The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 50

[Episode 50, John’s Bow (1)]

-Middle East, Syrian Front-

“You damned infidel!”

“Coming from a barbarian, that’s rich.”

With that,

The Eastern knight cut down his enemy.

-Thwack.

‘I’m getting used to it now.’

At first, the foreigner’s sword felt strange,

But after many battles in this distant Western land, the Eastern knight Ak Bul-hwe, who served John, felt the foreigner’s sword become familiar in his hand.

Ak Bul-hwe’s life, from slave to John’s Eastern knight, was now flowing in that direction.

‘It’s not enough to just cut down enemies like a brave general. The strategy to annihilate the enemy’s forces is important.’

Of course, he, who came from Southern Song [a Chinese dynasty], didn’t just swing his sword mindlessly.

It was embarrassing to be captured in the Mongolian steppes, though.

Ak Bul-hwe was not just a brave general who was good at swordsmanship, but a ‘wise general’.

What is a wise general?

It means a commander who uses his head.

After converting, the Eastern-born Christian knight Ak Bul-hwe!

Now, Ak Bul-hwe, who was recognized even by the Irish territory army,

Decided to work hard in the West to plan for the future.

Yes, wasn’t that the best he could do right now?

“Fire!”

The Jones Bow, which Ak Bul-hwe had modified from a Western crossbow in the Chinese style, began to fly towards the Islamic soldiers.

-Phew.

“Ugh…”

“The Christian infidel’s crossbow has become stronger.”

Robin, seeing that,

Said as if he couldn’t be outdone.

“Fire!”

Whether they were Muslims or Christians, everyone was hit by the sharp arrows.

Our recently improved arrows had become more powerful.

Then, from over there, that damned ‘military song’ was heard.

“Long live Henry II, long live the great king! The great king has three abilities: drinking, fighting, and making bastards!”

The lyrics, which somewhat embarrassingly celebrated their lord for having made many bastards,

John Prince’s masterpiece, ‘Long Live Henry II!’ was playing again.

Ak Bul-hwe, who came from the country of Confucian scholars, Southern Song, felt awkward at this embarrassing military song.

Wasn’t it too embarrassing?

‘What am I doing in this distant desert? I’m not Go Seon-ji [a Tang Dynasty general].’

Ak Bul-hwe recalled Go Seon-ji, a general of the Tang Dynasty who had fought against the Huihui (Muslims) like him a long time ago and had been defeated miserably.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Anyway, today’s battle was over,

And Robin, who had now become a comrade, approached Ak Bul-hwe and said.

“Ak, how do you learn languages so easily?”

“It’s because of my ancestors.”

“Ancestors?”

“Our Han Chinese hated the Jurchen nomads of the Jin Dynasty very much.”

He remembered what his father, Ak Bo, had said to him when he was pushed out of the ranks and became a spy for the Jin Dynasty.

‘The Bul-hwe (no regrets) in your name is the belief of your grandfather (Ak Bi), who did not abandon his loyalty even in the moment he was falsely accused by Jin-hwe and unjustly died.’

Ak Bul-hwe also agreed with that. He knew better than anyone that the Jurchen barbarians of the Jin Dynasty were dangerous people.

And from birth, Ak Bul-hwe was skilled at learning languages,

And had even worked briefly in the Ministry of Rites (禮部, which was in charge of diplomatic affairs).

So he was able to adapt to this damned West.

“Still, Ak, you’re lucky. If you couldn’t communicate, you would have just been a savage from the East. Didn’t we find out that you were an Eastern nobleman (Confucian scholar) through language?”

“Ha, that’s true.”

Ak Bul-hwe, who had become quite close to Robin by sympathizing on the topic of archery,

Understood the reality through his various conversations with him.

‘After learning their language, culture, and geography, I understand clearly. I can’t escape from here…’

Unlike Jang Geon, who was captured by the Xiongnu but eventually returned to the Han Dynasty, the situation was different. He could never return to his home country alone.

Like Wang Zhaojun, who married the Xiongnu for friendship,

Ak Bul-hwe had to give up and settle down in the West.

‘But I have to instill a good perception of the Chinese Empire (Southern Song) in the Westerners.’

Ak Bul-hwe knew how to behave.

Especially since these Westerners believed that faith was their conviction,

He also learned that he would only be treated like a human if he pretended to be moved by Christianity (Christianity).

So he began to pretend to be a sincere Christian to the outside world.

Thanks to that, he put his hand on the Bible with Prince John.

And he even took the Western feudal oath.

And somehow, he began to be recognized by other Westerners.

If he hadn’t worked so hard, he wouldn’t have been able to become close to a guy like Robin.

He was called ‘Ak’ instead of Ak Bul-hwe, but even that didn’t bother him anymore.

As Ak Bul-hwe was thinking that, his lord, Prince John, approached him.

“Sir Ak Bul-hwe.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Do you know how to make gunpowder?”

The moment had come.

He had known for a long time that his lord John would ask about gunpowder,

But Ak Bul-hwe was dizzy when he was actually asked the question.

**

My new Eastern knight, Ak Bul-hwe.

The name Ak Bul-hwe.

Was called Sir Ak or Chevalier Ak by Westerners,

But I was the only one who called him by the difficult Chinese pronunciation of ‘Ak Bul-hwe’.

I asked Ak Bul-hwe again.

“Ha… Ak Bul-hwe, can you make gunpowder?”

“Gunpowder is a national asset, and gunpowder weapons are strictly managed by the Ministry of War. For that reason, I, who was a low-ranking official, have no information about it.”

Hmm…

On the surface,

He had an expression that said, ‘I really don’t know anything about gunpowder!’

But I was suspicious.

Could the descendant of Ak Bi really not know? I didn’t think so.

Of course, I understood Ak Bul-hwe’s feelings.

At the end of the 12th century, gunpowder weapons in Southern Song were the latest weapons whose effectiveness and value had been realized through countless battles. There was no way Ak Bul-hwe wouldn’t know.

Did he really not know, or was he pretending not to know?

I decided to pretend not to know for now.

‘Gunpowder’ wasn’t urgent right now.

So I took out another card.

“Then… can you make ‘this’?”

“I don’t know how you knew about it, but I will follow your instructions.”

This is how I commissioned Ak Bul-hwe to make something.

If gunpowder was difficult, I told him to make something else.

Ak Bul-hwe, who knew more than I expected, immediately agreed.

Meanwhile, the battle continued.

We continued to launch offensives towards the vicinity of Syria, which could be said to be Saladin’s waist.

“Victory, victory!”

“The enemy’s momentum is too strong.”

Successive victories and defeats.

The war on the desert was fierce like a tug-of-war,

And my heart was uneasy every time I buried my comrades’ bodies.

-Caw, caw.

Because crows were constantly flying in front of my eyes,

And the stench of rot filled my nose.

“Bury them!”

I was one of the most important commanders in the Palestine-Syria region,

But as the youngest commander who had to deal with the leftovers,

I ordered the burial of the bodies.

The bodies of the enemy, who believed in Islam, were burned,

And the bodies of our Christians were buried in sunny places.

War is a business where nobles invest astronomical amounts of money and recover more than that value.

But.

It is always the soldiers who suffer.

The reason why I fell into such sentimentality was.

Because there were unusually more crows today.

Our Crusaders fought well.

But the Islamic army also fought fiercely against us.

-Caw. Caw.

I stared blankly at the loudly crying crows and said.

“It’s a holy war.”

“That’s right. It’s a holy war.”

Crusaders and Islamic armies, the words are grand,

But in fact, war is like gambling, aiming for a jackpot.

Of course, it couldn’t be so fierce for that one reason alone.

In addition to the Crusaders and the Swords of Isma’il [a Nizari Ismaili Shia state],

Even the tribes of the desert, full of various grudges, joined in.

Rumble.

The chaotic battle continued.

In the original history, the Third Crusade would have been more disadvantageous than it is now,

But thanks to my Safe Zone.

The Crusaders, who had become safe from various internal conflicts, were doing exceptionally well.

Ak Bul-hwe, who was not familiar with the holy war, said to my words.

“I’ve never heard the word holy war before. To think there is such a terrible war.”

Ak Bul-hwe, who had converted in a daze but was not a true Christian!

The foreigner who had only studied in Southern Song.

Could not have known the bloody history between Christianity and Islam.

“Ha…”

The smoke was thick,

And the smell of blood was strong.

Many of the conscripted soldiers we brought from our Irish territory,

As well as the mercenaries I hired at great expense, had died.

“Lord… hear our prayers.”

The prayer of a clergyman wearing shabby clothes.

When I watched the movie Kingdom of Heaven, I thought the Crusader knights were incredibly cool.

Honestly, doesn’t it look like that on the outside?

Kissing the sword once, making the sign of the cross. Cool!

But when you soak the disgusting Islamic guys, the romance of the Crusaders disappears.

The last time I attacked the Acre military port, the support forces of the Islamic coalition were smaller than I thought.

But as the Islamic forces that came to support from the east were added,

The Islamic army regained momentum.

But conversely, our Crusaders also released their stockpiled power.

That is, the Italian small states (Italy was divided into several small states at this time) and Poland, which had prostrated themselves before the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick, came to support us.

“The reason why we made a truce with the infidels was to prepare for this offensive.”

Fortunately, the Holy Roman Emperor, who did not drown,

Frederick was alive and well, so he was seeing such a good sight.

But Richard Hyung [Korean term for older brother or close male friend].

“My head hurts.”

Contrary to expectations, he had a thoughtful face.

It was a time when the Crusaders were advantageous and the Islamic army was disadvantageous.

Even though the new Islamic friends in the east.

Were supporting Saladin with troops and food.

According to my original personality, I would have ignored Islam and everything else.

Shouting ‘In the name of the Lord’ and drawing my sword, wouldn’t I have charged without thinking?

“You’re still not used to war.”

“Yes?”

“I’m saying you didn’t study Military Science Discourse properly.”

“What are you talking about? I learned it while being scolded by my father.”

Military Science Discourse.

Compiled by Flavius Vegetius Renatus, a nobleman of the 4th century ancient Roman Empire,

It is the bible of Western military science.

It is a book that the men of our family, who are amazingly good at fighting, studied hard.

Perhaps before On War was created in modern times.

Isn’t it the best military science book in Europe?

‘I studied while being scolded by my father.’

Even my father, Henry II, who only trusted Safe Zone,

Worked me hard to instill this.

At that time.

“Saladin is a curse and a blessing to our Crusaders.”

“Yes?”

Richard Hyung said to my words.

“Where would Saladin have such a good opportunity to clean up internally as he does now?”

**

Information came from an Arab ‘Christian’ spy who was in the Middle East.

Saladin had drawn his sword.

He was making a gamble by starting a political purge even during the war.

He did not execute a single person, but simply retired them from the political stage.

Because all the ‘charges’ were understandable.

There were no opposing forces.

Saladin neutralized the power of his relatives as an example.

And by starting cooperation with the Shia forces.

He united the power of the Swords of Isma’il throughout Syria, unlike before.

“As expected of Saladin. He’s like the generous Cyrus (Cyrus II, the generous Persian pagan emperor in the Bible).”

The Holy Roman Emperor was impressed.

Moreover, Saladin did not harm Christians recklessly even during this chaotic battle.

Of course, while Saladin was pursuing perfect defense and cleaning up internally.

“No, you’re already here?”

“Damn Christians.”

Our Crusaders did not stand still.

Now, a big one is coming.

“Your Majesty, Holy Roman Emperor, please give the order.”

No matter who said what, the boss of this area was the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I.

“So be it.”

Frederick said to me with a solemn expression.

“Assemble the secret weapon.”

Of course, the assembly was not fast, but the guys in the castle could not come out until we completed the assembly of the secret weapon.

And the Crusaders who were assembling were outside the range of their arrows, so the Islamic guys were only stamping their feet.

Now a new weapon has been completed.

Have you ever heard of the mystery of the East!

“Waaaaaa!”

Now the morale of the Crusaders was soaring.

“I expected it, but seeing it like this makes my chest swell.”

The eyes of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick were wide open.

Yes, it’s really magnificent.

I raised my sword.

Ak Bul-hwe, who recognized my signal, said in medieval French, which had now become quite natural.

“I will show them how scary the world is.”

-Gulp.

Robin swallowed his saliva.

The large and magnificent 5-shot catapult filled with the spirit of the continent. The moment Jones Bow appeared in the Middle East.

John’s Bow (2)