The third watch is coming, asking for clicks, asking for collections, and asking for tickets

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In front of the courtyard of the small gate, Anna did not want to see the scene that Marlena, the chief lady of the court, was appearing in front of the corridor by the door with her son, saluting herself.

However, Anna was originally dressed carefully, and slipped out of the gap between her father's meeting with foreign envoys, thinking that it would be foolproof, but she didn't expect to meet this mother and son, although everyone lives in the Brachna Palace on weekdays, but because of her mother, Anna actually has little contact with Marlena's mother and son.

For this reason, Anna had no choice but to step out of her shoulders and bow to the chief lady and Augustus, who was betrothed, and then the maids and eunuchs on either side also bowed their heads, and then stepped aside, covering her mouth with her sleeve, and silent.

There was a long silence, "Why isn't my brother John with your adoptive grandmother?" Anna used the word "adoptive grandmother" in a respectful but cold tone.

But Marlena put a smile on her face, that kind of very flattering expression, it is rare for anyone to see on weekdays, everyone in the palace understands that the emperor's biological mother, the Empress Dowager, is working as a masked nun in a monastery in the imperial capital, and this adoptive mother, the Vice Empress Dowager, has always been above the top, "It's a pity that John is not at ease with his studies at all, and he has not been able to master the writing and reading of basic words so far, which is a bit stubborn, and Anna's intelligence and talent cannot be compared at all." ”

"As a male heir to the throne, my younger brother may need martial arts and courage, just like the former Bulgarian conqueror Emperor St. Basil, who did not know writing all his life, as long as he could win the respect and affection of soldiers and servants, and writing was only one of the skills that emperors learned." Anna's answer is actually very clever, that is, there is no clear contempt for her brother, and there is no excessive humility of "I, Anna, can't do anything".

A look of embarrassment appeared on Marlena's face, and then she took her son Constantine's hand, "You are married, and since Constantine is also a studious child, then why don't I suggest that Your Majesty merge the study room of the two of you into one." ”

But the words of the vice queen mother, Anna really couldn't refuse in the past, but now that she got along with Gawain yesterday, she has a very clear understanding of the current situation, she actually looked at her fiancé with pity, Constantine, who is about the same age as her and looks very beautiful, and said lightly, "I am completely obedient to my father's arrangement in this matter." After speaking, he bowed his head and gave a farewell salute to the vice empress dowager and Augustus, "The newly established orphanage in the imperial capital is still waiting for me to raise funds." ”

Seeing Anna's shoulder disappear around the bend of the corridor, Constantine, who was still puzzled, asked his mother why he was so low to this girl, "Anyway, Your Majesty has decreed that the throne belongs to John, and I want to be my companion and with John." ”

But Marlena's face turned pale, and she slowly knelt down, touching her son's delicate face, with tears in her eyes, "The throne? Over the years, how many people have changed on this throne, it is like a thorn, and I have changed three husbands alone, so that my mother can not justifiably continue to be the queen of this empire. Son, how I wish you were born into an ordinary family."

About an hour later, Anna had followed the arrow path to the most famous porphyry column square in the old city, this independent column with a height of more than 100 Roman feet, is the symbol of Constantinople, it is from the hand of the great father of the city, Constantine the Great, on the top is a statue of Victory carved out of Venegia marble, the flying wings are clearly visible, around the perimeter is a circular two-storey overlapping colonnade, in front of and behind the ring there are two large Proconisus arches connected to the rest of the street, It was the most Roman area in the entire capital, and it was also a must-have for great celebrations - on this day, when the emperor relaxed the restrictions of his status, people from all walks of life flocked to the square to rejoice and entertain themselves.

Although the inhabitants of the imperial capital are no longer the festival-loving atmosphere of the ancient Romans, which is somewhat related to the introduction of religion, the square is still crowded.

Anna's shoulder paused at the right place, and then she came out, and saw Gawain standing in front of the relief by the archway, and politely stretched out his hand to her, and Anna smiled and walked over

Under the column, all the men and women participating in the celebration were divided into two columns, and they were dancing in and out, Anna was no exception, her braids leaped again, and her little boots also stepped out of the drum, following Gawain's steps, the dance of the Byzantine Greeks is a fusion of the national characteristics of the Slavic and Saracens, but it is still a little restrained, but don't forget that this is the seat of the imperial patriarch, and the church has the right to supervise and judge.

Anna's shoulder swing happened to be caught by Gawain - this kind of dance, in Minor Gawain also danced with the villagers, "Your chance has come, the Grand Palace after the celebration of the people." ”

"I'll see His Majesty the Emperor, right?" Here, the Saracen luthiers sitting by the column played the subura, and the music of the dance was suddenly soothed.

"It's the envoy of Salian Caesar (the Byzantine Roman Empire's title for Holy Roman Emperor, in this case Henry IV) who is trapped in northern Italy, and I will arrange it for you." Anna raised her hand, took Gawain's hand, and turned to the other side of the queue.

"Doesn't there need any method or condition?" Gawain asked suspiciously.

"Of course it is needed, that is great courage, this meeting with the envoy of Salian Caesar, my father took it very seriously. So Gawain, your chance to show your heroism has come, don't let me down, but don't let yourself die in vain. Anna described the situation as if it were very important.

In the music, according to the beat, the two face each other, holding hands, Anna's brown eyes stared at Gawain, really like the eyes of the fawn in the royal garden yesterday...... And Gawain couldn't help but remember what Mikhail said, and subconsciously avoided Anna's gaze.

"Gawain, if you go to the Apulia region of Italy, you won't be an enemy of us Rome in the future, right? At that time, the Normans were only our mercenaries, and you say that the Romans ruined the Romans themselves, but the mercenaries and aliens with ill intentions are not worth trusting completely......"

Looking at Anna's gaze, Gawain didn't know how to answer, he was now completely disappointed in the emperor and the entire Komnenos royal family, but it was not good to show it in front of Anna, because Anna was also surnamed Komnenos, so now in the face of this little girl's questioning, what should I do?

At this time, the music of the suburaqin stopped abruptly, and the people dancing in the giant pillar square also gasped, laughed and stopped dancing, and the whole scene was silent for a second, and then a collective cheer broke out.