Eagle Byzantium

Prusa is the richest city in the entire Bithynia region. It is surrounded by extremely well-irrigated fields and has many monasteries on Mount Olympus. Now because the city has suffered from the war in the previous battle, the residents It is quite dilapidated, and the market and densely packed houses inside are deserted.

So Anna issued an edict, requiring the surrounding farmers and craftsmen to settle and migrate, and ordered many monasteries in Mount Olympus to release their slaves and bring them to the city. Unfortunately, the Orthodox monasteries suffered another round of attacks and plunders. More than 3,000 people were released, and the city of Prusa quickly returned to a scale of 10,000 people settling there.

Next, Gawain's military operations became even more fierce: the Hierapolis brigade moved all the way to the left, sweeping across the entire Mycia; while the Gemges brigade went all the way to the right, starting to attack Nicaea, Nicomedia, etc. Coastal cities advance. The operation went as smoothly as initially expected. After capturing the chokepoint city of Prusa and annihilating John's new army, the brigades on these two wings encountered little resistance and captured many cities without bloodshed.

The city of Nicaea surrendered in early September. This strong fortress sandwiched between the sea and the lake had resisted the huge Eastern Expeditionary Army for a long time when Gawain returned to Asia Minor, but now it quickly recognized Anna Duca. The suzerainty of Sri Lanka - the remaining imperial officials and church figures in the city readily handed over the keys to the city gate, because even if they wanted to resist, they had no weapons to back it up.

About fifteen days later the city of Nicomedia also surrendered.

At the port of this great city, in a wasteland covered with lush woods, Gawain and Anna paid homage to the tombstone of Hannibal, the greatest general in ancient times. “He was once the most terrible enemy of Rome, but in the end he became the most humble He took poison and died in the cave here." Anna looked at the simple tombstone and couldn't help but feel the sadness unique to a historian.

Not far from Hannibal is the villa of Emperor Constantine, where he died.

But now, after being destroyed by several earthquakes, the elegant villa of the royal family in the past has been reduced to incomplete ruins. Gawain and his wife also came here, looking at the broken walls, broken stone pillars, and ocean currents of various colors. The criss-crossing inland sea of ​​Marimara is somewhat lost in the magnificent sunset over the strait - from here, the outline of the imperial capital and the buildings in the suburbs are clearly visible.

Anna sighed and leaned on Gawain's shoulder: from the time she and Gawain eloped at the wedding in Brachna Palace to the time they returned here, less than seven years had passed.

"Great New Rome, I'm finally back..." At this moment, Anna put her hands together on the pendant on her chest and prayed silently.

Gawain also had very sacred emotions. He imitated his wife's gestures, lowered his head in the direction of the imperial capital, and silently recited, "Queen of Ten Thousand Cities, you are now completely visible before my eyes. You can see your beautiful body at a glance. Please believe me, I will take good care of you and make your dusty face shine again."

At the same time, the Gimmegis Brigade had advanced and captured the Kartarimon Fortress (now Kartar, Turkey) on the edge of the Bosporus. The officers and soldiers from the Syrian region stood hesitantly and shouted. By the undulating black sea water, they could indeed see the great capital city shining with golden light!

At this time, John's general Brinnus, who originally guarded the city of Castamonu, personally arrived in Nicomedia with 2,500 soldiers and horses, surrendered to Gawain and Anna, and offered Bi Map of Tinia, Brasilon and half of Paphlagonia.

Anna comforted General Brinnus, and with Gawain's consent, she gave him and his subordinates the designation of the "Bithinian Frontier Army", as well as the corresponding munitions and personnel lists, allowing him to send his troops to It was expanded to 5,000 men and stationed in the city of Nicaea, monitoring the direction of the imperial capital and containing Theodoro's west side.

As for the Mysian area, it was handed over to the Hierapolis Brigade for garrison, and the city where it was based was the city of Abydos. Mysian has an excellent sea port and a fertile valley basin, and a second naval frontier area was established here. It was handed over to the naval count of Galcuba, who had the right to recruit people and ask for supplies in the harbors, islands and interior of the area.

After settling Bithynia and Mysia, Caesar and the patron returned to Prusa, where Anna suddenly issued an order:

Immediately appointed Nikephorus Brenus, the great Duke of South Africa, as the commander-in-chief of the "Crete Expeditionary Army", and led four thousand Lydian border troops (mostly adapted from his old troops) southward to attack He reoccupied Rhodes from the Venetians and marched into Crete to support the rebels there.

One stone stirred up a thousand waves. After knowing the news, Dido immediately carried her son from the manor in Nanfeihong, and rushed to the city of Prusa in the dusty night in a carriage, and came to Anna's residence.

At that time, Anna had just woken up from her nap, and Gawain was still resting. She covered herself with a light robe, walked out by herself, and received her sister.

"This is a normal personnel order. The generals of Tarsus have to fight through life and death in order to continue to hold military power." Anna said righteously.

"Do you want my husband to die?" Dido pointed out her sister's intention without any secret, "Everyone knows that Rhodes Island is not bad, but Crete is full of barren rocks and peaks, and there are countless others. The cave is a hell where demons and monsters live. What's more, the Venetians have occupied the entire sea area. Maybe Brenus's ship will be sunk and buried in the sea before it reaches Rhodes. "

Anna lowered her eyes, neither explaining nor compromising, but remained silent, ignoring her sister, and began to flip through the documents.

Dido covered her mouth and cried uncontrollably.

The curtain swayed slightly, and Gawain came out of the bedroom. After seeing this scene, he stopped behind the porch and observed secretly.

Another period of time passed, Dido cried more and more sadly, she bent down, covered her face with both hands, and tears flowed through her fingers. The young Theodore stood beside her, looking at her mother aggrievedly, and then at the cold aunt opposite.

A correct version in 16-9 Book Bar!

Just when Gawain sighed and was about to come out to persuade, Anna spoke, "Are you afraid that Brennus will go to war? Are you afraid that he will die in battle?"

Dido nodded and couldn't speak.

"Then do you know how worried I am every time the barbarian goes to war, but I can't show it? I'm also afraid that he will be shot by an arrow, fall off his horse, or be chopped by various brutal enemies! But I absolutely can't show it. I can only spend ten times more energy than usual to make Gawain feel worry-free." Anna said in a steady tone, "Sister, you and Brennus are the same kind of people. You two will still care about each other during the war, so don't have these unrealistic dreams!"