Reincarnated Into The Middle Ages

In front of the military camp in Cairo, Egypt.

Saladin rode slowly through the ranks, inspecting the seemingly endless array of troops. He raised his hand and smiled in response to the eager gazes of his soldiers, feeling a surge of heroic passion within.

As a devout believer, Saladin had dedicated himself to the reconquest of the Holy City from a young age. However, years of fighting against the Crusaders had taught him that these infidels were not to be underestimated, especially when their knights charged with lances. When hundreds or even thousands of knights charged in unison, like a flood, anyone who dared to stand in their way would be impaled by lances or trampled by hooves.

Though the Almighty's followers included many brave warriors, most were light cavalry skilled in archery, ill-suited to face the Crusader knights head-on. Moreover, the previous fragmentation of their nations had left them unable to effectively oppose the Crusader states.

For this reason, Saladin had bided his time for years. Even three years ago, when the Kingdom of Jerusalem saw the succession of a new and inexperienced ruler, a prime opportunity for action, he chose restraint. Instead, he focused on consolidating his newly acquired territories. Only then was he able to integrate the surrounding lands of the True Faith and amass the strength to form the formidable army before him.

26,000 slaves from southern Egypt, forming a powerful infantry corps.

5,000 Mamluk cavalry, trained from childhood with an attrition rate as high as one in four, representing the elite of his forces.

If necessary, he could also call upon an additional 20,000 troops from Damascus.

Supplies of grain, weaponry, warhorses, and siege equipment were all in ample readiness.

Saladin lived a frugal life, devoting all his wealth to the noble cause of reclaiming the Holy City. He knew that while money was the root of all evil, it also held immense power. With this golden treasure, he had even purchased numerous "little toys" from the Christian world through the Venetians.

Saladin smiled; even the most despicable people had their uses.

More importantly, through Venetian merchants, he kept a close watch on the movements within the royal court. He was well aware that Baldwin's health was deteriorating daily, and the court was embroiled in constant quarrels. Even more foolishly, three years ago, the Knights Templar had destroyed their own bulwark by massacring the Assassins, an organization that had always been a thorn in Saladin's side.

Saladin had always despised these mercenaries who sold their services for money, but their incredible assassination skills had been a constant headache for him. After publicly expressing his discontent with the Assassins, Saladin received a "gift" on his bed—a dagger commonly used by the Assassins.

Since then, Saladin had chosen to ignore any incidents involving the Assassins. Although he himself was fearless in the face of life and death, he worried that his sudden demise might interrupt the grand cause of reclaiming the Holy City.

Now, however, all preparations for the reconquest of the Holy Land were finally complete.

With this thought, Saladin spurred his horse and galloped in front of the troops.

"Warriors of the True Faith!"

"Look to the east, to the place where the True God ascended and was enlightened. There, a group of shameless infidels has stolen this pearl with their despicable means."

"They have destroyed our temples, slaughtered our brothers, and violated our wives and daughters."

"Now, the time for retribution has come!"

"Under the watchful eye of the True God, every warrior who fights bravely will be rewarded with silver coins equivalent to the weight of the heads he takes. Those who die heroically in battle will ascend to paradise and enjoy eternal bliss!"

Saladin drew his scimitar, encrusted with gold and jewels.

"Our cause is supremely just, and our strength is immeasurably powerful."

"Ooooh!!!" The roar of tens of thousands of soldiers pierced the heavens.

Whether for faith or for wealth, all the soldiers believed that under Saladin's leadership, they were invincible.

"Advance!"

The deep sound of the war horn rang out. The massive phalanx split into smaller units, which began to march eastward in an orderly fashion under the shouts of their officers. The sunlight glinted off the soldiers' armor, making them appear like a giant black dragon emerging from its lair, looming over the eastern horizon.

Saladin rode in the center of the formation, surrounded by his most trusted Mamluk cavalry. In high spirits, he caressed a scroll with one hand while praying. A splendidly armored officer slowly approached on horseback and positioned himself behind and to the right of Saladin.

Only after Saladin finished his prayer did he notice his nephew. In a cheerful mood, he said with a smile, "Emir, my brave nephew, tell me, what would you do if you were that Leper King?"

The officer pondered for a long while before speaking. "Fortify the city and lay waste to the surrounding lands. Wait until our siege loses its momentum, then join forces with reinforcements and charge out of the city with knights as the vanguard to deal a heavy blow to our forces."

"Correct," Saladin nodded approvingly. "If he truly did that, it would indeed give me a great deal of trouble."

"But he won't do that!" Saladin gazed into the distance, his eyes piercing through the layers of obstacles, as if he could see the turbulent court of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

"Jerusalem means everything to them; half of the kingdom's military strength is concentrated there. If I lay siege to the city, more than half of their knights will be trapped within the narrow confines of the city walls, while the other half will be gradually eliminated by my forces."

"The strength of knights lies in open battle. If they are confined to defending the city, they will be exhausted by my overwhelming forces."

Hearing Saladin's insights, another young officer stepped forward and asked, "What if he mobilizes all the kingdom's forces and decides to fight us to the death? The outcome of such a battle would be uncertain."

Saladin shook his head disdainfully.

"His authority is insufficient. Mobilizing all the knights of the kingdom would take far too long. By then, my troops would already be at the city gates."

Then, Saladin looked at another one of his nephews with satisfaction.

"Taj al-Din, I am pleased that you have your own opinions, but sometimes, not everything has to be obtained through force."

At that moment, a messenger came galloping from the distance. The dust-covered rider, without a moment's hesitation for his horse that was already frothing at the mouth, sped past layers of guards and dismounted swiftly, holding a letter high above his head.

Emir took the letter, checked that the seal was intact, and then presented it to Saladin with both hands.

"A secret letter from the kingdom, still unopened."

Saladin took the letter, broke the seal, and quickly scanned its contents before bursting into laughter and handing it to his two nephews.

"Emir, it seems my arrangements have paid off."

After reading it, they too began to laugh.

"A revolt has broken out near Ascalon (near present-day Gaza), and the King of Jerusalem set out seven days ago with about 4,000 troops to suppress it."

Saladin's mood was greatly lifted. He brandished his riding whip as if there was an invisible map before him.

"By now, that Leper King is likely close to Ascalon. It's a pity that with only 4,000 troops, he can do nothing."

"If he had chosen to defend the city to the death, even if I could take the Holy City, the casualties would have been immense."

"But now, he can only watch helplessly as I capture the Holy City."

"Pass the order down the line. The entire army must ride at full speed to surround him before the Leper King leaves Ascalon!"

A gleam of ambition flashed in Saladin's eyes, as if he could already see his banner flying over the walls of Jerusalem.

But another pair of eyes, equally filled with ambition, was also watching him.