The Liberty Dinner was not a traditional Eastern Roman banquet, but rather a post-French aristocratic banquet.

Covered with pure white tablecloths and trimmed with purple and gold, a variety of Mediterranean cuisine is displayed on a long table several meters long, and dozens of small tables around the main ballroom serve a variety of drinks, desserts and cold dishes for guests to choose from. Ulrich of Celje was not the only guest invited, but he was probably the main guest invited to today's banquet.

Of course, Ulrich was nominally a vassal of Austria, but he was definitely not a staunch supporter of Frederick III, and more often than not, Ulrich wanted to help László V free himself from Frederick's imprisonment and regain the throne of Bohemia.

In order to "entertain" this guest from afar, the pomp and circumstance of the empire were also quite luxurious.

The lights in the main banquet hall illuminate the entire palace as bright as day. Both the food and the wine are the best works that the empire has to offer. There are also exquisite specialties from the Mamluks, Scandinavia, Iberia and other places.

Of course, with the exception of John, who was still recovering from his injuries, almost all the aristocratic bureaucrats who remained in Constantinople were invited, which flattered Ulrich a little.

Or rather, it made him feel a little constrained.

When he first entered the door, Ulrich's self-proclaimed aristocratic temperament and gentlemanly decency were ruthlessly shattered by Sophia's words, and now, in the face of countless eyes focused on him, Ulrich was somewhat hesitant.

"Don't be nervous, Mr. Ulrich, it's essentially just a banquet, and if you haven't figured out what to say, let's have something to drink first. The court of the Roman Empire did not have the same troublesome etiquette as yours, so it was good to be casual. Agrippa held the glass, swaying the dark red wine, raised his glass slightly towards Ulrich, and then pulled the little barons and began to shush the cold.

And when Ulrich was about to regroup, he found that no one in the entire banquet hall was suddenly paying attention to his every move.

In the spacious ballroom, Ulrich seemed to be isolated, and although the atmosphere was rising, there was a complete vacuum around him.

"Your Highness...... Why did His Majesty Constantine do this? Yustina stood half a step behind Sophia and whispered in her ear, "Even if Ulrich's position is completely contrary to the current diplomatic strategy of the Empire, after all, he is also a foreign nobleman and a vassal of the German Imperial Family, so we will leave him ...... like this."

"My dear Eustina, see which one of these banquet halls is not a nobleman? Which one is not a vassal of our Roman Empire? Ulrich was not an ignorant pauper, he was a clever diplomat, a brilliant courtier, and he had the best education in Austria, so that he could not have been ignorant of the present friendly attitude of the Reich towards Hungary, and the open and secret rivalry with Austria because of the Serbian rebellion. Sophia casually took a drink from the squire's hand and took a symbolic sip, "Whatever position he comes with, what decision he comes with to hope, hoping that the Empire will intervene in the feud between Bohemia and Hungary, this is contempt and insult to the Empire." ”

However, the fact that Ulrich of Celje was able to make up his mind to come to Constantinople to make his claim known meant that he would not leave easily because of such a small setback.

"Your Majesty the Emperor."

Ulrich came behind Constantine XI quite respectfully.

At this time, His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire was pestering some old nobles with pleasantries. And Evie Skanderbeg, who is Barcelissa, also came to the banquet hall quite rarely.

"Ah, our guests from afar...... Ulrich, right? ”

"Your Majesty, thank you very much for hosting such a banquet to welcome me...... However, I still have something I want to talk to you privately. Ulrich tried to keep his tone in check, "This is a very important matter...... Moreover, we urgently need the help of the Empire. ”

"If there's anything diplomatic or politically involved, we can talk about it in another place after the banquet." Constantine XI replied rather "politely".

Ulrich glanced at the cold scraps around him, it was already the end of the banquet, and some words would have the opposite effect if he said them in private, after he walked to pick them up. As a seasoned politician, Ulrich certainly won't let go of this opportunity. He could feel that everyone in the banquet hall was deliberately snubbing him, but it was all within his budget. The positions were completely different, the two countries were still in the midst of an invisible war, and he certainly would not expect Constantine XI to give him a good face.

"I believe that the proposal I am making will be a win-win situation for the empire, and for the employers behind me...... So, Your Majesty Constantine, I hope you will take time out of your busy schedule to listen to me. Without waiting for Constantine XI to speak, Ulrich took out a wax-sealed letter from his jacket pocket, and on the envelope was a flower-covered signature—Elizabeth.

If there was any woman named Elisabeth in Austria who could attract the attention of the Empire, it was the mother of László V, who was imprisoned by Frederick III.

This softened Constantine XI's mood slightly.

Secretly aiding the Serbian rebels was Frederick, the cousin of Laszlo, now King of Austria. Then there is no doubt that the relationship between Elizabeth mother and son and Frederick must be the same.

"Well, you are being ...... by Elizabeth"

"Your Majesty, the letter contains everything that His Majesty Laszló V needs. Some things are important, and I don't have that much time, so some things need to be kept short......" Ulrich raised his voice as he said this.

His purpose was clear, he had to let all the important vassals of the empire know what he thought, and not let the letter sleep forever in the court of Constantinople like a secret.

His Majesty Laszló V is still under house arrest by the shameful Frederick, holding the inheritance of Bohemia but still imprisoned. For the honor of His Majesty Laszlo, I have been ordered to ask for help from the Empire. Ulrich shouted loudly, and his voice could be heard throughout the banquet hall.

He rather cleverly avoided the Hungarian question, or rather, did not recognize László V's right to the Hungarian throne at all. First, the Romans would never have been able to lend a helping hand without relinquishing the Hungarian throne, and second, László V had no competitiveness at all against the highly decorated Hunyati, who was supported by a large number of nobles.