Eagle Byzantium

Just as Gawain and the guards ran towards the trade corridor, a merchant who had been splashed with blood came over in panic and knelt in front of the self-proclaimed Grand Duke.

"Did a drunk soldier commit an atrocity?" Gawain asked first.

"No, it was the most famous 'Kasa' in the two cities, and a private fight broke out again!" The kneeling merchant shouted, "Grand Duke, please stop it as soon as possible to prevent innocent people from being hurt."

The noisy crowd was running around, some timid ones were screaming and hiding to protect their children, and some were bold ones holding pottery jars and goods and squeezing into the crowd. Gawain pushed aside both sides and saw that the sand in the middle of the corridor built against the cliff by the sea was full of mess. A noble dressed had been stabbed by a sword and lay on the ground with a deep wound. The other few wearing smocks and leather armor continued to circle around, split into two groups, slashing at each other with real swords and swords, and also cursed.

Gawain raised his hand and shouted, "I am the chief executive of the Governorate of Bari. Everyone, put down your weapons and stop fighting!"

Then a bearded nobleman in a gorgeous robe stood beside the crowd and pointed at Gawain, "This is a private fight between Casas. No judicial officer appointed by the Holy See, the dukes, or even the emperor has the right to interfere."

The people all shouted, and their words and expressions clearly showed doubts about Gawain's authority. "What is Casa?" Gawain thought about it for a moment, but then he was angered by the rudeness and arrogance of this group of city nobles. He took the long-handled battle axe from a Varangian warrior next to him, strode over, and swung it to the right. Many swords of the private fighting nobles were knocked down and flew, and the people bounced away and fell backwards on the sand, bringing many onlookers to fall down, and chaos.

"Go, kill the male dogs of the Gio family!" the bearded noble shouted. The other fighters took the opportunity to raise their swords, ignoring Gawain's "arbitration" and rushed over to kill.

With a flash of axe, the leader's head was split open by Gawain, and he fell straight to the ground with blood on his back. The other fighters immediately stopped and looked at Gawain holding the battle axe with both hands, and the weapons in their hands were trembling.

"I repeat again, put down your weapons." Gawain raised the axe blade and lowered his voice.

The effect of this actual demonstration is far stronger than verbal persuasion. At this time, the arrogant nobleman who was controlling the duel on the side saw that the situation was not good, and immediately tried to escape by mixing into the crowd under the protection of two slaves, but was hit by several guards and twisted over.

The nobleman shook his cloak, squinted his eyes, and looked at Gawain holding the battle axe. He still looked disdainful, and then deliberately extended his hand with a ring, as if he wanted to shake hands with Gawain and talk, but he didn't want to lose the upper hand.

He took the axe from Gawain and dropped it quickly. The noble in gorgeous clothes was so frightened that he knelt down immediately. The axe blade was only two inches away from his nose and stopped. The noble knelt in front of the self-proclaimed Grand Duke like this, like a frozen scene, so that people in the entire trade corridor could see it.

"It's okay to talk like this, your identity."

The pale noble faced the axe blade. He answered quickly, "Contarini 'Casa' of Bari City, I have the right to refuse to go to court. My Casa's children also have the right to refuse!"

"Then arrest all the children of your Casa." Gawain tilted his head, and several sturdy Varangian warriors. He quickly took out the ropes and arrested all the fighters on Contarini's side. "Now you get up too. I will tie you up and take you to the Cathedral of St. Nicholas to arbitrate all this." After saying that, Francesco jumped up, turned the noble Contarini over, and then tied him up with a knot of rope. Contarini was furious and turned to his servants and said, "Go to Cassata where we are, invite the priests and all the young men. I hope that this arrogant Grand Duke understands that the Contarini family will not tolerate such insults. 's!"

"Francisco, take a row of soldiers and follow this slave to surround the Cassata he mentioned." As a result, Gawain ignored this arrogance and wanted to fight directly. Soon, the neighing of horses echoed in the trade corridor. Francesco, who received the order from the Grand Duke, quickly dispatched 30 fully armed Italian veterans. The people shouted and dodged. The soldiers' ranks rushed straight to the tower with iron chains and trenches on the edge of the city wall like an arrow leaving the bowstring, and surrounded it.

Soon, many young people with dirty words came out of the battle corridors and windows of the tower, smashing stones and projectiles at the Italian veterans. Women and children were inside, constantly supplying them with "ammunition". The whole scene was very hot-the Italian veterans with helmets and shields could only crouch down, block the streets in and out, and confront the tower.

At this moment, in front of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the fighters from the Contarini and Gio families who participated in the private fight were held down by the soldiers and knelt before Gawain. The self-proclaimed Grand Duke directly lifted out the seat originally used by Bishop Anselm and sat on it, holding a horse-head scepter in one hand and a long-handled battle axe in the other. He shouted to everyone, not only those related to the private fight case, but also to all the people who came to watch, "I must tell all of you that the one who managed this city before was said to be the Catholic Church, but now it has been expelled by me, Stephen Gawain Russell. So now I am the judicial officer of this city. I have the power of governor and judgement, even this Casa is no exception!"

Then, Gawain turned his head and whispered to the young priest Andeodat who was holding the petition beside him, "By the way, what is Casa?"

"Casa is an Italian dialect, and it refers to a very powerful person in the village and town." Andeodat paused, "My explanation just now was a typo. It's not just a person. Casa refers to the huge family formed behind this powerful person. They are keen on private fights, refuse to go to court, raise minions, despise all laws and officials, and openly build private towers in the city. Now Gio and Contarini below, I guess they should be the two most powerful people in Bari. The marriage and blood feud between the young people in their families have also continued for many years."

"Isn't this the story of Romeo and Juliet?" Gawain blurted out, making the young priest look puzzled.

Then, the self-proclaimed Grand Duke turned to everyone and said, "I can ask for your opinions. I personally think that this matter should be judged according to the provisions of the Roman Code."

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

So Andeodate hurriedly took out the handwritten copy of the code and sat beside the Grand Duke's seat, ready to support him.

At this time, Contarini looked up and protested loudly, "This region has not followed the emperor's code for a long time. It should be judged according to the opinion of the church. I am waiting for my pastor to defend me, but you, Grand Duke, are besieging the tower of the Contarini family." (To be continued ~^~)