Battlefield of All Sides

Chapter 300
The differential treatment that Li Mu wants is actually very simple, that is to make the whole city more obedient to its operation.

That night, Li Mu issued a notice in the name of the emperor, that the emperor will guard this "city of longing for the world" with every commoner.

As for the specific steps, Li Mu's proposals are divided into two categories. One is to provide better treatment for the soldiers defending the city, and the other is that the trade in the city can only occur in the area close to the Golden Horn Bay. losses caused by the war.

In addition, the announcement also explained everyone's obligations, but never mentioned the unity of the two religions, which made a group of people who advocated the pope's support through the merger a little bit jumpy.

But at the same time, it reassured the citizens, at least convincing them that His Majesty the current Emperor is determined to resist the Ottoman Empire's attack with all his might.

As for the current Li Mu, he was already surrounded by a group of princes and nobles in the hall, each of them said their own demands, but this was just their incompetent rage.

Facing the emperor who suddenly became iron-blooded, they found that they had no way to make him change his mind.

But now, Gistini, who was trusted by the emperor, is stepping up his power to build the city wall on the western front.

Li Mu's idea is very simple. To defeat the Ottoman Empire, the safest way is to defend the city walls. After all, the walls here are high and the supplies are still sufficient.

At the same time, the mouth of the bay on the west side was firmly guarded, so that the opponent's cannons would lose their power.

This is the way to the outside, and the way to the inside is to strengthen the confidence of the citizens as much as possible, so that they can have stronger control over the city.

In this way, they don't need to do too many things, as long as they can make their troops unimpeded.

Of course, thoughts are always just thoughts, and Li Mu is actually a bit overwhelmed now, because he has never fought a battle to defend the city until now.

It seems that I am always on the offensive, making myself defensive, as if suddenly the things I am good at are being restricted, and my shortcomings are everywhere.

"Your Majesty, why are you collecting sacks in the city? You also have people pile dirt beside the city wall. What is the real use of such a waste of people and money?"

Just when Li Mu was thinking about how to further make up for his shortcomings, a blond man with long beard in a long robe walked in and angrily scolded in the hall.

This man was the father of Palaegus's second wife, the father-in-law of His Majesty the Emperor.

Although his wife had passed away for ten years, Paleogus was also very respectful to his father-in-law on weekdays, so he also relied on his elders for convenience and was domineering.

"Gati Lucio, what do you want to say?" Li Mu asked in a deep voice, but this time he didn't salute the other party as usual. This gesture made Gati Lucio a little bit unsure.

After hesitating for a moment, he still questioned Li Mu again: "Your army forcibly bought so many sacks, and a lot of goods were scattered on the Golden Horn Wharf. The Genoese are very upset!"

After Li Mu heard this question, his expression was calm, and he asked the other party: "Is there anything else that can be used to pack the goods? Don't I even have the right to collect sacks?"

Gati Lucio paused for a moment, but continued: "This is your Majesty's right, but can you tell me, what is the purpose of so many sacks and the mounds piled up on the city wall? What is it for?"

"Naturally so that there is something to fill the walls when they fall down."

"This is absolutely impossible. Constantinople has the strongest city wall in the world. Those huge stones built up one after another cannot even be cut by a sword!" Gati Lucio immediately retorted.

Li Mu snorted coldly, walked in front of the other party in front of everyone, and said slowly.

"Then have you ever been to the city wall? Have you ever seen with your own eyes the army that stretches for miles?"

Gati Lucio stopped talking immediately, while Li Mu looked at the other party and continued.

"Remember the Hungarian cannon-caster Urban?"

"The Hungarian who wants ten bushels of sand?" Gati Lucio frowned.Li Mu nodded.

"That's right, last fall, he went to the Ottoman side, and the Ottoman Sultan agreed to his request, and they cast cannons."

"A citizen once saw their cannon by chance. It was a huge iron thing. It was as strong as an ox and could throw a huge stone fifty miles away!"

Li Mu's voice was so loud that everyone in the hall was shocked, but Li Mu continued to speak.

"A few days ago, we struggled to repel the attack of these people, but now, the cannon is almost transported under the city wall. May I ask, do we have a way to destroy such a cannon?"

Li Mu's eyes swept over everyone present. These people looked at each other, but they all lowered their heads.

Gatiluccio finally had nothing to say and was even a little ashamed.

But Li Mu didn't continue talking, just sighed, and said to these guys who disagreed.

"The Ottoman Sultan let me sit on the throne, but wanted to drive me down, so he needs to know the price. They need to know that this is Constantinople!"

Li Mubao's sword snapped, and these people took a deep breath. Although the emperor in front of him was not a tyrannical person, he was also a capable person, a person who was good at fighting.

At this time, Gistini also came to the hall, and immediately half-kneeled and saluted.

"Your Majesty, the movement of Ottoman soldiers was just discovered outside the west city wall. The situation is very wrong." Gistini's tone was a little serious. Everyone in the palace looked at each other, and Li Mu also asked.

"What did you find?"

"They used dozens of cows and many soldiers, and they seemed to be pushing something closer to the city wall."

The other people immediately reacted to Gistini's move, and immediately someone said in horror: "Could it be a cannon?!"

Saying this, everyone looked at Li Mu, and Li Mu stood up and walked outside immediately.

"Go see it now!"

Everyone went from the palace to the city wall to the west. At this moment, the city wall was crowded with people. Soldiers in shiny armor kept passing by, and there were also people's shadows flickering among the towers on the city wall.

And outside the three city walls, there are clusters of black shadows surging there. If you look carefully, they are Ottoman soldiers. In the dust, there are huge wooden carts, and the wooden carts are being whipped around. cattle, and there seemed to be something hidden on the wooden cart.

There are dozens of such wooden carts, and they are gathering towards the city wall from various places.

The defensive walls of Constantinople are divided into three layers. The outermost layer is first a trench 18 meters wide and nine meters deep, then a dike surrounded by breastworks, and the second layer is a nine-meter-high outer wall. , there are 96 towers on the entire city wall.The third and final layer of defense is a 12-meter-high inner wall with 110 two towers. These towers are extremely tall, each 18 meters high.

Because of such strong defenses, Constantinople has always been regarded as the city of the world that cannot be breached, but now, looking at the mysterious thing that appeared outside, and thinking of the cannon that the emperor said, everyone's heart is full of surprises. It was covered with a layer of haze.

The indestructible belief in their hearts has been slightly shaken.

But Li Mu, who was also standing on the city wall and watching the situation outside, had a calm expression at the moment. Looking at the cannons gathered outside, everything was just as he knew.

On April 4, the Ottoman army will launch its most violent offensive, and these cannons will demonstrate their power for the first time.

In the end, the strong wall cannot stop the cannon, and the gradually collapsing wall will only make the soldiers' confidence collapse little by little.

To defend the city, these cannons must not be allowed to reach their original power.

……

(End of this chapter)