The trip to Constantinople made the foreign envoys feel the power of the Great Qian Empire.
This kind of strength was not only in the army, but also in other aspects.
The excellence of the officials, the elite soldiers, and the powerful personal charm and outstanding talent of the emperor.
Now, the new empire had completely inherited the legacy of the Byzantine Empire.
Therefore, it could be imagined that in time, it would definitely grow to a terrifying realm!
This was already a foreseeable future.
.........
In the Nine Dragon Hall, Li Chengdao, Wang Gui, Wei Zheng, and the others were discussing state affairs.
The end of the coronation ceremony did not mean that he could relax. Instead, it was the beginning of his busy schedule.
Now that the Byzantine Empire had been destroyed, the Da Qian Empire had unified the continent and replaced the Byzantine Empire as the new overlord.
The establishment of a new country required him, the emperor, to worry about everything.
In the royal study.
"Zhen has already waited ten years for the Eastern Expedition! This must be done!"
Li Chengdao narrowed his eyes. His gaze was like lightning, and no one dared to look at him directly.
" Your Majesty," Wei Zheng said worriedly," the ten years of war on the European continent have already left Europe riddled with holes.
Now that the Great Qian Empire had just been established, it was in the midst of a crisis.”
"But Your Majesty wants to go east and kill his way back to Chang 'an. The journey is thousands of miles away and the amount of food and grass needed is unimaginable.
To gather enough rations within three months was as difficult as ascending to the heavens!”
The army had not moved, but the rations had been sent first.
In a war, other than the commander's ability to command troops and the bravery of the soldiers, the most important thing was logistics.
If the logistics couldn't keep up, no matter how invincible the army was, they would only be defeated halfway.
" Xuancheng is right," Wang Gui said." His Majesty is in a hurry to go east. We can't wait to return to Chang 'an."
However, a country war was an important matter, not to mention a war that spanned tens of thousands of miles.
This matter still needs to be discussed at length, and Your Majesty must not be hasty.”
Li Chengdao wanted to start the Eastern Expedition three months later, but the problem of food was a huge mountain in front of Great Qian Empire.
A 500,000 strong army crossing thousands of miles to the east, the amount of rations consumed was truly too terrifying.
Thus, Wei Zheng and Wang Gui tried their best to dissuade Li Chengdao, wanting him to change his mind and delay the Eastern Expedition.
Hearing the words of Wang Gui and Wei Zheng, Li Chengdao smiled.
He naturally knew that they were worried that his mentality would swell after he became the emperor and that he would exhaust his national strength for the eastern expedition.
However, their worries were unnecessary.
"I've been fighting for ten years, and my blood has stained the continent. How could I not know what the two teachers said? I already have a solution to the problem of food and fodder.”
Li Chengdao nodded.
Hearing this, Wei Zheng and Wang Gui were stunned and quickly asked,""Your Majesty, do you have any wonderful methods?"
Before Li Chengdao could reply, the head eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs walked in.
"Your Majesty, Pope Peter X has arrived and is waiting outside the palace.”
The head eunuch bowed.
"Let him in."
After Li Chengdao finished speaking, he smiled mysteriously at Wei Zheng and Wang Gui.”
The eunuch from the Ministry of Internal Affairs left the hall and soon led an old man in gorgeous clothes and holding a golden scepter in.
This old man had golden hair, blue eyes, and a white beard. He was about sixty years old and exuded an inexplicable majesty.
His identity was the Pope of the Roman Curia, Peter X!
The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire.
Although it was a monarchical country, it was also a religious country that emphasized the divine right of the monarch.
The status of the Holy See was no weaker than that of the royal family.
In terms of influence, the Church's influence was even more terrifying than the imperial power.
Even when the emperor ascended the throne, he needed the pope to coronate him.
Only when the Pope was crowned could he be considered a legitimate emperor!
The war between Li Chengdao and the Eastern Roman Empire lasted for a total of seven years.
During this period of time, the Byzantine Empire destroyed more than a million regular soldiers, and countless slaves.
He had used countless blood and corpses to forge his Blood Throne and his unparalleled reputation for stopping his children from crying!
Not only the Empire's regular army, but even the Church's crusade army was completely defeated.
However, the Holy See's fate was much better than the royal family's.
The royal family of the Eastern Roman Empire had all been imprisoned after Constantinople was captured. Li Chengdao had temporarily spared their lives.
As for when he would execute them, it would depend on his mood.
Only a small portion of the Church's rebels were slaughtered, and they were mostly safe.
It wasn't that Li Chengdao didn't want to attack the Holy Church, but the Holy Church had been rooted in the Byzantine Empire for many years, and it had a very high status and influence in the hearts of the people.
If he were to destroy the Church in one fell swoop, it would probably cause a riot among the people!
The power of faith was very terrifying. It could make people not fear death.
If not for this, no emperor would tolerate the existence of such an organization that was on par with them or even higher than them.
However, even the Holy See had to bow down to him at this stage.
After the Pope walked into the royal study, he put down the golden staff in his hand and knelt on one knee, trembling. He bowed to Li Chengdao.
"Greetings to the Son of Heaven of Great Qian Empire, His Majesty the Holy Emperor!”
If the commoners outside saw this scene, they would definitely feel their worldview collapse and faint from shock!
The Pope was the messenger of God, and his status was supreme. Even the Emperor of Byzantine had to bow to him.
And now, the Pope was kneeling and bowing to Li Chengdao!
They bowed to the butcher who had slaughtered countless people!
However, Li Chengdao's expression did not change.
He glanced at the Pope, who was kneeling on one knee, and seemed to be dissatisfied. He sneered,"Don't you know that you have to kneel and kowtow when you see the emperor?”
Hearing this, the Pope's eyes flashed with humiliation and anger, but he suppressed it in the end.
" Your Majesty, please don't go too far," the Pope said in a deep voice." I am not your slave or subject."”
He was the Pope, when had he ever knelt before anyone?
And Li Chengdao actually complained that he didn't kowtow!
Wang Gui and Wei Zheng looked at each other without batting an eyelid, not understanding why Li Chengdao had called the Pope over.
Li Chengdao snorted and did not continue to force him. He said indifferently,"Zhen summoned you here today because I have something to discuss with you.”
As soon as he said this, the Pope's turbid eyes instantly lit up.
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