Duke Welfe threw the problem to William again, he said:

"Since the prince is responsible for finding the water source, then protecting the water source, Mr. William, see, are you here to arrange it?"

Roger fiddled with the wine glass and shook his head in secret.

He thought, Duke Welf seemed to be determined to kick William away.

He clearly had so many elite cavalry, but he refused to separate out some to protect the water source, and insisted on attacking William.

William surrendered under Mrs. Aida's gaze, and he agreed and promised to send troops to protect the water sources along the way.

But he refused to leave Mrs. Aida by himself.

He said: "I have to stay in the camp so that I can keep in touch with Your Excellency Roger at all times.

"Once they find the source of water, my cavalry will rush over to protect it."

William's reason was reasonable, and Duke Welf had no reason to drive him away.

So the matter was settled.

Everyone continued to have a banquet, eating and drinking until late at night.

The next day after the banquet, early in the morning, Roger took Little Bosimund and left the army.

He left several cavalrymen as liaisons to keep in touch with Duke Welf at any time.

When Roger led the Sicilians out of the camp gate, he saw a lot of casual and unmanned walkers, and they were still stepping into the camp one after another.

Behind those people, there were many walkers, and there were scattered stars and countless kilometers.

Roger shook his head and then rode away. He couldn't control these people and had no interest in taking care of them.

In the following itinerary, under the guidance of Rinaldi and Greek guides, Roger's march was smooth sailing.

This time, no Roma made trouble, and Roger successfully found the water source along the way.

William also kept his promise and sent cavalry.

Each water source point, whether it is a well, a reservoir or a spring, is protected by at least one team of cavalry.

On the fifth day after Roger left the main force, he had already seen the walls of Heracria from afar.

He calculated his marching speed and the Duke's marching speed. It was estimated that Duke Welf's army had not even reached halfway.

Under the direct hot sunlight that could make people dizzy, Roger's team walked in a huge, flat saline-alkali land.

The ground was covered with white pieces of salt.

After trampling on horses and people, the salt blocks of plated into fine powdered particles.

Roger twisted a small handful and put it in his hand, stuck out his tongue and licked it, it was bitter and salty.

Roger estimated that although this place is now a plateau, it may still be on the seabed billions of years ago, so the soil here is full of salt.

During the rainy season, the salt in the soil is soaked out and brought to the surface. During the dry season, the muddy ground is dried, and the salt is left on the surface.

Year after year, such white saline-alkali land has been formed here, like a salt lake.

Roger slowly moved forward while enduring the sun's exposure, while looking east.

He saw that at the foot of the mountain in the distance, there were dense woods and vast fields, which, as General Danishmand had said before, was a place suitable for large troops to station and repair.

From a distance, he saw the fertile farmland outside the city of Heraclia. The spring wheat in the fields had been harvested, leaving only soft soil.

And between the fertile fields and the saline-alkali land where you live, there is a turbulent river.

There is an outrageously long stone bridge above the river, which is much longer than the current width of the river.

Only a few of the piers in the middle of the stone bridge are vertically placed in the river. The bridge bodies extending from both sides are all built on the wide white saline-alkali land on both sides of the river.

Roger speculated that this river may be much wider during the rainy season than what you see now.

He estimated that the white saline-alkali land on both sides of the river might be completely covered by river water during the rainy season.

Roger saw that there were patrolling Roma cavalry on the other side of the river.

The cavalry also saw Roger's team, so he sounded the horn to call the police.

Nearly two thousand cavalrymen ran out of the city of Heraclia amid the sound of the trumpet.

They gathered quickly towards the river and listed the formations of the battle.

Their attitude obviously does not mean that they welcome Roger and his party.

So Roger asked the troops to stop advancing and also changed into a battle formation.

The Roma people on the other side did not cross the river. They were divided into two parts, one guarding the bridge head and the other guarding a relatively flat river surface.

Roger guessed that there should be a shallow where you can wader.

Roger sent a cavalry.

The brave man ran to the river with a white flag and negotiated with the Roma people on the other side.

He shouted loudly in Arabic, reading the terms of harmony that General Danishmand promised.

But the Roma people on the other side were unmoved, and some even shot arrows when the brave cavalry entered their range.

This kind of answer is more powerful than any words, so there is no need to continue negotiation.

The situation was clearer, but the Romas tore up the Treaty of Peace and they chose to fight.

The brave cavalry threw down the white flag and drove his horse back.

Roger commanded his troops to advance slowly, and stopped on the saline-alkali land nearly 180 meters away from the river bank and the enemy drove a single arrow.

He stood at the right moment and looked at his opponent carefully.

The opponent's troops are very single, all of them are archers.

A few of these cavalry wore half-letter armor in a velvet-shaped body, and most of them only wore cloth robes.

They had short knives on their waists, each with a bow in their hands, and arrows were filled with arrows.

Roger saw a familiar figure under the other party's green background white star and moon flag.

The man was wearing a chain mail inlaid with gold, and two officers were guarding him.

Roger naturally knew who that person was. He chased the other party for a while and almost killed the other party.

He shouted, "Masoud, your general Danishmand has signed a harmonious agreement with us, and he is still hostage in our large army.

"It seems you don't want him to live anymore.

"Is this how you treat generals who are loyal to you?"

Sultan Masood replied loudly: "We Roma and you Christians have never been harmonious."

Roger looked at the team with nearly two thousand equipment like beggars, and he laughed and said:

"Masoud, with your little force, you dare to fight us?

“Isn’t the lesson learned last time enough?

"I have defeated you by leading more than 30,000 people. Do you think you can block our army with this little force now?"

Sultan Masood shouted without any weakness: "We Roma people swear to defend our land to the death, and now the soldiers scattered around are gathering here.

"My soldiers will be as numerous as the stars in the sky. At that time, I will lead them to wipe you out."

Roger sneered, he thought, bragging without drafting, Fanxing, do you, the native, know how many stars there are in the sky?

He shouted, "Masoud, recognize the reality.

"Don't be blinded by your own stupidity, you only know how to show your bravery with lies.

“Since you choose to go against us, your rule over the Kingdom of Roma will be like a fortress on the beach, and will soon be destroyed and wiped out by us Christians.

"It will be too late for you to regret it any more.

"I advise you to surrender, that is your only way out."

Masoud shouted: "It's you who speaks big, you rush over if you have the will.

"My warrior can shoot and kill you five of you alone. Are you not enough for me to score?"

Roger was fighting with Masud while carefully observing the terrain.

Obviously, Dili is completely in the hands of the opponent.

The turbulent river in front of me poured into a huge lake to the south, stretched to the north, and walked around the mountains.

There seems to be no possibility of going around.

Roger didn't think there would be anything else in this river, and the ferry that the Roma didn't know could pass through.

The Roma people who are familiar with the local terrain should not make such a naive mistake.

So there are only two roads to cross the river, one is from the bridge and the other is from the shallows.

Any one of them will face the attack of the opponent's arrow rain.

He thought that the defense has a great advantage in this terrain.
To be continued...