Constantinople has only been a capital for 32 years. Before it became a capital, it was a trading city located on the coast.
Because of the direct access to the sea and at the intersection of the East and the west, businessmen are willing to come to Constantinople to do business, which not only gives the city extraordinary prosperity, but also makes it a city with the crystallization of eastern and Western civilizations.
It was the first time that the Han people who came to Europa saw serious walls or high walls built of bricks and stones. Most of the cities they saw before had no walls. Even if there were low rammed earth walls, or simply a defensive circle composed of a fence.
Everyone knows that the fence protection ring is at most to prevent wild animals. If there is an army attack, the fence can only play a very slight blocking effect. It doesn't need any siege equipment to destroy it. It can be pushed only by soldiers. Its function is a little stronger than the fence wall. However, whether it is in Sassanian, Persia or the Greek peninsula, Most cities have only fences.
"The wall on this side of the sea is not the highest. It is said that the wall on the other side of the channel gate is 50 meters, and the walls on the north and East are 58 meters." Cai Mian said with admiration: "the base of the city wall is made of boulders, with soil and gravel as the core, and then built with bricks and stones, which can resist the continuous bombardment of stone catapults for ten days without collapse."
They were on ships on the sea. Because they were close enough to the city wall, people wanted to see the flag on the city wall hold their heads high, which could better support the grandeur and towering of the city wall.
The ships at this pier are already being driven away, and the work is done by the urban defense forces from Constantinople. Waiting for the ships on the dock to be driven away, it was the time for the Han embassy to land.
"Several other small countries have also sent people." Marus Utansis seemed very dissatisfied with this: "it's like a thief!"
"What about the other co rulers?" Cai Mian asked curiously, "did they send someone?"
Marus The expression of utansis suddenly became very strange, full of pride and strong smile.
The so-called co rulers are actually Constantius' opponents, Constantine II and CONSTANS I, who were killed for the only Augustus name.
Rome fell into civil war, but their civil war seemed very strange. For example, no one would easily kill the city, and then they were fighting and did not cut off contacts.
Constantine II's sphere of influence is Spain, France, Germany (part) and Switzerland. He has three less reliable younger brothers, frank, Burgundy and Alemanni.
Before the defeat of the three Constantine II, frank, Burgundy and Alemanni had been flirting with Constantius, and later directly became Constantius's vassal state. The last time Constantius sent a mission to the state of Han, the missions of the three countries accompanied him.
CONSTANS I's sphere of influence was Italy, the birthplace of the Romans, and jointly controlled the Greek peninsula with Constantius.
The news of the Han people is seriously backward, and the Romans did not disclose it to the Han people. In fact, Constantine II and Constance I have died successively.
Constantine I's death occurred 11 years ago. He led his troops to invade Constance I's sphere of influence and was resisted by Constance I. that was his last attack. He was killed after defeat.
CONSTANS I died in the hands of his subordinates, but he also found the wrong person.
Magnus Magnentius rebelled and killed CONSTANS I without waiting for Magnus Magnentius integrated the power belonging to CONSTANS I. Constantius led his army to Magnus After magnentius was defeated and killed, Constantius did not immediately annex the territory originally belonging to CONSTANS I, but adopted partition.
In other words, the current Rome has actually been unified again, but these known Persians did not say it, and the parties themselves never mentioned it.
In fact, as long as the state of Han wanted to know why only Constantius sent envoys, it would be amazing. After all, if Rome was still in the midst of civil war, the other two forces would not watch Constantius seek new allies. Even if they did not jump out to compete, they should do their best to stir up pornography.
On the other hand, Julian was the second member of the royal family in Rome. The Egyptian part represented by Julian was not hostile to Constantius at all, and even could act under unified orders.
However, the Romans can't hide these things for long. The reason why the Romans hide them is also to test and test the Han state. For example, the Han parliament will not seek cooperation with the enemies of Constantius.
The Han people, who did not know that Rome had been unified, heard a rush of trumpets before they had time to think more. At the same time, there were many people wearing monk robes on the wharf.
It was not a monk. In fact, it was a clergyman from ji1 Du1 religion. The person walking in the front held the cross high in his hand. The cross is very beautiful. The surface seems to be plated with gold and inlaid with gemstones. It is golden and glittering under the sun.
The robes of the clergy are mainly white, which seems to have different color edges and corners according to different classes. At the same time, the patterns and colors on the robes are also different. They will still wear a small round cap on their head, or they will wear it specially obliquely. It is doubtful whether the small round cap will fall down when the action is larger.
When the Han people didn't know why, a beautiful voice suddenly appeared, listening to what hymn they should be singing.
"The Lord's servants are everywhere." Marcus Maka has an obvious rejection: "they will not miss any important occasion to show their sense of existence."
The hymn is sung by dozens of people. Both men and women listen to the sound. Their heads are shrouded in cloaks. Everyone puts his hands on his lower abdomen. When he sings high, his body trembles.
Neat footsteps mixed in. A young man who looked very young took the lead in riding. He was wearing a white silk robe and an olive laurel crown. He got off the horse at the service of the servant and came to the dock.
"Julian..." marus Utansis looked very excited: "Augustus sent Julian to meet him. It's a grand and surprising guide."
Wang Meng and Cai Mian looked at each other in an instant. They could see surprise in each other's eyes.
In the message of the Han people, Julian was an ally of Constantius. He ruled Egypt and a continent of Africa. He was not weak among all the Communists in Rome.
Allies are just allies. The rulers of both sides will never easily go to each other's capital, let alone accept assignments to do any work.
Wang Meng and Cai Mian, who were aware of something wrong, had no change. No matter what the political pattern of the Romans was or what important Romans came, they knew that no one dared to hurt unless Rome wanted to break out a war with the Han country.
Roman soldiers in red robes and heavy armour began to appear in large numbers. They were all cloaks with fury bags. After they arrived, they formed a cordon around them. At the same time, they left one person every two meters in the street in the mode of standing guard, forming a cordon blocked by soldiers on both sides of the street.
After Wang Meng and others got on the dock, they looked at the street and were surprised to find that they were covered with red carpet, which extended to the corner far away from their sight.
There were many onlookers around. They were cheering and shouting Julian's name when Julian appeared. Julian frequently waved to the onlookers and ushered in greater cheers.
"Friends from afar..." Julian smiled very well and stretched out his right arm to Wang Meng: "welcome."
Wang Meng knew that the Roman etiquette was to hold each other's right hands, but what he held was not the palm, but the small arm. What seems to be the story behind this etiquette?
Julian is greeting in Chinese. The Chinese he speaks sounds very pure and doesn't listen to a strange accent. He spoke in Roman, followed by Marcus Marca translated, saying that he only knew one sentence and practiced for a long time.
The distance between Han and Rome is too far. Han people are very strange to Rome, but they know some Roman systems. For example, the emperor is Augustus, and the Romans will appoint Caesar. Caesar is not only the vice emperor of Rome, but also has many Caesars.
If Wang Meng heard right, Marcus just now Marca calls Julian Caesar, so Julian who came to meet himself and others is one of the Caesars of Rome?
However, it was not like that. In fact, Julian had just ended his exile. He had stayed in Maseru in Cappadocia (belonging to Turkey) before and regained his aristocratic status a year ago. He was not one of the Caesars in Rome. Constantius revealed his intention to canonize Caesar, which was also called Caesar by the people below.
Julian had a half brother named gallus. Gallus was one of the Caesars in Rome. In addition, there were two Caesars, both descendants of Constantius's brothers (cousins), who were in charge of the Roman territory of Europa and Africa.
"No, I'm not Caesar yet." When Julian heard that Wang Meng was also called Caesar, he dared not be careless in this kind of diplomacy. After denying it, he said, "I will marry Helena this year before I will be appointed Caesar."
Wang Meng immediately heard the implication, that is to say, Julian was frightened by Constantius and needed to kiss each other before he could be trusted.
Helena is Constantius' sister, and Julian is Constantius' nephew. If Julian marries Helena, Julian will become both Constantius' nephew and brother-in-law. The relationship is really chaotic, but this is the characteristic of the Roman royal family.
In the history of Rome, Royal close relatives married very frequently, such as a brother married a sister, or a sister married a brother, and even a biological father married his own daughter. They called it maintaining the purity of blood, and then gave birth to a lot of deformed children or mental retardation.
In history, even if the marriage of close relatives of the Roman royal family was not deformed or mentally retarded, the children born from close relatives also had congenital diseases. For example, in a film called the kingdom of heaven, Baldwin IV, the king of Jerusalem, was the product of close relatives. He had serious skin diseases since childhood and was tortured by skin diseases all his life, Later also died of severe skin inflammation. (this movie is highly recommended)
"It may not be Helena." Julian hooked his mouth, shrugged his shoulders, smiled and said, "if the emperor of your country is willing to marry Rome."
Wang Meng's expression remained unchanged, but his heart paid attention. This is not the first time he encountered such a situation. For example, when he went to taixifeng, Shapur II of Persia Sasan sent people to test. Later, Shapur II went out in person to talk about the marriage with the Han state. It can be that Persia Sasan married a princess. The princess can be Shapur II's daughter or sister, so as to make the two countries become blood related countries.
At that time, Wang Meng replied that he needed to return home for instructions before giving a formal reply. Shapur II did things very directly. He chose the most beautiful sister and daughter and went to the Han state by boat in the name of playing.
"Helena is very beautiful. She is the most beautiful flower in Constantinople." Julian walked on the red carpet side by side with Wang Meng and always showed a talkative appearance: "she is not only beautiful, but also a very knowledgeable female scholar and artist."
Of course, the conversation between Julian and Wang Meng was in Marcus Maka translated and talked and laughed all the way to the gate.
When they were far away, they had seen that the city gate was specially decorated, without some olive branches and leaves and some colored satins. When they were a little closer, petals had been scattered on the city wall, and the trumpet sound of "dudududu" was not cut off.
"My fiefs are in Egypt, Nicomedia and Cappadocia, mainly Asia Minor." Julian was stunned when he saw Wang Meng. He didn't know what the purpose was. He said, "there's one thing angels need to know. Rome is not in a period of division."
Wang Meng stopped at once, which also stopped the whole team.
"Obviously, the Persians did not tell your country?" Julian smiled very sunny, but his words were somewhat negative: "the Persians have never been qualified allies. They think too much carefully, and their strength never matches their ambition."
Indeed, the Persians must know that Rome has restored its unity, but they have never mentioned it to the Han state, or even misled the Han state in some directions.
The Romans themselves did not mention it, but the Han country had no place to blame or complain about the Romans. After all, the Han didn't ask, and why did the Romans say?