Chapter 1,189 Death of Archbishop Grioli

The moss-covered stone wall was unguarded, and the closed door was quickly broken open.

Grund was always surprised by how few defenders there were in this obviously huge city, and how easily and quickly the city was breached surprised him.

"I've never had such an easy fight in my life."

He is an old guy, and his body is already aging. After this battle is over, he should probably hand over the power of captain of the first banner of the standing army to his successor. It was also because of his aging and being used to being beaten and killed that he guessed that things might not be that simple.

More and more soldiers rushed into the east gate, so compared to the outside of the city wall, although the inner city was narrow, the ground everyone stepped on was real stone.

All the floor stones have been stepped on very smoothly. The middle of the road is convex and extends to both sides in a slight arc. There are also drainage ditches on both sides.

Continuing forward, after passing a small number of stone houses, a larger city square is revealed in front of everyone.

There is no doubt that this square is also made of smooth stone slabs. The specifications of each stone slab look exactly the same, and the splicing plan is also very logical.

There are two worlds inside and outside the city wall. The inner city is cleaner and tidier, and there must be more wealth.

There are many churches and monasteries surrounding the square. The veterans followed Grund's footsteps closely and rushed towards the largest one.

Meanwhile, all the churches were filled with people.

Let’s take a look at the largest Cathedral of the Assumption. Archbishop Gregory is standing on the pedestal wearing the black robe inherited by successive bishops. The robe was clad in gold threads and hung with a large number of precious stones. He wears a high bishop's hat, with a whole gold foil covering on the front, and a large number of gems inlaid on it.

He held a solid gold cross in his left hand, and behind him was the largest black wooden cross.

All the lower-level priests wore black robes and hung sterling silver crosses on their chests. They all stood upright with their heads raised, their loose black robes perfectly covering their trembling bodies, and their hoods covering their faces that were filled with tension and despair.

Under the stage, all the wooden chairs were full of people, and there were even more people kneeling in the aisles.

They kept crossing themselves on their chests, looking sad or in tears, or looking calm as if they could face everything calmly.

Throughout the heavy preaching hall, the Archbishop continued to preach in his rich voice.

In his hands are multiple parchment manuscripts of the Gospels. After historical sacrifices, these Latin scriptures are somewhat damaged, and the truth hidden in the scriptures is the source of the Archbishop's ability to still stand here. Maybe, only God can send a miracle to save everything.

"Dear brothers! Do not be surprised that a fiery trial is coming for you! Rather, rejoice! Because you suffer with Jesus! So you can also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."

"If you say, life is meaningless when I am old, life is meaningless when I am sick... No! Only being with God is the most correct thing. When you have doubts about life, it means that your love for God is not enough .Love God and everything makes sense..."

…

The archbishop said a lot. Facing the scriptures that were already memorized by heart, he gave the Frankish explanations that people needed most.

It seems that as long as there is more love for God, the barbarians can be defeated by an elusive divine power, as if the archangel will descend and protect the holy city of Maastricht.

However, it was noisy outside, and the rumbling noise became more intense.

Suddenly, the closed door locked with a bronze lock was smashed open by a long-handled axe.

Those who broke in were not holy angels, but a group of tall and strong soldiers.

They all wore round shields and white robes with blue stripes, but they said that the shields were also painted with patterns that resembled "blue crosses", but their leather helmets of another style said everything.

"It's a Viking!"

The kneeling believers suddenly stood up, and for a moment the cathedral was in chaos.

Grund was still wearing an enhanced version of the butterfly helmet at the moment, and he caught a glimpse of the black-robed archbishop wearing gorgeous gems.

A bloodthirsty bear spoke: "Brothers! Take no prisoners! Go and plunder your gold!"

That's all, he started to lead the charge again...

The Cathedral of the Assumption, this sacred place became a place of terror. Those people who prayed for safety were unarmed, and even when they knelt down to beg for mercy, they were still killed by the violent soldiers. Afterwards, the soldiers skillfully removed pure gold or silver cross pendants from the bodies of the corpses or the dying. They searched them and took away all valuables.

The lower-level priests panicked and tried to escape through the side door. As the saying goes, Grund's troops, who were experienced in looting churches, had already arranged an ambush at the small side door. As soon as the fleeing priest opened the door, his neck was cut off by the waiting soldiers.

Then these soldiers came in through the small door and joined in the chaos.

Eventually Archbishop Gregory was surrounded.

The veterans all knew that this man must be a big shot, and he must be the most senior priest in the area.

The city was surrounded by bucklers, much to the bewilderment of Gregory, who was already planning to commit martyrdom.

Suddenly, a warrior with a conspicuous crown decoration on his helmet emerged from the shield wall. This man was none other than Grund himself.

Seeing that the Norman soldier had a special status, and the bloody sword made him sad, Gregory widened his eyes and said in Frankish, trying to provoke him: "You! You will all be burned in the fire of hell forever."

"Shut up! Old man!" Grund's simple Latin phrase really surprised the archbishop.

"You? Know Latin?"

Grund didn't know Latin, or just a little bit, and communicating with people through bumpy phrases was already the limit.

He didn't want to talk nonsense with the archbishop, so he stretched out his hand and pierced the archbishop's "golden hat" with a sword. When he picked it up, the bishop's "Mediterranean" head, which symbolized his extraordinary status, was undoubtedly revealed.

"This man cannot be killed. I will personally take him away. You..." Grund told the people around him, "plunder freely. However, if you find the cellar and find the gold and silver suitcases, don't take it for yourself. Bring it up and present it to the king." .”

"Yes!" All the soldiers agreed with smiles, completely unconcerned that the entire cathedral had been transformed into a lake of flesh and blood.

The gold and silver sacred vessels on display were all looted. The bronze lamp holders on the wall, which looked like they were gold-plated, were smashed down and taken away. Even the purple curtain used for decoration was looted.

the other side.

"Boss, those old guys are still one step ahead of us. We can't beat them at all!" The young warrior panted and frowned as he faced the equally young Askard.

"Damn it. We just can't get over them now."

Gritting his teeth, Askard turned his head and pointed his steel sword directly at the new target: "That monastery doesn't look small! Let's go there!"

There was not much time for him and the Seventh Flag to make a choice. Among all the churches and monasteries that existed around the square, there were only two large ones.

This is the "St. Serphas" church built in the seventh century. It is named after Saint Savatius, and the saint's tomb is in the plundered Assumption Cathedral.

It is a second-level church, but a kind of Ross kid who invades here doesn't care whether it is noble or not. Being noble is a good thing, it means there is more gold.

Askard is just like his father Arik, who is cruel in his father's precepts and deeds.

"Smash it for me!" he ordered loudly.

The little warrior who had been prepared used all his strength to smash the bronze lock on the door latch with a steel axe.

There were also a large number of people crowded in the church. Although Askard was surprised when he saw this, he immediately calmed down and pointed his sword directly at the screaming people: "Blood sacrifice to Odin! Now!"

The second-generation warriors of the Kingdom of Rus, who were too young but were astonishingly tall, completed their coming-of-age ceremonies one after another with the most brutal means, and grabbed the coveted gold and silver in a pool of blood.

All the monasteries in the inner city were looted. People who tried to escape through some small doors were dumbfounded as soon as they went out. The inner city was full of foreign soldiers, speaking foreign languages.

Viking legends are no longer legends, the Vikings are here.

The escapees tried to run to other gates, but unfortunately they were hunted down.

The 1,700 soldiers who entered the inner city are the troops that Blue Fox can easily mobilize. The inner city area surrounded by stone walls is the exclusive territory of the elite troops. It is like a big pot of stew that only relatives can feast on. Outside the city wall Guys, stay out of it.

The orange light of the setting sun shines on the towering cross of the cathedral tower, and the soldiers' helmets also turn orange.

For a moment, Blue Fox couldn't help but pull out the many pendants hanging on his chest, took out the small sterling silver cross, and murmured to himself: "If I do this... it should be fine."

"There must be no problem. You must be more ruthless!" Blue Fox finally stuffed the small object back.

He ordered the army to indulge, which was a natural way to maintain morale, and also to implement the power given by King Rus when this army went out.

Therefore, in principle, it was right for the Ross army to burn the entire city on fire.

Are you going to set fire to it? Not that bad, at least now is not the time for arson.

Blue Fox stayed in the center of the square with his own soldiers. He saw Kelha leading his Finns to loot, and saw Yinval sitting on a two-person sedan directing his Danes to loot. There were people running around laughing and joking, and some even climbed to the top of the cathedral, where the bell tower is located.

Suddenly, the person standing on the tower actually...

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

Blue Fox was taken aback. He raised his sword and shouted curses on the ground. His shouts were completely drowned out by the shouts of the soldiers.

The soldiers standing high up felt that the bronze bell was very precious, so they took out their hand axes and kept hammering away at the wooden stakes that fixed the bell.

This bell is as tall as a person, so the whole thing is quite big. After a lot of hard work with the steel axe, the wooden pile gradually could no longer support the weight of the bell.

The panicked Blue Fox had no choice but to yell at the top of his lungs at the soldiers running around on the ground: "Get out of the way! Something is falling!"

Soon enough, the bell rolled and fell from the tower, falling flat on the ground. Fortunately, the Ross soldier was not killed or injured, but several people standing next to him almost died. The powerful vibration knocked them down, and the stone chips were scattered after they hit the ground. Thanks to the armor, there was no movement but no injuries. .

"What are you doing! You!" The angry Blue Fox shouted at the veterans of the standing army on the damaged corner of the tower with his sword again.

A moment later, Grund emerged from the cathedral, stomping and kicking to drive away an old guy in black robes, holding a steel sword with a golden hat on it.

The old man was kicked down all the way to Blue Fox's feet. As long as he looked at this man's clothes, Blue Fox realized his identity.

"Grund, what does this mean?"

"Look. This must be their Archbishop."

"Yes. I can see it. I can't believe it. I thought you had killed all the priests."

Grund couldn't tell whether it was a compliment or a harsh criticism, so he pulled the hat off the sword blade and threw it directly to the blue fox. "It's all gold, here it is for you."

As a result, the top of the hat was covered with a layer of gold foil. Blue Fox is not excited, this little bit of gold is nothing.

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Blue Fox actually had mixed feelings. He wished Grund could do things as well as before, so why did he suddenly show kindness at this moment.

"You?" Blue Fox casually kicked the staggering black-robed man: "Maastricht? Archbishop? Is it you?"

There was another question in Latin. Compared to the rough man, the new man in front of me spoke better Latin.

"Yes. I am Gregory! It is the Archbishop." After saying that, the Archbishop staggered up.

It was because he wanted to die in the church that he was kicked and beaten. He stood up tremblingly and lifelessly.

As soon as he stood up, he couldn't help but shake his black robe, but unfortunately it was already stained with a lot of blood, and it was covered with dust and stone chips after rolling around outdoors.

He still wears the posture of a martyr, although he has become disgraced and now has only one death left.

"Norman! Even if you understand the sacred language, God's punishment will still fall on your head."

"Oh, is it so?"

"Yes. Once the Holy City is destroyed, God will be wrathful. There will be endless thunders that will kill you barbarians, and all of you will burn in hell forever."

"Hell? No." Knowing that this was the archbishop's curse made him angry. Blue Fox didn't want to have anything to do with all the priests here.

Besides, as the supreme commander appointed by Rurik, what is his personal status? Perhaps the reason why the Swedish army left alone and the Jotalan nobles followed the group of guys and landed early was because they had another identity - Christians.

If you believe in all kinds of gods, does that mean you don’t believe in anything?

This army believes in the northern gods. As a commander, is it necessary to continue to have Christian faith?

Blue Fox has no concerns. It is said that there is a concept of "deprivation of religious membership", the so-called "excommunication". Excommunication is excommunication, just a Frankish trick, which has nothing to do with the Kingdom of Rus.

The Blue Fox first turned around, took out the cross from his chest, and deliberately showed it to Gregory, who was going to die righteously.

However, seeing that the land was a Norman chief, he actually showed the cross and his eyes widened again: "What's going on? You..."

"I...have actually been baptized."

"You? Traitor! Sacrilege the traitor?!"

"Sacrilege? Indeed." Blue Fox curled his lips and pointed the steel sword straight into the sky: "If God is angry, he will kill me with thunder. Obviously, there is no such thing."

"You will go to hell."

"No. The Nordic gods gave us divine protection in this battle. You lost and we won, which means God has abandoned you. This is because you are not pious enough, hahaha..."

Blue Fox smiled very arrogantly. He deliberately imitated what he considered to be pedantic words from Eskil, modified them and threw them at the bishop named Gregory. Obviously, these words were too lethal. It seems as if the disaster in Maastricht was not an invasion by foreign enemies, but punishment for not being pious enough.

Of course Gregory didn't believe such nonsense, he just felt endless sorrow and despair.

"Then kill me!"

"Of course." Blue Fox briefly explained to the elite attendants around him, and these strong men swarmed forward.

A hemp rope was put around the neck of the archbishop who was pressed to the ground, and then the rope was quickly tightened.

Blue Fox raised his head and said the last sentence: "If your body is damaged, you will not be able to go to heaven. Now I will give you the whole body, and you can go to heaven and curse me."

In the end, the soldiers fought hard and the archbishop's neck was broken by force, and everything was over.

"Is this the end?" A confused Grund asked in surprise.

"You should have done this kind of thing." Blue Fox turned his head and said disdainfully.

"Ha! I thought this noble fellow would be useful to you."

"No. He's exactly a hot potato. You should kill him sooner."

"There's no need to blame me too harshly. The person is dead anyway, what should we do next?"

"What else can we do?" Blue Fox shrugged, "Continue to loot, that's what we came to Frank for, isn't it?!"