Chapter 59 Subduing Thessaly
"Who is your friend, who is your enemy, how to unite your allies, and how to isolate your enemies? If you have not thought about this, it will be difficult for most people to choose to follow you. Even if the Lord Merinosen and I are willing to be loyal to you now, how can we make all kinds of people on this land believe you? The arrival of the Latins has long changed everything. The nobles of the past families were smashed into pieces by the iron hooves under the crotch of the Franks and the long guns in their hands, and we cannot dominate everything. The territories with staggered teeth have long been like the hearts of the empire that cannot be gathered together. It is far from enough to rely on force alone, but we can only believe that you can share weal and woe with us."
The much older Count Bunonius looked straight at the key point as soon as he opened his mouth. His rhetoric was obviously far better than that of Merinos, who acted recklessly, and suddenly turned Justinian's strength into invisible.
He was not disgusted with Justinian, a young man. Romath needed strong vitality to awaken her old and decadent body. But Bunonius also knew that without a clever balance technique, he could not drag the empire into a dilemma. He could represent his family to be loyal to a rookie, but the premise was that Justinian could really shoulder the responsibility of reviving the empire. Now, in this world where rituals and music are broken, few people are as persistent in the glory of the past like this old earl. But Bunonius is different. He has seen the time of dawn. How could he endure the long night covering the sky before his death? He was waiting for Justinian's response and was also observing whether the Grand Duke Anastasius chose the right heir.
The noble hall was silent for a while. Earl Buronius's words were indeed sharp. Although Thessaly was not an important military district, it was also the first time Justinian tried to control the non-martial conquest. The old Count's words were reasonable. Merinosen sneered on the side and watched coldly, while Earl Taranit on the other side was quietly waiting.
The lord of Tanbet was not worried about his new loyal young man, and was not surprised by what Earl Buronius said just now, because Justinian had already had an answer to this, which was also the reason why he chose this young man.
The brief silence was not Justinian's shake. Looking at the old earl's deep gaze, he chewed in his heart carefully what the old man said, and finally understood the meaning and grasped the other party's true intention: "Who is an ally and who is an enemy is indeed a good question, not only me, but also a problem that the entire empire has to face over the past century. Emperor Alexei I once regarded the Turks who invaded Anatolia as their primary enemies and the Latins as their ally, while His Majesty John II and Emperor Manuel
I regard the Latins and Italians as confidants, but ignore the Bulgarians and Turks who rise from the armpits. Sometimes I think that when Constantinople was captured four years ago, was the culprit really the little Alexei colluded with the Latin Crusaders or the old Alexei in ruling in power? Why did the old farmers of Thrace applaud when the Latin cavalry trampled on our land, and the herders of Peloponneza watched the Venetian navy pass through the sea and turned a blind eye. When the enemy's fire and sword fell on their heads, people began to panic?
I began to know how to resist. I believe that everything now is the burden left over the past century and is hard to return. The real enemy has never been outside but inside. The strongest fortress also collapses from the inside first. I choose my own allies? But I will never mistakenly regard the enemy as a partner."
Justinian's plain words echoed in the hall. Earl Merinosen's face changed at this moment when he heard it. Earl Bonnius's expression was slightly strange. Although it was a private negotiation between several people, Justinian's words were really shocking. In a few words, it was not just a sentence to the death of all the nobles in Rome. It was no wonder that this young man dared to do such a thing in Molia. If he really said this, he would probably not have killed him before returning to Constantinople. All the old nobles would be hung on the city wall and nailed to the cross.
"You are simply a lunatic." said the incoherent Earl Merinoson, with a chill in his voice.
What is Justinian's opinion about this?
"If you really want to reverse all this, the first thing you need to change is the so-called idea of sharing weal and woe. Are we aristocrats of Rome or aristocrats of Rome? Are there still things that we need to stick to in the past that we still have to stick to? I think the answer to these questions is the best medicine to solve the stubborn diseases of our empire. Old Earl Buronius, I am very grateful for the advice you just gave me, but I cannot agree with them all. The times will wash away all decayed things. If we don't rely on ourselves to do so, we will do it.
Cut off the rotten flesh. Then we will become a pile of rotten bones together. What I did in Peloponnese may be cruel, but such a drama has already begun to be played on the land of Rome. But for you, these things, you will never see them that you don’t want to see. One generation comes, one generation passes, and the earth lasts forever. Although people are passers-by, there will be no Rome in the land without the Romans. How should I choose never to decide?
But you. This time I will not force you all here again. After all, the lesson that Peloponnese taught me was deep enough. But I will not waste my energy here either. I have emphasized that Thessaly is not important to me. Although I am in my hands, I am not afraid of being alone. I will follow the choices of honor."
After saying that, Justinian no longer stopped and got up and was about to leave. He believed that if the other party could not understand his grand plan, there would be no need to continue to talk about it. It was an unexpected surprise to have the support of the Talanit family. He himself did not expect everyone to understand the path he chose.
Just as Molia's young man was about to step out of the door of the noble hall, a gentle applause suddenly came from behind.
"Please stay, young man." The Earl of Bunonius looked at Justinian's back and shouted Justinian, who was about to leave. This time the old man no longer called Justinian with a respectful title, but his attitude changed completely differently.
Regardless of the shocked expression of Earl Merinosen on the side, Bunonius left the seat and walked down the steps to come to Justinian.
Justinian pretended to be calm and said, "Is there anything wrong, Lord Bunonius?"
Chapter completed!