On the sea wall, the defenders of Thessaloniki were still immersed in the joy of victory. People cheered the names of Eudocia and Justinian to celebrate this hard-won victory. Many people in the city

He also spontaneously walked outside the city to meet Moria's army.

The princess could finally breathe a sigh of relief at this time, but at this time she found that Antonia, who had been beside her, turned her back for some reason, and the nervous expression on her face seemed to be afraid of something. Obviously this girl was in the most difficult situation for her.

He always supported himself and never wavered, but why did he show such an expression after everything was settled? Something must have happened! Odosia stepped forward and asked with concern: "What's wrong with you?

Antonia?”

The Genoese girl did not answer, but turned around and stared outside the sea wall, muttering to herself: "I knew... you wouldn't give up so easily, my brother."

…

Outside the bay of Thessaloniki, the Venetian fleet saw that its defeat was certain and had no choice but to leave behind the blazing wreckage of the warship and break out toward the southwest.

And Andrea Doria was not prepared to have public friction with the Venetians. He motioned to his subordinates to signal the approaching fleet from a distance not to pursue them. Although the conflicts between Genoa and Venice have intensified and there are conflicts from time to time,

But he was not willing to become the trigger for a war between the two countries. Seeing that the other party left in good faith, the young nobleman was secretly relieved.

On the deck, a wet Igor was fished out of the cold water. In the chaos of the attack, he jumped into the water decisively and escaped from the control of the Venetians. Without any hesitation, the opportunity was fleeting. Once

When the other party reacted, they would inevitably suspect him of harming him. When Igor boarded the ship and saw a ship of Genoese waiting for him, he immediately guessed the cause and effect.

"It seems that you are Miss Antonia's brother." Although it was the first time they met, Igor still found similarities between the two from the handsome face of the young nobleman in front of him, but what he could really confirm at a glance was

It's the brother and sister's eyes that are almost identical.

And Andrea Doria did not deny it, and admitted her identity generously: "Andrea from the Doria family. I think when you and your sister-in-law met for the first time, she used this identity to communicate with you.

We know each other!"

Igor looked at the other party coldly and did not answer. Indeed, when he met Antonia in Constantinople, she dressed in men's clothing and as her brother rescued them when they were intercepted and interrogated by the Latin army. In return for Igor

They helped Antonia get rid of the stewards around her and escape from surveillance. I am afraid that the man in front of me already knew these things. Now that he knows the truth and asks questions, he must have other motives.

Seeing Igor's vigilant look, Andrea had already expected this, so he smiled and said: "Don't be nervous, I'm just asking casually. By the way! So are you still doing things for that child now?"

?If that's the case, I can be considered half of your employer. After all, you have always been using my banner in the Holy Land, which has caused me a lot of trouble." The young noble knows how to get along well. In a few words,

Andrea showed an approachable demeanor without the arrogance that a nobleman should have. For a moment, even Yaroslav and others beside him were no longer as trembling with fear as before.

But Igor remained unmoved. He was not stupid enough to think that the man in front of him was some simple nobleman, but he still captured the key information from the other person's words.

It seems that whether they came into contact with the Teutonic Knights or hired merchant ships, the other party was secretly manipulating their success in Acre City.

"Our allegiance now is to Mr. Justinian." Deciding not to leave any room for the other party, Igor chose to get straight to the point.

"Oh, it is indeed him!" Andrea then showed a look of understanding and said very calmly: "In this case, there is no need to beat around the bush. I was always very polite when I was in Rusnina.

I look forward to meeting His Excellency Justinian, but unfortunately I have never been able to meet him. I would like to trouble you to introduce him!" This is the true intention of the noble young man. The half-smiling expression on the face of Andrea Doria, who is retreating to advance, makes people laugh.

Igor's heart trembled subconsciously. It was obvious that in addition to inheriting the same beauty, the brother and sister also had the same deep thoughts.

…

Outside Thessaloniki.

After cleaning the battlefield, Justinian's army did not go directly into the city to be greeted by the imperial subjects. Instead, they chose to line up outside the city to rest. Although they achieved a great victory, the sacrifices made by the Moria Army in this battle were also

In the huge flank assault battle alone, thousands of young soldiers were bloody on the battlefield. They were all the elites of Mistris's new army. In the final tug-of-war, only the Fuxing Cavalry and the Tambei Cavalry were left.

The trump card in Justinian's hand was almost scrapped, and countless horses died from exhaustion. Not to mention the Albanian mountain people who used their flesh and blood to block the Serbian cavalry. Almost half of the Qingshigang tribe led by Bogdani died on the battlefield.

1. It can be said that Justinian was able to win this war because countless soldiers paid for it with their blood. Perhaps this victory is worth celebrating, but he believes that some things are more important than celebrating the victory now.

Justinian ordered people to build mounds of earth. The condescending Justinian asked his men to collect the corpses of the war dead, and monk Sergius and the accompanying Agrinon monks prayed for these dead.

The Epirus soldiers who were captured in this battle were specially counted among the prisoners, took off the shackles of the defeated ones, and stood alone in a line opposite the Morian Army. No one knew what was going on.

The soldiers could only stand in front of the mound and wait quietly for Justinian, who was silent on the high platform. But at this moment, if they looked up, they would find that the setting sun above their heads was as red as blood.

Looking at the dark crowd in front of him, Justinian stood on the high platform and seemed to be brewing emotions. After a long time, he slowly spoke:

"From the Seven Hills to the Golden Horn, our ancestors built a great empire, which is Rome. Her name has been pregnant with glory and greatness since its birth. There is an old proverb in the Peloponnese

, 'Everyone is a barbarian in the eyes of others'. In the past, the land under our feet was still full of endless disputes, killing each other, resenting each other, and fighting endlessly. And our ancestors, holding the torch of civilization, fought against each other and held the torch of civilization.

The ignorance of the masses, from now on our fathers can proudly tell the heroic legends of ancient times, from now on we can not be afraid to face the vicious neighbors around us and proudly call ourselves 'Romans', from now on our children can be free to

Grow up under that eagle flag. Everything should be like this." Justinian's speech that should have further expanded his emotions suddenly stopped here, and this short pause also pulled the soldiers who were immersed in the glory of their motherland.

Back to reality.

Looking at the prisoners in Epirus with his dark blue eyes, Justinian found that some of them were moved by his speech, and this was exactly what he wanted. After all, the Romans had already recognized him.

It was engraved in the blood and culture of everyone hundreds of years ago, even Epirus, where Pyrrhus was born.

So, Justinian struck while the iron was hot, "As I said, this should be the case, but now our country is divided into pieces, and the barbarians are invading our compatriots, but we are pointing the sword that should be pierced at the enemy at our own people. This is

Perhaps this is the darkest moment since the birth of Rome. But I am not saying this to lament the misfortune of fighting against each other, because I have the honor to fight a great civil war with you, my soldiers. At this moment, we

The achievements he can achieve not only surpass the Emperor Aurelian in the third century, but can also directly catch up with divine kings such as Augustus and Caesar. This is because the success or failure from now on will no longer be determined by your or my personal honor or disgrace.

, but whether this once great country can be great again. Now, we are gathered on this battlefield where countless soldiers are buried forever. I dedicate the victory of this war to them, not only to the people who sacrificed under my command,

Also included were the Epirus who died in this battle, as well as any subjects of the empire.

May they rest in peace! May their sacrifices make our country last forever! People in the future will not notice or remember what we said here, but they will never forget the deeds of the victims in this land.

.But if one day our country disappears, even if we carve their names on the stone now, the wind and frost will wear away the words on it. And in order to prevent the living from being forgotten, this requires us living people to go

We must continue the unfinished business. We must make the greatest determination here not to let these dead sacrifices be in vain, and to make this country's name full of glory for thousands of years last forever."
Chapter completed!