Eagle Byzantium

Thanks to the promotion of millet and buckwheat in the plateau area, more than 25,000 Paulicians who migrated to the area between Melitene and Sebastian safely passed the winter of the previous year and began to rely on the rivers and fortresses along the way, forming a total of twelve small towns.

Even Gawain praised the efficiency of the Saint Sister. It seems that this group of heretics are experts in farming, construction and reclamation, except for their poor fighting skills.

"How did you do it?" Gawain and the Saint Sister rode side by side along the way, looking at the prosperous population and asking curiously.

Cabe Amiya was also a little proud. She raised her braid and pointed at a large building in the center of the town they entered. "The Turkic and Armenian fortresses you demolished before, as well as many stones from the Orthodox monastery, are all used here. Of course, the most important thing is the various technicians and manpower you released."

The two rode to the front of the team and slowly walked towards the heavy door of the large building pointed by Cabe Amiya. Gawain estimated that the population of this market town should be only around a thousand people, but it was very lively. The center was around the big building, with many stalls and tents set up there. Men and women in various clothes gathered on the paths and came and went noisily. At the same time, a group of people were waving long whips and driving flocks of white Angras sheep towards the courtyard of the big building.

At this moment, because she was afraid of bumping into the crowd, the Saint Sister dismounted and walked with Gawain, "Remember the Holy Trinity Monastery that you destroyed? Half of the output and fields around this market town come from its corpse. The armored cavalry commander named Sigma under Caesar accepted this monastery but had no ability and energy to manage it, so he simply subcontracted it to us Paulicians with a contract for a fixed annual income."

"Oh, it is said that many monks and friars of this monastery have now gone to Kole Adiou Castle to join Ingrina and Qise. They have gathered with other people who share the same suffering and opened up a new large cave monastery. They meditate and write books, which contain many criticisms of me and Anna. For example, one person lamented that building a monastery The days of destroying the monastery are gone, and the days of destroying them are coming. "

"Now it seems that there is nothing wrong with destroying them." The Saint Sister immediately took over the words, "Later, Elder Lucios went to inspect the account books of the Holy Trinity Monastery. It had 117 slaves, most of whom were proficient in various crafts such as carpentry and copperwork. It also rented out 500 houses, and the people around were all its tenants and taxpayers. Every year, no less than 3,000 chickens and capons were sent to the monastery. Now it is gone, replaced by our Paulician synagogue. So welcome here, welcome to the guest house of Cabe Amia, Gawain. "Saying this, Cabe Amia stood in front of the rumbling double doors and invited the beloved man in front of her enthusiastically and cheerfully.

She was much brighter than when they first met before, and her soft lips became more plump under her brown and charming skin.

Gawain followed her into the huge synagogue. The first thing that caught his eye inside the wall was two large houses standing side by side. "This is the ceremonial hall where believers gather. Over there is a large warehouse where wool bales, butter, saffron, and tulips are piled up. We buy them from the surrounding villages and pastures at a fair price, and then transport them to the north and south along the Sebastian Trade Road for sale. The markets in Trebizond, Tarsus, and Iconium are all big customers."

Behind the two synagogues is a row of smaller buildings. "This is the inn we built for caravans, pilgrims, and travelers to live in. The regulations imitate your Seleucia city. It also has a canteen, a laundry room, and a small hot bath."

"Well, bath..." Gawain smiled maliciously and lifted his chin. I didn't expect you to be such Paulines.

Cabe Amiya put her hands behind her skirt and rebuked Gawain's crooked ideas, "It's just a bathhouse, just to relax people, not like your Seleucia Bathhouse full of all kinds of prostitutes."

The two walked side by side through the forest in the center of the inn area. At this time, the small sunfish team had just arrived at the gate.

Over there is the workshop area, "sheds for shearing wool and making butter, blacksmith shops, mills, slaughterhouses." Cabe Amiya pointed out one by one to Gawain. The workshop area was more popular, and busy craftsmen and assistants could be seen everywhere.

"You won't believe it, but many of these people were slaves of the Holy Trinity Monastery a year ago, but now they have been exempted from all the original donations and death taxes, and only need to pay appropriate rent. No one misses the old days. Gawain, you are right, being a happy person is much more enjoyable than simply serving God. I think the power has slowly shifted from God's hands to people's homes. Many believers say that accumulating private wealth for themselves and their families is the best thing." The Saint Sister turned back to Gawain and said brightly, stretching out her slender wrist. It was hard to imagine that she was still the original heretic Golden Hand Archon, but in other words, wasn't the original intention of the group of people she represented also to pursue a simple world and justice in the afterlife?

At the back of the Great Hall was a thick shade of trees, with a fish pond and a quiet path in the middle. "This leads to a small courtyard with a cellar below and a tower above. The room in the middle is a library and study. I have arranged some elite elders to do what you asked me to do before."

Holding the hand of the Saint Sister, we came there. As expected, there was a small stone courtyard. When Gawain and her climbed up the towering tower along the iron ladder, the cool autumn wind of the plateau blew over. "Look, over there is a pasture for cattle and sheep. Over there is a beech forest, which is specially used for raising pigs. There is a river bank next to the forest, where people can get fresh fish for pickling..." The Saint Sister kept talking until Gawain grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. Then she softened without resistance, stopped talking, closed her eyelashes, and kissed Gawain.

"Gawain, please come and see me more often in the future." Then the Saint Sister hugged him and sighed, "I never thought that Anna could give birth like a piglet...Are you going to have children soon?"

"Anna said she wanted to give birth to a group of little Ducas. But you are also great, Saint Sister - Philactos told me privately that you have developed 30,000 new believers in the plateau area, right?"

"Yes, I quickly formed 12 towns by continuously expanding the synagogue. Then I selected capable co-workers and elders, and then went to "We will build new synagogues in other areas and mobilize the people around to conquer wasteland for cultivation. In that way, in three or five years, the hardwood forests and swamps surrounding the synagogue will become fertile fields, and more and more people will gather here and accept our faith while working. Gawain, this is something that only you and I have in common, that is faith. Don't forget that you are still a secret Paulician layman!" The Saint Sister raised her face and said to Gawain proudly, and then a trace of doubt flashed across her face, "Today you have to tell me, what are your real thoughts on the Paulicians and what goals you want to achieve?"