Shu Yichao self-identified as a fan of the Roman Empire, but it was just for fun.
Like most people, he just liked to use it as an in-game persona and simulate the resurgence of Rome, especially on completely unrelated maps. It added to the immersion of the game.
But when they were really playing on maps simulating the rise of Rome, most fans would choose to support Carthage and trash on Rome, or support Gaul and use Rome as an ATM, or stand with Diadochi and declare themselves the successors of Alexander the Greatâs will.
There were even some who declared that the Holy Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire were considered Romans too, and they pulled all sorts of maneuvers.
Thus, Shu Yichao didnât hesitate to plunder Eternal City Rome.
This city must be dripping with money. I should plunder it while I can.
âDonât ask if we want gold, silver, or copper⊠We want it all!â
âAre those things in the square ancient sculptures? Are they legitimate or fakes?â
âForget it, just dig them all out and sell it!â
âOh hoh! Why is there such a huge jewel on your sword? Give it to me!â
âWhich poetâs room is this? The ink bottle is actually made of gold! Iâll be taking it!â
âThis study table⊠isnât this agarwood? Thatâs expensive wood! Take it!â
âWhy are these people still wearing fur? Rip it off their bodies!â
âSteeds? Whew, there are so many good steeds here. Take them for our brothers who have lost their steeds!â
At Shu Yichaoâs order, his soldiers quickly combed through Eternal City Rome like an army of locusts. Be it Persian mats, ivory tools, gold containers, beautiful oil paintings, antiques, or silk clothing, all of them were swiped away.
These valuables were sold to Genoa and the other allied cities.
Many people were at a loss for words, as most of the items Shu Yichao were trying to sell to them were goods they had previously sold to Eternal City Rome. However, no one pointed out that fact to him.
There are better ways to die. Thereâs no need to court death insisting on this.
The sheer wealth that the Roman Catholic Church had amassed through all sorts of means was immense.
âWoah!â Shu Yichao was amazed to see how fast his wealth was growing. âI made the right choice coming here! Plundering Rome is better than plundering ten cities! Itâs such a pity that Constantinope had been sacked by the Crusade, or else there would be another city for me to plunder from.â
Sophia: ââŠâ
While Shu Yichao was having the time of his life plundering the wealthy Rome and Italy, the other nations received the latest war report and were shocked.
My Lord! Is that real?
Has the Horseman of the Apocalypse really descended with his undying army? How could an army of 400,000 be destroyed just like that?!
Mounds of corpses are stacked as tall as mountains in Rome, and half of Europeâs kings, nobles, and officials have died?!
They even tortured the messengers, thinking that they had either gone mad or had been bribed by the enemy. But regardless of whether they wanted to believe it or not, the news was true.
This battle had pretty much broken Europeâs spine.
A huge uproar ensued as a bunch of ânew noblesâ sprung out.
While many nobles had died in the Holy War, their positions wouldnât just vanish into thin air. Following the laws and traditions of the respective countries, their noble positions were passed down to their distant relatives.
Some of these relatives were so far off that they either lived in the countryside or were from a fallen household in the city.
Some were farmers who spent their days tilling the fields. Some were waitresses who had been sold to taverns.
In a sort of dark humor, they suddenly found themselves becoming nobles.
But before they could reap the benefits of their newfound nobility, nightmare struck yet again. Shu Yichao, who had finished plundering his fill from Italy, turned his attention to the remaining red countries.
âI should have been playing for hours now.â Shu Yichao did a rough estimation. âI donât think there are any major wars left. so I might as well speed up the gameplay. Letâs quickly clear this so that I can rest.â
Nearly 10,000 Metal Fortresses charged into Europeâs heartâthat was how rich the Roman Catholic Church was.
Fear and despair gripped the people, soâŠ
âWe surrender!â
Wherever Shu Yichao went, the locals would welcome him with fluent Chinese and white flags. Occasionally, there were some who tried to push their luckâthey were immediately crushed to make an example for others to see.
Of which, France was the most tragic one of all.
Before they could elect their next king to surrender, the army Shu Yichao had previously left in the Holy Romain Empire had already marched westward to take down their capital.
Just like that, Shu Yichao had fun dyeing Europe in his color and rewriting its culture.
The Islamic nations panicked at that sight.
They had celebrated when the Scourge of God attacked and brought down the Ottomain Empire, Venice, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Holy Romain Empire.
But when the Scourge of God conquered the Crusade, their smiles became strained.
And when the Scourge of God was done dyeing most of Europe in his color and started advancing eastward toward the Islamic countries, their smiles finally collapsed.
They panicked.
âŠ
In ConstantinopeâŠ
âSo, their first reaction upon learning that our Caesar is going to advance his army into Asia is toâŠâ Constantin XI looked incredibly confused. ââŠfight among themselves?â
âThatâs not exactly it.â Sophia, who had grown a few years older, stood by his study table and organized the documents. âThey are fighting over a court clergyman.â
Constantin XI was even more confused. âWhy are they fighting over a court mentor?â
âThis court mentor is said to be from Serica,â Sophia explained. âThose few countries put their money together to invite him over, but one of them chose to dock him in their territory.â
Constantin XI widened his eyes in realization. âNo wonder.â
No one had said it out loud, but those who were politically aware knew that Mandarin was a must-learn language. It could save oneâs life in times of danger.
Thus, the demand for Mandarin teaching materials soared.
The Eastern Romains earned a huge fortune selling those books. Those who could speak Mandarin were sought after wherever they went.
There was just one problemâwhat if the person they hired didnât speak fluent Mandarin? đ»đłđźâŻđ€đŠđ·đ·đđ·đđ.đđđ
That was why those countries pooled their funds together to hire a proper Seres, thinking that no mistake could come out of learning from him.
Constantin XI could also see why those countries were blowing up over this matter.
Why are you monopolizing the mentor we spent a huge sum of money to hire? Are you hoping that Iâd get killed by the Scourge of God? If thatâs the case, letâs all die together!
Brothers, letâs attack together! Letâs get rid of him first!
Thus, a fight broke out among those Islamic countries before Shu Yichao even arrived.