xymnovel Chapter 166 Talking about Henry Henry
Chapter 166 Talking about Henry Henry
Chapter 166 Speaking of Henry, Henry Arrives (Part Two)
Lyon straightened his robes, pushed open the slightly ajar door, and put on a slightly surprised expression, as if he had just arrived.
"Sister? I heard there are some issues at the port—"
His words came to an abrupt halt, his gaze falling precisely on Henry, revealing surprise and astonishment: "Henry?"
Alberto? Is it really you?
The two people in the hall turned their heads at the same time.
Sibyl quickly composed herself, regaining her composure as a princess, though the smile in her eyes hadn't completely faded.
"Lyon, you've arrived. This knight who calls himself Henry says he's a friend of yours in Italy and has urgent business with you."
Henry had already stood up and gave Lyon a smooth and standard knightly salute, his expression changing from the previous humorous and unrestrained look to one of respect and joy at reuniting with an old friend.
"Your Highness Lyon, may God bless you. Seeing you well is more gratifying than my safe journey. Yes, it was indeed me, the uninvited troublemaker."
Lyon stepped forward, first greeting Sibylla, then turning to Henry and scrutinizing him closely: "It really is you!"
How did you suddenly end up in the Levant? And how did you find Jaffa? I was just about to look for you!
Henry straightened up, cupped his right hand into a cylindrical shape, brought it to his mouth, lowered his head, and said casually, "Your Highness, that's a long story. Back when we met in Milan, didn't you say that you might need some—well, help from me? Anyway, I recently wanted to come to the East to see the legendary holy land, so I hitched a ride on a Genoese ship."
"As for finding Jaffa," he shrugged, "finding out which port the Crown Prince of Jerusalem might be preparing to depart from isn't too difficult for a wandering knight who's used to gathering information from all sides. Especially when the Crown Prince's itinerary isn't top secret."
"Help?" Lyon, following his lead, decided to pass the buck back. "Henry, aren't you always a busy man? This sudden visit to me can't be a spur-of-the-moment thing, can it? Could you tell me more about your urgent matter?"
He paused deliberately, looking at Henry.
Henry's smile remained unchanged, but the amusement in his eyes deepened: "No, no, no, if something can be so troublesome for Your Highness, it must be extraordinary. Since I've already traveled all this way, Your Highness might as well tell me first? After all, it's still uncertain whether my meager abilities can be of any help."
Lyon chuckled inwardly. Trying to pull this on me?
He shook his head, his tone becoming serious: "No, Henry. You were the one who came all this way to see me first. Out of courtesy, you should explain your purpose first. What if your 'small matter' conflicts with my 'big matter'? Or perhaps your 'small matter' is itself a response to my 'big matter'?"
Henry blinked, feigning an innocent yet troubled expression. "Your Highness, you're putting me in a difficult position. My purpose is simple: to visit a friend and perhaps see if there's an opportunity to help. Like a sword, it doesn't say 'I want to cut something,' but waits for the wielder's hand and will. Now, the wielder is right in front of you, and you're asking the sword where it wants to cut? This—this is neither the proper way to wield a sword nor the proper etiquette for visiting a friend."
"You don't visit friends by asking everyone you meet at the docks," Leon joked. "And your sword seems quite eager to find its wielder."
"That's because I heard the swordsman might be about to embark on a long journey, and I was afraid that if I arrived too late, the scabbard would be empty, leaving me with nothing but regret." Henry reacted extremely quickly, his expression so sincere it was almost infuriating.
Sibylla watched the two young people's verbal exchange with great interest, finding it more entertaining than watching a court drama.
She discovered that Lyon, who was always good at talking, seemed to have met a worthy opponent in terms of eloquence, and perhaps even had a slight advantage.
Lyon couldn't take it anymore. Henry's mouth was like it had been blessed; he could spout nonsense with such conviction, and he was so thick-skinned and polite that you couldn't get angry at him.
He remembered Baldwin's advice and knew that time was precious, so he finally decided to stop going in circles.
"Alright, Henry, you win." Lyon made a gesture of surrender. "I do have urgent business in Italy, and my purpose is to find you. I need you, Alberto da Giuzano, with your true identity and all your prestige and talent, to command an army for me and for the Kingdom of Jerusalem."
He succinctly recounted the Roman Empire's plea for help, the kingdom's predicament, the royal crossbowmen and mercenaries' expedition, and Baldwin's demand for a reliable commander.
Finally, he gazed at Henry: "The King has promised that this mission will commence once you personally pledge your commitment and accept actual command. Now, it is your turn to answer me, Henry. Why have you come? And are you willing to accept this responsibility?"
Upon hearing this, Henry's nonchalant smile gradually faded. He remained silent for a moment, his eyes darting around as if deep in thought.
"Go to the Balkans or Anatolia—to fight the Hungarians, or the Turks?" Henry asked slowly, sounding hesitant. "The places are a bit far, and the people are unfamiliar."
He looked up at Lyon and spread his hands: "This is a very important matter. As for me personally—I need to think about it carefully."
"
Lyon's heart skipped a beat.
But the next second, Henry's lips curled into that familiar, slightly sly smile.
"However," he changed the subject, "if Your Highness could grant me one—well, a small, incidental condition—then I wouldn't need to think about it for so long and could give you a definite answer right now."
"What are the conditions?" Leon immediately asked, a warning bell ringing in his mind.
Given Henry's style, this "small condition" is probably by no means simple.
Henry's smile became somewhat radiant, even a little—childlike anticipation?
"Take me to Mainz. Let me serve as your knight in the grand jousting tournament to be held in Mainz next year."
"The Mainz tournament?" Lyon was taken aback and quickly searched his memory.
Did this thing exist in history?
"What is that?"
Now it was Henry's turn to show an extremely surprised expression, an expression so exaggerated it was almost comical.
"My God! You didn't know? Redbeard, I mean, His Majesty Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, to hold a grand knighting ceremony for his two sons, Heinrich and Frederick, and to celebrate the engagement of his eldest son to Princess Constance of Sicily, will host a grand jousting tournament in Mainz, the capital of the Empire, next year, in 1184 AD! I heard that almost every noble family and renowned knight from Ireland to Khitan has been invited! It's an unprecedented spectacle!"
He gestured wildly, as if the scene were right before his eyes.
He suddenly stopped, looked at Leon's still bewildered face, and slapped his forehead as if suddenly realizing something. His expression became meaningful, even with a hint of mockery.
"Oh—I see. The list of invitees probably wasn't sent to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, or—"
"Any Crusader states in the Levant, perhaps? After all, the sea separates more than just distances." He shrugged. "It seems that in the eyes of the gentlemen of Regensburg and Paris, you who fought and bled in the Holy Land have been gradually forgotten on the fringes of the civilized world."