On the edge of the convent's training grounds, Mertem sat on a stone pier and watched the nuns gather not far away.

"What are you thinking?" Someone walked over and asked.

Mertem turned around and saw a middle-aged woman with a helmet approaching.

"I'm wondering what the situation is going to look like now." "Mother has been talking to Her Majesty the Queen Mother for a quarter of an hour, and I don't know what the result will be. ”

"What do you think will be the outcome of the talks?" The other party asked with some curiosity.

"As soon as the two of us came, the Queen Mother agreed. Therefore, the things they need to say separately should be more than that. Meltem analyzed: "However, if you make it clear during the time you are preparing, I don't think it will be too complicated." Thinking about it this way, I'm afraid it's a question of how it will end up later. ”

"How are you going to end up in your plan?" The man asked again.

"Actually, I'm not sure. As soon as I got the news, I hurried to inform the helpers, and then I was taken here by my mother. Meltem laughed, "If you want to talk about the plan...... The city is in chaos like this, even if each family has a plan, it is useless now. What can still be seen at the moment is everyone's on-the-spot performance. ”

"Having said that, madam, you are more familiar with the Queen Mother, so you should know you better than me, right?" She asked rhetorically.

"I'm just a country woman, who was temporarily hired by the Queen Mother to be the head of the sect, what kind of lady is I." The other shook his head: "You can call me Maria - if you think there are too many people with this name to tell the difference, just call me Captain." That's what they call me. ”

"Sounds like a mercenary. Do you have any previous experience in mercenary teams? Mertem remembered the old mercenaries he had seen in King Wu's house before, and asked curiously.

"Nope. I had never actually been a mercenary, nor had I ever been in the regular army. Captain Maria shook his head and told her: "My hometown is in the north-west of Romania, in the Third Governorate. From my grandfather onwards, our people there were all Romans and had a very mature military organization. Therefore, there is no tradition of choosing to join the mercenaries like the Alemanni people. ”

"But the war group organized by the government and the hundreds of households in the village cover too few people. We, the women, need to protect our hometowns, but we don't have ready-made organizations, so we can only imitate others and set up less formal organizations. ”

"That's ......" Meltem nodded: "That should be the second batch of provinces established after Prime Minister Guo." ”

"Yes. You seem to know that very well, huh? "Captain Maria was a little surprised.

"I'm not an outsider." "I've lived in Dadu for a short time, and I often play with my brother, so I still know a lot of common sense. What's more, Prime Minister Guo is the ancestor of his family. ”

"He told me that the provinces of the Purple Horde were very interestingly named. The provinces in the hinterland were divided and named under the leadership of the founding prime minister Guo Gai. According to his intentions, provinces should not follow the previous division of noble domains, but should try to avoid following geographical boundaries and should not follow the previous customary borders. For the names of provinces and even states and counties, he also has a new batch. ”

However, after the death of Prime Minister Guo, no one came to name the newly established province. My brother said that it was because they all felt that their education level was not good and they were afraid of self-defeating, so they only used the area code temporarily. ”

"Yes. Our place was the northwest border of that year. At that time, the Roman Khan's court itself did not know whether it could hold this place, so it directly gave it the number of 'third'. Maria said.

"After I came here, I heard from scholars in the capital that this was the order of the reconquest of the provinces—I don't know if this was the official version later. But really, it has nothing to do with any of that. ”

"My grandfather told me that it was called only because it was the third highest priority among the three northwestern provinces. If you really can't hold it, you can give up first. Therefore, the shape of the whole province is also very strange, because it is actually drawn according to the location of the fortified camp at that time. ”

However, when Basil III reorganized the new province again in his later years, it was too long for many people to bother to change it. Even if the imperial court thought of other names, it was related to a large number of administrative documents and procedures, resulting in a lack of willingness of the executor. So until now, we are still directly using the Chinese 'three' to call our hometown. ”

"The name...... It's not easy. Meltem sighed.

"Yes, some old people still have some resentment about this." Captain Maria shook his head: "To others, it's probably just a talking point, but to us, it's a horror story. ”

"If the Legion really gave up there, my grandfather probably wouldn't have survived. The Polish nobles who originally occupied the local area slaughtered their hereditary villages on a daily basis, not to mention that in order to get rid of them, we converted to worship God and killed their subordinates, and we had a mortal enemy for a long time. That's why there, men and women, young and old, will participate in the battle. ”

"My theoretical hometown has long been ruled by someone else – or more strictly speaking, I may not even have a hometown." Meltem shrugged: "At least, you still have a home to protect, and you succeeded." ”

When she said this, Captain Maria didn't know what to say.

"Moreover, your efforts can be regarded as an example for others." Meltem continued.

"I've heard before that Prime Minister Guo has been working this since the establishment of the Purple Horde. For thousands of years, there had been almost no such effort outside the Central Plains, and even Roman rule over the regions at its height was much weaker than that. I feel like it's normal for something to go wrong in this kind of attempt. If you talk about it in detail, even the civil war of that year has something to do with it. ”

"What does that mean?" Captain Maria had clearly not thought of any of this.

"Prime Minister Guo not only implemented new local divisions, but also worked with other emerging military aristocrats to crowd out the traditional local aristocracy—which may have been one of the triggers for the outbreak of the first civil war that year. After the civil war, the rapid expansion of the new nobility in Nanya caused a new imbalance, so there was a later coup d'état and the expulsion of the Li family. Meltham shook his head and explained, "It's all clearly a cause and effect. ”

"You see, you are at least in the midst of history, and the suffering and sacrifice of those years are at least meaningful. And what about my family? It's like a joke. She shook her head helplessly: "That's why I feel that I envy you a little." ”

"You know so much about these political changes." Captain Maria seemed to be convinced: "I thought that this was only considered by the big people in the court, and even the Queen Mother usually didn't say much about these things." ”

"Don't say it, you must know. My brother said to me that before doing something, it is best to know the cause and effect, know what you are doing, and then do it at this time, so as to ensure that you are worthy of your heart and that you will not regret it later. "Meltem didn't think it was anything.

"Our gang was famous for assassination. But the Assassin had to use not only his hands, but also his brains, and he had to be more sensitive to changes in the political situation and grasp opportunities better than ordinary people, otherwise even survival would be a problem - rather, the dullness to the changes in the current situation was the reason for the demise of the old Assasin faction. In any case, the mistakes of the past cannot be repeated. ”

"And it's not just history. It has an impact on what you and I want to do now. ”

"What does that mean?" Captain Maria grew more and more curious.

"It is impossible to dispose of the old local aristocracy by pure forceful means, so at that time, it was Prime Minister Guo and Empress Dowager Helena who were cooperating with each other." Meltem Says:

"My mother also spent some time at the Roman court. She told me that the court culture of the Roman Khan's court was started by the Empress Dowager Helena. Or, before that, they hardly had a decent court. ”

At that time, most of the capital had just been recovered, and because of the previous blows, the Khan's court had basically no intention of moving the capital, even the Greek officials who had been appointed to the Khan's court. Queen Helena, who was still in Kedun at the time, was the most active promoter, and it is said that it was her efforts that persuaded others to agree to move south. ”

And for this reason, she also frequently summoned local nobles and called on them to move to Dadu. The city was in ruins and empty, so the local nobles who followed her to the capital could be well rewarded and revered in a way that was not found in the region. Some discerning old aristocrats, seeing the great prospects here, joined in one after another. When they gained huge gains in fame and money, more noble families began to follow suit. ”

"So this matter, in fact, is that the two of them cooperate with each other, one catches and the other receives. The end result is what we are now. ”

"And what ...... our actions today," asked Captain Maria, who was half-understanding, eagerly.

"The advantage of this is that there are many fewer old nobles in the area, and the cost and energy to deal with them are also reduced. After the two sides compromise with each other, it will be much easier to implement a new management system at the local level. "But the consequence is that all the old nobles are crowded in the capital." ”

"Look at today's mess, it is estimated that these remnants are indispensable. Whether it is actively participating in creating chaos, or being passively involved before, the strength of the thief without opinion will definitely be inseparable. ”

"So, today's matter is not just as simple as dealing with a few cults and gangs of thugs. Behind this matter, I am afraid that it has been a complex problem that has accumulated since the Empress Dowager Helena. My brother should be very clear about this matter. After all, he's just continuing to do what his grandfather did. ”

"That's right...... That's a bit of a hassle. "Captain Maria probably got it.

"My brother told me that if you want someone else to help you work, it's best to explain the cause and effect clearly." "Because if you want to be effective, you need everyone to do their part," Mertem told her. And if others don't know what they're going to do, they won't be able to play. ”

"To be honest, it may cause some people to quit, but according to the experience of the Taohuashi people since ancient times, the more important things are, the more capable people are needed, not a large group of rabble. Their generals would rather give up their numerical superiority and dismiss less elite soldiers before a critical war. Unreliable people, in this case it is a fatal problem, it is better to let them quit voluntarily. ”

"So, I'm not afraid to tell you this, you tell your sisters, and you can also make everyone understand your mission," she said frankly, "I didn't believe this statement at first, I felt that it was troublesome to explain everything, and there would be side effects." But my brother insisted that I try it a few times, only to find that it really works. I think you'll agree with it if you try it. ”

"We ......," Captain Maria smiled helplessly, "we're really just vases." Usually play with the Queen Mother, or be a guard of honor, and it can still meet the needs. But when I was in my hometown, I fought with the barbarians many times. The current state of the girls is far from being a serious army - I still have this self-knowledge. ”

"I'm sure I'll make it clear to them. But today's situation, you should also be able to see that it is becoming more and more similar to the real battlefield. She shook her head in confusion:

"How can there be immortals on the battlefield? No matter how big the advantage is, there will always be damage. Everyone is a good girl, and she has studied hard for so many years to get to where she is today. To be honest, if given a choice, I'd rather go on my own than take them to ......"

"But if they want to truly become a 'serious army', if they want to achieve greater value and make their souls shine brighter, participating in battle is the fastest and most effective way." Meltham shook his head and said, "In the mountains of my homeland, women are also involved in fighting, and I dare say that their attitude towards themselves and the attitude of other ordinary people towards them will change dramatically. ”

"Sacrifice is indeed inevitable, but you have to believe in us, in my brother, in the queen mother and other people who are working hard. No sacrifice will be wasted. She took Captain Maria's arm again and said sincerely.

"I hope so." Captain Maria sighed, "My previous problem is solved. I probably know what your mother and Her Majesty the Queen Mother are talking about. ”

With that, she shook her head, put on her helmet, and went to gather the other nuns.

After another quarter of an hour, Queen Elizabeth, dressed in battle armor, walked out of the hall with a serious face, followed by Meltem's mother. Everyone who was still whispering immediately stopped and looked at the Queen Mother.

"Girls." The Queen Mother walked to the crowd and stood still: "I hope to work with you to rescue Guo Kang's kid, but I still have too many things to do." Now I'm going to Lao Cao's house and ask about the situation. I hope you don't blame me, let you go deep into dangerous places, but run to a safe place yourself. ”

"We won't!" Everyone shook their heads.

"Maria." The Queen Mother sighed and turned to the captain next to her: "The girls will entrust it to you." Is there anything else you need? I'll try to help. ”

"I want to ask them again." Captain Maria said.

The Queen Mother nodded.

"Sisters." She turned to the crowd and took off her helmet again: "We're going to the battlefield." ”

"There, we're going to kill or be killed, and of course, both will exist at the same time. Are you ready? She asked in a loud voice.

"The battlefield is a man's world. All else being equal, it would have been impossible for us to beat them, including the thugs we had to face this time. Don't ask me why, because that's the Father's will. We don't know His purpose, and we don't have to speculate, but we can only do our own thing under this premise. ”

"So, if you're going to war, be more rational and calm than a man, more than a normal fighter. In this way, you can maximize your usual training level. The good news is that even if you can exert 80% of your strength, it will be enough to defeat most of the enemies, because they are generally far inferior to you. But if you're like a pampered lady who can only scream in the face of a sword, it's best to stay away from this dangerous place. ”

"In the same way, you are more united than men. We have received information that among the mob are quite a few well-trained people, even the elite of the aristocracy that have been kept for a long time. If you want to defeat them and let yourself survive, you must be more united than them and believe in your comrades. At the same time, be more conscientious than they are, and don't let your comrades down. ”

"For us, failure is terrible. To ordinary soldiers, they will manage to kill you; And for us, in my experience with the barbarians, they not only kill you, but they will rape your corpse, peel off your skin and cut off your limbs, just for some inexplicable pleasure that I cannot understand. ”

"If you're lucky, you'll probably be in that order." She added.

The nuns were silent, and Queen Elizabeth gave her a worried look: "Mary......"

"Our enemies are a bunch of demons. I want to tell you unequivocally, do not have the slightest illusion about these barbarians and about these barbarian mutineers. Captain Maria continued, "If we fail, what will happen to us will be worse than the worst you can imagine." ”

"So, we have to win."

"If you have confidence in your efforts over the years, in my command, in today's development of the situation and in the efforts of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, then come with me." She concluded, "We're almost all newcomers here who have never seen blood. If you are not afraid of the consequences of hearing so much, then I welcome you. ”

For I believe that those who can do these things will also have faith in the Father. Because Heavenly Father is fair and righteous after all, what seems to be lacking will be made up in other ways. Now, are you willing to use the iron armor and gunpowder in your hands to pursue the ultimate justice left to us by our Heavenly Father? ”

The nuns fell silent for a moment, then erupted in loud cheers.

"I think they could." Captain Maria turned back and said to the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother nodded at her, mounted the horse led by the attendants, waved to everyone, and left quickly with a few retinues.

Captain Maria put on her helmet again and looked at Meltham.

"Thank you for the suggestion. Having said this, even I am much more comfortable. She said.

"It's your own experience and ideas, it's your own credit." Meltem shook his head.

Captain Maria smiled and patted her again to thank her.

"Then let's go. You're here to help show you the way. She said, looking back, revealing a surprised look: "Huh? What about your mother? ”

"Ah......" Meltem didn't pay attention, looked back and forth, and had to spread his hands: "Forget it." I guess I'm going to do my own thing again. ”

After saying that, she shook her head helplessly and left with the team.

(End of chapter)