(Author's words: Respond to the call of book friends, and update it on National Day. I wish all book friends a happy holiday. One more update at 7 pm.)

The clear waters of the Marmara Sea ripples in the narrow Bay of Izmit.

Roger had no nostalgia for it, and he led his team to march through the woods made of tall and lush olive trees.

These olive trees have been clearly maintained by artificiality, and they have been here for hundreds of years, or even longer.

After all, in legend, the place where Athena brought the olive tree to the people is in this Asia Minor Peninsula.

The team marched up the hills.

Linardi, who was asked by Roger and went along with him, introduced: "This is the Samantal Mountains, you can see Lake Nicea by turning it over."

When Roger left the shade of the olive trees and came to the highest point of the hill, he immediately felt the enthusiasm of the summer sun.

Across the mountains with continuous olive canopies, an almost oval lake appeared before Roger.

There are golden lights flashing in the green waves.

The lake is surrounded by a flat green grass, like a matcha cake sprinkled with black sesame seeds.

According to previous information from Muttier, Roger knew that the black spots were the subordinate soldiers and the followers of the Duke of Bavaria Welf.

When Roger went down the mountain and walked to the lake, he truly felt the chaos described by the Bulgarian Patriarch Kosma.

Those people had no military consciousness at all, and clusters were scattered all over the grassland.

Roger saw men, women, children, and even babies who were not born.

He saw soldiers, civilians, merchants, and women who started doing business in broad daylight.

His sensitive ears heard people laughing, some crying, some quarreling, and all kinds of unexplained voices.

There is no officer commanding or organizing these people at all.

Roger didn't want his army to be mixed with them.

He found a small open space by the lake and ordered Danny to lead the team to build a camp.

He asked Odin to lead several teams of cavalry and drove away everyone in the open space.

And he forbids vendors who sell businesses to get close to women.

Roger's soldiers faithfully carried out his orders.

After a while, the camp had already revealed its prototype.

Roger saw a team of cavalry approaching from afar.

He estimated the number of people on the other side and asked Henk to take his personal guards and follow him to meet him.

The cavalry coming here should be a patrol team.

They stopped after getting closer and did not pull out their weapons.

So Roger also stood still and looked at the other person quietly.

The little officer who led the team tried hard to control the horses under his seat and prevented them from walking back and forth, but the horse seemed not very interested in obeying his command.

In the end, the little officer gave up, and he let his horse carry him, walking back and forth before Roger.

The little officer turned his head and said, "This is the residence of the Duke of Bavaria. Who are you?"

Roger raised his right hand and hooked his fingers.

So Henk drove forward and shouted, "Bold, this is the Catalan mercenary group belonging to His Highness Bosimund, Prince Antioch."

Roger nodded in satisfaction and relaxed his tight whip.

He had taught Henk what to say, if Henk called out "Earl of Sicily" again, Roger's whip would be whipped up.

Fortunately, this fool didn't make any mistakes.

Obviously, although Henke is stupid, he is not too stupid.

The little officer on the opposite side seemed a little nervous when facing the uniform and stationary team of Roger's personal guards who could not even hear a sound.

He probably didn't want to continue to show his bad horse skills, so he said nothing and turned his horse's head and left.

Roger didn't care about the other party's impoliteness, so he led the team back to the camp.

By the evening, the camp was fully built.

Roger was about to have a meal when a sentinel report: "The regiment commander, from the east of Nicea City, a team of cavalry ran out to see the movements, and they were coming for us."

Roger's face turned cold and he asked, "How many people?"

“More than twenty riders.”

Roger breathed a sigh of relief, and he curled his lips and said, "The report must be complete in the future, don't be surprised."

He called Henk and his guards and rode to the camp gate to wait.

Soon, Roger recognized the identity of the visitor.

He rushed forward to meet him.

William opposite, before the person arrived, the voice came first:

"Hey, brother, why are you here?"

Roger smiled and said, "Talk a little longer with John, the deputy emperor of Eastern Rome."

After the two approached, they immediately held each other's arms.

Roger invites William to the camp.

William refused, saying, "No, no, it won't work tonight. In fact, I'm here to invite you to the Duke Welf's dinner."

Roger felt that William's words seemed to be grammatically ill.

He thought William should say, “Duke Welfe asked me to invite you to the banquet” rather than “I invite you to the banquet of the Duke.”

However, Roger thinks this is not a big problem. These days, there are a few nobles who learn Latin well, and some grammatical diseases are normal.

He said politely: "Thank you for helping me clear my misunderstanding with the Duke."

William stammered: "Not... anyway... it's almost done. You go, just go."

Roger Panasonic's heart rose again.

After experiencing so many incidents, he is no longer an innocent child and believes in anyone without any defense.

Roger asked calmly: "So, is he unwilling to reconcile?"

"Not it, it's just, it's..."

“We are friends, are we?”

"certainly."

"Friends should tell you honestly, William, tell me everything."

"Well, that, Welf disagreed at first, he wanted face, especially in front of Mrs. Aida.

"But later I convinced Mrs. Aida. After Mrs. helped speak, he agreed, who had agreed.

"But after knowing that you are here, he changed his mind again.

"He said, since you want to reconcile with him, you must talk to him yourself."

"So you invited me to his dinner."

"That's what he meant, although he didn't say it. I think it's not a big problem for you to go there. He won't do anything to you."

Roger said "hehe" in his heart, he thought, are you sure? If you are really sure, you wouldn't have the look.

Roger knew he had to make a choice now.

If you go, it may be a sheep entering the tiger's mouth; but it may also be apart from the past.

If you don't go, then prepare to fight.

And this matter must be resolved tonight, dragging it and not going to go is the same result.

Three words suddenly popped up in Roger's mind, "Hongmen Banquet".

He thought, why did Liu Bang attend Xiang Yu’s banquet back then?

I just don’t want to fight Xiang Yu?

Before Liu Bang went, did you know that Xiang Yu might kill him?

I definitely know.

But he went anyway.

Roger came to his senses and thought that this time, it was different from meeting with Deputy Emperor John at Sophia Church.

In Nicea, there are all nobles and knights under Duke Welf, who can fight.

It is impossible for him to bring the army to the banquet. Even if his personal guards are in full, he will not be able to beat so many nobles and knights.

This time, the situation is not in control.
Chapter completed!