Eagle Byzantium

Above the circular altar is a patio that allows for natural light, surrounded by a magnificent dome and murals. There is a movable iron fence connected to the Basilica Corridor, which must be twisted open when entering.

On the smooth marble floor, Gawain asked Agnes to put the city model on the long table in front of the altar.

Above their heads is a mural of Dimitri, the patron saint of the city. This patron is with St. Michael. Dimitri is close to middle age, has a black beard, rides a black horse, and holds a sharp weapon. The spear stabbed a Dacian dragon under the horse's hooves; while St. Michael was a young man with no beard, riding a white horse, holding a sword, and was beheading an ancient Roman huddled under him. Gladiator, and this gladiator was the murderer of many Christians.

In the gorgeous palace, Gawain continued to greet Ceces warmly. The gray-haired Agnes lowered her eyebrows and respectfully arranged the miniature city model.

Gawain pointed to "Thessaloniki" and said generously, "From here to here, it is your Plogonia. It will be recorded in the archives of the imperial capital immediately, stamped with a seal, and it will never change."

Ceces thought that Gawain had indeed lived up to his promise. The tip of his excited nose was shining with beads of sweat, and his greedy eyes were fixed on the model.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"You're welcome. Forty thousand tasso silver coins a year is enough to show your glory!" Gawain replied with his arms crossed, his robe draped diagonally and lined with ring armor.

"Hey..." Sweat rolled down Ceces' forehead.

How is that possible! Forty thousand tasso silver coins, forty thousand taso silver coins, why is it just such a small amount? What I ask for is one-fifth of my salary. This guy Gawain is so shameless!

Ceces then suppressed his temper, unfolded the edict that had previously been stamped with Gawain's "Red Hand Seven Ridges" seal, and kindly reminded the new emperor who was still dancing, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty...are you... You made a mistake, Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

Agnes, who was retreating by the long table, couldn't help but smile.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

"Huh?" Gawain then turned his neck and withdrew the scepter that had been spinning on the city model just now, and noticed Ceces' low-pitched complaint, "Did you make a mistake, your wise majesty? Thessalonian The citizens and commercial ports of Jicheng last year And the port tax, converted into a full amount of tasso, should be 1.14 million; this does not include the 230,000 special tax collected at the 'Saint Dimitri Market', and the entire Thessaly Nica’s agricultural taxes also amount to nearly half a million tasos.”

Gawain frowned suddenly, thoughtfully, and said to his appointed general in surprise, "There are actually so many?"

Ceces hurriedly responded in a low voice, "Yes, Your Majesty, so my salary should be one-fifth." After that, he drew a number for Gawain.

"There are so many?" Gawain repeated this sentence.

Ceces nodded solemnly.

"Are there so many in Thessaloniki? My dear lady official." Gawain also hurriedly asked Agnes on the side.

Agnes's voice was very clear and clear, "Your Majesty, that's one-fifth of the tax of General Ceces' Thessaloniki District." After saying that, she stood up with her slender body and took the gift from Gawain. The scepter was pointed at the seaside area in the center of the city model. "Thessaloniki is divided into seven districts. Plogonia, which the general enjoys, is here. It is the richest district among them."

This answer made Ceces' head boom, like a fire bear cannon was fired - it turned out that Gawain had played tricks in the edict document, and he was granted the title of "Thessaloniki District" instead of what he thought. The city of Thessaloniki, let alone the entire Thessalonica peninsula...

"I see, I think General Ceces should understand." Here Gawain looked at the city model and then at the little sunfish, with a look of sudden realization on his face.

Several guards walked into the altar and kindly helped General Ceces away, whose legs were a little weak.

"Forty thousand tasso, his salary is only equivalent to thirteen pounds of gold in the past." Looking at Ceces' back, Agnes laughed, "It's just the annual salary of a noble in the palace, and I still think about it. Marry Ducasse."

Gawain looked at the little sunfish and was silent, but he was obviously touched by Agnes' unintentional words - the Ducasse family's real estate in Thrace is extremely large, and it also belongs to the local nobles. Representative, just because of the alliance but not the suppression, Gawain still had some doubts in his heart - he somewhat understood the obsession of his dead father-in-law Alexios.

However, the most important thing now is to resolve the entrenched resistance on the Holy Mountain of Athos.

As soon as the city of Thessaloniki fell into the hands of Gawain, the situation in Serbia, Dalmatia and even Bulgaria suddenly changed drastically - at the call of Masdas, Constantine Bertin also accepted Toth The double coronation of Pope Cana and the Holy Mountain of Athos. He ascended the throne with his son in the new court of Ohrid. At the same time, the Orthodox Patriarch Akrida of Pliska, the hometown of Bulgaria, announced his response to the monarch. Tandine Bourdin's actions.

Since then, Constantine Bodin has declared himself the "Great King of Serbia, Lasnia and Bulgaria" and the "Sword-bearing Protector of the Orthodox Faith". Many Slavic "zupans" (locals) in Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria Lords) all submitted to his authority, and countless exiled Eastern Roman nobles went to him. Even Isaac Comnenus of Dirasium recognized Bertin's authority, and the Venetians also gave him the authority through Zara. Provide weapons, money and food.

Berdin had an ambitious dream in his heart. He wanted to follow the footsteps of Simeon, the ancient Bulgarian emperor, to establish a huge new empire in Serbia, Bulgaria and Macedonia, and suppress or even destroy Gawain's new empire.

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On the other hand, Isaac Komnenos led 4,000 soldiers and had quickly arrived in Larissa before, preparing to approach Thessalonica.

Fortunately, Gawain had accepted the advice of the little sunfish and deceived Ceces to get Thessalonica, otherwise he would have been one step ahead by Isaac, his "lifelong enemy".

Isaac, who learned that Thessalonica had surrendered, hurriedly withdrew his troops to Larissa to defend it, blocking Gawain's way to further enter the Moria Peninsula to the west.

On the other hand, Berdin organized 6,000 soldiers and horses to fill Magoron Castle and seal Thessalonica from the northwest.

The Bulgarian rebels also swarmed out, using Sophia Castle as their center and entering and exiting the mountain passes, seriously threatening Philip Castle, a fortress on the upper reaches of the Evros River.

Many Paulicians who escaped from the north told Gawain the news that his two brigades were threatened from three directions.

Gawain reacted quickly, "No matter which direction the enemy comes from, I will first deal with the Holy Mountain of Athos and eradicate the spiritual support of this group of rebels." He then left three detachments of the Guardian Brigade to guard Thessaloniki, and then led the rest of the team back to the east, starting to build a blockade fortress on the coast opposite Athos, and sent orders to the Imperial Capital and Mysia's Jaeger Clipper Group to provide a sea blockade.