Chapter 3 Chapter 3 People who entered the maze

The two armies of Pars and Syndra jointly recaptured the city of Ketekampra, preparing for the next battle plan. It was the middle of March 325 in the Pars calendar, two miles away from the west of Ketekampla. The country of Misilu in 150 Farsan (about 1,250 kilometers) is gradually completing preparations to send troops to Pars. King Hossein III of Misrul was very cautious in his preparations because he had lost to the Pars army the year before.Including cavalry, infantry, chariots, and camel teams, it has already included 65,000 troops on land, and 200 ships at sea can carry 24,000 soldiers, plus the rear supply troops have also been mobilized One hundred thousand people, three thousand ox carts and five thousand mules and horses.

If Hessein III had been a clairvoyant and learned that the most elite troops of Pars were located in the remote territory of Syndra, he would not have spent such a long time preparing, and would immediately send cavalry and camel troops to break through the border of Pars ; However, he is not clairvoyant after all, so he had to spend time and make perfect preparations to hope to capture Pars in one fell swoop. Of course, Hessein III has already flowed out spies pretending to be caravans to collect important information. After thoroughly investigating the situation in Pars, he learned that tens of thousands of Pars troops are moving north. Rumor has it that this is just a kind of military training. The army will return to Yekbadana, the capital of the kingdom.He never dreamed that the Pals army would make a big expedition this time, from the territory of Tran to the territory of the Kingdom of Churk to assist Rajtra II in the territory of Syndra.

If the spy's actions are too obvious, it will attract the attention of the enemy. Once it is suspected that "Mishru's spy activities are active and may intend to plot evil.", everything is over, so King Hessein always stops.The most important thing for him is to rectify his combat readiness and maintain a state of being ready to send troops at any time. The righteous purpose of sending troops is to "support the orthodox king of Pars", so that Prince Sirmes, who inherited the old dynasty of Pars, will be on the throne of Pars, and his princess is one of the Kingdom of Misru Princess; in this way, the two countries will be married and enjoy peace and happiness forever. This is Mithrul's superficial excuse.

And the most important move in this plan was Chardy. In the fall of 321 in the Pals calendar, Sirmes left his homeland with Irina alone, and Chardy also embarked on a wandering journey alone.More than three years passed, and Chadi came to the country of Misru, and learned that Sirmes was staying here as the king's distinguished guest, so he hoped to serve Sirmes again.Josein III also expressed to Chadi that he hoped that he would assist Prince Sirmes to return to the orthodox throne, so Chadi vowed to provide a helping hand with great joy. In fact, Josein III had bad intentions. He disfigured an unknown Parsian and put on a golden mask for him, pretending to be Prince Sirmes, and then put him on the throne of Pals so that he could annex the whole of Pals in the future. At the same time, he also used Chadi to incite domestic dissidents in Pars to create unrest.

This kind of behavior can only be done by an extremely cunning conspirator, but Josein III also feels somewhat guilty.He knew that Chady's loyalty was unquestionable, so he could imagine Chady's outrage when he learned the truth. "Never find out that the truth is better for him." The moment when the truth was learned was when Chardy died. "By the way, what happened to that man?" Josein III was referring to the fake Prince Sirmes, the attendant replied after listening.I found a group of exiled Pals people to accompany them with beautiful women, and they had good food and wine every night.

"He has compared himself to King Pars." "It doesn't matter. In order to convince that person Chadi, let him continue to act like a king. If Chadi becomes suspicious, all his hard work will be in vain." Josein III's tone seemed to be convincing himself at the same time that all this would definitely be successful. Last fall, as soon as Chadi came to the Misrul Palace, General Masinissa said to Josein III: Chadi knows Sirmes himself well, and it may become an obstacle to the plan, so he must be killed quickly.However, Josein III did not adopt this opinion, and instead actively planned how to use Chadi. As long as Chadi asserted: "This is indeed the real King Sirmes of Pals", absolutely no one would dare to doubt it.

Jose Yin III deceived Chardy to obtain a lot of valuable information. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but there were also thrilling scenes.At one point Chardy asked how Princess Irina was doing. "Irina?" "Princess Irina, the inner prince of the Kingdom of Malam, is the wife of Her Majesty Sirmes. I wonder if she is safe now? Her body has always been weak, and the subordinates are very concerned about her." Jose Yin III barely squeezed out a gloomy expression. "His Highness Sirmes seldom mentions personal matters. He came to visit our country alone. I am afraid that his wife has passed away."

"yes?" "I hope you don't ask His Highness Sirmes, so as not to stimulate his inner pain." "What you said is exactly what you said, and this subordinate will keep it in mind." Not long after this occasion, Chardy was finally able to reunite with "His Royal Highness Sirmes".Just before New Year's Eve, Chardy was granted access to the ward of "His Royal Highness Sirmes" and at the same time learned that Sirmes was wearing a golden mask. "Why are you wearing a golden mask? Your Highness Sirmes seems to be getting worse and worse."

After thinking about it, Chadi, who was dressed in casual clothes, had been taken to a ward located deep in the palace. General Masinissa with a sword led 20 armed soldiers to lead him the way. The windows of the ward were covered with heavy curtains, and the wide A figure sits up on the bed. Chady was not timid, but when he saw the golden mask floating in the darkness, he stopped in surprise in an instant. If he hadn't been notified in advance, he might have yelled out unconsciously. General Massinissa stood behind Chardy who stood still, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and if Chardy said something wrong, he would rush behind him and drive the sword through his heart.And Chadi had completely forgotten the existence of Masinissa. Although he was shocked, he believed that this person was Sirmes from the very beginning. Driven by nostalgia and sympathy, Chadi knelt by the bed, When the name was announced, the golden mask responded with a low and hoarse voice.

"Is that you, Chardy? It's so kind of you to come, I don't have to worry about anything anymore." "Thank you, Your Highness, for your love." "It's me who should be thankful. I don't even have a piece of land but I have been served by two generations of your father and son. When I complete my great cause, I will give you and your descendants endless glory and wealth." The golden mask's tone was eager, and then it seemed that his thoughts changed and he moved on the hospital bed. "By the way, let your family inherit the position of general."

"Your Highness, my subordinates are terrified..." "Don't shirk, I have to do this to be worthy of my conscience." The Golden Mask stopped speaking and coughed two or three times.Facing the sneering Masinissa, the Golden Mask continued to display its excellent acting skills. "It's just that everything has changed. You are getting stronger and stronger, but I am like this." "Your Highness..." "It's a shame. In your eyes, I am no longer the original me. Even my voice has changed." This performance was specially arranged in order not to arouse Chady's suspicion. To put it bluntly, it is simple-minded, but to put it bluntly, Chady's chest tightened and he shouted loudly: "No, that's not the case. Your heroic appearance is still the same as before, and my father Karan will support you in another world." "hope so……" "Subordinates, subordinates will definitely dedicate the throne of Pars to your hands." "Well, I believe you." "Even if I lose my life, I will not hesitate." So the master and servant who reunited after three years of absence once again joined hands to move towards the lofty goal. Chadi believed so firmly, and only he believed in it. This happened last year, which was the end of 324 in the Pals calendar. Since then, King Hessein has treated Chadi as a general of Misru. In addition to "assisting Prince Sirmes", there are two other important tasks. Work. The first is to organize the Pars people in Misru. The number is estimated to be 30,000, and most of them are disgusted with Arslan’s governance; there are many exiled slave traders, officials colluding with pirates, From confiscated priests to downtrodden nobles.Chardy gathered these people together and asked them to swear allegiance to "Prince Sirmes".They still have friends or relatives who stay in Pars, and keep in regular contact with each other in order to spark riots in Pars if necessary. "It seems that there are no decent talents. But now we need to accumulate power, no fish or shrimp." Chardy thinks so, and that's why when this group of people come to beg for work or activity fees, he uses the military funds he manages to pay their demands. The second is to train the cavalry of Misiru.In terms of cavalry tactics and training, Pars is obviously superior to Misrul, and Chardy also naturally boasted that Pars cavalry is the strongest army on the ground. Chadi's familiar martial arts and cavalry tactics were passed down from his deceased father, Karan. Since he was entrusted by King Hessein, he began to train Misrul's cavalry.As the saying goes, teachers who are overzealous are often unpopular. In addition, Chadi is a foreigner, and the Misrul cavalry have prejudices against him. However, with continuous training, their movements have become more proficient, and they have accumulated strength in repeated mock battles. . One day in mid-March, Chadi returned to the dormitory after completing the training of the Misrul Cavalry. In the night, the brass-colored moon hung high on the subtropical treetops, and the cool breeze from the North Sea blew past. It was a lazy spring night in the southern country. . Among the red and yellow flowers, a bungalow made of white stones is Chardy's dormitory. He is not interested in flowers and never knows the names of these flowers. He only thinks that these flowers are bright in color and strong in smell. "You're back, Chady." A young woman's voice came from inside the house, speaking in Palsian.The woman standing in the porch to meet Chady was tall and tall, with a plump jade body wrapped under the sackcloth, black hair with countless small waves hanging down to her shoulders, her skin was wheat-colored, her mouth and nose were a bit too big, but her outline Still beautiful and full of vitality, completely insulated from Princess Irina's weakness. "Didn't I ask you to hire a servant? The salary given by King Josein is enough for me to pay the salary of the servant." "How can you just say please, just think about it. Four or five months ago, we still had refugees who didn't have a meal." "That was four or five months ago. It's different now. In three years, I will be the great general of the Pals Kingdom." "It's really good. No matter how you remove things like sweet dreams, they won't decrease." Chadi's conceit was extinguished by the woman's words. Although he showed dissatisfaction, he didn't yell. He just walked into the house and sat down at the dining table. , Slaughter and burn mutton.Chadi stuffed these delicacies into his stomach while chatting with the woman. The topic was always the same. The water was far away from the memories of "His Royal Highness Sirmes has gone through vicissitudes", but the woman responded coldly. "Let me tell you, what good did this great His Highness Sirmes do to you? You worked hard for him, but in the end he abandoned you. To put it bluntly, he is really ruthless." "That, that is also impossible." Chardy turned up his temper and defended the monarch. "His Highness Sirmes has always believed that he is the biological son of His Majesty Osloyes V. Do you know how much he was hit after learning that this is not the case? No wonder he despises the world and gives up on himself. I don't know. Blame Your Highness." "Oh, is it? But please don't forget that the reason why you, a big man, have survived this year has not benefited His Highness Sirmes at all." "I understand, it's all about your care, and I'm very grateful to you." Chardy seemed unable to hold his head up in front of women. "Then again, you didn't see the face of your Highness Sirmes, yet you managed to recognize your master." "You don't need to ask, haven't I told you before?" "Didn't you say that the one with the burn on the right side of his face and the mask he's been wearing is Prince Sirmes?" "No, that's right." "Then you can be Prince Sirmes too, as long as you destroy your face and put on a mask, you will become an out-and-out prince!" The woman jumped back immediately after speaking, because Chady's fist swung head-on in response, and his thick arm grazed the dining table, knocking the plate away, and the offal and soybeans flew in the air, falling on the floor tiles to trace red and black patterns. "If you dare to insult Her Majesty Sirmes again, I will not spare you, Palisa!" "Got it, got it, Lord Chadi, the loyal minister." The woman's tone sounded like she was teasing Chady and angry, but there was still some genuine concern for Chady's safety. After adjusting his breathing, Chardy sat back in his chair, picked up the wine jug, but found that the jug was empty, muttered a few words and left his hand again. "The goal of my life is to help His Royal Highness Sirmes regain the orthodox throne. No, in fact, I also want to achieve success. Once this is done and King Sirmes is born, I will be the general, and you will be the general's official Room, can you please be more restrained and more temperamental when speaking?" The woman named Parisa stared at her almond-shaped eyes and put her hands on her breasts. "I am the main wife of the general? Are you serious?" "of course." Chardy's tone was gruff but a little shy.When he was wandering, he met Parisa, who made a living by singing and dancing, and made her home everywhere; not only was she good at cooking, independent, but also secretly engaged in some transactions that were not known to outsiders.Chady met Parisa when he left Pals, and the two traveled together without knowing it. Since Chady has no skills, it can be said that thanks to Parisa's blessing, he will not be hungry. "I think it's better to speak clearly. You criticize Her Majesty Sirmes every now and then. Don't you have any trouble with His Majesty?" "Well, not really." Palisa tilted her head, and she also asked herself why she disliked Prince Sirmes. "What I can't see is that Her Majesty Sirmes always wears a mask of mysterious orders, never showing his true face." "That's to cover up the burns. Didn't I say it several times?" "wrong." Palisa was so assertive that Chady couldn't get angry, but instead stared at Palisa silently with interest. "Isn't wearing a mask a clear sign of conspiracy?" "It's not about conspiracy, it's about setting an ambition and expecting to complete the great cause of restoring the orthodox dynasty." "That was not what I meant." "What does that mean? Your words are completely out of focus." Chardy spat disdainfully, but he began to feel dizzy in his heart. In fact, he had disliked the impressive golden mask from the very beginning. "I originally wanted to say why a big man should care about the injuries on his face! But after thinking about it, it's human nature to love beauty, so I don't force it, it's just..." The woman asked the man: "Has His Highness Sirmes ever shown you his real face?" "Yes, only once." At that time, it was Sirmes who was determined to replace King Andrakolas on the throne. On the balcony of Yekbadana Palace, he took off the silver mask and showed his true colors in front of everyone. "Why is it necessary to wear a mask to a man who has seen himself? Is it necessary now?" "How do I know that?" Chadi couldn't say these words, although he wanted to defend the lord, but the cloud of suspicion in his chest became thicker and darker. "How many times have you met Prince Sirmes in Mizuru?" "I remember it was three times." "The monarch and ministers who reunited after a long absence should have a lot to say." "No, because the meeting time is not long." Chady's inner suspicion continued to spread, and his voice gradually lost its vitality. "By the way, Princess Irina! Did he mention the princess from the Kingdom of Marjam?" "No, no." How can I mention it, King Hessein also confessed that this matter must not be taken as a topic. "He is avoiding you, you must be rejected." "Don't talk nonsense!" Chardy yelled again, loudly but weakly, because there were too many doubts.He has never had a long conversation with "Prince Sirmes". Every time he meets, he needs the permission of King Hessein. During the meeting, there are Mysilu people present, pretending to be nonchalant and eavesdropping; and the golden mask rarely talks. Poor, either "um" or "oh", the simplest answer possible.Chardy has never had the opportunity to talk with Simes all night about the past and the future, and although he regrets it, he convinces himself not to complain about it.However, even if the dissatisfaction was suppressed, it could not stop the growth of doubts. "There should be a way to be sure." Parisa concluded. "There must be a way to identify whether your Highness Sirmes is himself or has a temper." "any solution?" This inadvertent question symbolizes Chardy's retreat. His loyalty to Prince Sirmes is as hard as a granite wall, but he has a weakness when facing the "Golden Mask", allowing Parisa to correctly answer the question. hit the nail on the head. Parisa seemed to be more capable than Chardy. She stroked her thick hair with one hand and replied: "It's not difficult. Come up with something that only you and Prince Sirmes know, and tell the other party. If the answer is wrong, the prince is a fake." "What if he got it right?" "Then he is the real person. From now on, you have to swear allegiance to the death even more. You can be the general or the prime minister if you want. Let me say it first. If it is confirmed that it is Prince Sirmes himself, as long as I can be the wife of the general, I think Fortunately." That's right, Chardy remained silent, thinking hard about Parisa's proposal. Chadi decided to talk to the golden mask, although his lover Palisa instigated it, it was mainly because of his personal determination.Chadi swears loyalty to Sirmes, but if it is a counterfeit, the situation is different. He not only becomes a fool who is loyal to the counterfeit, but also becomes a traitor who betrays his motherland under the conspiracy of Mizuru. He was never willing to play this role. Chadi secretly observed the dynamics of the Golden Mask and the Misru people, and found out many doubts in just two or three days.The Golden Mask is often accompanied by several beauties, but Prince Sirmes is not the type to do such a thing; After the princess is reunited, she will definitely not look at other women.Sirmes is a single-minded person both in revenge and love, which also causes his shortcomings of narrow vision, stubbornness and bias. In addition, General Masinissa of the Mythru Kingdom is often on the left and right sides of the Golden Mask. He is nicknamed "the liaison between Josein III and Prince Sirmes", but he is actually a watcher. Chadi really doesn't like the character of Masinissa, but fortunately Masinissa also hates Chadi. To be precise, Masinissa is very wary of Chadi because of the annexation of Pals in Misru. Among the plans, Chardy will become the biggest obstacle. And Chance visited Chardy unexpectedly early, just two days later.A simulated battle was held between the cavalry units, and the troops trained by Chardy won an overwhelming victory. Whether it was the tacit understanding of the group or the technique of playing long spears on horseback, other troops were far behind. King Josein III of Misru was overjoyed. When asked "What reward do you want", Chadi replied that he wanted to ask His Highness Sirmes one thing. King Josein seemed reluctant to allow Chadi to meet the Golden Mask, but he could not find a reason to refuse, so he had to allow the meeting.Masinissa followed Chardy as a matter of course. "Hmph, Misru, these cunning gerbils!" Chadi came to a room in the palace to meet the Golden Mask, while cursing inwardly. "Your Highness Sirmes, do you still remember what happened when we visited the mausoleum of the hero king Kai Khoslow?" "Well... that was a long time ago." The tone of the golden mask was slightly wary. Masinissa stood behind Chadi and played with the long sword. Although Chadi felt the dangerous movement behind him, he still pretended not to know and continued to speak. "It's really hateful. This subordinate still remembers that winter day. His Highness was only a short distance away from getting the sword Rukhnabad." "Oh, yes." "It was Cheng Yaojin who killed Dalong at that time. That guy was really abominable. He killed his subordinate's father and snatched the Rukhnabad sword from His Highness. Can you spare him, Your Highness?" "Of course I can't spare him, how can I let him go so easily!" The golden mask gleamed in the sunlight from the small window, and Chady squinted slightly and lowered his head. "This is what my subordinates are asking for. When Pars's orthodox kingship is established, I hope that I, Chadi, will take down the head of Dalong with my own hands." "As you wish." "Fortunately." Chardy backed away from the Golden Mask after saluting respectfully. "no no." Chardy cried out inwardly. "This person is not Her Majesty Sirmes. He is an out-and-out counterfeit who is so lawless and intends to annex the entire Kingdom of Pals." Sirmes went to the mausoleum of the hero king Kai Khosrow and obtained the sword Rukhnabad in June of 321 in the Pals calendar, and the season was early summer rather than winter; It was not the black knight Daron who tried to seize the sword in front of Ermes, but the bard Qifu.If the Golden Mask is really Sirmes, he will never forget this incident, because when Sirmes confronted Qifu's sword, a violent earthquake occurred, and dozens of soldiers were swallowed up. Going underground, Sirmes will never forget the scene at that time, if it is Sirmes himself! Walking down the corridors of the palace, Chardy fought to contain his anger. "Damn it, these bastards dare to pretend to be His Royal Highness Sirmes and keep me in the dark. It is unforgivable, absolutely unforgivable, remember it!" Chardy walked out of the palace, took the reins from the waiting entourage, and thought as he rode forward. "Since that golden mask is not Her Majesty Sirmes, who could it be? It must be a Parsian. Who else can imitate that kind of arrogance?" Chardy returned to the dormitory for the time being, his inner thoughts were in chaos.He took off his armor but took his sword with him and poured wine at the table.Chardy helps his thinking when he's drunk. "What should I do next..." The problem lies in this point. If the golden mask is Prince Sirmes, Chardy's task is quite clear, which is to assist Sirmes to ascend the splendid throne of Pals. Failure of the operation is nothing more than death, but now Prove that the Golden Mask is a daring liar, and that King Mizuru is behind it. Chardy couldn't figure out what to do. Knowing that he was on the scene, Chadi was angry and hated. He really wanted to grab his giant sword and split the strange man wearing the golden mask, as well as King Josein III of Mythru who deceived and used Chadi. The head of the minion General Masinissa.And Chadi has already been under surveillance, and if he acts rashly, he will be killed by Mysilu soldiers immediately. If it is an upright duel, it can be stopped, but if the opponent uses poisoned arrows or poisoned wine, it will be impossible to guard against. "not to mention……" Chardy licked his wine-stained lips. "If I'm killed by the Misru people here, wouldn't it be Arslan that kid who will profit? It's like letting him get rid of a strong enemy without moving a finger. It's too ridiculous. Why should I replace Arslan?" Silan sacrificed his life?" Chardy slammed his thick feet on the table, which creaked but didn't crack. "If this continues, Pals will be at the mercy of the Misru people and liars, and I will be a fool kept in the dark by the liars, and become the laughing stock of others..." No, it's not that simple, once those crooks successfully seized the throne of Pars.At that time, I have no use value, and they will definitely kill me; Chady has a headache, and no matter how I look for it, I can't see a glimmer of hope. "Damn! What should I do?" Chady couldn't help blurting out, and then quickly covered his mouth with his big hand, because a figure made the sound of footsteps appearing beside him, Chady immediately held his breath and clutched the hilt of his sword. "It's embarrassing to be so big and trembling." "Parisa is you, don't be scary, okay?" Parisa sighed. "Who is scaring whom? Thanks to your size, there is so little room for courage and wisdom." "It's so noisy, the dog's mouth can't spit out ivory, where did you say you were just now?" "It's the market." "Shopping for vegetables? I don't want you to hire a servant..." "Buying vegetables is just an excuse. It's mainly to inquire about news. If you want to know the information and ideas from the people of Mysilu, you have to go to the market." Chadi never even thought about asking for news from the people of Misru. All the countries that the mainland highway passes through speak Pars, and there is at least one doctor, teacher, or businessman who can speak Pars in the villages on the border, so Parsians hardly learn foreign languages, and even Chadi, who is wandering in the Nordic country, only relies on Pars, and doesn't even remember foreign languages. The news that Parisa bought in the market was about the military operations of the country of Misru. Naturally, the common people did not know the details of the military operations, but they could see that the soldiers marched collectively, bought a large amount of food from the market and shipped them to the military ships, and the unemployed At this time, crowds gathered in the row of cars, and such topics were circulated everywhere, all of which meant that "war is coming." The Mizuru army is about to set off, and "Prince Sirmes" will also go to Pars. Chardy hastily told Parisa what had happened to him at the palace. "So we can't act rashly, it's better to pretend that we don't know anything." "This is impossible." "why?" "Because your acting skills are so bad, it's almost impossible for you to pretend to be ignorant for a long time, and today's situation seems to me to be a bit deliberate." "Speak like you're an expert." "When asking what kind of reward you want, you should ask some more common requirements like gold, silver and jewelry, so that the other party will mistakenly think that you are materialistic and treat you lightly. In short, you must first let the other party be on guard, otherwise you will not be able to take the next step. .” Chardy couldn't refute, he was indeed too hasty, but since his acting skills can't last long, sooner or later he will reach the situation he is today. Parisa glanced shrewdly at her man. "Okay, let's forget about the past, what are you going to do next?" "What do you think should be done?" Chardy asked rhetorically, because Palisa was more reliable in her work, and he really didn't have the cells to think. "Look outside, be natural." Hearing what Palisa said, Chady walked towards the window, tapped his left hand on his right shoulder while yawning, while trying to observe the entire courtyard in a short time. There was light under the shade of the subtropical tree, and it was immediately obvious that it was a spear and armor reflective.After Chardy left the window, Parisa whispered: "I think it's better to run for your life as soon as possible." "Ok……" As the situation took a turn for the worse, Chadi was stunned. Fortunately, he experienced several life-and-death situations and quickly cheered up.There is no room for the country of Misru, and now it is either going to the port to take a boat or crossing the Digilie River to sneak into Pars.After Chadi confirmed the position of the giant sword, he whispered to Palisa: "Set fire to the house, take advantage of the chaos to break out, take some gold jewelry with you, and I will strike before the group of rats before night falls." Parisa nodded silently, ran to the inner room, dragged out a box made of reeds from under the bed, opened the box and turned the buffalo leather bag upside down, only to hear gold coins, silver coins and copper coins clinking on the floor, piled up in a pile. Xiao Shan, then she quickly picked out the gold coins and re-tied the leather bag.This is part of the military expenses entrusted by King Hessein for safekeeping, which can be used for Chadi and Palisa to live for two years. Then Parisa opened the ebony drawer with the mirror stand and took out a bag full of rings, jewelry and hair accessories.Among them was a seemingly inconspicuous bracelet with patterns carved on its surface. It was a young man with a feather in his hat riding on the back of a bull, stabbing the bull's head with a dagger.This is the portrait of the god Mystra believed in by Pals, and only those with high status are allowed to use this pattern. "It's fine to wear this, the origin of this is quite different from other accessories." Palisa murmured and put the bracelet on her left wrist, she couldn't find a piece of fat on her plump hand. As soon as Parisa walked out of the room, Chady immediately wiped oil on the floor. It was lamp oil, and the smell was so faint that the soldiers outside would not notice it. "Come on, Parisa." Chardy grinned, exuberant in spite of the danger.Rather than worrying about political intrigues, he prefers the sound of swords clashing and the smell of blood, and Chardy is a warrior belonging to Pals anyway. There are 50 Misilu soldiers surrounding Chadi's dormitory. Their purpose is not to attack but to monitor. At night, the number will increase to 300. If there is any emergency, they are expected to set fire and kill the fugitives. General Masinissa was in charge of the command. When he arrived at the scene, the sun had just set, and he never thought that Chardy and the others would abscond while the sun was in the middle. One of the Mythrul soldiers hiding in the shade of a subtropical tree smelled a pungent smell, and a puff of green smoke rose, causing slight pain in the eyes.The soldiers were full of uneasiness and doubts. They moved their bodies to check the movement of the house, only to see a red figure shaking inside the window. "Fire!" The soldier jumped up and yelled, scaring the other soldiers out of their hiding places.The smoke from the house quickly turned black, covering the entire courtyard, and a woman's cry came from the ears of the panicked soldiers. "Help, help." There was a knock on the door amidst the thick smoke, and the soldiers carefully drew their knives and approached the door. Just as their hands approached the threshold, a powerful force slammed the door open from the inside. Thick smoke and heat rushed towards the Mizuru soldiers, causing them to cough violently and cover their faces with their hands.Immediately afterwards, a huge black shadow jumped in front of them, it was Chardy holding a huge sword in his right hand and a flaming torch in his left hand. The giant sword blew, and one of the Mythrul soldiers' necks was cut in half, blood splashed everywhere when he fell, and the other's right elbow was cut off, and he rolled on the ground crying. Chadi then attacked the third soldier with a torch. The soldier fell into the fire carelessly in a panic. The flames burned from his eyebrows to his hair. Because the Misiru people used to use sesame oil, the whole hair turned into a ball of fire. The unlucky soldier He fell to the ground and rolled in pain. While Misrul's soldiers were hesitating, they broke into a huge black shadow. It was two horses, only one of which was sitting.A woman's voice called to Pars warriors. "Chardie, hurry up!" "Okay, got it!" Chadi swung his huge arm and threw the torch at the soldiers of Mythrul, but the soldiers didn't even look at him, they quickly backed away and ran towards the mounts.Although Chardy looks strong and bulky on the outside, he is a natural equestrian. He subtly approached the horse's pace, then turned the giant body around, and quickly sat on the horse's back.Immediately afterwards, they kicked and knocked away a group of Mysilu soldiers who were brave enough to stop them from fleeing, and disappeared without a trace while taking advantage of the black smoke and chaos. General Masinissa in the palace soon received news of Chadi's escape. "I just watched them slip away! A bunch of idiots!" Masinissa reprimanded, drew his sword and beheaded the soldier captain who came to report in public. After wiping off the blood on the sword and sheathing the sword, Masinissa requested an audience with King Hessein.When King Hessein learned the ins and outs, he couldn't help sighing: "Has Chadi escaped? This kid has a good nose." "The minister immediately caught up with him and brought his head to His Majesty." "Hmm... no, wait a minute." King Joséin held up a hand to restrain the impassioned Masinissa. "It's a pity to kill a talent with high martial arts skills and keen observation. Try to capture him alive." "But Your Majesty..." "Think of a way to persuade and win him over. If he is really unreasonable, kill him. You must not be arrogant and kill people indiscriminately." Even though Masinissa was dissatisfied, he did not dare to disobey the king's order, and immediately mobilized his men and horses after he had resigned, and the number of horses was twice that of soldiers. His plan was that the two horses could take turns Give someone to ride so that you can catch up with the fugitives early. Chardy and Palisa rode straight south, along the upper and middle reaches of the west bank of the Diguille.The sun above their heads moved west gradually, and the night approached from the east, and soon it was hard to tell whether it was yellow or red. The moon hung high in the sky, like a big old gold coin. The territory of Mysilu is as wide as that of Pals, but fertile green fields can only be seen around the three major rivers including the Digilie River and their tributaries, and everything else is a wilderness full of rocks and flying sand.Chardy and Parisa came late at night to a desolate rocky area overlooking the Diguille River, where they let their exhausted horses go and walked instead. "Cross the upper Diguirie and sneak into Pals." Chadi has long made up his mind to return to the country triumphantly with Prince Sirmes, holding high the military flag of the former dynasty. When the dream of beauty faded, he was surrounded by an indistinguishable feeling of fatigue or homesickness.Of course, Chadi will not betray and serve Arslan when he returns to China this time. He plans to embark on a wandering journey again after three months of recuperation to find Prince Sirmes, and then head to Syndra in the east. Or Churk try it out. "All in all, if I can't assist Prince Sirmes to ascend the throne, I really have no face to face my late father." Hearing what Chadi said, Palisa showed a "here again" expression, but she didn't say it.Just as the two climbed up the rock overlooking the river. "Stop, Pals, it's all over!" 一阵趾高气昂的声音来自马西尼撒将军，随即响起一连串的盔甲磨擦声，武装士兵同时聚集在三个方位，矛与剑在月光的沐浴下有如迪吉列河水般闪烁获亮。 “小题大作。” 查迪斜着嘴角，士兵人数高达三、四百人，在查迪看来的确太小题大作了，然对马西尼撒而言却是为了防范查迪二度逃亡。他堵住了退路，欲与查迪单打独斗。 “帕尔斯人啊，来一场一对一的决斗吧。” 马西尼撒边喊边拔出半月刀，查迪也默不作声地抽掉巨剑的剑鞘。两名年轻的勇士站在宽广平坦的石块上相互瞪视。维持不了多久时间，随着一声刺耳的呐喊，马西尼撒挥刀而来，在查迪接下这一击时，月下的单挑正式展开。 查迪平生视帕尔斯最强的勇将达龙为宿敌，几度交手查迪从未胜过，乃因双方武艺相距悬殊。然而，如果达龙在此也必将承认查迪的武功比起三年前有着长足的进步。 最初的五十回合只见剧烈的火花与刀刃声四散，双方势均力敌。不过查迪的重击已令马西尼撒逐渐显露疲态，查迪连续两次进攻，到第三击才见马西尼撒勉强出招，这种状态虽然持续了一会，但最后马西尼撒完全陷入单方面防守的局面。查迪的巨剑与马西尼撒的半月刀交刃，只听见一个硬响被弹开，失掉武器的马西尼撒身体失去平衡，脚步踉跄地瘫坐在岩石上，胜负已然分晓。 “且慢，帕尔斯人！” 马西尼撒叫道，这是他当晚第二次的吼声，只不过与第一次不同，这次马西尼撒少了趾高气昂，而是半喘着眼珠朝上仰望对方。 “你会后悔你挥下这一剑，听我说。” “事到如今想求饶也来不及了，我没空听！” 四周的密斯鲁士兵们产生小小的喧闹，却不敢轻举妄动，只是握好长矛静观其变，马西尼撒瞄了他们一下并向查迪说道： “荷塞因三世陛下有旨，为奖励你武功过人，特地正式策封你为密斯鲁国将军，你不觉得这条件很吸引人吗？” “我不侍奉除了帕尔斯国王以外的人。” “你是指席尔梅斯王子吗？” “那当然，谁会效忠那个戴着黄金假面故弄玄虚的冒牌货，你们竟敢骗了我那么久。” “等等、等等、冷静点。” 马西尼撒拼命摆手。 “我很欣赏你的忠心耿耿，但事实上席尔梅斯王子根本不知去向，为了迁就一时之便就暂且推举那个黄金假面出来，将僭王亚尔斯兰逐出帕尔斯，以后再迎接席尔梅斯王子本人登基就好了嘛。” 查迪坐在岩石睥睨坐在岩石上的马西尼撒，嗤之以鼻。 “这种雕虫小技想骗谁呀？如果席尔梅斯殿下本人出现，按照你们向来的做法不就是除之而后快吗？” “我上过一次当已经绰绰有余，就让你去骗骗密斯鲁诸神吧。” 查迪再度挥动巨剑，准备砍下马西尼撒的头部，马西尼撒几乎撑裂了嘴吼道： “你不想知道黄金假面的真面目吗！？” 查迪的手停住了。 他不该停下来的。既然得知黄金假面是冒牌货，他的真面目如何根本不关他的事，然而好奇心让他犹疑了一瞬。这一瞬已经足够，马西尼撒的手有如魔术师一般游走，原本藏在水牛皮制军靴内的匕首深深插进查迪的腹部，他发出痛苦与怨怒的呻吟。 “你、可恶……” “下地狱去吧，你这愚蠢的帕尔斯人，懊悔会陪着你上黄泉路。” 马西尼撒一边嘲弄着，一边转动刺进查迪腹部的匕首，一阵剧痛在腹腔炸开，查迪视线模糊，连站也站不稳，单膝重重地跪在地上。站在岩石上远观的派莉莎立刻发现爱人中了致命伤，她抓住岩石哀嚎着。 “查迪……” “快、快逃、派莉莎……” 查迪低吟着，同时将沾满鲜血的双手往前伸，马西尼撒猛然回过神才发现自己的颈子正挂在查迪的双手上。 查迪的粗指勒住马西尼撒的咽喉，马西尼撒将埋在敌人腹部的匕首刺得更深，一个将被勒毙、一个将被刺死，双方都逃不开这场命运的纠结。在一旁屏息观战的密斯鲁士兵总算有了动静，因为他们不能坐视自己的将军丧命。 三根矛插进查迪厚实的背部，发亮的矛尖由他的胸口飞出，查迪的口鼻顿时喷出鲜血，在光下闪着蓝黑色的光亮。马西尼撒使尽全力挣脱查迪的双手并迅速地匍匐后退，咽喉上还留着查迪的指痕。查迪咽下最后一口气埋首往前倒下，额头在地面敲出一声硬响。 帕尔斯万骑长卡兰之子壮志未酬身先死，他的首级被送到王宫。翌日早餐之后，密斯鲁国王荷塞因三世第一项工作就是与查迪的首级面对面。 这实在不是一件舒服的工作，查迪的首级装在盘子里瞪大双眼瞪着荷塞因国王。而马西尼撒则向悻悻然的荷塞因国王行礼致敬。 “我是经过光明正大的单打独斗之后将他打败的。” “这还用你说，你要是暗算人家就有损咱们密斯鲁的国威了。” 荷塞因国王带着苦涩的表情封住马西尼撒的饶舌。 “我一直叮嘱你不准杀他，处理善后相当麻烦的。” 荷塞因三世头痛了起来，查迪的死将使流亡至密斯鲁的帕尔斯人内心产生动摇，同时密斯鲁骑兵队也损失一名能干的教官。无论如何都有必要选出继任者，但想要再找到像查迪这样热心且认真的人材实在难上加难。 “仔细想想，冒牌的席尔梅斯王子要几个就有几个，只要带上面具找谁来假扮都一样，但却没有人可以替代查迪，这下事情麻烦大了。” 想到此，荷塞因三世愈发厌恶马西尼撒，查迪的横死将导致并吞帕尔斯的计划岌岌可危，而马西尼撒却站在国王面前等着居功领赏。这家伙上了战场只知道摘下敌人的头颅，所以只有在战争时派得上用场，除此之外做什么事情都不牢靠。 在此之前实务工作均由查迪负责，黄金假面只是个傀儡，然而从今以后在许多方面黄金假面也必须事必亲躬，荷塞因国王如此思索着。命人埋葬查迪的首级之后念头突然一转。 “对了，我记得还有个女人跟查迪同居在一起，她怎么啦？是不是也被杀了？” 原本满面得意的马西尼撒转而露出被人浇了一头冷水的表情，刻意咳了几声之后才作答。 “她掉进迪古列河里淹死了。” "you sure?" “不会错，当她高崖落下时早巳折断颈骨，可惜的是不能将尸体带回来。” 马西尼撒尖声断定，事到如今只有极力圆谎。荷塞因国王斥退他之后又陷入沉思，此时宫廷书记官前来报告。 “马尔亚姆王国派遣使节前来要求晋见陛下。” “哦，何事？” 荷塞因三世摸模抹了香油的头。去年秋天统治半个马尔亚姆王国的波坦教皇曾经派遣使节前来要求同盟；波坦是为了打倒政敌鲁西达尼亚王弟吉斯卡尔才需要密斯鲁的武力援助，但荷塞因三世不但不接受，还逮捕使节带到吉斯卡尔面前。 “都已经过了半年才派使节来报回音，这表示马尔亚姆国内还算安定，吉斯卡尔也多了不少闭情逸致。” 荷塞因三世想想便决定接见使节，统治马尔亚姆王国的是鲁西达尼亚人，使节自然也是鲁西达尼亚人，那是一位嘴角留着小子的壮年骑士；他单膝跪在地上恭谨地行礼之后，道出一个令人震惊的事实。 “我主君吉斯卡尔在今年元月一日起已正式登上马尔亚姆国王的宝座。” “什么。吉斯卡尔公爵当上国王啦？” 荷塞因三世瞪大眼睛，一半是刻意夸大他的惊讶，另一半则是真的惊讶。他一直以为吉斯卡尔与波坦之间的对立仍然持续进着，马尔亚姆国内也随之动荡不安，一旦吉斯卡尔统一马尔亚姆全国；必然忙于复兴并创造一个强大的国家，老实说这并不是个好消息。 过去马尔亚姆与密斯鲁曾经多次干戈相向，两国之间隔了一个广阔海域，船队之间常为争夺海上通商的权益而交战；四十年前马尔亚姆庞大船队还曾进占密斯鲁海岸，从船上射出火矢与油矢烧毁上千户临海的岸边人家。其后马尔亚姆国力每况愈下，国库屯积的财富也不断递减，当鲁西达尼亚军由西方入侵之际甚至筹不出足够的军费编制军队予以迎战。 由于马尔亚姆国力消退，军力一旦消弱海盗便横行无阻，如果放任其增强势力将威胁到密斯鲁的权益，最好是适可而止。 荷塞因三世一边不断转着脑筋，一边观察使节。 吉斯卡尔所派遣来的使节名为欧拉贝利亚，曾经赴往帕尔斯人称魔境的迪马邦特山，目睹席尔梅斯与奇夫交战的情形。他比吉斯卡尔还先被人从帕尔斯驱逐到马尔亚姆，在惨绝人寰的内战中求生存，一步步巩固地位直到最后成为新国家的使节。 “……好、恭喜恭喜，帮朕向新国王转达朕的祝贺。” 荷塞因三世采用了书面的外交辞令。 “新国王也将对荷塞因陛下这段恭贺表达最深的谢意。而关于前阵子僭称教皇的逆臣波坦曾向荷塞因陛下求援一事，对于陛下贤明的处置更不知该从何谢起。” “哪里，不必言谢，新国王应已消灭逆贼波坦一干人马了吧？如果真是如此等于喜上加喜。” 荷塞因三世睥睨着使节的表情，欧拉贝利亚恭敬地垂下头以掩饰表情。 “您的关切令我们诚惶诚恐，波坦逆贼顽强抵抗新国王，目前仍保有边境两、三座城池，希望在我回国之时便能接获歼灭乱党的消息，话说……” 欧拉贝利亚转移话题。 “过去密斯鲁国与马尔亚姆国之间很不幸地一直存在着一个对立关系。” “嗯，总称不上幸福就是了，你意思是？” “我们新国王的想法是：两国对立是前朝时代的恩怨，与密斯鲁为敌的前朝早已灭亡，今后企望两国携手确保海上和平，平均分享财富——就是为了表达这个意念，新国王才派遣不才我来到荷塞因陛下跟前，例如说……” “哦，例如怎么说？” “例如密斯鲁国如果遭受帕尔斯国非法侵略，我们马尔亚姆新国王将全力支援密斯鲁国。” 荷塞因三世暗地皱着眉头，原来吉斯卡尔还真是老奸巨滑，当国内需要稳定时立即采取政策外交，不仅讨密斯鲁欢心，一旦有机会还可煽动帕尔斯向密斯鲁挑衅。如果密斯鲁军击破帕尔斯军自然再好不过，要是双方两败俱伤那更是求之不得。谁会上当啊，荷塞因三世咒骂着，这当然没有说出口。 “朕明白吉斯卡尔国王的好意了，朕竭诚欢迎贵国能与敝国修好。” 话说了一半突然中断，接着盯着使节。 “敝国爱好和平，与帕尔斯只相隔一道国界线毗邻而存，还望马尔亚姆也能与帕尔斯修好。” 想必这次一定轮到欧拉贝利亚暗地皱眉头。双方接着交换两三句寒喧，欧拉贝利亚在献上珍珠饰品给荷塞因国王之后暂行告退，荷塞因三世翌日谒见的时间将更长吧。 欧拉贝利亚走出王宫回到下榻的旅馆，他从马尔亚姆来时所乘坐的船正停泊在迪吉列河日码头；那是一艘足以搭乘三百人的大船，船舱设计虽然豪华，但在海上经过长达一个月以上的摇晃之后，纵使陆上的旅馆多少有些简陋仍然比船要强多了。 旅馆位于相隔了一个小海湾、与码头反方向的位置。那里是以石块铺成的填拓地，两层楼的白壁建筑四周种满了亚热带的花木。此处也有专用码头，可让搭乘二十人的船只停泊。流进海湾的迪吉列河水先在湾内划个半圆，而后流向外海，如果遇到上游大雨倾注，也会发现若干具水尸随着绕行湾内半周，这种略显残酷的光景是密斯鲁的奇景之一。 “长官，有东西从上游漂下来了。” 其中一名士官叫道，一行人按步就班地乘船顺着水流在湾内绕了半圈，发现在西斜的日光下闪闪发光的波面之间隐约可见一个黑色物体。 “是人，好像失去了意识，不过还紧抓着流木不放，要救人吗？” "of course." 欧拉贝利亚语气简洁地下了命令，虽然觉得麻烦但也不能见死不救，要是在密斯鲁国内坐视受困的密斯鲁人死去，将对外交形象造成严重损害。 四、五名士兵乘着小舟划近流木，以鹰嘴钩与木棍把流木拖过来，欧拉贝利亚则站在填拓地一角监探，带着咸味的水沫几度溅上他的脸。救援工作所花费的时间意外地久，但小舟最后总算是达成目的折返，并将昏迷不醒的溺水者拖上地面。 “是女人，还活着。” “看来年纪很轻，好像也不是渔民，会不会是因故投河自尽啊？” 欧拉贝利亚不经意地以指尖拨开女人湿透的黑发，露出紧闭双眼的脸庞。她那令人意想不到的美丽令欧拉贝利亚心头为之一怔，卷起麻衣的袖子可见肉感的手臂，还有雕工精细的手环，欧拉贝利亚站起身，命令部下去找医生。