Since the Accounting: A Chronicle of the Roman Khanate

Chapter 704 Jeanne of Strasbourg: It was obviously me first!
At night, in front of Guo Kang's secret room, Meltem brought a man who was also wrapped in protective clothing and wearing a mask.

Wu Han originally looked exhausted, and was sitting by the door with his eyes closed. When he saw them coming, he jumped up and asked, "What's going on?"

"Miss Jeanne came here on the orders of the princess, Taiji and the young prince." Meltem whispered to Wu Han, "She must see Brother Kang."

"Okay, okay." Wu Han breathed a sigh of relief, yawned, then shook his head vigorously, straightened his clothes, opened the door, and brought them in.

Inside the room, Joanna and Guo Kang were sitting at the table, discussing something. Seeing someone coming in, Guo Kang looked up and said in surprise, "Why haven't you finished get off work yet? Go take a rest first. Ah, Miss Joanna is here?"

Lady Jeanna explained her background again, and Wu Han shook his head and rejected his suggestion.

"I'll sleep during the day, it's easier this way." He told Guo Kang: "Everyone is working during the day and can't run around, so I can relax a little and catch up on some sleep. At night when they are free, they will start to do things, I'll be more at ease if I watch over you - and I have to hide for a while, this place happens to be quite remote."

"What's going on?" Joanna asked curiously.

"The Russians colluded with the Egyptians and came up with a plan." Wu Han said, "Now the Russians are divided into several factions. The leader of the largest faction is a monk named Andre. He saw the way the ancient Egyptians preserved corpses before, and said that since Constantine was called by the Lord here, he could use the method here to preserve the body. He also said that he was going to raise funds and petition the government. After the plague, he would build a church and put you in it."

"However, they didn't have much money, so they suggested that everyone contribute what they could. The priests also got involved, saying that they could refer to previous situations and mobilize Egyptians to participate."

"Do the Egyptians have anything to do with this?" Meltem said in surprise.

"When we were building water conservancy projects, we thought about how to organize more manpower. The solution at that time was that since the project was a public project, we could use the functions of the public facilities themselves as a reward after completion, so as not to occupy too much additional financial expenditure." Wu Han said:

"Last time, we were repairing water conservancy facilities, so the government promised the Egyptians that if they participated in the project, we would provide them with food, and after the project was completed, they would be given citizenship and a place to live in the new area covered by the water conservancy as part of their citizenship treatment."

"They suggested that the same method could be used to organize this time. This kind of building is a place of worship attached to the mausoleum, so it is also a public building facility, and local people can be mobilized to participate in its construction. After completion, the new Egyptian citizens who participated in the construction can also use the cemetery next to it, and can also use this religious place for various activities. In this way, wouldn't it also achieve effective use of facilities and organize it at the same time?"

"Is this method effective?" Joanna asked curiously, "Even if the Russians say so, Brother Kang is also a member of the Christian Church, right?"

"In fact, the effect is quite good." Wu Han admitted: "The Egyptians like this method very much. I heard from Father Ivan that the reaction of the Egyptians this time is much more enthusiastic than the previous water conservancy project."

"It sounds a bit strange..." Guo Kang hesitated.

"I think so too. But you said you wanted to hide for a while and observe their reactions, so I didn't tell anyone." Wu Han added: "But if they do something even weirder, don't blame me - I really can't control them. I'm being stared at and scolded by people now."

"Why are they scolding you?" Guo Kang was also very surprised.

"If they want to build a cathedral, they have to prepare holy relics." Wu Han replied: "Now that the preparations are not complete, blame me for my selfishness and unwillingness to cooperate."

"What does this have to do with you? Why are you blamed?"

"Then guess what is the most important holy object?"

"What?"

"It's you." Wu Han pointed at him and said, "I have confiscated your documents and daily necessities in the name of epidemic prevention and confidentiality. Otherwise, they would have taken them all away. Of course, these are just extras, because according to tradition, the most important part also includes the saint's body itself."

"Now they can't find your body no matter how hard they try, so they come to ask me. I don't know how to explain it to them, so I can only be vague." Wu Han said helplessly: "When they ask me where I hid the holy relics, I can only say something like 'the canonization process in our church is longer, and the holy relics are more abundant'..."

"Ah? This shouldn't be relevant." Meltem asked curiously.

"Then what should I do? I know what to say. If they keep asking, I can only say 'Don't talk about it, don't talk about it' and ask them to wait a little longer." Wu Han spread his hands: "So many people think that since the Guo family and the princess are not here, I must have secretly detained them. Some people even threatened to return to Dadu after the plague and report me there directly..."

Although it was not very kind, Joanna and the others couldn't help but laugh. Jeanna also said, "I didn't expect that everyone really thought so. It seems that I can only wrong you for a while."

"Not everyone thinks so. There are some other theories, but they are even more outrageous." Wu Han said, "In addition to being hidden by me, there is another widely accepted theory, which is that you were hidden by Brother Tian. Now some Russians believe that when Rome is in danger, Brother Tian will release you and lead everyone to save Rome."

"Who did they learn this from?" Meltem couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know. Anyway, this is the current situation outside." Wu Han said helplessly: "Do you want to continue watching? I always feel that these Russians have not yet exerted their full potential - I heard that someone is sorting out your various requirements and regulations for the army, and calling on everyone to learn. After that, I don't know what you will do."

Guo Kang felt a little guilty after hearing this. After all, he did this on a whim. And judging from the current situation, these Russians are likely to do something even more ruthless...

"Forget it, let's deal with the most important things first." He shook his head and turned to say, "Ms. Jeanna, you can see that I'm fine. I just wanted to take this opportunity to see if this system can be maintained spontaneously without me, how long it can last, and where the biggest problem is. I think they can rest assured now."

"Yes. Actually, they have received your secret letter, but they are still worried. They still won't let them act freely, saying it's not safe here, so I volunteered to come here." Jeanna nodded.

"I don't have much to do here. Although I've been talking about the Russians' outrageous ideas, overall, everyone is still reliable. The most important thing is that the plague is under control, and there is no chaos." Guo Kang said, thinking for a while: "But I seemed to hear Brother Tian muttering that one of His disciples had also come, and he was going to pick him up. But because of the quarantine measures here, the news is relatively closed, and I don't know what happened."

"Let's wait and see if there is any news," Joanna advised.

"Third brother discussed with brother Kang from the beginning and prepared inspection measures so that when the plague occurs, they can strictly control the spread while maintaining the minimum level of information flow. The navy does not have suitable ships, so he spent a lot of money to hire several speedboats to be on standby at any time." She said to Jeanne, "So, if there is a big event, we can still find out - although it will be delayed for a while than usual. Miss Jeanne needs to go back to report, and she can also go through this procedure and return to Cyprus."

"Indeed, although the plague should have weakened during this period, it is still quite dangerous." Guo Kang also said: "Now that the mission is completed, let's go back quickly. I have arranged a place for quarantine and inspection. After a period of time, you can report back." "Yes, after the prince and Miss Tang finished their work here, they have been waiting in Cyprus." Meltem also said: "But the route there is still more convenient..."

"Ah? Miss Tang also went to Cyprus?" Before she finished speaking, Jeanna heard it and asked hurriedly, "I was very busy recently and often ran back and forth. It seems that they are busy with a lot of work here?"

"They are also very busy." Meltem said, "When I asked you for help, I also asked Miss Tang. But she and the young prince have rich experience in organizing manpower, so they have been responsible for recruiting and organizing laborers. I see that every day they are either arranging manpower at the construction site or negotiating with people in the community. Alas, they also have no time to rest."

"Are they really busy with serious matters?" Lady Jeanna became more suspicious. "I felt something was wrong before. He has been calling me 'San'er' all the time. And, from what I heard from Old Yang and the others, he even called me 'San'er' in private, which seems a bit ambiguous. If this continues..."

"Ah, don't be so sensitive. It's just their job." Joanna tried to smooth things over, "Besides, Lao Yang, Master Hans and their gang of veterans are all boastful. Their words may not be taken seriously. They also made up a story about me and Brother Kang before. Uh, of course, this..."

As she spoke, she glanced at Guo Kang and paused for a moment, not wanting to finish her words.

However, Lady Jeanna still shook her head.

"I know Miss Tang is from Central Plains, so people always say that they are a good match, but..." She also looked a little anxious, probably thinking: "It was obviously me first! Whether it was knowing Wen Kui, helping him, or falling in love with that guy..."

"Alright, alright." Seeing that she was about to cry, Guo Kang hurried to comfort her: "Are you from Strasbourg? You've said something like this..."

"Hey? How do you know my family's fiefdom is in Strasbourg?" Lady Jeanne was a little surprised: "Did I tell you this before..."

"Don't worry about it." Guo Kang interrupted her quickly.

Meltem and Joanna escorted her out the door. Lady Jeanna then remembered something and asked in a low voice, "You two seem to be very close to Constantine now. Isn't that right..."

"He's not going out for the time being anyway," Meltem said vaguely.

"Yeah, he scared us, so he has to make it up to us," Joanna also said.

"Then..." Lady Jeanna looked back and forth.

"That's right, Father Wu is innocent. The 'holy object' was actually seized by us." Meltem said proudly.

"Uh……"

At this time, the sound of horse hooves was heard outside the door. A rider, who was also wrapped in protective clothing and even had a cloth cover on his horse's head, stopped his horse at the door and jumped down panting. The guard at the door hurriedly took it over, heard him say a word, and took a letter.

"News from the government office!" he turned and said inside.

Wu Han ran out, took the letter, glanced at the seal, and said to the others, "It should be the news that Miss Jeanne came with him. The provincial government was notified first, and someone was sent to deliver it."

"What's the matter? Can you tell me?" Meltem asked.

Wu Han turned around and gestured to Guo Kang inside, then opened the seal. He glanced at it and frowned.

"The news from Alemanni: After a delay of more than half a month, Sigismund returned to Constance to preside over the Ecumenical Council. At the meeting, he publicly announced to the senior clergy present that he had destroyed the 'Ming Dynasty'... Eh? What the hell is this guy talking about?" He was confused.

"Oh, he seems confused about these Chinese names." Wu Han roughly understood the meaning after reading the following text: "Sigismund boasted that a large number of peasant rebels who called themselves "Da Ming", "Wu Kingdom", "Badong Thousand Households", "Hand of Zhuhehan", "Son of the Dragon Emperor", "Guardians of the Sun and Moon" and so on appeared recently, but they were all eliminated by him - he listed a bunch of them and displayed these Chinese characters on the flags, saying that they were all his achievements."

"Aren't the Daming, Wu Clan, and Qianhu Suo independent forces?" Lady Jeanna was dumbfounded and asked, "Did he think they were different organizations?"

"It's possible. The cultural level of the people there is indeed not high. Although they have been dealing with Rome for so many years, they may still not understand the things in the East. Then again, if my brother wasn't a fanatic fan of Seris culture, I might not understand these things." Joanna said, "But what are the ones behind it?"

“Perhaps those are the independent forces.” Meltem speculated: “These names are different even in style. I guess the local farmers just followed the trend and made them up for themselves…”

"Sigismund is such a boaster..." Jeanne shook her head.

"According to intelligence, he has been active, hoping to use this ecumenical council to heal the church split—of course, also to enhance his prestige and secure his position." Wu Han continued reading: "Moreover, he also said that the Hussites are behind these suddenly appearing rebels."

"The senior clergy and nobles present at the meeting all believed that Father Jan Hus was the culprit of all this. Ah—" He raised his head, glanced at everyone, and then looked at Guo Kang: "They burned Father Hus to death. Intelligence says that this may also be a way for them to demonstrate their authority and intimidate the people."

Several people looked at each other.

"They have miscalculated." Inside the house, Guo Kang sighed, "This fire cannot be stopped. The baptism of fire has already arrived."

"Should we tell Captain Yang and the others now?" Joanna reminded immediately, "We are still at the critical moment of fighting the plague - you also said that this is a war that we mortals have to participate in. In Cairo alone, there are thousands of Bohemians who have come to help the young prince and his men. If we get too excited, it may cause personnel management to get out of control..."

"No, they have the right to know." Guo Kang shook his head: "Forget it, it's boring, I won't pretend to be dead. I'll go there myself and tell the Bohemians the news."

(End of this chapter)