After receiving news from Helena's messenger, Theodore immediately gave the order to set off. All the knights of the Imperial Guard were dispatched, and the First Wing of the First Legion (the wing dedicated to guarding the Eagle Banner, the central main force of the Legion, all of whom were veterans who were qualified to receive double salaries, and the establishment was twice that of the average wing, that is, nine hundred and sixty men) would also go to Haringos Castle as a personal guard.

In principle, this is very undesirable. A banquet is a banquet, and one of the names of Helena to gather the lords is to gather, and only a maximum of two hundred escorts are allowed to go, and the whole of them is like an armed procession - are you here to eat or to fight?

But for Theodore, what Helena needed now was someone to help her suppress the arrogant Liliang of the lords, and not to make those guys too self-righteous. On the other hand, from now on, Haringos belongs to the Roman territory, and Theodore is regarded as the master, and no one else can care about the mobilization of troops in his own territory.

As far as Theodore knows now, it seems that this Holy Pander Empire does not have a historical story similar to the "Hongmen Banquet", so there may be precautions and the like, but it is not so obvious - just like the last time he "threatened" those lords, everyone can enter the banquet with a sword and full armor, after all, for a knight, armor and sword are the most haode identification, just like when we go to a banquet, we must have a decent outfit no matter what.

At the same time, Virgil, the foreign minister of Rome, also arrived at Haringos Castle early and began to prepare for the banquet. After all, Haringos Castle is only a castle of the earl level, and it is not difficult to hold an ordinary banquet, but now that it has to receive all the lords from all over the north, the hall is far from enough.

Regardless of whether the lords would recognize Helena's identity or not, the banquet had to be held to the highest standards, otherwise it would be a disgrace and a great disrespect to the lords who had come from afar.

In fact, it was the foreign minister's job to entertain guests, hold ceremonies and banquets, but Theodore valued his diplomatic skills and intelligence gathering skills more than anything else. These rights gave Virgil more of a voice in the Council, and he became one of the few ministers to be invited by Theodore to discuss important matters.

Given that the size of Haringos Castle was a bit "chilling", Virgil had to take the advice of a knight of Salion, and included the garden outside in the "banquet hall", lit a bonfire, hung candles, and filled the long tables. Make the banquet a "flowing water banquet". The main hall of the castle was only used for the most important guests, and the rest of the knights were allowed to go out into the garden.

Even the central avenue outside the castle, which directly opens up the central square and runs through the east and west gates, has been prepared in advance. Will, the lieutenant of Lord Terenus, spent a great deal of money to clean the roads, bury the ditches, and erect fences with glorious cross flags on both sides of the avenue, and all the vendors were driven away and forbidden to set up their stalls for the whole month.

The whole of Haringos is preparing for the coming lords of the North - for the civilians, this is a rare event in their lives, and for the lords of the north, this will also determine the future of the north, no one expects war, but war will always come.

Neither Theodore nor Salad knew what the Eastern Lords were thinking, and why did they think that they could rest easy? The banquet that was supposed to take place a long time ago was actually delayed for about half a year, and it was really difficult to understand their way of thinking.

But now the main enemy is the orcs entrenched in the south, so these people must also fight for Liliang. As for Helena, she already has the support of half of the North, but this is not enough, at least she has to win over a Duke-level lord before the remaining Northern Lords can choose to submit.

"Put candles on all the lamps in the hall -- use the best of them, not the inferior ones produced in the little workshops, for last month my study was almost destroyed by a broken candle that melts as soon as it burns!" Virgil instructed the workers in the hall with a wax board for note-keeping, "and remove all the wooden cups." All the cups in the hall were replaced with glass cups, and some were inlaid with gold. ”

"What about the table in the garden outside?" the attendant who followed behind him asked respectfully, "Remove it too?"

"The cups outside have been replaced with pottery for me, how can there be so many glass cups for them?" Virgil asked impatiently, "I dare to say that there are at least a few thousand people who have come to eat this time!"

"Rubbing rice...... Belch. The corners of the attendant's mouth twitched slightly, and he couldn't connect the word with the guests who were about to arrive: "Isn't that a little ............?"

"I think so. Virgil pouted disdainfully: "In fact, a banquet is when everyone eats and drinks together, and then drunkenly slaps the table and decides a bunch of things that they usually dare not decide." ”

"Of course, it would be great if it did go this way. Virgil shrugged his shoulders: "Go and urge the kitchen, let them speed up, those 'guests' will arrive as soon as tomorrow." ”

"I've heard that Caesar even brought the First Wing of the Sword of Glory to Haringos for this feast. The attendant said with some excitement: "The scene must be very spectacular at that time!"

"First Wing? naïve child. Why don't you say that the First Legion has been mobilized to defend the entire Roman territory? Twelve thousand levies who have completed their primary training are already armed and ready to be put on standby?"

"This ......" the attendant looked at him with some consternation: "I just heard a little bit of gossip, I didn't expect it to be so exaggerated, this is not the same as ...... Ready for war?"

"This is a banquet, and it's also a war! Without Liliang, there is no power, and without power, you don't even have the qualifications to speak!" Virgil tapped his entourage's head with a pipe pen: "The city walls can't frighten the enemy, and the extravagant arrangements at the banquet will only arouse the greed of others." The only thing that can make them tremble is the formidable force of the victorious army, and the large reserve army. ”

"Remember these things, if one day you have the opportunity to become a clerk of the Government Council, these are basic common sense. As he wrote, Virgil taught: "Before you show off your might to others, find out where your power comes from -- Caesar, the army, or your family, or the connections you have made and some capable young men you have cultivated." ”

"Where, then, does your power come from?" the attendant asked rhetorically, "Is it the voice of the Council, the connections given to you by the family, or the position and privileges given to you by Caesar?"

"About this ......" Virgil paused slightly, then his eyes slipped, the tips of his ears twitched, and he exclaimed without hesitation: "Naturally, Caesar gave generously and mercifully!"

"I wish you a long and healthy life, honorable Caesar!" As soon as he finished speaking, Virgil turned around in a dashing manner and bowed behind him: "And you, Your Highness Helena!"

"Your flamboyant tone is so spotless!" Diodor looked at Virgil with a half-smile and a half-smile, and Helena stood beside him, "That was also flattery, right?"

"Most of your courtiers, I always show my truest side to you, Caesar. The foreign minister is still personable and unobtrusive: "It seems to be a little flattering, but every word is a sincere truth." ”

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"How do you feel, are you ready to meet the lords?" Virgil walked away, and then Theodore turned to Helena, who was dressed beside him, "They're arriving tomorrow." ”

"Xiexie you. Helena did not answer Theodore's question, leaning her hands on his shoulders behind her back: "I just heard, that ...... Virgil said. ”

"If that's the case, you have to thank Aaron and Salald. Theodore smiled, "The knights of Salion are stationed in Mavisva, and the infantry of the Northland are already assembled at the castle. They will all be your back, so that you can face the lords calmly!"

"Terenus told me that the people who had come this time were mainly in the area of the Kwyn River to the east of Talboa, where belonged to eight powerful princes, and although they were held by marriage, they would be difficult to be moved. Helena said a little melancholy: "The war in Laria has not stopped, and as for Marions in the north, they ......"

"What's wrong with them?" asked Theodore curiously, "I, too, have dealt with the Marions, but I have never met their lord. It seems that these people ...... It's not like anywhere else!"

"That's because the Duke of Allama, who rules there, was not an imperial nobleman in the first place. Helena let out a long sigh: "He surrendered to the Empire only because he was defeated by the Imperial army led by the Duke of Ultok back then, and received a dukedom." ”

"Marions, to the east of that city, is an endless emerald meadow, and the people who live there call themselves 'Gato', a people with a mighty cavalry army. ”

"They don't have much affection for the Empire, and they even reject it very much, even though they have been subjugated for more than two hundred years. Commander Terenus told me that if there is one duke who is most likely to betray the Empire, this Duke of Arama and his Marions are undoubtedly the first!"