"Look! Look! It's Damascus!"
"We're finally here!"
A huge team struggled forward in the twilight, and the dust it raised appeared a strange orange-red color under the setting sun.
The panting of camels, the jingling of bells and the creaking of wheels on sand and gravel intertwined together, finally giving people a little relief from their tired mood.
"We're finally almost home!"
"Our dear Damascus!"
"I can't wait to see His Majesty Saladin with these things!"
"If he saw these things, he would definitely feel better!"
"This was bestowed by His Majesty the Holy Pharaoh..."
The person who spoke was the head of the Arab delegation.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and looked at the vague outline of the city in the distance.
Although his voice was tired and a little hoarse, it was filled with irrepressible joy.
“Who would have thought we could bring back so many things?”
Another person in the delegation was stroking a heavy bag of wheat with a bright smile on his face.
"The granary of Holy Egypt is just like the legendary treasure house!"
“There’s so much food!”
A roar of approval rose in the caravan, and people vied with each other to express their praises for Holy Egypt and Holy Pharaoh.
"That city of Cairo, with its towers so high, its river so wide, and its people so numerous!"
"I feel like a country bumpkin!"
"Oh! The most unforgettable thing was the banquet in the palace! The roast beef, the mead, the dancing girls..."
"Don't just think about eating and drinking! Have you ever seen such fine armor? Look at the craftsmanship! Even a blacksmith would be amazed!"
People were talking to each other, and at this time, an elderly doctor in the team picked up a ceramic bottle and stroked it carefully.
"This contains a special painkiller made in Egypt. One bottle is enough to treat half a battalion's worth of wounded."
"His Majesty the Holy Pharaoh gave us twenty bottles at once!"
"And those medical books! Those maps! Those... ah, I've never seen so many treasures in my life!"
Another person also spoke, his words were incoherent with excitement.
At this time, the team leader raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.
"Most importantly, all of this was given free of charge by His Majesty the Holy Pharaoh!"
"We must remember the friendship of His Majesty the Holy Pharaoh!"
"If His Majesty Saladin knew, he would definitely be very happy!"
"Perhaps his illness can make him more hypocritical!"
At this moment, another member of the delegation also spoke.
"That's right! We're bringing back more than just supplies!"
"With this food, the soldiers and civilians won't have to go hungry!"
"With these weapons, our cavalry will be better able to fight back against the rebels!"
"With these medicinal herbs, the injured and sick have hope of survival!"
"Grateful be to the Holy Pharaoh! Grateful that our Majesty Saladin has made such a powerful ally!"
The entire caravan burst into warm cheers again, and everyone's face was filled with pride and satisfaction.
They were clearly proud to be part of this glorious diplomatic journey.
Just as they were immersed in the joyful atmosphere, a moving black dot suddenly appeared on the horizon ahead, accompanied by the sound of horse hooves like thunder.
“Gee! Gee!”
A moment later, the black spots turned into dozens of cavalrymen wearing light armor and holding scimitars. They lined up in a row and swept towards the caravan like a steel torrent.
"Stop! It's the Damascene cavalry!"
"We must first confirm that they are not rebels! Protect the supplies!"
The leader immediately gave orders, and the entire caravan quickly adjusted its formation, protecting the most precious supplies and personnel in the center.
Archers drew their bows and shieldmen formed their battle lines; a potential conflict was about to break out.
The cavalry stopped about a hundred steps away from the caravan, led by a middle-aged man with a weathered face.
He rode a majestic black horse, with a carefully trimmed mustache beneath his hooked nose.
His sharp eyes scanned the entire caravan like a vulture.
"Who is coming?"
“Why bring so many supplies into the country?”
"Huh?"
At this time, the regiment commander rode forward, kept a vigilant distance, and answered loudly.
"We are the special envoys from the Kingdom of Arabia!"
"We've returned from a diplomatic mission to Holy Egypt!"
"These supplies are a gift from His Majesty the Holy Pharaoh to our country as a friendly aid. They are all documented with a detailed list and the official seal of Holy Egypt!"
The cavalry leader frowned slightly.
"Holy Egypt?"
"Are you really a diplomatic mission? Did you just return from Holy Egypt?"
The team leader was annoyed by the other party's questioning and his tone became tough.
"Of course! We were sent to Holy Egypt by order of His Majesty Saladin. After going through countless hardships, we finally brought back these precious aid supplies."
"Why, do you want to check our ID?"
He pulled a stack of documents with the royal seal from his pocket and shook them in the air.
"Here is His Majesty Saladin's personal edict, a reply from the Holy Pharaoh, a detailed list of all supplies, and... do I need to continue?"
The cavalry leader was silent for a moment, his eyes moving back and forth between the documents and supplies, and the expression on his face became more and more complicated.
Finally, after confirming the identity of the delegation, the seriousness on his face finally faded.
He breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand to signal his men to make way.
However, his tone was a little heavy.
"Forgive me, there's a situation in the city, and we have to verify your identities before we can let you pass."
"Now please follow me into the city."
"I will take you to see Lord Fadhil immediately."
The team leader keenly noticed the strangeness in the other party's expression: "What's going on?"
"What on earth happened?"
"His Majesty Saladin, is he...is he okay?"
The cavalry leader's expression completely collapsed at that moment. He lowered his head and avoided everyone's sight.
"Please...please follow me."
"We have important matters to attend to, so it's not convenient for us to answer here."
This ambiguous answer made the members of the delegation swallow their saliva.
The joyful atmosphere froze in an instant, replaced by a suffocating pressure.
"What's going on?"
"Are they the rebels?"
"Could it be...?"
The team leader scolded with forced calmness, but his voice was obviously trembling.
"Okay! Stop imagining it!"
"In any case, we have completed the mission entrusted by His Majesty Saladin, and we have also brought back so many valuable supplies."
"This is a great boon for His Majesty Saladin and Arabia!"
However, even he couldn't hide the panic in his voice.
They began to march towards Damascus, and no one spoke on the way.
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