Giovanni subconsciously glanced behind John, who had nothing but the cold wind that blew into the tent from time to time.

"Your Majesty, you must be joking, right? The matter of Barcelissa, if there is any change at this point, it will affect the stability of the empire. Besides, the wedding between you and Her Royal Highness Sophia is probably only two years away. ”

"I'm not talking about this......," John said helplessly, "I mean, what would you think if there was a female official who would become my close retainer and hold some of the core powers of the Empire?" ”

"Is it Her Highness Sophia? Or some nobleman's ......"

"A commoner, a wandering gypsy woman who has left her tribe."

Giovanni's expression changed several times, and then settled down again. In military planning, he was John's undisputed mentor. But in terms of knowing and employing people, he asked himself, compared with Sophia and John, the two little children, there is still a small gap. Even though John was only a teenager, based on his performances in several great battles, Giovanni was sure that he was the Basilius who could carry the empire forward like Constantine XI. He didn't think about it, but it must have been well thought out and profound.

In stark contrast to Jeffrey's radical opposition, this time Giovanni did not take a stand.

"As long as Your Majesty can take responsibility for settling other gossip in the court, I will not object. It's like Constantine, with whom he discusses state affairs in the Imperial Council, I will not ask. As a Basilus, it is natural that he will have the right judgment. ”

"Giovanni! You're going to hurt Your Majesty! Jeffrey almost threw off the cane in his hand, "That woman is not only not a nobleman of the Empire, but also a gypsy woman!" ”

Everyone in the world knows that Rome is still that Rome, but Rome is definitely not that Rome. The current Eastern Empire may still carry spiritual plaques such as "SPQR", "Senate and the Roman People", and "The Empire of Roman Citizens" on its shoulders, but it is always the Basilius on the Holy Seat who makes the core decisions, and the very few core nobles who have the right to speak. Perhaps the local bureaucracy was a little thin a few hundred years ago, but now, the existence of classes may only be a fig leaf to decorate those names.

In this context, Basilius monopolized power, and the ability of the monarch was directly related to the life and death of the empire, the rise and fall of victory or defeat. Also as close ministers of the royal family, Giovanni and Jeffrey are colleagues, but their styles are completely different. Giovanni saw the Palaiologos dynasty, or just two monarchs, John and Constantine XI. But Jeffrey is the real "courtier of the empire".

"Your Excellency Jeffrey, your loyalty to the Empire is obvious to all, so I won't emphasize it. Since this gypsy woman was appointed by His Majesty personally, there is no need for us to directly oppose His Majesty's judgment. Even if Your Majesty can't guarantee that this woman will be able to govern or handle confidential matters, you can't guarantee that she's incompetent, can you? ”

Giovanni gave Publius a look, and the two glasses of wine were delivered to him and Jeffrey respectively: "If Your Excellency is not at ease, let's see what the empire will become in the end if this woman lets go of her hands and feet for a few days." Besides, the woman personally promoted by His Majesty John, I am afraid that His Royal Highness Sophia will be more closely focused than you and me, and there is no need to worry that in just a few days, this woman can shake the national capital of the empire with her own strength. But then again, if this woman has such ability, it should be even more good that His Majesty can include her in the account. ”

"Huh! You...... You...... Hey......" Jeffrey cocked his neck and drank the not-so-strong wine, "the procedure for the abolition of officials is completely over here...... If because of this woman, the bureaucratic nobles who have finally calmed down are once again pushed to the forefront, and the target of factional party struggle is set up, it will not be so easy to fight again. The last time the Empire solved this problem, it really drained its blood. ”

Within the empire, once the noble bureaucrats and local governors raised the banner of rebellion, which time would not be broken, Jeffrey was a person who had experienced the defection of the nobles, and he would never want to see such a grand occasion again. Although it is an exaggeration to say that for the sake of a woman, it is a bit of an exaggeration to recreate the highly corrupt and fragmented bureaucratic factions of the empire, but such a possibility still exists after all.

"Okay, Fugui, since you are not satisfied with the addition of this woman to the second cabinet, I will bring you another advisor. This one, you shouldn't be so resistant. ”

Jeffrey sighed, put his glass down, and waited quietly for John's follow-up.

"Theodoro Theodori Agripalos. Mr. Theodoro. Your old friend...... Or rather, your former political enemies? ”

"Theodoro?" The corners of Jeffrey's eyes twitched twice, "I thought this old guy was going to be cultivating in Morea for the rest of his life...... However, after His Majesty John VIII returned to the arms of the Lord, Theodoro should not have planned to appear again. Your Majesty...... How did you pull this old stubborn out of his nest? ”

……

To be precise, John's only relationship with Theodoro was at the last meeting that decided the fate of the Senate. For the rest of the day, contact between the two remained only occasional correspondence.

Theodoro said that he was recuperating, and John speculated that he was probably waiting for an opportunity to recover. Old ministers like Agrippa, Jeffrey, and Theodoro did not lack prestige in the imperial government and among the people. How they want to serve depends entirely on what position the royal family is willing to push them to and what stage they are given, and doubting their ability is not of much significance.

"If Theodoro can join the second cabinet, there is no need for His Majesty to worry about the development of the territory. Although this old guy has been arguing with me for decades on government issues, I also have to admit his ability. Especially Epirus and Kosovo. Such a place with natural advantages, whether in the short term or in the long term, has a lot of potential. "Jeffrey's attitude towards Theodoro is very different.

For the small people of Shengdou, Basilius's words and deeds are the norm of everything, but at the level of Jeffrey and Theodoro, it has become another glory to be able to change the ruler's mind through his own advice.

Of course, Jeffrey was quite confident that if John had activated Theodoro, the old fellow would have objected to Kalujie's entry into the cabinet as much as he did.

"Jeffrey, come with me on a trip to Moreah. We take a boat. ”

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