I was a knight in the Middle Ages

Regarding the issue of hostage release, the situation is somewhat different from what Alpha had anticipated.

Only a small number of timid and cautious people took their travel money and left in a hurry.

The vast majority of the remaining hostages, whether nobles or commoners, chose to stay and refused to leave.

“Lord Lei, thank you so much for your rescue! You are true knights, the light in this chaotic world!” The representative of the hostages, a middle-aged nobleman named Bedor, dressed in fine clothes but looking slightly disheveled, stepped forward with several attendants and bowed deeply. “On behalf of our Tulip family, I would like to express our sincerest gratitude to you.”

Alpha nodded slightly, gesturing for them to stand up.

He understood what these nobles were thinking.

They weren't unwilling to leave, but rather afraid to.

In this chaotic world, bandits, wild beasts, and even those treacherous "Imperial Knights" could all take their lives.

In contrast, this small but disciplined and formidable civilian knightly group became the safest refuge.

"Our destination is the holy city of Jerusalem, and we will not change our course for anyone," Alpha stated bluntly.

He didn't want to linger on these matters; they had already been here for three days.

"Thank you so much! Our Tulip family also has businesses in Jerusalem, and we will never cause you any trouble. We can even provide some supplies!" Bedor quickly expressed his gratitude, his face showing relief at surviving the ordeal.

Having experienced the despair of being betrayed and imprisoned by his own people, Bedor knew all too well that the so-called old nobles and imperial system were simply unreliable.

These seemingly uncouth commoner knights are the real support.

"Okay, then pack your things and we'll set off together tomorrow morning." Alpha exchanged a few polite words with them before turning and leaving.

Alpha has something more important to do—to meet with the last of the civilian refugees who refuse to leave.

This group of people gathered in another corner of the camp, numbering over five hundred, including nearly three hundred women.

Most of them were women, all of them pale and thin, their eyes filled with fear and sorrow.

Most of them were captured by bandits from various places, their families had long been separated or killed, leaving them alone and helpless.

Some people, having suffered physical humiliation, felt ashamed to return to their hometown and were afraid to face the strange looks from their fellow villagers.

"Lord Lei!" a slightly clear voice rang out.

The woman in the lead was named Ruth. Although her clothes were tattered, her eyes revealed a strong determination.

“Most of us sisters are homeless. But we are strong; we can do laundry, cook, and care for the wounded! Please, take us in! We don’t want to live that life worse than animals anymore. We are willing to serve the knights in exchange for a meal!”

The women behind her knelt down, their eyes filled with longing and despair.

Alpha looked at them and sighed inwardly.

He knew that these women were nothing more than playthings to be manipulated in the chaos of war.

They chose to stay, not because it was so great here.

It's because this is the only place where they weren't distributed as spoils of war, but treated as human beings.

“Alright,” Alpha said in a deep voice. “You will form a medical team to take care of all the wounded in our team. We will provide food and lodging, but discipline must be maintained.”

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!" Ruth cried with joy, leading the women in bowing repeatedly.

And so, the next morning, as the sun rose again, the campsite at Luanshipo was burned down, turning into billowing smoke.

Alpha's massive army set off in a grand procession.

This time, their team has expanded from over 1,300 to over 2,000.

The group included not only the wounded but high-spirited knights, but also more than a hundred nobles and their servants.

These are mostly newly emerging minor nobles and wealthy merchants like the Tulip Family.

In the eyes of those old noble families, these people were nothing more than a burden when it came to dividing the spoils, which is why they were ruthlessly abandoned and captured.

In addition, there are hundreds of wounded in the team.

After being bandaged and treated by the temporary medical team assembled by Ruth and her team, most of the lightly wounded have regained their basic mobility and are able to walk or ride horses on their own.

The seriously wounded were placed on stretchers and carried by strong soldiers in shifts.

Those women who stayed behind played a crucial role at this moment.

They carefully tended to the wounded, washing the blood-stained bandages.

Although they themselves had been victims, their physical condition was actually better than that of the commoner knights who suffered from long-term malnutrition.

On a distant hilltop, Elta, accompanied by a few guards, quietly watched the procession, stretching for miles, slowly depart.

“Commander Elta,” one of his men whispered, “Best… went with those people.”

Elta remained silent for a long time, gazing intently into the distance until the group became a tiny black dot.

"Some leave, some stay; everyone has their own ambitions," Elta said softly, her voice carrying a complex emotion.

He knew that Best had chosen what he believed to be the right path.

And he himself has completely changed.

Elta is no longer the commoner hero knight who only shouts slogans; he has his own ambitions and considerations.

He wanted to carve out a place for himself and his followers in this chaotic world.

After a three-day trek, the large contingent finally reached the edge of the holy city of Jerusalem.

Although the journey was filled with wind and rain, it was surprisingly peaceful.

Those ordinary petty scoundrels, upon seeing the grim military bearing and blood-stained warhorses of this army from afar, were so frightened that they hid in the deep mountains and forests, not daring to approach and provoke them.

As for any potential official checks, Beethoven of the Tulip family would handle that.

Moreover, it seems that the Hashem family had already notified the officials along the way, so the group was not questioned by the officials too much.

However, ten miles outside the holy city of Jerusalem, a well-equipped city guard blocked their way.

A knightly order of over two thousand men swaggering towards the Holy City would be a major event in any era, enough to warrant martial law for the entire city.

Fortunately, Beethoven, as the family representative, had already stepped forward with the token to negotiate.

The Hashim family had obviously made arrangements beforehand, and after the guards checked their travel documents, they didn't give them too much trouble, but simply strictly enforced the entry regulations.

However, rules are rules.

The captain of the guard made it clear that such a large armed force was not allowed to enter the inner city, and the Knights could only be stationed at designated camps outside the city.

Only Alpha's six core knights and his personal maid, Starry Night, were allowed to enter the city.

Even the armored rhinoceros that had made great contributions in battle was forced to stay outside the city with Murat, Zahir and the others.

Of course, Bedor and his nobles, along with their servants, were allowed to enter as legitimate residents of the Holy City.

After a brief explanation and deployment, Alpha and his team followed the flow of people, stepping into the afterglow of dusk, towards the legendary holy city.

As night fell, the heavy city gates slowly closed behind us with a dull thud.

Alpha and his team finally entered the heart of the holy city of Jerusalem.

As soon as you enter the city, an indescribable sense of solemnity and sanctity washes over you, and the ancient stone walls on both sides of the street seem to be silently telling the story of thousands of years of history.

This atmosphere, filled with religious oppression, made Alpha, who was used to living on the edge, feel extremely uncomfortable, as if even breathing had become heavy.

As it was late, the council hall in the city had already closed and was no longer open for business, so it was impossible to process the check-in procedures.

Alpha and the others could only temporarily enter the Tulip family's castle in the city as Bedor's personal guards.

The castle was brightly lit, and when Bedor arrived in the hall with everyone, the noisy family gathering instantly fell silent.

The family stewards and members looked at the patriarch who had "come back to life," their faces showing more astonishment and panic than the joy of something lost and found.

Beethoven was so astute that he saw through the mask of hypocrisy at a glance.

He sneered inwardly. He had been captured, and his family had not only failed to organize a rescue, but had not even conducted any basic reconnaissance.

Clearly, there's a major problem within the family, and the mole holds a high position.

Bedor's gaze slowly swept across the crowd, finally landing on his younger brother, Beth.

The pool of suspects is very small, and Beth is undoubtedly the one with the strongest motive.

“What? My brother, my sister,” Bedor broke the suffocating silence, his voice as cold as ice, “Aren’t you welcoming me, the head of the family, back?”

Beth was taken aback at first, then her face immediately broke into an exaggerated smile as she quickly came to greet him.

Beth opened her arms as if to embrace him: "How could I! My brother, you are the pillar of our Tulip family, the hero who made our family rise! We pray for you day and night, how could we not welcome you?"

“Yes, brother,” Belin, Bedo’s sister, swayed over, her eyes seemingly filled with tears, “We really asked around everywhere, but those bandits are too cunning, no one knows where you are…”

"Enough!" Bedor impatiently interrupted their performance, his eyes chillingly calm. "I know your little schemes better than anyone. Aren't you all just after my inheritance and want to separate and live separately? My being alive is the biggest obstacle for you."

Bedor looked around at everyone present, his tone filled with disappointment and anger: "I told you long ago, once our Tulip family splits, we will be torn apart like ravenous wolves by those old nobles, leaving not even bones behind! You are pushing the family into a fire pit!"

The hall was completely silent; everyone kept their heads down, not daring to meet the gaze of this imposing patriarch.

Alpha watched coldly, knowing he was embroiled in a feud between wealthy families, but he didn't care.

As long as these people don't cross his bottom line, Alfa is happy to see how Bedo cleans up his ranks.

After all, a united and powerful Tulip family is crucial for their future foothold in the Holy City.

The night was as dark as ink, so thick it seemed impossible to dissolve, and it heavily enveloped the holy city of Jerusalem.

This ancient city is a center of faith and a temple of light during the day.

At night, those narrow and winding streets and alleys become breeding grounds for conspiracies and crimes.

Inside the Tulip Family Castle, the lights were bright, and the flickering candlelight cast bizarre and surreal shadows.

However, the light filling the room could not illuminate the deep, impenetrable shadow in people's hearts.

Alpha and his party were "settled" in the guest courtyard of the east wing of the castle.

Nominally, they were VIPs, enjoying the best rooms and servants, but in reality, it was no different from house arrest.

There were three times more guards patrolling outside the compound than usual, and shadows were lurking around every corner and outside every window.

Those prying eyes, like the forked tongue of a venomous snake, were cold and sinister.

Alpha stood by the window, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold hilt of his sword. His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, taking in everything in the courtyard through the cracks in the window frame.