Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks-Chapter 539 - 318: Submitting to Serve

Senmut walked somewhat despondently down the streets of Damietta.

Along the way, everyone who saw him would lower their heads and hurriedly avoid him. No one spoke a word to his face, yet it seemed as though everyone was mocking his incompetence.

The guards stationed at the City Lord’s Hall took the reins from his hands with a complex expression: "General, the governor and the lords are already waiting for you inside."

"I understand."

Senmut glanced at the painted window frames and slowly walked into the magnificent marble hall.

Sure enough, as soon as he entered, he was greeted by the questioning voices he had anticipated.

"Senmut, you have squandered Damietta’s last elite forces, and now with only over ten thousand troops remaining in the city, how can we resist the numerous, well-equipped Frankish soldiers?"

The speaker was a close aide of Governor Iben, a Jewish man from Iberia, known as Maimonides.

Since the overthrow of the previous dynasty by the Muoheide Dynasty, which established a new rule in Iberia, the formerly tolerant religious policies were changed, requiring all Jews to convert to Fire Worship, leading to the exodus of many Jews.

Maimonides was one of them. With his exceptional medical skills and artistic expertise, he quickly gained the trust of Governor Iben and became a close confidant.

Someone else immediately added: "Senmut’s command was improper and unforgivable; he should be sentenced to being cut in half."

The hall was filled with accusations, one after another.

The anger in Senmut’s heart flared up: "Enough, those were the Crusader Princes who defeated King Saladin, a force personally led by Losa!"

"Even the elite troops of King Saladin were defeated. If it were you, who can guarantee victory?"

Someone sneered: "Senmut, I indeed can’t guarantee victory, but I would never boast shamelessly to recommend to Lord Governor to launch a night raid on the Crusaders, which has now left us unable to even defend the city adequately."

"Lord Governor, I believe Senmut must be punished!"

"Cut in half!"

"Beheaded!"

The crowd was furious, as if executing Senmut could vent the fear in their hearts.

Governor Iben’s brow furrowed with worry.

Senmut was his personal military leader, a Coptic man of Mamluk origin, and his absolute confidant.

However, as the commander of this defeat, it was reasonable for him to bear the blame for the loss.

Yet, at this critical moment, if he were to kill a major general on his side, he wouldn’t know whom to appoint to defend Damietta—though he resented Senmut’s incompetence, he was also aware that Senmut was his most battle-savvy general.

"A night raid was not a wrong move."

The Jewish advisor Maimonides unexpectedly spoke a fair word: "Previously, no one could have imagined that the Crusaders could defeat our thirty-thousand-strong army with just five thousand men. This is not General Senmut’s fault."

"Then whose fault is it? The governor’s?"

Another burst of argument ensued.

The entire hall was as chaotic as a marketplace.

Governor Iben, unable to endure it any longer, roared: "Enough, do you think bickering like a bunch of skirt-wearing women will drive the Franks away? What I want to know is whether Damietta can still be defended, and how to defend it!"

The Jewish advisor Maimonides spoke again: "Lord Governor, given the current situation, I might try negotiating with the Franks."

"Negotiate with heretics?"

Governor Iben furrowed his brows, but he couldn’t deny that he was somewhat tempted.

As an eyewitness to last night’s night raid, he too was intimidated by the Franks’ terrifying combat power, and unwilling to fight such an opponent unless absolutely necessary.

It’s just that at this critical moment, negotiating with the Franks...

In the past, indeed, there were instances of several Saracen rulers allying with Crusader Princes to oppose other Saracen lords. For example, the Fire Worship lord Unur of Damascus had once allied with the Kingdom of Jerusalem to contend against the aggressive Zengi Dynasty.

But Unur was an independent monarch, whereas he was only a governor appointed by Saladin.

If he did this, Saladin, or Adil, would have the justification to openly revoke his territory, and he was quite certain that Adil, who had remained passive, would definitely do so if he learned of it.

Maimonides quickly added: "Lord Governor, we don’t need to actually negotiate with the heretics; we just need to persuade them to deal with your political enemies, the governor of the Gayer-Abbas Province or the governor of the Manufiya Province."

Silence enveloped the hall for a moment, as Saracen nobles eagerly spoke up: "That’s a good idea!"

"But what do we use to persuade them?"

"Who can persuade those savage, brutal Franks to redirect their attack to others?"

Maimonides, observing the clearly interested expression on Governor Iben’s face, volunteered: "I have dealt with the Franks. They are not just a bunch of brawlers, greedy and crude, irredeemable devils; many exquisite poems have been crafted by Frankish knights."

Iben frowned: "Are you praising the heretics?"

"No, I just want to point out that the Franks can be negotiated with."

Maimonides leaned forward, lowered his voice, and asked: "Lord Governor, among the rulers of Fire Worship, there are tyrants like Zangi who cut off people’s arms and nail living people to crosses. However, among the Franks, there are also benevolent and wise rulers like King Baldwin..."