Maybe Emperor Marius is not a fair emperor - the way he treats Titus is much harsher than that of Kairos.
You know, Kairos once threatened Marius. If you really talk about guilt, this is considered treason. However, Emperor Marius did not deal with Kairos directly. Instead, he allowed Kairos to find trouble for Snake Worship Cult, and only sent the Shadow Wolf to follow him secretly.
And Titus only showed his intention to become the second Livius. He did not rebel or treason, and he did not even break the law. But as soon as the signs of wanting to become a warlord appeared, Emperor Marius killed him with explicit praise and covert derogation, and even sent Titus to the frontier.
In fact, there is a reason for this differential treatment.
Kairos was able to hold Marius hostage because Shadow Legion only listened to his command - they even dared to deal with the emperor.
This means that once Kairos is killed, Shadow Legion will inevitably rebel. But now Bacchus Empire cannot afford such a rebellion.
Although Titus brought Phoenix Knight Order from the Amara Continent, and seems to be powerful, he does not have the same control as Kairos. Phoenix Knight Order will not obey his orders, but only helps Titus based on his previous status as an envoy.
Phoenix Knight Order is the Protectorate Knights of the Ash Descendants Empire. The only one who can make them obey absolutely is Manius III, the emperor of the Ash Descendants Empire.
In fact, Phoenix Knight Order has a short history, but it is full of glory and indeed powerful.
This knighthood was established together with the Ash Descendants Empire.
At the beginning, Snake Worship Cult had almost occupied the entire Amara Continent. The armed forces resisting Snake Worship Cult in the Old Bacchus Empire once only had the last castle left, Fang Castle.
But they are still fighting tenaciously.
Snake Worship Cult sent an unprecedented army to deal with the last fortress that dared to resist its rule.
Lord Fang Castle died in the front line, and his young son Maniius·Carl jia put on his father's armor and stood at the front like his father, bravely leading his few comrades to continue to persevere.
This was a difficult and protracted battle. Most of Maniius's comrades died on this day, but they successfully repelled the Snake Worship Cult army and won the final victory.
Having lost his father and so many friends, the heartbroken Maniius held a collective cremation and prepared to cremate all the bodies.
The flames that night were so hot that all the survivors felt as if the armor on their bodies was melting.
No one knows what happened that night, but the next morning, Maniius and his soldiers found themselves fully clothed, but without their armor.
When they went to investigate the remains of the firewood that was giving off a faint green smoke, everyone saw a dazzling red light shining in the embers, but there was no trace of heat coming out.
The confused Maniius pushed aside the ashes and found that all their armors were hidden under the embers. Each piece of armor looked like it was forged by flowing flames, but the metal felt cold to the touch.
After this miraculous incident, Maniius and his surviving comrades began to call themselves 'Ash Descendants' and spread the news of their victory in Fang Castle.
The people of the Amara Continent realized that Snake Worship Cult was not invincible, so most areas gradually armed themselves to resist.
Soon after, Maniius·Caraga announced the establishment of the new empire 'Ash Descendants Empire', and he also became Manius I, the first emperor of the Ash Descendants Empire.
And those warriors who fought with him in Fang Castle formed the original Phoenix Knight Order.
Nowadays, when members of Phoenix Knight Order are about to die or retire, they will pass their armor and swords to their sons, just like Maniius put on his father's armor and continued to fight.
The name Phoenix Knight Order also means that Ash Descendants Empire will continue to be reborn like the phoenix. They believe that the phoenix will become stronger every time it is reborn from the fire.
Therefore, their flaming armor always shines at the forefront, and their shining swords that never retreat can always bring firm determination to their allies.
Even if they are face to face with the Fear Legion, they can still bravely stand at the front even after most of them die.
Moreover, no matter how great the loss is, as long as their Phoenix battle flag returns to Fang Castle, the knights will immediately be re-established, just like the rebirth of the phoenix - Phoenix Knights's sons will train martial arts and armor repair skills from an early age. They are always ready to put on their father's battle armor and inherit their father's glory and mission.
It is this kind of spiritual inheritance that has enabled Ash Descendants Empire to continuously regain its homeland, and its territory has gradually expanded from the original corner of Fang Castle to half of the Old Bacchus Empire in the past few decades. Today, Ash Descendants Empire can compete with Snake Worship Cult under the rule of Manius III.
Phoenix Knight Order is the most powerful heavy knights of the Ash Descendants Empire, and their strength lies in the fact that they never flinch in the face of any strong enemy.
Therefore, when they followed Titus to the Pande Continent, they met the Fear Legion infantry warship. They did not flinch and won the battle at sea.
Then they bumped into Duchy of Dexia lord Bahaman and Brennus of the Lionheart Kingdom one after another near Sava Fortress, Both of them were robbing civilians in Sava Fortress's jurisdiction, so they beat them up again in return for Titus's previous help in destroying Snake Worship Cult's port.
But after that, Titus asked Phoenix Knight Order to retreat from Sava Fortress, and took away all Sava Fortress's supplies, leaving the helpless civilians to the armies of the Lionheart Kingdom and Duchy of Dexia.
Moreover, that was indeed when there was no need to retreat.
At that time, Titus had the idea of getting Lionheart Kingdom and Duchy of Dexia into a fight, and wanted to watch the fire from the other side, but this was not in line with Phoenix Knight Order's usual style...
They are Maniius's pro-army and Emperor Marius's allies, not Titus's private soldiers.
They can help their allies fight the toughest battles, but they are never willing to be used as a knife in the hands of others in power disputes.
It's just that Titus, as the envoy of Marius, Emperor Marius provided generous assistance to the Ash Descendants Empire when he was in danger. Phoenix Knight Order respected Titus's status as an envoy and did not abandon him immediately.
So from that time on, Titus could no longer order Phoenix Knight Order at will.
He could only stay at Fort Lela, trying to use Phoenix Knight Order as a bargaining chip to ask Emperor Marius for money, food and troops, and then use the troops, money and food he asked for to make Phoenix Knight Order obey his command.
It's a pity that Emperor Marius didn't give him this opportunity.
However, Emperor Marius actually believes in the same belief as Li Ang that 'everyone has a use'.
He sent Titus and Phoenix Knight Order to Calundru Castle on purpose.
Phoenix Knight Order and Titus are actually the chips he used to bargain with Li Ang.
one day ago.
Emperor Marius and Li Ang are bargaining like two businessmen trading cabbage.
"Your Majesty, exchange the small villages north of Wolvun Fortress for Aishikeman. This kind of business will be a good deal for you!"
Li Ang pulled the map and pointed at the bay between Siyuan City and Aishikeman: "With Aishikeman, Bacchus Empire's economy will be restored soon, and you can also get war horses..."
"Ha... Let's wait until Aishikeman is captured... North of Wolwen, Imir is also north of Wolwen! That's not a small village... Moreover, the area of that land is much larger than Aishikeman!"
Emperor Marius shook his head and said there was no need to talk.
"Your Majesty... Okay, even if you don't mention Aishikeman, what about Sava Fortress? I even asked Agason to burn Seven Forks Fortress. Is this sincerity enough? You don't want to do this?"
Li Ang glanced sideways at Agason standing in the distance.
"Burning Seven Forks Fortress will indeed make Ulrich's troops afraid to leave Lion City... But I know you are not doing this to reassure me..."
Emperor Marius smiled and stared into Li Ang's eyes, "I know that Seven Forks Fortress has extraordinary significance to the Lionheart Kingdom. This is the place where your country was founded. It will definitely be rebuilt after it is burned down. And rebuilding will cost a lot of money, but Lionheart Kingdom Laborers in all have to be hired with money, even if they are forced to do labor, they also need to be supplied with money and food... Now in the entire Lion Territory, probably only you, Count Li Ang, have so much money and food to repair Seven Forks Fortress... You want to be everyone's creditor, right?"
"Oh? You can see it... Yes, debtors will always be polite to their creditors... But no matter what, this is a good thing for the Bacchus Empire, isn't it?"
Li Ang sighed and looked at Emperor Marius. It was indeed difficult to negotiate with such an emperor who knew everything.
"Yes, a good thing... don't you just want to remind me that I am also in debt to you? You also let Agason scratch the surface... is he someone who can do that kind of thing? Li Ang, Bacchus Empire won't trade the country. Calundru Castle It's you who 'led troops to seize the border while it was empty'. No one can say anything about that, but for this kind of deal now, I can't sell the country, even if it means exchanging a small village for a big city."
Emperor Marius looked at Li Ang with a smile, his attitude was indeed polite, but his tone was not relaxed at all.
"Then what are your plans? If you don't come out with suitable conditions, Sava Fortress I won't be able to return it... Anyway, this kind of victory is enough..."
Li Ang took a picture of the map and covered Sava Fortress with his palm.
"Don't think I don't know. You can't get Sava Fortress. Lion King will never seal Sava Fortress to you... It will only become the territory of Ulrich or Brennus, otherwise Lion City will have no sense of security."
Emperor Marius also stretched out his hand, but what he covered was Seven Forks Fortress: "This is also one of the reasons why you asked Agason to burn Seven Forks Fortress. You wanted to force Ulrich to rebuild Seven Forks Fortress. Sava Fortress is facing Dexia and the Empire at the same time. Now that it has lost the support of Seven Forks Fortress, it cannot hold on at all... I don't need you to return Sava Fortress to me. It's easy for me to take it back."
"Your Majesty, if you say that, then there is no need to talk...Bax is so poor that he is almost bankrupt now. Don't you plan to go to Dexia with me to subsidize it?"
Li Ang feels a little toothache now, Emperor Marius is like roundworms in his stomach.
"Of course I have to go. In fact, I have sent people there a long time ago... I am indeed willing to form an alliance with you - an alliance with you, not with the Lionheart Kingdom. But I plan to trade with you for something else..."
Emperor Marius stretched out his hand and pointed at Calundru Castle: "Phoenix Knight Order."
"What do you mean? Phoenix Knight Order is not your army. How do you plan to trade with them?"
Li Ang is a little confused.
"I will make Phoenix Knight Order regard you as the 'Snake Worship Cult killer' and prompt them to build an auditorium in Calundru Castle so that they can be used by you."
Emperor Marius said and sighed, "Huh... you want the land north of Wolvun Fortress, but I can't transfer the land. Therefore, I will use the large areas of land and villages around Imir as the fief of Phoenix Knight Order. You are equivalent to actually gaining control of that land... Of course, it is still nominally the territory of the empire."
"Are you going to use my money and food to feed Phoenix Knight Order? And that area has suffered disasters from Red Death and Snake Worship Cult, so I have to spend money for disaster relief, right? This business is very smart..."
Li Ang gave a thumbs up and began to wonder if Marius was also a profiteer before he became emperor.
"Whether it's disaster relief or providing supplies for Phoenix Knight Order, isn't this what you want? Otherwise, forget this deal, you can lend me another loan, and I will go to the disaster relief myself, using Imir as collateral."
Emperor Marius is indeed a profiteer with extremely good judgment. Li Ang is indeed willing to both provide disaster relief and support Phoenix Knight Order...
"Ha! You want the people's support and also want to spend my money... You haven't repaid the last loan yet! Don't borrow it!"
Li Ang finally saw that this emperor was cunning and shameless, much thicker-skinned than himself.
"Look, I know you are unwilling to borrow... You now occupy Sava Fortress on behalf of the Lionheart Kingdom, so I will transfer Titus to the lord of Imir after a period of time. But Titus only means the emperor In the name of the country, I will not provide him with any troops or supplies, so you can directly capture Imir - you are the enemy of the empire anyway, and Titus is a ready excuse for attack. You should know that he has killed many Lionheart Kingdom noble prisoners of war..."
Emperor Marius shook his head and smiled.
"Huh... you really know how to use resources...Titus can be sold for a good price by you!"
Li Ang feels that if this emperor abandons politics and engages in business, he will probably become the emperor of a business empire.
"Li Ang, to be honest... I don't care about my reputation that much. You are richer than me now, so go and help the civilians in Imir find a way to survive... I can't sell my country, that's my identity It is the duty of the emperor. But I hope that everyone in the land can have enough food and clothing, even if they will regard you as a better ruler than me... I know you will not treat the civilians harshly, I have heard about Fidne Village..."
Emperor Marius suppressed his smile and spoke softly with a serious attitude.