ALL NOVEL
Chapter 41: Too Many
Back when Constantin XI was younger, he had gone through a phase where he fought hard to revitalize the Eastern Romain Empire, determined to bring back its glorious days.
He first pushed forward changes in Morea by restoring the Romain Empire’s tradition of legionary, forming a legion comprising several thousand civilian soldiers. At the same time, he struck a few deals and acquired the support of the western Crusaders.
(Legions are civilian soldiers)
So, while the Ottomains were busy dealing with the Crusaders up north, he swooped in and conquered Athens.
If only the Crusaders could stall the Ottomain troops longer, he could have made use of the opportunity to reclaim Thessaloniki and the other cities to connect the territories of the Eastern Romain Empire. That would at least put them in a better position.
However, the Crusaders suffered a tragic defeat to the Ottomains. The Ottomains proceeded to dispatch its main force southward, and Constantin XI had no choice but to retreat.
This brought him a step further away from his dream.
Upon returning to Constantinope, Constantin XI tried to implement changes, but he faced hurdles at every turn of the way. Officials and nobles strongly objected and even sabotaged his policies.
He couldn’t understand why the nobles refused to let go of their land outside the city despite knowing the Ottomains could claim them at any moment.
The Eastern Romain Empire’s greatest strength was its land-owning legions—and those nobles knew it—but they would rather clutch onto their land and squander their money on mercenaries than to share their wealth with their brethren.
To make things worse, Constantin XI couldn’t turn against the nobles.
Constantinope’s circle of nobility was complicated, such that dealing with even a single noble house could implicate many others. If he tried to subdue them with force, those nobles might even resort to colluding with the Ottomains and open the city gates for them!
Constantin XI already thought that Constantinope’s nobles were disgusting as they were, but who could have thought that those in Thessaloniki were even worse?
You should be thanking the Lord if I don’t pursue the matter of you betraying our empire, yet you’re still dreaming of maintaining your lofty positions so that you can continue your tyranny? And on top of it all, you dare to coerce me?
Constantin XI trembled with rage.
“So be it!” He clenched his jaws. “At worst I’ll just abdicate from the throne!”
Constantin XI raised his hand, signaling for his soldiers to ready themselves. “Warriors of our Eastern Romain Empire—”
Just then, the blood twin-headed eagle flag charged over.
“Huh?” Shu Yichao was swiftly galloping over on horseback. “I thought I had already cleaned this area. Why did a bunch of red dots suddenly appear here? Whatever. I’ll just farm these mobs.”
“Caesar!”
“It’s the Khitan Caesar!”
The converts hiding behind the barricades panicked. As much as they had the guts to roar at the Romain emperor, the same couldn’t be said about the Khitan Caesar…
The emperor would at least have to tread carefully lest the nobles turn against him, but these Khitans didn’t care about that at all. There was no doubt in their mind that these Khitans would hack them up if they dared to block their path.
“Stop!”
“Stop!”
Anxious voices echoed.
Shu Yichao halted his steed and looked at the nobles, who had appeared along the streets, with curious eyes.
“Hu!” The nobles heaved a sigh of relief.
These converts were not just their relatives and good friends; some were even their offspring. They would cry their eyes out if Shu Yichao were to hack all of them down.
That’s a relief. The Khitan Caesar might be a fierce general, but it looks like he can at least be reasoned with.
With such thoughts, the nobles put on their airs once more. They stood in the middle of the street with their chests puffed out, using their pompous words to reiterate their demands to Constantin XI and Shu Yichao.
What they were doing wasn’t in line with good decorum, but they decided to go ahead with it since the situation had already turned out like this.
【Oooh, my host!】
System 12345 suddenly got pumped up.
【It’s a large group of nobles, and they are here to find you! Your performance must have impressed them.】
【You might have failed to win over the Second Imperial Consort, but you can forge good relations with these nobles too! Who knows? If you get on good terms with them, they might just be able to put in a good word for you in front of the Second Imperial Consort…】
【You still have a chance!】
“What are they saying?” Shu Yichao alighted from his horse and asked out of curiosity.
Madam Marti tried her best to explain. She had been hanging out with Shu Yichao in recent days, and with her sharp mind, so she was able to pick up a bit of Mandarin.
Through her half-assed Mandarin and intense gestures, Shu Yichao naturally misinterpreted what she was getting at.
“What? They want to collect protection fee from me?” Shu Yichao was stunned. “Those bunch of gangsters!”
He looked up once more. Oh hoh! Their names have turned red.
The nobles watched in confusion as Shu Yichao ran back and got back onto his steed.
The earth shook as he led his Elite Horse Archers on a furious charge toward the nobles and the converts. The nobles were baffled.
Do you, the Caesar, have to be so hot-headed? We might be asking for a lot, but you can always haggle it down! Isn’t that how nobles conduct negotiations since ancient times?
You shouldn’t be flipping the table on us just like that!
“RUNNN!”
“The Khitans are coming!”
“Save me!”
“Don’t kill me!”
“I’ll give you all the gold you want! Just spare my life!”
“Your Majesty, save us!”
“Constantin, tell the Caesar to stop right now!”
The nobles, who were putting on airs a second ago, were scared out of their wits when they saw Shu Yichao charging at them without a care in the world! They scattered in a fluster, some even leaving their shoes behind.
But no matter how fast they ran, how could they possibly outrun cavalrymen?
The Elite Horse Archers’ charge sent the plump nobles flying across the air and rolling on the floor before they were trampled by the war steeds’ hard hooves.
Pained screeches and death throes filled the street.
These sons of bitches! I might have accumulated a small fortune from all the slaughter, but there’s a single dinar in my pocket that’s unnecessary. This is the first time a NPC dared to extort money from me!
As Shu Yichao trampled the nobles, he quickly noticed something.
“Oh? Noble heads are worth more than the heads of ordinary soldiers?”
So, he did a u-turn and carried out a second wave of charge.
Shu Yichao was unmoved no matter how the nobles pleaded for mercy. It took him mere moments to purge all of the nobles who showed themselves.
The people who used to govern the fates of others were now stomped into the ground.
However, Shu Yichao was not done yet. He grabbed a spear and began charging at the bewildered converts.
These are free mobs. Why shouldn’t I farm them?
Watching a cruel massacre of the nobles unfolding before his eyes, Constantin XI couldn’t stop trembling. It was not difficult to figure how he was feeling looking at his trembling silhouette…
“Your Majesty,” Madam Marti quietly reminded, “pull yourself together.”
“…” Constantin XI couldn’t stop himself from trembling.
“Your Majesty,” Madam Marti continued advising, “you absolutely have to keep it in, especially at a time like this.”
“…Wuuu.” Constantin XI could barely squeeze out any words.
“Shh!” Madam Marti harshly whispered. “Your Majesty, you need to stop laughing. There are many people looking! You are the Eastern Romain Empire’s Augustus. It won’t reflect well on you if word gets out. Worse comes to worst, we’ll find a private place later for you to laugh all you want!”
【Why, my host…】
【Why is it that trouble follows you wherever you go?】
【Your Empire Bewitcher talent is potent enough to win over your greatest enemy as long as you put it to good use, but why is it that you keep stumbling at every turn? Are you using your talent properly?】