"Brother, let me tell you, my fleet has a total of one hundred and fifty warships, which accounts for three-quarters of my Datang warships, and it took me two days for my father to agree to let me bring them out."

"These warships are regarded as baby bumps by my father, and our brothers can't lend one on weekdays."

The implication of Li Zhi's words is that my warship is very precious, and even if you want to buy it, you have to pay some gold.

Constans II is a little embarrassed at this time, listening to the meaning of Li Zhi's words, these warships are the most important thing for their Tang Emperor, and they are reluctant to lend even one on weekdays, if they buy too much, Li Zhi may not be able to explain to his father.

He originally wanted to buy at least this fleet, but he saw that he could buy at most twenty or thirty ships, and he would have to pay more in terms of price, so that Li Zhi could give a good account to his father.

Li Zhi ordered the command ship to let Constans II see the speed of the battleship, and also let him have a comprehensive understanding of the performance of the battleship.

Constans II wondered: "Can your warship be able to discern its direction in the sea?" ”

Li Zhi smiled: "This is naturally possible, even on the foggy sea, you will not lose your way." ”

The compass was invented by the Chinese people, and there are several theories about the specific period in which it was invented, but Li Zhi had never seen a compass when he crossed over to the Tang Dynasty, so the compass on his ship was the earliest compass in history.

Under the popularization of science by Li Zhi, Constans realized that even a small object like a compass was a priceless treasure.

With a compass, the Byzantine fleet could attack the enemy at any time to achieve the effect of surprise.

Compared to the Slavs, Persians, Arabs, and Turks around them, the Byzantines were not martial, and their aggressiveness and admiration for force were seen as rude, ignorant and barbaric. The Byzantine Empire regarded military affairs as an art, and paid more attention to the perfection of combat and the contest of wisdom between the two sides than to the outcome of the war.

Therefore, Constans II paid more attention to these warships, and with these warships, the Byzantines were able to win more easily on the battlefield.

After running at sea for a long time, the command ship returned to the shore.

During this period, Constans II did not say a word about the purchase of warships, and waited to talk to Li Zhi at the dinner.

The young emperor Constans II was quite thoughtful, and he first sent a large amount of food and wine for the soldiers who remained on the shore.

In order to show the importance of Li Zhi, the court guards of Constans II personally went out of the city to greet Li Zhi and his women.

I have to say that the Byzantine Empire is still doing very well in terms of court etiquette, at least Li Zhi can't find any fault.

The Byzantine court guards were made up of the Goths, also translated as Goths, a sub-tribe of East Germanic tribes who settled in the Scythian, Dacia, Transpannonia, and the Ukrainian steppes on the northern shores of the Black Sea from the 2nd century.

In the 5th and 6th centuries, the Dniester River divided them, and those east of the river were called Ostrogoths and those west of the river were called Visigoths. In 410, the Germanic Visigoths, led by their leader Alaric, entered Italy and laid siege to the city of Rome. The Goths opened the gates and plundered the city with the cooperation of the slaves in the city, after which the Goths established the Visigothic kingdoms (located in southwestern Gaul and Spain, Lusitania) and Ostrogothic kingdoms (located in Italy and Croatia) in the territory of the Western Roman Empire[1].

In 535 AD, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I sent troops to Italy and completely defeated the Ostrogothic kingdom in 554, and finally, the Byzantine Empire restored the territory of the ancient Roman Empire in the west, and the Ostrogothic kingdom fell. In the late sixth century AD, when Italy was invaded by the newly arrived barbarian Lombards, the Ostrogoths were wiped out, and those who survived were broken up into small groups.

Now the Goths have become loyal warriors of the Byzantine Empire, and their bravery cannot be compared with the warriors of any nation in the Byzantine Empire, otherwise they would not have served all the palace guards.

Important officials of the empire were invited by Constans II, including the mayor of Constantinople.

When he saw Li Zhi, the whole person became bad, he had almost forgotten about this matter in the past three days, but now when Li Zhi appeared in front of him again, everything became clear again.

He never expected that Li Zhi would become a distinguished guest of His Majesty the Emperor, and he naturally knew in his heart what this meant, so he had the idea of running away, and he was unwilling to sit and wait here.

Although the position of mayor of Constantinople can be regarded as a high power, compared to His Majesty the Emperor, it is just a powerful ant.

But before he could get out of the crowd, two palace soldiers came over and said with a respectful look on their faces: "Your Majesty, please enter the palace immediately." ”

If these words were put in normal times, he would be happy in his heart, thinking that he was about to be entrusted with a heavy task by His Majesty the Emperor, but today's summons from His Majesty the Emperor was simply a big bad news for him.

Isn't this obvious, His Majesty the Emperor is going to punish himself for his honored guests.

Entering the palace this time is a life for him, but in the face of these two palace soldiers, he does not dare to choose to escape, if he dares to choose to escape, these soldiers who only obey the orders of His Majesty the Emperor will directly kill themselves.

They exist to deal with those who are disloyal to the emperor, they have the power to cut first and then play, and it is the honor of the whole family to enter the palace guard alone.

Once in the palace guard, the whole family will be treated favorably, exempt from forced labor, and the empire will provide many tangible benefits to the families of these people in terms of life.

The mayor had no choice but to smile bitterly: "Okay, I'll follow you into the palace." ”

He now has only one thought in his heart, that is, to give all the families of the five sons, he doesn't believe that His Majesty the Emperor wants to do something to the five families for the sake of a distinguished guest?

If he had known the reason for the acquaintance of Li Zhi and Constans II, then he would not have such thoughts. Compared with the safety of the entire Constantinople, only five families are naturally nothing, and it is a good thing for the entire Byzantine Empire to satisfy Li Zhi, I am afraid that the nobles of the empire will stand on His Majesty's side in this matter, after all, only when the empire becomes stronger, it is in the interests of more people.

(End of chapter)