The memorial mass is only an introduction, and after the inconsequential citizens and minor nobles leave with their heads bowed with true or false pathos, the whole of Constantinople and the whole empire will return to the daily rhythm of life.

But when the main entrance to Hagia Sophia was closed, the rest of the Mass began. Athanasius II, dressed in black holy clothes, had just been put on by the Holy Child with the crown that I had stored in the reliquary, and had to bow down to Constantine XI. His Majesty Basilius was a devout man, but that did not prevent him from distinguishing between religion and empire.

"Your Majesty John Valleologo, it is a pleasure to see you here." Athanasius stood with Constantine XI on the high platform of the chapel. At this time, a large number of imperial bureaucrats and nobles still stood in the cathedral.

"It is equally an honour to see you crowned as the new Ecumenical Patriarch, Your Majesty Athanasius." Athanasius had a bright temperament, and as a priest, he was quite in line with his status as a radical.

"John, under the Patriarch's crown is God's ......"

"It's okay......" Athanasius interrupted Constantine XI's reprimand with a smile that didn't have much reproach, "Your Majesty, after some of the old rules are broken, it won't be long before everyone gets used to it. The same is true of the national focus of the Empire. I don't think the conservative strategy of the empire when it was stuck in a corner is no longer applicable at this point, don't you think? ”

John didn't know much about Athanatius, much less about the Patriarch's military, administration, and economics of the Empire, but hearing him make such inquiries always made John think that he was just a fanatical warmonger.

A discerning person can see Athanasius' zeal for expansion, both religiously and dominally. But since Gregory III was able to choose to support Anatasius when he was fully conscious, he should have his own reasons.

"Your Majesty. What do you think the empire is doing now, which can be considered unconservative? John unhurriedly kicked the punching bag back at Athanatius' feet. He was a representative of the royal family and would never allow the future fate of the empire to be left in the hands of a fanatic.

"Hah...... I thought His Majesty John would take care of this for me. Athanasius smiled at first, then gave the boy beside him a look.

In John's imagination, the two acolytes probably took out some holy relic, and then Athanasius himself made up a story, which caused the audience to raise their arms and shout, and then start a war similar to that of jihad. However, on a large piece of white parchment that was opened, all that was printed was a complete map from Ireland to the Khitan.

"Your Majesty is truly unique!" John exclaimed.

"The Catholic Church has decayed into this, and it is only a matter of time before it is overthrown. I think it is quite wise for me to choose to sever my ties with the Catholic Church. Athanasius stepped up to John from the high platform and whispered in a voice that only two people could hear, "Your Majesty, I prefer fame and fortune to the will of God, and I want both fame and fortune." If the restoration of Jerusalem can bring more income to the Orthodox Church, then do it, God's will, which is our goal and ideal along the way. ”

In a word, two of the seven deadly sins are ungodly. Becoming a pastor first of all, how do you become a priest? John pretended to be annoyed.

However, there was no emotional fluctuation on Athanatius's face: "His Majesty John and His Highness Sophia are believers in the Church, and this sentence itself is one of the funniest jokes in Constantinople in recent years. ”

"I can't say I admire you, Patriarch, but your ideas, in this time, amaze me. I thought there was no second freak like Sophia, but, when it comes to blasphemy, you are more pure, more direct, more justified. He can also openly blaspheme in front of the emperor as the highest priest...... It's unique. John distanced himself from the new Patriarch and replaced it with a voice that could be heard by all, "If His Majesty the Patriarch wants to use this map to tell us about your plans for the future of the Empire, we can change places, and you are more than welcome in the meeting hall of the Imperial Council." ”

"John, what His Majesty the Patriarch wants to know, should be what everyone wants to know." Constantine XI played a round for Atanatius.

The Patriarch's relationship with the royal family was not a secret, but putting such an embarrassing matter on the table somewhat did not give face to the Church. Now the ecumenical patriarch behaves almost like an ordinary man before John, and this kind of thing is preached, and it does not do the authority of the patriarch, the authority of the Orthodox Church, any good.

"Good...... Anatolia. Another old homeland of the Empire. There is no end to human desires, and this saying is true...... The empire gained the Balkans, and it was only the first step in expansion. Sophia followed behind John, while Athanasius was forcibly supported by two acolytes and walked back to the high platform.

"The next year of the empire will be even busier. Asia Minor on one side and Bohemia on the other. While squeezing the human and financial resources of the empire, it is testing the political skills of the empire. ”

"The Habsburgs' private accounts and the Bohemians are in a passive position, so I can't give you an answer here. In fact, it is also very simple, in this vortex, winning more benefits for the empire is what we have to do. ”

After a brief whisper, everyone quickly nodded. It's an easy thing to agree on. Participating in the royal succession in Bohemia will hardly have any side effects on the empire, and even if it will bring worries, there is a high probability that Hungary will be used as a shield.

"As for Anatolia...... Do you think that the empire's national strength has been consumed like this, and there is still a chance to go to war against the Ottomans? John patted the parchment, and it was clear that the Ottomans were still much larger than the Empire, and that even if the initial advance of Nicaea was victorious, the Empire would still face the threat of the entire green world.

"Your Majesty, ...... you?" The Co-Emperor was the undisputed leader of the hawks, and John's sudden question really caught the new patriarch at a loss.

"Under the crown of Athanasius, in the vast majority of cases, war is a matter that consumes the country's strength so much that it damages the country's capital, isn't it?" John smiled and froze Atanatius' shocked face on his face.

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