Hyperdimensional Player

Chapter 156 Who is in favor? Who is against? (Two in one)

Duncan, the Governor of the British province, did not make any statement.

Silence is the best answer.

For a time, the Roman people throughout the Italian peninsula were filled with resentment, and all the criticism was directed at Valentinian III and his close ministers who instigated the murder of the Protector.

There was no way Duncan would wade into this cesspool. Throughout human history, how many emperors used this method to murder important officials of the country?
It can be said that this wave of operations directly pushed the emperor and the Senate to the forefront.

When Aetius was still alive.

Many people accused him of being arbitrary, arrogant, excluding dissidents, monopolizing power, and even wanting to release Attila, the Scourge of God, for personal reasons. But now that Aetius was dead, and died so tragically, all the directions of public opinion were changing, and the Roman people had begun to hate Valentinian III.

The Western Empire cut off one of its own arms; the emperor cut off the pillar of the empire.

Military power did nominally fall into the hands of the emperor and the Senate.

But the legion commanders they appointed were completely incapable of commanding their subordinates, and the legions throughout the Western Empire began to alienate their superiors. For years, Aetius had fought with great success on the empire's frontiers, while the Senate's incompetent members, some of whom had never even seen the battlefield, were in a position to command the entire imperial army.

Eventually, an increasingly paranoid Valentinian III prepared to take command of the imperial legions himself.

He wanted to take back the command of these troops in the name of the emperor.

How to do?
Valentinian III chose the simplest and most direct approach: he would periodically review the imperial legions and establish his presence before the imperial army. All historical events seemed to follow a clear path; if Valentinian III had been a capable emperor, he might have been able to reclaim control of the army through military exploits.

But he had no talent and no military achievements, and he even fled when the Huns invaded again. Not only did the army look down on him, but even the Roman people despised this incompetent emperor.

There was very little he could do, and the best way was to personally review the army and then win over the people's hearts in the name of rewards.

no doubt.

The Imperial Senate had already begun to take action against him, because Quintus was the first person to notice something was wrong. Public opinion on the entire Italian peninsula began to turn to Aetius, sympathizing with the plight of the Roman Protector. Then all the blame and all the blame were put on Valentinian III.

"Maximus's plan has failed, and the Senate is about to turn against the Emperor."

Quintus had actually returned to the vicinity of Ravenna a long time ago, but he did not go back to see the emperor. This guy realized that something was wrong and immediately hid himself.

Because he was also forced to stab Aetius' body again.

This will be his biggest political stain.

"Valentinian III thought he was clever, and at the last moment, he tricked the Senate and appointed Heraclius as the commander-in-chief of the empire."

"But he hadn't thought about it."

"Without the support of the Senate, how can Heraclius lead the army? This is just an empty title, and it will make it easy for the Senate to go to extremes."

In the worst case scenario, they would go all out and replace the emperor of the empire.

Back then, the Imperial Guards publicly auctioned the title of emperor. Whoever paid the most would become emperor. The Senate also has a lot of dark history. Not to mention the assassination of Caesar, some later emperors died in unclear circumstances, and the Imperial Senate can be said to have made an indelible contribution to this.

Quintus no longer dared to go back. He was afraid that if he went back, he would be used as a scapegoat or even die in an unclear manner.

The most crucial point is that he is the emperor's favorite jester.

This identity is simply born to take the blame.

"Immediately send someone to contact the people we bribed in the palace. If anything happens, make sure Princess Pracitia is safe."

During this period, Quintus had also spent a lot of money, and he had bribed everyone in the palace, from guards to servants. He basically had spies. He ordered those around him, "Send over the assassins from the manor."

"And those gladiators."

"If anything unexpected happens, find a way to save people immediately."

After all, Valentinian III had been very kind to him. If things were irreversible, Quintus would have to find a way to rescue the two princesses and prevent them from falling into the hands of the Senate. It would be even better if he could take the queen away as well.

Quintus' ancestors ran a gladiatorial arena, and later became slave owners.

His family fell into poverty several times, but still retained the tradition of secretly training gladiators. After Quintus gradually came to power, he began to secretly train death squads, using the methods that his family used to train gladiators, selecting talents from young slaves.

He didn't have many people under his command, only about a dozen death warriors, plus his followers and private guards, he could barely mobilize about a hundred people.

Quintus hid in the manor outside and dared not show up, but news came back from all directions. At the same time, part of it was sent to Gaul and handed over to Duncan by Anya.

Paris region.

Duncan was actually a little surprised. He really didn't expect that the emperor and the Senate would use such a brutal method to murder Aetius.

All we can say is that the inertia of history is too strong, and the Roman tradition is difficult to describe in a few words.

"The next step must be to develop medicine to solve the Roman lead poisoning problem."

"At least we can no longer use lead products in large quantities."

Duncan had now annexed most of the Frankish tribes. He stationed a large number of troops on the Île-de-France and then led an elite cavalry to the Champagne region.

Anya's expression was excited, and she whispered, "Aetius was murdered."

"The Emperor and the Senate will inevitably clash over military power. Should we find an excuse to dispatch troops now? Or wait for a more suitable opportunity?"

If we send troops now.

Emperor Valentinian III was still in power, and Duncan's slogan was undoubtedly "clearing the court."

Then there is a problem.

Did Duncan kill Valentinian III or force him to abdicate?
Waiting for the right opportunity actually has risks.

That is, if the Imperial Senate took action, they would probably immediately elect a new emperor, and then the righteousness would be in their hands. Maybe they would bring in the Eastern Roman Empire or the Vandals to deal with Duncan.

Severus then said in a deep voice: "We can deploy an elite cavalry on the border of Burgundy in case of any changes on the Italian peninsula."

"We can immediately send troops into Rome to take control of the situation."

Beside him, Barton had a complicated expression. Aetius was his old superior, and although their relationship was ordinary, hearing that the Protector had died so tragically filled him with anger. He knelt on one knee and said, "Governor."

"I have some colleagues in the Imperial Army. If the army enters Italy, I can persuade them to surrender."

Persuade surrender at this time.

Barton was at least 70% sure that the commanders in the armies had already lost their courage and would never submit to the emperor or the Senate.

It's time to elect a new emperor.

As long as he took control of the imperial army, it would only take a word for Duncan to ascend the throne and become the emperor of the empire.

In the meeting hall.

Duncan pondered for a long time, then slowly said, "What news has been received from Quintus?"

Duncan did not express his opinion at all about Valentinian III's solicitation and marriage proposal. It was impossible for him to use his accumulated reputation to protect the emperor from this disaster. If he gave his full support, it would indeed help the emperor to keep his position firmly.

When why would he do that?
Such a brutal murder is definitely a huge stain in history.

Anya whispered, "The current whereabouts are unknown."

"But the Imperial Senate has always acted violently. Those guys are arrogant and will most likely resort to murder against Valentinian III."

“I just don’t know when they will start.”

Having said this, Anya paused and said slowly: "But we have bribed the emperor's attendants with a large sum of money. If anything happens, the news will be sent out immediately."

The emperor's surroundings have been infiltrated like a sieve.

Duncan said solemnly, "It's unlikely they'll attack inside the palace, because after Valentinian III murdered Aetius, he already has control over the palace guards."

"If they are going to take action, it will most likely be when the emperor is traveling."

The others present looked at each other and said in unison: "Military camp?!"

this time.

Valentinian III spent most of his time in the palace and at the military camp, abandoning even the extravagant court banquets of the past. He was determined to restore his reputation. He began to handle government affairs personally, acting like a wise but incompetent monarch, and repeatedly rewarded the palace guards.

But nothing has changed much.

Anya continued, "Quintus said he was short of manpower and he hopes we can send an elite force to assist him."

"In case something happens."

"He can also find a way to bring out the queen and princess. Whoever has them will have the legitimate status."

Valentinian III had no sons, only two daughters.

Whether it was the empress or the two princesses, they were all considered his inheritance. If they fell into the hands of the Senate, they would most likely take them as soon as possible. Whether it was the empire of the East or the West, taking in the empresses, concubines, and princesses of the previous dynasty was a means of stabilizing the situation.

Moreover, Queen Licinia Eudoxia was born as a princess of the Eastern Roman Empire.

In the original history, Maximus forcibly took the queen and forced her to marry him in order to gain the support of the Eastern Roman Empire. For this reason, he even divorced his original wife.

Upon hearing this, Duncan immediately gave the order: "Have Cullin lead the Gallic Oathed Warriors and select thirty veterans from the British Roman Legion."

"If they want to take action, they won't be able to wait too long."

You killed the person.

Duncan didn't want to be blamed at all. After secretly sending out the Gallic Oath-taking Warriors, he immediately began to digest the territory of the Frankish tribe.

This backlash from the murder of Aetius will target whoever stands up.

Duncan did not comment.

Naturally, the emperor and the Senate became the target of public criticism. The British governor had completely distanced himself from these dirty waters and sewage, and was actively recovering the Gaul province, while regaining the Rhine defense line and forcing back the Visigothic army.

Duncan suddenly became a positive example and received praise and support from the Roman people.

I'm afraid of being compared to others.

The Roman people also hated dirty politics. The imperial tradition was to honor heroes with great military achievements. Now some people have publicly compared Duncan with Caesar.

With this comparison, people can understand why the British Governor did not want to get involved in this mess.

The emperor has chilled the hearts of the empire's important officials.

When you are strong enough, the people below you will take the initiative to find excuses for you.

The last time Duncan did not return to Italy was because Aetius stopped him and he was jealous of his talent. This time Duncan did not return to Italy because the emperor wantonly murdered important officials, which chilled the heart of the Governor of Britain and made him worry that he would be murdered.

The excited Roman people had already taken the initiative to think of various reasons for him.

For a time, there was actually a cry of "If Duncan doesn't come out, what will happen to the people?"

Welcome back the Governor of Britain - Lord Duncan.

He is in charge of the overall situation.

This kind of public outcry is getting louder and louder, and naturally there are people behind the scenes fanning the flames.

This is also the time.

Duncan suddenly discovered that the country mark on the projection page had changed. In addition to the 'British Kingdom' mark, there were several new options.

——"British and French Empire (National Concept): Merge Britain and Frankish Empire to form a new British and French Empire. Gain some ideas from the long history."

——"Gallic Empire (National Concept): Transform the Kingdom of Britain into the Gallic Empire, with Romano-Celtic becoming the dominant culture, and gaining some blessings from Celtic Gaul."

——"Holy Roman Empire (national concept): Transform the Kingdom of Britain into the Holy Roman Empire, obtain national assimilation, and inherit part of the legacy of the Roman Empire."

(Needs religious support, needs to conquer Germanic tribes, needs to have a geographical concept of Germany, etc.)
"The Second Roman Empire (national concept): Becoming Augustus, dividing the country into many provinces, completely inheriting the cultural heritage of the Roman Empire, and being compatible with other cultures, replacing the later Holy Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire, and becoming a new national concept."

(Need to control the Italian Peninsula, need to defeat the Visigothic Kingdom, need to defeat the Eastern Roman Empire, need to occupy the Balkan Peninsula [Greece], need to conquer Egypt [Alexandria], need to conquer Carthage in North Africa, need to restore most of the empire's territory, and seize part of the Middle East, etc.)
(It is necessary to establish an empire spanning three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa, while also possessing its own core territories.)
Can we change the country's name?
Duncan checked and found that currently only the British and French Empires and the Gallic Empire could be directly transformed. The Second Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire both required additional elements and had not been achieved yet.

The Holy Roman Empire needed to conquer many Germanic regions, and had to dominate Europe, unify the German regions, and gain religious support.

The Second Roman Empire had even greater demands.

Duncan not only had to complete the above conditions and elements, but also had to complete unification and defeat the Eastern Roman Empire, which was later the Byzantine Empire. The projection page gave clear geographical coordinates, including Carthage in North Africa, Mesopotamia in the Middle East, Germany in Northern Europe, as well as the British province, Sarmatia, Alexandria in Egypt and other regions.

Fortunately, we don’t have to attack Norway in Northern Europe and the Russian region.

The size of this empire has surpassed the heyday of the Roman Empire in all aspects, but the vast territory also brings many additional benefits.

Besides.

There is an additional tag inside the projection page.

"Father of Europe (Special Title): You must have at least three sons, each of whom is enfeoffed as a king, achieving a clear geographical concept: King of Britain, King of the Franks, and King of Germany. After achieving these elements, your bloodline will gradually spread throughout the royal aristocracy of Europe over time.

No matter how history evolves, you will become one of the source bloodlines of European aristocracy.

You must have great military achievements and, through civil administration, consolidate the concepts of European culture, unify measurements, formulate laws, spread culture, build schools, and so on."

(Kings must be direct descendants and cannot be adopted children.)
Ok?
Have three children?
Duncan couldn't help but smile bitterly. He didn't even have an heir now.

Anya's belly is not cooperating.

Eating the baby is not enough.

She was often filled to the brim, but there was no movement. I don't know if witches really can't have children, or if Duncan's bloodline is too complicated, making it difficult for ordinary people to get pregnant.

Now the Raven Queen, Triss, is getting a little anxious, and is obviously planning to allow some noble ladies who have given birth to children to take the throne.

This was an old tradition in the Roman Empire. Women who had given birth were more popular, as it at least proved that they could give birth and there was no need to worry about difficult labor.

What they mean is to prepare for both situations.

The noble ladies who had given birth had to prepare, and the young girls who had not had children had to prepare as well. Now the entire British Kingdom was waiting for the news that one of the Governor's lovers was pregnant. Severus was probably the most anxious among them.

Because he had gone to the Avalon Sanctuary not long ago to call for help, and asked directly, "Do you take care of the issue of having children?"

The guardian fairies of Avalon were confused by the question.

Last time.

Severus came from time to time to ask about the sword of sworn victory. This time he came again to ask about Duncan's ability to have children.

Can you do it?

Just having a baby.

So many guardian fairies combined couldn't even help with childbirth, which was really disappointing to him.

Severus naturally did not bother to disturb the appearance of Athena and Sulis.

Because this is the virgin goddess.

Things like giving birth to children are definitely not the responsibility of the Virgin Goddess.

But the guardian fairies of Avalon are not virgin goddesses! You can make the land bear abundant fruits, but can't you perform some miracles to make women's bellies swell up too?

The guardian fairies of Avalon felt extremely aggrieved about this.

They are agricultural priests, not fertility priests, and Duncan has only been close to two women so far, one of whom is not an ordinary woman. The other women's romantic experiences do not meet the conditions for having children. Only Anya is eating and drinking.

This precious resource has not been disseminated, so they can’t help even if they want to!

Duncan is almost a demigod.

It is very difficult for such a powerful being to have offspring, and this era is also a period of declining mythology. Even though the ceiling has been a bit higher recently, having offspring really depends on a bit of luck.

Anyway, because Severus asked too many questions, the guardian fairies became very annoyed. At some point, their faces actually changed slightly, like those of a kind mother.

This is a real attempt to try to get involved in the priesthood of the concept of fertility.

but.

The Avalon faith has its basic agricultural foundation. No matter how it changes, it is still a concept of animal and animal husbandry reproduction. It is difficult to suddenly cross over to the concepts of human reproduction, family, etc.

If that doesn't work, try finding him a few more lovers.

Severus finally returned empty-handed, and he turned around and put all the pressure on poor Anya. He was even the only one who dared to put pressure on the Raven Queen - Triss. Just give it a try. At worst, you can change your faith. There is nothing good about serving the virgin goddess. You can try to convert to the Queen of Heaven or something.

He was really brave, and his question stunned the Raven Queen Triss, who was speechless for a long time.

After all, he was a veteran who had founded the team, and he gave way to Duncan at the critical moment of life and death.

For Severus, as long as he had one child, whether a boy or a girl, it would at least prove that Duncan's bloodline could continue.

Severus was a little crazy.

He is a Celtic with very traditional ideas. With such a large territory, such a large territory, and such a big country, he will definitely conquer even more territory in the future. How can he do that without a direct bloodline descendant?
Offspring represent how long the empire can last and how many years peace and stability can be maintained.

Having no offspring is a recipe for chaos!
The traditional ministers did not approve of adopted heirs at all. They believed that only direct bloodlines could inherit Duncan's excellent genes. Some people were even secretly selecting other candidates, such as princesses from the Germanic tribe or the Celtic tribe.

They didn't have to choose a Roman princess; as long as she could give birth to children, they wouldn't be picky at all.

It’s okay to have a daughter first!
Places like Ireland and Scotland have always had a tradition of having a queen. Even if a daughter is born, they will accept it with resigned eyes.

Anyway, now the emperor is not in a hurry, but the eunuch is.

But Duncan's attention is currently focused on the situation on the Italian Peninsula. However, he has found that there are more beautiful girls serving him, and they all have extraordinary conversation and seem to have received a certain education.

Not only the important officials were anxious, but the people below were also anxious. Without an heir, how could the country be passed on? Anya was simply guilty of a heinous crime.

The Duncan lineage is too small.

But after conquering Frank's territory, Duncan had too many things to deal with.

Moreover, he currently has a very difficult problem, which is about Frank's beliefs.

Inside the Governor's Residence.

Duncan summoned his personal guards and said in a deep voice, "Hasn't St. Patrick arrived yet?"

Carl came back quickly and said respectfully, "They should have arrived at the port of Calais."

"Tomorrow at the latest, we shall be in Paris."

Duncan nodded slightly and ordered, "Then summon the Arian bishop tomorrow."

The Norse pantheon was badly defeated.

The Germanic barbarians who moved south, whether they were the Eastern and Western Goths or the Franks, mainly believed in Arianism, and the original Nordic beliefs had already declined.

Missionaries simply cannot compete.

The religious conflict here is more serious than in the British province. Duncan must subdue the Arians in order to stabilize the religious contradictions.

The next morning.

The dusty Saint Patrick arrived in Paris. He looked at the church cross in the distance with a slightly solemn expression.

Although he was a saint, he was only active in remote areas and preached in Ireland. That is to say, he was not very famous among many saints, and only the church in the British province recognized and supported him.

The Arians in Gaul revered the saint but disobeyed his commands.

"Your Majesty Bishop."

The apprentice priest beside him looked excited and asked cautiously, "Is the Governor planning to nominate you as Archbishop?"

Archbishop, should be called Archbishop.

But the fact is far more than that. St. Patrick had traveled alone across Ireland to preach for so many years, so how could he not understand what the Governor meant?

This means he will be given a red robe.

Although there are no cardinals yet, the red-robed archbishops are the reserve of the Pope and have the power to be elected by the people. In addition, the current church still has the apostolic succession system. As a saint, St. Patrick is born with this power.

However, he had fame but no real power, so no matter how he was chosen, the title of Pope would never fall on him.

The limit of St. Patrick was the bishop of the province of Britain.

But it's completely different with Duncan's support.

At this time, the Governor suddenly summoned St. Patrick to Gaul, and to the core diocese of Arianism. With just a little guess, you can understand what the Governor meant.

This was a direct and forceful use of secular power to push St. Patrick to power.

Make him one of the potential candidates for Pope.

St. Patrick could have chosen not to come, but since he had come, his attitude was very clear.

"Let's go."

St. Patrick sighed lightly. He was not so eager for power. The virtues of saints were first-class. Most of them were canonized after being martyred. Those living saints basically had great achievements.

If it had not stood firm on its own position, St. Patrick's Day would not have become Ireland's national holiday.

St. Patrick was also forced into a corner.

He doesn't stand up.

The relationship between the Governor and the Church is bound to break down, and bloodshed and sacrifice are inevitable. After all, the Governor's position is inclined towards polytheism and he does not want the Church to dominate, so that theocracy will overwhelm the royal power.

But if he stood up, he would have to compete for power with other people in the church, and there would be no way out.

Because heretics are more hateful than pagans!
Either stay in the British province for the rest of your life and watch Duncan slowly take action against the church, or stand up and compete for the Pope's authority and try to find a way to coexist.

Based on what St. Patrick knew about Duncan during this time.

If one day theocracy threatens royal power, Duncan will definitely not hesitate to wield his butcher knife and kill people, causing rivers of blood and countless heads to roll.

If that time really comes, it will be a religious war, and I don’t know how many people will die.

Saints can be morally blackmailed.

A gentleman can deceive others.

Whether St. Patrick was willing or not, the moment he took the initiative to ask to see Duncan, he was forcibly lifted up by Duncan and tied to his chariot.

You want to jump out of the car? Sure!
The chariot was about to run over the monotheist fanatics.

If you just sit still, there's still room for negotiation.

St. Patrick straightened his purple robe. Although he would have to change it soon, he was a saint after all and needed to greet other bishops of the church with the best piety.

Inside the cathedral in Paris.

As the heavy gate opened, two fully armed general guards opened the gate to welcome St. Patrick.

In addition to the bishops, elders, deacons, etc. of the church, there is also a whole team of fully armed heavy-armored guards. They stare at others with cold eyes, as if they will draw their swords without hesitation to chop at any unusual movement.

Duncan's heroic figure stood at the foot of the cross, wearing gorgeous royal armor, his right hand on the hilt of the Oathkeeper's sword.

This time, he did not carry the Sword of Promised Victory with him.

At some point, a faint holy light had surrounded the Oath Keeper, as if it had been blessed by an angel. Others could not see it, but the hermits with supernatural powers could see it.

This is when the angels of God acknowledge the weapon and complete the holy baptism.

No matter how it came about.

Now, it is one of the church's holy relics.

The legend has long existed among the people.

Inside the cathedral, a group of Arian clergy stood up to welcome the arrival of St. Patrick. Even though he was from a different faction, he was a saint after all and still had a lofty status.

Squeak!

The heavy door was closed.

Accompanied by heavy footsteps, the fully armed general's guards blocked all entrances and exits.

At this time.

Duncan finally stood up. He looked down at everyone present, walked down the steps, took Saint Patrick's hand, looked around, and said slowly, "I propose that Saint Patrick become the archbishop of Britain and Gaul."

"Who approves?"

"Who objects?"

The entire cathedral was in dead silence. St. Patrick showed a wry smile on his face. This Governor was really too domineering.

None of the clergy present dared to speak.

"very good."

Duncan nodded in satisfaction and lowered his right hand from the hilt of Oathkeeper, causing the others to breathe a sigh of relief.

If they were hacked to death by the Oath Keepers, they wouldn't know whether they were considered martyrs.

Before leaving, Duncan whispered to St. Patrick, "I don't care how you run the church. From now on, you are the sole archbishop of Britain and Gaul. You can mobilize a small group of Frankish paladins and a small garrison."

"But if bloodshed breaks out because of religious conflict."

"You should know what I would do!"

At this point, Duncan's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a terrifying murderous intent.

Religious bloody conflicts only occur when royal power cannot suppress divine power.

This is a threat.

It is also a promise.

Duncan handed over part of the power to St. Patrick, so he had to suppress the entire church, otherwise when he took action himself, it would not be as simple as it is today.

That would kill a lot of people.

No matter how tough the bones of church believers are, they will die if they are chopped off. The most extreme way is to destroy them physically.

creak.

The heavy church door opened again.

Duncan left, and behind him were teams of battle-hardened generals and guards. As he mounted his horse, a ray of sunlight shone into the church through the window, and the sacred cross seemed to be shrouded in a faint halo.

Now all the choices are no longer in Duncan's hands, he is just the final arbiter.

St. Patrick sighed softly.

He no longer had any choice; from the moment he entered the cathedral, he could only move forward towards the position of Pope.

This is the most fundamental conflict.

Is it that the king's power is granted by God, or that the king's power is granted by God?

………………

(End of this chapter)