The flotilla soon reached a cramped place.

Bosporus.

Li Anshi floated on the sea and saw a majestic capital city gradually appearing in front of him. Just when he was because this was a big city comparable to Jingluo and Bianliang, he found that the city was full of death.

Countless houses and palaces exist in a dilapidated form. From afar, Galata City, on the northern shore of the Golden Horn, is a thriving scene, with merchants from Genoa, Catalonia, Venice, Pisa and other places constantly coming in and out. On the south bank, about 1/4 of Constantinople's territory was occupied by the Venetians and Genoese concessions.

It is rumored that this megacity, which once had a population of more than half a million, now has a population of less than 100,000. A large part of the city has been turned into wasteland. The vast capital of the empire, which once covered an area of 14.4 square kilometers, is now deserted.

There is no trace of the prosperity of the past under the walls that guarded the city, and it has become a place for the poor to farm. And by the sea, the Grand Palace, which once showed the glory of the Komnenos, is long in ruins.

"A city that is dying." Li Anshi said disdainfully.

"No, no, no, a hundred-legged worm, dead but not stiff. No matter how dilapidated the city is, it is also a thousand-year-old city. If a strong country obtains it, it can be like the nirvana of the phoenix. Chen Jia sat on the side of the boat, leisurely drinking tea. The tea in his hand was sold from Trabzon by the merchants of Kaffa. The price is very high.

"Be careful!"

The energetic voice of the navigator in front of him made all the crew nervous.

In the game and on other maps, Constantinople will appear huge, and the Bosphorus will appear wide.

But in reality, the Bosphorus is very narrow, less than a kilometer at its narrowest point!

In other words, there is only a few hundred meters between the left and right shores, and if you are not careful, you will hit a ship or hit a reef. At the same time, ships could only anchor in the Golden Horn, which was one reason why Constantinople's location was so important.

The water is turbulent and the banks are narrow. In Li Anshi's eyes, this seems to be a beautiful poetic scene where the mountains on both sides of the strait are not open, and the rivers are stacked on top of each other.

"What a great place. If my Han has this foundation, then eternal life can also be expected. Li Anshi exclaimed.

And as Li Anshi said, Eastern Rome has survived in Constantinople for more than a thousand years, and it is indeed extremely dependent on Constantinople's extremely high strategic position.

The flotilla did not make a stop at the Golden Horn, but crossed the Sea of Marmara directly into the Aegean Sea. To the south of the Aegean Sea, on the south-central sea, there was also a vassal state of the Venetians - the Duchy of Ashpelago.

This pocket-sized state, which is only made up of dozens of large islands, is a product of the Fourth Crusade. His capital was on the island of Naxos (and thus in many places it was also known as the Duchy of Naxos) and was also a commercial port.

After stopping here, the crowd marched straight southwest.

After passing through a large number of islands in succession, the island of Kissira in the Principality of Morea was soon in sight.

It's a not-so-wealthy island. The island is huge, not much different from Naxos, but there are only about twenty villages, less than half the size of Naxos. The island's economic mainstay is probably logging and beekeeping.

That's right, this island is a nearby source of honey.

On the island, Anse Lee and others showed the officials on the island a pledge agreement signed by the Roman emperor. These officials, of course, understood that the so-called pledge was nothing more than an excuse for the Roman emperor not to lose face. You see the land it once sold to Bulgaria, when was it redeemed?

"First of all, I want to tell you that the head of each village is gathered, and ten people of sufficient prestige. I don't want my cavalry to go up to the island to pursue it, you know? Li Anshi said with a smile.

Gather people of prestige?

The Greek officials immediately understood.

This is going to collect taxes again, and I just happen to be able to share a profit.

So soon, these prestigious people were driven over. About two hundred people waited at the harbor for a reprimand from the new king of the Duchy of Morea. Although none of them knew where this strange-looking man came from. Could it be the Tatars?

"Everyone, here! I just want to make one thing clear to you! Something about taxes! Lee's voice was conveyed by the translator, which made the people on the dock look extremely nervous. Surrounded by dozens of cavalry, it was as if a tragedy was about to happen here.

"From today onwards, you only need to pay the property tax and the poll tax as the code says! If you are engaged in business, sell honey and timber, as well as medicinal herbs, you will need to pay an additional business tax! We're sending a new tax collector! ”

Li Anshi's face looked at the original tax collector, "So, you are unemployed." ”

"What?"

"No kidding!"

"Hell ......."

.......

That's right, Anthony Lee replaced the original Greek tax collector and installed his own people. Because these shameless tax collectors are arguably one of the most obnoxious characters in the history of the Greeks.

There is no doubt that tax collectors do not want to watch themselves being replaced. So they shouted angrily and demanded to see His Majesty.

"No need! All you have to do is go to hell and meet the devil! "Dozens of cavalrymen suddenly activated, their swords raised, and their heads fell.

The village chiefs of the whole island bowed to the ground in fear, and the pagans could not have imagined the decisiveness of the killing.

"After you stay here, let the surrounding villages pay you half a year's property tax, and the poll tax will also be paid at a discount on grain. As for the commercial tax, it should only be available here at the docks. So it's enough to set up a tax customs here, and let the village chiefs collect the rest. ”

On the island of Kissira, he left 200 men to build a new town at the wharf. Everything on the island of Kissira is to be made to them. In the future, it will be a good trading port.

It is Li Anshi's clan who manages Kythira Island, and of course it will be slightly affected in the mainland, but now Li Anshi is the grass-headed overlord of the enclave, of course, no problem. Qin Cang gave Shang Fang the sword.

Leaving Kythira, the fleet continued north. At the mouth of the Evrotas, the mother river of the Laconian Plain, everyone was put off the boat by Chen Jia.

"After many years, this great river and mountain will be left to Brother Li. Protect yourselves, too, and if there is a disagreement, go northwest to Patras in Achaia, where there are Genoese fleets and caravans. Chen Jia said goodbye to Li Anshi, and then the big ship left.

Li Anshi has really become the only seedling in the enclave.