The scene that transpired in Alandler City quickly reached Losa's ears.
As the lord, Losa dealt with such trivial matters every day.
Losa expressed approval of the way the Imperial Knight handled the situation, "Well done, go to my secretary and collect ten silver denars, and give them to the newlyweds as my gift to them."
"Also, tell all the farr soldiers that if any of them wish to settle and establish themselves in Alandler, I will give the sa gift and exempt them from the marriage tax."
In this era, peasant slaves needed to pay a tax to the lord when marrying.
This is probably also the origin of the so-called "right of the first night" legend, but in reality, very few lords desired to 'enjoy' the commoner won.
The heavy labor would quickly ruin a beautiful girl's youth.
Losa further instructed the knight, "Marrying heretics is not allowed, so you can serve as a temporary witness to officiate their wedding and conversion ceremony."
"With the sa conditions, as long as they convert to the true faith, they can receive land."
The knight asked, "What if both parties to the marriage are Christians?"
Losa replied, "Then, according to our rules in Hebron, they will be granted more land."
The knight was a bit worried, "But sir, do we really have so much land to distribute?"
"We will have soon. I will confiscate so land from the powerful heretics and lend iron farming tools to the converts to help them cultivate wasteland and build irrigation channels."
Losa said solemnly.
Transjordan does not lack land; it is vast, approximately one-third of the entire Kingdom of Jerusalem.
But the population here is less than one hundred thousand, about one-tenth of the entire Kingdom of Jerusalem.
A significant part of the reason is that the difficulty of land reclamation here is too high, lacking oases, water sources, and irrigation facilities.
Land desertification is a severe issue even in later generations, let alone in this era.
This requires constant investnt from him as a lord, which is a long-term expenditure.
It is also why the new Habsburg established around the Tree of Life will inevitably beco the most valuable domain under Losa's rule in the future.
Under Losa's command, the best-treated subjects are naturally the Frankish immigrants from Europe, who share the sa language and culture as Losa.
Although few in number, they are the most trustworthy to Losa.
Next are the other groups, including the converts and public teaching believers.
Further down are the remnants of the Empire's orthodox believers, Arnian Apostolic Church believers, Coptic Church heretics, and finally the heretics.
A hierarchical division must be established to make "conversion" more aningful.
But at the sa ti, this hierarchy should not lead to extre layered oppression and colonial rule among the various ethnic groups.
...
Jaffa.
A handso man with regular features and a pair of brown eyes, supported by his personal knight, slowly disembarked from the kirk ship that had just docked.
For the first ti in half a month, setting foot on solid ground, the man couldn't help but sigh, "Finally arrived at the Holy Land, I've forgotten how long we've been drifting at sea."
He was wearing a cloak dyed with yellow dye, with a red standing lion painted on the chest, with a knight's sword at his waist, and a spine-shaped helt on his head.
"About half a month?"
The knight replied.
Otto from Algo laughed, "It felt as long as half a century—the sun in the Holy Land is truly harsh, completely different from the Swiss mountains."
The group walked up the dock.
Not far away, in the ridges, won were picking threshed rye to prevent it from being eaten by birds.
Sailors on the dock were chanting as they loaded and unloaded goods onto the square-bellied kirk ship.
The disorderly farms scattered across the countryside.
Seeing this scene with their own eyes, the knight couldn't help but yearn, "This is the Holy Land, the legendary Celestial Paradise flowing with milk and honey."
Otto said, "I heard that the nobles here use soft fabrics on the floor instead of rushes, and even the lowest peasants can receive enough black bread to fill their bellies for free at the monastery."
"Losa gained the lofty position of Count of Transjordan right here. Compared to the Empire, his status in the Kingdom of Jerusalem is no less than Henry the Lion of Saxony."
"In the future, you will serve under him."
The knights said with so anticipation, "It's really hard to imagine that young master Losa, who still seed a bit immature on the training ground back in the day, has beco a grand lord."
"And not achieved the title through marriage!"
Otto's expression was sowhat complex, "Indeed, he has accomplished great feats."
"Ah, Honorable Duke, your coat of arms seems sowhat familiar."
A knight approached with a smile to greet them, "I am the vassal of Princess Sibilla and the Guard Officer of Jaffa Port, it's a great honor to et you all."
Otto quickly replied in fluent Latin with a Swabian accent, "It's also my honor to et such a formidable knight like you the mont I arrive at the Holy Land."
"I am Otto from Habsburg—you find this coat of arms familiar probably because my brother is the Count of Transjordan."
The knight imdiately showed a look of surprise, "So you are Lord Losa's brother, you are just as handso as the lord, please follow quickly into the palace of Jaffa, where my master will host you graciously."
Otto was sowhat perplexed by the knight's suddenly more eager attitude, "Honorable knight, are you very familiar with my brother?"
"Familiar?"
The knight couldn't help but laugh: "Of course I'm familiar with him. All the knights, commoners, and nobles of Jerusalem know your brother well. He brought victory to Jerusalem and is hailed as the undefeated Dragon Slayer who also invented all sorts of novel things."
"We admire and envy him."
"In any case, follow quickly."
"Don't worry about missing any important business, as I will imdiately dispatch a ssenger to notify your brother, who will co to Jaffa Port to et you."
The knight's warm attitude made Otto relax his mind.
Following the knight into Jaffa City, Otto looked at this bustling port city and couldn't help but remark, "Indeed, the Holy Land is truly affluent."
"That's naturally the case."
The knight seed quite proud.
Compared to the barren and chilly Frankish Region, Jerusalem indeed was a blessed land.
Of course, Transjordan couldn't compare with Ripoli or the Kingdom Headquarters territories.
The words "fertile land stretching for miles" that Losa boasted about, while the extent is not a problem, the "fertile land" part is rather doubtful.
Otto took out an apple from his saddlebag and fed it to his mount, which had been sweating profusely ever since arriving in the Holy Land due to not adapting to the hot climate.
"No wonder that during the last Eastern Expedition, my father said he and his knights had to choose to fight on foot."
Otto patted the long neck of the warhorse: "These Gaul horses and Germanic horses simply cannot adapt to the drastically different climate of the Holy Land."
The Guard Officer of Jaffa Port laughed and said: "That's exactly right, Lord Otto, you should store your mounts in the stables at the port, where they will receive proper care, but expecting them to battle in the Holy Land is completely unrealistic."
"But you needn't worry, my master will gift you a fine Arabian warhorse as a replacent."
…
Otto resided in Jaffa for three days.
During these three days, he attended one feast after another, receiving nurous gifts thanks to Losa's reputable na.
Otto hadn't initially expected Losa to have accomplished such great achievents.
Werewolf Slayer.
Dragon Slayer.
Holy Land Protector.
King's Hand.
Generous One.
Father of Gwent.
Brave One…
A plethora of nicknas dazzled the mind.
Mind you, within the entire Algo County, only Count Werner had one well-known nickna, and it was the derogatory "Cross-eyed."
By the afternoon of the third day.
Otto was tending to his mount in the stables when he suddenly heard a familiar voice sounding nearby.
"Otto, long ti no see."
The young noble riding on horseback reined in and stopped, his black cloak behind him flapping like a battle flag in the cool evening breeze.
On the sleek plate armor, a cloak of red and white hues was draped, featuring a double-headed eagle poised to spread its wings.
Otto paused, looking at Losa for a long while before blurting out, "You've beco much more handso since you left."
"That's only natural."
Environnt influences disposition, upbringing changes physique.
A real power-wielding Earl of the Kingdom compared to a second son of a rural count, a landless wandering knight with no equal comparison.
Losa seldom showed a desire to boast: "Otto, do you rember what we said when we parted?"
"Certainly."
Otto couldn't help but roll his eyes: "You've really had that matter on your mind for a long ti; ntioned it in your letters, brought it up in person, just like a nagging gossipmonger."
Losa snorted: "To be honest."
"I don't understand, Otto, what is wrong with the Duke of Lower Lorraine's second daughter?"
"Father has even spilled complaints to ."
"According to him, her dowry includes at least two Baronies, twenty villages, all on fertile land, with two thousand subjects paying in-kind taxes, capable of sustaining a hundred-man elite standing army."
Otto reluctantly added: "There are actually also two quarries and a small copper mine."
Losa dismounted and approached him.
"So I'm puzzled, Otto, such generous dowry, how terrifying must your fiancée be for you to have the thought of escaping marriage."
Otto couldn't help but show a face full of frustrations: "She's a licentious woman, long lost her chastity, mingles daily with monks and male servants. Her first husband was infuriated to death after discovering her misdeeds."
Losa paused for a mont in silence.
So she was also divorced.
He lightly coughed, advising: "Rumors might not be true, and besides, if it weren't for her bad reputation, how would you get to marry such a prized bride?"
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