The city walls of Thessaloniki were covered with the blood of the dead. After a whole day of fierce fighting, the fierce offensive of the allied forces of the Bulgars and the Ducas family was slightly contained.

Under the city wall, there were piles of corpses emitting a rotten smell. The exhausted soldiers who defended the city did not even have the strength to carry the bodies of their companions at this moment and could only collapse against the wall to get a moment of respite.

"If this continues, Thessaloniki will definitely fall!" The aristocratic faction headed by Ioannis couldn't help wailing pessimistically when looking at the scene in front of them. At the same time, they were also deeply afraid of the harshness they might face once the city was defeated.

liquidation.

"Please calm down, we are not at the end of the road yet! Sir Yoannis, now I need your people to go to the west wall to change defenses and replace the Turkic archers over there. And Daniel,

Members of the Tarbell family, please settle the wounded here and quickly set up defenses to prevent enemies outside the city from attacking here." At this time, under the setting sun, Princess Eudocia's firm voice sounded, and she calmed down a little.

People were panicking. They saw a woman in a long white dress stained with blood slowly walking up the city wall. As a purple woman, the only thing she could do was to bandage the injured and wrap the bodies of the dead.

Seeing this scene, the nobles were all stunned. At this time, Daniel and the Tarbell family, who had already sided with Odosia in the noble council, immediately stood up.

"Please rest assured, Your Highness, we will get started immediately."

Seeing the nobles from the two families walking down the city wall to greet their troops, the princess' eyes turned to Ioannis who had not moved at all.

"Sir Ioannis."

"Huh, what's the point of doing this now, Your Highness? Thessaloniki won't last much longer." In the eyes of the sneering nobles, everything they are doing now is in vain, and the defensive battles on the city walls are all in vain.

The situation was so difficult, and the Venetians on the sea were still watching eagerly. The direction of the war was already obvious. At this moment, Ioannis couldn't help but regret if he had not refused the invitation of the Ducas family before.

Ioannis was obviously not the only one who had such thoughts. As soon as he said this, other nobles on the city wall also looked embarrassed. The air was filled with an atmosphere of anxiety and pessimism, and everyone was silent. At this time,

A mocking voice broke the silence.

"Is this what you call the Greeks? No wonder you were driven out of Constantinople like dogs four years ago."

It was the Genoese girl who was not popular with everyone who came into people's sight - Antonia Doria, the witch who brought unknown omen to the city. The gossips in Thessaloniki had already described her very well.

It was unbearable, and the nobles were angry with her because the Genoese refused to help. Now her appearance added a touch of gunpowder to the originally depressing atmosphere on the city wall.

"Four years ago, when the Crusaders broke through the fortified city that you were proud of, you were frightened and could only beg for mercy. You were even willing to surrender to the Franks and become emperor. Four years later, you still have not made any progress and only care about

In the struggle for power and gain, when someone is willing to stand up, you will only look forward and backward for fear of losing something. You would rather hold her back than break the stagnant status quo. When facing a strong enemy, you will only blame each other.

, the accusation, even if he was captured, he lowered his head and refused to face it. It seems that Constantinople only raised a group of guys with weak knees. Even the Franks can wear purple clothes. Maybe one day, one day

I don’t think I would be surprised if an emperor wearing a scarf appeared." Facing the hostile eyes calmly, Antonia sneered at all the nobles standing in front of her. When Constantinople fell, she was

She traveled through the East and passed there, witnessing the fire devouring the queen of the cities. Even those who were not Romans would feel heartbroken when they saw that scene. However, she did not expect that in the past few years, there would be very few people she met who wanted revenge. She resisted the Latins.

The aggression is just a slogan, a slogan to gain benefits for some people. Seeing them sanctimoniously accusing Princess Odosia of her ugliness, the Genoese girl thought of the past things again and stood up without hesitation.

.

"Antonia!" Princess Odosia was a little surprised when she saw the Genoese girl appear. Although the other person's face looked calm and relaxed, she knew that Antonia was currently supporting her injured body. During the day

Even though Arslan and the others were looking after her during the city defense battle, Antonia was still seriously injured. The bandage still wrapped around her left arm at this time was personally bandaged by Eudocia. She

His arrival was obviously untimely, especially what he said just now would definitely anger the nobles present. The princess wanted to stop her, but it was already too late.

"Presumptuous, who are you calling a Greek?" As expected, Ioannis was angered. There seemed to be a ferocious beast hidden in the noble's eyes. The man roared and questioned the Latin woman in front of him who dared to tease them. "Greeks."

"The title itself is not a taboo within the empire. Even nobles occasionally use it. However, they clearly understand that in the context of talking to Latins, it is undoubtedly humiliating. Now they openly use it from a

What the little girl from Genoa said suddenly ignited the anger of all the nobles present.

"Get it for me!"

Amidst the angry shouts, the noble guards rushed forward and prepared to surround Antonia. However, before they took a few steps forward, the arrows they fired hit the bluestone at the feet of the guards walking in front.

Brick forced it back.

"Let's see who dares to move!"

There were sounds of bustling movement from behind the crowd. The Turkic war group and the Vadaritai guard group who had climbed up the city wall surrounded the Macedonian nobles from both sides. A group of people headed by Arslan stood at the top of the city and stood condescendingly.

The nobles in front of them were armed with their swords at war, and the situation instantly became tense.

"Do you want to rebel?!" The frightened and angry Ioannis and others suddenly panicked. Although the fierce battle during the day caused heavy losses to the Vadaritai and the Turks, the pampered nobles in front of them

The guards are still not enough.

"Rebellion, you are worthy of it!" After hearing this, Arslan smiled contemptuously, and aimed his bow and arrow at the crowd of nobles, scaring them so much that they hid behind their shields regardless of their manners.

This act was immediately stopped by Princess Eudocia who was standing aside, "Your Excellency Arslan, put away the arrow." She did not want the situation in front of her to get out of control and cause Thessaloniki to fall into cannibalism.

Seeing that the princess stopped him, Arslan gave up and said to the nobles: "Miss Antonia is a guest of Archduke Justinian. You are not someone you can threaten. Likewise, Her Royal Highness's order is equivalent to

Grand Duke Justinian’s order, you people had better think clearly about who you should be loyal to, if anyone else violates it openly and covertly, you will not tolerate it when Lord Justinian comes back!"

The cruel words made the Macedonian nobles look ugly. They had suffered a lot at the hands of the upstart from Moria. A large number of fiefs and wealth were deprived of them. The rebels were deemed to be internal and external enemies and their heads were thrown to the ground.

Now, although there has been no news since the other party went south, at this juncture, it means that no one can restrain these barbarians in the city. After some thought, the Macedonian nobles had no choice but to swallow their breath.

Looking at the gloomy expressions on the faces of Ioannis and others, Odosia chose to calm down the matter, "Sir Ioannis, I believe in your loyalty to the empire, and I also understand your dissatisfaction with me, but now Thessaloniki's

What the situation requires is for us to put aside our prejudices. If we can't set an example for our people, how can we mobilize their strength?"

She expressed her sincere words in the hope that the other party would understand, but the nobleman did not answer the words. Instead, he said, "Humph, the daughter of the Angeles family." Then he led his guards to the west side of the city wall to fulfill his duties.
Chapter completed!