Eagle Flag of Epirus

　　 On the streets of Mystras, people clawed in the streets to see off the army that was about to leave. Although they have lost too many relatives, the Greek women still gritted their teeth with tears and sent their sons, husbands and brothers to the battlefield with hatred for the Latin barbarians. I just hope you can kill a few more enemies for Lord Justinian! They said so.

　　 While looking at the peasant who had been honest and friendly the day before, today he took up his weapon and became a soldier in Rome, Salius felt a little sorrowful in his heart, and I don’t know how many people would sleep in a foreign land at night. Although he knew in his heart that it was worth it to expel the Latins, the people of Moria had paid too much.

　　 "You have to go this time too." Behind Sarius, Neusky the Varangi slowly walked over and said quietly. Since Moriah still needs someone to stay behind, Justinian arranged for him to stay in Mystras, while Salius went with him to Macedonia.

Salius apparently heard the depression in the other party’s words, and calmed down: "His Royal Highness Trusted you so he kept you, so that he can feel at ease that there is no danger behind him. After all, you are the first person to follow him. , Only you can reassure him completely."

"You don't need to comfort me, and I don't mean to blame Master Justinian." Nieowski smiled bitterly, shaking his half-crimped arm, "I just blame myself for being useless, and there is no way to be with you anymore. Walking side by side on the battlefield. The future of the adult we assisted will undoubtedly be far beyond our imagination. As the sword in his hand, I knew that I was destined to be unable to continue to follow one day, because the sword will eventually be Corroded, but Lord Justinian’s strength is growing infinitely. His future man-in-hand can only rely on you."

"You don’t need to be so pessimistic. You should know that Lord Justinian never used us as tools. I don't want to lose you who have followed him for so long." Salius said.

And these inadvertent words just hit the pain in the heart of this Varangian man-yes, it is not because he guards Tripolis that he is the only one who has followed Justinian for the longest time. Was it the result of ineffectiveness? Leo’s garrison chief was killed, and he himself became disabled. If Justinian hadn’t come back in time to turn the tide, he would have truly become a sinner who could not redeem his sin. Although the great rebellion initiated by Leos Grace colluding with the Latins and the Venetians has been quelled for more than a year, until now Neusky still blames himself in his heart.

Salius also guessed what the other party was thinking, realized his failure to say, and said slowly: "Your Excellency Neusky, you don't have to blame yourself for that matter, although I have been loyal to His Highness Justinian. It's not long, but I know that a monarch who is as deep as a mountain will never be embarrassed by the next mistake of his minister. Entrusting you with the responsibility of protecting Moria, I believe that His Highness Justinian is more trusting in you. Taming the jealous Latins and being wary of the greedy Venetians at sea is not easy. This is what Grand Duke Anastasius told me before he left, and now I will give it to you."

　　 "Then I must pick up this burden for Master Justinian."

　　 Hearing these words, Niewuski was a little relieved, the two men fighting side by side looked at each other with regret, and said their final goodbyes.

　　 "I'm going on this trip, I don't know when I will see you again, take care."

　　 "We can definitely meet each other, and wish us victory on the wall of Theodosius!"

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With a beautiful vision, the last army on Moria’s land marched and left Mystras. The autumn wind was bleak, and all the places they passed were desolate and desolate because of the ravages of the Great Rebellion. The army marching in the devastation is like a prostrate snake.

　　 This may be the scene that will only appear at the end of the day. This seems to be destruction, but destruction is not necessarily desperate. A fire in the field seems to be a tragedy. It will turn the past into ashes and charcoal, but the soil will be more fertile in the coming year, and the dead trees and grass will be cleared away, so that new life has a chance to grow and grow. Rome will become stronger than before.

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　　 Going thousands of miles north, the war in Macedonia is igniting, from the plains on the border of Thrace to the hills of Thessaly, the fangs of the Latin Crusades and the territories of the old Roman nobles are intertwined. Since Boniface's kingship in Thessaloniki was defeated by Justinian, the headless Macedonia has fallen into division. Countless nobles have ghosts in their hearts, and this land is full of scattered troops that can be bought with money, making them believe that those with strong soldiers and strong horses can do whatever they want.

East of the Isk River, Boniface’s vassals gathered there to swear allegiance to Henry of Constantinople. After the death of Alexander, the monarch who had been Boniface’s son-in-law was the only one in their eyes. A life-saving straw can protect them from the reckoning of the Greeks who counterattacked. But this is only a superficial surrender. These Italian crusaders are still reluctant to offer the crown of Thessaloniki, only giving the title of protector to Emperor Henry. There are rumors that these nobles are plotting to follow Memphis. Welcome back to a nephew of Boniface to succeed to the throne.

　　 South of the Rodby Mountains, the large and small nobles on the plains of North Macedonia were frightened by the power of Epirus, and they all surrendered and recognized Mikhail Dukas as the emperor. Although in the war against Boniface, Mikhail, as the emperor, watched the battle under Thessaloniki with cold eyes, he undoubtedly became the final winner. In less than half a year, he used Mu Zfius gave him the status of co-ruling emperor and annexed the entire North Macedonia under his own control. Nowadays, in addition to a few Latin castles in the valleys and lowlands that are unwilling to surrender, Macedonia’s most elite plains have been All under Mikhail's control.

And the mountainous hills north of Thessaly, where a large number of Greek aristocrats fled here, once succumbed to the prostitution of Boniface’s successor Alexander, but with Alexander and his Latin Crusaders defeated in Moria , The nobles who regained their freedom here also launched a resistance, and contacted the Prince Theodor of Agrinon and launched a counterattack against the Latins entrenched here.

　　 Now, on the contrary, Justinian, who killed Boniface, has gained very little in Macedonia. Apart from Thessaloniki and the surrounding Slav communities, his influence is nothing more than that. For the past six months, the new army of Moria in Thessaloniki hasn’t taken any action, sitting and watching regardless of Epirus’ encroachment on the entire Macedonia. Today’s city is like an isolated island surrounded by hostility. people. Especially with the outbreak of the Epirus Civil War between the Dukas brothers, the entire Macedonia has become a battlefield. The war has threatened Thessaloniki several times, and the backlog of dissatisfaction in the city has increased day by day, but in Justinian’s absence During these days, the spearhead of the rumors in the streets and alleys was directed at the same person, that is, Baptiste, the city official of Thessaloniki.

For this Latin, the Greeks are more willing to call him the traitor Baptiste~www.readwn.com~ Even if he submits to Justinian, he is also appointed by Theodore as the prince. Human hatred still made this person the most unwelcome person in Thessaloniki. Especially since he has been living on the tower where he has been working for several months, people in the city point to the stone tower as the "devil's lair." Dissatisfaction is not only limited to ordinary civilians, even those who came with the new Moriya Army and Turks, Vadarutai mercenaries are suspicious and disgusted with their conservative attitude, after all, a Latin is now sitting on this Such behavior has to make ordinary people wary and suspect that he still harbors evil intentions.

　　 In the municipal administration office of Thessaloniki, the door was slammed open. The person who walked in angrily stuck his sword on the table in front of Baptiste.

As soon as Arslan entered the door, he stepped forward and glared at the man in front of him and said: "You better give me an explanation, Baptiste, why you disarmed my third company cavalry without authorization. I think We have already said that no one except me and Lord Justinian has the right to deal with my subordinates."

In the face of the other party’s questioning, Baptiste still methodically signed all kinds of correspondence orders, and replied without looking up: "I just got the permission of Lord Justinian, so I relieved you. The weapons of those restless guys under your hand. You should be thankful that you didn’t know about this before, otherwise Lord Justinian and I would think that you are not suitable for commanding the army at the moment.” After that, the man stopped writing. Calmly staring at the Turkic man in front of him, his expression is not the slightest wave. You must know that before turning into a civilian, he was a person who had fought on the battlefield with a long sword. How could he be suppressed by the opponent's momentum? .