Eagle Flag of Epirus

"It seems that you failed." The old Genoese nobleman put his fingers on his chest, looked down at his nephew in front of him, and said coldly.

"It's true that I miscalculated. The little fox Moria is not as easy to control as expected. He wants a more equal position before agreeing to cooperate."

"More equal? ​​Humph!" The old man snorted coldly, looking out the window at the gradually noisy Roman market outside the ship in the calm sea, with disdain in his eyes. "Now there is no one in the entire Roman Empire who is qualified to negotiate with us. It seems that this Justinian did not know the current affairs as you said. Perhaps he should have accepted the conditions given by Henry of Flanders, although harsh , but at least be realistic." Andrea Adoria didn't say anything, her expression was calm, although he knew what the consequences would be if his mission was not completed this time, he was still as calm as before, even in the face of So does this man.

"Is there anything else you want to say?" Constance asked Andrea meaningfully, "The family has always had a lot of opinions on you, and with this failure, even I can't keep you. The marriage with the Milanese is related to the entire city-state, not just the Doria family's private affairs, but you didn't even bring your sister back this time." The old nobleman's warning sounded neither angry nor It seemed like a threat, but there was a hint of indifference.

"If the family has already decided on something, no matter what I say, it doesn't make any sense, Uncle Constance."

"You answered well." Constance Doria turned her head and glanced out the window, "I came back here from Constantinople in secret this time, to tell you the truth, the negotiation with Flanders. It has been blown. The Senate is very angry. We helped Mikhail Ducasse to solve the Duke of Agrinion, but he bit back and let the Venetians easily pull out the Illyri we bought. Asian pirate stronghold. Not only that, Henry was also pressured to expel our diaspora in Galata. In short, our layout in the East has been completely wiped out in the past two years. In other words, the mother state and our Doria home The only hope is in that little fox."

try{mad1('gad2');}catch(ex){} "Then uncle, what do you mean?" "Go back again and agree to that kid's request." Constance shook his head helplessly, if not As a last resort, he didn't want to do it either. But compared with their unruly partners, the rising Venetians have forced them to have no choice.

Andrea was not surprised by her uncle's decision, and nodded immediately, "Yes, uncle. What about Antonia's child?"

"Hmph, your good sister." Constance became disgusted at the mention of this name, "Your indulgence of her over the past few years has brought shame to the family, even if you bring her back this time, I will bring her back. She was sent to the monastery. Her repentance has made her worthless in negotiating with the Milanese. Let's keep her on the side of the pickled Greek, and it will be a bargaining chip for us at that time. I am very fortunate, Andrea, my child, the filthy half of your blood has not led you down the wrong path, I still need you, and the Doria family still needs you."

The man disciplined his nephew with a downward gaze, but his eyes did not look at the warmth that the blood relatives of the younger generation should have, as if he was looking at an ordinary tool. The need to stay by your side. In the shadows that could not be seen in this cold gaze, Andrea Doria's pale fists were tightly clenched behind her, and her fingernails made bright red blood marks on her palms.

"I didn't expect to keep bothering you." Antonia was in the warm room, while Eudoxia was removing her bandages and putting new gauze on her wounds, looking at the princess, she said apologetically.

Eudoxia shook her head, cleaned the wound that had begun to heal for the Genoese girl, and said: "You have done enough for us, little Antonia, not only me, but Justinian, we are all very Thank you. And you are the godmother of my children, even if Justinian agreed, I would not have promised the Genoese to take you away like this."

Looking at the woman who treats her very well in front of her, Antonia's eyes warmed subconsciously. She hadn't felt loved like this for a long time. Although the princess in front of her was only a few years older than her, looking at that peaceful face, the Genoese girl seemed to see her dead mother again.

try{mad1('gad2');}catch(ex){} "Thank you, Sister Eudosia!" He blurted out subconsciously, and by the time Antonia reacted, she had already called out the title.

The Roman princess was a little surprised at first, and then she held the Genoese girl in her arms with a very happy expression. "It's the first time someone called me sister! It's long overdue to let you call me that, little Antonia. Anyway, you are the godmother of Helena's child, so calling my sister is not a problem at all. No." As the third princess of the Angeles family, Eudosia unexpectedly likes this title, because in the past few months, she has long regarded Antonia as her sister.

"It hurts, it's on my hand!" The Genoese girl who was suddenly stunned by such a warm embrace screamed in embarrassment. It turned out that the excited Roman princess forgot to tie a knot on her bandaged arm.

…

At the same time, under the darkness of Thessaloniki, Justinian was in the Macedonian prison. There are not many prisoners in this heavily guarded prison, because under the influence of the long-term war, it is impossible for anyone who can go to the battlefield to take weapons to be allowed to eat here. Because of this, it was used as a special place for prisoners of war after the war. Although the soldiers of Epirus were allowed to be freed and released, in the battle under Thessaloniki, Justinian's army also captured a group of Bulgars and Serbs, these Mihai Erducas' servant army, he did not let go.

Justinian walked past the iron bars of the prison doors, glanced at the faces of the prisoners with different expressions, and finally stopped in front of the deepest prison cell. And this night, he secretly came here to meet this man in prison. I saw the guards slowly opening the iron door, and inside a middle-aged Serbian man with a long beard was sitting inside.

"Respected His Excellency Justinian, we have finally met, and I greet you on behalf of Archduke Raska."