novelraw Chapter 717 23: Preparing for War
Chapter 717 23: Preparing for War
"Bring up those traitors!"
The guards, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately pushed the prison cart into the Great Arena.
Inside the prison cart were dozens of prisoners, most of whom were dressed rather extravagantly. Some were even in silk pajamas, barefoot, looking as if they had been pulled out of their dreams.
"It's General Cadious, I was wondering why I didn't see him today."
"Isn't that Mr. Callinicus from the Stonemason Guild? How could he be a traitor?"
The dignitaries in the prison cart were quickly identified, causing a commotion.
The Universal Shepherd, seated prominently, looked astonished. Nearly half of the prisoners in the cart were clergy, causing him to frown deeply.
In today's Rome, the Emperor's authority was no longer supreme. Such as the Emperor arbitrarily appointing a Eunuch as the Universal Shepherd was now a thing of the past.
If the Palaeologus emperors committed transgressions, they also faced the risk of excommunication and being expelled from the Church.
The Empire Treasury of Constantine XI couldn't even maintain the Saint Sophia Cathedral anymore, relying on aid from their Eastern Orthodox brothers from Russia.
The Emperor's military strength, apart from a Varangian Guard of just over a hundred men, was nearly non-existent, relying on Latin mercenaries (to Greeks, Latins were a general term, akin to Franks to Saracens), no different from a major Feudal Lord.
Losa paid no mind to the Universal Shepherd's grim expression, angrily saying, "Last night, the Empire Treasury was attacked, and dozens of guards were killed. Were they not vigilant enough, or was their ability lacking?"
"No, of course not!"
"It's because the arrows shot at them came from behind, from their so-called own people, those who perched above the commoners and soldiers, enjoying the offerings and reverence of the people. But out of fear of the Ottoman iron hoofs, to preserve their wealth, they chose treason and licked the stinking feet of the Turkic barbarians!"
The angry sentiment quickly spread throughout the stands.
"Damn traitors, kill them!"
"With their blood, honor the fallen warriors!"
The crowd was furious, so much so that even the Universal Shepherd, who originally intended to speak on the prisoners' behalf, closed his mouth.
Losa looked at the dirt-faced prisoners. Among them were several Extraordinary individuals with considerable power, such as Sir Theodore, a formidable Mage who was the actual thief last night.
But unfortunately for them, they encountered Losa and Viviana, who didn't even exert full effort, easily subdued them all, and retrieved the Dragon Slayer Crossbow.
"Like Judas betrayed Jesus Christ, you have betrayed your Emperor, betrayed the citizens of the Empire. You live off their support, enjoy honors and status others can't, yet attempt to sell everyone's interests to wag your tails before your new masters."
"No, you aren't even as good as Judas; at least Judas repented."
Losa's voice was filled with anger, seven parts fake but three parts sincere.
Only those in high positions have the right to be guides, to be traitors.
They wielded resources ordinary people didn't have, held high positions, yet didn't think to defend and protect the people, only caring for their own selfish gains. Such people, anyone with a shred of conscience would hate.
"Your Majesty, I beg you to forgive my sins."
"Your Majesty, I realize my mistake."
"Please forgive us."
The prisoners begged and cried, some saw Losa approach and tried to kneel and kiss his boots to beg for pardon, but were kicked aside by him.
They looked fearfully at the people in the stands, worried that these rabble, whom they once deemed unworthy of a glance, might actually rush down and tear them apart.
Some even cursed, "The Ottomans' army is ten times ours, do we really need to accompany you in your burial?"
"Dragases, if you let me go now, I can still speak a few good words for you before the new King, otherwise, you will surely end up as a morsel in the maw of the Ottomans' Demon Dragon!"
Losa couldn't even bother to spare such people a glance.
But others stood firm, their necks stiff, faces filled with anger, "I am innocent. I merely discussed the scriptures with Sir Theodore, I have never colluded privately with the heretics, how can you Dragases slander a righteous clergy like this?"
"Slander?"
Losa approached the cleric who had been stripped of his vestment robe.
Indeed, he was not a traitor. He was caught by Losa through opportunistic mass arrest, but he was by no means innocent.
Losa sneered, "Pyrrhus, as a servant of Christ, you only know to tirelessly preach that the arrival of heretics is God's punishment for humanity. You try to make the subjects of the Empire willingly submit to heretics, numbing people's minds, extracting the backbone of the Romans. Your crimes are even more detestable than those scum taking bribes and serving the heretics."
Pyrrhus's beard trembled with rage, "You despicable scum of the Palaeologus Family, you have usurped the legacy of Emperor Theodorus (referring to the Palaeologus Family's usurpation of the Nicaea Empire's throne). Selling out the Empire's interests to the Genoese, you are the real traitors!"
Though the Palaeologus Family was also considered a great family within the Empire, their ascension to become regents of Nicaea and even to usurp the throne relied on their identity as "Latin mercenary leaders."
Afterward, retaking Constantinople, unifying the Empire, could not have been done without the help of the Genoese. This was also the balancing tactic of the emperors of the Palaeologus Dynasty, introducing Genoese to counter the Venetians.
Yet, things are different now. The conflicts between the Empire and the Latins are no longer the primary ones. These enemies have become an important force that can be united under the Empire to fight against heretics.
Did Constantine XI, who personally went to Florence and agreed to the Church's unification request, not resent the Latins, John VIII?
Of course, he resents them. Not to mention the Genoese and Venetians occupying the Empire's territories, concessions, and those commercial riches that should belong to the Empire, any reasonable person would feel indignation about this.
But now is not the time to consider such issues.
"I will fight to the death for Rome, and history will judge my right or wrong."
Losa gave Pyrrhus a cold look and waved his hand.
"Execute by fire!"
The guards, like wolves and tigers, immediately swarmed, throwing straw into the prison cart, and lit torches.
As the fire burned, piercing screams immediately sounded.
Some prisoners continuously hit the prison cage, while others desperately shrank toward the middle of the cage to avoid being burned by the flames. Before long, only the cheers from the stands remained in the Great Arena.
Losa was once again doing his old business. No money, no grain, then confiscate properties; the Empire has no money, but that doesn't mean its "pillars" don't have money.
Use their wealth, lands as military funds and rewards for meritorious ministers. As a ruler, aside from giving motivational speeches and boosting morale, these things are indispensable.
Losa raised the Spear of Destiny and issued orders.
"From today, the Empire enters an emergency state of war preparation. All criminals need only be tried by the war tribunal to be sentenced to death. All subjects of the Empire, generals, clergy must do everything they can to support the great cause of fighting against heretics."
"Everyone, the Empire used to stretch across vast lands, but now only a solitary city remains. Facing the heretics' relentless advance, we have no retreat."
Losa put on his helmet, and the guards beside him immediately raised the flag with four betas, symbolizing the Palaeologus Dynasty, signifying the King of Kings, ruler of Greek kings: "I cannot promise victory in this battle, but I promise the subjects, your Emperor will always watch over you in the fight against the enemies. Also, please promise your Emperor, when the Emperor and his banner do not retreat, you will also fight to the death."
"Long live, for the King of Kings, for the Basileus!"
The people waved their arms, shouted loudly, watching the Emperor bathed in boundless glory, as if divinely descended, their faces filled with fervor.
From this moment, Constantinople seemed like a war machine, every rusty part began to clank and operate once again.
The entire city's fifty thousand residents, plus Venetians in the concession, totaling less than eighty thousand people, if fully mobilized, raising an army of over ten thousand would indeed be an easy task.
Unfortunately, Black Sea trade has been sealed by fortresses constructed by the Ottomans on both shores.
In contrast, Mediterranean trade, benefiting from Venetian and Genoese caravans, has not been cut off.
Empire's resources are limited, and it's not grain that is lacking.
Nor is it stones or wood needed for repairing city walls; there are plenty of ruins in the city to be dismantled for defense purposes.
But rather Greek Fire ingredients, magic materials, boiling oil, asphalt, gunpowder, these items.
Greek Fire had originally been lost.
But luck struck last night, and the captured Sir Theodore found the formula for Greek Fire in the library. He originally planned to give it to Mahmud II in exchange for reward, but unfortunately, this thing returned to the Empire's hands.