Eagle Byzantium

The whole scene was silent, and the torches in the hands of soldiers and brothers were everywhere. Behind Gawain, stood Idorus, Andodat, Francesco, and Mero, all wearing The thin white sheepskin uniforms were printed with a pattern of red hands holding cross swords. Everyone in the square at the entrance of the hall had the same attire.

"General Titicius, the brochure brotherhood did not involve you and Diognis in advance. The main reason is that you both pledged loyalty to His Majesty the Empire. Gawain will not be embarrassed. But now the city of Bari has It has become the private property of St. Peter Pope and enjoys immunity, and I have been appointed as a priest by His Majesty the Holy See," Gawain said calmly.

"Your Excellency, do you mean that Duke Breenus is not allowed to come and take over this city?" Tethysus suddenly thought of it. He knew that Gawain was going to Venice, but he was deceived. It turned out that Gawain was going to Venice. Visiting the cave made a secret agreement with the city of Rome.

"I didn't say that. You can still bring your subordinates to serve the Imperial Caesar, and the Captor can also bring his Tecobo people to continue to serve His Majesty. I am willing to provide travel expenses and ships. I, Gawain, and the Red Hand Dalian Company are also Same, he is still the commander of Akonis registered in His Majesty’s Golden Register.”

"But your army will never be used by His Majesty. Stephen Gawain, you have deliberately planned to get both sides in the gap between the east and the west, mastered the flag and power of this army, and also controlled the city through the Brotherhood. Authority." Titicius closed his eyes and then opened them again, "But - this has nothing to do with me. Please just return His Excellency Caesar's personal soldiers and horses to me."

"It's natural." Gawain laughed and said that if the guards were as frank as you, there would be no problem.

"But what I am very concerned about is, what should you do if the city of Bari belongs to you soon? You must know that His Majesty will never abandon this city easily, and Archduke Brenus will soon take it with his scepter followers. And you In order to fulfill my promise to the Holy See, I should have made a vow of expedition.”

Gawain didn't care at all. He pointed to the stone pillar in front of the hall. "I said when I was negotiating with Bohemond that the city of Barry has now become a place where a single move can affect the whole body. I believe that your supreme majesty , there is absolutely no way he would fall out with the Holy See because of this small coastal city-state, let alone him. Now there is an urgent need for Gawain's large company of red hands and the armies of various pilgrim lords to help him regain the territory of Xiaoya. Therefore, in order not to be criticized, Gawain will not seize the city privately, nor will he hand it over. His Majesty or the Holy See leaves the fate of life and death to the local residents of Bari.”

Tatisius turned to look at the two stone pillars with carved tops. He doesn't know why, or maybe he grew up in Asia Minor and Byzantium, and he doesn't know much about how Italy's republican city-states will operate. "Isn't it natural for the city to be managed by officials sent by His Majesty?"

But the stone pillars were still bare under the firelight, and Taticius didn't understand.

So the bold self-proclaimed Grand Duke began to explain eloquently:

"Before I went to Venice, in addition to signing a business agreement to lease ships and open trade, I also carefully studied and imitated their 'Frabignac' national policy. Now under the auspices of this Grand Duke, the city and countryside of Bari have been It is divided into the same six regions as Venice, and each region first elects two "public opinion representatives". The two public opinion representatives elected 48 more "electoral colleges" from six regions. After legal consultations, the electoral college selected the Grand Duke, the Governor of Bari, and six senior "Advisers to the Governor," composed of the Grand Duke and the advisors. "Chief Meeting", presiding over the standing affairs; and then the Electoral College continued to nominate sixty members of the Brotherhood in each region. The 360-member "Jinzhu Grand Senate" determines basic national policies once a year; in addition, the daily operations and chores of the city are all controlled by the Brotherhood. "

Titicius raised his hand. Expressing that he did not understand and did not want Gawain to continue speaking, "Soon you will engrave this national policy on two stone pillars, and from then on realize the autonomy of the city of Bari, just like Venice broke away from the Roman Empire."

"Yes, but the city of Bari will still pay tribute to Your Majesty, and I am still within His Majesty's canonization." Gawain was very respectful.

But General Xiubi obviously did not accept this trick, "If nothing unexpected happens, you will be the Grand Duke, the first Governor-General of Bari."

"Yes, I can't reject the enthusiasm of Barry's public representative. Now I am a veritable dux." Gawain raised his head and said to the moon in the night sky with a very honorable and heavy sense of responsibility. Then, several craftsmen wearing red-hand cross-sword uniforms came down, erected text templates, and began to carve on the stone pillars.

In the midst of the sound, Taticius had a look of sudden enlightenment on his face and bowed, "No matter what, the years of fighting side by side with you are always touching and satisfying. Your Excellency, Grand Duke Gawain, these words come from the heart of my Taticius." ”

"Then why don't you continue to fight with me, are you still bound by the inherent rope?" Gawain then walked down the steps and sincerely asked the cavalry general.

"If the Red Hand Company will be loyal to His Majesty in the future and fight against Cornea and Norman bandits in Asia Minor or Italy, then Tatisius will definitely have a chance to fight alongside the Grand Duke." After saying this, Tatisius Si took a few steps back, then turned around and headed back to his camp with his Cuman guards under the moonlight.

But when Titius arrived at the camp gate, he found that all the Cuman soldiers were boiling. They came out in groups and took the smocks and military flags embroidered with red-handed cross swords from the monks standing by the door, including many private soldiers and servants sent by Caesar. Titius immediately stopped one of them. When the other saw that it was his general, he immediately bowed and saluted.

"What are you going to do?" Titius' words were a little harsh.

"We want to be baptized and join the Red Hand Company." The words of this group of Cuman barbarians of Turkic descent made people laugh and cry.

A correct version can be found in the 16-9 book forum!

Although he couldn't understand, Taitius' arms still dropped again unbelievably, lowered his head, and let the soldiers pass by him one after another. With a helpless expression, he sighed, "As the Turkish proverb says, only dogs will turn back to eat what they vomited. In this case, let these Cumans go... Anyway, Caesar will continue to win over Gawain, but I'm afraid that by then, Caesar, no, the entire empire, won't have such thick chains in their hands to tie him down..." (To be continued ~^~)