Ming Dynasty and New Rome and Infinite Magic Machine

Chapter 1636 The Fall of Rome

Whether this second sun submits or rebels, it cannot display any light before people. Therefore, the most direct and effective method is to let this sun sink.

This is the goal that this trial aims to achieve.

Currently, Helios remains neutral on this plan. As the current sun god, Helios respects the Romans' choice.

Apollonia fully agreed with the plan because she was no longer on Rome's side—because Rome had no future.

But Amun-Zeus clearly had no intention of accepting this. Amun-Zeus's behavior had always been the same, as had Rome's: to postpone it.

Amun-Zeus knew Rome had problems, but instead of changing them, he accepted their existence and tried to manage them. This is Rome's past—Rome's neglect of its problems led to its current intractable predicament.

However, Rome's past did not allow it to simply perish.

"Actually, this is very close to the Rome I know."

"What do you mean?" Zhu Ling asked. "Was it like this in Roman history as well?"

"Yes. In fact, it's hard to say exactly when the Roman Empire fell in history."

This mainly refers to the Western Roman Empire.

How did the Western Roman Empire fall?

Many believe that the Western Roman Empire fell on September 4, 476 AD. On that day, the Germanic Odoacer deposed the Roman Emperor Romulus, who was named after the legendary Roman ancestor Romulus. Rome began with Romulus and ended with Romulus, completing a great historical cycle.

However, although Odoacer deposed the Roman emperor, it was not a major issue in the eyes of the Eastern Roman Empire—the succeeding Western Roman emperor was Nepomuk, whom the Eastern Roman emperors still recognized as emperor. Furthermore, the Germanic peoples who deposed Romulus still revered the Eastern Roman Empire as the supreme ruler and declared their allegiance to it. At the same time, the Germanic peoples themselves also remotely recognized Nepomuk as emperor. Nepomuk's portrait and name were still engraved on the currency circulating in Italy.

This event wasn't considered particularly important at the time. In the eyes of the Eastern Roman Empire, barbarian regicide and usurpation weren't seen as catastrophic events. Such occurrences had become commonplace; it was merely another military rebellion.

This is quite similar to Zhu Wen's establishment of the Later Liang dynasty. People at the time would probably have thought that Zhu Wen's Later Liang was just another upheaval in the Tang dynasty—only this time, the Tang dynasty never returned.

During the subsequent Tang and Five Dynasties period, although the Tang Dynasty experienced several resurgences, it was ultimately unable to return to its former glory.

The Western Roman Empire, too, perished silently.

For a long time after the emperor's death, the bureaucratic system of the Western Roman Empire continued to function normally under the operation of the Germanic peoples. The bureaucratic system was still run by the original Western Roman nobles. This bureaucratic system even existed throughout the remaining "Southern and Northern Europe" at the time. Independent of the major warlords, it continued to do its own thing methodically, much like a cat with its brain removed can still use its cerebellum to perform actions like walking.

However, Rome ultimately fell. No one can say from what point in time that Rome was considered "dead" by everyone. It was simply forgotten by everyone, until it was buried under the sands of history, covered with a thick layer of dust.

—This is what Amun-Zeus is doing right now. He's not operating Rome's brain, but its cerebellum. Just like jumping when your knee is hit, recoiling when your hand is burned, or licking your fur when your fur is wet, these actions run without any conscious thought.

This behavior, based on external feedback and lower-level nervous systems, is more persistent than life itself. Even if Rome's entire brain were removed, this system might continue to function for a long time, just as Rome's bureaucratic system continued to operate until its collapse after Rome's death.

Even in the "aftermath" known to Shangluo, this bureaucratic system did not completely die out; it survived as the Papacy. Bishops throughout Europe continued to obey the orders of Rome and accept administrative officials dispatched from Rome. This system promoted officials based on "learning" and was mostly composed of Italians. From its organizational structure to its personnel, it was almost seamlessly integrated with Rome's past bureaucratic system.

But Shangluo will not allow this to happen a second time.

All of Rome's secrets must be buried with Rome. After Rome, Europe will be governed by the Night Watch of the various European nations—an outpost of the Heavenly Court. Their rank is low, but sufficient for managing barbarians.

"So, my father went there to resolve this matter?" Zhu Ling asked.

"I don't think so. Perhaps he won't interfere with his old friend's decision, but just wants to catch up and exchange information."

[Let's also talk about you.]

That was a nightmare.

“What I’m about to encounter is the nightmare,” Zhu Ling sighed. “So, the place we’re going to is the one my father insisted I go to? What kind of food does that place serve?”

They were on their way to dinner. Because, as per Emperor Taihe's request, Shangluo was to "demand" a meal from Zhu Ling on his behalf.

This matter should have been handled by Emperor Taihe himself, but he "unfortunately" happened to be away on a business trip, so he asked Shangluo to do it.

"Speaking of which," Zhu Ling turned her head and asked, "does this count as a blind date this week?"

Their "blind date" this week hasn't happened yet. But since they went out this time, it could be considered a blind date, or it could not.

"I don't think so. After all, it's work."

"That's right, it's work. The blind date is another matter—ah, so what should we eat? I'm getting a little scared."

"I heard it's imperial cuisine." At least that's what the address says.

"Imperial cuisine? There's imperial cuisine? I've never had imperial cuisine before."

That's true. Before Zhu Ling was born, the Imperial Kitchen had already been converted into a dining hall. Neither Emperor Taihe nor Zhu Xianxi had their own kitchen in the Imperial Kitchen; their meals were prepared in the Western Garden. It was a very small facility.

"That's what they say, but I don't know what kind of imperial cuisine it is."

However, Shangluo was probably already prepared – there were many kinds of imperial cuisine, and theoretically anything the emperor had eaten could be considered imperial cuisine.

If we calculate it this way, the emperors of past dynasties must have eaten a great deal, especially the founding emperor, Emperor Gaozu. Many of the things she ate would not even be considered food today. For example, a certain kind of "Pearl, Jade, and White Jade Soup".

(End of this chapter)