I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 98

The Fifth Column (3)

* * *

It was spring, and flowers were beginning to bloom.

The Holy Roman army, led by Friedrich, crossed the Alps.

The vanguard, having crossed the mountain range, did not advance directly to Vicenza.

“We will secure food here until the main force arrives!”

The advance party went around the surrounding villages, requisitioning food.

There were no exceptions.

“Anyone who hides food will be punished!”

Most of the villagers had already evacuated to Vicenza.

But those who remained had all their possessions taken away.

“This cow is like my own child! I’d rather give you money, so please leave her alone…!”

“It is the Emperor’s order! Get out of the way if you don’t want to die!”

As the amount of collected food was small, the soldiers requisitioned more harshly.

Wooden planks were torn off, and the only remaining cow in the village was dragged away.

Rapes targeting the village girls also occurred frequently.

The mercenaries openly stormed into the village and dragged women out.

Some villages that resisted fiercely were burned as an example.

‘The Emperor’s army is trying to destroy the Lombardy cities!’

As this rumor spread, more villagers evacuated to the cities.

Shepherds hastily moved their flocks of sheep, and farmers moved their harvested grains to the cities.

Anything that could not be taken had to be burned.

‘Eat the ashes I left behind, you son of a bitch, Federico (Friedrich)!’

The fire continued for days, turning the sky crimson.

And finally.

The main force led by the Emperor arrived in Italy.

“Surround the city!”

“Build siege towers!”

Tens of thousands of soldiers surrounded Vicenza.

Tents were set up, and artisans busily prepared to build siege towers.

“Is this all the food you’ve collected so far?”

“Most of the villagers evacuated to Vicenza before we crossed the mountain range.”

Archbishop Siegfried of Mainz lowered his head.

The blond-haired man commanded the largest number of troops after the Emperor.

“The Italians have really made up their minds this time. Isn’t that right, Empress?”

Emperor Friedrich said with a smile.

He looked at his wife, the Empress of the Holy Roman Empire.

“They are even giving up their farming to fight me. It seems like only yesterday they were praising me as the savior of Italy.”

“Your Majesty has come to Italy too often with the army.”

The Empress sighed.

“So the Italians are using more and more cunning tricks.”

The Emperor frowned at her answer.

He turned his head and looked at Archbishop Siegfried.

“With the food shortage, it will be difficult to maintain the siege for long. Has there been any movement from the rebels in Verona yet?”

“So far, there are no particular signs. How about going straight to Verona and striking the main force of the rebels?”

“Attacking the city where the Pope is directly is not a good idea. Otherwise, other rebellions may break out all over Italy.”

The Emperor said.

“And they know we’re coming. They’ll be waiting there with a trap.”

He muttered, stroking his chin.

“But if we keep dawdling here, we might be surrounded by them instead.”

“….”

Silence flowed.

Emperor Friedrich stroked the scabbard at his waist.

“Let’s solve the supply problem first. Contact the Venetians and Genoese.”

He said.

“They are already selling enormous amounts of supplies to Prince Baldwin, so they must have something to spare for us.”

“The maritime cities will demand a considerable amount. They will ask for ridiculously high prices.”

“Maybe so. But it doesn’t matter.”

Emperor Friedrich waved his hand.

“We can earn back the money we spend here in Italy. Right now, we have to feed the soldiers. And we need to hire the Genoese.”

He said.

“If the Genoese crossbowmen join us, we can use them instead of archers.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

After that, the siege continued.

A considerable number of Vicenza soldiers and smugglers were captured by the Imperial army.

All of them were caught secretly entering and leaving the city.

“How many have been captured in total?”

“Ten. All of them are from Vicenza. They say they came to see their families in the city.”

“Brave for country bumpkins. Gouge out both eyes of nine of them. Leave one eye on the remaining one.”

The Emperor said with a snort.

“Then that guy can take the rest of them to the city. Seeing that, the Vicenzans will change their minds.”

He added.

“A blind man can’t fight either. Tell them to go and eat up the food.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to show some more mercy, Your Majesty?”

Beatrix sighed and said.

“Whipping a stubborn horse will only make it angrier. Have you forgotten what happened in Milan before?”

“The only mistake I made in Milan was….”

The Emperor growled.

“That I didn’t pull out all the weeds when I had the chance. The moment I hesitated, they grew back.”

He said.

“The Emperor is the one who judges according to the law and order granted by the Lord. Just as parents use the rod for their children, the Emperor also punishes his subjects for their sake.”

“….”

“Let them choose who will have only one eye gouged out. Then we can see how hypocritical the Italians are.”

Empress Beatrix rose from her seat.

“I feel dizzy. I’ll go back to the tent first.”

Even after she left, the meeting continued.

“The Venetians have agreed to supply food. They say they will divert some of the supplies here from next week.”

“If we have food, we can continue the siege. If Vicenza falls, other cities will be shaken. If the rebels hurriedly bring their troops to save the city….”

The Emperor said with a smile.

“Let’s smash them.”

* * *

“How many eyes did the Emperor gouge out in total? And how many died in total?”

“We don’t know the exact number yet. At least it’s over a hundred….”

Guido sighed.

“There are also quite a few merchants who had their hands cut off. They say they were caught trying to sell goods secretly in the city.”

“Now I understand why the Italians hate the Emperor.”

I said, tapping the table.

As the days went by, bad news kept coming from Vicenza.

The siege continued, and the Emperor harshly squeezed the surrounding villages like a dry rag.

Refugees were pouring into Verona and other cities.

The captured prisoners and merchants received even more terrible punishments.

Blinding, hand-cutting, and in severe cases, even execution.

The level of punishment was gradually increasing, as if to avenge Count Hartmann’s defeat.

I tried hard to hold back the curse words that were about to come out.

The Eastern Roman Empire seems much more humane.

‘Yes, this is probably normal in medieval Europe.’

Because there is no such thing as war law in the first place.

But even knowing that, I couldn’t help but feel angry.

I tried hard to calm my trembling hands.

“Cutting off hands and gouging out eyes. Does he expect Italy to be on his side while doing this?”

“Emperor Federico (Friedrich) is trying to conquer Italy with the sword. That’s the Emperor’s way. The Emperor reigns; he doesn’t ask.”

“It’s similar to what Caesar did in the Gallic Wars.”

I said.

Hundreds of years ago, Caesar’s Roman legions conquered Gaul [ancient region of Western Europe].

Massacre and intimidation.

And through various appeasements, the tribes of Gaul were brought to their knees before Rome.

Now the Germanic Empire is doing the same thing to Italy.

“The supplies should be running out by now. They’re holding out longer than I thought.”

I said.

Northern Italy did not have much food left due to the scorched-earth tactics.

The Emperor, whose supplies were running low, would have no choice but to attack Verona.

That was our calculation.

But according to the reports of the spies, the Imperial army was still not showing any signs of wavering.

Are they receiving food supplies through the Alps?

No, that doesn’t make sense.

Unless they are the 21st-century US military, it is impossible to transport food for tens of thousands of people by land through the Alps.

Even the US military would have a hard time.

“They are definitely receiving food supplies from somewhere….”

“I haven’t confirmed it yet. But I received a report today.”

Guido leaned forward.

“Venice and Genoa are joining hands to sell food and supplies to the Imperial army.”

“Venice and Genoa?”

I tapped the table.

It’s not an impossible scenario.

The maritime cities are maritime cities.

Profit was the most important thing to them.

What better business opportunity than war?

The best way to make the highest profit is to sell supplies to both sides of the war.

“Then the siege could be maintained for a long time.”

I looked at Vicenza drawn on the map.

At this rate, I’ll be stuck here in Italy.

If I don’t settle things with Emperor Friedrich, I might not be able to return to Jerusalem at all, let alone France and England.

I had to avoid such a situation at all costs.

Two years.

There were only less than two years left until Baldwin IV died.

No matter what, I had to return to Jerusalem before then.

Otherwise, Saladin would aim for the empty house and attack.

I also have to solve the issue of succession before inheriting the throne.

Valian and Count Raymond will have taken some measures….

The most important thing is me.

Everything will go wrong if I’m not in Jerusalem.

That’s why Baldwin IV opposed my trip to Europe.

‘Was this how Richard the Lionheart felt during the Third Crusade?’

Recapturing Jerusalem seems impossible right now, but in Europe, the King of France was raiding the empty house.

Having finished my 잡념 [japnyum – Korean word for 잡념, meaning idle thoughts or 잡생각, meaning random thoughts], I got up from my seat.

I don’t have time to worry like this.

First, I had to know the situation for sure.

“We can find out if we ask the Venetians.”

I ordered Eig to bring Marco.

Not long after, Marco entered the room.

I stared blankly at him.

A skinny body with ridiculously large clothes.

Is that Marco?

His body had become gaunt, as if he had only suffered for weeks.

He stammered.

“P, Prince. What brings you here today….”

“There’s something I want to confirm. I heard an interesting rumor: that Venice is supplying food to the Emperor.”

“Let me explain from the beginning.”

Marco poured out his explanation in a half-crying tone.

From the story that the Emperor offered an enormous amount of money to buy food….

To the story that he tried to stop it, but the Venetian headquarters made a contract with the Emperor.

“Why didn’t you come and tell me first?”

“I tried to stop it somehow on my own. I was going to tell you today, Prince, but like this….”

He sobbed.

It’s not a lie.

“Okay, I’m not going to blame you either, Marco.”

I reassured him.

If Venice did this, Genoa would have done the same.

It was clear that the Emperor had made up his mind.

“The only way to stop the contract is for us to offer a higher price. Isn’t that right?”

“It’s a decision made by the Venetian headquarters, so there’s nothing I can do.”

Marco nodded.

I stroked my chin.

The Emperor and I are in an endless competition for food supply.

This was the scenario that the maritime cities would welcome the most.

They would be able to make hundreds or thousands of times more profit.

No matter how much money I have, I can’t spend it like that.

I needed a different method.

A way to stop the Emperor’s food supply.

Should I release the army and block the supply lines to the Emperor?

No, if I did that, the maritime cities would cut off our supply lines too.

We were the ones who were in need right now.

Then what should I do?

I had played Venice dozens of times in Last Crusaders [likely a reference to a strategy game].

There must be some useful information among them.

My head was spinning.

After a few tens of seconds, I leaned forward.

“Who is the most important guest to the maritime cities right now?”

“Excuse me?”

Marco tilted his head.

“What do you mean by the most important guest….”

“I’m asking where they make the most money.”

“Of course, it’s Italy. There are also France, England, and the Holy Roman Empire, but most of the supplies come and go in Italy.”

“That’s what I expected.”

I said.

Then this will be possible.

“But what if the Italians regarded the maritime cities as enemies?”

“The Italians?”

Marco asked back.

He scratched his head.

“The profits will inevitably drop significantly. They will have no choice but to reduce or stop the food supply to the Empire. But for that to happen, all the cities of Italy would have to rise up.”

“I’ll take care of that. Mr. Marco, you just need to persuade your home country at the right time.”

I said with a smile.

I happen to have a good card in my hand.

Father Pierre from Paris and the people who received terrible punishments from the Emperor.

What could be more persuasive than living witnesses?

‘There’s no need to make up lies.’

Truth.

All I had to show was the truth.