"Your Excellency, your daughter is ranked seventeenth in the recommendation of the patriarch......"

Hearing this, Sheila's father lowered his gaze and did not respond to the secretary's report. The secretary saw that His Excellency the selection committee member was silent, put down the list and withdrew. Sheila's father used his finger to turn the list in a position where he could read it. Soon he saw his daughter's name in the seventeenth place.

The old man sighed, closed his eyes, and leaned back on the back of the leather chair. The world is unpredictable! His purpose in asking Sheila to help his neighbor was simple, and he wanted to keep basic morality in such a chaotic stage. Morality needs someone to come out and set an example, and if everyone looks out for themselves in this crisis, the country is really doomed. However, the response of the crowd was beyond his imagination, and the reluctant daughter of the family participated in several actions to alleviate the suffering of the people, and the people remembered the girl.

The citizens of Constantinople wanted the girl who promoted pumpkins and potatoes to be elected to parliament, because she was the only one who brought them rare practical help and good memories when people were in fear. As the family eats the delicious food made from pumpkin and potatoes, everyone will occasionally think of this girl, and when they feel that what they have made is not as delicious as the tasting party held by this girl, they will pick up the teaching card, and even those who can't read can find out if they have done something wrong from the comic book version of the picture. Then you see Sheila's comic version of her smiling head, with the slogan 'Courage overcomes difficulties' in Greek and Latin.

As for the whole of Rome, many peasants who fell ill in Constantinople would speak of a girl named Sheila, who was in a large and beautiful manor house with many people helping the sick, and this young woman stood out among the men. Recalling the terrible experience of falling ill in a foreign land, many people praised her as the one sent by God. When the local government asked the peasants who they wanted to nominate as the patriarch, many peasants said that they wanted to vote for the girl from Constantinople in addition to voting for the local leaders.

Opening his eyes, Sheila's father shook his head. Even Tiberius did not expect a woman to be recommended at first. In fact, Sheila is the only one in all the recommendations who is a woman. If Sheila had stayed at home during this crisis, it would have been enough to justify the fact that people had ignored this possibility at the time. Now we have to face the thorny problems at hand.

But Sheila's father was not embarrassed, and the selection committee had the power to decide on the candidates, and when the committee formally met to decide on the list of candidates, Sheila would be removed from the list. This is also an inevitable result.

Sheila didn't know she was on the list at this time, she came out of the director's office with a cold face, returned to her seat and began to pack her things. She had just told the acting director that she was resigning. The colleagues next to him all looked at Sheila, but no one dared to come up and speak. Everyone understands that Sheila has been involved in a very powerful storm, and the transfer of Xie Song is the beginning of this storm. It will probably end with Sheila's resignation. Many people felt some relief that it would be nice if this storm had come to an end.

After putting away her personal belongings, Sheila picked up her two heavy bags and walked out of the office building with a large pile of things in her hands. These things are so heavy, Sheila was out of breath after walking dozens of steps, and the expression on her face changed from indifference to grievance. She was so tired that she wanted to cry.

"Sheila." Someone next to him shouted. Turning her head with her hands holding her things, she saw the familiar storehouse brother calling her. Soon, the storehouse guy pulled a small flatbed cart over and asked Sheila to put her things on.

"No!" Sheila said stubbornly.

The little brother didn't speak, just took the bag on Sheila's back and put it in the car. Sheila was also very tired, so she put her things in the car as well. Neither of them spoke, the little brother pulled the car, and Sheila walked to the gate empty-handed. At the doorman's place, Sheila took out her pass card and pass and handed it to the table in front of the doorman. The doorman didn't know what was going on, and asked puzzledly, "Miss Sheila, is this ......?"

"Just give this back to the Security Section." Sheila said.

The doorman also knew that something was wrong when he saw this posture, so he could only take the documents of his peers and help Xikai open the door. The little brother took off his things from the car and went to the door, and immediately a rickshaw driver ran over. Sheila and the little brother put their things in the car, and she said to the little brother, "Thank you, goodbye." ”

"Can I still see you?" The little brother said hesitantly.

"You're welcome to my house." After Sheila finished speaking, she reached out and shook hands with the little brother to say goodbye. Then I got into the rickshaw.

When it was finally over, Sheila remembered Xie Song's words before leaving, "At most, I'll resign." Yes, at best, it's a resignation. Sheila has had the best years of her life so far in the office, and those days are over. Although she doesn't know what she wants to do in the future, Sheila doesn't regret it. The incoming director made it clear to Sheila that Europa was willing to support Sheila's candidacy, but that Sheila had to reciprocate. Sheila decisively rejected the suggestion and resigned.

If it was Shezon on the other side, Sheila would have expressed her willingness to cooperate with Europa in many ways, but she would have been loyal to the Eastern Roman Empire. Just as the Song people would be loyal to their motherland, the Great Song Dynasty, Sheila also had her own homeland, and her homeland was the Eastern Roman Empire. This is what Sheila learned from Europa, and it is also what makes Sheila feel that she finally has a final destination.

Motherland, our Motherland. The more unfortunate she is, the more I love her. Because of the loss of the motherland, we have lost everything.

This sentence is said to have been said by the Great Song Emperor Zhao Jiaren during the war against the Mongols, and Sheila felt inexplicable when she first read it, but now she feels deeply moved when she thinks of it. Seeing so many men and women suffering, I felt a strong desire to be free from their suffering. Sheila thinks this is the motherland's no.

When she got home, her mother saw Sheila carrying two large bags and a bunch of things in her hands, and came up to help her put her things on the sofa. Holding Sheila's arm, her mother smiled: "Don't be sad, I have prepared the money for this house, even if you have no income, we will not be kicked out." ”

"Where do you have the money?" Sheila grumbled. In fact, she is also very worried about the mortgage of the house, if it is not for this time to spend almost all the money to buy food, Sheila is confident that she will pay off all the money with her salary and commission within half a year.

Mother held Sheila in her arms, "It's been a hard time, Sheila. Don't worry about the family, your father and I can afford to support you. You've worked hard, so take a good rest at home. ”

Sheila felt her mother's warmth, and suddenly her nose was sour and she began to cry.

In the evening my father returned home, and after dinner, he said, "I have asked about Cicelius, and he has prevented the army from going to plunder the grange of the great nobles, and although they have rushed in to buy and sell them, they have not hurt anyone, and they have indeed paid the great nobles at the price of the beginning of last year." That's why the legion promoted Cicelius to be a military judge. ”

Hearing this, Sheila was relieved, although this reason was also full of calculations, but it was still a legitimate category. After thinking for a while, Sheila asked her father, "Father, do you think my brother has accepted the instructions of His Excellency Tiberius?" ”

The father was silent for a moment before he said, "I asked His Excellency Tiberius, and His Excellency said that he did not instruct. ”

"But no matter how you think about it, it can't be so coincidental, right?" Sheila asked.

“…… The Legion needs to maintain its image. That's the end of it. The father replied.

Sheila couldn't continue, her father was right, the Legion was fully capable of robbing the estates of the great nobles, but doing so would mean that the Legion and the great nobles would completely turn their faces, and there would be no room for compromise. It's not that Sheila looks down on her brother Cicelius, but in hindsight, it's unlikely that such a precise operation is a means that her brother Cicelius can come up with on his own. Showing strength and taking a stand still leaves room for it, and the most important thing is that the Legion immediately promoted his brother to the rank of military judge, which is not even like the level that a Legion general can have.

As he was thinking, he heard his father continue: "Your brother will soon come back to report on his work, and the Leo family said that he should take this opportunity to get married quickly." Leo's family told me that they would pay the arrears of the house, which would be part of the bride's dowry. ”

Sheila glanced at her mother, who said she didn't have to worry about the mortgage. The mother looked calm, completely oblivious to Sheila's gaze. Sheila didn't want to pursue the matter either, she had long understood that the house would eventually be inhabited by her father, mother, brother and brother, and that when she got married, she would live in her future husband's house. It's not bad to have someone to share.

For the next few days, Sheila ate, slept, and cleaned at home every day, and lived a life of almost no going out like the daughters of other aristocratic families. Her mother didn't bother Sheila, who wanted to spend such a lazy winter. When she is a little energetic, she will go to the bare vegetable garden of the house to take a look, planning what to plant in the vegetable garden next year. However, such a comfortable life did not last a few days, and an old neighbor came to ask for help. It was not the neighbors who were close to Sheila's family, and those neighbors earned some money because of their work to help sick farmers, and they did not run out of food in the short term. These are the neighbors who have little contact with the neighbors, and when they came to borrow food this time, they all said that they would support Sheila's election as a city councilor.

Such statements did not move Sheila, who knew that she would not have a chance if she rejected the support of the province of Europa. However, Sheila did not refuse, and rejecting the kindness expressed by others is an arrogance that will make the other person feel humiliated. She didn't talk about these things, but said that she would deliver food to her neighbors tomorrow, so please rest assured that helping each other will definitely get through this difficult time.

The next morning, Sheila got up and took her brother to pick up a cart full of grain and go to her neighbor's house. Yesterday the families with young people had taken the food themselves, but when they told them that some of their neighbors who had no young people were having a miserable life, Sheila told them to wait until the time came to transport the food to those families and let the neighbors bring it to their homes.

I thought I could go early and return early, but I didn't expect the neighbors to see Sheila coming, and they all pulled her to talk. There are more and more old neighbors, and this guy gets it until almost noon. As soon as she finished talking to everyone, Sheila went out and saw a large number of people gathered outside the door at some point. And there are more and more people, and many nearby residents who Sheila has never seen before have heard that Sheila has appeared, and they have come to see the excitement. Surrounded by everyone, Sheila didn't know what to do, so she could only meet and say hello to everyone one by one. Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "We just want Sheila to be a councillor, to be a councillor!" ”

Under the lively scene, some people shouted at that time: "Elect a councilor!" Elect a councillor! ”

Sheila has also participated in many large balls, and being surrounded by hundreds of people does not make her unbearable. And at this time, Sheila also felt an indescribable impulse in her heart, motherland, our motherland. The more unfortunate she is, the more I love her. When she felt that she was truly moved by these words, she understood that if she wanted to do something for the motherland, she must have strength. As the shouts of the 'electors' grew louder and louder, Sheila walked over to a chair and stood up and waved to the crowd around her. There were cheers below. Sheila then saw the banner of the Legion appear in the distance, and a large group of soldiers rushed towards her.

Seeing the appearance of the legion, the inhabitants all moved out of the way, and the officer at the head quickly reached the center of the crowd. Sheila jumped out of her chair, thinking she was probably in trouble. At such a tense moment, the hearts of the people in the city were fluctuating, and so many people suddenly gathered, shouting slogans. The army must have been nervous, thinking that someone was going to incite a riot.

Walking up to the officer, Sheila said, "Hello, we're just old neighbors meeting, not to make trouble." Please don't be nervous. ”

The officer's expression was serious, and he looked Sheila up and down before he spoke, "Are you Miss Sheila?" ”

"Yes."

"You're waiting here, someone wants to see you."

As he spoke, a large number of legionnaires had already come over to separate the crowd. They were armed with weapons and lined up on either side, forming two rows of human walls. It didn't take long to see a guard of honor come over holding the royal flag, and everyone around was so frightened that they didn't dare to say anything. The banner of the royal family means that the nobles travel, and the chaos will be immediately arrested.

Sheila had attended the emperor's banquet, and she looked more closely, and in addition to the flag of Eastern Rome, there was also the flag of Western Rome. Originally, the Western Roman Empire did not have its own dedicated flag, but the Eastern Roman Empire did. With the evolution, the emblem of the Eastern Roman Republic was the double-headed eagle. The national flag is red, and the flag has a yellow double-headed eagle with an X and P overlapping in the middle. It means Christ. This symbol looks like the upper and lower parts are a * font.

Since the re-establishment of the Western Roman Empire by Beauyan, he ordered the adoption of the banner of the Roman Republic. At the top of the flagpole is a golden eagle with a red background and four Latin letters 'SPQR' written on yellow crossed bay leaves. SPQR stands for Senātus Populusque Rōmānus, which is Latin for "Senate and the Roman People". As the daughter of a scholar's family, Sheila wondered what it was that could make the two flags appear together. It can't be that the two emperors of Eastern and Western Rome went on tour together.

It didn't take long for Luan Yu, who was carried by eight people, to appear in everyone's sight, and Luan Yu stopped not too far from Sheila. I saw the maids on the left and right open the curtains, and an old lady dressed in gorgeous clothes walked out of it. Her hair was gray, and she looked very dignified. The attendant came and asked Sheila to come and salute, and Sheila knelt down and saluted, and said, "Hello, the most noble Queen Mary." ”

When Maria heard this, she looked condescendingly at Sheila in front of her, and asked with some surprise, "Have you seen me?" ”

"Nope."

"And how do you know it's me?"

"No one but Her Majesty the Queen can make the flags of Eastern Rome and Western Rome clear the way for you at the same time."

"Hehe, what a clever little girl." Princess Mary smiled, "Get up." ”

Seeing Sheila standing in front of her without humility or arrogance, Maria continued to ask, "I heard that you are delivering food to your neighbors this time, how did you gather so many people. ”

"Maybe you just want to see the excitement. Once you're famous, it's curious. ”

"Aren't you afraid?"

"I didn't think about being afraid, so I didn't know if I should be afraid or not."

This answer surprised Maria, who paused for a moment before continuing to ask, "Do you want to run?" ”

"Yes."

Mary was even more surprised to hear such a decisive answer. She thought Sheila would be humble anyway, rather than so decisive.

Looking at Sheila again, Maria asked, "Do you know what it means to be elected to the council?" ”

"Rights and Duties." Sheila's answer was still decisive. The Europa Provincial Office has recently received a good reputation in Eastern Rome because they have treated many sick farmers whom they did not know. It cannot be said that ordinary people in the Eastern Roman Empire did not have the moral sense of the provincial office of Europa, but it is true that ordinary people did not have the space, financial resources, manpower and organizational ability of the provincial office of Europa. If you want to make something, these things are indispensable. When you become a councillor and have power, it is possible to obtain resources from other places through the exchange of interests, and then it depends on whether Sheila has the organizational ability to use some financial and material resources to organize manpower and achieve Sheila's goals.

Maria's brow furrowed, and she asked Sheila, "Even if you don't run for parliament, you can continue to help the people around you, why do you have to vote for parliament." ”

"Your Majesty, my family is not rich. And not long ago I quit my job at the office of Europa Province in Eastern Rome. Now I have no income, and I have to rely on my family for food. If I can be elected, I will have power. And then use the power to continue to help others. If I were on my own, I would probably have to wait for everyone to help me. ”

"You...... Do you like power? ”

"I love the Eastern Roman Empire. Motherland, our Motherland. The more unfortunate she is, the more I love her. Because of the loss of the motherland, we have lost everything. ”

Hearing this, Princess Mary was stunned. Before her departure, her husband Boyan said something about it, and the Western Roman emperor lamented that there were too few people willing to serve the country, and too many people wanted to benefit from the country. Such a dilemma forced the Western Roman Emperor Boyan to find ways to broaden the channels for the promotion of patriots.

Princess Maria's brother was the Eastern Roman Emperor and her husband was the Western Roman Emperor. But she also saw with her own eyes that the Eastern Roman Empire had fallen, and she had to marry in a foreign country for the sake of the Eastern Roman Empire. She also followed her husband in the war to conquer Italy, and the present glory is not because of her origins, but because of the sweet fruit ripening on a tree, but because of the painstaking efforts of many people to build what it is today.

After arriving in Constantinople without any fanfare, Maria found that the situation was more tense than she had thought. I asked about Sheila, but I heard that the young girl's scholarly father said that Sheila had gone to deliver food to the neighbors. Mary felt that the little girl was too utilitarian, and that it might not be a good thing for her to stir up the people at this time. With a bit of contempt, Maria decided to come and see for herself.

After this conversation, she found that the little girl was smarter and more ambitious than she had imagined, and even had ideals and enthusiasm that Maria had not imagined before. In his heart, he silently recited what Sheila had just said, the motherland, our motherland. The more unfortunate she is, the more I love her. Because of the loss of the motherland, we have lost everything. Mary never thought she had a good memory, but she remembered this hymn after listening to it.

After a while, Mary called the attendant and gave a few words. After hearing this, the attendants called several more guards, and the guards shouted in a loud Eastern Roman dialect: "Listen, the sister of the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, the Empress of the Western Roman Empire, and the noble Princess Mary, ask you, do you really want to elect Miss Sheila for the election?" ”

Some of the people in the crowd were talking to each other, but when they heard this, everyone fell silent. The guard waited for a moment, and was about to go back to say goodbye. Suddenly, I heard a woman's voice shouting, "I want Sheila to choose the patriarch!" ”

Someone around immediately burst into laughter. The attendant shook his head helplessly, he felt that this kind of coaxing should not be paid attention to anymore. As soon as he turned around, he heard a man behind him shouting: "What are you laughing at, why can't Sheila choose the patriarch." It's better for her to be elected as a senator than the great nobles. ”

ァ新ヤ~(8)~1~Chinese 網ωωω.χ~8.~1zщ.còм

This time few people laughed, and everyone fell silent. The attendant had just taken two steps when he heard a young man shouting, "Sheila, choose the elder!" ”

Then a little girl shouted, "Choose the patriarch!" ”

Soon someone shouted: "Choose the elder!" Choose the patriarch! ”

The whole street should be reconciled, and the attendants stopped and tried to turn around. But he felt that there was no need to turn back, because the shouts of 'Elect the Elders' rolled up like a tidal wave, and although many people's voices sounded just arguing, some of them were strangely firm. Squires who have been through the war can discern the heartfelt will in those determined voices.

Princess Mary was accompanied not only by attendants and guards, but also by officials, scholars, and priests. Hearing the shouts of the earth-shattering 'Elect the Elders', expressions of surprise, unease, anger, disdain, thoughtfulness, and divine stupidity were unconsciously revealed along with their emotions.