among Shias. The Safavid sect, which was also Shia, regarded the Koyunlu family as an enemy and, together with the White Sheep King Uzun Hassan, who believed in Sunni Islam, destroyed this once prosperous dynasty.

After the fall of the Black Sheep Dynasty, the White Sheep Dynasty and the Safavid Order began to eliminate their remnants. Arslan was unwilling to bow to the Safavids, and with the help of Eastern Roman merchants, he migrated all the way north to the Georgian border.

This was a weak area under the rule of the White Sheep Dynasty, with diverse ethnic groups and mixed beliefs. Some opponents of the Safavids learned about Arsalan through caravans, came to the north to seek refuge, and formed a tribal alliance headed by him.

Of course, the strength of this alliance was very weak, with only more than 4,000 people at most, and could only mobilize more than 1,000 troops at most. The Aq Qop Dynasty simply disdained them, drove them out of the border, informed the Safavid Group, and no longer cared about them.

This place is located at the intersection of five cultures and four beliefs. Numerous bandits and vagrants are hiding in the mountains. As soon as the previous batch is wiped out, the next batch pops up. It is impossible to guard against them and control them.

Arsalan and his men defeated a group of bandits, occupied a valley with good conditions, and signed a protection agreement with four nearby small villages.

The valley is located in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. To the west and south are the Armenian settlements of the Aq Qoyunlu Dynasty, to the east is the main activity area of the Safavid Order, and to the north is the Land of the Holy Cross under the protection of the Knights of St. Andrew.

In order to stop the invasion of the Safavids, Arslan approached the Knights in the north and signed an agreement with them to jointly face the aggressive Safavid Order and other bandits.

"Brother, the Safavids are attacking again. Can Alexios still hold on?"

Beside Arsalan, his younger brother Qusay was looking at Taniguchi.

"You know, during last year's siege, they didn't rely on their own strength to defend the castle."

"Don't underestimate them. From what I've observed, their strength has increased a lot in the past six months. Although Alexios is not very popular and has no apparent talent in leading troops in battle, he is not leading a country or a regular army, but a military monastic organization."

Arslan said.

"They enforce justice in the Holy Cross, protect civilians, and provide medical care to ordinary people. These seemingly insignificant things can earn them great reputation."

"For a military order like this, this is exactly the most important thing."

"As long as he is famous, as long as he is pious enough, and as long as he can bring hope to the suffering people, many frustrated warriors will be inspired and spontaneously gather around him."

"That's the power of faith."

Arslan paused.

"After the city of Ardabil was stolen by the side branches, the Safavids were left without a base, a fortress, or a single citizen."

"However, whenever Haidar wanted, he could use his influence to gather followers and raise funds from all over the world. From Anatolia to Persia, Safavid followers rushed to the battlefield of Jihad without hesitation."

“This is also the power of faith.”

"In a way, they are the same."

Kusai was silent for a moment and looked at his brother.

“We are also descendants of the Prophet. It would be great if we could be like the Safavids.”

"We are too weak to do anything. We need to survive first and we can deal with other things later."

Arslan sighed.

"Wait another ten years, and there will be a war between the Eastern Empire and the Aries Dynasty. This may be our chance."

"We signed a contract with Alexios, and he is a man who values his promises. This is a good start."

"We are followers of the ancient teachings. We are not the same kind of people as the Safavids who are always engaged in jihad. The emperor will definitely not tolerate them, but he may tolerate us."

Arslan's eyes flickered.

"No more talking, let's keep moving forward. The Safavids have invaded again, and we have to tell Alexius about this."

"I haven't seen them for a long time. I wonder how far they have progressed?"

The cavalrymen galloped along the canyon, and soon the valley entrance was in sight.

A stone tablet was erected in the middle of the road, with some words faintly engraved on it.

Arsalan led the crowd to stop, came forward curiously, and read it out loud.

"You have entered the Holy Cross Land. All bandits are prohibited from entering!"

The signature is Grand Master Alexius.

"This sentence is repeated in five different languages. It seems he is afraid that others won't understand it!"

Kusai looked at the inscription and was somewhat surprised.

"It seems we are on the right track."

Arslan shrugged.

blow--

Several sharp arrows shot at them at high speed and hit them.

On the cliffs on both sides, the sergeants and militiamen of the Knights of St. Andrew showed their bodies, holding crossbows and muskets ready to fire.

"In the name of the Lord, you must tell me your name, Saracen."

A voice came from afar.

"It is I, Zayd bin Arslan, your ally!"

Arslan yelled.

"Not long ago, the Safavid group began to gather again, and they are heading towards you!"

"I'm going to St. Andrew's Castle to negotiate with your Grand Master!"

"I know your rules. I only brought twenty people!"

After a moment of silence, another voice came down.

"We already know about the Safavid attack, and the Grand Master is organizing the defense."

"It's the same as before. We will provide you with some food and weapons, and you will harass the Safavids' food supply routes from the periphery."

"Everything is in St. Andrew's Castle. Go there on your own."

Arsalan thanked him and rode out of the valley, where a river basin lay before him.

The basin is not large in area. The high mountains in the east blocked the raiders' advances. The passes in the north and south were firmly guarded by St. Andrew Castle and Arsalan's tribe respectively. The mountains in the west are gentle and connected to the city of Tbilisi through trade routes.

There are six settlements here, three Georgian villages, two Armenian villages, and one that is a pastureland for a small Alan tribe.

In the farmland, farmers are working in the fields with baskets on their backs. Buckwheat and rye are growing very well.

“It was such a cold winter last year, but they seemed to be doing just fine.”

Qusay was very envious.

"They didn't grow wheat to begin with. Most of their crops were cold-resistant rye, and their vegetables were mainly radishes and turnips. I don't know how they could predict the future."

"Rye is really cold-resistant. Even if the sea freezes, the rye seedlings can still survive."

Arslan looked at the vast fields of rye.

"See the gray-white paste they are mixing? That's bone meal. It works really well when used with chicken manure."

“The biggest drawback of rye is its low yield, but the use of bone meal makes up for this to a great extent.”

"They also brought back a new crop from afar called pig fruit, which is a yellow fruit that grows in the soil. It is said that it is used to feed pigs."

Arslan frowned.

"Why is it called this? Just hearing the name makes me unable to eat."

Arsalan thought about it, but couldn't figure it out.

"Forget it, let's go, we don't have much time."

The cavalrymen galloped along the country road, crossing fields and ditches. After dozens of minutes, St. Andrew's Castle on the cliff was already in sight.

"The castle has been repaired, with more towers, more trebuchets and ballistas, and more defenders than last time."

Arsalan looked at the Knights' Castle which he had not seen for a long time.

"It seems that our Sheikh Haidar has found it difficult to drive them away from here."

"That's a good thing."

Arslan smiled slightly and turned around.

"Kusei and I will go in, and the others will wait here."

……

On the tower of St. Andrew Castle, the cross of the Knights Templar flew high. Under the flag, the Knights Templar soldiers and militiamen from the affiliated villages were busy on the city wall, checking weapons and equipment, and debugging crossbows and small catapults.

Late last summer, Shirvan and Safavid raiders began to appear in the Holy Cross, robbing passing merchants and kidnapping lone peasants.

As the protectors, the Knights of St. Andrew certainly refused to stand idly by and clashed several times with the looters, killing and injuring hundreds of people.

However, when the Safavid red-headed soldiers appeared in the Holy Cross, the knights gradually fell into a disadvantage and had to retreat to the castle, settling the Christian people along the Kura River in the basin behind the castle.

During this period, Grand Master Alexius asked for help from all directions, but Georgia only sent a small number of reinforcements. Instead, Arslan in the south was willing to join forces with the Knights to stop the Safavid invasion.

As autumn entered, the Safavid and Shirvan coalition forces cleared the Knights' outer outposts and began to besiege St. Andrew's Castle.

Grand Commander Alexius declared that he would fight to the death and led the knights and militia to defend the castle. Arsalan harassed the food supply from the side, and for a while the Red Army, which lacked siege weapons, was unable to gain the upper hand.

However, the Safavid Red Head Army was too fanatical. This group of ignorant people, blinded by religious sentiment, completely disregarded their own lives and madly attacked the fortress, exchanging wounds for wounds and lives for lives.

By late autumn, St. Andrew's Castle was already on the verge of collapse. There was still some food and weapons to spare, but the number of people had been reduced to an extremely dangerous level.

However, the arrival of a blizzard disrupted the plan of the Safavid leader Haidar. The temperature dropped sharply and the rivers froze. Alexius ordered ice water to be poured on the broken city walls. In just one night, a bright and transparent ice city appeared.

The siege lasted only a few weeks in total. The will of the Red Army was not broken by the cruel war, but was gradually depressed by the severe cold temperature.

Haidar was helpless against the frozen castle, and the shortage of warm clothing and heating fuel forced him to evacuate the Holy Cross, leaving behind a pile of debris.

In his opinion, these small groups of knights could not cause him much trouble at all. By the beginning of next spring, his red-headed soldiers would still be able to tear them apart completely.

However, no one expected that this cold winter would last for five full months. It was not until April 1470 that the ice and snow began to melt and the earth regained its vitality.

When the temperature rose, Haidar couldn't wait to continue his expedition, determined to avenge his previous defeat, kick away the stubborn stones blocking his way, and continue his father's career.

His father Zhunaide once led his followers to plunder Georgia and even reached the city of Tbilisi. The Georgian princes were busy fighting for power and had no intention of resisting foreign aggression, so they allowed them to plunder the people and burn down houses and farmland.

On the walls of St. Andrew, Alexius looked at the Safavid vanguard appearing in the distance with a calm expression.

He wore a full body armor given by Constantine XI, and outside the armor was a holy white cross uniform with a distinctive St. Andrew's cross embroidered on it.

"Captain, the Red Head Army is still like this, no different from bandits and robbers."

Beside Alexios, Knight Boris, who had just returned from Constantinople, said with disdain.

"Don't underestimate them. In war, will is the most important thing."

Alexius warned.

Indeed, the current Red Army has no discipline and their equipment is relatively ordinary, but their morale is high and they are not afraid of death. It seems that in their hearts, dying is also a supreme honor.

Behind Alexius, the Georgian Princess Maria was walking up to the top of the city wall with the village women, distributing hot cakes and pickled smoked fish to every knight, sergeant and militiaman.

Maria looked at Alexius in armor, her bright eyes full of smiles, and walked over quickly to tie his white cloak for him.

Alexius leaned against the city wall, uncovered the white cloth on the basket, picked up a piece of hot bread and stuffed it into his mouth.

"You have been pampered since childhood, why do you come here and ask for trouble?"

Maria looked at him and suddenly felt emotional.

"My life in Constantinople and Carthage was not very luxurious."

Alexius looked at her.

"Compared to material things, the Lamb of the Lord should care more about faith and spirit. I eat these things during Lent every year and rarely attend my mother's banquets."

"You...you are really cruel to yourself."

Maria smiled bitterly.

"That's nothing. My brother could stay on his horse for two months in a row during the war, eating meat floss all day long."

Alexius shook his head.

"Speaking of food, are there enough food and rations?"

"Well, we have a good harvest of rye and pig fruit. The caravan from the Eastern Empire has also sent some, and many merchants under our protection have also provided them with their best efforts."

"By the way, why do we call those yellow fruits that grow out of mud pig fruits? It sounds ugly..."

Maria asked with some amusement.

"To disgust the Saracens, these names were given by my father, Pig Fruit, Pig Rice, and Pig Potato. Plus, they are indeed suitable for feeding pigs, so they spread."

"If they find it disgusting, they will be prejudiced and will be less willing to plant it."

Alexius smiled.

"But over time, they will discover the benefits of these crops."

Maria also laughed and nodded.

“That small iron mine has also been explored, but no businessman is willing to invest in it yet.”

"It's okay. They are just temporarily worried. Once we defeat the Safavids' attack again and they have confidence, there will definitely be people willing to develop it."

Alexios wasn't too worried.

Maria looked up and gazed at Alexios's angular face and long golden hair.

"It's been a long time since there was a strong warrior here who was willing to stop the Saracen invasion. They all admire you."

"As long as Saint Andrew doesn't fall, Georgia will be safe, and my father is grateful to you."

"But he was unwilling to send his elite troops here. He insisted on keeping them to intimidate other princes and fight the civil war, right?"

Alexius stopped smiling and turned his head away.

"In my opinion, he doesn't care about the lives of the people at all. He is not worthy of being a king."

"I'm sorry, but I can't change his mind."

When Maria heard this, she pursed her lips and her eyes dimmed.

"You came here for my country, but my country has nothing to give you."

"Forget it. As long as he allows me to recruit Georgian knights, there are so many people in Georgia, and there are many excellent warriors."

Alexius thought for a moment and patted Maria on the shoulder.

"I originally had a lot of property in the empire, but I have sold almost all of it. Even the wedding money my mother prepared for me was taken away. I hope this will have a good ending."

"Of course they will. The people have sharp eyes. Many priests are also very dissatisfied with the princes' policy of non-resistance."

Maria said quickly.

"Your name has spread throughout Georgia. Many people take you as a role model. In the past few months, more and more warriors are willing to join the Knights, and many have come here because of your reputation."

"The stupidity of the princes will sooner or later become their coffin lids, and your wisdom will sooner or later become your crown."

"Forget it, let's just hold on to the fort first."

Alexius shook his head and tightened his grip on his sword.

"Compared to a few months ago, our numbers have increased significantly. We have become more united in the last war. The barriers have been melted by the blood, and the faith has shone brightly due to the smoke of gunpowder."

"All my muskets have arrived. The Safavids don't have these things. If they fight only with fanaticism, they will suffer a great loss sooner or later."

"Well, I believe you."

Maria stood on tiptoe, kissed Alexius gently on the forehead, and walked down the city wall reluctantly.

"The Grand Commander is so lucky."

On the stairs, the Zaydi leader Arsalan walked upstairs while looking at the fully armed Alexios with a smile.

"This is the most beautiful and gentle princess in all of Georgia."

"The Safavid vanguard has arrived. What are you still doing here?"

"The food you requested has been loaded, and the intelligence you requested has been shared."

Alexius frowned.

"We signed an agreement. When the Safavids attack, you have to go around from the south to the east and disrupt their food supply."

"Don't worry, I am a person who values the spirit of contract. Besides, Safavid will never tolerate me."

Arsalan picked up a piece of bread, ate it in big bites, and stared at the red-headed vanguard in the distance.

"I just wanted to see Haidar's army." "See what?"

Alexius asked.

"It's just the vanguard, so we can't tell anything for now."

Arslan shook his head.

"However, there are fewer people than last time, and Sylvain's regular army has disappeared."

Arslan pointed to the distance where the Red Head Army was setting up camp.

"It seems that the Xilvan people are more afraid of your royal brother than us."

"The Shirvans were trembling under the iron hoofs of the Circassians and Cossacks, and they could not provide much help to the Safavids."

"As for Haidar, I guess he just doesn't want his first jihad to end hastily, so he wants to take a gamble."

"Haha...his father Zhunaide gained great prestige through the Jihad, so he probably has the same plan. Now he probably hates you."

Arslan looked at Alexios.

"You have muskets, plenty of food and new fuel, and your numbers have increased. It will be difficult for them to capture the castle."

Arslan smiled.

"The Safavids are great at bluffing. Don't be intimidated by them."

"Don't worry, I have received the letter from my brother."

Alexius said simply.

"Perhaps in Haidar's eyes, we just relied on the weather to escape. Once spring comes, all that awaits them is a ruined fortress and dozens of weak knights."

"But we don't just rely on these to fight."

"Then what do you rely on? I'm actually quite surprised too. Your development speed is simply amazing."

Arslan asked.

"Faith, piety? They also have these—"

"My family is rich."

Alexius said as a matter of course.

"Okay, I'll go then."

Arsalan was stunned for a moment, shook his head, and walked down the city wall.

After setting up the tents, the vanguard red-headed soldiers blew their horns, beat their drums, and marched aggressively to the outside of the city, forming a battle formation outside the range of long-range weapons.

Seeing that the Knights were in neat order, well-armed and in high morale, the other side hesitated for a moment, and a red-headed cavalryman leapt forward, waving his arms.

"Don't attack, I'm the messenger of Chief Haidar!"

"Please ask your Grand Commander to come out and speak!"

Alexius stopped the archer and poked his head out.

"I am Alexios Avis Palaiologos, Prince of Sparta, Grand Master of the Order of St. Andrew and St. George, and a faithful follower of our Lord Jesus!"

"Chief Haidar invites you to come down for a chat. He swears to abide by the ancient laws of war. You don't have to worry about being harmed!"

After the red-headed cavalryman finished speaking, he rode back to the formation without stopping.

He spoke in Greek, which the knights on the city wall could understand, and they all looked at Alexius.

"Your Highness, don't go. Safavid is not trustworthy!"

Boris lowered his voice.

Alexius thought about it and shook his head.

"When the battle of Constantinople came, Mehmed invited my grandfather to come out of the city for negotiations, and he did not back down."

"This is a war ritual. Haidar is a cleric. If he wants to maintain his authority, he cannot go against his oath."

Boris wanted to persuade him again, but Alexios waved his hand, walked down the city wall, and rode his horse in the admiring eyes of everyone.

The little door opened, and Alexios appeared fully clothed, with the horse's back covered with holy white garments.

The sunlight reflected on the white clothes and silver armor, coating Alexios' figure with a layer of gold.

In the opposing army, a young man wearing a turban also came alone to the front.

Across the trench, the two nodded slightly to each other.

"I am Haidar, son of Zunaid, descendant of Fatima, with the blood of the Prophet flowing in my veins."

The boy said proudly.

"I am Alexios, grandson of Saint Constantine and son of Emperor Isaac."

Alexius looked at the twelve-year-old Haidar with a calm expression.

"The follower of ancient virtues, Alexius the Iceman, long time no see."

Haidar said calmly.

"I have no intention of being your enemy. Please give way and we can live in peace."

"If you insist on resisting, both you and your knight will die miserably."

"You are a Western prince, why do you want to shed blood and sacrifice for the Georgians?"

"I am a Christian. No one can harm the Lamb of the Lord while I am here."

Alexius watched him.

Haidar also looked at the other person and suddenly smiled.

"From what I know, you are not a good killer and you practice justice. In your land, even Muslim merchants can trade normally without worrying about being robbed by bandits."

"Your reputation has spread far and wide. Before I set out on the expedition, some merchants actually raised objections and did not want me to attack the Holy Cross."

Haidar's smile twisted and his face became hideous.

"But, do you think I don't know that you and your father are only fighting for the crown of Georgia? Why be so hypocritical?"

"If you let me go, I will make Georgia as chaotic as possible. The more confused they are, the greater your chances of winning."

"There is absolutely no need for us to fight to the death. We can even cooperate secretly."

When Haidar saw that Alexios remained silent, his brows lit up.

"Your brother massacred many people in the north. Many scholars and intellectuals were reduced to slaves. Many bridges and houses were burned down. The places he passed through were cleaner than farmland eaten by locusts."

"You are a good person. Everyone will be happy if you replace him as co-emperor."

"I will help you become the King of Georgia. You can use Georgia as your foundation to seek the crown of Constantinople. Maybe you will have a good chance!"

"What do you think of my proposal?"

Haidar spoke without thinking, and became more and more excited.

"I thought Saracens didn't drink."

Alexius looked at him with contempt.

"what?"

Haidar frowned, confused.

"I have some Rooibos tea I'll give it to you later. It'll help you sober up."

Alexius said this and turned his horse around.

"You are just a twelve-year-old kid. Don't show off your fledgling schemes in front of me."

Alexius said coldly.

"I knew you were immature, but I didn't expect you to be so whimsical."

"Your supporters worship you as a god. Do you really think of yourself as a god?"

"I'll keep you company, no matter how long you want to fight."

Alexios rode off, leaving Haidar standing there in a daze, his face flushed with anger.

……

Northeast of the Sea of Marmara, on the east bank of the Bosphorus, Anatolian Castle.

At the end of the 14th century, Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I built this fortress on the Asian side of the Bosphorus in order to attack Constantinople. Here, the Bosphorus is very narrow and is the most suitable area for landing operations.

Seventeen years ago, for the same reason, Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II built a larger fortress with more artillery on the opposite bank of the Anatolian Fortress and named it Rumelia Fortress, also known as the "Cutthroat Fort".

The Black Sea Strait is probably the easiest strait to blockade in the world. Both the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles are extremely narrow. As long as fortresses are built on both sides and artillery is deployed, the firepower network can completely cover the narrow sea surface.

After the Aegean Wall Project was officially launched, the Anatolian fortress closest to the European continent was the first to undergo expansion. A large number of Greek laborers were forcibly conscripted, and a large amount of stones and soil were piled up here. If His Majesty the Sultan was not really short of money, I am afraid that even a few more expensive cannons would have been cast.

Despite this, the Anatolian Fortress became the strongest fortress in the entire Aegean fortress group, with neat defenses and strong firepower, which could cover a small half of the strait.

After the outbreak of the war, the Anatolian Castle was quickly filled with garrisons, with more than a thousand soldiers stationed in various parts of the castle and more mobile troops distributed in nearby military camps.

It was a summer night and the Anatolian Fortress was quiet. The soldiers on patrol held torches and the soldiers on rest fell into a deep sleep.

Inside the tallest tower, the fortress commander sat in his study, writing at his desk.

The candles crackled, the quills scratched, and the chirping of summer insects lingered in the ears, making the night even more tranquil.

Suhat stopped writing, looked at the lights outside the window, and his frown relaxed a little.

Suhat was a pure Ottoman Turk. His ancestors had married a princess from the Ottoman family and he had considerable power.

After Mehmed II moved to Anatolia, the Devshirmes were suppressed and the Turkish nobles returned to power. They forced the Sultan to relax the recruitment standards of the Janissary Guards and send their own children to the camp.

This move did win the support of many Turkish nobles for Mehmed II, but these "new Janissaries" who were born from Turkish nobles were not as good as their predecessors. Not only did they have a weaker fighting spirit, but they also brought many bad habits that had never existed before, such as visiting prostitutes, drinking alcohol, and smoking opium...

In order to maintain the combat effectiveness of the Janissaries as much as possible, His Majesty the Sultan did not mix them. Those trained under the Devshirme system were called "Old Janissaries", and those composed of Turkic nobles were called "New Janissaries".

Of course, even twenty years ago, the Ottoman Empire was a thriving country, and the Turkish nobles had not yet been completely corrupted. Many of them were still as brave and good at fighting as their ancestors, and were still sworn to be loyal to the Ottoman family like their ancestors.

Suhat is such a person.

Under his management, the Anatolian fortress maintained its previous high efficiency, all military affairs were well organized and clear, leaving no chance for the Greeks on the other side of the strait.

Suhat was a pure soldier and he was always proud of it. Apart from leading troops to fight, he didn't care about anything else.

However, the series of events that had happened recently were really beyond his expectations, making him frown and worried all day long.

Suhat sighed, picked up his notebook, and quietly read his war notes.

"In the early spring of 863 AH, a violent storm swept through the fortress. There was no sun in the sky, and the cattle, sheep, chickens and ducks raised by the soldiers began to die."

"The neighboring villages have been badly hit by the disaster. They can't provide us with much supplies. The food from His Majesty the Sultan has not arrived yet. Everyone is very worried..."

Suhat shuddered unconsciously as he recalled the early spring snowstorm.

After thinking for a while, he continued reading.

"The wells were frozen, and the soldiers had to go to the frozen streams to break ice to get water. Our fuel was running out quickly, and the firewood we stockpiled last year was running out."

"After a few days, the firewood was completely sold out. The villager who was responsible for delivering firewood to us hasn't come for a long time. I guess he might have died..."

"I arranged for the soldiers to go out of the city to chop wood. The conscripts were fine, but the Janissaries said they would not do anything. I had no choice but to set an example myself and arrange for my personal soldiers to go out of the city to chop wood. Only then did they reluctantly leave the fortress."

"In March of 863 AH, someone died. They were frozen to death. A group of soldiers got lost while chopping wood. When they were found, their bodies were already frozen solid..."

"At the end of March, we were running out of food. I told the soldiers that the roads were blocked by heavy snow. As long as the snow melted, food from Sudan would surely arrive..."

Seeing this, Suhat became a little annoyed and turned several pages.

"Thank God, the Sudanese grain transport team finally arrived. There is still a lot of grain, but the quality has seriously declined. Many Janissaries are very dissatisfied and made a lot of noise and banged pots. I persuaded them to stop..."

"I told them that this is a critical moment. The Greek devils outside are watching us covetously. If they attack us, all our family members will die. They seemed to really understand the Sultan's difficulties, or maybe they were just scared and kept quiet for a long time..."

Suhat turned a few more pages.

"In May 863, the weather finally cleared up and there was more food. It was said that they had collected food from the Greeks and Armenians, causing considerable casualties..."

"In order to boost morale, I took the soldiers to take a bath in the river and to the beach for training. Everyone sang ancient songs..."

"But just as we were singing, a Greek warship appeared on the sea. By Allah, I have never seen such a huge warship, with its black muzzles pointing directly at the fortress."

"I dare say that the wind and waves in the strait cannot overturn it."

"We immediately ran back to the fortress, sounded the alarm, and the gunners quickly took position, ready to destroy the Greek invaders."

"Unfortunately, they have been hovering outside the range of the artillery and have no intention of approaching. For some reason, I feel very bad, as if a pair of eyes are observing us."

"That night, just as we were falling asleep, the Greek fleet appeared again. Under the moonlight, I could see the huge fleet. They had no intention of attacking and kept firing at the fortress, although most of the shells could not hit us."

"That night, the entire fortress was in a state of panic. I immediately notified the nearby garrisons, and they searched the coast but found no trace of the Greeks."

"Their artillery fire lasted all night, which prevented us from sleeping at all. Our nerves were always tense, fearing that they would land in a large number at any moment."

Suhat sighed heavily when he saw this.

"The next night, they came again, with the same routine and the same barrage of gunfire."

"After that, they launched probing attacks against us from time to time, and they became more and more daring. Once, several of their small boats even touched the shore, but our artillery did not fire. Fortunately, the patrol cavalry discovered them early and successfully drove them away."

"Later I learned that the soldiers could take turns to rest, but the gunners were professionals and could not be replaced. The day-and-night surveillance made them nervous and they could even fall asleep during meals."

"I had no choice but to reduce the number of artillery pieces on duty and let the gunners have enough rest, which improved the situation."

"But what worries me most is that the soldiers are becoming less and less vigilant against the Greeks. They seem to naively believe that the Greeks cannot land on the coast and that a bluff bombardment is the only thing they can do."

"Later I learned that all the fortresses along the Aegean coast had suffered similar situations, but ours was the most serious."

"The designer of the Aegean Sea Walls met my uncle once. We trust him very much. Our walls have indeed protected all the places suitable for landing, and have indeed made the Greeks very uncomfortable."

“However, no matter how great a fortress is, it cannot be without strong soldiers. The most mature defenses are often broken from the inside.”

"How long can we last?"

Seeing this, Suhat's brow ached slightly.

"In June 863, food rations were getting less and less, and ammunition and weapons had not been delivered for a long time. I don't know what troubles the Sultan had encountered, but no matter how hard it was, the soldiers fighting on the front line could not suffer!"

"Not long after, news of the war on the eastern front reached here. The Aq Qoyunlu army crossed the border in three groups. As expected, Karaman and Ramazan rebelled and fought each other..."

"I heard from the merchants that many places have been hit by disasters. His Majesty the Sultan is in a very difficult situation. Excessive grain collection will only lead to rebellions in more and more places. I can understand him, but who can understand me?"

"At the end of June 863, another piece of bad news reached here. Some nomadic tribes on the plateau began to plunder. His Majesty the Sultan was very angry. They asked the Sultan to allocate funds for disaster relief and provide food, seeds, cattle and sheep. But where can His Majesty the Sultan get these things?"

Suhat looked at his own scribbled handwriting silently, without saying a word, and turned to the last page.

"The Anatolian Fortress is very close to Rumelia. Standing on a high place, I can vaguely see the walls of the Cutthroat Fort, the Greek ships patrolling on the sea, and the merchant ships loaded with cargo sailing towards Constantinia."

"On a clear day, I can still see the vague outline of Constantiniere. The city is so beautiful and rich that everyone can find their own place."

"The Ottoman family said that this city will eventually belong to them. This is the will of Allah. I used to believe it without a doubt, but now I can only sigh and don't know what to say."

"These past few nights, the Greeks' cannons continued to fire. At the same time, sparks floated across the sky. I know what this thing is. It has burning wax underneath and a paper cage on top. It's very easy to make. The Greeks once used this thing in North Africa..."

"However, the ignorant soldiers and civilians did not understand at all. They thought that this was the devil's lamp and that the Greek emperor was the angel of death in the hellfire. They still called it the devil's lamp, which was really infuriating..."

"It's terrible. Some devil lamps fell into farmland and forests and caused fires. Although they were put out in time, this made ignorant people believe in the legend of devil lamps. Fear and anxiety continued to spread. I really can't do anything..."

"At the beginning of the war, His Majesty the Sultan specially set up intelligence officers in order to integrate the entire Aegean Sea fortress. They rushed between each fortress, and we told them the latest intelligence and passed it directly to His Majesty the Sultan's desk."

"I wrote down all these details and gave them to the intelligence officer, asking him to pass them on to the Sultan and ask the Sultan to help us solve the problem."

"But he reprimanded me, saying that our fortress had not encountered a large-scale invasion and was still impregnable, and there was no need to bother His Majesty the Sultan, who was busy with state affairs, with such trivial matters."

"I suspect this may be because I never bribed him, reported the casualties of soldiers truthfully, and never shared the empty salary with him."

"Alas, this is simply chilling. I admit that this kind of thing is very normal and happens in every army, but it also depends on the season! When the country is in crisis, everyone is busy smoking opium, eating the blood of soldiers, and putting the Sultan's food into their own pockets."

"No matter what, I will do my best and never go along with them. The territory that our ancestors fought so hard for must not be lost in our hands!"

boom--

On the sea, cannons roared again, and then the devil's lanterns floated slowly by, like stars in the sky.

The soldiers had become numb to this and walked out of the barracks listlessly, lined up listlessly, and received their equipment.

Suhat stood up, put down his notebook, took down the scimitar from the wall, and slowly put on his armor.

The door opened and the servant rushed in.

"Aga, the intelligence officer asked me to ask you, what happened?"

The servant spoke carefully.

"He's planning to leave tomorrow morning, but you haven't submitted your intelligence for this week yet, and he asked me to hurry you up."

Suhat smiled bitterly and closed his eyes full of dark circles.

"It's nothing, let him sleep well."

"As for the intelligence, I didn't write it."