Marshal Carter was surprised, and Marshal Carter was happy. Field Marshal Carter was inexplicable, and he didn't know why the other side didn't send troops to fight him. God pity you. Although this operation is very fruitful. But Carter was not happy at all. As I said before, if you have money, you have to spend it. The Norman Navy is making enough money now. Even if half of it were handed over according to the rules, it would be enough to spend a lot of time on the land - it was impossible to expect pirates to buy land for farming or to do petty business like normal people. How much money goes into their hands, in the end it is either buried or squandered. I can't keep it.

So, if you follow Carter's meaning. It's enough to do that. This time it was a surprise attack on the Golden Horn, and even the robbery belt was destroyed. Enough damage was inflicted on Eastern Rome. If you have enough of the cheapness, you should leave decisively. Otherwise, it will not be appropriate to wait until you are caught by the enemy and beaten violently.

However, seeing that the other party didn't know why, he didn't fight, but closed the city gates. It seems that he is prepared to ignore the life and death of the Greeks outside the city. Carter's mind came alive again. After all, Egil's order was to "besiege and feint for a few days", not to let him run away after the robbery.

If, well, just if. If this is some kind of trick on the part of the other party...... If the information is reliable, the other side has 50,000 troops in the city. And all are very elite regular soldiers. Even if this matter is removed, the permanent population of Constantinople is less than half a million. Zhuangding can have hundreds of thousands. In any case, I won't be timid and cower in the city and dare not come out.

However, this time General Carter could not have imagined it in any way. The other party was really timid and shrunk in the city and didn't dare to come out.

The Vikings, on the other hand, didn't think as much as their bosses. They only knew that the other party was frightened by their bravery. The other party, although it is the first empire in Europe, is so timid, so cowardly, so unbearable. Therefore, it is destined to be trampled under the feet of our great Norman kingdom!

The pirates carried their heads, their booty, and the captured banners of the Eastern Romans, as well as the portraits of the kings of the past, Constantine I, Justinian, Basil I, Leo VI, ...... And so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and then they smeared blood and sludge on them, and some pulled out their genitals and urinated on them.

In short, how to go too far, how to humiliate people. Although the situation seems very strange. It's like the presumptuous provocation of a rabbit in front of a wolf. But who made this wolf cowardly.

That's it. No matter how provocative, insulting, and so insulting the Vikings outside the city were. But the gates of Constantinople remained closed. The soldiers guarding the city were furious. But there is nothing to be done. I can only turn my face away, block my ears, and pretend not to hear or see.

Speaking of which, Basil II also made a very serious mistake here. When he set out on the expedition, he failed to leave enough prestige to garrison Constantinople as a prisoner. He may have thought so in his heart: there was a senate anyway, there were patriarchs, there were so many generals. It's good to do your job. As for the sudden situation - cut, where did so many unexpected situations come from?!

So, isn't this just the time when the emergency comes...... In this way, on this day, April 17, 1003, the dignity of the thousand-year-old empire of the Eastern Roman Republic was trampled under its feet like garbage at this moment.

"It's just crazy...... The fellows ...... "Ecumenical Patriarch Sergius II was completely unable to convince the timid generals. In the end, he had to run back to Hagia Sophia and cry out to God and the Eastern Roman emperors. There is nothing else to be done.

At this moment, in the Grand Palace of Constantine, there are endless pavilions, beautiful fountains and free-range swans. Marble pavement. It all feels like a wonderland. A girl in a red dress is holding a harp and playing it to herself. Beside her, several maids stood cautiously aside. The atmosphere did not dare to breathe. Try not to make any noise as much as possible, so as not to anger Her Royal Highness, the princess who is surnamed violent and resembles her father.

In this way, except for the sound of the water in the fountain and the birdsong in the treetops, the whole palace was extremely quiet. The girl also seemed to revel in such a wonderful realm. The music played was like a dream. It's a shame to be at ease. At this time, outside the palace. To be precise, it was a violent noise coming from the walls of Constantine in the northeast corner. Let this rare artistic conception collapse in an instant.

"What's the matter?" the girl asked indifferently as she opened her eyes, stood up, and put the harp aside.

“...... I'll look into this. A maid who was slightly better dressed than the other maids, and who looked a little more of a higher rank, replied, and ran away as fast as she could.

In this way, the girl waited for more than an hour in a very bad mood, and the maid who ran to inquire about the news came back. After that, he looked at the girl and stopped talking.

"What the hell is going on?" the girl asked.

"This ...... It's just a little bit of a trifle. Your Highness doesn't need to care at all. The maid didn't seem to mean to answer her.

"Are you going to die, hurry up!" Seeing that his maid wanted to hide something from herself. The girl was furious, and drew the whip that the animal trainer had used to whip the beast at her waist, and gave the maid a whip without mercy.

"-- the enemy -- pirates. Pirates from the sea! They sacked the Golden Horn and attacked from the sea. The previous noise was caused by their ballista attacking the tower in the northeast corner. Their ballistas knocked down the tower in the northeast corner!!"

So, very quickly, no, I should say, very, very quickly. The maid told all the news she had inquired about.

"It's rare to be idle in life...... When the enemy hit the doorstep, no one stood up to resist. A mocking smile appeared on the girl's lips.

"Princess...... Your Highness?" the one was whipped, and the thin clothes on his body were directly removed. The slender skin could not bear it, and the maid who was pumped open tried her best to endure the pain, so she asked cautiously.

"It's none of your business. . After saying this, the maiden, who was called Her Highness the Princess, walked away quickly. Went straight to the side of the Grand Palace, his own courtyard.

"The generals must have known about such a thing for a long time. The reason why I didn't dare to fight was because I was afraid of taking responsibility. That is, those guys are unreliable. So...... The number of people I can use is ...... Well, the three hundred personal guards that the old immortal handed over to me. It's just that the amount seems to be a little less......"

As she walked, the girl used her brain, and when she returned to her courtyard, she had already thought of an idea. But before you can do that, you should arm yourself first.

The girl skillfully removed her heavy skirt and replaced it with leather armor with heart goggles, skirt armor, armed belts, steel shoulder pads, knee pads, and wrist pads. Bring a crowned helmet in the Roman style, a short sword with a wide ridge, and an oval shield. Looking at her level of proficiency, you know that this is not the first time she has done this kind of thing.

When the girl looked in the mirror and admired her heroic posture, and then walked out to the small square of her courtyard, a total of three hundred heavily armed Eastern Roman soldiers were ready to go. After several years of training by a young girl.。 This group of soldiers has become completely subordinated to her. No second thoughts.

"Alright, my warriors!

The maiden stepped on the horse's back and then gave the order.

After that, in a very short time, the maiden swept through the slave market, as well as the Colosseum. Spent a lot of money and bought all the gladiatorial slaves. And he distributed weapons to them and armed them.

"Okay! You scumbags listen to me! I bought you now! Then I am your master! I guess you scumbags know better than I do!loyalty!loyalty!and loyalty!!!Otherwise, you're going to die!!"

In the great square of Constantine, the maiden got up on horseback and reprimanded the two thousand slaves who had just been bought.

"All you have to do is kill people like you would in the gladiatorial arena. Unlike before, I'm the only one you're trying to please this time. Got it?!You filthy slaves!!Kill people at my command!That's what you're going to do!!

Of course, you slaves are now in good hands!!Yes! Great luck indeed!!" The maiden then cried out: "For I, your master, am different—I am the crown prince of the Roman Empire!The only son of Basil II!I will be more generous than your former masters! All who are faithful will receive my reward! All those who fight valiantly will receive the status of freemen! Henceforth they will say goodbye to the status of slaves, and receive the same salary and reward as the regular Roman soldiers! ”

The girl's infectious voice made the originally somewhat lifeless slaves look forward to it a little.

"From now on, you will be my personal guard, enjoying fame, status, and all possible luxuries. Women, money, and wine!!I can give you whatever you want! As long as you are willing to work hard, it is not even impossible to be a Roman citizen, an officer, or even a Roman general!!Think about it! You lowly slaves can become a Roman citizen! A Roman general!!"

(To be continued)