In Bangkok Pu, when the previously uninformed officials and nobles learned during the morning court that their Caesar was going to Alexandria for a pilgrimage, they were in awe of their Caesar's piety, but also somewhat worried about whether Bosporus would face major turmoil in the coming months.
Although these subjects did not directly show their worries on their faces, the Caesar, sitting on the throne, could more or less guess their thoughts. And for this kind of problem, he had already made relevant preparations and plans.
"During the time I am away from the country, the regents I have appointed will be responsible for managing the Autocratic State." As this calm order came from the Caesar's mouth, the officials were all curious about who would be the regent this time.
"The following is the list of regents: I hereby appoint a regency council composed of my father, Prince Alexius, and all cabinet members except the privy secretary. They will jointly manage Pontus and Tauris during my absence."
This statement left most of the officials present somewhat bewildered. Although directly appointing the cabinet as regents was common in history, they were still curious about the Caesar's reasons for such an appointment this time.
However, even the Caesar himself could not answer their doubts. The reason Manuel made this decision was not for any special reason. It was simply on a whim; he wanted to see what would happen if multiple people served as regents for a few months.
Just like that, the proposal for Caesar Manuel to go on a pilgrimage to Alexandria was officially settled. After it was settled, the Caesar also added a point: his wife and children would also accompany him on this pilgrimage. This made outsiders, who did not know the deeper meaning, even more puzzled.
Fortunately, because it had been mentioned and explained beforehand, Barbara had no objections and had already asked her servants to pack the essentials for herself and her children.
Thus, after more than a week, the thoroughly prepared Bosphorus Caesar and his family boarded a large carrack bound for Alexandria, sailing towards Alexandria…
Did you think it would be like this next? How could it be. In fact, that carrack only bore his name, and its passengers were just ordinary pilgrims going to Alexandria. The real Manuel family, escorted by three personal guards led by Badars, had long since disguised themselves as a wealthy merchant family and, in the early hours of that day, boarded a three-masted caravel merchant ship, leaving the Tauris Peninsula early.
So why did Manuel make such a move? Primarily, he was concerned that leaving the country this time might lead to him being intercepted by hostile foreign forces, causing him to capsize in a ditch. As for those who fully knew the Caesar's true travel itinerary, excluding his attendants, only a few people, Serenus, Tukharovsky, Arno, and Prince Alexius and his wife, were actually aware.
Regarding her husband's overly cautious behavior, Barbara actually felt he was making a mountain out of a molehill, "Aren't we just going to Alexandria for a pilgrimage? Saint Mary, this isn't exile, why be so cautious? The Assassins have been gone for hundreds of years."
"This is all for 'just in case,'" Manuel said half-seriously, half-jokingly. "What if the Ottoman or Genoa felt I was too much of a threat and sent assassins to quietly eliminate me?" After all, he even deliberately followed modern medical practices from his previous life in his daily diet and living arrangements, fearing he might die suddenly due to hygiene or dietary issues.
"Then don't go out…" Standing on the ship, Barbara, both amused and exasperated, lightly tapped her Little husband's forehead with a hand chop, as he seemed particularly afraid of death in certain aspects.
"Ah, my wife's hand chop is too hard, I'm going to die…"
"Manuel, where is that thoughtful, strategizing demeanor you usually show your subjects?" Barbara was dumbfounded. Manuel, temporarily relieved of his burdens, became inexplicably difficult to bear in certain ways, just like when he was younger.
"Alright, on a serious note," After a brief playful moment with his wife on the ship and having Badars and the others carry their still-sleeping children into the cabin, Manuel finally properly explained the reason for his actions to his beloved wife, "This trip is nominally for a pilgrimage, right?"
"That's right."
"But Barbara, do you really think I'm going on a pilgrimage?"
"How could that be."
"Exactly. But nominally, I must be going on a pilgrimage. Otherwise, foreign forces, led by the Ottoman, might become wary of the true purpose of my trip, as they certainly don't want to see any unusual activity under their noses."
"You mean…"
"Shh, we understand in our hearts, that's enough."
Over the next half day, since this ship was nominally a merchant vessel, it stopped intermittently in the regions of Rus Chersonese, Ochakov, and Odessa. Manuel also took advantage of the ship's stops for unloading and loading to visit the shore with his wife and children for a short while. During this time, a few ordinary merchants, unaware of the true situation, also boarded the ship. As for why they were allowed to board? Since it was a disguise, it naturally had to look convincing.
After they also boarded the ship, out of caution and to gather information, Manuel, after settling his wife and children, struck up a conversation with these legitimate merchants. Soon, under the influence of Manuel's excellent rhetorical skills, these merchants were all impressed by his knowledge and wit. Well, except for his Greek style of using formal language as spoken language, which no one dared to compliment him on…
"Speaking of which, Manuel, your name is quite similar to that of the emerging Bosporus monarch, except for the different accent." A Slavic merchant, after a few cups of ale, became quite open with his conversation topics.
"There are so many people with the same name in the world; that's quite normal, isn't it?" Manuel, who used "Manuel" as his alias, chuckled.
"Yes, but I don't know why he went and provoked the Ottoman." A young Latin merchant named Giovanni displayed a maturity that belied his age, "He could have lived very well by relying on trade routes, just staying in the Black Sea."
"Perhaps it's because he also has his own long-cherished wish," Manuel only smiled faintly, looking down, to conceal the uncontrollable melancholy on his face. "People living in this world always have some ideals."
"Even if it's impossible?" Giovanni also hid his face in the shadows. "After all, even if he defeats all his enemies, can he guarantee his empire will be eternal? Just like the once glorious Rome, now only Constantinople remains."
"How can you know without trying, even if empires are not eternal," Manuel, deeply moved, leaned against the ship, watching the constantly rolling waves on the Black Sea, and couldn't help but shake his head, sighing softly,
"Just as empires have never been Holy."
Just as this incredibly calm and lonely atmosphere was about to continue, an unexpected conversation interrupted their mood,
"What did our Holy Roman Empire ever do to you!?" Hearing Manuel's whisper, a Highland German merchant, feeling insulted, immediately flared up and shouted at him on the spot.